by Marie Tuhart
“I have an office back there.” He gestured toward the partially opened door beyond the staircase. “Upstairs, there are two bedrooms and a loft.”
“It feels like you.” Kristen didn’t know how to explain it. She could picture Cameron in the kitchen, fixing dinner or in his office, grading papers or sitting on the sofa with a beer, cheering on his favorite sports team. The cabin had that homey feeling to it. Nothing like the house she grew up in where she had felt like a visitor.
“Go sit in the living room, and I’ll grab us something to drink.” He turned her toward the sofa before giving her a swat on her ass.
“Hey,” she said but smiled at him.
“My house, my rules.”
“We’ll see about that.” She couldn’t keep the laughter from her voice. She was relaxed with Cameron, and she liked it. The pale-brown sofa was buttery soft as she sat down. The fabric something was close to microfiber, soft yet resilient.
“Iced tea,” Cameron said, striding into the room with a glass in each hand. He placed them on decorative coasters on the coffee table before sitting down next to her on the sofa.
Kristen curled her legs underneath her and positioned herself so she was facing him.
Cameron cleared his throat. “I know we’ve discussed certain things already, but I need to know your limits, your wants, your needs.”
She nodded nerves danced in her stomach as she leaning over to pick up her tea. She took a sip before setting it back down. “Ask away.”
“You mentioned being tied up. Do you like to be restrained?”
“As long as I feel safe, I’m fine with it.”
“Any restraint you don’t want used?”
Kristen tilted her head. “I’m not sure what you mean.”
His lips curved up, and his eyes sparkled with heat. “Scarves, rope, handcuffs, cuffs with rope, spreader bar, things like that.”
She shifted her position. Excitement made her skin tingle. How could she be getting turned on already? They were just talking. “All those are fine.”
“Have you ever been flogged?”
An excited jolt went through her at his question. “No.” Her voice lowered. “But I’d like to be.” She tucked her chin down toward her chest while apprehension warred with eagerness.
“Kristen,” he said.
“I…” How could she talk to him about this? Her first boyfriend had never asked her what she wanted, and her ex…Well, he had thought she was a freak.
“Sweetheart.” Warm strong fingers slid beneath her chin and lifted it until she gazed into his crystal-blue eyes. “You know what I do for a living?”
“Yes, you teach sexual health at the university.”
“Right, I teach the students about sexuality and alternative lifestyles. But I do more than that. I volunteer at Decadence, the BDSM club in town. I also teach education courses there for new members. There’s no reason to be embarrassed.”
“It’s hard for me.” She shifted her legs and took a deep breath. He wanted honesty from her, and regardless of her nerves churning in her stomach, she would do this. Gathering her courage she continued, “The men in my life were not very receptive to kink or my kink.”
“Then they were idiots.” He released her chin. “I’m a Dom. I will always take care of you. Your wants and needs come first. It is my job to take care of you while you’re with me.”
“But—”
“There are no buts.” Cameron turned to her, and Kristen sucked in a breath.
She couldn’t explain it, but suddenly he seemed bigger, taller, more…well, dominant.
“Kneel on the floor at my feet.”
The command vibrated through her body as Kristen slid from her position on the sofa to her knees at his feet. Cameron grinned and a shudder went through her. She’d obeyed him without a second thought. Surprise shot through her.
“A true submissive,” he whispered.
“But how can I be so submissive?” She gazed up at him, confusion swirling in her brain. “From everything I’ve read, I have submissive tendencies, but I’ve never obeyed anyone instantly.” She shook her head even as a tremor of need swept up her spine. “I fought to be my own person for a very long time.”
“Maybe I should clarify; you’re a sexual submissive.”
“Explain that to me, please?” Maybe she didn’t know as much about BDSM as she thought.
“Sit back on the sofa.” He patted the cushion, and Kristen resumed her seat. “You understand Dominant/slave versus the Dominant/submissive?”
