seeking something from Giana. Punishment, but not the kind
that she meant.
“You want to be punished?” It was dangerous, but she had
no choice but to give Coralyn what she wanted, even if it
threatened both of them in ways they couldn’t even
comprehend. The fallout from this would be too great, too
risky. Giana wanted it anyway. “Fine. Take off your coat.”
Giana felt panicked at the thought of Coralyn leaving for
good, as she’d threatened. She didn’t get panicked over
anything. It was agonizing. She needed it to stop. It wasn’t an
obsession, the way she couldn’t get Coralyn out of her head. It
was just that she’d been wronged, and Giana never forgot or
forgave a betrayal. Coralyn was hers by law. Those who
wronged her paid dearly, and she was going to pay. It wouldn’t
be over, and it wouldn’t be fast.
“What?” Coralyn’s fingers hovered at the top buttons.
“Take off your coat.”
She obeyed. It was sweet how quickly she hurried to do it.
She shrugged out of the heavy wool and let it fall carelessly to
the floor. She was, unfortunately, wearing boyfriend cut jeans
that hung on her frame, hiding all of her curves, and a loose-
fitting plaid shirt.
It would have been so much more fun if she’d come
wearing a dress or a saucy little skirt.
“Take off your jeans.”
Coralyn’s brows knotted. “I’m not going to take off my
jeans!”
“No?” Giana challenged. “Then why did you come here?
You haven’t gone back to work. They gave you a few weeks
off after your dad died. Very kind of them. So understanding.