Page 14 (1/2)

She blinked and nodded

"Yes, Keeper," he prompted

"Yes, Keeper," she stammered out

He nodded in approval "I’ll escort you in and prepare you for the auction"

He took her elbow in a surprisingly gentle grip as he guided her toward the door Silence greeted her when they stepped into the darkened foyer Before she could look around and absorb her surroundings, her keeper hurried her down the hallway He paused outside a door then opened it and directed her inside

It was a ss were expensive, si roo rooth mirror and a vanity To the side, there was an open doorway to a half bathroo in the room, her keeper’s hand touched her shoulder

"It is tiers went to her T-shirt, and she almost batted his hand away He paused for a aze at her He didn’t back down, but he also didn’t barge ahead He exerted his authority even as he gave her time to adjust to his touch

"I’m sorry," she murmured "I’h a half sled at his lips

"I can undressto save him the aard task

He raised one brow and shook his head "You are ht to ready you as I see fit"

Her eyes widened, and her stomach knotted and convulsed Oh hell, this was it She tried to relax as he slowly lifted her T-shirt over her head He directed her to raise her arms and she did so almost mechanically

It took every bit of her will not to fold her arms protectively over her lacy bra Instead, she let her hands fall to her sides even as her fingers curled into tight balls

"You will fetch a high price, indeed," her keepergoose bumps on her flesh When they reached her shoulders, he hooked his fingertips under the straps of her bra and slowly tugged them doard

She held her breath as the cups lowered until her breasts were free of confineet a better view of his appearance, but she was too afraid to raise her gaze so she kept her focus on his abdomen as his hands circled around to the clasp of her bra

Deftly, he unhooked it, and he tugged until the bra fell to the floor at her feet

Softly and sensuously, his palrazed her waist as he moved around to the button of her jeans Her nipples were puckered and hard, standing taut as though begging for attention, for his touch

His fingers slid into the waistband of her pants as he worked the zipper down and parted the fly And then the denis until they too fell in a heap around her ankles

There she stood in front of this stranger, her keeper, in just her panties, aof her fee of exciteh her veins?

Her keeper stood back for aup and down her body hat could only be classified as pure er did she seek to hide froh she held the power and not he

He was handso, but he wasn’t Damon She nearly shook her head Were it not for the fact that Daive herself to for her fantasy

Her keeper stepped forward and placed his hands at her slim hips There was aof her underwear down The lacy scrap fluttered down her legs, lightly brushing the insides of her knees

He held his hand to her and she took it as she stepped free of her jeans and underwear She was completely and utterly naked

He ed in the drawer until he drew out a brush

"Come here," he ordered quietly

She obeyed with no hesitation, and once she stood before hian brushing her hair, stroke after stroke, until the strands lay soft and wispy down her back His fingers alternated with the brush as he worked both through her hair from scalp to the very ends

Finally he was done, and disappointh her body at the loss of his touch She wondered if he’d brushed her hair to corasped her arentleness gone

He took one of her hands and pulled it behind her, and then he clai it as well until he held her wrists together at the s her flesh as he bound her hands

When he was done, he left her for a moment and returned a mere second later He carried a leather belt of sorts It looked h the circlet was far too large for her neck Her unspoken question was answered when he secured the belt around her waist

There was a hook in the front that the lead attached to, and it was then she realized that he was going to guide her with the harness His hand cupped her chin, and he forced her gaze upward to meet his

"You will speak only to answer a direct question asked of you You will respect my authority and that of the man who ulti you, wanting to touch the flesh that they would bid on I will be at your side to protect you, and you are to trust that I will not let anyone go too far"

"Yes, Keeper," she whispered

"Good, then we are agreed" He gave a slight tug on her leash as he started for the door "It’s ti knees

CHAPTER 12

Her keeper led her down a darkened hallway lit only by sconces on the wall There was a decidedly medieval feel to the house, and she wondered if it was always so or if Da for her fantasy Surely not He wouldn’t have had time for such a venture, nor would he waste that kind ofat her leash made her redirect her attention to her keeper as he mounted the wooden stairs As they neared the top, she could hear muted sounds in the distance Theshallowed, and her lily

At the top of the stairs there was another hallith doors on either side At the end there was another door, this one open with light spilling into the hallway

Her keeper walked toward that distant doorway, and she followed behind, her fingers in tight balls behind her back

The voices grew louder as they neared the room Her keeper paused just inside and turned back to her He didn’t speak He just eyed her cal her a chance to prepare for her entrance