He was tall, with broad shoulders that filled the doorway. Dark slacks, a black button-down with sleeves rolled to his elbows, revealing muscular forearms. His mask was simple: black leather covering the upper half of his face.
My heart hammered against my ribs as he stepped inside and closed the door behind him with a quiet click.
He turned slowly, giving me time to adjust to his presence. Even with the mask, the sharp line of his jaw was visible, the hint of a beard. Something about his build seemed familiar, but athletic men in Amber Falls weren't exactly rare.
"First time at Sassy's?" His voice was deliberately pitched lower, the standard disguise for masked encounters.
I nodded, not trusting my voice.
"First time with a Dom?"
"It's been… a very long time."
He moved closer, each step deliberate. "We'll go at your pace. Nothing happens without explicit consent. Your safe word is 'red'—use it any time, for any reason. Everything stops immediately. Understand?"
"Yes."
"There's also 'yellow' if you need to pause or slow down. Repeat those back to me, Ava."
Hearing the fake name helped. I wasn't Palisade here. I was Ava. Someone who could surrender without consequence.
"Red stops everything. Yellow means pause or slow down."
"Perfect." He was close now. Close enough that I caught his scent. Something woodsy and clean that made my pulse kick up. "I need to know about injuries and physical limitations."
"None."
"Good." His hand came up slowly, telegraphing the movement. When I didn't pull back, he traced my jaw with one finger. The touch was electric. "The restraints and sensory play are your choice. What would make you feel safest tonight?"
My body already hummed with anticipation. "No blindfold. I want to see. But… the restraints. I'd like those."
"Then that's what we'll do." His thumb brushed over my lower lip, and I shivered. "But first, what brings you here tonight? What do you need?"
The question was unexpected. Intimate.
"I need to let go," I whispered. "To stop thinking. To stop being in control of everything."
"Then tonight, I'll take that burden from you." His voice dropped even lower, and heat pooled in my belly. "Tonight, you belong to me. You surrender, and I'll give you exactly what you need. Understand?"
"Yes."
"Yes, what?"
The words came easier than expected. "Yes, Sir."
"Good girl."
Those two words shouldn't have affected me so powerfully, but my body responded immediately. My nipples tightening, breath quickening, wetness gathering between my thighs.
His hands settled on my waist, confident. "You're trembling. Nervous or excited?"
"Both."
"Perfect." His hands slid up my sides, deliberate and slow. "Fear and arousal light up the same parts of the brain. Right now, your body can't tell the difference." His palms cupped my breasts through my dress. "But this? This is definitely arousal."
My breath caught. Through the thin fabric, the heat of his hands, the calluses on his palms. Working hands.
"I'm going to undress you now," he said, his breath warm against my ear. "Slowly. And you're going to stand here and let me look at you."
