“I don’t know. If it were me, I’d get tired of it,” Jamie declared. “Tired of doing everything for them.”
“Are you confusing being a submissive with being an employee?”
Her dark eyes held the answer. She was.
“Being submissive doesn’t mean you ever pick up a dishrag,” I explained. “Or a vacuum. Cleaning the house, doing the dishes, making the bed … those aren’t forms of submission. Those are chores.”
“In some of the books I’ve read, a Dom will order a submissive to do those things.”
“And you think the submissive derives pleasure from the actual act of cleaning the house?”
“No?” She stared at me and I could tell she was thinking it through.
I waited for it to click.
“She derives pleasure from pleasing her Dom,” she mused. “From following his instructions, regardless of what those instructions are, she would get that. To know he was pleased by her actions…” Jamie smiled. “That would be where the pleasure comes from.”
Bingo. She’s a fast learner.
“She wants to give up control to her Dominant,” Cav explained. “She craves his command because it gives her the structure she needs, plus the opportunity to please him.”
“I didn’t think of it that way.” Her eyes shifted back to mine. “So, this is what you learn in the training class?”
I shook my head. “It’s more about safety, reading a Dominant’s intentions, being able to assess the situation, and making sure you’re in it for the right reasons.”
“I won’t learn how to please my Dominant?” she questioned.
“Not by vacuuming the floor, no,” Cav said with a chuckle.
“You will learn how to please him,” I acknowledged. “In a sense. And you’ll learn about the various equipment, the positions, the logistics of it all. But most importantly, you learn how a Dom can fulfill your needs and the difference between submission and abuse. A submissive ultimately holds all the power because without your need to submit, what does a Dominant have?”
“A rag doll,” she said simply, her eyes locked with mine.
“Exactly. That’s not what I’m looking for.” I glanced at Cav. “You?”
“Nope. Prefer my submissives to be a little more interactive.”
“I need to walk in a submissive’s shoes,” she finally said after a few moments of silence. “To see what it feels like. I mean, I understand what you’re saying. It makes sense in my head, but I can’t quite grasp how a submissive would know they hold all the power.”
Cav sighed. I glanced over to see him rolling his eyes.
She was making this too difficult. Too clinical.
“You’re looking at this the wrong way,” Cav said, exasperation in his tone.
“How so? It makes more sense now.”
“No, it doesn’t,” I argued.
“But it’ll make perfect sense once I can go through the motions.”
I locked eyes with Jamie. “If the underlying need to submit, to please your Dominant is not going to get you anything in return, then it’s a waste of your time and mine.”
“What if we gave her a brief introduction?” Cav suggested.
Not a bad idea.
“That’s a great idea,” Jamie said gleefully.
“I’m not convinced she’s in it for the right reasons,” I told Cav.
“Maybe not,” he agreed.
I turned my attention back to Jamie. “Care to plead your case?”
“How do I do that?”
“It’s not my place to give you direction in everything, sweetness,” I said through clenched teeth.
Frustration had me looking out the window.
Somewhere in the past ten minutes or so, this had gone in an entirely different direction than we’d been headed. I’d already given in to the idea of taking her back to my place. Pizza, a movie, perhaps something more intimate. I hadn’t, however, given in to the idea of exploring Jamie’s submissive side.
I really didn’t think she was in it for the right reasons. She was spending too much time dissecting it, trying to break it down into little pieces so she could pick out the parts that made sense to her.
The limo came to a stop outside my building. I cast a quick look at Cav. He was clearly waiting for me to say something, do something.
“Edge?”
I turned to Jamie, cocked an eyebrow.
“I understand why you think I’m not grasping the concept,” she said softly. “But I really don’t want it to end here. I’ve enjoyed my time with both of you and I want that to continue. But that’s above and beyond the D/s stuff.”
“But it’s not,” I said with a grimace. “This is who I am, Jamie. I don’t walk around thinking about how I’m going to turn the next woman I encounter into a submissive.”
“I know,” she said quickly. “I’m not implying that, either.” Her dark eyes bounced between me and Cav once more. “I’m sorry. I don’t seem to be communicating this well.”
That was something we could both agree on.
“But I’d like the experience,” she pleaded. “And not just for my paper.”
I stared at Cav. He was watching the two of us and I could see he sympathized with both. He’d spent more time with Jamie this week. Perhaps he was seeing this from a different perspective.
When he gave a slight nod, I took that to mean he had something to discuss on this subject. Figuring it wouldn’t do any good to hash it out in front of Jamie, I sighed.
“Let’s go upstairs. We’ll … talk some more.”
Jamie didn’t respond, but I hadn’t expected her to. The sexual tension I’d felt when we left the bar had dissipated completely. I suddenly felt tired and in desperate need of a real drink. Something a hell of a lot stronger than wine.
“Come on,” I told them as I reached for the door handle.
After dismissing the driver for the evening, I led the way into the building. The ride in the elevator was quiet and I could feel the rigidity in Jamie as she stood between us. I could’ve settled her nerves by promising to go easy on her, but that would defeat the purpose. If she wanted the full experience, I couldn’t treat her with kid gloves.
