She tried to pull away. He kept a firm grip on her hand, refusing to let her go.
“Eat your food,” he said.
“Stop being bossy.”
He raised a brow.
“Oh, right, you’re a Dominant and I’m not allowed to speak back to you.”
“Baby, you can speak back to me but you’ve got to be prepared to take the consequences for your actions. I’ll spank your ass or deny you release until you beg for my forgiveness.” Jake shuffled in his seat in an attempt to ease the ache in his cock.
“You’ve got no chance.”
Her nipples said far differently than her lips.
“Really, tell me, Bella, how do you know about Dominants and spankings?” he asked, leaning over the table. The scents of the food would be nothing compared to the sweetness of her cream.
“None of your business.”
Jake wouldn’t have believed it if he didn’t see it but her cheeks got redder.
“Don’t lie to me.”
She returned her gaze to his. For several minutes neither of them spoke. He waited patiently for her to cave. Bella was a submissive woman through and through. She would thrive under his teachings.
“I read a lot.”
“Do you read sex books?”
“I don’t just read erotic fiction. I also…watch a lot.”
He got harder. The length of his shaft pressed against the zipper of his jeans. He stifled a curse, knowing he’d have to wait to relieve that kind of pressure.
“Wow, I’d never expect it from you.”
Gazing at the way she was dressed, he shouldn’t have been surprised. Their time together in Mixers made him aware of her hidden sensuality.
“Can we just forget about this? We both made a mistake. I’m sorry for leading you on. We can both get on with our lives and I don’t mind what happened. I’m pleased it did.”
He held her hand tighter, stopping her from talking. “Do me a favor and shut the fuck up.”
She let out a growl. “Do you always talk to women that way?” The fork she held clattered down on the plate.
“Only to really stubborn women who need a good fucking spanking,” he said, growing angry. He thought he was finally getting through to her.
“Is there a problem?” the waiter asked, approaching the table.
Jake dealt with him and groaned as Bella used the interruption to make her escape.
Pulling out two twenties, he left a large tip and charged out of the restaurant in the hope to catch her before she got away.
Let her go.
No, I can’t let her go.
Bella called to something within him and he didn’t want to let that go. It wasn’t just her submissive side or her stubbornness, there was something else about her.
You took her virginity and now she’s yours.
In all of his life he’d never been with a virgin. She’d knocked him out of the water and now all he wanted to do was take care of her, protect her, and show her how good it could be between them.
He found her walking fast back toward the library a few minutes later. Not even bothering trying to walk to keep up, he ran the short distance. He reached out for her arm, holding her gently and pressed a palm across her mouth to stop her calling out. He didn’t want any interruptions while he spoke to her. Jake hid them away around the side of a building. No one stopped them as he held her against the brick wall.
“Don’t ever do that again,” he said.
“Do what? I’ve got to get back to work. Why can’t you just leave me alone?”
“Because I don’t want to. Agree to go to dinner with me tonight and I’ll let you get back to work.” He’d never begged any woman for a date.
“No. I don’t want to date you.”
“Give me a goddamn chance to prove I’m better than what you got last night.”
She started to laugh. “Is this your biggest problem? You don’t like the fact I hated our time together.”
Jake winced. “No.”
“Liar, it is the only reason.” She shook her head, pulling out of his arms. “Leave me alone or I will tell the police you’re stalking me.”
He let her go, knowing he wouldn’t be able to convince her otherwise. The moment she entered the library his cell phone vibrated.
“What?” Jake asked, snapping at whoever was on the other side.
“Excuse me, don’t you fucking speak to me like that after you ran Maya out of here,” Chris said, snapping right back.
“Shit, sorry. This morning has not gone as planned.”
“That bad?”
“No, it’s been downright worse than you can imagine. I thought I knew all bloody women. Bella is fucking stubborn.” Jake cursed, wishing he knew the key to this one woman.
“I imagine she’s nothing like the other women you’ve been with. She stayed a virgin for this long. You’ve got no chance of getting it easy with her,” Chris said.
“I know. It still sucks.”
“What are you doing to do now?”
Jake stared in the window, seeing Bella serve another man who kept her talking. Walking away wasn’t an option for him. He had every intention to make her his woman.
“I’m not letting this one get away, Chris. She’s the one, I feel it.”
“Okay, I’m a little shocked.” As was he and he suddenly understood what Ryan felt with Jesse.
If Bella didn’t give him the time of day, he truly was fucked.
* * * *
By six o’clock all Bella wanted to do was go home, bathe, and put her feet up. Saturdays were always a nightmare. People were rediscovering their love of reading, which she didn’t mind whereas her feet did.
Leaving the library, she made her way down the street. She needed to catch the bus first. Driving in the city was another nightmare she couldn’t face. Releasing her hair from the confines of the band keeping the length at bay, she ran her fingers through. Letting out a sigh, she glanced around the streets, pleased to see Jake wasn’t anywhere in sight.
Throughout the day she’d spotted him lurking outside of the library. Every time she saw him, it was like a kick to the gut. His persistence unnerved her but his Dominance excited her.
No, Bella, no Dominance and no letting this man get to you.
She had to learn restraint. The sex they shared was nothing exciting and she really didn’t want to experience it again anytime soon.
Blowing out a breath, she sped up her movements to get home.
“Get in the car, Bella.”
Jerking, she tripped over her feet, landing on her ass with a yelp.
The sound of a car braking, a door opening filled her senses. Opening her eyes, she saw a vehicle parked right beside her. Other people on the road were going around him, honking their horns.
He grabbed her arm, tugging her to her feet.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“I’m taking you home.”
“No, you’re not. You don’t know where I live and I’m not telling you.”
“Stop being so fucking stubborn. When are you going to learn I’m not going anywhere? You’re my woman.”
“You’re wrong. I’m no one’s woman.” She cursed as he simply picked her up and carried her toward the open passenger door. He helped her inside then walked around to the driver’s side.
Ignoring him, she folded her arms and stared out of the window.
“Tell me where you live,” he said, starting up the engine.
Staying silent, she continued to look forward.
“Fine.”
They pulled away from the curb and she started to panic.
“Wait, what? Where are we going?”
The locks flicked into place and he navigated the roads.
“You wanted to be difficult and now you’re coming home with me.”
“But I don’t want to go home with you,” she said.
He glanced over toward her, smiling. “I bet you’re wishing you answered correctly.?
??
“Stop being infuriating and take me home.” She gave him her address.
Jake didn’t turn the car around. They were going into the center of the city, away from the library yet closer to the more expensive part. When she moved out of the family home, she looked at the prices for the apartments in the center. None of them were in her price range or the price range of a librarian.
“Seriously, Jake, this isn’t funny.”
“Funny? I didn’t think fucking a virgin against a brick wall was funny, and yet I had to deal with it.”
“You’re clearly not dealing with it. Take me home.”
“No. You’re going to give me a chance to prove to you we can be more. I know you felt the chemistry between us last night. I fucked up and I believed you when you told me to take you against the wall. I didn’t want to, remember?” He looked at her.
Mortified, Bella couldn’t argue.
She’d been too scared to move from the wall in case she caved and didn’t end up going with him. Her virginity, to her, became a thing of hatred as well as something to keep her back from all men.
“I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, well, if you’d followed me you wouldn’t be fucking terrified of sex and thinking it was awful.”
Bella stayed silent. What was there for her to say?