Page 60 of The Dom with the Clever Tongue

She screwed up her mouth and shrugged apologetically. “I should have called.” Then she peeked up at him in that way she had, like some cute lost puppy.

“Do you want to come in for a coffee, Ivy?”

“Maybe. Or maybe I should go. Sorry. I’m pitiful, aren’t I?”

“No. Never.” Even if she was, it was sexy pitiful and he could never resist trying to help her. “Besides, my kitchen could do with something pretty in it.”

“Thanks,” she said quietly, looking as if he’d just done her some huge favor.

The coffee machine was newly bought and contrasted heavily with the ambience of the dented and burned kitchen counter, and the dining table Jude had made him from old timber.

“Wow.” Ivy surveyed the kitchen from her chair at the table. “Love the jumpfrom modern and shiny to antique-ish. Ihaveto paint this.” She swung her head to look at him, her hands cradling her mug of steaming coffee. “Can I get some pictures before I go?”

“Sure.” Close-up, sitting in his house again, Ivy was like a little buxom present waiting to be unwrapped...or better yet, stripped. Whatever she called this dress she had on – pin up or whatever – it held her breasts up and presented them beautifully.

She smiled, her eyes wide and mock innocent. “You like my new dress?” Then she managed to lean into the table more, squashing those assets further upward.

Brat. She knew he was a tits man.

His throat thickened. He took a sip of coffee to give himself time to think. Dark, rich, scalding hot – it made him refocus. “You don’t have a new Dom?”

“No.” Her deep breath made his gaze twitch downward.

“If you want me to think straight, stop breathing like that.”Or...I could cut to the chase and ask if I can crop them. Fuck.

What potential – Ivy strapped to the chair, half-stripped. Those succulent breasts out where he could torture them and then he could fuck her mouth... No. No, no, no. Temporary domming was not his thing. Though Scarlet and Reece – what was he doing with them, if not temporary?

“Sorry. Sir.” She leaned away and fidgeted with her cup at the edge of the table. “I was hoping you might consider that. I mean, being my Dom again? Would you?”

He wasn’t hersir. Malachi frowned. “That’s pretty abrupt, darling.”

When she’d packed up and left, he’d walked around for days with what seemed a knife-sharp pain in his chest and guts. Ivy was a funny girl – all submissive when in a scene but outside that she had a habit of popping up with some odd ideas. Sometimes he wondered if she had a split personality.

“I know.” She shrugged, looking a bit downcast. “I figured if I didn’t try, I’d regret it, and to tell the truth, I didn’t call you because I knew me being here...” She cleared her throat. “...in person, might sway you. Basically, I’m sorry. I’m willing to get down on my knees and grovel even, Sir.”

Malachi rested his chin on his hands, with his elbows on the table. With his thumb, he played with his goatee. The tattoos on his biceps stood out sharp in theperiphery of his vision. He’d never been one for getting initials of lovers on himself – he’d seen too many regrets from customers who did that. But the demon sitting on a motorcycle tattoo was done on the day he and Ivy had their first scene years ago.

He stared across the table at her. “I’m not Sir to you, Ivy. And we both know groveling is what you like best. If I let you do that you’d be happier about how you left me?”

“Yes. I would. So?”

He toyed with his goatee some more. “This is how it started – mild Dominance and submission, and then you wanted me to go in for severe humiliation as punishment. Putting you outside in a cage. Making you eat on the floor. Cutting you off for weeks. It’s not me. We both know that. I don’t see how it would work out a second time any better than the first.”

“I don’t know.” She stared into her coffee. “I just know I want to try and that Iwilltry.”

That sounded like he was her last resort. He sat back, feeling the back of the chair dig in. If this had just been anyone, he wouldn’t hesitate to say no. But Ivy – he doubted he’d ever grow back the part of his heart he’d gifted to her.

Then there was Reece and Scarlet. For a second he was tempted to tell Ivy he was involved with them. But he wasn’t really, was he? Any day he expected them to announce he’d taught them all they needed to know. They were too nice to just kick him out but he couldn’t stick around forever as a third wheel Dom. Ivy though – was that any healthier?

“What are you thinking, Malachi?” She reached across and sneaked her hand under his. The shock of her skin on his after so much time had passed woke him up like grabbing a live wire.

Zap.One gorgeous sexy woman sat here, with her hazel-green eyes all watery, waiting to see if he wanted to take charge of her. How could he say no?

“I’m thinking that I need to think some more. That’s all I can promise you, girl.” But he squeezed her hand and smiled at the grin that flashed across her face.

“Yes! Thank you, thank you, thank you.” Another deep breath as she rallied but he kept his focus higher with a monumental effort. “Ahem. And thank you again. I know I didn’t treat you very well when I left. I appreciate your forgiveness.”She rose and pecked him on the cheek, lingering there an inch away as if expecting him to meet her mouth with his. But after a second or two, he shook his head.

When she lightly kissed him anyway he still kept himself from upping the ante. Gently, he pushed her away. “You’re welcome, Ivy. If I did say yes though, we’d both have to change a bit.”

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