I got Jamie settled in the living room with a glass of wine, then asked Cav to join me in my office. Once inside, I closed the door, then motioned for him to take a seat.
“Havin’ second thoughts?” he asked, the look on his face one of concern.
“I don’t think she’s in it for the right reasons.”
“I do,” Cav insisted. “I think she’s using this paper as an excuse.”
“I know,” I agreed. “A reason to explore.”
He shook his head. “No. As an excuse to explore. She wants to, but she’s not sure she should.”
I hadn’t considered that. I’d automatically assumed she was interested because of her schoolwork. Not the possibility that she wanted to venture down this road, and this was an opportunity for her to do so.
“Give this a chance,” Cav said softly. “Stop tryin’ to map it out. Just sit back, see where it goes.”
Easier said than done. “Fine. Say I let it play out. Do I hold back or not? If I don’t, I’ll push her too far.”
Cav frowned. “How do you figure?”
I stared at him for a second, wondering if he’d catch on. There was only one point that needed to be addressed tonight.
When he didn’t come to the same conclusion, I helped him along. “She’s a virgin, Cav.”
His eyes narrowed. “So? Are you opposed to takin’ her virginity?”
“No.” And that was the problem. I wanted her virginity.
“She’d never been kissed before I kissed her.” He glanced at the door, then back to me. “Didn’t seem to cause her any problems at all.”
I didn’t say anything, not sure what to say.
What? No more excuses?
Cav sighed. “Why don’t we just let it happen? Enjoy the evening. Answer her questio
ns, Edge. I know you’re tryin’ to map it out, but it won’t work.”
He’s right. You can’t. Not this time.
“Okay.”
His shock was evident. “Really?”
I smiled. “Really.”
His face softened, his smirk appearing. “Okay, then. Let’s see where it goes.”
Cav got to his feet but before he could reach the door, I stopped him, spun him around, and got right up in his face. “Don’t think I’m through with you yet, either. Tonight may be about her, but I’ve got plans for you, too.”
“I’m ready whenever you are,” he whispered, his eyes locked with mine.
I fully intended to move back, but I couldn’t help myself. I leaned in, gripped his jaw in my hand, then crushed my mouth to his. I think it shocked me as much as him, but it didn’t stop either of us. I swallowed Cav’s surprise, met his tongue with my own, and let the kiss ignite.
When we came up for air, neither of us said anything. Words weren’t necessary. One way or the other, this would play out. How was yet to be seen.
Jamie
MY NERVES WERE CLANGING SO LOUDLY, I WAS surprised Edge and Cav couldn’t hear them from the other room. While I wasn’t sure what was going on behind that closed door, I was a little grateful for the few minutes I had to calm myself down.
While I tried to relax, I took in the space. The apartment was nice. Open, airy, a lot of high-end finishes. The furniture wasn’t pretentious. Soft, buttery leather covered the sofa and the armchair that sat at an angle beside it. A large entertainment wall was decked out with wood and glass to go along with the giant television mounted to the wall.
My mind wandered back to the reason I was there. It wasn’t that I was afraid of what was going to happen tonight. I was actually looking forward to it. I just hadn’t given much thought to where this might lead. After tonight.
I knew that sex was a huge part of BDSM, and I was questioning whether or not I was ready. My body said yes without question. My mind, on the other hand, wasn’t quite sure. Since I’d never allowed my hormones to be in charge of my decisions, this was a first for me.
Of course, my heart had a say in the matter, as well, but I was doing my best to ignore it. The one thing I’d learned from my brother where BDSM was concerned … the heart must remain guarded at all times. I fully intended to keep that vital organ shielded as much as possible.
Then again, I could’ve been getting ahead of myself. Who said anything would happen? Who even said sex would be involved? I mean, I’d read plenty of scenes that didn’t involve penetration of any kind. Perhaps that was what they were planning. After all, there were a lot of logistics involved in BDSM. Contracts, safe words, rules, etc. Maybe that was what we would delve into.
“God, I hope not,” I muttered to myself.
If I was being completely honest, I wasn’t interested in the technicalities. That wouldn’t have been the case a week ago. Then again, a week ago I hadn’t gone out with them, hadn’t spent time with my lips melded to theirs. My thoughts instantly shifted to the night in Cav’s truck, the way he had teased my breast with his hot mouth… That was what I wanted. I wanted to be reckless, to let this out-of-control feeling free. I wanted the experience. And not merely the BDSM aspect, although I definitely wanted to explore that avenue.
The door opened and Edge appeared, successfully pulling me from my wandering thoughts. He shoved his hand through his hair, then rasped it down over his face as he approached.
“Is something wrong?” I felt as though I’d asked that too many times tonight.
“No, sweetness. Not at all.”
Just like the other times he’d referred to me that way, my body warmed from the inside out.
“What movie would you like to watch?”
I stared at him as though he’d grown two heads.
I didn’t know exactly what I’d expected him to say, but it certainly wasn’t that. Part of me had thought they were in that room setting up a scene. Getting their equipment ready.
“Movie?” Edge smirked. “I’ve ordered the pizza. It’ll be here shortly.”
