brief inspection I will leave here and never bother you again. But if you’re lying, as I suspect, you are rightfully my slave for the evening.”
She gasped in horror. When did the tables turn and he become the victor?
“You can admit your desire for me directly if you’d rather,” he said patiently.
“Never!” she nearly shrieked.
“Well then, you have nothing to hide, have you?” he asked.
His eyes locked with hers, and it was as if she were hypnotized as she allowed him to open her legs wide. His fingers gently touched her, probing her. She cursed her treacherous body even as she shuddered with pleasure when his finger slid easily into the telltale wetness. He let out a hoarse groan and drew her into his arms.
“I win,” he said, just before his lips claimed hers.
Her pride was crushed but she could no longer deny that he had won the battle. Still, she conceded grudgingly. Her eyes flashed with anger and she bit his tongue when he pushed it into her mouth. This did not disappoint him in the least; it was again what he had expected from her. He willingly permitted her to vent all her rage on him. After all, he understood how annoying it could be to lose.
He gently held her arms down until she ceased her clawing, all the while continuing to kiss her tenderly. She struggled to fight off her feelings of attraction to such a worthy opponent; but gradually she began to submit to the warm feelings he kindled in her, and finally she accepted her defeat and returned his kisses with a passion that matched his own. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his body. But he only reveled in her total surrender for a moment. He had already decided that he wanted much more from her than one night of forced servitude. It was time to raise the stakes in their game.
Cat pulled himself away from Mouse’s embrace and asked her, “How is it that I, your master, am here servicing you, my slave?”
She was too stunned by the rude interruption to respond. She had thought that her utter surrender to him would satisfy his need to dominate her, but it seemed that she had been mistaken in that. He wasn’t waiting for a response from her, however. With a quick motion he slapped her buttocks, saying, “Up, slave.”
With burning cheeks Mouse abruptly stood up, attempting to straighten the disheveled cloth she wore, useless though it was. She glared at Cat, silently vowing to find a way to get even with him. But he went on as if he hadn’t a care in the world.
“Follow me, slave,” he said, leading the way. But before she had taken her first step he added, “On your knees.”
She gaped at him, nearly choking on her words with the horror she felt. “I will not,” she finally managed.
“You, what?” he asked, feigning shock at the outburst. But it was again what he had expected. He knew it would take heaven and earth to get her on her knees. And as luck would have it, he just so happened to have the power of heaven and earth over her at that particular moment, for he knew her pride would never allow her to renege on a bet.
“You heard me,” she remarked, standing rigidly before him.
“Are you, then,” he said slowly and evenly, “refusing to make good on our deal?”
She paused at that. “I will serve as your slave for the evening, but not on my hands and knees.”
“You agreed to be my slave, and a slave is obliged to do everything as indicated by her master,” he reasoned shrewdly. “Furthermore, I can assure you that it is quite usual for a slave to be required to take that position…and many others.”
At this Mouse was silent. She had never been a slave before.
“Tell me,” he continued, “if I were your slave, would I not be on my hands and knees at this very moment?”
Mouse again remained silent, because she could hardly deny that she would give much to see him on his hands and knees at that moment. Cat felt it was the perfect time to set Mouse up for another game.
“You were the one who proposed the stakes,” he reminded her. “Now unless you wish to demand a rematch to win back your freedom, you are bound to serve me however I wish.”
It only took a second for her eyes to flash back to life and for her to grasp the hook he had dangled before her. “A rematch?”
“Yes,” he said smoothly. Then, pretending to change his mind, he added, “I mean, no. I don’t think I could be enticed to agree to that. After all, I’ve got a pretty good deal here with you as my slave for the evening.”
He almost smiled as she uttered the words he had been waiting for. “But we could go double or nothing!”
“Why should I wager two potential nights of slavery for the one definite night I already have?” he asked. “No, forget it. You’re wasting time. On your knees, if you please.”
“What do you want, then?” she demanded.
“Well, to consider giving up my evening as your master, I would need the opportunity to win something of even greater value to me, say…you as my wife.” He was as shocked as she was when he said it, for he had only been intending to make her stay with him for an indefinite period of time. But once the words were out he knew he meant them. He loved the feeling he got from her challenging nature. They had the perfect chemistry, and he knew they would keep challenging each other for the rest of their lives.
But when Mouse heard his words she almost laughed. “You expect me to wager one night of slavery against an eternity of it?” she asked, incredulous.
“As my wife, you would hardly be a slave,” he rejoined. “But it is flattering to know that your first instinct is to assume that you would be the loser.”
This irritated her pride, and she grumbled resentfully, “It was only by using trickery that you won the last bet. It was completely unfair, and I can assure you that it will not happen again.” Although she could not help remembering his prying hand, and wondered how she could make true her rash statement.
“Am I to understand that you wish to undergo the test again?” he asked with a taunting smile.
“No!” she blurted, mortified. She tried to hide her blushing cheeks by turning her head away from him in an arrogant gesture. “What I mean is that I dispute the accuracy of such a barbarian test.”
“Oh, I can assure you that it is a more accurate way to find out the truth than by your words,” he argued. “What I felt there was definitely not ‘disgust.’”
She was annoyed and embarrassed by the reminder. “If you had the impact on me that you suppose, it seems that you could somehow have extracted the truth from my lips.”
“Is that another challenge?” he asked.
“I…well,” she stammered, a little more wary this time. But all at once she seemed to make up her mind. “Yes!”
He held out his hand to her. “So, you accept the terms—namely this night of slavery against becoming my wife?”
“Those terms are not fair, and you know it!” she protested.
“Whether
