Free Beg Me by Jennifer Probst

had made him easily fall in love with her.
    As Cara led him and a few others down the trail for the official rescue walk, Rem admitted the past few weeks had been nice. When Cara first approached him about being friends, he’d been leery. How did he switch from hot, dirty sex to a hands-off relationship? How could he be friends with a woman he’d once loved and felt betrayed by? But one look at her eager face made him want to try.
    After all, he’d originally believed their one night together would cure him forever. Rem figured he’d put the past behind and finally move on.
    Instead, their one night had the opposite effect. Her touch and taste was permanently imprinted on his mind and body. Her offer of friendship could be the answer. Maybe he could end up getting the best parts from her, and let go of the others. They’d always been so close in other ways besides the physical. If Rem opened himself up to the possibility, maybe friendship would be the best thing for both of them.
    So far, things were going well. They went to the movies and munched out on popcorn, Raisinets, Slurpees, and then got sick. Sometimes after work, she stopped by and they strolled the mall together, sipping Starbucks and getting lost in the bookstore. Last night, they ate at a dive bar with a great local metal band, and ended up rocking out till dawn. Today, he’d met her at ten am and she put him right to work.
    Rem was impressed. The other volunteers looked to her as a leader, and she took on the role with grace and warmth, from how she spoke to the public, treated the dogs, and kept everyone moving and on task.
    She was Cara, but better. She didn’t hesitate or question herself endlessly anymore. She didn’t look to him for answers, or guidance. This woman knew what had to be done and owned herself — every part. How many times had her body issues broken his heart? He’d try to tell her how beautiful she was but she never truly believed it.
    Those years away, she’d found herself. Claimed her beauty. Owned her soul.
    It was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen in his life.
    Rem figured he wouldn’t like not being in charge all the time. He was so focused on having a full-time sub who would take his lead on all issues, he never thought about being in a relationship with a woman who only submitted in the bedroom. With Cara, it was nice to have a partner. She held her own, on every level, and Rem didn’t have to be on all the time. It was kind of nice.
    Not that it mattered, of course.
    They were just friends.
    Damn. He really wished he didn’t want to fuck his new friend so bad.
    The French poodle — Lacey? — walked nicely on the leash and didn’t give him any back talk. Rem followed the trail, enjoying the view of Cara’s tight jeans and full ass swinging back and forth. The volunteers chattered, laughed, and hid beneath the sting of the sun by heading into a nest of trees and letting the dogs go crazy with a variety of scents. Cara kept up a steady dialogue of what the DogCrazy animal shelter did, how many rescues it took care of, and what fostering entailed. He enjoyed listening to her voice, the dancing lilt and infused warmth that was part of who she was.
    Lacey tried to hook up with a variety of studs, but unfortunately they seemed more interested in the excitement of the walk. Rem held back a laugh. Trying to get some action and getting rejected must be tough for a canine.
    Poor little bitch.
    “Uh, oh. I don’t even want to know what thought you just had.”
    Cara stared at him with pure suspicion. Somehow, he’d been daydreaming and didn’t catch her dropping back to match his stride. “You probably don’t want to know.”
    “Try me.”
    “Umm, dog sex.”
    “Yeah, I don’t want to know.”
    He burst into laughter. The sun exploded rays in her hair and lit them to fire. She smelled like earth and wild flowers. He tamped down an urge to lean forward and take a big sniff of her skin. Friends probably didn’t do