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Was it because there was no risk of her returning his
affections? Was it ‘safe’ to lust after her, because she’d never demand more
from him? Rex knew he wasn’t the kind of person to get married and settle down
to domestic bliss. He thought it was part of his nature to need a succession of
different partners. Maybe on some level, he was protecting himself by becoming
infatuated by someone he’d never be with again.

He knew their union had been a concession on her part, a
one-time event, but still he yearned for more.

Maybe he was just becoming a fool.

He had that rueful thought in the shower. He was turning off
the water in the glass-walled stall when he heard a footstep.

He pivoted in time to see Michelle’s smile.

She was barefoot again, but wearing a floral dress this
time. It was made of some sheer fabric that swung around her hips with graceful
ease, making her look both delicate and feminine.

She was his every dream come true.

When he could only stare at her, she shimmied out of her
dress and threw it over the end of the bed. She peeled off her bra and panties,
tossed them after the dress, then strolled into the bathroom with one hand
behind her back. She was so splendidly beautiful that Rex’s mouth was dry and
his cock was hard.

“Leya signed it,” she said. Before Rex could answer, she
pulled her hand from behind her back and showed him the length of cotton rope
she was carrying. “I thought we could celebrate, Master.”

Rex nearly blew his load at the idea. He opened the door to
the shower as Michelle picked up his towel. She put the rope in his hand, then
dried him off, pressing kisses to his skin as she moved around him. The rope
was woven of natural cotton, about half an inch thick, and softened as if she’d
washed it.

“Penny for your thoughts,” she said and Rex glanced down at
her.

“Save your penny,” he said. “There’s only one thing I think
about when a beautiful woman asks me to tie her up and possess her.”

Michelle smiled. “Maybe you think of all the other woman who
have asked you to do that.”

Rex opened his mouth to make a glib reply, then closed it
again. He didn’t want there to be any pretence between them. “Only one.”

“The one who got away?”

“The one who loved someone else. Joanna.”

Michelle leaned against his shoulder, her gaze searching.
“But you loved her?”

“Yes. Absolutely.”

“Why?”

Rex was startled. “Because she was beautiful, and smart...”

“Lots of women are beautiful and smart,” Michelle said, her
gentle tone chiding. “What made you believe you were good for each other?”

“I gave her pleasure...”

“And so, presumably, does the guy she chose. There has to be
more, Rex.” She pressed a kiss to his shoulder. “I think you’re confusing lust
with love.”

“I know the difference...”

“Do you? What were Joanna’s dreams and goals? What did she
want most in all the world? How were you going to give it to her?

Rex was shaken by these questions. He knew Joanna’s
fantasies. He knew she preferred to be blindfolded. He knew she loved to be
dominated, that she preferred leather over velvet and men to women. But he was
startled to realize that he couldn’t answer Michelle’s questions well.

She reached down and closed her hand around his erection,
her touch sending a jolt through him. “It sounds as if you loved the idea of
her.”

Was that true? Rex couldn’t think coherently, not with
Michelle’s fingers tormenting him.

“I think you should silence me this time, Master,” she said.
“And I think you should be a little rougher than before.”

Rex’s heart thundered at the idea. “One hour?”

“One hour,” she agreed, then smiled at him. “What do you
think?”

“I think you should silence yourself,” he said, using a
firmer tone. “I think you should bind yourself helpless for me.”

“Yes, Master,” she said so demurely that Rex couldn’t stand
it. He caught her close and kissed her deeply. When he broke his kiss, they
were both breathing quickly and her eyes were shining. “Shall I get your cell
phone so you can take pictures, Master?”

“Yes.” Rex inhaled sharply. “Oh yes.”

Their gazes locked and held for a potent moment, and Rex understood.
This would be the last time. Michelle wanted him to be free to fall in love
with someone, just as she had fallen in love with Leya.

He wanted to photograph her again so he’d remember every
detail forever.

