“Just a place to sit more comfortably,” Sir said easily. “You have a soft voice, and it’s hard to hear you when we’re close to the dance floor.”

He guided her toward an area filled with small groups of chairs and couches. People were sitting and talking quietly. Well, some of them. They passed a couch where a woman knelt at a man’s feet openly playing with his cock.

Jessica turned her eyes away and blushed. “People sure aren’t modest here, are they?” she muttered.

His chuckle sent tingles through her. Hell, no matter what he did, she got tingles, as if every skin cell on her body had been sensitized to his touch or voice. Just the feel of his hand stroking her bare arm made her toes curl.

Finding an empty couch, he took a seat, pulling her down beside him. He was so close that his scent wrapped around her as his weight tilted her into him. She clasped her hands together in her lap. “Now what?” she asked in a bright voice.

“Now we get serious.” His dark, rich baritone made her stomach quiver. “Why did you come back in?”

The unexpectedness of the question made her insides tighten. Why did he keep asking her these impossible probing questions, dammit? How could she possibly answer this? “I didn’t come for… I was just curious.” Curious to see what he could do to her. Her breath quickened.

“Curious to see? Or curious to do?” He laid one big hand over both of hers.

“Mostly to see.” Really.

“No curiosity as to what being restrained feels like?”

She grimaced. “I tried that earlier. Remember? The paddle?”

“I do remember, yes.” The crease in his cheek appeared, but at least he didn’t laugh. “Well, kitten, let’s see how you like being restrained…and touched.” His fingers wrapped around her wrists, pinning her hands on her lap as he cupped her cheek with his other hand.

He kissed her. When his tongue rubbed against hers, warmth filled her. She tried to bring her hands up to touch him only she couldn’t, and shock, then heat, ran through her. His mouth moved down the side of her neck, teeth closing gently on the skin, giving her goose bumps.

Again she tried to move. Again his fingers held her in place, and she actually felt herself dampen.

“You have soft skin that begs to be touched,” he whispered, licking the hollow in her collarbone. “Nipples that want to be sucked.” With his free hand, he ran his finger across the top of her low-cut shirt, stroking the top of her breasts.

She held her breath, wanting him to go further. Not wanting him to. Dammit, she didn’t like being so confused.

Smiling, he pushed the elastic top lower until her breasts were half out. His fingertips slid under the shirt to touch one nipple, and it beaded into hardness. Her mouth closed against a sigh, and then she froze as she realized he wasn’t looking down, but studying her face, her expressions. As his gaze captured hers, his fingers lightly circled her nipple, around and around, until she could feel need growing inside her, until she was biting her lip. Too many sensations: the feel of one hard hand restraining her, of his fingers on her body. Urgency filled her as her core throbbed.

“Feels different, doesn’t it?” he whispered. ““Do you want more?”

“No.” He saw her too clearly, and that was as frightening as how her body was reacting. “No, I don’t.”

His jaw tightened. “I really do know when you lie, little one. For your comfort, I haven’t called you on it before, but now…” His steady gaze pinned her in place. “Now you will be honest with me.”

“I --” She shook her head, unwilling to expose her need. Realizing she couldn’t lie.

“I think we’ll go and satisfy some of your curiosity and some of that need you don’t want to admit to.” He gave her a level look. “Your answer is ‘yes, Sir.’”

Her heart was hammering like she’d been running for miles, and her hands grew sweaty in his grasp. Do this? Let him…do what he wanted to her? It was why she’d returned, but the idea was insane. Yet the thought of his hands on her, taking her… She couldn’t answer, could only gaze at him helplessly.

He smiled, pulled her to her feet, and led her to a locked door marked Private and then into a small room down a hall. With a wave of his hand by the door frame, two wall sconces glowed with soft, flickering lights.

She halted just inside the door, one wrist still in his grip. The throbbing music from the club was a soft murmur in her ears as she looked around. The dark-paneled room held a massive wrought iron bed with a shimmering sapphire cover, an antique armoire, and nothing else. She licked her lips. What was she doing? This was too much, too irrevocable. She pulled against his grip.

