Page 10 of Stand Your Ground

“And one who doesn’t mind bending the rules, I gather, since I’m pretty sure they’re supposed to witness us signing. And there should be disinterested witnesses, too, no?”

“Leave the how of it all to Mommy, mmkay?” I purred, twirling the pen around my knuckles. “The rich have been signing shady deals in penthouses for centuries. We’re just keeping tradition alive.”

Carter snorted, but he let it go. He moved on to the second contract — slimmer, more intimate in nature. And when he saw the title at the top, his brows shot up.

“Personal Performance Improvement Plan or (P-PIP),” he read aloud, voice skeptical. I had to fight back a laugh as he frowned, and then his eyes floated up to meet mine. “This doesn’t seem legal, despite your clever title here.”

“It’s not,” I said. “Well, not entirely. Parts of it are legally binding — like the NDA, the exclusivity clause, the termination terms, and the financial agreements. But the rest?” I shrugged. “It’s symbolic. It sets the tone.”

“Symbolic,” he echoed.

“It creates structure. Anticipation. Power exchange. You follow it because you agreed to, not because I’ll sue you if you safe word out when you see a nipple clamp.”

He gaped at me.

“Kidding,” I said, leaning back and crossing my legs as I lifted my wine glass to my lips. “Or am I?”

Carter flipped through the pages, his gaze narrowed at me like he was really trying to decide if I’d bring out my nipple clamps.

Jury was still out on that one.

“There’s a safe word?”

“Words, actually. High stick.” I smirked at the irony. “You say those words, everything stops — play ends just like it would on the ice, and we have a clean slate. You say Offside, it’s a signthat I’ve crossed a line, but you’re still okay to keep playing. In that case, I ease up. You say nothing…” I shrugged, tilting my glass to my lips. “And I assume you’re enjoying yourself.”

“Hockey terms,” he said, not as a question but more as a humored assessment.

“Didn’t want to confuse you too much. Figured it was best to speak your language.”

“Do you think they’ll really be necessary?”

“My goal is to teachyouhow to take charge with the woman of your choosing eventually. But first, you will relinquish control to me. I teach by example. So… it’s possible.” I said with a shrug. “If you want to be not just adequate in bed butincredible? Then we’re going to be exploring a lot more than just how to find the hole.”

Carter bit his bottom lip on a laugh, nodding to the papers in his hand. “And this part — the ‘try before you deny’ clause?”

“You attempt everything once before you’re allowed to turn it down. I get full creative control. You get full use of your voice and boundaries.” I tilted my head. “It’s meant to be a fun, educational experience, not a hostage situation.”

“Why do I have a feeling that your version offunwill be much different than mine?”

“Scared already? There’s still time to back out.”

“No,” Carter said immediately, shaking his head. “No way in hell I’m backing out of this. I’m still shocked I got you to agree at all.”

“Trust me — that makes two of us. And don’t be so sure to say there’s no way in hell. You haven’t read the next clause.”

Carter frowned, returning his attention to the contract. I continued sipping my wine and watching him. Already, my wheels were turning with all the ways I could make him bend and squirm, all the ways I could bring him pleasure that he didn’t even know he liked yet.

“This part that says I’m obligated to come when you call?”

“Any time, for any reason. I will, of course, respect your obligations to the team. But past that, if I want you? You’re mine. And that isn’t the part I think you may take issue with.”

Carter continued reading, and then smirked, tapping the back of his pen to the page. “Ah. Participant agrees to remain monogamous for the duration of this agreement, unless otherwise authorized by Doctor Young.” He tongued his cheek, eyes sparkling a bit when they met mine. “So, I need your permission to sleep with anyone else?”

“If you want to keep this arrangement, yes. I don’t share my toys unless I choose to.”

The flush of his cheeks was so goddamn pretty. It had the blood in my veins sizzling, the desire to top him nearly too much to contain now. I may have never seen this agreement coming, I may have never imagined I’d give Carter Fabri the chance to warm my sheets, and I may have still had reservations about whether he could handle what I planned to give him.

But fuck if I wasn’t excited to find out.