She drew the glass away after taking another small swallow and stared at him over the rim. “Did you get the fax I sent you this afternoon?”

“I did, but then I had no expectation of anything but a perfect bill of health.”

A smile quirked the corner of her mouth. “Wouldn’t you have been surprised if I’d tested positive for some scary STD?”

He chuckled. “That would have been a shame, indeed.”

“Are you a good lover, Damon?”

Even she was a bit stunned at how easily the question popped out. To his credit, Damon didn’t so much as flinch. He lowered the wineglass to rest above his knee and his warm brown eyes found her own.

“I like to think so. I’m demanding but generous, though somehow I think the demanding part will mesh quite well with your desires.”

Heat tinged her cheeks but she nodded.

“There are things we should talk about before we sign a contract,” he said.

Again she nodded, but for the life of her, she had no idea where to start. Thankfully he didn’t suffer any such difficulty.

“You’ve outlined quite well what you’d like, or at least where you’d like to start.”

“Yes,” she croaked.

“Then perhaps we should get to my expectations,” he said levelly.

Her eyebrows went up in surprise, and he smiled.

“I know what you’re thinking. This is your fantasy. You’re in control. But your fantasy is to relinquish your power. You will submit to me and my wishes. My wants and desires will be your own. You will please me, and in return I will please you.”

Her hand shook as she raised the wineglass to her lips again.

“For the times you are with me, I expect complete obedience and respect.”

Her hackles rose at the way he stated obedience, but she could see him studying her, waiting for her protest, almost as though he was waiting to call her a fraud.

“Does that bother you?” he asked.

“I assume you mean sexually.”

His expression didn’t change. “I mean in all aspects.”

Her eyebrows shot up.

“Not sure how you feel about that?”

How did she feel about it? The independent decision maker in her balked at anyone expecting obedience from her. It was a ridiculous notion, or was that her feminist sensibilities screaming? And if so, why weren’t they screaming louder?

It was more like an obligatory murmur of protest before they scuttled back for cover.

“It’s important to you?” she asked softly. Because she could sense it was. He was testing her. Throwing down the gauntlet, so to speak.

“You don’t have to choose me,” he reminded. “You could always find a more . . . accommodating man.”

“And how would he accommodate me?” she asked quietly. “By pretending?”

“Is that not what this is? A grand pretense? A scripted performance?”

He had her there. She had listed her conditions, but now he was listing his. No, she didn’t have to agree, but damn she wanted him. She wanted him badly.

“It’s important to you,” she said again.

“It is,” he acknowledged. “Even if this is a temporary situation, I want it to be real for as long as you choose to live it.”

“And by real you want me to submit. To you. Completely.”

His voice was like velvet, soft, fluttering across her skin as he uttered just one word.

“Yes.”

She was bathed in want. Need burned in her heart, in her soul. She hadn’t realized just how much she wanted this until now, until Damon had inspired such a desire in her.

“And if what you ask of me is unreasonable, what then?” she asked.

He propped one ankle on his knee and relaxed further into the chair. “In a lot of circles, indeed for most in this, shall we say ‘lifestyle,’ the use of safe words abounds.”

She nodded because she knew what a safe word was.

“I won’t use them,” he said firmly.

Her eyes widened. “You’re asking me to trust you that implicitly?”

He shook his head. “I won’t use a word that encourages a man to disregard the word no coming from a woman’s lips. If you say no, if you’re even thinking no, then it ends for me. I won’t indulge in silly little no-means-yes games. When that word crosses your lips? It’s over. If I ever ask of you something that you won’t give unreservedly, then all you need to say is no.”

She wasn’t even sure how to respond to that because he was absolutely, one hundred percent right. How moronic to ever discount the notion of a woman saying no.

He shifted his position again, setting his feet back on the floor as he leaned forward.

“Come here, Serena.”

She glanced up in surprise.

“You’ve become tense, and I want you to relax. I want you to be comfortable with me or this will never work.”

He held out his hand, and she found herself rising from the couch, her bare feet touching the wood floor. As she walked toward him, his gaze fell to her feet and he smiled.

“You like being barefoot.”

She was mildly embarrassed that she’d made herself so much at home in the short time she’d been here, but she nodded as she slid her hand into his.

“Then you’ll never wear shoes in my house,” he said softly. “Your comfort is very important to me.”

He tugged her downward. “Sit here at my feet and lay your head on my lap.”

Awkwardly she lowered herself until she settled on the floor. His hands guided her head until it was nestled on his lap.

“I’ve dreamed of running my fingers through your hair from the moment we first met,” he murmured.

As his fingers trailed through the strands of her hair, she closed her eyes and let out a blissful sigh. His movements were tender as he stroked and caressed.

“Now relax,” he urged. “And we’ll talk while I touch you.”

He wanted her to relax when every single nerve ending in her body was on fire?

He played with the strands and alternated guiding his hands through the heavy tresses with light touches and caresses to the curve of her neck. Slowly she began to unwind, and she went limp against him.

“We need to discuss birth control,” he began. “I don’t like to make assumptions even given my preferences. You stated in your letter that part of your fantasy was for your new master to ejaculate in your mouth.”

Oh God, now she knew at least why he’d let her hide her face, because sweet Lord, it was burning.

“Relax,” he murmured. “There should be no shame in voicing your fantasies.”

She forced herself to relax again as she realized she’d gone completely tense against him.

“It is my preference not to use condoms, but I’ll use them if that is your wish. I love the idea of coming deep inside you and watching my seed slip from your pussy as I leave your body.”

She shivered uncontrollably, and his hand tightened in her hair.

“You like that too.”

She nodded.

“I’m not sure I can logically explain the desire I have to mark a woman. I’m sure it all has to do with the primitive male psyche,” he added with a chuckle. “But the fact is, I want to come in your mouth, your pussy, your ass, on your breasts. I want to mark you mine in every conceivable fashion. You will be mine. Your body will be mine to do with as I wish.”

Another soft sigh escaped her, and her entire body trembled as his erotic words brushed her skin, reached to her most intimate places.

Yes, she wanted it too.

His fingers worked through her hair and to her neck, lightly caressing. “Are you protected against pregnancy, Serena? Or do you prefer that I use a condom?”

“I’m on birth control,” she said softly. “I—I don’t want you to use a condom.”

His hand squeezed her shoulder in approval.

“Now suppose we talk about your auction.”

She raised her head to look up at him. There was something warm and vibrant in his eyes, something that went beyond simple sexual attraction.

“You’d do that for me?”

He touched her cheek and let a finger trail down to her jaw, and then he ran it over her bottom lip.