After a moment, they lept into action, moving in double time to tidy up the weights and direct people upstairs.

  Kate moved through the gym, restoring order. Even the public visitors looked sharp when Kate spoke to them.

  Caroline and Sofia got up and stood beside me as Kate reached us. Her eyes moved from me to Caroline, then to Sofia. She stepped back, her cheeks flushing. “Oh… I didn’t realize…”

  “Surprised to see us all together?” Caroline moved closer to me, her hand on my shoulder.

  Sofia pressed on my other side, taking my hand.

  Kate’s commanding presence wavered for a moment. A flush crept into her cheeks as she drew herself up. “Well, the meeting starts soon upstairs. Guess I’ll see you up there.” Her eyes lingered on us, then she turned away curtly.

  I indulged in a quick look as she walked away. Those big mommy thighs definitely did something to me.

  “Ahem.” Caroline cleared her throat, giving me a look.

  “What?”

  “Are you going to stand there drooling all day or are we—”

  “I wasn’t drooling,” I grinned, knowing perfectly well that I was.

  As we headed for the stairs, I caught Kate’s reflection in the mirror. She was trying to focus on greeting new arrivals, but her eyes were on us.

  “She totally wants to strangle me,” Caroline whispered, squeezing my arm.

  “Strangle you? Why?”

  “It’s so obvious. She’s jealous.”

  “I thought she would make us do twenty push ups,” Sofia said. “But I will only take orders from you.” She slipped her hand into mine.

  “That woman’s always in command mode,” Caroline said, her voice low as she smirked. “Ever wonder what it’d take for her to let you take control?” She poked my ribs.

  “You’re presuming a lot,” I murmured as we went up the stairs.

  Caroline’s eyes glinted, her voice dropping to a whisper. “I don’t think so. I think she wants you to take charge of her.”

  Chapter two

  Iturned to Caroline at the top of the stairs. “What makes you say that?”

  Sofia whispered, “She means Kate wants to be submissive to you in bed.”

  I looked at them skeptically. “Yeah, I get it. But where’s this coming from? Do you guys know something about Kate that I don’t?”

  Caroline wiggled her eyebrows. “I’ll tell ya later. But, trust me, women like her—always having to be in charge—they hide the wildest cravings.”

  Sofia nodded. “Is true. She is—how do you call that? Suppressed? Yes, she suppress her femininity.”

  “You guys are—”

  I halted mid-sentence as Kate herself appeared at the bottom of the stairs. Her cleavage jiggled with each step, hips flaring out impressively as she ascended.

  She looked up, catching my eye. Boy, did she look in charge. The definition of a boss lady.

  Did she really have wild fantasies about being submissive?

  What gossip was Caroline not telling me?

  The yoga classroom had been transformed with folding chairs and a whiteboard. We claimed the front row, Caroline’s hand warm on my thigh, Sofia’s fingers laced with mine.

  Kate arranged papers on a table, her posture stiff.

  Most attendees sported jeans and flannel, but some wore business attire.

  Amber rushed in at the last minute, wearing black skirt and blouse, her blonde ponytail swaying. She took a seat in the front, crossing her legs.

  Kate was about to begin, and the room hushed.

  But just when she opened her mouth to speak, a suit with spectacles walked in, trailed by a boxy woman with a sleepy face.

  Caroline leaned close, whispering, “That’s Ian Ferguson, Chief Administrative Officer, and his wife Barbara.”

  Ferguson planted himself up front. “Hi Kate! Just came to hear your concerns.”

  She replied in a professional tone. “Of course. Please take a seat—”

  “As long as you know this meeting’s unofficial,” Ian cut in, adjusting his glasses smugly.

  Kate’s jaw tightened. Her eyes flicked to Caroline and Sofia draped over me. A flush crept up her cheeks, her confidence wavering.

  Ian smirked. “I’d like to make that clear before you start,” he said, addressing the audience. “This meeting is not sanctioned by the council, and—”

  “Excuse me,” I said, rising.

  Ian blinked. Kate’s eyes widened.