“I thought I did. Usually, the Dom/slave is a twenty-four/seven type of relationship where the slave really has no say.”
“Depending on the relationship, yes.”
Relationship? The word bounced in her brain. She never thought of the Dominant/slave dynamic as a relationship. “Then Dom/submissive just happens at a club or a play party.” That’s was what she thought. It was for outside the home.
“Not quite.” He ran a finger down her arm, causing a delicious tingle of anticipation to flow through her veins. “Sometimes in a D/s relationship, the couple keeps their full-time roles, be it in the home, outside the home, or at a club or party.”
Kristen nodded. What did she want? What did Cameron want? Would their needs match up? Or would she be lacking once again? Her stomach quivered as she waited for him to continue.
“Then, there is a sexual submissive.”
“I’m not sure I understand.” While she’d read a lot about BDSM, it had been in fiction romance books. She never noticed a distinction even the tutorial websites she’d read. What had she missed in her reading? Well, she’d missed something that was a given.
“A sexual submissive is only submissive when it comes to the bedroom. They lead normal lives, but when it comes to sex and sexual play, they prefer to be submissive.”
She mulled his explanation over. It made sense, but they weren’t in the bedroom and were only discussing sex.”And by my kneeling, you jumped to me being a sexual submissive?”
“Partly.” He grinned at her. “You also don’t like when I tell you to do something outside of a sexual situation.”
“That’s true.”
“You are your own woman. You’ve built up a business, you run the business, and you do a damn good job at it.”
“Thank you.” She smiled at him. His praise made her feel proud.
“You don’t need me or any man telling you how to handle it.”
“I’d agree with that.” She’d never had such an honest conversation with a man before, and she was enjoying it.
“In a D/s relationship, a submissive might run their own business, but they would almost always ask their Dom for help in making decisions, in running the business, things like that.”
“That’s so not me.” She’d fight him tooth and nail if he tried to interfere with how she ran Cozy Corners, but somehow, she didn’t think he would. He was trying to make a point.
“Correct. You want to give up control when it comes to sex.”
“Even though I cornered you and kissed you before you left for Scotland?”
“There’s nothing wrong with you taking what you want when I don’t seem to be paying attention.” He ran his thumb over her lips, and she shivered with excitement. “But now that I know you’re interested in me and interested in kink, I will be paying attention. Close attention.”
She wasn’t sure she liked that “close attention” remark, but she’d deal with it. “So now what?”
“Now we go over likes and dislikes, soft limits, hard limits, and find areas where I might be able to push you a bit.” He reached to the table behind him and pulled out a clipboard with a stack of papers attached to it.
“That’s a lot of questions.” She inclined her head toward the papers in his hand.
“Not all are questions.” He shifted on the sofa so he faced her, the clipboard resting on his knee. “Ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.” Kristen turned so she faced Ca
meron more. Her stomach turned over. Why did she feel she was about to expose her soul to him?
“Let’s talk about limits.”
“Sure.” She was pretty sure she could do that without betraying her unease. She was woefully inexperienced in this, and she hoped it didn’t turn Cameron off.
For the next hour, they discussed her limits, his limits, safewords, and his expectations. By the end of their talk, Kristen was much more relaxed and comfortable. She was going into this with her eyes wide open. A tingle of anticipation slipped through her veins.
Cameron hid a smile when Kristen shifted on the sofa again. This shift was slightly different. Before, she had leaned away as if wary. But now, she was leaning closer, hopefully in eagerness.
Actually, that wasn’t a bad sign, but a good one. He couldn’t help but remember how Julia had been during this phase. Julia had been a submissive before and was all brass and nails. Cameron preferred Kristen’s honesty and shy smiles.
He now had a better idea of what Kristen knew and didn’t know. He hadn’t taken on a novice in a long time, but anticipation flowed through his blood at being able to teach Kristen, at being able have a romantic relationship with her, and to make her his.
