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“Yes. Tomorrow night, you’ll be home,” Grace added. “And I’m spending the whole of next week in Chicago.”

The Excelsior re-design project was a massive undertaking. It was not going to magically work itself into success while she stayed home and indulged in fine dining and hot sex. Anyway, where was she going with this? So easy to lose the thread…

“I know you’ll be busy.” Olivia raked her fingers through her hair with both hands, eliciting a flurry of sweet tingles down the back of her neck. Such warm fingers... This gentle, and now exquisitely familiar touch. Grace dipped her head forward a tiny bit in reaction. “Are you avoiding answering the question, Ms. Michaels?”

“No. I’m alright. Let’s go to bed.”

She intentionally didn’t take the initiative other than saying this and more or less just prompted Olivia to do it. It seemed her partner required very little to understand what was needed. She lay with her, pulled her into a tight embrace, wrapped one leg in between hers, and hooked her foot behind her ankle. With that, she made her feel anchored—nicely weighted and protected. Grace took a deep breath and exhaled long and steady.

“We can just sleep if you want,” Olivia said.

“No, I don’t want to sleep.”

“Okay.” A quick grin, an easy nod. “Good choice.”

She was hot against her leg.

“You know I’m the dominant type, right?”

“Are you really?” Olivia asked with a disarmingly teasing chuckle. “Well, Ms. Michaels. I may have noticed that about you, yes.”

“I often do a lot more than simply back a partner up against the wall and kiss her.”

“More? Like what?”

“Make her call me Mistress. Tie her to the bed. Spank her.”

“Spanking?” Olivia’s eyebrows shot up and she bit lightly on her lip. “Hmm. I’ve never been spanked. Are you telling me this now because you want to try it with me?”

“No, I’m not.”

“Oh? Because, you know, it would be okay. We could try.”

“Have you ever wanted to do this? Before me?”

“Well. Not really. No,” Olivia admitted. “But I would. With you, it would be okay.”

Grace heard what she might not be saying.Foryou.Olivia’s trust in her made her heart tighten. She kissed her.

“Maybe. We’ll see. That part is not essential for me.”

“Okay… Fine.”

“I just wanted you to know it’s what I’ve been doing for a few years.”A lot of years.“Sexual play with professional escorts. Easier that way,” she said, catching the question in her eyes. “No ties.”

“Ah, yes.” Olivia smiled, amused. “Other than to the bed.”

“Yeah.” Grace yearned to tell her more but suddenly found that the words just would not come.

What she did feel instead was an expanding ball of anxiety, pressure in the center of her chest, and no idea why it was there. Maybe because it was their last night here and the weekend had been so incredibly perfect. She had enjoyed every second and loved every moment of the connection. Olivia in her office, having fun with the holo tool. Grinning at her on the dance floor. Olivia walking through her house, looking very much at home. Olivia in her bed. Such a monumental change! Grace felt a little dazed by it all. For sure, she did not want this time together to come to an end. Getting too attached? You know you are.Damn.Dammit!She did know, yes. Panic rising, she started to do the same, and move back.

“Grace,” Olivia murmured. She rested a calm hand over her cheek, prompting her to still. “It’s okay. Be with me.”

“I want to, but—”

“Shhh. It’s okay,” Olivia repeated and kissed her again.

Ah… Okay, yes. Okay.Grace found herself melting into that kiss like a drop of ice in hot coffee, forgetting her objections and whatever else had been on her mind to say, to explain, to tell her. Words to rationalize, clarify, hold at bay. Words to deny herself the emotional surrender she craved and refused to acknowledge. Could Olivia guess what was going on inside her mind? Did she instinctively understand the things that Grace struggled so much to put into words? Well. She certainly kissed her as ifshe did… And it was just wonderful. Long, easy kisses that made further words irrelevant. Patient strokes and gentle caresses to relax her body and dissolve the remaining tension. Olivia set the pace, and Grace let her. It was peaceful. Languid. There was no urgency in her movements, no rush to inflame or satisfy her own cravings. Arousal built. Slow, steady, and strong.