She stared at herself in the mirror as she unwrapped her hair and it fell to her waist. He loved her hair long. He loved her to wear it down. She always did in the house, just to please him, but when she went running with him or climbing, she clipped it up. True, it was convenient to have it up, but mostly she put it up so he’d take it down. She loved the way he did that, all impatient, a frown on his face and then his hands would be in her hair, fingers threading through the strands so possessively.

She brushed all the tangles out, taking her time, looking at the woman she’d become. A few months ago she could never have looked at her body and been confident and proud of herself. She’d been ashamed of her lack of formal education. She’d found fault with every curve. She brought her hands up to her breasts. Now, she loved the sight of the body that pleased Eli so much. He worshiped her body.

Eli’s marks were everywhere on her skin, on her curves, those dark smudges that told her the path his hands and mouth had followed. She loved seeing those signs of his possession. The sight always made her feel even sexier.

She chose a lacy white camisole to wear so she wouldn’t have to wear a bra for support. The camisole fit snugly around her breasts and was tight around her rib cage. It was short, baring a strip of her midriff, the real reason she chose it. Eli could never resist touching her bare skin. The zipper on the side allowed her to get out of it fast, so she knew if he decided to practice shifting, she’d be much faster than he would think and she might actually best him.

She rarely wore panties at home, especially when she knew they’d be shifting. It was just one more item of clothing to get rid of, slowing her down. A thong or boy shorts could cost her precious seconds, just as a bra could. She made a mental note to consult with Emma about what she did when it came to clothing.

She left her hair down to dry, brushed her teeth thoroughly and made her way to the kitchen to begin cooking. Of course Eli was outside on the porch. Dawn was breaking. He loved to watch the light streaking through the dark. She made the dough for the beignets before she made her own coffee. Eli had grown fond of the warm treat with his coffee after breakfast and she always made them fresh.