Page 52 of Degrees of Control

“Red.”

He kissed her. It was short and almost unbearably sweet. “Go get changed. I wanna see what I bought for you.”

Charlie hesitated. It was one thing to model gorgeous clothes in a well-lit underwear store, but what if he thought she looked like a troll doll in a bikini?

James’ expression became a dangerous sneer. “I’m not asking, darlin, I’m telling. The big dirty man wants to see your body and you’re gonna do what he says. Put on something sexy and get back here. Fast.”

She walked toward her bedroom with legs that felt like jelly. Rummaging through her lingerie she selected ruffled cream panties and a sheer babydoll negligee that cupped her breasts and flowed down to her hips like the world’s most inappropriate dress. Figuring she’d go all out, she applied lipstick and mascara and slipped on her black Mary Jane shoes. She inspected herself quickly in the mirror.

Nothing like a troll doll. Good.

When she emerged into the kitchen, James’ mouth flattened into a straight line. He beckoned her closer, eyes cataloguing every detail. As much as Charlie wanted his mouth to fall open, she’d learned that the more potent James’ reaction to her body was, the more it looked like anger. When he’d opened the door to find her in stripper clothes, he looked like he wanted to punch a hole in the wall. She walked slowly up to her counter, avoiding his eyes. She didn’t have to fake her intimidation. The scent of his cologne was enough to make her feel lightheaded. She still didn’t know what it was called and knew she needed to find out soon.Why? So you can buy a bottle and give it to your next boyfriend?

A large finger brushed its way up her forearm. “You’re real pretty, sweetheart.” James’ voice was sticky-sweet.

Charlie decided to act as though they were in a bar. She was getting hit on in a bar by a man so beautiful he just had to be trouble. That wasn’t too hard to imagine. “Thanks.”

She looked away pointedly. His fingertips slid up to her shoulder and at this point in any legitimate bar she would have walked away. Here the queasy feeling of being preyed upon flooded into her system accompanied as always, by excitement.

James’ eyes flicked over her cleavage, her hair, her mouth. “How ’bout you let me take you home?”

A familiar kick of submission rose inside her and Charlie longed to say yes. “Um, no thanks.”

“C’mon, darlin’, even a cute little thing like you has to have needs.”

He slid a hand over her hip and she jerked out of his grip. She liked this feeling of him fully dressed, her half-naked. It made her feel vulnerable, hyper-feminine to his masculine. “I’ve got a boyfriend.”

“Is that right, sweetheart?” James’ hazel eyes were glittering with excitement. Clearly he liked the idea. “Mustn’t be a smart boyfriend, leaving a girl like you here all alone.”

His hands trailed across her collarbone and Charlie shivered. This man was different from James, or the many iterations of James she’d slept with before. Coldness radiated from him, making his mouth twist and his beautiful features cruel.

“My boyfriend doesn’t go wherever I go,” Charlie improvised. “He’s not that kind of guy.”

James laughed as though she’d just told the funniest joke in the world. “I can guess exactly what kind of guy your boyfriend is. Good job? Nice hair? Likes having a hot little piece of ass like you to show off to all his nice friends? I bet he fucks you every Friday night, regular as clockwork. You on top doin’ all the work.”

Memories of Dale crashed through her head like a freight train and Charlie had to actively remind herself that James couldn’t be speaking from experience.

“I like being on top,” she said. She was trying for feisty but the sentance came out all uncertain.

The man who looked like James smiled his shark-like smile. “You sure, sweetheart? You look like someone who likes it deep, from behind.”

Excitement flared in Charlie’s stomach. “That’s really not your business.”

The stranger leaned forward. “Your man ever make you come, sweetheart?”

“I—what?”

He extended an arm on either side of her body, bracing on the counter behind her. “This boyfriend of yours, he eat pussy?”

Charlie felt her cheeks burn red as the stranger leaned in close, so close she could count his lashes. “I…um…”

“Come home with me and I’ll tongue you till you can’t stand, lick every inch of you until you’re begging me to stop.”

Her insides squirmed. “I don’t cheat.”

“It’s not cheating to take a peach like you away from some ungrateful prick.” His callused hands whispered down her breasts, crackling on the silky material. “Look at this body, all primed and ready, aching for a real man to take care of it. You’ve been a long time without it baby. You need it real fuckin’ bad.”

The stranger pulled down the delicate material, exposing her nipples. They were taut from rubbing against the gauze, hard as diamonds.

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