"Serena, I can tell you're dying to ask me something. Ask it."
"Do I know you? Do I see you every day?"
"Yes, you know me."
Serena pulled her legs up and wrapped her free arm around them. This man was someone she knew. Someone she worked with. There was no telling what he knew about her. Or, she realized, what she knew about him, if she knew who he was. Shaking, she rested her head on her knees.
"Are you involved with someone? Are you in a relation--"
"No," he answered abruptly. "I owe nothing to any woman. Or man," he added, considering what she had said about Claire. "I understand your fears, Serena. Let's go through a few basic questions so I get a better idea of where things stand. I don't want to assume something about you and frighten you or unintentionally hurt you. I need to know just what sexual experiences you've had. All right?"
"Yes," she whispered, feeling slightly reassured. "First question?"
"Have you ever been blindfolded or bound during sex?"
"No, nor spanked or--"
"Let me ask the questions."
"Sorry," she winced, although he sounded more amused than irritated.
"But I'll make a note of that," he murmured. "So you've really only been involved in vanilla sex."
"What does that mean?"
"Mostly you on the bottom, him on top. Every now and then, you would be on top. That about describe it?"
"Except for me being on top. I've only had sex with two men. Once in high school and neither of us knew what we were doing. And," she exhaled noisily, "the last one told me I wasn't very good at sex. He said I didn't seem to enjoy it or know what to do or anything."
"Did he know he was practically your first lover?"
"Yes."
"In other words, he threw away an opportunity to be your teacher and set the bar for anyone else," he observed. "So, if you have no objections, I will teach you."
)