“I really don’t know much, do I?” Kristen dipped her head.
His first instinct was to lift her chin, but instead, he slid his arm around her waist and tugged her until she was sitting in his lap. Her green eyes grew wide.
“It will come. We all had to start at the beginning.” He was going to enjoy teaching her.
“Now what?” She tried to slip off his lap, but he tightened his grip on her waist.
“First, stop trying to wiggle free. Second, relax, and let me hold you.”
A sigh left her lips. “I don’t relax very well.”
“I’ve noticed.” His lips brushed her cheek. “Put your right arm around my back, and close your eyes.” He waited until she did as he said. “Now I want you to rest your head on my shoulder.”
“I—”
He placed his fingers against her lips. “No arguments. If you want me to stop, say your safeword.” He hoped she didn’t say it. They weren’t doing much, and she needed to learn to trust him, to relax around him.
Kristen puffed out a breath and put her head on his shoulder, but her body remained stiff, her breathing a little too rapid. He wanted relaxed, not anxious. Cameron shifted his legs wider, cradling her closer to his body. Using his right hand, he began rubbing circles on her back.
He continued caressing her until her breathing became deep and even. “That’s it.” He kept his voice low while moving his hand up to her neck. Some people became very defensive when someone touched their head and neck area.
A shiver slipped through her when his fingers massaged from beneath her hair to her neck, but she didn’t stiffen. Good.
“That’s it, Kristen,” he praised, letting her know he appreciated her efforts. “Rest against me, let me take your burdens away for a while.”
A sigh left her lips, and her body became languid against his. He plucked the elastic band holding her hair up and spread his fingers out into her hair, kneading her head softly as his left hand skimmed up and down her left arm.
She giggled. “That tickles.”
“What does?” He kept tracing her skin on her forearm with the pad of his finger.
“Your finger. Your skin is rough. I wouldn’t have expected that from a professor.”
Cameron chuckled. “Just because I teach all day doesn’t mean I don’t work out.”
“That’s for sure.” Her arm rose, and her fingers trailed down his chest to his abs. “No one has abs like these without working out.”
His groin tightened at her touch. “Depends on the work out.” He captured her fingers and brought them to his lips. He kissed each digit in turn before gently setting her hand back in her lap.
He continued to caress her skin, just letting her learn she could trust him and his touch. As much as he wanted to jump into the relationship, he’d take his time. There was no reason to rush at this point in time.
Chapter Six
Kristen shut her apartment door behind her after Cameron dropped her off. She glanced at the clock—almost twelve-thirty a.m.—and she leaned against the door, clutching two BDSM books to her chest. What a restful afternoon and evening. He hadn’t done much but talk and touch her as he held her all afternoon. They hadn’t removed a single piece of clothing, but it still had been sensual. He’d kept the touching light and controlled. But it had still aroused her. She had fully expected Cameron to jump right into sex and the lifestyle with her instead of taking it slow.
He’d somehow known she needed to relax to feel more comfortable with him. Pushing away from the door, she crossed over to the living room, set the two books on the coffee table, and plopped down on her sofa. She had to admit Cameron had been right to take this slow. She wanted to explore Dom/sub relationship with him, but she also wanted a real relationship.
She glanced at the books. He’d given her homework like she was one of his students. Well in a way, she was. But this was going to be an up close and personal study. With a grin, she rose from the sofa and headed for bed. She was a little put off that he didn’t try anything today. She so wanted more of his kisses, maybe a caress or two. Her nipples tightened, causing her to take a deep breath as unfulfilled desire sank into her bones. Tomorrow. Tomorrow was another day.
****
“Damn,” Kristen swore three days later as she rummaged through the fridge in the café kitchen. “I know darn well it’s here.”
“Whatcha looking for?” Skye asked as she sauntered into the kitchen.