  I stepped towards Ian. “Last time I checked, we don’t need your permission to assemble. This is America.”

  “Well, of course, you do have rights—”

  “Glad you agree. I’m Ryan.” I shook his hand firmly, crowding his space. “Now sit down. We’re here for Kate, not you.”

  Ian muttered but sank beside Barbara, who eyed me curiously, fluffing her hair. The crowd applauded, the energy in the room shifting.

  Kate’s chest rose with quick breaths, her gaze softening as it met mine. There was a flicker of something vulnerable in her eyes.

  “Thanks, Ryan,” she murmured, cheeks pink.

  “Go for it,” I said, settling back to my chair.

  Sofia leaned against me, whispering in my ear, “You’re so hot when you’re bossy.”

  Kate picked up a marker from the whiteboard and launched into a speech about the council’s plan and Riverdale’s potential.

  “We want growth. But it has to benefit everyone, not just developers.”

  Murmurs of agreement came from the crowd as she outlined her vision, involving hiking trails, river activities, and preserving local character.

  But Amber’s hand shot up, prim and sharp. “Can I say something, Kate? Your plan’s cute, but the council’s analysis says that type of plan would be far too costly.”

  She rattled off numbers that sounded like pure fiction.

  But Kate was bamboozled. “Well, I’m sure there’s got to be a way—”

  “Not good enough,” a suit heckled. “Can’t base a development plan on wishful thinking.”

  Ian stood, adjusting his glasses. “That’s right, and let’s not forget the homelessness situation. Our plan includes subsidized housing. Without that component, I’m afraid the situation will only get worse.”

  Kate frowned. “But the homeless camp only appeared recently—”“And it’s expanding,” Ian cut in.

  A big, red-bearded man rose. “It’s expanding because you don’t enforce the law!” He thrust a burly finger at the CAO. “My kids can’t even play in our backyard anymore, let alone in the park.”

  Ian replied blandly, “We take your concerns very seriously—”

  “Like hell you do! You want the problem to get worse so you can all buy cheap, then sell high after you push through your development plans.”

  Ian chuckled nervously. “Those rumors are completely untrue.”

  The room was getting heated. People were shouting over each other.

  Kate needed help.

  I stood. “Excuse me, Kate, I’d like to hear those numbers again, Amber.”

  The room quieted down. I’d managed to get hold of the reins.

  Amber looked at me, her brown eyes widening. Then she flicked her ponytail. “I can sure do that, Ryan.”

  I turned to Kate. “If you don’t mind, I can clear this up quickly. Can I see the marker?” I extended my hand.

  Kate stood with her arms crossed, clutching the marker tightly.

  “Just for a moment,” I assured her. “Then I’ll give you back the floor.”

  She needed help—and knew it—but pride made her hesitate. Her eyes narrowed, sizing me up, maybe doubtful because of my young age.

  “Trust me,” I whispered, holding her gaze.

  Finally, her grip on the marker slackened. Something changed in her eyes as she stepped towards me to hand it over.

  Her cheeks colored, and I could see that she was excited by the surrender.

  Chapter three

  As I took the marker from Kate, a deeper flush spread down her neck, and her lips parted in surprise.

  The room went silent, sensing the charge in the air.

  Kate straightened her posture, trying to look composed even though her cheeks burned red for all to see.

  Did she just get turned on by letting me take charge?

  I dismissed the thought, focusing on the task at hand.

  “Alright, Amber, let’s hear those numbers again.” I uncapped the marker and strode to the whiteboard, jotting the figures as Amber recited them.

  “These costs are inflated to make Kate’s plan seem impossible. Trail upgrades could be done for half that price with local crews. And they don’t need complete reconstruction—just new signage.”

  As I went through more items, the crowd nodded, and Amber’s smirk faded.

  “It doesn’t even need to be funded all at once,” I concluded. “Start small, prove the concept works, then expand based on demand.”

  Kate watched me with growing passion in her eyes. By the time I finished, she’d forgotten her initial skepticism.

