Excerpt of Bottoms Up by Miranda Baker

"“Do you want to play with me? Because I think you do.”

His arrogance should have been irritating, but she couldn’t
take offense at the truth. She did want him—just not the way
he thought.

Maybe.

Thinking about that, Destiny knocked back the shot and
licked her lips. “I don’t know anything about you.”

“Don’t let that stop you.” He set the glass and the towel on
the bar and faced her squarely. “You didn’t answer my
question. Do you like to be watched?”

Curiosity overtook caution and she found herself answering
him. “Yes, I’m an exhibitionist. But I’ve never bottomed,
and I don’t think I’d want an audience the first time.”

“Agreed. Hard limits?” He moved swiftly to negotiation. Her
limits, his desires, their needs—a verbal contract between
two interested parties that would bind their play in the
rules of the BDSM world.

Destiny sipped the beer chaser Johnny provided. He didn’t
rush her, which was good, because frankly, she’d never
seriously considered putting herself on the other side of
the power dynamic. Bottoms held the power, truly, but it
wasn’t supposed to feel like it. Part of the play was
feeling powerless, and her Dominant nature utterly rejected
that concept. She wasn’t sure how much submission she could
handle. Where should she draw the lines? What boundaries
would permit her to let him take control?

She watched him run the bar towel over each glass as he
waited for her to answer. The thought of putting herself
under those rough hands made her tingle. Her nipples peaked.
Sexual energy thrilled through her tight muscles. For one
night, she could handle just about anything, she decided.

Destiny looked up from his strong hands to see that he was
watching her, not the glass, as he worked.

“No blood,” she finally answered. “No blindfolds. Always
wear a condom. No other women. And not tonight.”

“That’s it?”

Destiny nodded.

“Do you have any questions for me? Anything you need?”

She nodded again swiftly. There was one thing she wanted to
know, but it didn’t have anything to do with her needs. She
watched him closely. “Why do you like to Dominate?”

Johnny frowned. He dropped the towel again and placed his
hands flat on the bar. His shoulders formed a tight bridge
as he loomed over her. “You’ll agree to submit to me with
ridiculously few limitations so long as I tell you why I’m
going to enjoy the experience?” His voice was incredulous.

Uncertainty crept up on her. It wouldn’t be the first time
her impulsiveness had gotten her into trouble. Johnny was a
big man in more ways than height and breadth, she was sure.
She thought of those hands, blunt-fingered and ringed,
positioning her, his tattooed arms encircling her body as he
pushed into her from behind. Blood rushed south, north,
engorging her vulva and breasts, sending a flush up her
chest. She ignored her arousal and focused on him. “I’m not
afraid of you. Do you want me to be?”

“A very proper question from my new submissive.”

Destiny rolled her eyes, making Johnny grin. Humor flashed
merrily in his dark gaze. She hoped he wasn’t the kind of
Dom who wanted her to look down all the time. She enjoyed
seeing his eyes glow like that.

His smile faded. “As for an answer, no, I’m not into fear.
Pain, yes; fear, no. I won’t expect you to cringe, but you
will show me respect.” His voice was quiet, calm and
diamond-hard.

“Earn it.” Destiny clenched every muscle she could control
to keep her shiver from showing.

“Ah, Destiny, there is absolutely no doubt of that.”"