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Grabbing a towel, I hit the showers.

Bracing myself against the shower wall, I let the water stream over me as I thought about the last time I’d had a good fuck. Nobody really stuck out in my mind, at least no one I’d care to hook up with again. I could only think of one person I wanted, despite my efforts to forget about her, and I wasn’t even sure if she would even be open to my sort of lifestyle.

But I could show her the ropes…

Ropes.

The metaphor put another image in my head, and I slammed my fist against the tiled wall.

How old am I? I seriously need to get a grip!

I had to think about this rationally. Too many things had gone wrong since meeting Krystina. Despite what she thought, I really did have every intention of giving her a formal interview that day in my conference room. But at some point, my intentions had changed. I hadn’t meant to seduce her.

Or had I? Who am I kidding?

I’d wanted her under me, hot and submissive, since day one.

Be that as it was, I had handled the situation with her without thinking and had been forced to wait it out. Krystina needed space after the interview gone wrong. There was truth behind the expression about patience being a virtue, so I had deliberately given her a few days to cool off, maintaining silent neutrality between us while I put together a plan. The cellphone swap was just the beginning of what I had in mind, even if she was ticked off about it. I had known before sending it she wouldn’t be the most receptive. For once, I was able to predict her reaction accurately. But Krystina’s anger had been a risk I was willing to take if it meant I got to see her again.

Stepping from the showers, I quickly towel-dried my body and threw on jeans and a T-shirt. I collected my duffle bag and the garment bag containing my suit from earlier in the day and headed out of the locker rooms.

As I approached the front desk of the gym, I saw Gretchen was working the counter. She was attractive, a pretty face with a tall and lean physique, and was currently sporting yoga pants and a pink crop top. She had been skirting around me for months, dropping elusive hints to show her interest in me every time we spoke.

She gave me a coy smile and averted her eyes down when she saw me approaching.

Definitely the submissive type. Maybe I should just scratch my plans for Krystina and satisfy my bug with this one.

I closed the distance between us in just a few short strides and stepped up to the counter. Gretchen’s eyes remained downcast, even though she knew I was right in front of her.

“Hey, Gretchen,” I drawled, deliberately turning up the charm. However, even to my own ears, the greeting sounded false. Fake. I flashed her a toothy grin and a wink in an attempt to be more convincing.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Stone. What can I do for you today?” Gretchen asked. Her words were professional, but her tone was suggestive and could easily be picked up on by anyone with a sharp ear.

You can do a lot of things for me, baby. Particularly something that will make me forget about a brunette’s curls and big brown eyes.

“Actually, I need a couple of things. First, I need you to send this suit up to Laura. I want it sent out for dry cleaning,” I told her, handing over the garment bag. “Secondly, I need to use an office for about fifteen minutes or so.”

She took the suit from me and allowed her fingers to hesitate slightly on mine. Her gaze traveled from our hands to my face, her eyes narrowing provocatively. After a few seconds, she turned to place the bag on the counter behind her. When she spun to face me again, her cheeks were flushed a rosy pink.

Hmm. She’s almost making this too easy.

“The manager’s office is available for you to use if you will require a computer. Or you can use the meeting room if you want a locked door with a little more privacy,” she offered.

It was hard not to notice the way she emphasized the last word. Or the obvious mention of a locked door. She shifted her eyes to the side, bit her lip, and nervously tugged on the ends of her blond ponytail.

She couldn’t have been more conspicuous.

In the past, I’d always brushed off her flirtations. She went against my rules. I never took on the unknown, or I risked jeopardizing too much. It was much safer to stick to women I knew had interests reflecting my own, as they understood the value of discretion. Privacy was hard to maintain for someone of my status. Gretchen worked in my building, and people talked. People talked a lot.

Fuck the rules for one day. I should just go for this one.

But as soon as I thought it, I dismissed the notion and resigned myself to the inevitable.

Rules or no rules, it isn’t going to work.

“I only need to make a couple of calls. Joe’s office will be fine,” I said. My tone was clipped rather than polite, as I was irritated with myself for giving her even a moment of consideration.

“Whatever is easier for you, sir,” she said with a slight nod. The light in her eyes extinguished, her poise returning to all business. “I’ll just phone ahead and make sure Joe clears the space for you.”