Try this tempting teaser…

Ella

Half an hour later, both she and Tucker watched the coffee maker percolating their next cup of caffeine. Dressed in fluffy robes by the kitchen stove, there had been little conversation after his climax. He’d helped her out of the bath and ensured her hair was brushed, but aside from the pleasantries, his words had been minimal.

Her brow furrowed at the realization. He’d promised her a punishment for coming in the bath, then he’d been less chatty than usual. That was bound to be a bad sign.

“I’m thinking of scrambling eggs.” His attention was fixed on the open cupboard beside the stove where he’d found the pack of six eggs. “Aside from a little bread, it’s about all we have left.”

“Then scrambled eggs on toast it is, sir.” Her tone was upbeat as she tried not to dwell on the idea she might have inadvertently pissed him off.

Angering him certainly hadn’t been her intention when she’d begged for release. After all, Tucker knew precisely which buttons he’d been pressing as he tormented her, and there was only so long a woman could hold on before she imploded. What was she supposed to do? Sometimes, she just had to give into pleasure. The problem was, she also had to deal with the consequences.

“I suppose.” His sigh flared with irritation, the sound doing nothing to calm the simmering bubble of anxiety in her belly.

“I can make it for you,” she suggested, more than happy to distract him from her alleged crime . “I don’t mind, sir.”

“I’m sure you don’t.” Closing the cupboard door, he spun to face her, the determined expression on his face letting her know instantly what was on his mind.

Crap.

She knew that look. There’d be no way to get out of whatever he had planned.

“And I’d be happy to eat the breakfast you’ve prepared for me, little girl, but first, there’s the matter of your penance.”

“Right.” She swallowed, unsure what to say.

Experience had taught her that trying to justify her position only tended to antagonize Tucker further. Better that she feigned contrition and hoped to tug at his heartstrings. Since arriving at the apartment, she’d found him to be far more tender than the man who’d stalked her in the forest.

“What would you like me to do, sir?” She met his eyes, still daunted at his sheer physicality.

It was just as well Tucker had morphed into a more affectionate man in recent days because he still had the capacity to do just about anything he wanted to her.

“Well…” He hooked a finger under her chin and held her gaze steady as his stare burned into her. “For breaking one of the few fundamental rules we’ve put into place, I believe there should be an adequate punishment.”

Adequate?

She had an idea that their definitions of what that word meant might vastly differ.

“Yes, sir.”

Her acquiescence was all part of the game, the dynamic they’d both agreed to when they’d come there and shifted into a more consensual union. The conversation had never been literal, of course. There was never one moment when they’d sat down and decided on the arrangements, but over the hours they’d shared in his plush apartment, the ‘instructions’ had been written around her. For her part, she’d lapped them up enthusiastically.

The truth was Ella adored this upgraded version of her older lover. He was still the same rugged Tucker who’d swept her from the woods and insisted she kneel, yet now he was also kinder and more attentive. Since he’d agreed that she meet Susie, Ella hadn’t even contemplated fleeing his side. In fact, she’d reveled in the long, luxurious hours of passion and intimacy they’d created, secretly hoping it would never end.

“In the past, I’ve tanned your beautiful backside for transgressions, but I think you’ve come to relish those a little too much to be considered consequential.”

That was a matter of opinion. As far as she remembered, his spankings always packed a punch, but she didn’t argue the point.

“So,” he went on, “I suggest something different.”

A lazy smile spread across his face, expressing what she’d already suspected—Tucker was absolutely loving this chance to have her just where he wanted her. Not that it wasn’t just where she wanted to be.

“Whatever you say, sir.”

Shifting from one foot to the other, Ella was sure the lengthy delay was all part of the penalty. The protraction reinforced his authority and excited them both.

“Thank you, little girl.” His hand shifted to the side of her face, his fingers stroking her cheek. “I appreciate your compliance.”

The muscles at the apex of her thighs clenched at his praise. It wasn’t so long ago that such a backhanded compliment would have sent her into a spiral of rage, and the mere mention of ‘compliance’ would have triggered her petulance. She couldn’t imagine having been willingly compliant to anyone unless it suited her own agenda, yet Tucker had come along and altered the way she saw things.

The idea of yielding to him now was nothing but scintillating, and if that meant suffering correction at his hand, then so be it. She learned it was even possible to find solace and joy in his chastisements, and in the process, she’d discovered how well she was suited to submission with someone she trusted.

Ella caught her lip between her teeth at the overwhelming concept. The idea that she trusted the man who’d held her against her will was as perturbing as it was outrageous, but it was true. A lot had changed between them since those early days in the barn. They understood each other now and were hopeful for a future beyond the ordeal Alexander had initiated.

“You have it, sir.” An unexpected smile twitched at her mouth with the reply, an acknowledgment of how far they had come in such a short period of time.