Pizza and a movie.
So he’d been serious? That was okay.
He nodded toward my glass. “Would you like more wine?”
“Sure.”
I watched as he reached for my glass, then wandered back toward the kitchen.
“What movie did you decide on?” Cav prompted when he walked into the room.
I stared at him, not sure what to say to that. It was a simple question. One any idiot should’ve been able to answer, but I seemed to be at a loss for words.
“What’s wrong, cupcake?”
“I … uh…”
Edge reappeared, passing over my glass before picking up a remote and clicking a few buttons.
“Apple TV,” he explained. “Any movie you can think of.”
He passed over the remote, then disappeared while Cav took a seat beside me. A moment later, Edge was back, this time passing a glass over to Cav before joining us on the sofa.
“Relax, sweetness,” he whispered. “No expectations tonight.”
I forced a smile. “Yes. No expectations.”
In an effort to relax, I took the remote from Edge and began flipping through options for movies.
“Action? Comedy?” I asked.
“Why don’t we check out this Fifty Shades of Grey you mentioned?”
My head jerked toward Edge. “Seriously?”
He nodded, took a long swallow from his drink. I watched his throat work, felt the heat extending into my limbs.
“All right. You asked for it,” I teased.
A few minutes later, the three of us had settled in. I had downed my wine, then declined another when Edge offered. Twenty minutes in, Edge received a phone call. He disappeared with the explanation that he had to get the pizza. I allowed myself to get distracted by the movie, trying my best not to think about the two hot men I was currently alone with.
When Edge returned, he took on the role of polite host, dishing out pizza before joining us. Before I knew it, the movie was concluding.
“That’s it?” Cav asked. “They’ve left a lot of things up in the air.”
“Oh, no,” I assured him. “There are more movies.”
“Really?” Edge didn’t sound all that impressed. He glanced past me to Cav. “If that’s been your education so far, I’ve got a few things to teach you.”
Heat spiraled through me as I recognized the intent in his gaze. It was similar to the night at the club, when he had laid it all on the line as to how this would go between us.
“Will you teach me?” My breath hitched in my chest. “Tonight?”
Edge seemed to consider that for a moment, then got to his feet, held out his hand. I took it. When I stood, we were close enough I was forced to look up into his face. When his fingers pressed under my chin, I let the warmth of his skin ease my tension.
“You want to know what it’s like for a submissive in my training class?”
I nodded.
“At this point, they would’ve signed contracts, determined their safe word, completed their limits list, amongst other things.” He nodded toward the television. “Since they’ve got that part covered, we’ll skip it tonight.”
“Okay.”
“But you will be completing those should you officially join the class.” He smiled.
I couldn’t help but smile in return.
He leaned in, pressed his lips to the corner of my mouth. “Tonight, we’ll let you set the pace.”
Probably not a smart idea to tell him I was ready to do this at a run.
“One step at a time,” he continued, his lips grazing the other corner of my mouth.
“Do I need a safe word?” I asked on a breathless moan as his hands curled over my hips.
His tongue slid over my lips and I sighed.
“This isn’t a scene. You won’t need one.”
Need one what? I was lost in the warm
th of his body, my brain scrambled from the heat racing in my veins.
He pulled back, stared into my eyes. “Sweetness?”
“I’m sorry. I just… You distract me, Professor.” A rush of heat blossomed inside me.
His eyes flashed with heat at the same time my eyes widened in horror. I couldn’t believe I said that. I couldn’t believe I’d allowed that fantasy to intrude.
“Professor?”
“Yes.” I was breathing hard, my chest rising and falling, a storm brewing within. The heat was almost unbearable, the lust he stirred inside me. Until them, I’d never felt that way before and I prayed it didn’t end. “It’s a fantasy I’ve had. About you and Cav.”
The warmth of Edge’s body disappeared as he took a step back. “Give me a minute.”
Edge backed away, then walked toward the kitchen. I glanced down at Cav, dividing my attention between them both, not sure what was happening. They shared a look, followed by a nod from Edge, and I knew they had something planned for me.
The thought had my insides quaking, my knees going weak.
Cav held out his hand. “Come here, cupcake.”
I placed my hand in his, allowed him to turn me to face him. “Kneel, please.”
Oh, God. I’d read about these instances and admittedly, the thought of kneeling always got my blood pumping. It took me a second because I was trembling, but I managed to situate myself on my knees before him.
“Are you sure this is what you want?”
“Absolutely.” I smiled, wanting to see the same heat I’d seen in Edge’s eyes. “I’m sure, Professor.”
An expletive rolled off his tongue as he pulled my mouth to his, crushing our lips together. I could feel how he felt, the energy that coursed through him. Having me call him that definitely did something to him. And me as well.
“That’s the only rule tonight. That’s how you’ll refer to us. At all times.”
“Yes, Professor.”
His eyes warmed another degree and it made me feel powerful to know that I was capable of doing that to him. I made a mental note of that for my notebook.
“If at any point you feel uncomfortable, I expect you to speak up. Understand?”
Their Naughty Student (Office Intrigue, 6) Page 18
