Page 26 of Boss of Her

And came face to face with Simone.

“Hello, Jade,” she said.

Jade’s heart skipped. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

Because suddenly, she was faced not with Simone, her boss, but with the woman she’d encountered at Club Velvet on opening night. The woman who had come to her rescue and swept her off her feet. The woman who had filled her mind with dreams of surrender.

The woman who had kissed her in her office barely a few hours ago.

“Simone,” she said. “I…”

“Not here. Let’s go sit down somewhere quiet so we can talk.”

Simone placed a hand on Jade’s lower back and led her through the club. Jade glanced around, electricity crackling through her from Simone’s fingers all the way down into her core. Having Simone touch her so intimately in front of everyone felt deliciously forbidden.

“Here.” Simone nodded at the purple velvet loveseat before them. “Sit.”

Jade obeyed.

Simone took a seat next to her. “You’re nervous. Why?”

“Why?” Jade gestured at the rest of the club. “There’s all this, for starters. Like I said the night we met, I’ve never done anything like this before. And I don’t have much experience with dating, let alone sex or anything more, and it’s been a long time since I’ve been involved with anyone, and I don’t think I’m ready for any kind of relationship—”

“Listen,” Simone said. “If it was romance I wanted, would I have invited you to a place like this?”

“I guess not.”

“Understand this, Jade. I don’t want a girlfriend. I want a submissive.”

A warm shiver rippled through Jade’s body. Was that what she wanted to be to Simone? Was that what she yearned for every time she was in her boss’s presence?

“And while this might all be new to you,” Simone continued, “let me assure you that you’re in experienced hands. I’m one of the owners of Club Velvet, after all.”

Jade blinked. “Wait, what?You own Club Velvet?”

“Why do you think I was watching you on opening night? I was keeping an eye on the crowd, making sure everyone was enjoying themselves. Then I saw that woman harassing you.”

“Oh. I guess I thought…” Jade lowered her gaze. Suddenly, that thought seemed silly.

But Simone read her mind. “Yes, that was why I helped you that night. That woman was making my club unsafe, and I couldn’t allow it to happen. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t want you from the moment I laid eyes on you. That doesn’t mean I haven’t wanted you every moment since.” She leaned in close, sliding a hand up Jade’s thigh. “There’s so much I want to show you.”

Deep within Jade, desire flared. Her whole body begged for Simone to do just that, right here in front of everyone.

Instead, Simone drew back, crossing one leg over the other. “But before we begin, we have much to discuss. We need to set some boundaries and ground rules. To start with, all of this? It staysoutsidethe office. It can’t interfere with our work. And I can’t afford to have half the office distracted by rumors and gossip.”

Jade nodded. “Okay.”

“And you should know, I’m a jealous Mistress. I don’t like to share my toys. So if you’re mine, you’re mine alone, understand?”

Jade nodded again.

“Don’t just nod,” Simone said firmly. “Tell me you understand me.”

“I understand,” Jade said, her cheeks burning. ‘Mistress Simone’ wasn’t all that different from the woman Jade worked for.

“Naturally, it goes both ways. You will be my one and only. And I will be yours.”

Heat trickled through Jade’s body at Simone’s words. How was she going to keep everything between them contained while they were at work? She’d barely been able to keep herself together around Simone before tonight.

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