Page 43 of Possess

“No.” His features tightened. “I used to work for Starr Construction.”

“I feel like I should say I’m sorry.” The jobs she’d gotten with Starr were always a fight to get them to do things according to code.

“Let’s just say it was never a good fit. I started Riggs Construction four years ago, and I’m glad I did.” He took a deep breath. “I told you about my management degree in civil engineer construction, but I also got one in business management.”

“That’s a big load.”

“I was up for the challenge.”

“Somehow I think you were.” She watched his face as he spoke. He enjoyed what he was doing and was proud of his business, as he should be.

“Anyway, in college I was still a bit unsettled. I found a class on rope bondage.”

“They taught bondage at college?”

“Not at the school. It wasn’t called that, but that’s what it was. It was being given at a local community center. Members of the local kink community were giving the class.”

“And you enjoyed the class?”

“Very much so. It’s amazing what it does for my focus. When I came back to Pleasant Valley, I had a new skill.”

“Wait a second, you aren’t much older than I am, and Wicked Sanctuary didn’t open until five years ago.”

“That’s when Max opened the club, yes, but there was a pretty good size kink community in Pleasant Valley even before then.”

He smiled, and to Allyson, there was a touch of wicked in the way his lips quirked up. Shivers raced up her spine at his intense gaze.

“Turns out, I have an affinity for tying knots.”

“I bet.” She grinned at him; he’d had her emotions tied in knots for a long time now.

“I met more people in the community, and one of the Doms took me under his wing, taught me about the lifestyle and what it meant to be a Dom.” His gaze turned unfocused as he remembered. “It was a good time, and it helped me.”

“How did it help?” This was so different from what her parents had and the play parties in Seattle.

“It helped me focus and kept me centered. I’d always been a bouncy kid. My parents had me tested for everything, but I was one of those high energy kids.”

“You always seem to have a lot of energy.”

“Yes, I do have to be careful, because I will crash after a while, so now I make sure I’m sleeping and eating properly.” He kept his gaze on her. “Have you dabbled in kink besides light bondage?”

“No, but I am curious.” After going to Kleinman’s Friday and reading the books, her curiosity had spiked further. Dani had been really helpful when they talked.

“We’ll start slow.”

Allyson sighed. She wasn’t sure she wanted to go slow. “How slow?”

“Questioning me already?” There was laughter in his voice, but that didn’t stop Allyson from ducking her head. Then she raised it back up. She had nothing to be worried about. This was Zeke, and they weren’t in play mode. “Hey.” He waited until their gazes connected once again. “You can ask anything, and I mean that.”

“You won’t get upset if I question you about something you’re doing?”

“I won’t. In the BDSM book you read, did it talk about the Dom/sub relationship?”

“Yes.” That was something she was very interested in. A man to take over in the bedroom. She was all for that.

“Did it also talk about the Master/slave relationship?”

“A bit, but not in detail.”

---