"Dale?" she prompted. "I really do want to hear about it. I live in New York City, for goodness's sake. I'm not completely naïve."
"The clubs I mentioned to you—the ones I said you wouldn't be interested in—they're BDSM clubs. I am a Dom, Cora Beth. Do you know what that means?"
"Are you a sadist?" she asked, holding her breath as she waited to hear what he said next.
"No, I'm not. I enjoy the control, I like some of the kinky sex, and I have been known to spank a smart little ass on occasion. I don't get off on inflicting unnecessarily harsh punishments or severe pain. I enjoy the mutual enjoyment of being with a woman who likes the same things I do. Some submissives, as they're called, want more than I want to give. Some like the rough stuff. I'm not that kind of Dom. In fact, they refer to me as the Gentle Dom."
"I see. I don't know a lot about the lifestyle, but I work with some women who are into it, so I've heard some of their stories. And, of course, with my editing job, I've read a lot of books that deal with that subject line—"
"But you've never tried it," he finished for her.
"No. My dates have been vanilla. All of them. I've been invited to visit clubs with my coworkers, but I never accepted any of their invitations. Not that I'm not interested in learning more, I just always thought if I did stick my toe in the waters, it would need to be with someone I knew and trusted."
"Ah, trust, the first rule of any Dom/submissive relationship. You're on the right track there."
"So, can you explain a little to me?" she asked.
"Okay, hear me out. You live a fast-paced life, busy job, meetings, late nights, travel, a lot of responsibilities, right?"
"Yes."
"So, how would it feel for you to come home at night to a man who basically took all the weight off your shoulders from the moment you walked in the door?"
"It would feel pretty damned good, I would imagine. I've never had that, so I don't really know."
"Say you come in from a rather hectic day at the office. You've fought traffic all the way home, assuming you occasionally drive yourself to the office. You're tired, hungry, and just want to forget the world for a few hours, for the night, until it's time to do it all over again the next day."
"Heaven."
"If you are in a committed D/s relationship, your Dom would pamper you from the moment you walked in that door. He would make sure that all of your needs were taken care of. He would take over all control, not in a bad way, but in a way that left you with nothing to worry about for the next twelve hours or so. He might run a bath for you, so you can relax, then make sure there is a hot meal to satisfy your hunger, either by cooking, ordering take out, taking you out, or the two of you preparing the meal together. It's no longer your sole responsibility to make sure there is food on the table every night. He would listen to your concerns about your day. And when it came time to go to bed, he might satisfy some of your other hungers."
"Sounds far-fetched and too good to be true."
"Uh-huh, I thought you'd say that. In addition to making sure you are taken care of, he would also set down some rules for you to follow. Usually, the rules are for your own protection and good health, like what you eat, making sure you keep doctor's appointments, things of that nature. If you break one of those rules, he would punish you."
"How?"
"He might make you stand in the corner or write lines, or he may turn you across his knee and smack your sexy little ass for you."
"Isn't that a bit childish and controlling?"
"Some people would say so, yes. If you are in the lifestyle, you know that it's really not. The submissive holds as much power as the Dom. Nothing is done without your consent. Safe, sane, and consensual. You also would have a safe word, one that you and your Dom agreed upon. If things are going past your limit, all you'd have to do is say that word, and it all stops. You hold the control."
"I see. So how many of these relationships have you been in over the years?"
"Honestly? I've never been in a committed D/s relationship with anyone. I've never met a submissive I'd want to do that with."
"I don't understand."
"At the club, we have what we call scenes. I scene with women. I also date women, but I haven't been in any sort of committed relationship for many years, Cora Beth."
"So, you have sex with strangers in these clubs?"
"They aren't strangers, per se. I've met several women there, but I don't scene with any sub, unless I know her well. I guess you could say I have a strange sort of standard for a Dom."
"Wow, just wow. This is all so intriguing. How did you get started? What drew you to the lifestyle?"
"Hmm, you sure you want to hear this?"
"Yes, I do. You've told me this much, you may as well tell me the rest."
"I worked with some guys who were members of a local club when I first got out of law school. They invited me to a club one night, and I found that I enjoyed myself and I wanted to learn more about the lifestyle. I only observed that night and for several visits after that. Finally, I decided to try it for myself. Since there was no one special in my life at the time, it was a good way for me to meet women and to have some 'no-strings-attached' hookups. There are rules to belonging to a club, Cora Beth. There are strict guidelines that must be followed."
"I'm just amazed. I mean, who would have ever thought that you, of all people, small-town football hero, esteemed lawyer, would be in the lifestyle? What happens when you move back home?"
He shrugged. "I can always go to Austin on the weekends."
"I guess that's true enough."
"So, do you think any less of me now that you know my deep, dark secrets?"
She shook her head. "No, Dale. We're both adults. We've both seen and done some things. We've traveled in more sophisticated circles. Like I said, some of my best friends at work live the lifestyle."
"True that," he agreed as he pulled her close. "Let's get some sleep. If you have more questions tomorrow, I'll answer them then."