“Butter.” She shifted stuff around in the fridge. Not there. Slamming the door shut, she marched over to the other one. Not there, either. What the hell? Stop. Breathe. Her frustration was over-running her common sense.
“Ummm, Kristen.”
Her head shot up. It wasn’t like Skye to be tentative about anything. “What happened?”
“It’s Tuesday, and I opened today. The delivery never showed up.” Skye looked down at her shoes.
Crap. That’s why there wasn’t any butter.
“It’s not your fault.” Kristen smiled at Skye to ease her fears. Kristen blamed herself for not being here this morning. Instead of getting up, she’d slept in. Disappointment warred within her. She needed to explain to Cameron that she needed to be home at a decent time when she had to work the next morning. These late nights were causing her to forget about her business, and that was something she couldn’t allow to happen. “But I should have told you the second you came downstairs.”
“Skye.” Kristen crossed over to her and laid her hand on Skye’s shoulder. “You were slammed with customers this morning. I’ll call and find out what happened. In the meantime, we’ll just have to make do with what we have.”
The bell over the door rang, and Skye grimaced at being interrupted.
Kristen squeezed Skye’s shoulder before dropping her arm and saying, “Really, it’s okay. Go take care of the customers.”
“Thanks.” Skye slid out the kitchen door.
Kristen picked up the phone and called her vendor. “Hey, Pete, Kristen here. My delivery didn’t show up this morning.”
“Yeah, I know. Sorry,” Pete said. “Two of my trucks broke down.”
She pushed out a breath. “And you didn’t think about calling and letting me know?”
“Look, it’s been a little hectic here.”
“I’m sorry, Pete. But you have to understand, I rely on your delivery. Your on-time delivery. “
“It will be there tomorrow.” The line went dead.
Kristen sighed. Damn, it looked like it was time for her to find another supplier, which was not something she wanted to do. She loved using local vendors for her supplies, but if Pete couldn’t make his deliveries, she’d find someone who could.
“Skye?” she called to the front. One of them would need to make a run
to the warehouse store. She couldn’t wait until tomorrow.
“Yeah, boss.” Skye looked over the swinging doors into the kitchen. “You want to make a warehouse run, or me?”
Skye glanced over her shoulder, and Cameron peered around Skye, grinning at her. Kristen’s eyes widened.
“Why don’t we make that run?” Cameron asked.
“W—we?” Kristen could barely get the word out. Her nerves tingled with the idea of spending more time with him.
“Yes.” Cameron slid around his sister and through the doors to where she stood. “I can help you get whatever you need.”
“That’s a great idea,” Skye said. “Cam’s got his big SUV with him, and you can pack more into it.”
“But…”
Cameron’s blue eyes focused in on her, and she forgot what she was going to say.
“Tim will be here in thirty minutes, so he and I can handle the lunchtime rush,” Skye said. “We’ll be fine.”
Cameron ran a finger down her cheek. “I want to help.”
“See, all set. Take your time.” Skye disappeared from her sight.
“We have to go over to Greenville,” Kristen said, hoping he didn’t mind.
“Not a problem. Go grab your purse, and let’s go.”
“Let me find the order invoice first.” She started to turn, but Cameron’s hands on her shoulders stopped her. Heat filled her blood. His touch was gentle and yet affected her to the core. She was comforted and aroused at the same time. And she wanted more.
“Tell me where the invoice is. I’ll grab it.” His hands slid from her shoulders, down her arms, until they circled her waist. “Let me help you, Kristen. You don’t have to do everything alone.”
Her breath caught in her throat at his words. She was so used to doing everything alone. She only had herself to rely on. “I’ll get my purse. The invoice should be in the bottom drawer of the cabinet over there. Pete’s Supplies.” She slid from his arms and ran up the back stairs before she thought better of it.
Kristen high-tailed it up to her apartment and back downstairs. Cameron was bent over going though the files. Damn, the man had a fine ass. Heat filled her face. When was the last time she had ogled a man’s ass? Never.