“Thank you, Ella.”

He closed the distance between them with one step, his mouth descending to bestow the punishing kiss they both desired. She sagged at the caress, pinned between his hard body and the edge of the marble kitchen island behind her. By the time he released her, any nervous energy about what he might prescribe had all but evaporated.

There was only Tucker and her willingness to obey and please him. Only the swirl of their passion and its insistence that whatever he contrived, she would endure—for him.

“I’ve changed my mind, little girl.”

“Oh?” Flushed from the kiss, her head spun as she met his eyes. “How’s that, sir?”

“I’m hungry, so let’s incorporate your punishment into breakfast.” He signaled to the stove.

“O-kay.” She strung the word into two long syllables, uncertain what the latest edict meant. “Shall I cook for you then, sir?”

“Yes,” he commanded. “You’ll cook for me naked and serve me at the dining table.” His grin revealed his near-perfect teeth as he motioned toward the long table where they sometimes ate their evening meal.

“I can do that.” Her pebbling nipples beneath her robe confirmed that she actually rather liked the idea. If that was to be the extent of her punishment, then she might consider coming without his consent more often.

“Good.” He moved from his place and took a stool at the marble island. “It’ll be nice to be waited on for a change.”

Tugging at the belt around her waist, she shrugged her robe to the ground before collecting the eggs, bread, and other items they’d need for breakfast. Her stomach growled as she prepared the eggs, reminding her that she also liked the sound of the meal.

“You’re definitely the best-looking chef I’ve ever seen.” He sniggered as he lifted his coffee cup to his lips.

“Why, thank you, sir.” She risked a glance in his direction as she dropped the sliced bread into the toaster. “I hope you’ll enjoy the food as much as the view.”

“I think I will.” He peered at her over the rim of his white cup, her heart accelerating at the knowing glint in his blue eyes.

Ella hoped that the dark gleam was only a reflection of how much he relished the look of her, but he was still Tucker Bowman, and she never really knew what was on his mind until she heard it directly from those tempting lips.

She pushed the nagging thought from her mind and returned her focus to the meal. Scrambling eggs wasn’t exactly complicated, but the last thing she wanted to do was ruin them because of her lack of concentration. If this was truly her penalty, then she wanted it to be the best goddamn eggs he’d ever tasted.

“Don’t forget to set the table.” Placing the cup down, his focus flitted to the dining table behind him.

“Of course, sir.”

She removed the pan of eggs from the heat and hurried past him to the cutlery drawer. Finding the necessary knives and forks, she raced to the table and set the places they usually ate at.

“We’ll only need one place, little girl.”

She stilled at his mocking tone, turning back to see his smirk.

“What do you mean, sir?” The butterflies in her tummy fluttered excitedly at his haughty expression. Whatever came next, she had the sense it was her real punishment.

“I’ve made enough eggs for two of us.” And I’m hungry. She held back the final line but reckoned it was there in her tone.

“That’s fine.” Tucker hardly seemed able to suppress his amusement. “We’re both eating, but only I’m eating at the table.”

Oh God … Her breath hitched as she processed what he meant.

“Then…” She was almost afraid to ask. “Where do I eat, sir?”

“At my feet.” He wasn’t even trying to hide his grin that time. “Where you belong.”

“What?” She wasn’t sure if she’d said the word out loud or if it had just echoed in her head.

“You heard me.” His curt tone told her that she must have spoken after all. “Plate up your eggs and toast and place them on the floor by my chair.”

“You want me to eat from the floor, sir?” Her voice sounded distant, but even as she sought clarification, she was aware of the thrum at her clit.

The deed he implied might just be the most demeaning one he’d commanded so far. Being his footrest was one thing, but to actually eat from the ground was something else altogether.

So, why does the thought turn me on so much?

There was no hiding the way her eager buds knotted at the prospect, now her robe had been discarded, and while he might not have noticed, there was no denying the arousal pooling between her thighs.

“You’ll eat from the plate on the floor,” he confirmed. “But if you keep this inquisition up, we’ll ditch the plate for future meals, and I’ll get you a pet bowl instead.”

Flustered, she nearly dropped a fork as she moved his cutlery into position. “What about my knife and fork, sir?” Her gaze darted to between her feet. “Should I put those on the floor, too?”

“No.” His laughter was knowing. “You won’t need those.”

What? She made sure the word didn’t escape that time.

“How do I eat without them, sir?” Her breaths sped up as she tried to fathom his meaning. She’d eat from the floor if she must, but scrambled eggs and fingers were not the finest bedfellows.

“You’ll eat the same way you tend to my cock every morning.” He pushed his coffee cup away. “With your mouth open and your hands behind her back.”

Reaching for the nearest chair, Ella sensed the blood drain from her face.