Throughout the night, they snuggled, slept, woke, talked, kissed, and slept again. When the bright winter sunlight shone through the window of the bedroom, she awoke to find that he was already up. Looking around, she picked his shirt from the night before off the floor and threw it on, buttoning as she went in search of her missing lover.
"Whoa, where do you think you're going, lady?" he asked as he met her in the hallway with two mugs of steaming coffee in his hands.
"Looking for you, oh, what flavor coffee?" she asked as she took one of the mugs.
"Double chocolate cream. Tell me what you think. By the way, you look really good in my shirt." He grinned.
Blushing, she smiled as she sipped the gourmet-flavored drink. "This is really good, Dale."
"I'll buy you some to take home with you when we go to the market later," he offered as he took a sip of his own hot drink.
"Speaking of the market, we need to decide what we are going to whip up in that dream kitchen of yours and make a shopping list." She looked around for paper and pen. He pointed to the nightstand. Opening the drawer, she rummaged through it until she found what she was looking for. As she was rummaging through the packets of condoms and other items, she spied an old photo. She glanced at it quickly and saw that it was the same prom photo of the two of them that she had found at her grandmother's house. Closing the drawer hurriedly so he wouldn't know she'd seen it, she smiled. I can't believe he still has that picture, let alone in his nightstand drawer.
"Now, what should we buy?" she asked as she sipped her coffee.
"I know you still like Italian, so why don't we make pasta? I make a mean sauce."
She looked over at him then began writing. "Tell me what ingredients you need for your mean sauce."
After they'd compiled their shopping list, she got up and announced, "I'm going to take a shower."
Grinning as he remembered their shared shower the night before, he asked, "Want some company?"
She
nodded and broke into a run. He got up, chasing her, and when he caught her, he turned her to face him. "Kiss me, Cora Beth."
She turned her face up for the inevitable kiss, submitting to it freely as he devoured her lips with his own.
They stepped into the shower, repeating the lovemaking they'd shared before under the sensual spray of the steaming water. I'll never be able to take a shower again without reliving this moment, she thought as she succumbed to the sensations wracking her body.
Stepping out of the stall, she reached for a fluffy blue towel and began to dry her soaking wet body.
He looked at her and said in a voice barely above a whisper, "How am I going to let you go back to New York?"
"Dale, you know I have to go."
"I know, baby. It's just that this weekend has been so special for me, and I hope it has been for you, too."
"Oh, Dale, it's been very special to me, more than you know." She kissed him and then turned to go into the guest room where her clothes were. As she closed the door behind her, she leaned against the door and let the tears fall. Oh, my love, I will miss you more now than I did before. But you have your life, and I have mine. And never the two shall meet. You'll go back to your bachelor ways, and I'll go back to my Broadway shows and my slush piles, but we'll always have this time. No one can take that away from us. Pulling herself together, she grabbed a pair of jeans from her bag. Pulling a pink sweater over her head, she walked to the dresser and brushed her hair in front of the mirror, pulling it up into a ponytail and securing it with a clip.
She walked into the kitchen where he stood with the shopping list and his keys, rinsing their coffee mugs. "I'm ready to go," she announced as he turned to look at her.
He stood staring quietly before finally speaking. "You look just like you did when you were a kid."
"Thanks, Dale, at least I don't look like an old thirty-year-old woman."
Chuckling, he replied, "You'll be beautiful at eighty, baby." Tugging at her ponytail, he added, "Let's go shopping."
They drove to the nearest market, and as they strolled through the aisles of the store, he pushed the shopping cart. She carefully chose the ingredients for the pasta and sauce. They picked fresh greens for a salad, and she bought French bread. He chose the wine, and she picked up a carton of butter pecan ice cream for dessert.
"You still eat butter pecan ice cream?" he asked.
"Not often, that's why it looked so good when I saw it."
"I think this just about does it," he said as they neared the checkout.
"Here, let me give you the money for half of this," she said as she reached into her purse for her wallet.
"Absolutely not; my treat." He shook his head emphatically.
"But, Dale, you've bought dinner for me all week," she argued.
"So what, I don't get the chance to do that very often. If I ever make it to New York, then you can treat me."
"I'll hold you to that."
He paid for the groceries, and as they carried the bags to his car, he remarked thoughtfully, "Another thing I'm doing for the first time with you, buying groceries."
"You've never bought groceries before? What do you do, have them delivered?"
"No, silly, I meant that I've never bought groceries with a female before."
"Oh, really?" she asked incredulously.
"I suppose by that surprised tone, I'm to assume that you have grocery shopped with a man before."
She thought for a minute. "No, actually, come to think of it, I don't believe that I have."
"We really have to stop doing this, lady." He chuckled as he put the bags into the trunk of his Lexus.
"Doing what, shopping?"
"No, doing things for the first time with each other."
She giggled as she got into the car. When he got behind the wheel, she asked, "Have you ever cooked with a woman in your kitchen before?"
Looking at her, he rolled his eyes and answered, "No, Cora, I haven't."
Grinning like the cat that ate the canary, she replied, "And there you have it, one more thing to be shared for the first time by Cora and Dale."
