Temptation: a billionaire erotic romance Read Free

and what is expected of me in return?”
    “Yes.”
    “And you understand that you will not receive your payment until the end of the three months?  You’re fine with that?”
    “Yes,” she said.  She felt ridiculous and simpleminded, only able to say small words like yes and no.  She had the sudden, crazy urge to add, I trust you , but shut her mouth.  That was stupid.  She barely knew him.
    “Let’s go through our terms again, then,” he said, turning on his heel and marching back to her.  Her gaze wandered back to his chest, where the perfectly tailored shirt strained a bit against his muscled chest. Those buttons were holding on for dear life.  She darted her gaze away before he could notice.
    “First,” he said, reading off the page, pacing around the room, “this is an agreement between the Dominant, Valentine Marquette, and the submissive, Serena Nicoletti.  Both parties consent of their own free will to the terms of this agreement.  After the signing of this contract, the submissive agrees to give herself over totally into sexual slavery and submission to the Dominant, with the promise of care and good stewardship by the Dominant.  This arrangement shall last three months.”
    He walked around the desk, leaning forward on it, and Serena’s eyes locked on the muscles of his arm.
    “Does that sound right, Serena?”
    She lowered her gaze, keeping it on the clasped hands in her lap.  “Yes.”
    “Second,” he continued, just as formally, “there are our limits, of course, I’m glad to see we agreed about them.”  Serena shuddered.  She had never heard of most of the things on those limits lists, but she was very glad she was able to opt out of things like ‘tit torture’ and ‘needle play.’  And she was especially glad that he wasn’t interested in them either. 
    “And then, third, the practicalities.  I’ll be feeding and housing you, of course.  As long as you are my slave, you’ll be kept in my home.  I believe you’ll find your living quarters quite comfortable, but we’ll get to that later when you arrive.
    “And then we get to the fun parts,” he said, something in his eyes lighting up.  “Rule one: the slave is to address her Master as Master at all times.  Do you understand, Serena?”
    “Yes.”  Something about that had made her heart flutter a little.  It was strange, the idea of calling him master.  It was something she would have never have thought of before, but it did dark, strange things to her, things she’d never admit.
    Val got a dark smile.  “What was that?”
    “Yes?”  She bit her lip.  Shit.  She knew she’d mess up.
    “I’m sorry, Serena,” he said, his voice as smooth as butter.  He walked behind her seat on the couch, and she suddenly felt extremely vulnerable, afraid to turn her head to see him.  He ran a fingertip down her shoulders, and she quivered underneath his warm hands.  “But I don’t think you understand our contract.  I believe you mean, ‘Yes, master.’  Don’t you?” 
    “Yes, master.”
    “Good, Serena.  But you’ll have to be punished for that, I’m afraid.  As the next rule says: the slave may be punished at any time for infractions of the rules or at the will of the master.”  He looked down at her, brushing hair away from her neck so that he could inspect it.  “Do you agree, Serena?”
    She tried to answer, but was so afraid of messing up again she choked on her words.  She bit her lip harder.  Her fear was catching up with her again—fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of embarrassing the hell out of herself.
    Suddenly, his hands disappeared, leaving her disappointed and aching for his touch.  She knew it.  She had blown it.
    But instead of ordering her out, he appeared by her side.  Val sat down by her, the aura of dominance totally gone.  Instead, she saw a softness in his eyes, and he placed a hand on top of her clasped ones.  She marveled at how large his hands were