Chapter twelve
When Piper woke up it took her a few seconds to remember where she was and then her eyes went wide as she looked at where she was laying. Two big tattooed arms were wrapped around her and her head was resting on his broad chest, almost as if they were real lovers. She frowned. They were lovers. She hadn't protested and she had to admit she had enjoyed everything that happened, even if the memory did make her blush because of her own wanton behaviour. Now she let her eyes lift up and studied his face while he was sleeping, amazed at how different he looked when he was totally relaxed. He was quite good looking really, she decided, in a rugged sort of way. Her fingers twitched as she fought the urge to touch his features, to feel that faint stubble on his jaw line and stroke through the goatee that decorated his chin. Even his eyebrows were relaxed, and she realised how angry he seemed to look most of the time. Or perhaps it was just that he was angry with her most of the time, she thought. She frowned and moved her face even closer so she could get a better look. No, she wasn't mistaken, he had freckles on his face...very faint it was true, but there all the same. Her eyes dropped to his chest and saw that the freckles covered every inch of him and she couldn't help smiling. She had always associated freckles with childhood and innocence, but there was no way anyone would call this man childlike...and most definitely not innocent.
"What ya smiling about, girl?" his deep voice rumbled through his chest and made her shiver, her eyes darting back to his to find he had woken up and was studying her just as intently.
"Nothing," she said, annoyed that her voice came out all soft and warm sounding. She had to remember that he was forcing her to be here, she was not here of her own free will and she didn't want to be here. Regardless of how good the sex had just been. She groaned and frowned, forcing the image out of her head and pulling away from him. Once she did she realised that she was totally naked and he was getting an eyeful and she grabbed at the sheet, tugging it away from him so she could cover herself up. But that turned out to be an even worse mistake as it came completely away from him and she saw him in all his naked glory.
Mark chuckled when her face went bright red. "Something wrong?" he asked, not making any attempt to cover himself.
"Will you please put something on?" she asked, averting her eyes with some difficulty. Whatever else this man was, he was physically beautiful and she had the insane urge to jump on him. She glanced back once to see if he was doing as she asked, and her eyes dropped down his body of their own accord, transfixed by his physique.
"Want some more?" he asked her, grinning broadly when she went even redder and turned quickly away, caught in the act of staring.
"You're disgusting," she said grumpily, tucking the sheet more securely around her as she sat on the edge of the bed with her back to him.
"You didn't seem to think so a little while ago," he pointed out, pulling himself up and stretching. "In fact, you couldn't seem to get enough of me, as I recall."
Piper closed her eyes and wished herself somewhere else. "I hate you," she whispered, not knowing what else to say and wanting him to know how she felt.
"Sure you do, honey, and I hate you too. And later on, I'll prove how much my body hates you," he said, chuckling as he walked into the bathroom, aware that she was staring at his backside the whole time.
As he stood under the cleansing spray of the shower he mulled over what to do. No denying he wanted to keep her in his bed, and also no denying that he hadn't thought this thing through at all. She was probably expecting to get married. His palms hit the wall as he leaned on it, and he frowned. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea after all. No, not bad at all. He started making plans and hurried with his shower, wanting to get down to the den so he could start the wheels turning. Piper Williams was going to be his wife before too many more days had passed, whether she wanted to be or not.
******
Piper stared at the closed bathroom door for a few seconds and then stood up, hurriedly donning her clothes and leaving the room. Okay, so she couldn't leave the house, but she could at least get away from him for a little while. She found herself down in the main hallway and she stared around her at the various different doors that led off it, wondering where to go first. Shrugging, she went to the nearest one and opened it, finding a large well furnished living room behind it, completely kitted out with every entertainment item imaginable. The sofas and chairs were huge overstuffed things, and looked very welcoming, something she wouldn't have expected to see in his house. There was another door leading off from this room and she went through that, finding herself in a large, very expensive looking dining room. She reluctantly admitted to herself that this was the sort of house she would secretly love, it was only a pity it belonged to him. After a search of several other rooms, she was even more impressed. There had been a games room with a large pool table taking pride of place and also a door that led out back to an enclosed swimming pool and Jacuzzi. Every luxury was furnished in the house, and she wondered if he ever actually got time to use any of it. She would make sure she did, for the brief time she intended to be here.
Only two doors in the hallway proved to be locked, one underneath the stairs. She supposed it was a cellar or something. The other was near the living room and she felt her curiosity rise up, wondering what was behind it. She looked around for a key, searching the drawers in the furniture adorning the hallway, but she couldn't find anything.
"You don't have to go poking about like a thief, you know. What are you looking for, exactly?"
Piper jumped and swung around to face Mark, seeing that he had just stepped off the last stair and was frowning at her, his eyes narrow. "I was just...er...just looking around."
"Mmm-hmm, just looking around. This wouldn't be what you were after, would it?" he asked, holding up a small bunch of keys and dangling them in front of her.
