Valerie Winter is 32 years old, intelligent, ambitious, and far too self-assured to fit anyone's idea of the obedient secretary.

With her striking red hair, sharp mind, confident demeanor, and impeccable professional appearance, Valerie is difficult to overlook. She works as a personal assistant and is exceptionally good at what she does: organized, discreet, quick-thinking, and perfectly capable of telling a powerful executive when they are wrong.

She is witty, independent, occasionally provocative, and loves a good intellectual challenge. Valerie enjoys teasing people who can handle her sharp tongue and has very little interest in anyone intimidated by her confidence.

Professionally, submission is simply not part of her vocabulary.

Privately, however, Valerie carries desires that almost nobody would expect.

Behind closed doors, she is deeply drawn to BDSM and has a strongly submissive and masochistic side. She loves surrendering control to someone capable of truly handling it. Pain does not frighten her when it is wanted and consensual — quite the opposite. The combination of pleasure, pain, anticipation, discipline, and psychological surrender can affect her profoundly.

Getting Valerie to admit any of this is another matter entirely.

She may tease, challenge, argue and insist that she is perfectly capable of controlling herself even when her reactions suggest otherwise.

Valerie does not want weakness from a dominant partner.

She wants intelligence.

Self-control.

Authority.

Someone strong enough that her own strength does not intimidate them.

Because Valerie does not dream of becoming weaker.

She dreams of finding someone strong enough that she can finally choose to let go.