Free Defying Asher (Knight Security 1) by Carole Mortimer Page B

her panties and made her clit throb. Her nipples were also hard and aching.
    Her head spun dizzily as she was suddenly flipped up and put back in the passenger seat, her abused bottom stinging more than ever.
    “Do up your seat belt— I don’t think so.” Asher pressed down the central lock button as Lissa reached for the door handle.
    “Unlock this door,” she ordered between gritted teeth.
    “No.” He adjusted his seat and turned on the ignition. “I’m taking you back to your apartment so I can remove your jeans and then finish what I started,” he added determinedly.
    “You have to be joking,” she scorned.
    “Do I look as if I’m joking?” Asher leveled a steady gaze at her.
    “No,” she conceded tautly.
    “Going to apologize?”
    Her mouth set in a stubborn line. “Absolutely not. Asshole!” she muttered, her tone resentful. Her sore bottom pressing down on the leather seat caused her to squirm with discomfort now.
    Asher didn’t answer, his expression grim as he put the car in gear and drove out onto the road.
    She had been spanked in a public car park , for goodness’ sake.
    She didn’t care that no one else had been able to see what was happening, the loss of dignity alone was enough to keep her mulishly silent on the drive to her apartment.
    After the way he’d just behaved, there was no way she was going to allow Asher inside her apartment.
    Or spank her again.

    “Take off your boots, jeans, and panties.”
    So much for not allowing Asher into her apartment. Once he had parked the SUV on the street outside, he had got out of the vehicle and walked round to her side. His arm had snaked about Lissa’s waist as she stepped quickly down onto the pavement, intending to make a run for it. He hadn’t even paused as he threw her over one of his shoulders, putting a hand up in acknowledgment of the other man in the second SUV, before carrying her inside the building.
    He had totally ignored Lissa as she kicked and pummeled his back in protest. Even getting into her apartment hadn’t proved difficult for him. Asher had just taken her bag off her and looked through the contents until he found the key. He had only put her down once they were inside her apartment.
    Lissa had never felt as agitated as she did right now. She glared that anger and frustration at Asher as she answered him. “I want you to leave.”
    “Feel like apologizing yet?”
    “No.”
    Ash had no idea why he was so set on Lissa apologizing.
    Maybe lack of sleep.
    Sexual frustration.
    Genuine anger at Lissa’s earlier accusations.
    Any and all of the above, probably.
    Along with an ache to resume spanking Lissa’s bottom, bare this time. His flesh touching hers.
    Whatever the reason, Ash wasn’t leaving here until he’d extracted that apology. By whatever means.
    “Where’s the demon cat?” He hadn’t seen the tricolor cat since they entered the apartment.
    “Probably sulking in the bedroom.” Lissa shrugged. “He doesn’t like it when I leave him on his own overnight.”
    “Does it happen a lot?”
    “No.” Her eyes narrowed at his implication. “Was it a guilty conscience that stopped you from sleeping last night?” she taunted.
    “You sharp-tongued little…!” Asher’s jaw tightened. “It probably escaped your notice, but I stood guard outside your father’s hospital room all night.”
    Her eyes widened. “You did?”
    “I did,” he confirmed. “And one more crack from you about a ‘guilty conscience’ or ‘closing the door after the horse has bolted,’ and I’ll add another ten spanks to the outstanding total.”
    “I wasn’t— What outstanding total?” Lissa eyed him warily.
    “Ten for your earlier accusation of incompetence. Ten more for swearing at me. By my calculations, you have twelve left to come.”
    “You didn’t give me any prior warning you would spank me if I did either of those things.”
    “Well, I’m giving you one now.”
    “You gave me no warning before the