Michelle brought his cell phone, then took the belt from the
terry bath robe hanging on the back of the door. It was the same shade of ivory
as the rope she’d brought. She turned to the mirror, even as she tied a knot in
the belt.

Rex was transfixed as she bit into the knot, then tied the
belt behind her head. “Wrap it,” he commanded, his voice husky. She did as he
instructed, using up all the belt. It looked savage on her, rough and
impulsive.

And exciting.

When he lifted a finger she tried to scream, but could make
only a muffled moan. He arched a brow and she dropped to her knees before him,
ankles together and knees apart, her hands clasped behind her back. She tipped
her head to look at him. Rex was fearful that this would be too much for her.

But Michelle’s eyes were shining and her nipples were tight.
He could smell her wet sex and knew she was loving this as much as he was.

Perfect.

If this was the last time, he was going to make every minute
of this hour count.

* * *

Mike called Joanna at work on Friday morning, ready to put
his plan into motion. When he typed her extension, though, he was told that it
didn’t exist.

He assumed that was a technical issue, and called one of the
interns. After they exchanged greetings, he gave the real reason for his call.
“I was calling Joanna but it says her number’s unavailable. Is the phone system
screwed up again?”

There was a long pause. An awkward pause. “Don’t you know?”

“Know what?” Mike straightened.

“She quit Tuesday and cleaned out her desk the same day.”
The intern’s voice dropped. “Huge fight in the editorial meeting.”

“Really.” And she hadn’t mentioned it to Mike. He was
astonished.

“I thought she was going with you,” the intern continued.
“That’s what she said...”

“She is,” Mike agreed, glad to have that bit of news. “I,
uh, just didn’t think she was going to quit yet.”

“Don’t you two talk?”

“Sounds like we need to. Hey, thanks for letting me know.
Have a great day.”

Mike ended the call, his grin starting as he stared at the
phone. Joanna had quit. She’d decided to go with him. But she hadn’t told him,
because she wanted him to keep trying to convince him.

That was so much more naughty than he’d expected of her.
Mike wanted to laugh out loud. Having her dominant once in a while was adding
some interesting dimensions to their relationship, that was for sure.

And it meant his choice for the weekend was right on the
money.

He’d call her cell phone instead.

* * *

Joanna was reading the lease from the apartment, checking
that she could wriggle out of it sooner rather than later. She had only caught
glimpses of a giddy Louise this week and hadn’t had time to ask her roommate if
she wanted to stay on.

She was having a hard time thinking straight, her thoughts
straying as she reviewed all the ways and times Mike had claimed her this week.
It was good that Louise had been spending her nights elsewhere. These
encounters had been so hot that Joanna didn’t want to share Mike with anyone.

She realized that they also hadn’t revisited the question of
marriage in the past week. The fact was that she’d been too busy being claimed
repeatedly by Mike in either of his guises to think of anything except sex.

And Mike.

She really had to focus on getting some details resolved if
they were moving soon, and creating a plan for her own career.

Instead, she drifted into another daydream about that night
in the restroom.

Then again in the coatroom.

Joanna sighed contentment.

And her phone rang.

She answered, not really surprised to hear the growly voice
of Mike’s alter ego. “Bad Joanna,” he said. “You’ve been so naughty this week
and you still need more.”

“More, Master?”

“Much more.”

Joanna swallowed. “Tell me, Master.”

“You have an appointment this afternoon.”

“I do?”

“Look in your purse.” His voice was hard with command.

Joanna did as she was told and saw a small envelope there
that she’d never seen before. Mike must have dropped it in there when he’d come
as a thief the night before. There was an address written on the outside of it,
and something inside. A key. The address was several blocks away from the
newspaper’s office.

“Two o’clock,” he instructed.

“Not right now?” she couldn’t help but tease.

He laughed. “You have some preparations to make on your
lunch. You’re going to need a blindfold and some heavy cable ties. I think you
know where to find them.”

