No wonder she’d been running from him for so long. She wasn’t used to letting herself be that open. Even with her friends. But a few minutes with Michael and she’d found herself not just talking, but sassing... almost flirting.

She’d given in because...

Because she was envious. Because she’d known her time with Andrew was coming to an end. He was the Dom she trusted the most, but she’d hated herself for needing to ask him for a scene when he and Kate were back together. Not all scenes had a sexual component to them, but since she and Andrew had had sex in the past and his second chance with Kate was pretty new, she’d still felt weird about it. Especially since he wasn’t scening with anyone else. And while she hadn’t begrudged his attention to Kate, and he certainly hadn’t held back during the scene, she’d known his full attention wasn’t on her.

And she wanted someone’s full attention on her.

Admitting that to herself had been hard. Admitting to herself that the only person whose face she pictured, when she fantasized about having a Dom’s full attention, was Michael’s was even harder.

But if she wanted to try for a relationship, where better to start than someone she already instinctively trusted? Even if it didn’t work out, she knew it wouldn’t be because he treated her horribly. Maybe she really was too damaged to salvage, which she suspected sometimes, but if anyone could be patient enough, understanding enough, it would be the man who had been pursuing her for months. She’d seen him doing other scenes at the club and knew his patience bled into his style of domination as well.

He’d probably need every last bit of it to put up with her.

Watson’s paw bumped her chin again and Ellie smiled. Somehow he always knew when she was spiraling and distracted her. She’d told her therapist Dr. Amy that he was like a little therapy cat, always interrupting her thoughts when they became too anxious or self-loathing.

“Such a good kitty,” she said, baby-talking to him as she rubbed his belly. Watson stretched, giving her more access, and purred like a little motor. “You think I should try to have a relationship, don’t you?”

Actually, probably not. Watson was not a big fan of men. When her brother, Austin, had come for a visit and spent the week on her pull-out couch, Watson had hidden the entire week. Her brother claimed he hadn’t even caught a glimpse of Watson the entire time he was there.

Still, unless Ellie wanted to spend the rest of her life alone...