The side door eventually opened. Sasha slipped out and sat down beside her. “They want to speak to you,” she whispered.

“They do? Why?”

“It’ll be fine. Just go on.”

Julie stood up on trembling legs, stopping only when Sasha grabbed her hand and whispered, “I only did what I thought best. I hope you know that.”

Julie squeezed her hand and walked to the door. Deep inside, she knew Sasha had acted out of a good heart. That didn’t mean she wasn’t still upset at the way she handled the situation.

Her heart raced as she entered the side room, but she didn’t want to look anything less than calm, cool, and collected to Daniel. Even if she was the exact opposite.

A row of chairs was placed in a semicircle in the middle of the room. Daniel sat in one, but stood at her entrance. He gave her a tentative smile. She took a deep breath.

“Daniel, I—”

He held a hand up. “Jeff. Leave us.”

She’d forgotten about the other guy.

Jeff stood up from his chair. “That goes against protocol.”

“I know.”

“You helped write the protocol.”

“I know.”

“So then, you understand why I strongly suggest someone else be present.”

“Jeff, I heard you, but with all due respect, I’m going to politely tell you to leave one more time.” It was a no-argument-allowed, don’t-even-think-of-disagreeing voice.

It appeared as if Jeff gave serious thought to disagreeing, but he eventually nodded. “Right. I’ll go help Dena with the roundtable. You take as much time as you need.”

Daniel only turned his attention back to her when the door closed. His eyes looked tired and there were crease lines in his forehead. “I’m sorry. I never imagined you finding out like this.”

She thought about going and sitting down next to him, but decided to stay where she was for the moment. “How did you imagine me finding out?”

The corner of his mouth lifted. “I do like your spirit.”

“Are you avoiding the question?”

The smile left. “Come, sit down.”

“First tell me what’s going to happen to Sasha.”

Though she was still irritated with Sasha, she knew how much her friend enjoyed the group. It would be upsetting if they kicked her out. Surely, she hadn’t done anything to warrant that.

Daniel seemed to sense her concern. “Very well. Nothing’s going to happen to Sasha. Assuming, that is, your story matches hers.”

Her mouth dropped. “You brought me in here for an interrogation?”

“I think ‘interrogation’ is pushing it a bit, but yes, I have to question you. And it was either in here or out there. Personally, I thought you’d prefer it be just the two of us talking instead of doing so in front of the entire group.”

In front of the entire group? He would do that? Her heart rate had slowed a bit. At his suggestion he could question her in front of the group, it started pounding again.

It was as if Daniel sensed her unease. “You have to understand how important we hold each other’s confidentiality. Our lifestyle isn’t commonly accepted. If I . . . we found out that she had told you about me, about anyone . . .”

“She didn’t. She’s actually invited me several times to come in the past. We were closing the shop tonight, she mentioned she was coming.” She shrugged. “I didn’t have anything to do. And I’ve always . . .”

“Yes?”

“Wondered.” There. She’d said it out loud. To Daniel even.

But he showed no reaction to her confession. “That’s pretty much what Sasha said. Except you know, of course, that she was aware I’d be here and she knows you and I are . . . involved.”

“Yes, I know. I’m still pissed at her about that.”

“As your friend, I can see how you’d be upset, but as a senior member of Sasha’s BDSM group, I understand why she went about it the way she did.”

“Which brings us back to my original question. How did you imagine me finding out?”

He sat back down in his chair. “Come sit with me, please?”

Warily, she crossed the floor to him. When she took the chair beside him, he held out a hand. She placed hers on it and their fingers intertwined.

“I was going to tell you Saturday night.”

She believed him. Though he hadn’t told her everything about himself, she knew enough about him to know he wouldn’t lie.

“Why did that woman call you ‘Master Covington’?”

“Dena? The blond submissive?” At her nod, he continued. “It’s a title used by the group’s submissives when addressing the senior Dominants.”

She gave a sigh of relief. “I thought you and her, maybe, you know.”

The hand holding hers tightened a bit. “No, we’re not. I’m not with anyone right now except you.”

Her heart gave a little flutter and she squeezed his hand back. His thumb stroked her palm.

“Now,” he said. “About that wondering part you mentioned.”

“I’m not sure I’m ready to talk about it right now. Just seeing you here. Finding out you’re a Dominant. It’s just . . . I need to let it sink in.”

“Fair enough, but will you answer one question?”

“Maybe?”

His thumb continued stroking hers. “When you were wondering, what role were you in? Were you a Domme, with a submissive worshipping you? Or was it you who kneeled? Did you find your strength in control or yielding?”

She closed her eyes against the sensation his touch created. Behind her closed eyes she saw it so clearly: her body, given to him, for his use.

“I yielded,” she whispered.

