"And I love those beautiful red lips when you pout like that."
"What are you doing?" I ask irritably.
"I want you to see yourself the way that I do."
I look at him like he's speaking another language I can't comprehend. But wasn't that exactly what I wanted during the ride over here tonight?
"Come," he instructs me, holding out his hand.
I reach up and take it, and he leads me over to his dressing table, complete with a large mirror in front. He turns me to face the mirror and stands behind me, snapping another photo before I frown and try to turn away. He grips my chin, gently turning me back to face the mirror.
"Look at yourself, Victoria," he commands. "Look how beautiful you are."
"I don't want to," I croak. "It feels weird."
He pulls my hair back away from my face and holds it in his hand in a makeshift pony tail, taking a moment to kiss my neck and just hold me.
"It shouldn't," he says gently. "I want you to learn how to be comfortable with yourself."
I stare at my reflection, still feeling awkward, but knowing that he's right. It occurs to me that I've never really felt completely comfortable in my skin, especially around Gabriel.
My eyes trace the lines of my short, curvy figure and I try to dislodge the lump of emotion in my throat. All I can see is pale skin, dark hair, and a heap of imperfections staring back at me. Eleanore's words haunt me. Big nose, fat thighs, ugly duckling. I want to feel pretty, but it feels like an illusion. I try to turn away again.
Gabriel's hands press my forearms onto the dresser before me, effectively arching my back into him. He skates his fingertips down the sensitive skin of my open back before he bends down and whispers in my ear.
"I'm going to fuck you, right here, like this. And I want you to watch, Victoria. Watch the way your body responds to my touch. Watch the pleasure that I receive from you."
I swallow and try not to look too eager, but his hooded gaze is setting off all sorts of crazy reactions in my body.
"Do not close your eyes," he commands. "Do you understand?"
"Yes," I breathe.
"Good girl," he purrs.
His hands leisurely stroke the silky fabric of my dress, caressing my waist, my hips, and then my butt. A shiver of delight runs through me as he places his palm on the skin of my lower back, pressing me flat against the dresser. Then he stoops down, gathering the fabric of my dress and inching it slowly up my legs and over my hips. He groans when he sees the black lacey panties I'm wearing, cupping the cheeks of my butt in his hands. He slides the scant material down my legs, lifting me to pull them off and spreading my legs at the same time.
I'm open and exposed as he sinks to his knees, pressing his face into my wet center. Without pretense, he grabs my hips and pulls me against his hot tongue. I watch myself mewling with pleasure as he licks and caresses me with perfect strokes. His head bobbing between my thighs has to be the most erotic thing I've ever seen, and it quickly sends me right over the edge.
I'm still gasping for air when he stands up behind me, ripping off his jacket and dress shirt. He unzips his pants and lets them fall to the ground below, revealing his muscular legs and throbbing cock. He takes the engorged flesh into his hand and strokes it twice before positioning himself behind me.
I watch his reflection as he presses against my back, his eyes hooded as he sinks inside of me. He takes his time, allowing me to expand around him as he grips my hips and kisses my neck. The minute I'm comfortable, he starts to move. I watch the transition from man to beast unfold before me, his lips parting, and his eyes flaring with molten heat. He pounds into me with unrestrained hunger, as if he can't help himself.
I can feel his muscles contracting throughout his body, working against me as he grunts and nips at my ear. I cry out with every thrust, the pressure rising to a powerful crescendo.
"Come, Victoria. Come for me, now!" he orders. And at his simple command, the walls burst around me. I nearly collapse, but Gabriel catches me just as he shudders inside of me.
A moment later, he pulls me into his arms and unzips my dress from behind. It falls to the floor like a soft red cloud beneath me, and he scoops me up in his arms, gingerly placing me into his bed. I let my head fall back on the pillow as he removes my stilettos, massaging each foot with gentle fingers. And then he lays down beside me, staring softly into my eyes. He never takes his fingers off of me, trailing them up and down my waist until my collar catches his attention.
"I love that you wore this for me," he says. "You have no idea how sexy it is when you do things to please me."
"I like to please you." My fingers brush the collar around my neck. "And I love knowing that it means I belong to you. I don't think there's anything sexier than that."
A smile creeps across his beautiful lips, and it's one of those rare moments I'm certain only I get to see. Gabriel Maddox, relaxed and happy.
"That's good baby," he rasps. "It makes me so happy to hear that."
I take a deep breath, deciding that while we're on the subject, I'd like to give voice to one of my nagging thoughts. "I like that it's aesthetically pleasing to you," I say. "But I want you to use it for its intended purpose too."
He sits back hesitantly, his brow furrowing in concern. "Victoria, its intended purpose is to serve as a reminder of the fact that you belong to me."
"Yes." I roll my eyes. "As if I need reminding of that."
"Perhaps it's me who needs reminding," he says flatly.
His words take me by surprise, and I thread my fingers through his on instinct, holding him closer.
"What do you mean?"
"I just mean that when I look at you sometimes, I still can't believe how lucky I was to be the guy on the street that you crashed into. It could have been anyone, but it was me."
"I think I'm the lucky one." I smile shyly. "But I would hope that you'd know that, even when I'm not wearing a collar."
His eyes darken, and for a moment, he looks far away. "I'm working on it."
"Gabriel, I didn't mean … "
"Victoria," he interjects, "you have to understand that you're very different to any of the women I've dated in the past."
"You don't need to tell me twice," I retort in a biting tone.
He reaches for my chin and pulls my gaze back to his. "That's a good thing, baby."
"Really?"
"Yes, really." He glares at me. "Have you learned nothing tonight? I'm in love with you. I want you to get that through your head. And quit being so modest around me, you're a very beautiful woman. The women I've dated in the past, they've got nothing on you. I didn't even like them, let alone love them."
"Then why did you date them?" I ask.
"They were there," he answers honestly. "And they were convenient."
Thinking about him with other women makes me physically ill, and suddenly I'm regretting even having this conversation.
"You have to understand that I grew up in a different world," Gabriel continues. "One where people have everything, but they're never happy. They put on pretenses, fake smiles, and they tell you what they think you want to hear. Nothing is genuine. Being in the position I'm in, I came to realize very quickly that women didn't like me for who I was. They liked me for my name, and that was it. I was never interested in pursuing anything beyond a sexual relationship … until I met you."
"I'm sorry, Gabriel," I say softly. "I guess I never really thought about it like that."
"You bring out the best in me." He strokes his thumb across my cheek. "You're the most honest woman I've ever met, and it's refreshing to be around you."
"Thank you," I whisper.
We lay in silence for a few moments as he pulls me against him, holding me in the only arms that can make me feel safe. We just had such a sweet moment and I don't want to ruin it, but I can't let go of the collar issue. I feel like a depraved animal asking for such a thing, but I can't stop the image from playing through my mind.
"Back to our original subject," I say in my best casual tone. "The collar. I want you to really use it on me, you know … during sex."
He frowns, but I can see the heat in his eyes even as he speaks.
"I don't know Victoria, it might be too soon. I don't ever want you to feel like … "
I hold up my hand, stopping him mid-sentence. "See! This is exactly why I didn't want to tell you what I did. It's starting already. I'm not a delicate little flower that you have to coddle. I don't want that and I know you don't either. So please don't treat me that way. I don't want your pity."
The muscle in his jaw ticks, his eyes darkening to a stormy shade of gray, and I realize I've woken the beast again. Part of me is happy, and the other part is wondering what I've gotten myself into as he stalks out of the room.