“How old were you?” he asked in an oddly calm voice.
“Fourteen. After that, she punished me in other ways.”
“Like what?”
She chewed at her bottom lip, worriedly. “I don’t know if I should tell you.”
While he sounded and looked calm, she could see a tic going by his right eye. He wasn’t as calm as he was attempting to pretend to be.
“Oh, that means you should very much tell me.”
“She’d get mad. Stop giving me money for my books.”
“That’s not all of it, though, is it?”
“No,” she said quietly.
“What did she do when she was upset with you, Mari-girl?”
“She’d yell. Call me names.”
“That all?”
She shook her head. She really didn’t think she should tell him.
“What else, teeny?” he pressed.
“She’d slap me sometimes,” she whispered.
He went still. She’d kind of expected for him to get angry. Lose his temper. But he’d almost turned to stone under her lap.
Finally, he let out a breath, closing his eyes as he pressed his lips together.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“Okay?” he repeated. “No, pretty sure I’m not okay. You were given into your aunt’s care. By what you’ve said, she’s been neglectful as well as emotionally and physically abusive.”
“She’s never really hit me,” she protested.
He opened his eyes and stared at her incredulously. “What do you call slapping you?”
Damn it. It didn’t matter how she tried to deny it, he was right.
“She basically told you to give Tiger whatever he wanted.”
“I know,” she whispered. “I guess it’s just hard to know that the one person you have left, your only family, cares nothing about you. I think that’s part of the reason I stuck around. I told myself it was because of my diabetes and not wanting to be without insurance. But I also think it’s because she’s all I have. What would I do if I left? Where would I go? I have no money. I have no one. I don’t know how to make friends. I don’t have family. I was scared.”
“Oh, baby.” His face softened.
He wrapped his arms around her, holding her securely. “You’re not alone anymore, little one. You don’t have to put up with that bitch anymore. I’m here. If you want me, I’ll be here for you as your man and your Daddy. Do you think that’s something you might want? Are you interested in more than friendship with me?”
18
Linc held his breath as he waited for her reply.
He didn’t know what he would do if she said she wasn’t interested in taking things further. He’d still protect her, but it would be hell to come home to her every night and not touch her, kiss her, hug her.
But it needed to be her choice.
“I do want more. I’ve wanted it since you first mentioned being interested in me. I couldn’t believe that you would want me. Boring, mousy Marisol.”
“I’m going to stop you right there,” he said sternly even as relief flooded him. She wanted him too. “You are not ever to call yourself boring or mousy again. Or an idiot. I won’t have that. Understand? That’s a very firm rule.”
“We’re talking about rules already?”
“Yep. This is important. I want you to see yourself how I see you. Gorgeous. Kind. Funny.”
She stared up at him in amazement. “Really?”
“It kills me that you don’t know your own self-worth. That you don’t see that you’re a freaking queen and that’s how you should be treated.” He leaned in and brushed his lips against her ear. “Unless you’re being a naughty little princess. Then you’ll receive a different sort of treatment. Have you thought about being turned over my knee?”
A shudder worked through her. Oh, he was going to take that as a yes. Still, she had to tell him herself.
“Do I have to answer?”
“Yes,” he said firmly. “And remember how I feel about being lied to.”
She squirmed on his lap.
“Marisol,” he warned. He wasn’t letting her get away without answering. He had to know.
“I don’t like when you call me by my name.”
“What?” he asked, confused. What did she mean?
“Usually you call me Mari or Mari-girl or teeny. When you call me Marisol it’s usually because you’re upset or annoyed.”
Really? Huh. He hadn’t actually realized that, but she could be right.
“Tell me, Mari-girl.”
“Yes,” she blurted out.
“Good girl. That wasn’t so hard, was it?”
“For you, maybe,” she muttered.
Oh, one part of him definitely got hard thinking about turning her over his knee and spanking that naughty bottom.
“Have you imagined me doing anything else to you?” he asked in a husky voice. “Me kissing you?”
“Yes,” she said breathily as he placed one hand on her upper thigh.
“Me too. Every night since we went on our picnic, I’ve gotten myself off while thinking of you. Have you done the same?”
“What?” She went rigid.
Maybe he was pushing too far too fast. But he wanted her to know how much he desired her. Despite the fact that he was exhausted at the end of the day, he’d still get hard thinking about her in the shower and he’d jerk himself off thinking about her.
He drew a pattern on her thigh with his finger, moving closer and closer to her pussy. She widened her thighs without him saying anything. He heard her breath hitch.
“I wonder if I slipped my finger under your panties and ran it along your lips whether I’d find them slick with arousal? Would I, Mari-girl? Are you turned on? Do you need to come?”
“Linc,” she groaned.
Gently, he cupped her pussy. “Don’t ever doubt how much I want you. I can think of nothing else but you. My concentration has been shot. Whenever I’d call you and hear your voice, I would go instantly hard. I haven’t fucking played with myself this much since I was a teenager.”
“Linc!” She let out a startled giggle.
He grinned. That had been his intention. To make her smile. To hear that cheeky laugh. To break some of the tension. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to her neck.
“I want you, Mari-girl. I hope you want me too.”
“I do.”
“Thank fuck.” He kissed her, his lips soft but then the kiss grew harder, his tongue slipping between her lips. She whimpered as he drew back, staring down at her.
He cupped the side of her face with his hand. “I’m taking tomorrow off. I’ll be on call if anyone needs me. But I want to spend some time with you. We can talk about your rules. Your expectations and mine. I want you to think about what you might want or need from me. It isn’t just about play or discipline. I can help you in other ways. If there’s something you’re struggling with or worried about. For tonight, I want us just to get comfortable with each other. We’ll bundle up on the sofa and watch some television before bed. But I do want you in my bed.”