“Oh, Julie.” He untwined their fingers and stroked her cheek. “Open your eyes. Look at me.” When she opened them, he continued. “Never doubt the strength to be found in yielding. A good Dominant understands that strength. Protects it. Makes it flourish.”

Her mouth was dry. “And you? Are you a good Dominant?”

The look in his eyes spoke of one at complete ease with who he was. “I’m the best.”

• • •

Daniel watched as her expression changed from shock to desire. She might not be ready to discuss her interest in submission, but her body knew what it wanted. He could wait for her to be ready. He’d seen the same look in the eyes of numerous submissives. It was only a matter of time. What she needed was the space to think.

“Do you still want to have dinner Saturday?” he asked. If not, if the shock of seeing him at the meeting had been too much, they could reschedule.

“Yes.”

He dropped his hands, afraid of appearing too forward and eager. “If it’s okay with you, why don’t you come over to my place and let me cook?”

“Your place?” She had an I-know-what-you’re-doing look in her eye.

“Trust me when I say it’s not like that. It’s just that if you want to discuss anything, I thought you’d prefer to do so in private.”

She nodded. “Your place.”

“Until then, if you have any questions, I’m sure Sasha would be more than willing to answer.”

Finally. She laughed. Progress.

He saw the question in her eyes before she asked it. “Have you and Sasha ever . . . played?”

“No.”

“Will you be at the party tomorrow?”

“Yes, though I’m not sure you’re ready to attend one yet.”

“That’s not why I was asking.” She looked down at her hands. “I was wondering if you would be with anyone there.”

He waited until she lifted her head again before answering. “I’m a senior member of the group. I need to be there and I’ll be serving as Dungeon Monitor, making sure group rules are followed, being an overseer. But for right now, I’m only with you and I won’t be playing with, or seeing, anyone else.”

He stood up and reached for her hand. “We should get back into the other room. The meeting’s probably almost over.”

“You didn’t get to give your presentation.”

“But you and I talked, and in my mind, that’s more important.”

“What was it going to be about?”

Oh, yes, there was interest behind that inquisitive glance. Just thinking about being the one to reach inside and bring out her submissive side made him hard.

“The Importance of Being Teachable.”

“Huh,” she said, sounding slightly disappointed. “Not exactly what I was thinking it’d be.”

“There are breakout groups that meet every other week. One for Tops, one for bottoms. If you get to the point you’d be interested, Sasha can give you more information.”

“Sasha? Not you?”

He led her to the door, his hand on the small of her back. Chatter was coming from the other room. The meeting had ended.

“Sasha’s a submissive. I could give you my opinion, but it would mean more coming from someone living the role. More importantly, though, Sasha is a friend of yours and has your best interest in mind. I don’t want you to think I’m being self-serving.”

She turned to him, her eyes soft. “I could never think of you as self-serving. You’ve been nothing but selfless.”

He brushed her cheek. “Ah, but you’re wrong. When it comes to you, I’m totally selfish. I want to keep you all to myself.”

She grinned and reached for the doorknob, but he stopped her. There was something she had to understand.

“Julie, I want you to know that what happened last weekend was amazing.”

She turned back to face him, her hazel eyes darkened. “For me, too.”

“It’s just, I know I’ve been distant this week and I didn’t want you to think it was because I found anything lacking between us. I felt guilty at keeping this part of me from you.”

She was being far too quiet. It tested his resolve to give her space. But first, he needed some reassurance himself. “And, if it’s okay with you, I’d really like a kiss.”

“I’d really like that, too.”

He took her face in his hands. “Then why deny ourselves what we both want?”

He meant for the kiss to be tender and gentle, but when his lips touched hers, she moaned and rocked her body into his. He ran a hand behind her head and held her close, parting her lips and tasting. Her hands fisted in his shirt, her need as desperate as his.

A knock on the door brought them both back to reality.

“Daniel?” It was Jeff. “There are some people who need to speak with you.”

“Saturday,” Daniel whispered to Julie before pulling away and opening the door.

FOUR

The next night, Daniel arrived a bit early to the host’s home. The party would be held inside the house and grounds, so he started by peeking into the garage where the playroom had been set up. Several pieces of equipment had been placed around the unfinished room. With the concrete floor and hooks and chains attached to unpainted drywalls, the space certainly had the feel of a dungeon.

Before too long, people started arriving and filling the room. His gaze wandered from couple to couple, making certain everyone was okay and following the agreed-upon party rules. Ron and Dena stood talking in a corner. From the looks of it, Ron was trying to talk her into playing. She appeared uninterested.

Dena truly was a beautiful woman. Tonight she was dressed in her usual party outfit: spiked heels, black lace corset, and dramatic makeup that made her blue eyes stand out more than usual. As he watched, she called to another submissive and introduced her to Ron. The three of them walked to a nearby couch and sat down.

“Master Covington.”