Entertaining Distraction: Doms of The Covenant Book Two

by Samantha Cole

  “Are you joining me? I hate to eat alone when I’m with someone.”

  Trying to ignore how jealous it made him feel thinking about this gorgeous woman having dinner with another guy, Mike took a sip of his drink before answering her. “I haven’t had dinner yet, so, yes, I’ll join you.”

  “Good.” She quickly perused the specials. “The salmon looks delicious, but instead of rice, I’ll take a double helping of the vegetables if you don’t mind.”

  “Not at all. Soup or salad with it?”

  “No, thank you.”

  Taking the menus back, he jotted down her order on a pad and added his before handing it to one of the waitresses. Since Mike wasn’t going to charge Charlotte for the dinner, it would only screw up the night’s receipts if he entered it into the computer. Picking up his and Charlotte’s drinks, he canted his head in the direction of the unoccupied room. “Shall we?”

  She gave him a broad smile that caused butterflies to take flight in his stomach and his cock to twitch again. Retrieving her purse, she stood and led the way with Mike’s gaze glued to her shapely ass. He wasn’t surprised when she sat at a table toward the back of the room facing the door to the bar. The only other door in the room was an emergency exit that had no handle on the outside. With her career as a state parole officer, Charlotte clearly had the same instincts that Mike had observed in Jake and his co-workers. None of them liked to sit with their backs to a room or door.

  Setting the drinks on the table, Mike took the seat across from Charlotte. Now that they were alone, he had no idea what to say. Thankfully, she didn’t have the same problem. “I usually don’t mix business with pleasure, but I can’t avoid it this time. I understand you recently hired an ex-felon, Jose Perez, to work in your kitchen.”

  Mike’s eyes narrowed in alarm. “I did. Is he trouble?”

  “No, not at all. I actually don’t think he’ll be a repeat offender. I just want you to know I’m his parole officer, and I’ll be doing an occasional drop-in to see how he’s doing. Most of my visits are to the parolees’ homes, but I will do one or two at their job sites. I wasn’t sure if you were aware of that and thought you should know before I do my first one. I haven’t told Jose you and I are acquainted, but it’s inevitable he’ll see me here, off duty, at some point.”

  His shoulders relaxed again. “Thanks for the warning, but Jose isn’t the first guy I’ve hired out of the career program. There were two others—one worked out, the other didn’t. For what it’s worth, he’s been doing great this past week. He learned a lot in the prison kitchen and is picking up the routine here quickly. He hasn’t given me or the staff any problems. In fact, my evening chef, Tommy, said Jose is ten times better than the last guy. In this business, it’s wise to keep your chef happy.”

  “I’m sure.” She leaned back in her chair, and rested her hands on her lap. “Now that business is out of the way, let’s focus on pleasure. Have you come to a decision about exploring the lifestyle with me, Michael?”

  Her confident expression told Mike she already knew what his answer would be, but it didn’t make it any easier to say it. He shifted on the chair, more from her scrutiny than the seat itself being uncomfortable. “I . . . uh . . . yes . . . I did. But I have a bunch of questions first.”

  “Okay. Shoot.”

  “Um . . . all right. The first question is about a contract. Jake said we’d have a contract between us with . . . um . . . an end date.”

  She raised an eyebrow in curiosity, not annoyance like he’d expected. “You and Jake talked about you and me?”

  “Yeah. He told me he went to see you and stuck his nose where it didn’t belong. But he didn’t try to talk me out of it, if that’s what you’re asking. He just wanted to make sure I knew what I was getting into, then promised to stay out of it.”

  “What you’re getting into . . . so that means your answer is yes.”

  It took him a moment to realize he hadn’t actually said yes to her, yet, and that she needed to hear it. “Uh . . . yes, I’ll admit, I’m curious and interested, but like I said, I have questions.”

  “I’d worry if you didn’t. So, the answer to question number one is yes, we’ll have a contract. It will spell out exactly what I expect from you, what you can expect from me, what our hard limits are, and, yes, there will be an end date, one month from the day we sign the contract. On the end date, if, by mutual agreement, we want to renew the contract, with or without any amendments, we will.”

  “Okay, I can deal with that.” After talking to Jake and Nick and researching more, that was the answer he’d expected to hear from her, which is why he’d started off with that question. Now for the harder ones. “Um . . . I guess the next question is . . . um . . . are you going to want to degrade and humiliate me? I read some Dominants get off on that . . . the subs too. I’m not too keen on that.”

  “Which is why we’ll negotiate your hard and soft limits.” Reaching into her purse, she pulled out several folded pages and opened them. “This is a limit list, and most items on it are negotiable with me, Michael. You’ll know full well which ones aren’t before we both sign the bottom of the contract. If public humiliation is not your thing, then I’m willing to abide by that—it’s not one of my favorite parts of the lifestyle anyway, but some subs crave it. However, that being said, there are some acts you might think are humiliating, while I believe they’re a sign of your respect and submission.”

