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darkened corner into which she emerged, she took a long, deep breath and let it out slowly. She needed to make sure she was fully composed before moving out into the public area again.
    Especially if she happened to run into the man.
    Oh, lordy. What was she going to do?
    She stepped out of the shadows into the lounge area, heading to where she’d last seen Dane, but suddenly something big and tall blocked her way. She looked up, into eyes blacker than the night but at the moment, blazing with something she didn’t want to put a name to.
    “Hello, Katie.” His voice still sent shivers skittering down her spine.
    “Reece.” She nodded.
    “How about having a cup of coffee with me? We have a lot to catch up on.”
    No. I can’t do this. I need time to prepare myself. Time to…what? Still keep trying to get over him? Apparently that’s not happening, but I can’t let him know.
    “I have things to do, Reece.” She waved in the general direction of the entryway. “Dane’s probably waiting for me.”
    His big hands rested lightly on her arms, the contact sending heat blazing through her. And something else. The urge to bow her head and acknowledge him as Sir. No, damn it. Not with Reece.
    “I already told Dane you’d be occupied for a while.” He smiled, and her heart kicked into triple drive. “You can’t avoid me forever, darlin’. You work for me. Remember?”
    How could she forget? Lord, what a mess she’d gotten herself into. At least it had been her ticket out of Atlanta.
    “You’re right. We probably have a lot of business to discuss.” She wiped her palms against the skirt of her dress.
    She really needed to keep it together here. “Okay, then.
    Coffee sounds good.”
    And right now about all she could handle with him.

Chapter Four
    Reece led her to a table in a corner tucked away from the main activity of the lounge. Katie had learned to accept whatever went on in the clubs where she worked without blinking. In ten years there wasn’t much she hadn’t seen. But she hadn’t expected having to sit among naked people and demonstrations of flogging with Reece sitting barely two feet away from her. The low hum of conversation punctuation by cries of pleasure was playing havoc with her senses. Along with the very male scent of the man across from her.
    Don’t let him know. Do not let him know.
    An attendant brought two china cups and a carafe of coffee, bowed and moved away. Reece filled both cups and took a sip from his, his eyes like twin telescopes watching her over the rim.
    Katie lifted her own cup, grateful to see her hands weren’t trembling. When she set it carefully back on the saucer, she gave Reece a direct look. “You said you wanted to talk to me?”
    A slow smile crawled across his face, the same smile that had always made her heart skip a beat, her nipples harden into diamond points, and cream soak her panties. And it was happening again. Right now. Shit. She was in such trouble here.
    I can do this. I can do this. I need this job.
    “I’m curious how the same woman who ran out of my hotel room like her clothes were on fire because I suggested a little kink ended up working in the industry. Am I missing something here?”
    She folded her hands in her lap, gripping them to keep herself centered. Her heart was thudding and she wanted to knock the table aside and shout that she’d made a mistake and changed her mind. Anger bubbled up inside her. How was it that, after seeing her for the first time in years, he could still have gone into that room and had a session with the sub waiting for him?
    Because it’s just sex, you idiot. You should be used to it after ten years in the business.
    And what makes you think he even cares after all this time? He’s obviously moved on. You should too.
    But the anger just wouldn’t go away. She had to accept the fact this Reece Halliday was a lot different from the one she’d been so in love with.
    Check that. Still was.
    Don’t let him see it,