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“Good. For once, we can agree on something,” he said with a small chuckle. “But in all seriousness, take at least twenty-four hours to think about this. I need you to make sure you know exactly what you’re doing.”

“I want to do this, Alex. Taking a day to mull things over isn’t going to change that,” I persisted. Now that I’d decided what I wanted, I was digging in my heels.

“Perhaps, but I’d prefer it if you had no regrets. If you decide tomorrow morning you still want to give this a go, then I promise to make it worth the wait,” he said with a devilish grin.

Oh, no. That bad-boy charm isn’t going to make me melt this time, buddy.

But as I studied his face, a different reality set in.

He doesn’t want me. I’m being dismissed.

Rejection hit me in the chest like a tidal wave, effectively taking the breath out of me in a solid whoosh.

If he doesn’t want me, then fine. I don’t need him. Hell, I barely just decided to have sex again—I’m certainly not going to beg for it. Waiting another two years is no skin off my back.

“You know what? You’re right. I think it’s time for me to leave,” I pronounced suddenly. I marched over to where my shoes lay next to the dining room chair. I sat down and hastily began putting them on. I was so angry over his rejection, my hands shook, causing me to fumble with the buckle.

“Let me help you,” Alexander said, kneeling on the floor in front of me and taking hold of my foot.

“I don’t need your help,” I spat. But I sat upright and let him put the shoe on anyway. It was either that, or continue to fumble like a fool with the straps. Within seconds, he had both shoes securely fastened to my feet. His efficiency was infuriating.

“Krystina, look at me,” he said gently, rubbing his hand up and down my calf.

“No,” I hissed. Instead of doing as he asked, I deliberately looked the other way and crossed my arms. I knew I probably looked like a pouting three-year-old, but I didn’t care. I’d dealt with rejection before, but it was never quite like this. I had practically thrown myself at him a few minutes earlier. I didn’t know how I was supposed to react now.

“Look at me,” he repeated, his tone completely different this time. Gone was the soft cajoling, replaced by a deep gravely sound. This was a demand—one I knew would be in my best interest to obey. I slowly turned my head to look at him, and his mouth tilted up in a sardonic smile. “There may be hope for you yet.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked, surprised by his expression.

“It means that up until ten seconds ago, I didn’t think there was a submissive bone in your body. Apparently, I was wrong. The way you looked at me just now…” he trailed off as if searching for the right words. When he spoke again, his eyes were dark as midnight, his voice thick with desire. “It was more than just the turn of your head. Your body language changed. You have more strength than I originally gave you credit for. I underestimated you.”

My anger fled, replaced by that all too familiar twisting in my belly. God help me, but I wanted to take him right then and there.

“Um...is that supposed to be a compliment?” I asked, looking at the area rug under his knees. I focused on the subtle swirls in the carpet’s embroidery, unable to look at his face, into those scorching blue eyes that made it difficult for me to breathe, let alone maintain any sort of self-control.

“Take it as you will, but at the very least, strength is an important attribute,” he replied, moving to a standing position in front of me. “You’ll need to be strong if you want to learn how to submit to me properly. I believe I can teach you, and I’m very much looking forward to it.”

“I sense a ‘but’ in there,” I said, trying to hide my disappointment.

“Tonight isn’t the right time. You’re too keyed up. I did that to you, knowing all too well how compliant you would be after I gave you a taste of what could be. It’s killing me to send you home, but you’ll thank me later.”

“Maybe you’re right,” I finally conceded with a frown. He was making sense, but his practicality was enough to drive me insane.

“I know I’m right. Now, come on,” he said, leaning down to plant a gentle kiss on my forehead. His lips lingered, a reassuring sign I wasn’t being rejected. “Hale is downstairs waiting to take you home.”

We walked hand in hand to the doors of the penthouse elevator. I no longer felt like I was being dismissed, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of melancholy that settled over me. I felt like we were finally starting to make some headway, and I was sorry to see the evening come to a close.

When the elevator door opened, Alexander leaned down and pressed his lips softly to mine.

“Let me know as soon as you make a decision.”

“I think I made myself pretty clear already, Alex,” I quipped.

“You know what I mean. Think about it some more, and we’ll get together again tomorrow night if that’s what you want. As for me, I’m going to take a cold shower and try to get the images of you bound and naked out of my head.”

“Bound and naked—” I faltered and stared at him with wide eyes, but he silenced me with another kiss. I reached up to run my hands through his soft waves, pulling him closer so I could take more. I demanded more. He groaned against my lips in response, revealing a frustration matching my own before he gradually pulled away from me.

The kiss was short, but for the third time that day, I was left without words and gasping for breath.