  The rest of her presentation went smoothly. When it was finished, the room buzzed with hope, and the flannel-wearing crowd stood around complaining about the town government’s incompetence.

  I noticed Amber looking at me from across the room. She averted her gaze, awkwardly checking her phone and playing with her ponytail.

  The big guy with the red beard came up and pumped my hand exuberantly. “I’m Warren, great to meet you!”

  He turned to Kate, who stood nearby. “So, what’s next, Kate? Second reading of the development bill is Thursday next week. What’s the plan?”

  “We’re going to keep putting the pressure on them,” Kate said.

  “But how?” Warren asked, looking a bit skeptical.

  Kate glanced at me, hesitant. “Ryan, any thoughts?”

  I could see the conflict in her—needing help but hating to need it.

  “Yes,” I replied. “I’ve tracked their contracts. There are some shady deals tied to the council. We need to expose their corruption.”

  Warren’s jaw dropped. Kate’s eyes widened, a flash of respect cutting through her wariness. “You think we can get enough evidence?” Kate asked.

  “Enough to make them sweat,” I replied.

  “That might just work,” she said.

  Warren clasped my hand again. “Damn glad you’re here, man.”

  Spirits were high as people filtered out of the room. I saw Amber roll her eyes and walk through the door.

  Kate and I stayed after everyone else had gone. Clearly impressed, she asked me questions about what dirt I’d found while Sofia and Caroline sat waiting.

  After a bit, Sofia slid up against me, purring, “You see? Ryan is a genius. He will help you.”

  Caroline took my arm on the other side. “He does have a way of lifting everyone up, doesn’t he?”

  Kate’s cheeks flared. “Actually, I don’t need lifting,” she said, moving towards the door. “But I appreciate your help, Ryan. We’ll talk.”

  Though her words were curt, her glance lingered on me before she marched out.

  Chapter four

  “Well, that was...interesting,” I said after Kate had disappeared down the stairs.

  Caroline slipped her arms around my waist. “She’ll be fine. She’s just processing.”

  “Processing what?” I asked, glancing between them. “One minute she’s looking at me like I’m her hero, the next she’s storming out.”

  “She’s not used to leaning on anyone,” Caroline said. “Especially not a man.”

  “So she’s angry I helped?”

  “No. She’s angry she liked it,” Caroline smirked.

  Sofia let out a whimsical sigh “She’s like a wild mare who doesn’t know if she wants the saddle yet.”

  I laughed. “Kate’s not a horse, babe.”

  Sofia frowned. “Is poetical! She’s a stubborn mare and you are the cowboy.”

  I kissed her hair. “You’re a cute little nut.”

  “She’s not wrong, though,” Caroline said, biting her lip mischievously. “Kate needs to know you’re a strong and steady hand before she’ll let you put the reins on and mount her.”

  “Okay, you’re both being silly,” I chuckled, turning towards the door.

  Caroline grabbed my arm. “No, I’m serious! You cracked her walls in front of everyone. That scared the hell out of her.”

  “Well, I wasn’t trying to embarrass her. She let the meeting go off the rails.”

  Caroline squeezed my arm. “And you saved it. But you couldn’t have missed how she reacted when you took over.”

  Sofia nodded eagerly. “Her face was like a tomato.”

  “Maybe,” I admitted reluctantly. “But I wasn’t intending to take over or anything like that.”

  “You don’t have to try,” Sofia said, latching on to my arm. “You’ve just got that pull. She felt it.”

  Caroline lowered her voice. “That’s why she bolted—not from anger, just confusion. She didn’t expect to suddenly have a deep, dark fantasy come true in public.”

  I stopped at the top of the stairs, looking at them. “You two seem awfully sure about all this. What were you going to tell me earlier?”

  Caroline glanced around, then leaned in. “Remember I mentioned taking Kate’s pilates class? Well, we all went out for drinks one night. Eventually it was just Kate and me.”

  “And?”

  “She was sloshed, and she kind of over-shared. Said she hasn’t been with a man in years because she can’t find one who measures up.”

  “Like, not enough muscles?” I asked.

