I laughed and said, “I do love you. And I don’t care if we never have sex. Or if you’re still working at the dungeon when you’re an old, wrinkly domme if that makes you happy.”

“Shut up and kiss me.”

I’d meant to kiss her softly at first, but I was so overwhelmed at the reality of holding her again that I slanted my mouth over hers, trying to claim her with a kiss, but finding as always that she was going to make me fight for the upper hand.

She abruptly pulled back and assessed me with a saucy smile. “So you said you’re okay with us not having sex and me working at the dungeon forever. Do you still want to be with me if I expect you to fuck the hell out of me regularly and I’m currently unemployed?”

Her tone was teasing, but there was a vulnerable look in her eyes.

“I wouldn’t want you to give that up for me.”

“What if I was ready to move on, maybe not away from BDSM entirely, but I’d no longer be a pro? How much of you loving me is tied to what I do?”

Her fingers slid from my chest down my shirt and into the waistband of my pants like she just couldn’t help herself.

“Absolutely none.” I was struggling to focus with her fingertips sliding back and forth under my shorts. “Do whatever makes you happy. Hopefully, that includes me. And since we’re both currently unemployed, we’ve got plenty of time to kill. Can we do the sex part and talk about the career part when some of the blood has returned from my dick to my brain?”

She was still smiling when she started kissing me again, but it quickly turned to the eager, breathless sounds she made when she wanted more.

“I’m gonna go grab a condom,” I said. I froze when I remembered that phrase was what had sparked our fight the other night.

This time, she pulled one from her back pocket. “I’m presumptuous enough to come prepared.”

“Should we go to the bedroom?” I asked.

“Why?”

“Because it’s our first time. It seems like we should do it in a bed.”

“You’re serious right now?”

I nodded.

She scoffed, “Holy hell, every time I think I’ve dragged you to the dark side, you remind me you’re a boy scout. It’s not like it’s my first time ever. Stop being so sweet and fuck me. Fuck me on the floor, fuck me against the wall, fuck me bent over that couch. Do all of the above. Just fuck me.”

I clicked my tongue at her. “So demanding. And listen to that filthy mouth. I might just have to punish you.”

“Yes! Now we’re getting somewhere. Punish me, you big brute.”

I slowly backed her into the wall and pinned her wrists above her head with one hand, then brushed featherlight kisses along her neck and down to her collarbone. She tilted her neck in offering, waiting to feel the nip of my teeth, but instead I hid my smile by nuzzling my beard lightly where I’d just kissed her.