“So lovely,” Gabriel murmured in appreciation. Then in a sharper tone, he said, “Over the dressing table, Celia. Reach your arms out to the sides and grasp the edges.”

For the first time in five years, Celia found herself wishing for complete darkness. Biting her bottom lip, she mustered her courage and padded over to the piece of furniture. With a deep breath, she bent over and then sucked in a gasp when the cool wood came into contact with her tightly budded nipples.

“How gorgeous you are when you obey me, Celia. You are in the perfect position for both punishment and pleasure. Press your cheek to the table’s surface. Stay just like that, and I swear there will be more rapture than pain.”

She knew when Gabriel came closer because the air in the room changed. It swirled with his lust and her fear of the unknown. A bead of sweat formed between her breasts and rolled down until it was absorbed by the oak.

Gabriel gathered her hair, pulling it so it draped over her shoulder in a silky cascade of ebony waves

The sudden slap to one buttock took her by surprise. Jolting forward from the contact, she choked on a cry.

“Stay where you are, Celia,” he warned. In quick succession, he delivered two more swats that had her biting her bottom lip even harder to contain a sob.

“That, sweetheart, was owed for the night we became engaged. The night I warned you there were consequences for playing your damnable games despite my warnings. Do you understand?”

“Y-yes,” she managed.

“And this is for this evening. It is not so much of a punishment as it is a way of helping you understand how things will be between us. Sometimes, there will be discomfort before there is satisfaction. For both of us.”

Before Celia could even fathom what he meant by that, the palm of his hand landed another six, no, eight more times on her bottom. But with the sharp, stinging sensation came an unexpected sense of relief. Maybe even a bit of pride because, although Gabriel struck her soundly and without mercy, Celia remained in the position he wanted.

Flat across the dressing room table, fingers digging into the oak wood.

She did not realize tears were rolling down her cheeks until Gabriel’s palm smoothed over both her buttocks, his touch easing away some of the pain. She relaxed into his touch as though it were a healing balm.

“There now, pet. It's over.” He leaned over her, his bare chest grazing her back.

When did he remove his shirt?

With a gentle finger, he swiped one of her tears up and sucked it into his mouth. “Now comes your reward. Spread your legs for me, Celia.”

Celia did not even question the why of it. She reacted simply out of instinct, her legs moving apart as though they were independent of her willpower.

Gabriel’s mouth touched the place between her shoulder blades. Softly. Reverently. He traced the line of her backbone, his lips hot and warm on her skin. Moving even further down, his hands palmed her buttocks in worship of her shape.