His

I wasn’t used to this strange mix of shame and desire, repulsion and attraction. For a moment I just let it all play over me. I was convinced he knew every single thing I was feeling, that he was drinking it all in.
I wanted to tell him no, and get up. But I couldn’t. At the same time I wanted him to know everything. To offer myself up to him, in every way possible.
“You don’t have to be ashamed,” he whispered into my ear, tracing my thigh with his fingers, “for wanting what you want. Do you know that? I understand you.”
“What?” I asked.
“I understand you,” he repeated.
“But how?” I asked, turning to look at him. Once again I could feel my eyes tearing. “You’re a stranger.”
“I recognize women like you,” he said. “I recognize you.”
“Women like what?”
“Women who want to be owned.”

Grad student Kate has been buried in British lit for days, studying for her comprehensive exams. Restless, she goes online—and meets Michele Cavalcanti, a fascinating businessman and art collector who invites her to meet him near his Tribeca loft.

No one has ever affected her the way he does, making her want to be possessed completely. He seems to understand her needs intuitively, in a way she doesn’t fully understand herself. Not yet. She’s used to being independent and strong, but she’s starting to understand that there’s another side of her, too, waiting to come into focus.

HIS is the first part of Patricia Glasse’s new series that will follow Kate as she becomes closer to Michele, and explores her own hidden desires—and limits.

Learn more about Patricia Glasse at http://www.patriciaglasse.com.