“Are you going after this woman? What’s her name?” Rick asked.

“Summer Preston. I needed this time to get my head screwed on straight. Now I have to find her.”

Rome nodded. “I’ll find her for you. Give me an hour and I’ll check the local clubs and find out if they’ve seen her. I have a few friends who owe me a favor.”

“Appreciate it.”

“Umm, Rafe?”

“Yeah?”

“How strongly do you feel about this woman?”

Fierce emotion coursed through him at the image of her sweet face hiding a tigress’s soul. “I think I’m in love with her.”

Rome groaned and pounded his fists on the table. “This is freaking unbelievable. Madame Eve strikes again.”

Rick laughed and held out his beer in a mocking salute. “To Madame Eve and 1Night Stand. She took on one Steele at a time and changed our lives.”

“Let’s just hope the odds are still in my favor. I have a lot of begging to do.” Rafe stood from the booth.

Rome winced. “Bet you’ll have a sore ass by the time she’s done punishing you for letting her walk in the first place. Glad I’m not you, bro. Let me start making calls.”

As his brother flipped out his cell phone, Rafe prepared to win the biggest dare of his life.

***

“Summer, the scene is ready for you. But I have a new sub out front who insists he needs to speak with you.”

Her brow wrinkled in confusion. “Okay. Give me two minutes and send him in.”

She finished lacing her spiked boots and adjusted her corset. She may still be uncomfortable in bondage, but the club let her go slow, at her own pace, and gave her enough men to pick from to try different things. As she prepared for her first small, public scene, her heart mourned the only man she ached for. The one who’d left over two weeks ago.

Rafe Steele.

Agony speared her gut. She dreamt of him constantly, waking up with her hips bucking to empty air, and a wound in her soul that refused to heal. She understood his limits and respected his decision, but it didn’t help the longing that choked her when she stared at another man in handcuffs, waiting to obey her. Hopefully, she’d eventually meet someone she could share her days and nights with—a soul mate. But for now, she took it day by day with only one name hovering on the edge of her lips.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts and brought herself under control. She’d already decided on her choice for the display with a young man she felt she could help, but had no idea who’d want to see her so close to show time.

The door opened and she stared at the entrance with curiosity.

Her heart plummeted with wrenching speed. The image of her dreams stood before her, and she practically choked on her own saliva. His bare chest sported a swirl of dark hair over rich olive skin. He stood with his bare feet spread apart, a tiny black scrap of fabric covering his impressive cock. A raw, pulsing need flooded her and left her shaking. She swallowed hard, and raised her chin high. His dark gaze delved into hers with an intensity that ripped away her breath. She forced herself to speak, the words a husky whisper. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here for you, Summer. I’m here to make things right.”

Hope rose, but she battled it back, afraid to get hurt again. “No, you weren’t ready for this.” She swept her hands in the air. “I can’t make you be someone you don’t want to be.”

“The only man I want to be is the one who owns you just as much as you own me.”

“Rafe—”

“Permission to speak, Mistress.”

The title fell from his lips and she gasped. Her pussy clenched, and tears pricked her eyes. The strength and courage it took for him to find her and reveal himself deserved her full attention. “Permission granted,” she whispered.

He closed the distance between them and knelt before her. “This isn’t about getting attached to the first woman who introduced me to this lifestyle. This is about how I feel when I’m with you. One night and you wrecked my world. I tried to go back to what I considered normal, but I’m tired of being an empty shell. Give me another chance. I want to take you to dinner at my brother’s house. I want to court you with silly flowers, and take you to the movies and share popcorn. I want to hear your dreams and your nightmares, and submit to you in the bedroom. You took part of my soul, and I need it back.” His gaze glittered with fierceness. “I dare you, Mistress.”

“Dare me to what?”

He smiled. “Allow me to take the place of your submissive tonight in the public scene. To claim you as my Mistress.”

She closed her eyes against the tears and the joy, shuddering with want and need for the man who knelt by her feet. Pulling him upward, she drew his head down for a kiss.

His lips took hers, the musky, spicy flavor of male desire swamping her senses. His tongue slipped into her mouth and took everything she had. In that moment, she submitted to him as sweetly as he did to her.

“I accept your dare,” she murmured against his lips. “I missed you so much. Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

“I trust you’ll take care of me.”

“I will.” She nipped his lower lip playfully. “You do have a punishment due for allowing me to leave. This will be the perfect time to introduce you to the whip.”

He flinched, but she caught the wild excitement in his eyes. “That’s what my brother warned me about.”

“You told them everything?”

“Yes. I want you night and day, Summer Preston. No more secrets.”

She’d won the dare of a lifetime.

Love.