It’s been a week and a half since she asked me to train her. Well, she didn’t ask me to be her Dom, but she definitely asked me to help her explore her latent submissive side.

Ah, Katie, you don’t know what you’re walking into.

Since so many days have passed, it’s pertinent that we find an hour or two to talk. Because in those several days we’ve either been nonstop working or out of town on various ventures. And no, we weren’t out of town together. We haven’t spoken of what’s happening at all. I’ve barely texted her, and when I have, it’s been purely work.

I need to know that we’re still on the same page.

A week and a half is a lot of time for a woman to change her mind. Multiple times. Who knows what Katie’s thinking.

See, I have some time off this weekend. I’m pretty sure she does too. We could do something…

I spend the rest of the morning with my mind torn between sex and work. When a contractor shows me a blueprint, I struggle to think of anything but the way Kathryn looks with her legs and ass presented so well in that skirt. Would it be inappropriate for me to drag her off somewhere private and fuck her against a table? She likes it when I do that.

It’s an hour to lunch when she walks by with both assistants, her perfume overpowering theirs, her hair, all tucked up nicely in its usual twist, glistening in the sunshine pouring through a nearby window. It makes her hair look even more golden. I hate it. So distracting.

The back of her neck begs to be kissed. Her breasts? They want me to squeeze them, to pinch her nipples through her blouse while I rub myself all over her ass. I hate what she does to me. Sure, there have been plenty of women who get me riled up every time I look at them, but this is Kathryn Alison. She’s one of the few women who has seen me at my most vulnerable – and most embarrassing – during sex. Almost nobody sees that.

She’s driving me crazy. I’m not even thinking of dominating her. I’m thinking of straight up sex to get us both off.

Do you think she’s thinking about me? Or is that girl talk with the assistants just that?

At noon she slips her assistant a twenty and heads my way, ignoring Anita’s protests. So, that’s how she’s paying for her assistant’s lunch? Valerie long learned to let me pay for all meals. Anita still has some pride in that regard.

“Where are we going?’ Kathryn asks, dangerously close to me. “You were so adamant about private that I doubt we’re going to the corner café.”

“Hell no.” I flag Valerie and hand her my work materials. Not dragging those to lunch, and I don’t trust anyone else around here enough to leave them in a corner. I wait for my assistant to walk off before addressing Kathryn again. “I can get us a private booth at the restaurant down the street from here. The lunch place.”

“Can you now?” She almost looks impressed. Almost. Kathryn comes from money. She’s rarely impressed.

“Indeed I can. Shall we? Let’s walk. I need the fresh air.”

It’s a five minute walk to lunch. Along the way we pass the bustle of the city at noon, with taxis nearly mowing over pedestrians and people yelling at each other from across the street. Not unusual, but downtown it’s what you get. There are so many people on the sidewalk this time of day that I see Kathryn hug her purse close to her chest and herself closer to me. Hm. I’m her protector? I doubt in this part of town many people would try something, but we reek of money. I don’t quite put my arm around her, but I do put my hands in my jacket pockets and open it wide enough to block the view of her purse from the other pedestrians. If she notices, she doesn’t let on.

Fine with me.

We stop at one last busy intersection. I can see the restaurant from here, but this light is notoriously long. The fresh air is doing wonders for my mind. Clearing it. Keeping me from overdosing on Kathryn’s elegant perfume.

Someone bumps into her.

“Excuse me!” An elderly gentleman holds up his hand. “I got bumped into you, it seems.”

“Oh, it’s no problem.” She covers the zipper of her purse anyway.

“My, what a handsome couple. So nice to see a good-looking pair like you around here.” The man tips his hat and goes along his way.

Kathryn clears her throat. I suck in my breath.

“That man thinks we’re a couple.”

I wish this fucking light would change already. “Well, we are about the same age. Men and women are often pegged as being together.”

The light finally changes. We cross the street, my strides trying to match Kathryn’s.

“Are we a couple?”

I stop in the middle of the street. Someone behind me curses, and I’m forced to step out of the way. “What?”

Kathryn turns and keeps going. “Never mind!” she calls.

I follow. This is going to be a trip of a lunch.

Chapter 2

KATHRYN

We’re supposed to be talking, but there’s hardly any time between being seated and half the staff trying to serve us breadsticks and water. While on one hand I’m grateful I’m given time to breathe and collect my thoughts, the other hand says to get this over with.

I’m also embarrassed that I blurted out that question in the middle of the street like that. Excuse me! That man totally threw me off. What was I supposed to say?

He thought Ian and I were a couple. Did we look that comfortable with each other? Although he and I are… yeah… I don’t know if I would say I’m super comfortable around him yet. Partly because of this weird mind-fucking shit going on.

“Tuscan salad, please.” I hand the waiter the menu I barely perused. “Italian dressing.”

I don’t hear what Ian orders besides a glass of wine for himself. “You want anything?” he asks. “The red here is great.”

Wine? Yes. Yes, please. I’ll need it. And at least we’re in public, where I won’t get relaxed enough to suggest he collar and take me like a Dom right here on the table.

Ugh. Fuck me. He looks so good today. A little flustered, but so damn in control and oblivious to the problems of the world. Ian Mathers only cares about his work right now. The man’s in some of the best looking jeans I’ve seen on a guy. In case that’s too casual, though, he’s got on a smart blue shirt and a designer business jacket on top. His hair looks recently cut, combed just right over his eyes and ears. The stubble’s back. Meticulous stubble. Sort of a rugged bad boy look but easily shaved without much difference.

I want him to kiss me. I want to kiss him.

Except I don’t know where we stand. When I so foolishly went to him and asked him to… God, what even was it? What was I thinking? Why haven’t I called him to cancel? This is what we’re here about, isn’t it?

We sit in silence until the wine and water are delivered. It’ll be another few minutes before we get our lunches. I wish this was a regular business lunch, with our assistants and maybe a few others present. Then we could be around each other, but without the bullshit. At the moment I don’t feel super great being alone with him.

“How is it?” he asks, motioning to my wineglass.

I hurry to sample a taste. It’s a bit bitter, but also sweet, twisting on my tongue and flushing down my throat until my nerves settle themselves. This is why I’m dangerous around wine. “It’s nice.”

My eyes remain averted. Ian tilts his head until his eyes meet mine. “Something bothering you?”

Yes, Ian. Something is bothering me. Namely that this is the first time we’ve been alone like this since I was last in your apartment. Remember what happened there? I insinuated that I wanted more of your domination. Foolishly. Then I got all bothered when you pushed me against your wall and grinded your cock into my ass. We may have been wearing clothes, but fuck me, that was hot.