With shaking hands, she pushed the dress over her hips and let it slide to the floor. Her panties were the same gossamer white that had hugged her breasts-so much sexier than the underthings she normally wore. When she'd looked at herself while dressing, she'd liked the way the pale fabric made her skin gleam. She tried to let that memory bolster her confidence so she could stand before them in almost nothing.
"All of it, Belle."
She nearly cursed Kell for pushing her out of her comfort zone so quickly, but she didn't dare say it out loud. Besides, she already knew he wouldn't let her hide behind anything.
Still, Belle bit into her bottom lip and hesitated. No one had seen her naked in years. But what did she have to be ashamed of? She might not be a beauty queen or a movie star, and yes, she might have a few too many curves, but she wasn't atrocious.
The truth was, if she wanted to know what it meant to have their eyes all over her, what it felt like to have these three men pleasure her, then she had to get brave.
Drawing in a bracing breath, Belle eased her thumbs inside the waistband of her panties and pushed them off. As she fought off a quiver, she stood in front of them wearing nothing but her budget-busting shoes and an apprehensive smile.
Silence. Utter, terrifying silence. Well, what had she expected? Applause?
Finally, Eric swallowed thickly and took a step toward her. "God, you're more beautiful than I thought."
"So fucking gorgeous." Tate toed off his shoes and started in on his slacks. "I can't wait."
Only Kellan refrained from tearing off his clothes. Instead, he sat, watching her, dissecting her. "Come to me, love."
Annabelle heard the approval in his voice, saw warmth in his blue eyes, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe this wasn't just a post-wedding hookup. Maybe this really meant something to them.
She cast a questioning glance at Eric and Tate, both of whom gestured her over to Kell. Yeah, she had absolutely no question about who was in charge. Still, she stood rooted.
The reality of the moment, the gravity, made her heart pound until it roared in her ears. Just walk across this suite totally naked in front of men who, up until tonight, had merely been her bosses? At her hesitation, Kellan raised a sharp brow. Guess the answer was yes. Clearly, he wasn't going to let her slide or give her the easy out. He managed to communicate that without a word.
She fidgeted. It would be so much easier for her if they would just pounce on her, but no. Kellan forced her to make the choice to approach him. Her implied yes obviously wouldn't do. Eric and Tate watched her with keen, unblinking stares, obviously on board with his plan.
Talk about being circled by sharks.
Kellan sat up and patted his lap, leaving Annabelle no doubt he meant to spank her. "I won't force this on you. If you prefer, I'll walk out and leave you to them. They'll fuck you senseless and give you pleasure. That might be enough for you, but I think you need something more. I think you crave the dominance I'm wired to give you." He shrugged casually, but Belle sensed he cared very much how she felt. "If you don't want to try, tell me now."
"If I did, you would be disappointed." The thought slipped out.
"Yes. That's perceptive." He nodded. "I think a power exchange would work well between us, but if you choose not to submit to me, I won't treat you any differently than I have for the past fourteen months."
There was only one answer in Belle's mind. She'd fantasized about this a million times. She couldn't imagine making love without all three of them. She hated to disappoint Kell. Despite all the pretty words and implied promises tonight, the future might not work out for the four of them, but they'd have no chance if she didn't give it her all now.
Taking in another fortifying breath, Annabelle crossed the room with a smile.
Something eased in Kell's eyes. "Excellent. I'm proud of your courage. Let's get your punishment out of the way so we can focus on making you feel good for the rest of the night." He sent her a little smirk. "Although I suspect you'll enjoy this, too. Over my lap." He took her hand and urged her down. "If you need to stop me tonight for any reason, just say the word and I will. Later, you'll have a safe word. We'll also have a contract. But tonight, we'll keep it light."
Annabelle frowned. She didn't like the idea of a contract with Kellan. She wanted to share her heart with him, not a legal document. But not only was he a Dom, he was also a lawyer. Both sides of him would insist on spelling out the terms, rights, and conditions of their relationship, including its ending, before it had barely begun. She suspected his ex-wife also had a lot to do with that. Kell would need a crystal-clear agreement between them to feel safe. The realization made her sad.