Read Online The Dark Art of Persuasion by Ashe Barker - Free Book Online Page B

quiet, but deliberately commanding. He’s watching her reaction carefully, especially her eyes as the pupils dilate, and her mouth as she sinks her teeth gently into her lower lips, chewing nervously.
    Fucking bloody gorgeous!
    Her innate submission is so clear, so obvious it might as well have been illuminated in bright green neon across her forehead. And he knows he has her. He has to play her still, cajole and persuade, carefully and gently, but he will reel her in. She’s his for the taking now. And his plan is forming, taking shape, crystallising in his head.
    He stands, strolling casually over to the coffee pot for a refill. He turns, a tilt of his head offering her a top-up too. She shakes her head, her face still a mask of confusion and nervousness. Perfect.
    “Next Thursday I’m going to an awards do in Leeds. I’m up for a couple of awards for designs my firm did. It’s prestigious, a black tie affair. I want you to come with me.”
    The invitation’s been kicking around in his in tray in his office for weeks. He had no intention of going, not until now. He normally hates those sorts of affairs and leaves it to his associates in the firm to fly the corporate flag. But with Miss Byrne on his arm, and later in his bed, well that’s a different matter entirely.
    Her expression, though, is one of utter incredulity. She apparently can’t believe what she’s hearing. Sure enough. “You must be joking! Me? At an awards dinner?”
    Nathan knows the value of stretching out the agony, and just leans against the worktop, sipping his coffee as he contemplates her for a few moments, enjoying the display of emotions now parading across her gorgeous face. Shock, surprise, horror, disbelief. And panic. Sheer blind panic. Interesting, that last one. Eventually he breaks the silence.
    “No, I’m not joking. I want you to come with me. You’ll enjoy it. And I know I will if you come…”
    She may be in shock, but she’s not daft. The innuendo is not lost on her, and he smiles inwardly as her pupils dilate further. He’s sure she’s moistening despite her apparent reluctance to engage, if she’d just let him slip his hand into her panties to check…
    But he’s getting ahead of himself. First he needs to deal with the torrent of avoidance babble coming his way. She tells him she’s nothing to wear, he tells her to go shopping. She was intending to anyway, and he’ll pay for the evening dress. She’s not having that, indignant it would seem at the prospect of letting him buy her clothes. He quite likes that, he likes independence in a woman, even in a submissive, but he knows she’ll accept anyway. Eventually.
    But now she’s looking really upset, really starting to lose it, and he has to stop that. A degree of nervousness is good, he can work with her uncertainties. Transform them into curiosity, anticipation. But blind panic is counterproductive. There’s nothing much you can do with a submissive having a panic attack except wait. Or call her a cab and let her go home. All of that’s quite out of the question, so he needs to calm her. Now.
    Seating himself alongside Eva at the table he reaches for her hand. She doesn’t struggle so he holds it gently, continues to hold her hand as he leans in, catches her startled gaze. His eyes are warm, and he hopes his arousal is sufficiently banked not to alarm her again. His tone is soft, sensual, as he whispers his next words. “I don’t want anyone else. I want you.”
    He needs to get the excuses out of the way. This is really not about clothes. “The shopping’s no problem. I have a friend who’s a shopping consultant at Harvey Nicks. She’ll sort you out. And fix you up with the rest of the stuff you want as well. And like I said, I’m paying for the outfit because I invited you.”
    She’s looking at him blankly now, at a loss. The ball’s in his court, and it’s time try a few passing shots. He needs to heat things up, and for this, he doesn’t need an