WARNING!

I hadn't meant for this story to take the turn it's about to, but the muse demanded it go this direction. When I tried to come up with an alternative chapter, I hit writers block. Now, I know the subject matter may make some readers upset and I'm sorry. Please know I didn't intentionally mislead you. Normally, I have the entire story plotted and at least partially written before I post. That didn't happen with this story and I'm making it up as I go. I did go back to the summary and add a warning and changed the rating, so future readers will have the opportunity to make an informed decision before choosing to read.

Please also know I've tried to handle the theme as delicately and gracefully as possible as I know some will find it offensive. This chapter actually doesn't have any real smut, but a serious conversation about BDSM does take place. I promise to keep any future chapters that may include the subject matter as classy and delicate as I can.

Thank you so much to lulupickles for not only helping me craft this chapter into something that I hope readers will feel is classy and acceptable, but for also encouraging me to post it after I agonized for the last week over what to do.

PLEASE TAKE THIS DISCLAIMER AS YOUR WARNING!

In the time it took Steph to gasp out her shock, I spun and trapped her between the wall and my body. With one hand, I caught her wrists and pinned them over her head as I slid my knee between her legs, anchoring her in place. "Ram," she started to protest, but it turned into a whimper when I slammed my mouth down over hers. If she truly wants to be with me, she'll quickly learn not to tempt me unless she means it.

The kiss was rough, demanding, and entirely controlled by the beast within. Instead of fighting me as I'd expected, she acquiesced without further protest, melting against my body. The tiny whimpers and mews she emitted only served to fuel my desire. Fuck, if she wasn't the most beautiful and responsive woman I'd ever seen. It was in that moment I knew I was in trouble. If she was this receptive now and we hadn't even made it to bed yet, I could only imagine how much fun she was going to be between the sheets.

Still holding her arms, I shifted my upper body back, releasing the kiss so we could both take a breath. "Word of warning, pet. Don't play with fire unless you are willing to get burned."

Her gaze held mine, her normal cerulean eyes had deepened to a near indigo color. They narrowed slightly, the edges creasing with both humor and challenge. "Maybe you're the one who should be worried about getting burned."

Fuck me!

I couldn't have stopped the growl that tore from my chest even if I'd wanted. In the matter of a heartbeat, I once again covered her mouth with mine, taking, demanding. Without reservation, she relented, giving me everything I asked of her and more.

I'd expected to have to work for her trust and bide my time getting her into bed. The fact that she seemed to capitulate so quickly both worried and excited me. As much as I wanted to strip her naked and take her hard right here against the wall, she needed to know exactly what she was getting herself into.

Reluctantly, I pulled back enough to rest my forehead against hers, my ragged breathing matching her own gasping breaths. "Steph, sweetheart…there's something about me you need to understand. Something we need to talk about." This wasn't a conversation I wanted to have so soon with her. Not when the foundations of our fledgling relationship were so fragile. Still, I couldn't knowingly move forward with her without being completely honest.

"That sounds ominous," she said. "I'm not sure I want to know."

My lips tipped into a slight, regretful grin. "I'm not sure I want to tell you, but based on where this appears to be going, you need to know. You need to be able to make an informed decision."

"Whatever it is, it won't change how I feel about you," she said, and my heart clenched. I sincerely, hoped she was right because I was already head over heels in love with her.

"I hope that's true," I replied, then released her hands and took a full step back.

The confused expression that crossed her face was so damn cute. "Ram?"

I motioned to the edge of the bed. "Sit, pet. Let's talk for a minute."

Her expression slid from confusion to concern, and she gave my direction a nod, and moved to the edge of the bed. I grabbed the desk chair, spun it around and sat so I was facing her. "So, you've been around all us guys for a while now."

She nodded again.

"And you know how overbearing and controlling we all can be, right?"

Her confused expression slowly slid into a cautious smile. "Right."

"Okay, well, for some of us, that controlling nature pretty much runs through every aspect of our lives. It's not something we can shut off, nor do we want to."

"I know that. Ranger likes to be in control all the time."

Not that I really wanted to know, but I needed to be sure we were still on the same page in our thoughts. "Even in the bedroom?"

Her brow knit at my question. "Not that I was with him much, but on those occasions when we were, I'd have to say he was."

"Steph." I stopped and scrubbed my hands over my face. How in the hell do I explain this to her in a way that doesn't send her running? Man up, Ramsey and just tell her. "Sweetheart, do you know what it means when a man says he's a dominant?"

"Yeah, that he has a controlling personality." She shrugged. "All you guys at Rangeman are dominant."

Well shit. This wasn't working out how I'd hoped. "No, that's not what I mean. I'm not just dominant at work. I'm also dominant in my private life and specifically in the bedroom. I'm not big into vanilla sex."

"Vanilla, sex?" she repeated my words, then paused. I knew the moment when understanding hit because her eyes went wide. "You mean you're into BDSM stuff." I'd expected to see fear and revulsion in her expressive gaze. So, you can imagine my surprise when all I found was curiosity and, dare I say, a bit of excitement instead. Huh? Who knew Steph might have an adventurous streak in her?