“No, Jessica,” he murmured. “You’re here because you want to be. If you leave, you’ll always wonder what could have been.”

How did he know that?

Her breath came hard as he led her to the bed, but he simply sat on the edge and pulled her onto his lap, clasping her hand. “First of all, this time between us is simply for pleasure. Trust me to know how to give you that pleasure. Can you do that?” His eyes were intent as if he could see into her soul.

She nodded then stiffened. “You won’t whip me…or anything, right?”

“No, kitten.” He stroked a finger down her cheek. “You’ve experienced the worst of the physical punishments I hand out.”

Her muscles relaxed slightly. “Okay.”

“Second. If you become too frightened or are somehow in pain, your safe word is red. If you use that word, everything stops. It’s the equivalent of calling nine-one-one, so don’t use it lightly.”

A way out. That was good. She realized her hands were cold within his warm grasp.

“But, Jessica.” He tipped her chin up to pin her with a hard gray stare. “If you’re hurting or frightened, simply tell me.” His lips curled up. “If I’m doing my job, I will know; nonetheless, I expect you to share what you feel with me.”

Bare her thoughts, her emotions? Could even sex with him be as intimate? Both would leave her vulnerable… This really wasn’t a good idea, was it? “Sir, I think --”

“You think too much sometimes,” he murmured, releasing her hands to tangle his fingers in her hair. “This is enjoyment, not a college exam.” Tilting her head back, his mouth closed on hers in a tender kiss. He kissed her slowly, thoroughly, as if he had all the time in the world. Her skin heated and suddenly she was ready to feel his hands on her, wanted his hands on her. Her fingers curled in his silky hair, and she kissed him back until her head spun.

She hardly noticed when he rose to his feet, his mouth still on hers, when he pulled her to her feet. He stepped back, leaving her out of breath, her lips tingling.

His eyes were dark, his mouth in a firm line as he turned her to face the bed. Bending her forward, he set her hands on the cool silk cover.

“Don’t move your hands from where I put them,” he said. “Do you understand?”

Oh… It was starting. Her heart gave a hard thud. As her fingers curled the quilt into bunches, she nodded.

“Say, ‘Yes, Sir,’ so I know you are hearing me.”

“Yes, Sir,” she whispered, and shivered.

“Very nice.” He stroked her cheek. Then she felt his hands on her waist, undoing her skirt. His fingers were firm, sure. When her skirt pooled around her feet, leaving her bare from the waist down, she jerked and started to stand.

“Stay in place, little one.” His hand pressed on her back, unmoving until she resumed her position, hands braced on the bed. And then he touched her, massaging her sore buttocks, murmuring in pleasure. “You have a beautiful ass, Jessica. Just right for my hands.”

His fingers slid down the crack between her cheeks, touched her folds so intimately that she gasped. “You’re wet for me already,” he rumbled. He slid his fingers through her wetness over and over until her slit was on fire and her hips squirmed uncontrollably. But she managed to keep her hands still.

“You didn’t move. Good girl,” he said, and the approval in his voice filled her with pleasure.

“Turn around now.” He helped her stand and smoothly pulled her shirt over her head, leaving her completely naked. “Ah, you are a beautiful woman, Jessica,” he said, his eyes heating as he took his time looking her over, his gaze as warm as his hands had been.

He really did act like she was pretty. She could listen to that all night.

His warm hands ran up her arms. “Your skin is like expensive velvet, kitten,” he murmured before stroking across her collarbone. Her nipples tightened even before he touched them and stroked them with his fingertips into aching need.

“Up on the bed now,” he said, his voice deep, smooth. He pushed her ahead of him until she reached the middle. With steady hands, he rolled her onto her back; the way he handled her so easily shocked her. He straddled her, one knee on each side of her waist. She stared up at him. His jaw was strong, darkly shadowed, and his firm lips curved a little in a smile.

He stroked her hair. “Do you trust me not to hurt you, Jessica?”

She nodded, and he waited until she whispered, “Yes, Sir.”