I feel like a damn high school girl waiting on her prom date to come pick her up.

Except this time, he’s not going to come in, compliment my mother on our lovely home, and give my dad a handshake.

He’s going to fuck me.

I tried on a dozen black dresses before choosing this one. I’m still not even sure it’s the best option but if things go the way they’re meant to tonight, I might not even wear it for very long.

Damn, I need a drink.

Shoes first.

I bend my knee, quickly raising my foot and slipping my red stiletto over my ankle.

The doorbell rings downstairs.

“Shit, shit, shit,” I whisper as I shove on my other shoe.

All day. I have spent all day cleaning and tidying. It’s finally six but how the hell did it get here so fast?

I look in the mirror one last time, quickly fluffing my hair to make it look like I didn’t spend an hour making it look like this, then rush down the stairs.

Late dusk shines in from the windows in the living room and I give mother nature an enthusiastic thumbs-up for the perfect mood lighting. At least she’s looking out for me tonight.

I unlock the door — one last breath — and open it.

Clive Snow stands in the hallway and takes that breath away from me.

I expected jeans and a t-shirt, his usual work outfit at Red Brick. He wears a black suit with a red tie instead.

I gulp.

“Hey,” he says, smiling.

“Hi,” I say.

His eyes fall on my dress. “You look amazing.”

“And you look…” I shake my head and move out of the way. “Like you’re still out in my hallway. I’m sorry. Come in.”

He chuckles and steps inside, instantly looking around my living room. “So, this is what Michigan Avenue looks like from this side.”

I close the door and lock it out of habit. “To be honest, I never get tired of it.” I sneak a peek at the mirror by the door. Still looking good. “Would you like a drink?” I ask him.

“Ice water, please,” he says.

I cringe. “Right. No alcohol. That wouldn’t… be right.”

He smiles. “Nora, relax.”

“What? No. I’m fine. I’m very, very relaxed…”

I walk past the stairwell to the kitchen down the hallway. Clive follows behind me, taking slow and soft steps as he looks around. I try and tame my fidgeting hands as I reach into the cabinet by the sink for two drinking glasses but I nearly drop the damn things twice.

Get your shit together, Nora Payne.

I fill them with ice and water. “Okay—”

I gasp as I turn around and find Clive standing directly behind me.

“Nora,” he whispers. “Set the glasses down.”

“‘Kay.”

I abandon them on the counter’s edge. Clive reaches behind me and nudges them a little farther away from me before curling his arms around me and pulling me in for a hard kiss. I melt completely, giving in to the overwhelming pang for his attention deep inside of me.

“Relax,” he tells me again as he draws a line along my cheek with his thumb.

I nod and catch my breath as his hands fall away from me. He picks up one of the water glasses and I do the same.

“Would you like a tour?” I ask.

He raises the glass to his lips. “Only if it ends in the bedroom,” he says.

“Okay. Well…” I pour a large, cold portion of water down my burning throat. “This is the kitchen,” I say, wiping my mouth.

I step around him toward the hallway. He follows close behind, a large, lingering shadow that could pounce on me at any moment.

“Bathroom here,” I say, pointing into a room to the right of the kitchen. We enter the hall and I gesture to the closed door halfway down. “And this right here is my home office.”

I keep walking, barely pausing to take another sip. “Living room,” I choke. “With the wonderful view of—”

I twist around to find Clive halfway up the stairwell.

“And… that’s how you get to the bedroom.”

He peeks over his shoulder at me, his blue eyes pinched with devious intent.

I exhale hard and follow him upstairs. Clive waits for me on the landing and we walk to the bedroom together.

“I have something for you,” he says over my shoulder.

“Oh, yeah,” I recall. “You said you did.” We enter the bedroom and I walk to the bedside table to set my glass down. “What is it?” I ask, excitedly.

Clive puts his water down next to mine. “Face the mirror,” he tells me after a quick glance around. “And close your eyes.”

I squint playfully at him before doing as he says. He walks up behind me and I feel his warm fingers gently push my hair to one side of my neck. His hands move out in front of me and my lips twitch as he lays something around my throat and fastens it.

