door. Except, the image of her upturned cheeks growing red beneath his palm didn’t invoke fear as much as it did excitement. Already a familiar ache had begun to build between her thighs.
“What are the rules?” The tremor in her voice had been replaced by a squeak.
“Number one, absolutely no smoking. Number two, home in bed by midnight unless you’re with me or you’ve gotten my permission beforehand. Number three, no lying. Four, I’ll give you a private cell. If it rings, it’s from me and I expect you to answer it immediately. Finally, number five, when I tell you to do something, do it.”
“That’s rather vague. You could tell me to set myself on fire.”
“Not likely, but if I tell you I want you to put on a certain outfit and go out to dinner with me, I expect you to do it. If I decide you might be catching a cold and tell you to pull down your panties so I can take your temperature, I expect you to do as you’re told.”
She stared at him in confusion. “My panties?”
“It’s much more accurate that way,” he replied.
OMG, he means he’ll take it in my bottom! Abby’s hands flew to her mouth at the very idea. “I’m never going to be sick again,” she vowed immediately, causing Chris to laugh. “So it’s what, like an arranged marriage? He puts us together and we’re supposed to be this instant couple? What’s in it for me if I say yes? Spankings and a father figure?”
“Something like that.” He shrugged. “If you’re not interested, we can end this now. But if you are—” Chris leaned forward and grasped her hands in his. “Say yes and I promise you’ll never hear me tell you to grow up. You can lie on the floor watching cartoons and sucking your thumb if that’s what you need. I’ll never judge you.” He raised her hands to his lips, sending electric sparks up each finger as his mouth brushed against it. As he reached the last one, his grip tightened possessively as his eyes rose to meet hers. “Say yes, Abby,” he urged. “I can give you what you need.”
The paperwork only consisted of four pages, outlining the rules he’d already laid out in the game room and explaining that she would be kept under constant surveillance until such time as both parties requested it be ended. It didn’t specify exactly how the organization would be keeping an eye on her, but it made it clear her activities would be monitored at all times and any indiscretions would be promptly reported. Rather than be offended or annoyed, she found the idea of being constantly watched over surprisingly reassuring.
Mr. Green’s exasperation seemed to have eased up somewhat, particularly when Abby asked about the rules of using the facilities. Chris might send her stomach into flip-flops whenever his ocean eyes fell upon her, but the logical side of her brain insisted she get to know him better before telling him where she lived.
“The facility is available 24/7 for members, and I expect you to make use of it particularly during the first few months, for everyone’s safety. All we ask is you call ahead and inform us of your visit,” he assured her. “Of course, if we have notified Mr. Antonopoulos of a problem with your behavior, we’ll assume a visit is imminent and no further notification will be required.
The image of being bent over Chris’ lap with her bare bottom in the air resurfaced, and as her pulse quickened, she wondered if his tattoos extended to his thighs as well. The conversation around her faded and grew jumbled as she imagined him standing shirtless before her, pictured her grasping the waistband of his low slung jeans and easing it down over his hips, letting them fall to the floor and leaving him naked and tanned and inked before her. She imagined the gold and brown and blonde twisted dreads tumbling wildly over his shoulders, pictured his tanned nipples growing rigid beneath her fingertips, saw his full lips part slightly as he leaned forward—
“Miss