  Caroline shook her head. “Not exactly. She needs someone sharp and in control. A man she could truly surrender to.”

  “Someone who makes her feel safe enough to be vulnerable,” Sofia added.

  I squeezed Caroline’s arm as a realization hit me. “And she knows that you know. Unless…She forgot she told you about this.”

  Caroline shook her head. “Oh no, she remembers. I see it when she looks at me sometimes—like she’s waiting for me to bring it up.”

  “You were kind of pushing her buttons a bit there,” I said with a slight tone of reproach.

  Caroline blinked innocently. “Hey, if I’m going to be match-maker here, it’s going to take a bit of gentle nudging.”

  I raked a hand through my hair. “I’ll talk to her tomorrow—smooth it out. We need to sync up if we’re working together on this town mess.”

  Caroline and Sofia exchanged glances, smirking. “I like that idea,” Caroline said. “You and her, working together…You should invite her over to come and work at my place.”

  “We’ll see how she is tomorrow,” I said, remembering how Kate’s flushed face when she handed me the marker.

  I couldn’t help wondering what it would be like to see her surrender in a more private setting.

  “What are you thinking about?” Sofia asked, squinting at me.

  I grinned meaningfully. “Nothing. Come on.”

  I led the way downstairs, where the staff was locking up for the night.

  Caroline smacked me on the butt, “Alright, cowboy. Go work Kate tomorrow. Tonight, you’ve got two other mares that need attention.”

  Chapter five

  Ileft for Kate’s adventure park the next morning after Caroline went to work. It was about 10 minutes’ drive down the highway from town.

  The place had a campground feel—tall cedars, pine scent smell in the air. A climbing wall, still half-built, jutted up in front of a log building.

  I found Kate there, supervising a crew in orange helmets working on the wall’s framework.

  She wore a tank top and tight cargo shorts, her thighs flexing as she pointed up high. She spotted me and went rigid.

  I kept my steps easy, breathing slow. It was probably a good thing Caroline and Sofia weren’t here. Their ‘nudging’ had its place, but yesterday challenged Kate plenty.

  I just wanted her to know I was here to work as a team, not to step on her toes.

  “Morning, Kate—”

  She cut me off. “Listen, about yesterday—I’m sorry. I think you bring a lot to the table.”

  “No need to apologize,” I said. “I get it. I’m not here to hijack your show.”

  She eyed me, then nodded toward the climbing wall. “Want a look?”

  “Yeah, show me.”

  She led the way, voice picking up steam as she laid out the plan—beginner routes on one side, gnarly climbs on the other.

  She walked slightly ahead of me, maintaining control of the tour. She occasionally eyed me, like she expected me to butt in or try to dominate.

  I didn’t. I just listened, letting her roll.

  “Why a climbing wall?” I asked. “Market research, or…”

  “Yup! Surveyed parents, scoped other parks. There’s solid demand but no competition anywhere in the Three Rivers region.”

  “Smart,” I said.

  “We’ve got one zipline up and running, and it’s very popular.” She became more animated as we chatted about her plans for the park.

  She eased up, shoulders loosening as she led me to a lot behind the log building—a dirt patch slated for a BMX course.

  “Oh, cool,” I said. “I used to rip around on those as a kid.”

  “Really? Nice!” She looked at me, her eyes flicking over my chest and arms before snapping back. Then she nodded thoughtfully. “You know what? We should set a meeting. Dig into that corruption stuff.”

  “How about tomorrow morning?”

  “Evening is better. Like, around eight?”

  “Sure. Can you come to Caroline’s place?”

  Her cheeks pinked at Caroline’s name, a flicker of yesterday crossing her face. “Uh, yeah. That’s fine.”

  “Eight, then,” I said, smirking.

  “Right, eight,” she breathed, the flush deepening.

  As we headed back toward the front, Kate tripped on some scrap, stumbling hard. I caught her around the waist. Her big chest crushed into me, her arms looping my neck.

  Her breath hitched, breasts pressing tight as she froze. Her mouth parted in surprise, and she gazed at my lips.