Her mouth was open in shock when she realized what she’d done. She took a defensive posture, wrapping her hands over herself, attempting to melt into the wall. “Sorry. God, I’m sorry, Bennett. I forgot for a second.”

“Then it’s time I give you a very clear reminder about who’s in charge.” He uncurled her fingers from her biceps, forcing her hands by her sides. “Repeat after me. Bennett is in charge of me tonight.”

“Bennett is in charge of me tonight.”

“Say it again. Bennett is completely in charge of me tonight.”

A spark of irritation darkened her eyes but she repeated, “Bennett is completely in charge of me tonight.”

“Good. But because you inappropriately used your hands, you’ve lost the use of them for as long as I see fit.”

“What? No. That’s not fair—”

Ben got right in her face. “Keep it up and I just might rethink my stance on not usin’ spanking as punishment for talkin’ back. Understand?”

She swallowed hard. Then nodded.

“Turn and face the wall.”

She didn’t hesitate at his command. She didn’t move when he unzipped her corset and tossed it aside. She didn’t protest when he tugged her leather skirt down her legs, leaving her in a tiny peach lace thong and the three-inch black patent leather pumps.

But she did tremble when he rested his hands on her hips. “You’re shaking.” He pressed a kiss on the slope of her shoulder. “Why?”

“Because I don’t know what happens next.”

“But it’s exciting, isn’t it?” Ben slid his hands up the front of her body. Over the soft curve of her belly. Pausing to cup her breasts. Stopping to place his thumb on the erratic pulse pounding in her neck. “What’s your safe word?”

“Broncos.”

“Do you want to use it now?”

A pause, then, “No. Sir.”

Ben twined his fingers with hers and towed her away from the wall. At the end of the bed was a leather foot bench, the perfect height, length and width for what Ben had in mind. He dragged it to the middle of the room.

“Sit.” He opened the top dresser drawer and removed the items he’d need.

She remained in a prim and proper pose. Her head wasn’t bowed and her eyes seemed mighty interested in what he held in his hands.

He stepped so close she had to widen her knees to accommodate him, grinning down at her because her mouth was level with his cock. “So, what do you think I’m gonna do?”

Her gaze traveled up his torso until their eyes met. “I think you’ll unzip your jeans so I can give you a blowjob.”

Ben’s smile faded. He crouched until they were eye-to-eye. “Last night, when you were playing at bein’ a Domme, whose pleasure were you more concerned with? Yours? Or mine?”

“Mine.”

“And that’s where you went wrong, Angel. That’s how I knew you weren’t truly a Domme. Bein’ dominant isn’t about takin’ what you want.”

Her cheeks reddened and she looked away.

“Eyes on me, please.”

Her gaze winged back to his.

“Bein’ dominant is about figuring out what the submissive needs. It’s about trust. Tonight, as your dominant, you’re trusting me to give you what you need, maybe even when you don’t know what that need is.”

“And you know what I need?” she asked with an edge of surliness.

He nodded.

“How? You don’t even know me.”

“That’s where you’re mistaken. I’ve been observing you since I first saw you. Before we even talked I watched you. While you were sizing me up, I watched you. And last night when we walked through the club? I studied your reaction to every scene and your response every time I touched you. When I had my hand between your legs getting you off, I watched you. When I had my mouth between your legs, makin’ you come? Well, I really watched you then. So I may not know your favorite kind of ice cream, or the name of the street you grew up on, or your birthday, but I guarantee that I’ve learned things about you that’d surprise…even you.”

Her eyes never left his as she processed his words. He could practically see her backtracking, trying to remember how much of herself she’d given away.

“What?”

“I was an awful Domme, wasn’t I?”

“Not awful. Just confused about the difference between power and control. So let me show you.” Ben smooched her mouth. “Lay back and let your arms fall to the floor.”

She straddled the bench and stretched out. “Like this?”

“Nope. Scoot down so your head is almost hanging off the end. Now move your feet until they’re right beside the bench legs. Yep. Perfect.” Ben dropped the straps on the floor and trailed the ends of the silk scarves up her sumptuous body. Starting at her knees, zigzagging across her exposed flesh, swirling around her nipples, watching the tips constrict. “Such a gorgeous body. I love seein’ you nekkid. Once I start touching you I won’t wanna stop.”

