His next words surprise me.

“We should put all that behind us.”

“What do you mean?” I’m only half ignorant.

“We’ve been rough on each other when we meet. It’s because of what happened that day, right? We’re both defensive about it. It’s in our natures to react that way, especially as kids.”

“Ian… don’t worry about it. I don’t hold it against you.”

“Oh, I know you don’t really care that I did something every teen guy does at least once. Just like I don’t really care that your reaction was to freak out and stomp out on me.”

I decide to not hear the mild derision in his tone. “Sounds like we’re both hung up on it.”

“So let’s put it behind us. From now on. We’re adults, right?”

“Yeah.”

His hand squeezes mine. “Adults, you know… they are more experienced regarding certain things.”

I swallow, and it feels like the lump is going to explode in my stomach. “Yeah.”

Ian Mathers is leaning across the table. I am leaning across the table. I have no control over any of this… no control at all… what my body does, what he does… fuck, fuck, fuck, what is happening?

He’s so close that his breath tickles my chin. “That means you and I are a lot more experienced at certain things than we were, what was it, twelve years ago?”

“Okay.”

“We’re also better at forgiving. So, do you forgive me, Katie?”

I’m not sure what’s happening. The room is spinning. Something that feels like fatigue infuses into me. I’m awake, but… what’s controlling me? “Forgive you for what?”

“For that day. I forgive you.”

Another swallow. My lips are so dry. “Yeah. I forgive you.”

“Kiss me.”

“What?”

His hand is squeezing mine so hard that I don’t doubt he’s bruising the both of us. It hurts. Oh, God, does it hurt. Everything. Everything hurts. My hand, my arm, my fucking heart.

“If you believe me, kiss me.”

“And what will that solve?”

There’s that shrug. That smug, I-don’t-really-care shrug. Except I know he totally cares right now. “Let’s find out.”

It would be so easy to lean forward and kiss those lips. To know how much experience he now has. To express everything I’ve learned in the same amount of time.

Like how I’ve become a Domme.

Dommes don’t do this.

They’re not seduced by men like Ian. They don’t have the control stripped from them, at any time…

Except. Except. Isn’t he giving me some control right now? He’s left the ball in my court. All I have to do is pick it up and toss it back to him.

I’m in control. Anything that happens from here is because I wanted it to happen.

No regrets.

No fears.

I’m a Domme, which means I know what kind of man Ian is. No matter what happens, he’ll take care of me. And I’ll take care of him. Mostly that one, because I have been given control.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Next thing I know? Boom. My whole life has changed.

And my name is muttered on my lips, Ian Mathers’s tongue slipping against mine. The pain in my hand is absolutely exquisite, and I slip far, far into the comfort of something so long ago and familiar.

He’s as good a kisser as the girls at school said he was.

Chapter 11

KATHRYN

I’m on fire. From head to toe, all I can think about is doing exactly what I am.

Namely, kissing Ian.

His lips are tender against mine, although I feel the force of his every movement within his kiss. When he moves from my mouth to my chin, I think it’s over.

I am wrong. So blissfully wrong.

Ian kisses the underside of my chin, his lips and tongue caressing my skin as he descends to my throat. Sitting there like an idiot, all I can think about is how good his hot breath feels against every part of me. Just because he isn’t kissing every part, doesn’t mean I don’t understand what it would feel like…

His hand uncurls from mine as he pulls away. I’m left sitting there, dazed, hungry for more. This man has opened a Pandora’s box I’m not sure he can close. Not until he stands from his chair, his fingers signaling for me to stay where I am. He’s coming to me, you see. Rounding the table, slowly and surely, his hand reaching out to cup my cheek and press his thumb against the corner of my mouth.

“Kathryn…” No matter how many times he says it, I still can’t get over it. Especially now that his touch encircles my throat. His grip is gentle, but firm, and I know that right now he wants to take me like he takes his subs.

Before I can protest, his hand slips down the front of my shirt. I let it.

I want him to touch me.

My eyes remain on his face as his fingertips reach beneath my bra within my shirt and stroke my nipple. The fire is born from electricity. It’s a shock, all right. A shock penetrating me faster than his body can. The tiny pinches I receive on my flesh command that I moan, encouraging him to keep going.

“Kathryn.” Ian knees beside me, his eager mouth pulling away the buttons of my jacket and blouse. Just as I reach around and curl his hair in my hand, his tongue lashes against my nipple, one of his hands stroking my thigh.

“Ian.” I can play this game too. All day.

We’re going a lot slower than we did ten years ago. No rush. No need to prove ourselves. His tenderness with my body so far has me reeling in admiration. Ian is not a stranger to the nipple between his teeth. He sucked on it back then, too, his powerful lips and tongue almost making me come from that alone.

Oh, God, coming. I’m full with the urge now, and it’s worse than at any other point this week, even though I was generous with myself in the shower last night. All I want is for Ian Mathers to strip me bare and…

Do I have to say it? I want this man to fuck me. We’re over halfway to sex now. I want more. I want what I was denied a decade ago.

He’s in the chair beside me, facing me, his tongue snaking into my ear and making me whimper from the exquisite stimulation. Ian’s hand continues to massage my thigh. Soon enough, he brushes against my mound, and I moan against his mouth.

The man is fumbling with my zipper. My hand is searching for his too… but not before I wrap half my hand around his growing hardness.

Groaning, Ian puts his hand on my breast, his voice reaching new depths unlike he was able to achieve as a very young man. My grip hesitates. That moan of approval was so… unlike anything I have heard from a man in a long time.

There are no mind games right now. We clearly both want this. Why compromise that with our bedroom nonsense? We’re not even in a bedroom. The excuse to do whatever we desire is there, and it’s perfect.

I tentatively hold his erection again. Stiff. Thick. I can barely see anything in his lap, let alone with black pants on, but I’m impressed. It’s not big enough to make me scream and call it a monster, but I’m getting wet just thinking about him again.

Instinctively, I loosen up.

Ian wraps his hand around mine, keeping it on his clothed cock. “It’s all right,” he says, “It’s not happening anytime soon.”

What a time to joke about it.

“Katie.” He kisses my shoulder, fingers still biting into my thigh. “Let me have you.”

“Have me?” Deep down, I know what he means. Any man could say that he wanted me, that he was going to fuck me. What Ian said was intriguing. “What do you mean by that?”

All kissing stops, but his grip is as firm as ever on my thigh. “Let me prove to you that I’m a worthy lover.”

Since he won’t kiss me, I kiss him. The air is warm, but not as warm as it is against his lips. Now his hand is halfway down my pants, his fingers riling me up for the main event, whenever that supposedly happens. I won’t say no to a great looking guy like Ian stroking my clit in the office.