Chapter 16
CHAPTER 16
Amber
I don’t even know myself. I feel like I’ve spent thirty years pretending to be the wrong person, and now I’ve found out I’m someone else. Also, what if I’m wrong?
Sassing Isaac is something I’m good at, but now there will be repercussions. I’m so curious that I’m willing to continue to sass him several more times to ensure he follows through on his threat to spank me when we get home.
Isaac stands right outside the door to the fitting room while I continue to try on dresses. I find an excuse to open the door and show him each one because I love the look on his face and the bulge in his jeans.
I wonder if Isaac has always gotten a hard-on when I’ve worn sexy dresses. I wasn’t looking, so I wouldn’t know. He’s also always schooled his face better around me. He has a scowl he pastes on that gives nothing away. Today, he has relaxed that scowl and looks at me with lust.
On the third dress, I open the door to find him standing inches from me with his hands on his hips. “What’s your goal here, Amber?”
I gulp as I turn around. “Zipper?”
He chuckles, sets both hands on my back, and eases the zipper up. He grips my waist from behind when he’s done. His hands are so large that his fingers graze the undersides of my breasts.
His lips come to my ear. “You are a very naughty girl.”
I shudder. I’ve probably gone too far.
He continues whispering, his lips and breath so close that goosebumps rise all over my body. “All of these dresses are sexy as fuck, and I will growl every time you wear them because every man in the room will ogle you. However, at the end of the day, they can’t have you because you’re mine. Do you understand?”
I nod. I’ve stopped breathing.
“Words, Amber. Tell me you’re mine. I don’t want there to be any confusion.”
“I’m yours, Daddy,” I murmur.
“Good girl. Now, finish up here. We need to pay for those dresses and get to your appointment. When we get home, I’m going to spank your naughty bottom for sassing me and teasing me. After that, you’re going to stand in the corner and think about how often you want your bottom spanked. That’s up to you.”
My breath hitches. I don’t know what he means.
His hands slide higher so that his fingers press against the swell of my breasts, pushing them up. I wish he would touch my nipples, but he doesn’t.
He playfully bites my earlobe. “You’ll understand after I spank you, baby. You’ll either love it or hate it. If you enjoy having your bottom spanked, you’ll conjure up a myriad of ways to misbehave in order to get your fix, or…” he licks my earlobe, making me whimper, “…or you could be a good girl and ask me to spank you to get your fix without misbehaving.”
I’m dizzy from all the information.
“I’ll warn you now. Naughty girls who misbehave in order to get spanked do not get to come afterward. Good girls who ask for a maintenance spanking to purge icky feelings may also request an orgasm.” His hands slide back down to my hips, leaving me feeling needy. “Any questions?”
“No, Sir.”
“Was that the last dress you brought back here to tease me with?”
I swallow. “Yes, Sir.”
“Good.” He pulls my back against his front tighter and speaks into my ear again. “All three were sexy as fuck, baby. Get them.”
A second later, he’s no longer touching me. I’m once again alone in the dressing room. The door is closed, and I’m panting. I have to grab the wall to keep from swaying.
Isaac has scrambled my brain with his promises, his lips, his breaths, and his threats. I want more.
Somehow, I manage to put my black dress back on and exit the fitting room with the three dresses in my hand. I’m shaking and have so many questions, but I have to pay and get to my appointment at the gallery.
Isaac is by the front door. He glances at me and nods, but his facade is back in place. He’s all business now, looking around to make sure no one is a threat to me.
Catherine can’t hide her grin as she rings me up. Her eyes are dancing as she keeps glancing at Isaac, and she tries to hide her grin by pursing her lips.
I’m smiling, too, as I hand her my credit card.
As she puts the dresses in a plastic clothing bag, she whispers, “I always thought he was your bodyguard.”
I giggle and shrug. “Me, too.” I say nothing more as I take the bag and head for the front door.
Isaac takes my purchases from me and guides me back to the car, where he stashes the dresses on a hook in the back seat before we head for the gallery.
His hand is once again on the small of my back, but his gaze is scanning the area in the way it always does. The only noticeable difference is his hand. It’s possessive and makes me squirm.
I’m rethinking the logic of wearing this dress. When I put it on this morning, I had thoughts of teasing him with how lowcut and revealing it is, but now, I have to step into the gallery and face Monette with hard nipples.
Isaac pauses at the gallery door, his hand on the doorknob.
I turn my head to find him slowly taking in every inch of our surroundings. There are a lot of people on the sidewalk, coming and going. It’s getting closer to noon. The pedestrian traffic is picking up.
I touch his arm. “Isaac…?”
He shifts his attention to me and smiles before opening the door.
I get that feeling again, though, the one where I feel like I’m being watched. I squeeze his arm as we enter. He sets his hand on top of mine and grips it in return.
There’s one customer in the gallery, and Monette is speaking with him. She glances over at us and smiles before returning her attention to the customer.
Isaac guides me to the back of the gallery, where he knows I’ll meet with Monette after she’s done. As we step out of earshot, he tips my head back and meets my gaze. He searches my eyes as though looking for something.
“What?” I ask.
“Just seeing if Houdini is in the house today. Can we please retire that version of Amber? I lose a few years off my life every time you give me the slip.” He steps closer until my breasts are grazing the front of his blazer. “You’re more than just a client, Amber. You always were, but it’s out there now. You are my life. Do you have any idea how much it would destroy me if anything happened to you during one of your stunts?”
I swallow, feeling extremely chagrined for all the angst I’ve caused him. “I’m sorry.” I slide my hands around to his back and snuggle in closer. “Houdini is gone. I promise. That was such a bitchy thing to do.”
He sets his hands possessively on my waist. “It was a coping mechanism. I understood, but it didn’t change the way it made me panic every time.”
“I won’t do it again.”
He lifts a brow. “If you do…”
I clench my butt cheeks. “My ass…”
“Will be striped,” he confirms.
“Yes, Sir.”
His lips come to mine for a brief kiss, and that’s the exact moment Monette breezes into the back room. “Oh.”
I turn toward her, my face heating, and smile. “Yeah.” I angle myself so I’m leaning into Isaac’s side, loving the way his palm comes to my ass briefly before sliding up to my back. I set my hand on his abs.
Monette smiles and rubs her hands together. “I like it.”
I chuckle and shove away from Isaac, patting him again for good measure. “Go lurk somewhere so I can talk to Monette.”
He smirks, kisses my forehead, and casually strolls to the front of the gallery.
Monette spins around to watch him leave. “My oh my… And to think I’ve been eyeing that cool drink of water for the last two years…” She sighs dramatically. “I guess he’s off the market.”
I smile. “Apparently.”
“Well, tell me what happened to your chin, and then let’s talk about next weekend’s open house.”