  He leaned on his forearms crossed atop the table. “Such as?”

  “Such as, I would expect you to kneel in a presenting position when instructed. That would be with your knees shoulder-width apart, head bowed, and hands clasped around your forearms behind your lower back. Mind you, it wouldn’t be all the time—only during play—and it’s something Nick does with Jake, in case you’re wondering. In other words, it’s not unusual in the lifestyle.” She paused. “Do you have a problem with that?”

  He took a moment to consider it and think of it from her point of view. “No, I don’t think it’ll be a problem—as long as it’s done in private.”

  The corners of Charlotte’s mouth ticked upward. “I would expect it more than just in private, Michael. It would also be in public at the club.”

  His eyebrows shot up. “Th-The club? We’d be going to The Covenant?”

  “Not at first, but yes, at some point I’ll want to take you to the club.”

  Okay, he hadn’t expected she’d want him to go to the BDSM club with her. In fact, he’d never been inside it even though he’d been to the Trident Security compound many times.

  “And I promise,” she continued, “that you and Nick will not be the only two alpha-submissive males there. There are quite a few.”

  “Alpha-submissive? What’s that?”

  Charlotte’s smile widened as her gaze roamed his arms, shoulders, and chest, appreciatively. “Men . . . or women, who have alpha personalities everywhere other than the bedroom. It’s more common than people suspect, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it.”

  Suddenly a flash a jealousy coursed through him, and he wondered how many of those alpha-submissive men Charlotte had been with. Thankfully, she didn’t seem to pick up on his thoughts.

  “I’ll give you plenty of notice before we go, and we won’t be able to play there until your application is completed and a health exam is done. In fact, that’s another thing we have to talk about. I’ll require you to wear a condom whenever we play and for you to schedule a complete physical with your doctor within the next week. I have a copy of my own recent physical for you as well.”

  Charlotte paused, and Mike was about to ask another question, but slammed his mouth shut when he realized one of the waitresses had entered the room, carrying their dinners. He sat back from the table, so she could set the plates down. “Thanks, Claire.”

  “No problem. Do you need anything else?”

  Mike didn’t, and he eyed Charlotte who shook her head and responded, “No, thank you. This looks an
d smells wonderful.”

  “Enjoy.”

  As Claire left them alone, Charlotte picked up her fork and took a bite of her salmon. Her perfect, red lips opened then closed around the morsel. Her eyelids fluttered shut and she let out a small, satisfied moan. “Mmm. Delicious.”

  This time his cock did more than just twitch inside his jeans. It swelled. Never in his life had Mike thought of watching a woman eat as foreplay, but damn, Charlotte was turning him on. If he didn’t get control of himself, he’d be on his knees before she was halfway through her meal, begging her to do whatever she wanted to him.

  6

  T hey ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes, before Mike wiped his mouth with his napkin. “Is it okay if I ask you some more questions?”

  Charlotte fought the urge to grin. His submissiveness was shining through, loud and clear, though she doubted he was aware of it. “Of course, Michael. What else would you like to know?”

  “Well, this is sort of a big one.” He took a deep breath and let it out in a rush. “It’s about the whip. Is that something you’ll want to do with me? Because, honestly, just the thought of it freaks me out.”

  She let the question hang in the air for a moment as she speared a honey-glazed carrot and ate it. With most of her dinner gone, and her stomach full, she set the fork down, picked up her wine spritzer, and leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs. Charlotte decided to give Mike some of her background before answering him. “During my junior year of college, I was dating a guy for a few weeks when he finally confessed he was a submissive and drawn to my dominant nature. Up until that point, I didn’t know I had a dominant nature. As you just said, it freaked me out when he told me he was into pain for pleasure and wanted me to use a crop on him. But after my initial shock, I decided to keep an open mind and let him take me to a munch, so I could talk to others in the lifestyle and see if it was for me. While, eventually, he and I went our separate ways, I’d found a home in the community. Things I didn’t know were deep inside me came to the surface, but once they did, I couldn’t figure out how I’d done without them until then. So, I began to research everything I could find. I asked several Dominants to mentor me—first as a submissive and then as a Mistress. To put it in a way for you to really understand, it’s like starting to learn a business from the ground up. I remember you saying here one night that when you started working for your father, your first job was as a dishwasher. Then when you mastered that you moved on to busboy, then waiter, then the chef’s assistant and bartender. He made sure you knew every job necessary to make this a successful business.”

  Mike grimaced. “Yeah, he might have been a bastard when it came to being a father, but he knew how to run a restaurant and trained me well. One of the few good things he did for me.”