The tensed line around her mouth softened.

Ben lowered to his knees. “Relax your shoulders.” He twined the red scarves from her elbows to her wrists, immobilizing her arms.

The height of her heeled shoes only allowed him to tie her legs from mid-calf to ankle. He ran his palms up the inside of her thighs. “Your skin looks so pretty wrapped in red silk.”

She lifted her chest when he secured the first strap above her hips. “What are you doing?”

“Tyin’ you down so you can’t jerk away from me when I touch you.” He secured the next strap above her breasts. “Stay still. If you move too much the strap will bite. I don’t want these beautiful breasts bruised.”

“Will it pinch me more than it is now?”

He traced the edge of the strap from one armpit to the other. “If you arch too high. And the only thing allowed to pinch these sweet babies is me.” He tweaked both nipples simultaneously.

She gasped. “Bennett, I don’t know about this.”

He studied her reaction to being bound. Rapid breathing. Slight trembles. But she wasn’t attempting to jerk against any of the restraints. “Are you afraid I’ll hurt you?”

“Umm. No.”

His index finger trailed from the dip in her chin, down her neck, between her breasts, passing over her belly button, stopping at the swollen folds hiding her clit. “Are you afraid I’ll make you lose control?”

When she turned her head away, Ben gently grabbed her chin, forcing her attention on him. “Answer me.”

“Yes, okay? I’m scared you’ll make me lose control. You’ve already got me tied up so I can’t move. When you start to touch me I’ll probably beg you to make me come.”

“So?”

“So, that’s embarrassing.”

“Oh, little control freak, there’s no one here but us. There’s nothin’ embarrassing about you begging me. Every time you come by my hand or by my command, it’ll show you how in tune I am with your body.” Ben’s thumb stroked her bottom lip. “That’s not embarrassing. That’s how it’s supposed to be.”

“You won’t…build me to the point I’m begging you and then stop? Just because you can?”

Was this a brand-new fear? Or had some mean fucker in her past gotten his kicks by denying her an orgasm? “Makin’ you come is a rush for me, so if I deny you that, I’m denying myself. But I ain’t gonna lie. Sometimes delaying that gratification intensifies it. For both of us.”

They measured each other for another minute.

“Say your safe word if you wanna stop.”

“I don’t want to stop.”

“Then we’re done talkin’.” Watching her eyes, he slid his finger down her slit. The wetness he found at her core didn’t surprise him, but she wore that look of embarrassment. He pushed his finger inside her. “Don’t be ashamed of how your body responds to me.”

Ben slipped another finger inside, using his thumb on her clit. The feminine heat and wetness made him want to sink his cock into her now. But he painted a trail up her body with his wet fingers instead, lapping the sweet stickiness with his tongue. He smeared her juices on her nipples, then sucked it off slowly. One side at a time. While his mouth was busy, so were his hands. A teasing brush of his fingertips across her belly. Caressing the deeply contoured sides of her body from hip to armpit. Skimming the outside of her legs. Grazing the inside of her thighs. But never touching her sex directly.

Much to her squirming displeasure.

He focused his attention upward and knew the instant she realized his intention.

“No. Stop. I can’t—”

“Relax your neck.” He firmed his lips and followed that swan-like curve from the sweet spot behind her ear to the hollow of her throat.

A full body shiver rolled through her. “Please. Don’t.”

“You’re really that riled up about me kissing you here?” Ben bestowed a warm, soft kiss to the side of her neck. Then he parted his lips and scraped his teeth across it.

She bucked up with a sexy whimper.

Breathing in the scent of her passion-warmed skin, he dragged openmouthed kisses from the sweep of her shoulder, up and down both sides of her neck, back and forth from her jawbone to her clavicle.

She tried to block him, raising her shoulders and angling her head into his face whenever he got too close. After her cheekbone smacked into his nose, he warned, “Hold still, goddammit.”

“No. Don’t. I can’t take any more.”

“Am I hurting you?”

Eyes closed, she nodded.

Liar. “Then say your safe word.”

A couple of heartbeats passed before she shook her head.

Which meant her mind protested but her body didn’t. That was his goal for tonight—to get her mind and her body on the same wavelength.