She wasn’t altogether certain she was that brave. She stood a moment, looking up at him, trying to decide if she could stand there in front of him half naked or not.

“Evangeline. When I ask you to do something in our bedroom, I expect you to do it. I know you’re nervous, but you have to trust me to take care of you in all things—especially here.” His fingers caught her chin, slowly forcing her head up until once again her gaze was held captive by his. “Do you trust me with your body? That’s what I want from you. Your trust. Your full surrender. You give me that and in return, I’ll give you pleasure like you’ve never known.”

Considering she wasn’t experienced in the pleasure department, she figured she had the better end of the bargain. She found herself still hesitating. Shy, when she’d never considered herself shy. Nervous, when she knew she wasn’t about nerves.

“I’m leopard, malyutka. That means I’m dominant. You know that. You respond to that in me. Your body is flushed. Your nipples are hard. Your breath is ragged, and I know you’re damp for me. I can scent you. You like me in control.”

“I’m not submissive,” she denied.

He bent his head and brushed his mouth across hers. The pad of his finger traced the swell of her breast and moved lower to find her nipple through the lace. “No, you’re not, not outside this room. And I’m quite certain you’ll make a few demands of your own in it, but you like this. You even need it.”

She did. It made it easier for her not to think about what she should do next. He told her. He took that uncertainty away from her.

“Your bra, Evangeline.”

She reached behind her and unhooked the lace. It wasn’t covering all that much of her anyway. She had full breasts and the moment the bra was gone the soft curves jutted toward Alonzo as if belonging solely to him. And maybe they did. She did. Her body did. Her body knew she belonged to him almost more than her brain knew it.

“On the chair. And take off your shoes as well. Put them under the chair.”

Shades of his childhood. She knew he needed order and control. She gave him both. A gift. She knew he recognized it as a gift. He wanted her trust. Her surrender. She was determined to give him that as well, although she was very nervous. She placed the bra precisely in the middle of her folded shirt and her shoes beneath the chair, perfectly lined up, and then she went back to him to stand directly in front of him.