I mean I guess it makes sense, considering her line of work and her love of a good mystery. She wasn't a typical woman in any sense of the word. Sometimes I think she rebels against the burg standard just to prove how unique she really is. Still, in my experience, most women loved the idea of BDSM, but when it came to practicing it for real, they quickly lost their courage. For our relationship to have a real chance, Steph needed to know all the information ahead of time and make an informed decision.

"I had no idea," she said then cocked her head to the side and looked at me. "Do the others know?"

"Most of them," I replied.

"Is that why Lester was so worried on the phone?"

"I'd say that's part of it," I said. "He's one who knows and while he also knows I'd never do anything to hurt you, I imagine he's a bit concerned about how you'd react when I told you."

The curious expression on her face grew and she almost managed to master arching a brow at me. "Doesn't the acronym stand for something like bondage, discipline, sadism and machoism?"

"It can," I replied. "But there are a lot of layers to the lifestyle and not all of them involve pain. Just so we're clear, I'm not a Sadist, Steph. I don't like hurting women, but I do like a fair amount of bondage and kink in my play. I get off on the exchange of power."

"So, you want to dominate in the truest sense of the word," Steph said.

"I do, but what I need you to understand is that I can only take the power you're willing to give me. Ultimately, you're in control, and it's your willingness to relinquish that control which is where the actual exchange of power happens."

"So…if I said no?"

"No, isn't really the correct word," I replied. "But if you said red, or whatever safe word you'd pick, then whatever we were doing in that moment would stop."

"Even if you really wanted to continue," she asked.

"Even if I really wanted to continue," I confirmed.

"And you wouldn't be angry?"

I gave her a smile now. It would be just like her to be concerned about upsetting me. "I wouldn't be angry. Though I might push you to talk so I could find out why you safe worded. I'd want to know what I did that made you feel unsafe."

"If you're a dominant, would that make me your submissive?"

The fact that she hadn't automatically shut this conversation down gave me some hope. Even the idea of her being my submissive had parts of me showing their appreciation. Down boy. Not now! I leaned forward and grazed a knuckle along her cheek. "Technically, yes, but its more complex than just labels."

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

"When a couple enters a dominant/sub relationship, a level of trust is built. It's that trust which can help to not only enhance sexual experience and gratification, but it can also solidify a bond between a couple in ways I can't begin to describe."

"So, it's not just about you bossing me around?"

"No, pet. It's not just about me bossing you around."

"Because, you know I don't like being told what to do," she said in a halfhearted protest.

While everyone at Rangeman was very much aware of her independent streak, I was also mindful of her need to make those who were important to her, happy. "True, but have you ever noticed how all it takes for you to comply with one of our requests is the word please?"

Almost immediately, her brow knit, and she appeared to be thinking about my question. I doubt she'd ever thought too deeply about her need to help others or make people happy. "I didn't ever comply with Morelli, though."

"Yes, but all that jackass knew how to do was yell, demean and demand. I'm talking about with those of us at Rangeman. Ranger, Lester, Bobby…really any of us. We've always been careful to frame our requests in a way that didn't tell you what to do, because we knew you'd dig in with a firm no. Then, just to tap into your deeply rooted need to keep those you love happy, we'd add a please to our request. Within minutes you'd concede."

"Wow." She turned her attention to the painting hanging on the wall behind me. "I never thought about it, but you're right."

"And do you know why you did?"

She gave an almost indiscernible shake of her head.

"You have a deeply rooted need to serve, Steph. I mean think about it. Your regular skips love you because you try to work with them. You always try to take the most non-confrontational way to get an FTA captured. And there's not a one of us at Rangeman that can get a bad or a sad mood by you, without you trying to step in to help. Face it, sweetheart. You glean your happiness by serving others."

"What about my mother?" she asked.

"What about her?" I echoed her question.

"She's never happy with me."

"Ah, but it's not like you didn't try for a long time. After all, why else would you have continued to go back to Morelli time and time again?"

The crease in her brow deepened as she stared at me. "And that makes me submissive?" I could tell by her tone she didn't want to believe what I was telling her, but facts didn't lie.

A grazed a knuckle along her cheek. "That makes you the sweetest submissive I've ever had the pleasure of knowing."

Silence followed my statement and for a moment I thought she might be shutting down. Much to my surprise she took a deep breath and turned her gaze back to me. "So, let's suspend reality for a minute and say I agreed to this…arrangement. What would I call you?"

I worked to suppress my smile. The fact that she was considering it, even hypothetically, had me thanking my lucky stars. I could only hope it would bode well for me in the end. "In the bedroom, Sir or Master works well."

Her lips tipped up just a little. "Why do I have a feeling that you're not joking?"

"Because I'm not," I replied. "Around my family you'll need to call me Eric, but any other time outside the bedroom Ram or Eric will work."

"Any you only want control during sex?"