“Open them,” he says.

I look at our reflection. It’s a thin, black choker made of leather with a small pearl dangling from the middle. Simple and classy. My style in almost every way.

My jaw drops. “Holy— is that a real pearl?” I ask.

“A real pearl?” he quips. “I work three jobs. Of course, it’s not real. It’s plastic.”

I chuckle. “Well, still. It’s so pretty. Thank you.”

He spreads my hair down my shoulders again. “Thought you’d like something a little nicer than a hanky. And… it keeps others at arm’s length from you.” His eyes fall on my body in the mirror. “I want you to myself, Nora Payne.”

I feel the smooth leather choker. “You want to own me,” I say.

He grips my waist from behind. I shiver as his warm breath spreads along my neck. “Yes,” he answers as he kisses my shoulder. “But I know I have to earn that. If you’ll let me.”

He pinches the top of my zipper.

“Say that again,” he says as he slowly slides it down my back. “Tell me the reason why you asked me to come here.”

I lick my lips. “I want to submit to you.”

“Again.”

I let the dress fall to the floor. He admires my nearly naked form in the mirror, his hands crawling around me to feel my bra and panties.

“I want to submit to you,” I say again.

He grabs my chin and guides my head back to crush his lips on mine. I kiss him back, parting for his tongue and reaching behind me to caress his neck. I push up on my toes and he leans down to meet me. I cup his chiseled face, press our bodies together, and I kiss him just like every other time before.

Clive slides his hands up my back and unclasps my bra. He guides the loose straps down my shoulders and I let it fall to the floor. His hands continues down my shoulders, firmly squeezing my breasts on their way down to my panties. I bite my lip as he guides them down and the throbbing between my thighs intensifies threefold.

“Sit on the bed,” he says, stealing one more kiss from me.

I tremble at the words. “Yes, Mr. Snow.”

He smiles as I walk away. I feel more tension fade from the room and by the time I sit down on my bed, it’s gone completely. It’s just me and him up here. Just me and my Dom.

And I want to learn.

Clive stands over me and reaches into his pocket. “Your right wrist, please.”

I extend my hand as he withdraws a pair of handcuffs from his jacket pocket. I pause, just barely recoiling as he smiles at me.

“Just the one wrist first,” he says. “To get used to it.”

I let him cuff me, each metallic click of it sending bolts of heat throughout my core.

He slides his belt free and unzips his pants. “Ms. Payne,” he growls.

My tongue twitches, salivating for him. I reach for him, hooking my fingers into the elastic liner of his briefs. He watches with lustful eyes as I pull them down to his thighs, exposing his hard cock. I open my mouth, wanting so badly to taste him again, but I take it slowly. I lick his tip, massaging it with several long strokes of my tongue as his fingers curl behind my neck.

“Good girl,” he whispers with a heavy groan.

He reaches into his jacket pocket again but whatever he withdraws is locked in his enclosed fist.

“Lie back,” he says. “Head on the pillows. Spread your legs.”

I slide his cock out of my mouth and nod. “Yes, Mr. Snow,” I say.

He finishes undressing himself as I move, taking his jacket and shirt off and letting his pants fall to the floor. I lay against my pillows with open legs, just like he requested, and he towers beside the bed in nothing but his socks.

“Hands above your head,” he says.

I feel the handcuffs on my right wrist as I move them up to my headboard.

“I’m going to restrain you now,” he says, his eyes on mine. “I’m the only one with the key. If you’re a good girl, you will be freed when I’m done with you. Do you understand?”

I twitch, completely enthralled by the deep growl in his voice. “Yes,” I whisper.

“You will have no control,” he adds. “You will submit to me completely. Body and mind. Do you understand?”

Oh, hell yes.

This is what I wanted. What I needed. A chance to give up control. No more orders or meetings or deadlines. Just a few damn hours to submit to someone else’s demands, just like Melanie said.

I’m not the boss in here. He is.

And it feels so fucking good.