by Tori Carson
“Then it’s yours for as long as you want it.”
Angela gave him a hug. “I don’t know how to thank you for all you’ve done.”
He waved away her words. “It’s nothing. And I have a truck and know some able-bodied men who will be happy to move your things. Can you sleep on the spare bed tonight and we’ll move the rest tomorrow?”
“That would be great. I saw the kitchen was pretty well stocked, except for food. If you’re not pressed for time, we could walk to the grocery and then I’ll make you dinner.” She loved the apartment, but a tiny part of her was nervous to be alone. Rarely was she ever by herself. When she was growing up, the house was always full of people. At her ex’s, there were servants and Jill always had people over.
“Why don’t you cook for me tomorrow? Tonight we can order something from the restaurant on the first floor. We can get a to-go order and bring it up here.”
She pulled away from him. His touch was too comfortable. She had to keep reminding herself she wasn’t interested in a relationship. “I’ll be happy to make you dinner tomorrow, but Brett, you’ve done too much already. I can’t impose upon you again. Why don’t we order delivery pizza? My treat!”
A small smile touched Brett’s face, but his eyes seemed a bit far away as if he were remembering something.
“I’m not sure it’s legal to have pizza without beer.” He chuckled, then grew serious and took her in his arms. “I’d like to scene with you tonight if you’re willing. I don’t scene if I’ve been drinking.”
He was asking her, not dictating to her, and the steak had been delicious when they ate there before. She could give him his way on this, especially if it meant play-time was possible. “I’ve been known to enjoy a pizza without the consumption of beer, but we can eat whatever you’d like.”
“Thank you.” Brett pulled out his phone. “What sounds good tonight? Did you want another steak or the chicken?” He looked her in the eye. “Or something else?”
“I think I’d like chicken tonight.”
“Done.” He sent a text message and slid the phone back into his pocket.
“Shall we get a little more comfortable and adjourn to the living room?” She held out her hand before she thought better of it. Why did she crave his touch? She’d never been like that with other men.
Brett took off his coat and tie then released the first two buttons of his shirt before sitting down on the couch. He motioned for her to lie across his lap.
Goodness, he was yummy. Her stomach had butterflies at the thought of scening with him again. “I’m sorry about last night. I didn’t want it to end that way.”
If they were going to be exclusive she owed him an explanation. Just the thought of being that intimate with a man had her pulse racing. Intimacy isn’t dependency. It was her new chant. Just because they were going to be exclusive in the bedroom didn’t mean he wanted to control her.
“Are you ready to tell me what happened?” Brett was running his fingers through her hair.
“No.” She chuckled, “But I will anyway.” She glanced at his solemn face then quickly away. “Just let me get this out before you say anything, okay?” He nodded. “My ex was my first. Once he got over the thrill of using a virgin…he never did it again. He said he preferred ‘women with skill’. So I don’t have a lot of experience…at anything.” Her face was flaming hot and she couldn’t get up the nerve to look at him. Why did she feel about twelve again?
“I appreciate that you told me, Angela, but you needn’t be embarrassed. We’ll have the joy of experiencing new things together. It sounds like you’re much better off without him.”
His calm, ‘not a worry in the world’ attitude allowed her to breathe again. “Yeah, it didn’t take long to figure out he was an ass, but it still hurt like hell when he brought his first mistress to our home.” She couldn’t believe she’d confided that. Brett made her feel too comfortable. Angela scrambled to sit up and get off his lap, but he held her in place with one hand. His strength had surprised her.
“Settle down. What you tell me isn’t going to go anywhere else. I promise you, anything we talk about in confidence will stay that way.” His tone deepened.
She immediately stopped as his voice moved over her and settled somewhere near her clit. She seemed hyper attuned to him and it was disconcerting. It had nothing to do with her fear that he’d tell anyone and everything to do with the fact that she’d told him. Confessing that the man you’d married had no interest in you sexually was humiliating.
“Did he expect a threesome?”
“What?” She looked at him then. “No. I mean, it wasn’t like that. I wasn’t included.” Could this get any more embarrassing?
“Five years is a long time to live in a sexless marriage. What kept you there?” He caressed her arm.
“I don’t want to talk about it.” That information was never slipping out.
Brett nodded and smoothly kept the conversation moving. “You don’t have anything to worry about along those lines with me. I’ve never cheated on a woman and I don’t share.”
She relaxed back into his lap. Nothing seemed to faze him.
Brett checked his watch. “I’m going to go grab our dinner and my toy bag. While I’m gone, think of three things you’d most like to explore and be ready to discuss them when I get back.”
Brett knew he’d have to tread lightly. Angela was the most skittish woman he’d ever met. Still, it wouldn’t be fair to her if he completely hid his dominant side. She needed to know what he was really like or they’d never have a chance as a couple.
He took the stairs two at a time, not willing for her to spend a lot of time in her head. If she thought too much, she’d likely come up with reasons to back out of their arrangement. He went to his car first and grabbed his satchel then picked up their food, some drinks and headed back up to her apartment.
