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She doesn’t know it yet. She can’t know it yet.

But she will be mine.

I turn a smile to Lara Anderssen and tell her that she looks lovely today. My desperation is through the roof, and all I can think about is running away from here with Kathleen.

I don’t know where we’re going, but I’m going to lay claim to her once and for all. To the point that no other would ever dare try to take her for themselves.

As soon as Colleen is free, I’m making my move. I’m going to corner her and tell her every reason she should go with my project.

I will win that bet. I will dominate Kathleen Allen, and I won’t be happy until she’s tied up and stuffed on my bed.

She has no idea that I’m about to revolutionize her world.

Chapter 17

Kathleen

“Where did you get this?” I hold up leather chains from a box. I’m in Eve’s room – or do I say apartment? – and helping her unpack her latest fun-toy orders.

“Adam’s Closet!” she calls over her shoulder, searching her kitchen cabinets for wine glasses. “I was happy to find some stuff in the smaller sizes.”

I snort. I don’t have to worry about that since my partners tend to be average-sized and fit right into most implements. Eve, on the other hand, has a habit of bringing home these petite ladies who slip right out of hooks and drown in latex.

I wonder if they would fit Ira. She’s not huge. Comparable to me. I’m a mid-sized girl. Not petite, not supermodel tall. Supermodels would dwarf Ira, but I feel plenty taken care of in those arms. Worshipped. Yes.

Eve catches me grinning at the chains when she comes back with glasses full of white wine. “Uh oh,” she says, sipping hers. “I know that look. Who you chaining up and claiming with a butt plug, dear?”

Oh, to imagine it. Ira Mathison, strung up on my bed, shirtless, those firm curves tensing beneath my crop. She’d be a feisty one. Especially when I thwack her mound with the crop and watch her squirm and call me Mistress.

If she’s good, I’ll give her a present…

“Kathleen!”

I’m jarred from my fantasies. “Nobody in particular.”

“Please. No girl looks like that and doesn’t have someone in mind. Spill.”

“Nobody you’re interested in.”

“Just because it might be a guy doesn’t mean I’m not interested…”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you…” I’m muttering, because I have yet to tell anyone about fucking Ira – twice – let alone making that bet with her. Instead, I tell Eve about kicking ass at my presentation two days ago. This lazy Sunday has been all about me basking in the afterglow of more awesome sex and simmering in the sensations that say I’m going to dominate Ira Mathison. And, oh, I will enjoy it.

Eve rolls her eyes. “Yes, you’ve told me.” She takes my wineglass and goes to refill it already. She then motions for me to join her on the couch in front of the TV.

I know I’ve told her. I was so on cloud nine after Friday that I had to share with the world. Not just what happened with my presentation. Although that’s the only thing I’ve talked about to people. But, you know… Ira…

The way she just took me. She was so turned on… by me. By my dominant personality. She may have plastered me against the wall and speared me with her penetrative magic as if I were going to get away from her, but holy shit, I instigated it with my kickass abilities.

If that doesn’t make a girl feel good about herself, then I don’t know what does!

Like that, I’m back to imagining her strung up on my bed, her heat on my mouth as I bring her to the edge with my tongue and then deny her. I want her so needy that she’s begging me to do whatever I want to her.

No, I haven’t talked to Ira since that day. I haven’t had the urge to. I don’t know when I’ll see her again, now that the presentations are over, but as soon as we get news from the council, you bet your ass I’m ringing her up and claiming my bet.

“You haven’t said a damn thing about your latest purchases.” Eve is flipping through channels, looking for something to watch. “Don’t tell me you’ve gone a whole two months without buying a huge strap-on or something.”

I laugh. Oh my God, imagining the look on Ira’s face… “I haven’t bought anything recently. To be honest, I haven’t done much playing at all. Just some hookups here and there.”