"I'm not into having a slave, Steph. I want an equal partner in life and that includes in the bedroom."

"How can I be an equal partner if you're in charge?"

"Remember what I said before. You're giving me the power to be in charge. You're trusting me to read your body and know what you need."

Silence met my statement and I waited for several seconds before finally asking. "How does what I told you make you feel?"

"Honestly?"

"I only want honesty, pet."

"I'm not sure. I don't know how easy it would be for me to make the transition. I mean, doesn't part of the lifestyle include doing certain things?"

"You mean certain sexual things?" I asked.

She paused and the cutest shade of pink appeared on her cheeks. "There are things I wouldn't let others do to me."

"If it would make you feel better, we could create a list of hard limits. Things that are absolutely off the table," I replied. "But know there are some experiences I would push you to try at least once."

"So, I'm guessing bondage would be one of those experiences."

"It would. So would things like the use of impact toys like floggers and crops, nipple toys like clamps, and anal play."

The wariness in her gaze had me scrambling to explain further. "We'd take everything very slow and would work through items one at a time. I'd want you to handle each item and get a feel for it. Maybe some you could even test out on me if it made you feel better."

Her eyes widened. "You'd let me hit you with a flogger?"

"On the arm or a leg yes. It's important for you to know, understand, and be comfortable with anything I'd use on you. That's the only way trust can be gained." I grinned. "Though, more intimate toys will definitely garner further discussions before I'd allow you to use them on me."

She held my stare for a moment before the pink in her cheeks deepened as the implications of my words settled over her. She closed her eyes as if trying to hide from her embarrassment.

Early in my own sexual explorations, I'd spent enough time being the bottom to understand what a submissive needed to feel safe. With Steph, it would be imperative to take things slow and give her the opportunity to test out certain situations for herself.

"Communication is essential in this type of relationship. So, I want you to tell me what you're thinking," I said, hoping she'd comply without argument.

"I'm just trying to process everything you said." She opened her eyes and cocked her head to the side. "Would you want to spank me?"

I didn't bother to hide my grin. "Has somebody been reading kinky romances?"

The pink in her cheeks deepened to the most gorgeous shade of red and I hardened at the realization that she might be more receptive than I originally thought. "What was it? Fifty Shades or some other book."

"Both," she murmured as she looked away. The embarrassment etched into her features.

"Hey," I curled a knuckle under her chin. "I know that was hard for you to admit. I'm proud of you for being able to trust me enough to tell me the truth."

Her eyes dilated just slightly, but it was enough for me to know, my praise hit its mark. "You didn't answer my question," she said.

"Punishment is typically an aspect of a D/S relationship, but it's not one I find all that palatable. I don't like the idea of striking a woman, even under the guise of discipline." I leaned forward and slid a hand down her back to cup her ass. "Though, if you wanted me to spank you, I would certainly accommodate your request. For some women, a slight bite of pain can enhance their arousal and make orgasms that much more pleasurable." The full body shiver that rippled through her told me more than words ever could. She was at least interested in the idea. And wasn't that an exciting thought?

I pulled back but kept my hand on her. "There's good and bad fear, pet. I don't want you afraid of me because I might hurt you. I want you afraid of what I'll do next to push your boundaries and bring you unspeakable pleasures."

She licked her lips, and it was everything I could do to hold back a groan. "Like?"

"Like withholding orgasms, or maybe forcing you to have one in a public place."

Her eyes widened, and for the first time I saw fear. "I refuse to be naked in public."

I grinned. "Sweetheart, with the kind of toys that exist now a day, I don't need you to be naked to give you an orgasm."

"Oh," she murmured then went silent again, and closed her eyes.

At this point I'd given her enough to think about. Anything more would be information overload.

"I just dropped a lot on your shoulders," I said as I reluctantly pulled away. "I want you to take some time to think about it before we do anything else."

"What if I can't do what you're asking of me?" she asked. "What if I just can't make the leap?" There was fear and strain in her tone as she spoke.

"Then we'll remain friends and enjoy our week together as such," I said as I shifted to stand. "I'm gonna go take a shower and give you some time to think."

On her nod, her gaze dropped to the floor. The worry was clearly written across her face. Immediately, I returned to the chair and reached out to cup her chin, forcing her to look at me. "Hey. There's no right or wrong answer here, sweetheart. No matter what you decide we'll always and forever remain friends. You're not losing anything if you say no. Okay?"

She gave me a small smile. "Okay."

"Good," I moved away, grabbed my bag and headed for the bathroom. Once I closed the door, I leaned back against it and blew out a breath as I tossed my bag on the counter next to the sink. That conversation had been one of the biggest reasons I'd never pursued anything with Steph. While I'm comfortable with who and what I am, the idea of losing her friendship because of my lifestyle had been too fucking frightening to fathom.

I hadn't wanted to have the discussion so soon. Only now, the deed was done, and the decision was entirely hers to make. I wouldn't push her or attempt to coerce her into changing her mind. Whatever her decision, I would honor it.

Hopefully, you all don't hate me now.