"No," she said stubbornly, giving him a glare.
Mark cocked his head to one side as he studied her rebellious expression. "I think that sooner or later, we're going to have to do something about that stubbornness. Why don't you just tell me the truth, hmm?"
"Are you saying I'm a liar?" she demanded, planting her fists on her hips and glaring even harder.
"Don't answer a question with a question, Piper, not with me. Tell me the truth," he said, his voice getting harder as he watched her.
"I did tell you the truth, but it obviously didn't suit you. So now I don't want to say anything at all to you," she said, squaring her shoulders at the spark of fire that lit his eyes up for a second.
"And there's another thing we'll have to do something about, that sharp little tongue of yours. It's going to get you into a whole heap of trouble soon," he mused, raising one eyebrow as he thought of several different ways of dealing with her.
"I suppose you expect me to be scared?" she asked with hauteur, raising her chin and trying to stare him down.
Mark gave a grim smile and took a step towards her, noting the way she instantly backed away. "Yes, I do, and you obviously are, despite this little performance. Just one thing, Piper, that you may want to keep in mind," he said, reaching out and grabbing her chin before she could move, "I don't tolerate bad behaviour from anyone, least of all my wife, and I have ways of dealing with it that you won't be too fond of."
"I'm not your wife," she hissed between gritted teeth, swallowing the lump in her throat at the seriousness of his face.
"But you will be. Cross me and you'll regret it. I would have thought you'd already learnt that little lesson by now," he said, releasing her and stepping back, watching the way she relaxed a little.
"I've learnt that you're an arrogant asshole who thinks he owns the world!" she said, not choosing her words with much care. "What are you going to do? Tie me to the bed and whip me? You cannot treat people like this!"
Mark's eyebrows shot up as if he couldn't believe what she had just called him. Didn't this woman ever learn? "What did you just call me?" he asked her quietly, his eyes burning with temper.
Piper didn't heed the warning in his eyes. "I called you an arrogant asshole! Why, does the truth hurt?"
"It doesn't hurt me, sweetheart, but I promise it's going to hurt you!" he said, gritting his teeth as he reached out and picked her up, throwing her over his shoulder and turning to go back up the stairs.
Shock kept Piper still for a second, and then the realisation hit that she had pushed him too far. She had seriously thought that everything he had been saying was bullshit, but she should have known better. She started kicking and hitting at him, hoping she could make him drop her, but nothing seemed to have any effect on him and she found herself being carried inexorably towards her doom - whatever that turned out to be. "Put me down!" she shouted at him, giving another hefty kick which did nothing whatsoever.
Mark said nothing, instead kicking open the bedroom door and striding over to the bed, where he finally pulled her off his shoulder and held her in front of him, his face grim. "Now, let's choose your punishment shall we?" he said, his eyes narrowing on her wary face.
"Punishment?" she said, her breathing becoming slightly constricted.
"You have two choices here, one is a damn good spanking and the other...well, I believe you said something about a whipping?" he said, still looking grim.
"Spank...you can't do that!" she said shakily, looking for some sign that he didn't mean it.
"I damn well can, and I can barely wait. So make your choice. I'm quite sure I have a whip around here somewhere if that's what you want."
She stared at him open mouthed. "I'm not making any such choice, you can't touch me....I'll call the police....I'll...I'll..."
"You'll do nothing. Fair enough, sweetheart, choice made," he said, dragging her to the bed and sitting down, throwing her over his knee as if she were a doll.
Her eyes became huge as her world tilted upside down and then she yelled furiously as she felt his big hand come down on her backside with extreme force. Before she could take a breath, another blow came, followed in quick succession by several more. She was chagrined to find herself near tears and she squirmed on his lap trying to get away. "Stop it!" she gasped when he slapped her again, her breath hitching in her throat as she tried to bite back a sob. This shit really hurt, she thought with amazement, wishing she had kept her mouth shut.
"You decided to behave yet?" he asked her, bringing his hand down again and then waiting for her reply.
She nodded frantically, her backside on fire and her whole body starting to hurt in sympathy with it. "Yes, yes, please stop," she said, her voice sounding more defeated than she would have liked.
Mark nodded grimly and pulled her up, flinging her onto the bed next to him and standing up again. "You can stay right there while I get dinner organised, and I don't want to hear one word from you until I say so, understand?"
Piper swallowed and nodded, looking quickly away from him just in case he could see the hatred in her eyes and acted on it. She didn't relax until she heard the door close, and even then she couldn't calm down. One small hand crept around and rubbed at her posterior, wincing at the pain it induced just touching it lightly. Damn him, he didn't have to do that! she thought, swiping at her eyes as belated tears started filling them. God she wished she was big so she could attack him in the same way, then he'd regret ever touching her. Pig, she thought, wondering what the evening would bring.
****Hope you liked it....Mmmm, big man, small woman...yummy. Maybe it's just me and I'm a pervert, who can tell! Hee hee!****