Page 52 of A Raven Reformed

“Well, I very nearly did, and that’s bad enough.”

“But when I asked you to stop, you did, without a moment’s hesitation. Just like you promised me. Remember?”

“You shouldn’t have had to tell me to stop.”

She lowered herself to her knees before him and took his hands in hers, forcing him to unclench his fists.

“You need to stop protecting me from you, Michael. I know, without a doubt, that you will never hurt me. Now you just need to know that for yourself. If you need some evidence of it just ask yourself why you didn’t spank me.”

“What do you mean?”

“I created this whole mess. I disrespected you in front of the servants and your friends. By all the evidence presented to you, I had been unfaithful. You were seething with anger. When we came up here, I assumed I was in for a severe spanking, but you didn’t do that. You had even threatened to, but you didn’t. Why?”

He rested his palm softly against her cheek. “I was angry. I will never, ever spank you while I’m angry. I might hurt you.” He let out a long sigh as he realized the words he’d just spoken. Perhaps she was right.

“And that’s why you need to start trusting yourself. You’re a good man, Michael. The only things that actually hurt me were when you beat Isaac, and when you left me here to run off and punish yourself.” She brushed her fingertips over the bruise on his face again. “And I’m afraid I can’t trust that you won’t leave me every time anything ever gets difficult.”

Michael patted his leg, and she climbed up onto his lap. He pulled her soft body against his chest and she rested her head on his shoulder. “I can’t promise to never do that again, but I promise I will try to do better.”

“That’s all I’m asking for.” Her head nodded against his shoulder.

“Are you sure I’ve never hurt you, Belle?”

“I’m sure.”

“I worried I may have been a little bit harsh the night of the ball.”

He felt her lips turn up against his neck. “I’ll tell you a secret,” she whispered in his ear. “I liked every second of it.”

“Promise me you’ll tell me if I’m ever too rough. If I ever do anything you don’t enjoy or don’t want, you can always tell me to stop.”

“I promise.” The tip of her tongue seared a path all the way up his neck before she drew his earlobe into her mouth. A shiver ran through his entire body. “I think you might owe me a spanking, though.”

“Do I?” He reached down and untied the sash of his robe and pushed the fabric apart, settling his hand on her waist. “Were you naughty while I was away?” He brushed his thumb across her nipple, and she sucked in a breath.

“Well, I did bully Ash into letting me go down and see Isaac, even though you didn’t want me to.”

“That was naughty.” Michael squeezed the other nipple before rolling it between his thumb and finger causing her to squirm on his lap. “You’d better hike up that nightie and lay yourself over my knee.”

A mischievous smile graced her lips as she stood up and wriggled out of his robe, dropping it into a heap at her feet. Her nipples stood out against her cotton nightgown and through the thin fabric he could just see the shadow of dark curls at the juncture of her thighs. She didn’t move, so Michael grabbed her wrist and tugged her down across his lap with a squeal.

“You know what happens if I have to repeat myself.”

“Yes, my lord.”

He reached down and grabbed the hem of her nightgown and pulled it to her waist. Seeing the milky white swells of her bottom made him throb with need. He delivered two quick smacks that were immediately rewarded with a moan. God, it was like she was made for him. Unable to resist, he plunged a finger between her thighs where her scorching wetness welcomed him. Belle eagerly parted her legs to grant him better access.

“Oh, you are a naughty girl, wet and ready for me already,” he growled, bringing his hand down twice more on each cheek, the fair skin growing pinker with each stroke.

“On your feet,” he barked. “And get that nightgown off.”

“Yes, my lord,” she said breathlessly as she hurried to obey.

As Belle pulled the gown over her head, Michael's eyes immediately went to the blue discoloration that marred her hip. He pulled her close and pressed his lips gently to the injury. “Does it hurt?”

She shook her head.

He turned her and pressed an open-mouth kiss to her pinkened backside. “And how about here?”

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