As soon as he knocked she opened the door but hid behind it. He thought that was odd, but carried the food into the dining room. After putting it on the table and sliding his toy bag against the wall he caught a glimpse of Angela. She was hanging back by the doorway, dressed only in his tie.
“I never knew I could be so fickle. Riding up the elevator my stomach was growling, but after seeing you I’m hungry for something else altogether.” Angela looked young and innocent, biting the tip of her fingernail. He definitely wanted to eat her for supper. “But we have a bed tonight and I plan to do all sorts of aerobic activities with you this evening so you need to eat well.” He waved towards a chair. “Please have a seat, my love.”
“Do we need anything from the kitchen?” Angela asked still hanging back.
“You know…now that you mention it, I do think we’re missing something. We have no centerpiece.” He loved the confused look that appeared on her face. “I can’t think of anything more beautiful than,” he touched her nose with his index finger, “you. Hop up, Angela. On your stomach, hands behind your back.”
She looked at the table, then back at him. “I’m naked.”
He couldn’t help but smile. “I noticed.” He raised one eyebrow and gave her a stern look. “Your Dom gave you an order. Are you stalling?”
“No, Sir. Not on purpose.” She sat on the edge and slid toward the middle before lying down on her tummy.
“That’s a good girl. Now put your hands behind your back. Are you okay with me restraining you?” Brett picked up his satchel and placed it on a chair. He unzipped it and pulled out a set of leather cuffs.
“Yes, Sir.”
Quickly, before she thought too much about it, he Velcroed them around her wrists and ankles. He used a short length of rope to draw her into a hogtie. “You’re completely at my mercy. Now this I like.”
“Um, it’s going to be a little hard to eat like this, Sir.”
“More for me,” he murmured as he drew the food from the bags. “I believe you had an assignment to complete while I was gone. Have you come up with three things you’d like
to explore?”
“Yes, Sir,” she answered then bit her bottom lip.
Brett noticed her face turning red just before she dipped her head and allowed her hair to cascade in front of her face.
“Oh, that will never do.” He stood up and took another short length of rope from his bag. After pulling her hair into a ponytail, he wrapped a course of rope around it then looped her hair through itself to lock the rope in place. He attached the end of the rope to one of the D-rings on the cuff at her ankle. “Is that too tight?”
“No, Sir.”
He didn’t want her too uncomfortable, since he planned on having her in that position for a while. Brett set the food and drinks on the table, draped a napkin on his lap and sat down to enjoy his dinner.
“So tell me one of the things you came up with.” He cut a piece of her chicken and held it over the plate while she answered.
“I’m curious about wax play,” she answered softly, looking at the food not at him.
He slid the fork in front of her mouth. Watching her lips engulf the utensil sent his cock jumping. Even with the disastrous way last night had ended, he still wanted to feel her take him deep again. He just had to figure out how to do it without a repeat panic attack.
“We can certainly do that, but it might be easiest at the club. It can be messy. You don’t want to do that here until we have extra sheets. What else?” He took a bite of his dinner then readied another forkful for her.
“I heard some of the subs talking about consequence play and I was wondering what it entailed.” She still wasn’t looking at him, but her voice was stronger this time.
He fed her a few bites and enjoyed some of his own before he answered. “I’d need to know more about you before I could set up a scene like that. I think, given time, it could certainly be something we’d have fun with.”
This time she met his gaze. “What types of things would you need to know?”
Discussing sex with Angela was a bit like walking through a minefield. It had to be done, but he’d be much more comfortable once he knew what her triggers were. “There are a lot of things. How do you react to pain? Where is the line between pleasure enhancing and pulling you out of the zone?” He was watching her closely, looking for any clue that pain was hot button for her. When she took it in stride, he continued. “How do you respond to orgasm deprivation or forced orgasms?”
He held her straw near her lips so she could take a drink then fed her the rest of her meal. So far so good. “We should also discuss what, if any, goals you’d like my help with.” Based on her expressions, the tenseness in her body and the wary look in her eyes, he deduced this was another touchy area, though he wasn’t entirely sure why.
“What do you mean?” she asked sharply.
“Sometimes in consequence play, a sub has a specific part of their body they want to target. They may want to strengthen a set of muscles or gain flexibility in a certain region. In those instances, a Dom may set up a workout schedule to help their sub achieve their goal.”
Angela shook her head adamantly. “This is only about sex, Brett. Nothing else.” She began to squirm. “This isn’t comfortable. Get me out of this.”
Brett stood, sliding his chair back as he did so.
“Freedom. Let me go.” She was thrashing about in earnest. Her voice was growing louder, her eyes wide with fear.
“Angela, calm down.” He kept his voice low. Brett had one hand on her shoulder both to hold her still and to let her know he was there. “You’re going to injure yourself, if you keep struggling, honey.”
It took only seconds to free her. The cuffs had a Velcro release that he used rather than untying the ropes. As soon as the last cuff was removed, Angela pulled the rope from her hair and scrambled off the table on the opposite side from him, far out of his reach.
He wanted to go to her, to hold and comfort her, but he feared if he took a step in her direction she’d run. Instead, he held out his hand. “Angela, come to me. I don’t like the distance between us.”
