"I concede your point."
"But it still matters to you?"
"I'll give it some consideration."
She scooted onto her knees and kissed him. Who knew this side of Maggie even existed? "I'm curious, with the way you want to be dominated, why aren't you in a permanent BDSM relationship?"
"It's complicated. All relationships are, right? I love my work, and since I joined the firm, a lot of my time has been taken up with that. Most men in my social circle are scandalised by any suggestion that I want to be hurt in any way. Doms … You can be a demanding bunch. I'm not sure I'm up for the constant battle. I want my kink in the bedroom, so I participate in a series of scenes that I keep confined to weekends. That works best for me."
"The event I'd been watching you mark off on your desk calendar. That was the night at the Den?"
"I had today circled, too," she said.
That pumped up his ego. A nice change from the way she usually deflated it. He thought about that calendar, with every detail of her life jotted in blue ink. "Is there a date circled for your next outing?"
"I put the ladies' nights on there as soon as Gregorio sends the announcements," she said. "Vanessa and I almost always go."
The sensation of being knocked back a step was as unexpected as it was unwelcome. Did she have no regard for the fact he was human? "You won't be attending."
"Excuse me? That's not part of our arrangement."
"It is now."
"Did your report cards in school have notes that you don't play well with others?"
"Don't tempt fate, Maggie," he warned. No way was he turning her delectable ass over to another Dom for a beating. David wasn't a possessive man, but from the moment he'd seen her as a submissive, he'd wanted her in his cuffs. "If I'm the one you're turning to, I'll make sure you want for nothing. Go out with your friends somewhere else."
"I'm just looking for someone to spank me."
"And you walked into my office and offered me the position." He held her tighter. "Yield to me, Maggie mine." For long moments, she kept herself stiff. "You don't have to fight me on every issue."
"I don't want us to move too fast."
"We're not. We're simply outlining where the boundaries are."
Maggie remained where she was without pulling away, and that spoke volumes to him. That she continued to stay instead of choosing to go home when he suggested they light a fire in the outdoor pit as the sun set, spoke even louder.
"Sounds nice," she said.
"I'll get you one of my flannel shirts. And a refill on the wine?" He didn't let his subs drink much, but over the course of the day, she'd hadn't even consumed a full glass.
"No, thanks."
He got her the shirt, and she rolled up the sleeves to her elbows. She only fastened the top button. Somehow, in his clothing, she looked smaller and more vulnerable. Something about Maggie made him want to wrap her up and protect her, fight her battles, see to her safety.
They went outside and she sat on a bench, knees pulled to her chest as she watched him place the wood and ignite it.
She scooted over and he sat next to her as the fire settled in.
"What about you?" she asked. "Why are you single?"
"I was married once. I accept the responsibility for the failure. I didn't give her the time she needed or deserved." He looked at Maggie intently. "I've learnt from my mistakes. Anything worth having is worth investing in. It doesn't mean it's easy, and it doesn't mean it won't take work."
She didn't respond, and neither of them seemed to have a need to break the silence. He enjoyed her companionship. For a long time after his divorce, he'd enjoyed his solitude. Now that Maggie was with him, he didn't want to let her go.
"We didn't have sex earlier," she said much later, turning to face him.
The dim light made it difficult to read her expression, but her unspoken meaning was clear.
"I mean, after we left your basement."
"I've been acting like a gentleman and giving you time to recover."
"Would you quit that?" she asked.
"You'd rather I act like a Neanderthal?"
"Yes, please." She grinned.
"A woman after my heart." He stood and offered his hand, accepting her unspoken invitation. "I've wanted to fuck you up the ass all day."
Chapter Eight
No matter what Maggie was expecting David to say, he almost always shocked her. She didn't have a lot of experience with anal sex. Plugs, yes. But an actual dick-an enormous one at that-not so much. The realisation he intended to pound her made her feel submissive and feminine.
She slid her hand against his and revelled in his raw, masculine strength as he pulled her to her feet. It was a wonder, really, that he possessed all that power, but used the perfect amount to arouse her without crossing the line.
Maggie had no idea how long he'd flogged her earlier. Once the first blow had landed on her body, she'd surrendered to him. No. That wasn't the truth. From the moment she'd arrived, she'd given him all her trust.
He'd taken exquisite care of her, giving her what she'd wanted and bringing her back when she was so lost that pain and pleasure merged into indistinguishable bliss.
She wondered what would happen if she extended that trust to other areas of their relationship as he seemed to want, both at work and in private. Doing so would mean she'd be more exposed emotionally, open to being hurt.
Since her father had died when she was so young and her mother had her own issues to deal with, Maggie had learnt to rely on herself. Her other relationships had offered her little incentive to modify that behaviour. She was so set in her ways that she wasn't sure it was possible to change. It surprised her that she was even considering it.
He held her hand as they walked inside, and he shut the door behind them before releasing her. She looked up at him as he unfastened her button then shucked the shirt from her shoulders. "Back to being naked, Sir?"
"Sorry, Maggie. It's been at least a week since I've seen your breasts."
"You mean an hour or two, Mr Tomlinson."
"Seems like a week."
The material slipped to the floor. She pulled back her shoulders and arched her back. He rolled each nipple between his thumb and forefinger. Now she had no idea why she'd protested when he insisted she stay naked. Each time he touched her, an illicit thrill shot through her. That she'd been clamped with such vicious pincers earlier only magnified his effect.
Under his careful, firm touch, her pussy started to moisten. It was frightening how masterfully he aroused her.
"The bedroom, now," he urged, "before I bugger you here."
"I … " She couldn't believe the thought that went through her mind. When he looked at her with his eyebrows drawn together, she hurried through her suggestion. "The stairs might be interesting."
"Good God."
"I mean, we don't have to. Never mind. That was a strange idea."
"I should have thought of it myself," he disagreed. "I'll be back with the lube."
Maggie wondered if she'd lost her mind. A bed made much more sense. But damn, the first time she'd looked at those polished wooden steps, she'd thought of wild monkey sex on them. Since the staircase was crafted from individual boards, it would be easy for her to hold on. The potential positions he could put her in were endless.
In addition to the bottle of lube, he returned with a damp washcloth and a dry hand towel as well as a condom. Always prepared. She desired him, his domination and possession. He wasn't gentle, giving her the exact right amount of roughness. "I want your dick in my mouth first. If I may, Sir."
Beneath his casual black pants, she saw his cock was already thick. Though she'd sucked cock before, she had almost always considered it something she was required to do. But she'd had him in her mouth that first night at the Den, and she had a real desire to taste him again.
Without waiting for his approval, she knelt while he toed off his sandals. She drew his pants down and he kicked them away.
She inhaled the scent of him before leaning in to lick his sac then suck each ball, one at a time, into her mouth. He groaned and reached for her, digging his hands into her hair. The slight tug let her know how much he appreciated her efforts.
Emboldened, she reached for his cock and licked her way up the shaft. She closed her mouth around the head and pressed her tongue against the underneath, seeing the way he jerked his hips in response. She loved pleasing him. Moving her hand as well as her mouth, she worked him, making him moan. Her pussy flooded with moisture, and it surprised her that she could become so turned on just from tasting him.