Page 72 of At Her Pleasure

“I like the idea of working for you. But not pushing papers or making phone calls. I just want to seduce you.”

Mick delivered the line with such intense sincerity that, instead of making her want to laugh in his face, a strange tremor went through her.

“I am going to make you hurt tonight,” she said decisively.

His lips split in a sensual smile. She moved her hand to his mouth, stroking the softness of his beard. He didn’t move from his braced position. Without being told, he knew she liked to touch without distraction.

Just like he’d proven he knew when she wanted to be touched before she even said so.

“Seduction is a vague term,” she noted. “Seduction of the body, the mind, or the soul?”

“You left one out.”

She gave him a warning look, just as she pushed the twinge in that particular organ away. “Did you tell Jillie you were pleased with her, so she’d run off and do your bidding?”

“I’m a smart slave driver that way. More carrot than stick.”

“I’ve seen your carrot. That works.”

He gave her a direct look. “She hasn’t. Nor has any other woman here.”

“I wasn’t implying otherwise. But outside our sessions, I have no claim on you. You can marinate your vegetables wherever you want.”

His gaze didn’t warm. “Bullshit, Mistress. You can fuck with me a lot of ways, but that’s not one of them.”

She leaned her shoulder against the column, dipping her head toward his hand. His fingertips slid against her forehead, capturing another curl.

“Have you fucked with yourself, Mick? Or did you decide your dick was all mine?”

“I didn’t have to make that decision. You did. And I honored it. Even as I’ve thought of nothing but you. I didn’t know it was possible to have that many hard-ons daily after puberty.”

Her lips curved. “Has it been difficult? Did you suffer?”

“I’ve been planning an event for three hundred demanding women and just as many hopeful submissives.” He met her eyes. “Yeah, I’ve thought about stepping in front of a truck to get some relief. But then I would have missed my session with you.”

She trailed her fingers over his cheeks, stroked his beard again. “I do have one criticism. A proper event planner would help the vendors show off their wares by wearing them himself.”

“It would be difficult to focus wearing a vibrating butt plug or sparkly banana catcher. And the erotic oils get messy.”

“No one else could focus if you were slicked down in oil. And I’ll laugh at you if you wear a banana catcher. They make a man’s package jiggle in a very non-sexy way.”

“Women look far better jiggling than men. No argument.” He studied her. “This isn’t idle banter. What are you wanting, and should I be scared to ask?”

“Nothing scares you. I want you to wear a corset. I want to put it on you. Do you have the time right now?”

Surprise crossed his features. He looked toward the Vendor Market, then his gaze brushed over one of the screens that showed the current time.

“Spiral and Jillie can cover for me a little while.” His expression was hard to read. “Though a few more little birds might flutter up to ask me questions.”

“I know how to scare birds away. Particularly those more than capable of using their brains to make a decision.”

“You know how to scare dragons away, woman.”

He straightened and offered her an arm, a courtly gesture she didn’t expect. Any more than she supposed he anticipated her taking it, slipping her fingers into the crook of his elbow, her fingers whispering over his firm biceps.

They headed for the vendor area.

CHAPTER TWELVE