Joanna swallowed. “I do.”

“It’ll be empty. Close the door but leave it unlocked. Then
shut the blinds and arrange yourself.” His voice dropped lower. “You won’t have
to wait long.”

He ended the call and Joanna stared at the phone, her heart
in her throat. She was never going to get tired of this game, that was for
sure.

She hoped Mike didn’t either.

* * *

Mike was hard with anticipation all day long. He was blown
away by Joanna’s new trick of not telling him all of the truth, and
deliberately tempting him to punish her. He loved thinking up places to meet
her and take her. He loved watching her struggle with her inhibitions and
overcome them. He loved how wet she got, and how willing she was, and how
obediently she trussed herself up for him.

That was part of what made it so powerful for her to
dominate him at intervals. It was so out of character for her, and he knew it
wasn’t easy for her to do. That she did it, for him, told him everything he
needed to know about her feelings.

They were going to be a helluva team.

He just wanted to prove to her how well this game could
work, to make her a fan of it so to speak, before they talked about marriage
again.

He watched from across the street as Joanna arrived at the
building where he’d arranged to use an empty office. The fact that she’d come,
and was even a few minutes early, made him so hard he was dizzy. Her purse
seemed to be bulging and he thought of those heavy black cable ties. It had
nearly made him come in his jeans when she’d brought them to that apartment Eric
had fixed up, and he’d been unable to lose the idea of tying her up with them.

Today was the day. He’d see those thick bands locked around
her ankles, maybe, contrasting with her fine build. Or maybe he’d tie her
wrists together with them.

Maybe both.

She’d be completely helpless and they’d both love it.

Was she wearing the tall black boots? It was hard to be sure
from here, but Mike hoped so. He tormenting himself, wondering how she’d choose
to arrange herself for his visual pleasure. The street was busy with people
shopping and heading out of work early to get errands done. Joanna hesitated,
checking her watch, wanting to get it right.

She looked in the shop windows to one side, obviously
killing time. Mike’s mouth was dry. He couldn’t wait for her surprise at what
he had planned.

On the stroke of two, Joanna strode into the office
building. He could see her silhouette in the lobby as she waited for the
elevator, then she moved into it and out of his view. He watched the window on
the sixth floor that faced over the street and saw the light come on there. He
caught a glimpse of her as she closed the blinds to the office, then forced
himself to take a deep breath. He pulled on the black leather gloves, counting
to two hundred before he moved. It would only be better if he waited. He
grabbed his bag and zipped up his coat, heading across the street with purpose.

This weekend was going to be awesome.

He was going to make another one of Joanna’s dreams come
true, and probably all of his own at the same time.

* * *

Joanna wanted to run into the building, but she was careful
to follow instructions. She’d confess to Mike today that she’d been bad and not
told him about quitting her job, ensuring that he had the whole weekend to
discipline her for that.

She’d laced herself into the tightest and blackest corset
that Mike had ever bought for her, and was breathless when she was done. She’d
put on sheer black stockings and fastened them to the garters, then had to lie
on the bed to tug on the tall black boots he loved so much. They rose up to her
thighs and had such high heels that she was a bit unsteady on her feet.

She’d rouged her nipples and put the same color of lipstick
on her mouth, then had been amazed by her own reflection in the mirror. She
looked alive and thrilled, as well as in love.

The office was easy to find, the wait for the elevator
excruciating. She found the office in question and put her key into the lock,
her heart pounding. She turned it and the door unlocked. She stepped inside,
closing it behind her but leaving it unlocked.

Again there was that threat of discover, a delicious and
exciting possibility.

The office was completely empty.

Her heart pounding, Joanna moved to close the blinds. Was
Mike watching her from some vantage point? She loved the idea of it. He could
be the thief who came to her at night or the stalker who caught her by surprise
any time he wanted.

She was thinking they should install a bigger dungeon in
their new place.