A small drop of blood appeared on her lower lip, a sharp contrast to the white teeth that had made the puncture. She stared at him for several long seconds before she dropped her head. Her hair swung forward covering her face and blocking out her expressions. “Brett, I don’t think I’m ready to do this. I’m sorry I led you on this way.”
“Please, come to me, Angela. I need to hold you.” And he did. Seeing her this way forged fires of rage he’d never felt before. If he didn’t take her in his arms soon, he was going to hunt her ex down and beat the shit out of him. Hell, he might do that regardless.
Without looking up at him, she walked around the table to stand in front of him. Her arms were covering her breasts and pussy as best she could, but his tie still hung around her neck. It may have no significance at all, but he chose to assume that she found it comforting.
He drew her into a hug, but she remained rigid. “Put your arms around me.” A few seconds later she circled his waist and he could breathe again. Brett rubbed his chin over the top of her head while he considered how to proceed.
“We need to talk about what frightened you. I have to know what happened. Believe me, baby, I wasn’t trying to gain more control over you. I’ve never wanted D/s outside of sexual matters. But I need to know where this is coming from. I promise what you tell me will stay between you and me.”
Angela rested her forehead on his chest. “You must think I’m a total nut job. I’m sorry, Brett.”
“How about we curl up together under the covers and we talk about this?” He was already leading her to the spare bedroom. “I think your ex was an abusive asshole, who has a lot to answer for.”
She shook her head. “He never struck me.”
Brett pulled back the comforter and sheet. After she crawled in, he drew them back around her as he sat on the edge of the bed and removed his shoes and socks. “Abuse doesn’t have to take on a physical form. Mental abuse is just as scarring. Maybe more so. Tell me about your marriage.”
He dimmed the light and shed the rest of his clothing. So as not to scare her too much, he kept his briefs on and slid under the covers to spoon her.
“He runs the local bank and my parents own a textile company. When we started dating, I was still in school. Later I realized I was in love with the idea that someone older and powerful found me attractive. Which isn’t the same thing as being in love, love.”
“I can see how that could happen.” He wrapped his arm around her and she snuggled against him using his arm as a pillow. It would have been better if he could see her expressions, but he thought she’d be less nervous this way.
“While we were dating, he treated me like a princess. We talked about every topic and he encouraged me to share my opinions. I felt grown up and worldly.” She shrugged. “I don’t think we were even home from our honeymoon before everything crumbled.” Angela pulled away from him.
“What happened?” When she hesitated, he encouraged her. “You need to get this out and I need to hear it, honey. Just tell me.” Slowly, he drew her back against him and rubbed her arm and shoulder until she relaxed.
“I couldn’t satisfy him sexually. I was timid and shy and he wanted a commanding woman. I just couldn’t do that. Once we were home, he started bringing in women who could please him. I was humiliated and wanted a divorce. He refused. It would look bad if his trophy wife left him. That was his term, not mine.”
“You didn’t need his permission to leave him. So what kept you there?” He tried to keep his voice inquiring and steady when deep inside his gut was churning.
“Once we started dating, my parents, in a show of good faith, used his bank to finance their expansion. He threatened to ‘lose’ their payments, find their loan in default and raise their interest rate to twenty-five percent. It would have bankrupted them.”
He knew there was a lot more to the story and decided to remain quiet in hopes she’d continue. A minute or so later, he was rewarded.
“My role was to appear in public as the adoring, doting wife and if I displeased him he went after one of my friends or family members financially. It got to the point where he was monitoring my emails, he had the phones tapped and I wasn’t allowed out of the house unless he was with me. No one was permitted in the house unless one of the servants was there. He was completely paranoid that I would tell the world he couldn’t perform in bed.”
“How did you break away?” He was surprised she consented to be bound at all after surviving an ordeal like that.
“Once a month, we would visit my parents. On one of those visits, I slipped a note to my sister telling her I needed an untraceable cell phone.” She laughed. “It was all so clandestine and over the top that she ate it up. The visit after that, she had it ready for me. She hid it in the bathroom. Once I had a way of speaking to my parents, I hinted that his banking policies were really shady and they needed to transfer the loan as soon as humanly possible and not to do any further business with him. As soon as they secured other financing, I ran here. I’ve been building a life for myself ever since.”
Once Angela learned of Brett’s business holdings, he thought, she’d likely never want to see him again. He’d have to make sure she understood his character before she found out he owned a substantial chunk of the East Coast. Brett’s scope of power made her ex a mere dog catcher. Funny how he’d spent his adult life running away from women who only wanted his money and now that he’d found a lady he was interested in, she’d run fast and far if she had an inkling of his true holdings.
“I’ve done everything I can to keep our divorce private. No one knows the full extent of the crap he pulled.” She shrugged. “Well, I’ve told you most of it. But you don’t have any ties to him so that doesn’t matter.”
He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her palm. “You were very brave and compassionate for someone so young. To be stuck in an intolerable situation because of a sense of duty to your family speaks highly of your character.” And very poorly of them to have allowed it. But he would keep that opinion to himself.
