*   *   *

Wear something sexy.

Ashley couldn’t believe she was dressing up in a sexy outfit to go see the man who was once her best friend’s stepfather. She gulped as she stared at herself in the mirror. She couldn’t believe Dare—the sexy, enigmatic man who had haunted her teenage fantasies—was now playing the role of Dom to her sub.

She inspected the black wrap-style dress she’d just put on. The black front-clasp, underwire bra she wore hiked her bosom up, showing deep cleavage in the V-neckline of her dress. She wore a thong and black garter belt to hold up her sexy black stockings. Not that she expected Dare to see any of that. Asking her to wear something sexy was part of keeping her on edge. Unsure what to expect.

And it was working like a charm.

She glanced at her watch. He’d said to arrive at eight, so she needed to leave very soon.

Tonight wouldn’t get sexual. Her thoughts stirred back to the kiss they’d shared last night. The feel of his lips on hers, the taste of him on her tongue. He hadn’t made a move on her, simply told her to kiss him. She had been the one who’d gotten carried away.

God, he was such a sexy man. Her heart still fluttered at the memory of being in his arms. And last night, after she’d gone to bed, she’d been filled with wicked thoughts, and steamy dreams had filled her sleep time.

But in the light of morning, she’d scolded herself. She needed to maintain her focus. This was about researching an article, not about submitting to either her desire for the man, or to his sexy dominant nature. In fact, he was probably pushing her with the sexual aspect to force her to remember that she had control. Her cheeks flushed. In fact, maybe he’d been shocked at her wantonness in kissing him.

Not that Darien Gallagher was a man who was easily shocked.

Rather than disobeying his command if he ordered her to kiss him again, she could give him a chaste kiss. She fully expected that tonight he would continue to push her past her comfort zone and she’d have to decide how to follow his commands without giving in to the temptation to succumb to her lustful desires.

If she submitted to the sexual pull between them, she would be giving in to her desire to be submissive. She would be strong and avoid that.

She put on her earrings, small ruby studs and headed to the door.

As she drove to his house, she felt the excitement rise in her. The pull he exerted over her was inescapable.

*   *   *

Dare watched Ashley’s car turn into his driveway, then heard her car door close. He glanced at his watch. She was a little early. He put down his book and got up from the chair by the fire in the living room.

He’d been looking forward to this all day. Seeing Ashley again. She was delightful and sexy. Last night, he’d sported a huge erection most of the time she’d been here. Even after she’d left, it kept inflating every time he thought of her. When he’d ordered her to kiss him, it had been to see how she would react. She’d said she didn’t want this to be sexual, so he had expected a protest, possibly an outright refusal, but thought it was more likely that she would give him a quick peck. He had not expected her to throw herself into it as she had, her tongue gliding into his mouth with wild abandon. And she’d clearly been turned on.

He’d meant to remain distant, but with her soft body pressed against him, her nipples hard against him, he hadn’t been able to help but respond.

The doorbell rang and he smiled. He had not expected this coaching to have such delightful fringe benefits.

After she’d left, he’d struggled with the fact that taking on this role with her aroused him, especially since he was so much older—but really it was only a ten year difference and now that she was in her late twenties, that wasn’t really an issue. And he had to admit, he’d been attracted to her all those years ago. Back then, of course, he never would have acted on it, even if he hadn’t been married.

Now, however, was another matter.

Her claim that this not be a sexual situation barely fazed him. If she’d actually meant it, then he’d take it seriously, but it was so clear that she was attracted to him … and she was very curious about—and highly aroused by the prospect of—being his submissive and being sexually dominated by him. So much so she was practically begging for him to take her.

And if they proceeded with a sexual relationship, she probably would beg.

His lips turned up in a grin. What would it be like to be with Ashley? She’d been lovely when she was in high school, and she had grown into a stunning woman.

She might have convinced herself she only meant this interlude with him as research for her article, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t lead to something more. He was a good judge of people and he knew she’d been attracted to him when she was in high school. Her girlish blushes and the nervous way she’d looked away whenever he’d caught her eye had made it very clear. He wouldn’t have acted on it back then, but now, with both of them adults … With the attraction that simmered between them, he had every intention of exploring the possibilities.

*   *   *

Ashley rang the bell and Dare immediately opened it.

She glanced at him nervously, worried he’d say she was late, but he simply stepped aside to let her in. She slipped off her coat and hung it up. His eyes glittered as he noticed her sexy black dress.

“Very nice.”

His deep voice, smooth as silk, quivered through her. She could feel the heat of his gaze across her chest and a flush crept up her cheeks.

“Thank you. You said to wear … um … something nice.”

“I said to wear something sexy.” He smiled. “And this fits the bill quite nicely.”

She stood still as he gazed at her, trying not to fidget. Finally, he turned and led her into the living room. There was a bottle of wine on the table, just like last time. She walked to it.

“Would you like me to pour you a glass?” she asked.

“Pour one for both of us.” He sat down on the couch.

She filled the two stem glasses half full and handed him one, then turned to sit on the chair across from him.

“No, Ashley. Sit here beside me.”

She hesitated, then turned and walked to the couch. She sank down beside him, extremely conscious of the heat of him beside her. His big, masculine presence made her shiver.

“What would you like to do this evening?” he asked.

“Oh, um. I want you to show me more about being a Dom.”

“Of course. Everything we do will show you what our Dom-sub relationship is like. But if you were just here for a visit, what would you like to do?”

“Do you mean like talk or play games?”

“Games?” His eyes twinkled and thoughts of erotic, adult games flickered through her brain.

“Like cards or something,” she quickly added.

“Yes. What would you like to spend time together doing?” He leaned back against the couch, watching her. “What do you do with your friends when you spend an evening in together?”

“Well, I have one friend. A … uh, a close friend … who comes over regularly to watch a movie.”

God, she’d almost said Adam’s name, but since Adam closed up whenever she asked him about his internship with Dare in college, she didn’t want to mention Adam, in case there were tensions on Dare’s side, too.

His eyebrow arched and his eyes seemed more solemn. “Is that your boyfriend?”

“No, we run together—for exercise I mean—and, well…” She shrugged. “We’re friends.”

Dare sipped his drink. “But you’d like it to be more.”

She frowned.

“Tell me.”

She hadn’t intended to. She’d been going to shrug it off. But it was as if that authoritative tone he used could get her to do anything.

“We’ve known each other for a while now and I am attracted to him, but he’s never asked me out.”