Page 34 of The Duke's Pet

She nodded.

“You will be careful in future not to damage my work.”

“Of course, it was an accident, I didn’t—”

He pressed his finger over her lips so they touched her teeth. “I know, but you still had to be punished or you wouldn’t have understood the gravity of your mistake.”

She stared into his eyes. He was unblinking and studying her closely.

“We will talk of it no more. Please, get into bed.”

A quiver attacked her belly and gravitated upward. Her teeth clattered and she clenched her jaw so he wouldn’t notice.

“My little kitten.” He narrowed his eyes at her. “I feel I am being tested by you?”

“What... what do you mean?”

“I am having to repeat myself. Why?”

She knotted her fingers and held his gaze.

“I know you hear quite well,” he said, tapping each of her ears in turn. “And that you have a good brain in here.” He knocked his knuckles on the top of her head. “So why... why must I repeat myself constantly?”

“You don’t have to.”

“Ah, and now you are saying I am mistaken, when I know I am not.”

She continued to stare at him... a stare that was turning into a glare. She didn’t know why she was doing it, pushing him. But couldn’t help herself.

“Pass me one of your shoes.”

“Pardon?”

“God give me strength.” He rolled his eyes and gritted his teeth.

Quickly she stooped and snatched up one of her small, hard-soled shoes.

He took it from her and examined it. “This,” he said, whacking it down on his palm. “Will be quite painful on your behind, don’t you agree?”

“Yes.” Her eyes widened at the thought.

“Yes, Sir.” He smacked it down again.

She was sure her buttocks tingled at just the sound of it. “Yes, Sir.”

“Now do as you are told, or you will be over my knee for one hundred strikes of the shoe, and what is more, it will not inconvenience me to perform that punishment, do you understand?”

She turned from him, lips tight and chin tilted, and walked naked to the four-poster.

She knew he was staring at her ass, she could practically feel his gaze.

And the last thing I want to feel on my ass is that shoe.

After pulling back the tight bedclothes she slipped between the sheets that were heavy with a thick blanket covering them. The material was chilly on her hot rump and she dragged it up to her chin, suppressing a shiver.

What is he going to do?

She watched him as he moved around the room, admiring—though she tried not to—the way his muscles danced beneath the flesh on his arms and shoulders, but also anxious as to how he was going to take her virginity.

---