Kalie Terron stared at the tall, intimidating building and drew in a deep breath.

This was it. Her one chance.

Kalie had hung on tightly to the conviction that she could somehow convince Erik King that the two of them had a chance together.

What they’d shared during those few days together... what she’d felt for him... could not be denied.

She ached for him.

She was every bit as determined to convince him now as she was six weeks ago after he had brought her sexual fantasies to life more passionately than she ever would have thought possible.

And the need she’d seen in his eyes when he’d looked at her that last night had been deeper and more intense than superficial sexual desire.

But to convince him, she had to be able to talk to him, and that had turned out to be nearly impossible. She had sent him a letter through his friend Carl, who had helped bring her fantasy to life, and wangled Erik’s email and phone number from Becca, her friend who had set up the fantasy. Unfortunately, Erik had screened her calls, returned her letter, and her emails seemed to disappear into never-never land.

As frustrated as she’d become, she’d clung to her determination. Finally, when there seemed no other option left, she’d decided to take the one step she knew would most likely get her in to see him.

* * *

Erik’s phone rang and he picked it up. “King here.”

“Mr. King, your two o’clock is here,” Gerald from reception said.

“Thanks. Send her in.”

Erik sat back in his chair, and closed his email. He was not looking forward to this meeting.

He still kicked himself for agreeing to take part in Kalie’s, fantasy. But it had seemed the perfect opportunity to distract him from the pain of losing Sylvia.

Never would he have anticipated having similar feelings for Kalie. He’d done a lot of soul searching since then and realized that maybe it wasn’t that he was in love with Sylvia. Maybe it was that he loved the sweet allure of a virgin to the practices of Domination and submission. Not that Sylvia was even a virgin to that when he’d met her—Grant had begun her training—but she’d still been starry-eyed and delighted at every new experience. Every command. And every punishment.

Sylvia had been a delight to control. She’d brought a new vibrancy to the whole thing.

And she’d been so sweet and needy.

He had sensed that in Kalie, too. Kalie had never been dominated before, and the allure to teach her, to watch her blossom into a full-fledged submissive who would answer only to him, had dug in deep and almost possessed him. When he’d received her letter begging him to give the two of them a chance, then her phone calls, and her email appealing to him... he’d had to draw on every last ounce of willpower to ignore her pleas.

Although he knew now that it was not love he felt for Sylvia, and thus that’s not where he was headed with Kalie either, he did know that it had been painful losing Sylvia and he did not want to go through that again.

But Kalie had played her cards wisely. She had finally gone to Sylvia to get her help garnering an audience with him and, despite everything, when Sylvia had called him, gently appealing to him to talk to Kalie... the sound of Sylvia’s soft voice respectfully calling him Sir as she humbly asked her favor... still sent his blood boiling. He hadn’t been able to find it in himself to refuse her.

A knock sounded at his door. He glanced up to see his partner, Sean Connor, peering in the doorway with a grin.

“I was passing by reception when Ms. Therron arrived for an appointment with you,” he said. “I told Gerard I’d show her to your office.”

He stepped aside and Erik caught the first sight of Kalie since that last amazing night he’d spent with her six weeks ago. Her long dark hair tumbled over her shoulders in soft, shimmering waves. She wore a black suit with a straight skirt which showcased her slim but curvy figure. The top few buttons of her white blouse were open, showing just a hint of the swell of her breasts. He couldn’t help remembering how those soft mounds had felt in the palms of his hands. How the hard, dusky rose nipples had contracted to tight buds when he’d touched them... when he’d taken them in his mouth.

His gaze returned to her face, lingering on her pouty, heart-shaped lips, then finally turning to her large brown eyes.

Immediately, her gaze flicked away, turning to Sean and she stuck out her hand

“Thank you, Mr. Connor.”

Sean smiled his most charming smile and took her hand. “Call me Sean. And you’re welcome.”

He shook her hand, then his fingers lingered around hers. Erik raised an eyebrow and Sean released her hand.

“I hope I see you again, Kalie,” Sean said.

“Sean, close the door when you go.”

Kalie stepped into his office hesitantly, glancing around, clearly nonplussed.

“Come in and sit down, Kalie.” Erik gestured to the chair facing his desk.

Sean sent a thumbs up as he watched her walk across the office, then closed the door.

Kalie sat down across from Erik. She crossed her legs and he couldn’t help noticing her long, shapely calves.

“You wanted to talk to me,” he said.

She bit her lip and nodded. Her gaze drifted to the window behind him and the spectacular view of the city below.

“I didn’t realize you were the partner in a big company like this.”

“I’m the owner, actually. Gabe Sayed and Sean, whom you just met, are minor partners.”

Normally, he didn’t comment on such things, but Kalie seemed intimidated by his status and he would take every opportunity to keep her off balance.

For her own good as well as his.

She had made it clear that she wanted to pursue a relationship with him and her unyielding determination told him it would be difficult to convince her it wouldn’t work between them. Thus, his only alternative seemed to be to use intimidation to scare her away.