But instead, Yvonne broke away and looked down at her, an unreadable expression on her face. Tentatively, Ruby reached up and placed a hand on Yvonne’s cheek, searching Yvonne’s eyes. Ruby’s heart pounded loudly in the still, silent room. Was Yvonne trying to figure out what was going on in Ruby’s head too?

After a moment, Yvonne brought her hand up to Ruby’s, pulling it from her cheek and letting it fall to the bed. Her voice cut into the silence.

“Good night, Ruby. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Ruby blinked, still in a daze. “Good night?”

Yvonne got up from the bed and walked silently to the door. “One more thing. If you ever, ever try anything like what you did the other night again, I’ll do far worse than make you crawl.”

Yvonne left the room, shutting the door behind her.

Chapter 9

When Ruby awoke the next morning, she was only half certain that the previous night hadn’t been a dream. The abrupt way it had ended certainly hadn’t helped. Once again, Yvonne had walked out the door on her.

But unlike last time, Ruby was certain she’d gotten through to Yvonne. Now, she was certain Yvonne wanted Ruby’s submission just as much as Ruby wanted to give it to her.

Ruby’s mind went back to all the things she’d found in Yvonne’s playroom. All those tools and toys, the ropes, and whips, and cuffs. She wanted a taste of it all. And she wanted it with Yvonne.

Ruby’s stomach stirred. She didn’t like that she felt so strongly toward a client, even if it was just physical. It was dangerous. But this was different. Yvonne was different. She wasn’t like him. Hadn’t she already shown that?

Ruby pushed the thought aside and got out of bed. As she left her bedroom, the faint sound of the shower running in Yvonne’s bathroom reached her. The life of leisure Ruby had been living meant that she’d lost track of the days. It was the weekend. Yvonne didn’t have work.

The two of them would have to face what had happened the night before sooner rather than later.

Ruby headed to the kitchen and made herself a quick breakfast. She was sitting at the counter eating her toast when Yvonne strolled in. She was dressed relatively casually in a simple dark blue dress, her dark hair loose. She looked so radiant. So confident. So captivating.

“Good morning.” Yvonne spoke in her usual businesslike manner. “Did you sleep well?”

“Y-yes,” Ruby replied.

Yvonne took a mug from the cupboard and poured herself some coffee. “When you have the time, there’s something we need to discuss.”

Ruby pushed aside the remains of her breakfast, her hunger replaced with nerves. “I have time now.”

“Let’s go to my study.”

Ruby followed Yvonne to her study, like an employee called into her boss’s office. No, more like a student called to the principal’s office.

“Take a seat,” Yvonne said.

Ruby sat. Yvonne shut the door and took a seat at the other side of the desk. On top of the desk between them was a thick document stapled together.