“I don’t blame you entirely,” she said, her voice still dryly wry. “I’m sure Patrick was especially convincing in how amusing it would be. Rather hypocritical of him, actually. He also hates surprises.” The way she said it made Luke think she was already planning on getting back at the other man. Which was merited; it just also made him worry about what she might do to get back at him. Or would she consider having blindsided him by pairing him with Kincaid tonight to be enough of a reprisal?

“I still shouldn’t have done it and I apologize.” He looked her directly in the eyes, meeting her gaze and holding it. After a moment, he was sure her expression did soften.

“I appreciate that.” She cleared her throat a little. “I’ll get another Domme to attend the classes as soon as I can to work with you.”

Luke raised his eyebrow. “Why can’t you do it?”

Was he imagining things, or did a small blush bloom in her cheeks?

“I need to focus on the class as a whole,” she said smoothly. A little too smoothly.

He tilted his head, studying the bland poker expression on her face. The blankness in her gray eyes. She was covering something up. Holding back. Luke spent a lot of time watching her and he’d learned the signs. “What were you going to do if it wasn’t me?”

“What?” She blinked, looking almost taken aback that he was questioning her.

“If I had been someone else, someone you hadn’t met before, coming into the class, would you still be looking for another Domme to come in?”

Her lips pressed together as she looked back at him, hands folded back in front of her, obviously not happy to have the question posed to her. If Olivia was anything, she was honest, aggressively so sometimes.

“No,” she finally said reluctantly.

“So why are you now? Why can’t you just dominate me yourself?” The smile he gave her was flirtatious. Charming. Everything he wanted to show her he could be.

The forefinger on her topmost hand began to tap. As much as he’d hated talking to other men Olivia had played with at Stronghold, Luke had done it, so he knew it was a sure sign she was wishing she had a paddle at hand… Olivia liked to spank. Which, of course, made him wonder if he could push her that far.

“You’re my boss. It would be inappropriate.” Her words were clipped. Civilly cold. Back to the professional voice she used with him.

“I don’t mind, ma’am,” he said with the same lazy, inviting smile he’d kept pressed on his face, refusing to use the same kind of tone with her.