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ordered in. Nathan chose a delicious assortment of Chinese food that wasn’t the kind of Chinese food Addison was used to having. This Chinese food was fresh, the flavors bright and colorful as they exploded in her mouth. Even though she’d eaten at Circle, she was suddenly ravenous.
    “Do you like the food?” he asked. He was sitting across from her at his big, round dining room table, and she could see in his eyes that he wanted her approval.
    “It’s delicious.”
    He nodded. “Good.”
    She took another mouthful of rice and tugged at the t-shirt she was wearing.
    He grinned at her.
    “What?” she asked.
    “It’s just funny.”
    “What is?”
    “That you’re embarrassed to only be wearing a t-shirt after what we just did.”
    “I’m not embarrassed,” she lied.
    He shrugged. “Whatever you say.” He put his fork down on his plate. “Addison, there are some things you should know about me before we continue this arrangement.”
    “What arrangement?”
    “The arrangement I’m prepared to offer you.”
    “Which is what, exactly?”
    “For you to be my submissive.”
    She almost choked on the piece of rice she was eating. His submissive? It sounded very dark and ominous. She took a sip of water, stalling for time. “Do you mean BDSM?” she asked finally. Not that she knew much about BDSM – just what she’d read in romance novels and seen on TV.
    “Yes.” He nodded. “That’s part of it. I need to make sure that there’s no confusion. I need you to know that I require complete surrender from anyone I’m involved with.”
    “I see.” She cleared her throat. “And what does complete surrender entail?”
    Her heartbeat accelerated, thinking about it. The place between her legs was still wet and aching for him, and another flash of excitement fluttered through her body.
    “It means you will exist only to please me. I will have control over every aspect of your life. Your diet, your social life, what you do at work….and in return, I will treat you better than you’ve ever been treated in your life.”
    His bright blue eyes were on hers, and she couldn’t move. She’d felt as if the breath had been knocked out of her. That was crazy, what he was talking about.
    Surrendering completely to another person? A man? It was what she had railed her whole life against. Her mother, back in Georgia, was completely dependent on her father, had been for her whole life. She’d never gotten an education, and therefore had been stuck in the marriage even as her father cheated on her and did whatever he pleased.
    Addison had spent her whole life trying to be independent. It was the whole reason she’d moved to New York, for God’s sake. And now this man was telling her she needed to submit to him? It was insane. And yet part of her was intrigued. And an even bigger part of her was turned on.
    “I thought slavery had been outlawed,” she said.
    He seemed to think this was funny.
    “No, I’m serious,” she said. “Wouldn’t this make me your slave?”
    “I suppose, in a sense,” he said. “Although I don’t really like to use that word.
    Everything would be up to you. You would be a willing participant.”
    “And how would you make sure I wasn’t doing things that you didn’t want me to do?”
    “You’d sign a contract.”
    “A contract?” Surely, he was kidding. She laughed.
    His eyes darkened. “Yes,” he said, “a contract.”
    She swallowed hard. Suddenly, her appetite was gone. This whole night had been too much for her to take.
    “I see that I’ve upset you,” he said.
    “No.” She shook her head. “You haven’t upset me. I’m just… this is a lot to take in.” Her head was spinning.
    He nodded. “I understand. Maybe you’ll feel better after a night of sleep.”
    “Yes, probably.” She wasn’t sure she would, though. It was already slightly painful for her to sit, and she wasn’t sure how she was going to feel tomorrow. God, tomorrow. She was going to be at work