If he betrayed that trust and everything went to hell, she’d have to deal with that when the time came, but for now, if he wasn’t going to ask her opinion and enthusiastic engagement in everything, if he was instead going to simply demand and take, there was suddenly a space opening up for her to accept things.
“Lift your arms,” he said.
Julie lifted her arms and Gabe pulled the T-shirt over her head and flung it onto the floor. “Why are you wearing underwear?”
She looked up into stern glittering green eyes. “I’m sorry, Master. I-I forgot.” She’d been so nervous this morning, knowing it was starting today.
“That was your one and only warning, since we are just getting started. But never again, or there will be punishment.”
Julie nodded.
Gabe knelt and removed her shoes and socks and then pushed the shorts over her hips and down to the floor. “Step out.”
She did. She stood waiting in white panties, her arms crossed over her chest as he took a step back and looked at her. He’d seen her naked before. In the dungeon. But she’d had a blindfold on then. She hadn’t been able to watch as he assessed her. She felt unbearably self-conscious. The only thing that kept her from fleeing was the knowledge that he’d take her down to the dungeon.
“I’m glad to see you’ve put the weight back on. You look healthy.”
She felt the color rise to her cheeks. “Thank you, Master.”
He moved closer and moved her arms away from her breasts. “Don’t cover yourself. I get to look at what’s mine whenever I want.” He pressed a hand against her cheek and then allowed it to trail down the side of her throat and then down still further to stroke and cup her breast.
He bent and dragged his tongue over one nipple and a small gasp escaped her.
“Can I ask you something?” Julie said.
“You just did. But I’ll give you a bonus question.”
“At Dmitri’s house, t-they didn’t like me that much. I… what happens if… if you don’t like me?” She’d be lying if she said all her fears were wrapped up in reliving trauma. One of her biggest fears was that Gabe would finally get what he wanted, decide he didn’t want it after all, and then get rid of her.
“That won’t happen.”
“How do you know?”
“Because you’re Julie. And because I’m training you to my absolute and exacting specifications. As long as you can obey simple orders, I’ll like you just fine.”
He walked her backward until the backs of her knees hit the bed, then he pressed her shoulders down gently until she sat.
Gabe took a couple of steps back. “Lie back and pull your panties down.”
Her hands trembled as she did as he demanded. If not for the threat of the dungeon and the growing certainty he would take her there, she would have already crumbled into sobs and begging or tried to flee.
He sat beside her, his hand resting lightly on her belly. Then he began to stroke the skin there. “I’m happy that you’ve got some healthy weight back, but you will stay at this weight. I want you in the gym every day working out with Brian. I like my girls very fit.”
Her eyes widened. “But…” How could he ask her to be in the same room with that guy?
“But nothing. You will go. Brian and I have an understanding. He only did what he did to try to push you into my arms. He won’t interfere with us. I don’t want you to be skulking around the house trying to avoid him. He’s not going to hurt you. And while you don’t want to be in his dungeon, he’s a great personal trainer in the gym. This is your home, and I want you to feel like it is. Spending some time around Brian in a gym environment will be good for you.”
She was about to argue, but the steely glint in Gabe’s eyes stopped her. “Yes, Master.”
“Good girl.”
At least now she could spend all her time worrying about being in the gym with Brian. Maybe it would make her worry less about what Gabe was going to do.
He took the tube of coconut oil out of his pocket and unscrewed the cap. This time he didn’t order her to do anything, he just positioned her legs the way he wanted them, spread wide so that her feet could reach the edges, then he sat in the open space between them.
“Close your eyes and relax,” he said.
Moments later, she felt something cold and soothing between her legs. She was still very tender and red from the waxing. The oil was in a solid form and melted as he massaged it into her skin. Julie was grateful he’d allowed her to close her eyes. She didn’t think she could bear to look at him when he was touching her so blatantly and intimately.
No man had ever touched her this way before. At Dmitri’s it was blow jobs and standard fucking. Nobody bothered to really look at her—not like this. No one had ever tried to touch her in this almost disturbingly intimate way.
A desperate little moan left her throat before she could quiet it as her hips arched off the bed, seeking more. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected from Gabe, but it hadn’t been this. She could lie there forever and let him stroke her pussy this way. His fingers dipped inside her and she jerked off the bed toward him. Then he pulled back and caressed her some more on the outside.
“Please,” she whimpered, a little breathless.
Gabe chuckled. “Oh, no, sweetheart. You won’t be having an orgasm for a while. You have to surrender completely to me first. And I will know when you have. It will be weeks of training before I can allow it.”
He pulled his hand away and she had to fight back more begging. Had it been ridiculous to fear and resist him? He said he wasn’t going to let her have an orgasm for a while, and she knew for certain now that she’d never had one because the most she’d ever achieved was the same as the comforting pleasure he’d just delivered. It made her a little afraid, both of how intense it might be and also what if she… couldn’t? Would he be mad? Would he throw her away then?
“Those men were absolute idiots,” he said, his voice angry. “Of course they didn’t like you. You were inexperienced and none of them ever learned anything more than how to masturbate inside a woman.”
Julie opened her eyes, horrified he would mention any of that when everything had been so nice for a moment.
Gabe’s gaze met hers. “I’m sorry. You didn’t need to hear that. It might have been worse for you in some ways if they’d known what they were doing.” He stood and peeled off his T-shirt and jeans.
She tried not to look at his erection, but she couldn’t help it. To say it was impressive and terrifying was an understatement. She’d unfortunately seen a lot of erections over the past year, but none of them were quite as intimidating as what she found herself faced with now. Instinctively, she closed her legs.
Gabe noticed. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’m not doing that today. I told you I would go slow. Come with me.” He held out a hand and helped her out of the bed. He took her to the bathroom and started the shower.
When the temperature was right, he guided her inside and joined her under the spray.
“Lather your hands up, and touch me.”
Julie took the bar of soap off the tray and did as he asked. She was tentative at first, afraid she was about to prove to him why he’d gotten a bad deal. No matter what he said, she couldn’t stop thinking in those terms. She kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. Maybe it was the real reason she had pushed away his advances. Not just the fear of relieving Dmitri’s, but the fear of him finding out how much money he’d wasted. And then what?