"You, too?" He laughed. "Of course, there are still many firsts we haven't tried yet."
"They wouldn't be firsts for you," she reminded him.
"In a way, they would. With you, they would be different."
"How so?" she asked.
"They would be with you, Cora Beth. That alone would make any experience we shared special."
Cora didn't know how to reply to that, so she remained silent. Her thoughts were taking her to some very dangerous places.
When they returned to the condo, she put the groceries away while he started a fire in the living room fireplace.
"Come on in here, babe, and warm up. I'm freezing, and I know you are too."
She joined him in front of the roaring fire. Looking up at him, she said, "This is wonderful. I absolutely love this place."
"Do you really?"
"Oh, yes, it's just a perfect home. My place in New York is much smaller and a lot older. I could just cuddle up in front of this fireplace and read for hours on end."
"I guess it is pretty cozy, as well as having all the modern conveniences. I never really thought about it, being here all alone most of the time. And I'm not really at home very often, just to sleep."
"You've really wasted living in a great place then, Dale."
He looked around thoughtfully, and a secret smile stole across his face as she warmed her hands in front of the fire.
They sat on the couch as she looked through the movies offered on Netflix. When she'd finally chosen one, she settled back with the cream-colored afghan on the back of the couch. He pulled her to him, and they spent the afternoon snuggled on his leather couch watching movie after movie.
As the third movie ended, he looked at her. "I hate to admit this, Cora Beth, but—"
"You've never snuggled on your couch on a Saturday afternoon with a chick watching sappy movies," she finished for him.
"Exactly." He burst into a hearty laugh before leaning down for a kiss.
"Let's go to the kitchen. I want to try this mean sauce you've been bragging about."
"Lead the way," he mimicked as he grinned at her.
Working together in his ample kitchen, they teased each other as they prepared the evening meal. It was perfect; they moved around each other effortlessly, as if they were used to working in the kitchen together as a couple.
When they sat down to sample the meal, he poured wine for each of them and raised his glass. "I'd like to make a toast."
She held her glass up and waited.
"To Cora Beth, thank you for a wonderful weekend."
"To you, Dale, for making it so special and inviting me into your beautiful home," she added.
They praised each other's culinary skills throughout the meal. When it was over, he helped her clear the table and do the dishes. Swatting her on the bottom with his dishtowel when they were finished, he remarked happily, "I think that was a smashing success."
"I'd have to agree; it was delicious."
"We make a good team, Cora," he said then quickly turned away. He walked into the living room.
She hung her dishtowel on the rack next to his and followed him. She found him standing in front of the crackling fire, deep in thought.
"Penny for your thoughts," she said as she walked behind him and put her arms around his waist.
He turned and pulled her into his strong embrace, and as his breath softly brushed across her face, he said, "I'm thinking about chasing you around this couch."
"And what will you do when you catch me?" she asked.
"Tie you up and make sweet love to you all night."
"Bring it on, big boy," she teased as she broke away and began to run.
He caught her quickly, and as they dropped to the floor in front of the fire, laughing like kids, he suddenly brought his hand to her chin. Lifting her face to his, he gazed into her amethyst
gray eyes, the eyes he'd fallen in love with years ago, and said, "I can't let you go, Cora, not again." He kissed her deeply, igniting the fire between them until it burned hotter than the fire in the stone fireplace. They made love on the floor of the home she'd fallen in love with.
Later, she looked into his dark eyes and said, "Dale, you have a new life in Fredericksburg, and my life is in New York. You've said that you are a confirmed bachelor. I know that you are as swept up in this romantic weekend as I am. But on Monday morning, reality is going to slap both of us in the face. This weekend is one I'll always remember, but—"
"Of course, you're right, Cora. I know that as well as you do, sweet girl. And yes, this weekend is one that I'll always remember. I always wondered after we'd lost touch what it would be like to be with you again. I haven't been disappointed. You've become a very beautiful woman. A woman with the same sweet heart and spirit you've always had. Life hasn't hardened you as I was afraid it had."
"And you've become the man I always knew you could be."
"I have one request when this weekend ends, though."
"What's that, Dale?" she asked breathlessly.
"Please, let's not lose touch again. I know you have your life, and I have mine, but let's call, text, email, and maybe even occasionally get together."
"I'd like that, Dale."
"Let's go to bed. I want to spend this night holding you in my arms."
"Okay," she replied quietly as he extinguished the fire in the fireplace. He reached down and scooped her up into his strong arms and carried her to the bedroom. She buried her head in his chest and closed her eyes, shutting out the rest of the world for one more night of Heaven in his arms.
When they got to his room, he gently put her on the bed then reached for the handcuffs. He asked, "Okay with this?"
When she nodded, he attached her wrist to the bed and started to undress her. Slowly, sensuously, he removed each article of clothing, tossing them to the floor, one by one, as he did so. When she lay before him, totally nude, he gazed at her with dark, desire-filled eyes.
Cora was breathing heavily by this time as she wondered what his next move would be.
Her Promised Dom (Dominant Men Book 3) Page 8
