A few minutes later, he leaned over and kissed me. “Go on and get your shower. I’ll take one when you get out.”

Not quite ready to leave the bed, but knowing I’d feel better after I washed, I dragged myself to the bathroom. I turned the water on as hot as I could stand and took a long shower. The bathroom was completely filled with steam when I got out.

Nathaniel had hung a long silk gown on the back of the door while I was bathing. I smiled, thinking that if I had to sleep on the floor, at least I’d look good doing so.

I dried my hair and brushed my teeth before heading back to the bedroom. As expected, he’d taken the thick pad from the dining room table and made a small but comfortable-looking pallet.

It’s just a way to reinforce roles, I told myself. I’ve had difficulties the last few weeks.

He looked all sorts of sexy sitting on the edge of the bed. He hadn’t put his pants or shirt back on; he’d simply tugged on his boxer briefs. His lip quirked up. “Leave me any hot water?”

I held up my thumb and forefinger so they almost touched. “Maybe a little.”

He crooked his finger. “Come here.”

The gown swished this way and that as I made my way toward him. I swayed my hips, making the movement more dramatic. “Yes, Master,” I said when I stood between his legs.

“I forgot to do something earlier.” He stood up and drew me toward him.

“Really?” I asked; it certainly felt like he’d been thorough. “I can’t imagine what.”

He smiled down at me, and even though my body was weak and weary, when he looked at me the way he currently was, with love and desire and passion so evident in his expression, I’d walk across oceans for him.

“I forgot this,” he said and lowered his lips to mine. I sighed in complete bliss as he kissed me. His lips, his mouth—I didn’t think I’d ever get tired of them or take them for granted. The kiss wasn’t long, but it was enough to speed up my heart and to make me think maybe I really wasn’t that tired.

But he broke off the kiss and whispered against my lips. “I’m going to take a shower. Good night, my lovely.”

“Good night, Master.”

I waited until he made it into the bathroom before settling in on the floor. I squirmed a bit. It obviously wasn’t as comfortable as a bed, but it was a lot better than sleeping on the floor directly. I closed my eyes, telling myself I was just resting them and I’d wake up when he got out of the bathroom.

It was cold when I woke up. And dark, I realized, opening my eyes. I reached for the blanket and touched an arm. My heart jumped to my throat before I realized it was Nathaniel.

“Did I wake you?” He’d situated himself between my legs and hiked my gown up to my waist. No wonder I was cold. In the darkness, he was cloaked in shadow. I couldn’t make out his features; it was almost as if I’d conjured him.

“Mmm,” I hummed, suddenly aware I was naked from the waist down and completely spread for him. “I think you did.”

“How very, very rude of me.” He trailed his fingers up and down the insides of my inner thighs. Lightly, barely touching me. My body ached for more, yet I remained totally still. Totally at the mercy of my Master.

He teased me with his fingers and each brush of his fingertips awakened more and more nerve endings in my body until I was panting with need. If he could just move his fingers up, just a little bit higher, and touch me right where I needed.

“Perhaps I should make it up to you for waking you up at this ungodly hour.” His fingers drifted up, slowly, and went just a little bit farther, but stopped right before he got to where I really craved him. “What do you think, Abigail?”

“I would like that very much, Master.” I spoke it calmly and in a tone that in no way resembled the “Yes! Damn it, yes!” I shouted in my head.

“Or maybe I could just go back to sleep,” he mused, but didn’t move. “Of course, it would be such a shame to have used all that energy getting out of bed to just go back to sleep.”

I snorted. “All that energy?”

“I was in the middle of the most delightful dream.”

The entire encounter was feeling more and more dreamlike. The feel of him and the sensation he created inside me combined and swirled together in a way that when taken with the darkness made everything mysterious. If I closed my eyes, it could be anyone touching me. And though I didn’t want anyone except Nathaniel’s hands on me, I had to admit the thought aroused me.

“Tell me your dream, Master,” I said.