Free Rude Awakening by Sam Crescent, Natalie Dae Page A

lips touched, he could say with certainty he’d achieved that.
    At times, more so in the afternoon, Ruby had seemed tense, admitting she felt uneasy, as though her Master were close. He’d told her she could hold his arm if it made her feel better, and she had. He’d taken much pleasure from that action, realising she was comfortable enough with him to do so. That she trusted, even if just a little bit. No one should go through what Ruby had, yet today, anyone looking at them would have naturally assumed they were a happy couple, together for quite some time.
    How had that happened, the easy way they’d found with one another despite meeting less then twenty-four hours ago? Ruby telling him about herself last night had obviously brought them closer together, giving Harry an excess of information he’d have only usually gleaned after dating a woman for several weeks or months. They’d bypassed the to-and-fro dance of exchanging snippets, instead divulging most things about themselves in the space of a few hours.
    He cleaned the sides with a wet cloth and swept the floor, even though it didn’t need sweeping, just to waste some time until Ruby was finished. He must remember to call his cleaner, Gwen, and tell her not to bother coming in next week. She rode a bicycle to his house, and doing so in this weather wasn’t safe. The same went for his gardener. A week off would do them both good anyway—they worked far too hard, this house and the grounds being too big for them to keep on top of. If the snow continued to fall, he wouldn’t be going into the office Monday either. That wasn’t a hardship, not with Ruby here to keep him company.
    He wondered if the bath water had eased her aching muscles yet, or whether she’d fallen asleep cocooned in bubble-filled water scented with lilac and rosemary, the bath essence he’d bought for her today.
    While out, he’d had the urge to pamper her, to buy everything in sight a woman might need or want, but although she’d allowed him to purchase a goodly amount, she’d made a point of telling him she’d pay back every penny when she was back on her feet.
    He didn’t want the money back. He just wanted to see her settled and happy, her head full of the knowledge that the sexual lifestyle she’d chosen wasn’t to be one of horror or fear. He could only hope he’d save her in time, that her Master hadn’t done too much damage, and that his teachings would override those that had come before.
    The soft patter of her footsteps brought him out of his reverie. He propped the broom against the side and turned to see her standing in the doorway. She looked beautiful, if a little thin, in a black sheer gown, and he hoped that by her living here for a while her figure would soon fill out. She’d eaten the fish and chips earlier as though ravenous, and he’d felt for her going without enough food for so long.
    He smiled and soaked in the sight of her. The tone of her skin, rosy from her bath, gave her a healthy glow and him the need to stroke it. She’d washed her hair, damp tendrils splayed over her chest, and he wondered whether he’d ever get the chance to hold it in his fist and tug, Ruby unafraid of what he was doing.
    “Do you feel comfortable wearing that?” he asked, wanting to know whether his choice had been right, that she hadn’t just agreed to the purchase to make him happy.
    “Yes. I haven’t been allowed to wear a negligee for a long time. I feel”—she blushed—“sexy.”
    “Good.” He cleared his throat, the stirrings of desire beginning at the base of his cock. “Are you ready to begin what we discussed in the sex shop?” To stave off a full-on erection, he poured two glasses of white wine, then approached her, holding one out.
    She took it, fingers brushing his. His cock jumped and he chewed the inside of his cheek. He didn’t need a hard-on now, not when they were about to embark on something that might frighten and embarrass her.
    “Yes,” she