  Charlotte’s heart skipped a beat, and she fought the urge to comfort him—he wasn’t ready for that and might mistake it for pity. Instead she complimented him. “And you’ve done a wonderful job with the place. You took what he taught you and then added to it, making it even better than it was.” She knew it was because of Mike the place now had computerized ordering, new menus and dinner choices, a softball team with the pub’s name on their uniforms, and Monday and Tuesday night dart teams. Sean Donovan had apparently hated change and had turned down every suggestion his eldest son had made to upgrade the place. Charlotte hadn’t known the older man and had never been in the pub until after he’d died, and Mike had taken over but, from what she’d heard from longtime customers, the changes had been welcome improvements.

  “Thanks.”

  Damn, she loved that sweet blush on his cheeks. It was clear he wasn’t used to taking compliments—when they started to play, she planned to rectify that. Part of being a Domme was to make sure the sub knew their worth, and never in a negative sense. Charlotte had a feeling it would take much subtle and direct coaxing on her part for him to realize he was a very fine man in every way.

  “You’re welcome.” She took a sip of her drink. “Now, back to what I was talking about. Training to be a submissive before becoming a Dominant goes beyond knowing the ‘jobs’ of a sub. It helps a Dom learn what a sub will be thinking and feeling during play, and that will help build a crucial connection between the two. The lifestyle isn’t just about mastering the physical aspects between a Dom and sub, but also the emotional ones that only a few can hope to achieve. If anyone tells you they’re in the lifestyle because of their physical needs only, then they’re in it for the wrong reasons. Mental and emotional satisfaction should always come before physical satisfaction. That’s what many people don’t understand.”

  She paused a moment to study his non-verbal response to the information. It appeared he was still following her and not confused, so she continued. “Now, despite what many submissives at the club think, what I want them to think, I’m not as much of a sadist as I portray. Yes, I know how to dole out pain for pleasure, but I mainly learned so I could give my submissives what they needed. Not everyone is wired that way, Michael. I need to give my sub what he needs, and if that involves pain, then that’s what I’ll give him. As for punishments, that’s something different altogether. I’ve learned to get creative. There are plenty of alternatives for discipline that I’ve come up with that don’t involve pain. In fact, I’m quite sure once you’ve experienced some of them, you’ll be looking for ways to earn more punishments.” She smiled and winked at him. Curiosity and lust flared in his eyes, fueling her own desire. “I see you’re eager to learn what those are, but I’ll keep them to myself for now.”

  She loved the mind games involved in BDSM—they heightened the attraction between her and the submissive, and the anticipation of what was to come was one of the biggest aphrodisiacs she’d ever known. Picking up the papers she’d taken from her purse, she handed them to him. “Before we start to play, I want you to fill out the limit list. Green is for activities you’re willing to participate in without any hesitation. Yellow is for ones you’ve never tried or have had limited experience with, that you’re willing to explore. Red is for hard limits—those you have no desire to engage in. Don’t overthink this, Michael. There are things on this list that don’t appeal to me either. We’ll go over my list after you’ve completed yours. I don’t want my soft and hard limits to influence you while you’re going through these. Be honest with yourself—and with me. If there are any items on the list you’re not sure about and want to discuss before assigning a color, then leave it blank for now. Understood?”

  His gaze skimmed the top page before he nodded. “Understood.” He hesitated a moment before adding, “So . . . what happens now?”

  Damn, he’s so cute. His uncertainty had her wanting to take him into his office and blow his mind, among other things. But that would have to wait. Standing, she hooked her purse onto her arm and moved next to him. She knew the moment he realized she was leaving, and before he had a chance to get to his feet, she grabbed a handful of his hair and yanked his head back. Excitement coursed through her when she saw shock and pain morph into lust and need in his eyes.

  Bending down, she gently brushed her lips against his, her hold on his head preventing him from closing the distance between them. She was in control, and it would take time for him to immediately surrender to her whenever she demanded it. As his education continued, he’d learn the benefits and rewards of prompt submission. “Tomorrow night, you’ll come to my house at 7:00 p.m., sharp—not a minute later—and we’ll go over your limit list, which I want you to complete tonight before you go to bed. During the day tomorrow, I want you to do some homework.” His eyes narrowed slightly. “Yes, my dear, homework. I want you to research what happens when a male orgasms. When you report to me tomorrow night, you’ll need to be able to explain exactly what happens in the male body—physically, emotionally, and mentally—before, during, and after his sexual release. Understood?”

  When he tried to nod, her grip prevented it. “No, Michael. I insist on a verbal answer any time
I ask you a question, followed by my title—Ma’am or Mistress, if we’re alone or in the club. In public, where we won’t be advertising the dynamics of our relationship, you may call me Charlotte. While you’re my submissive you will also not refer to me as Mistress China—that title is for those I’m not in a contracted relationship with. Now, let’s try this again. Do you understand what your homework assignment is and what I expect you to explain to me tomorrow night?”

  He swallowed hard before answering, his voice rasping across every nerve of her skin, causing them to tingle. “Yes, I understand, Mistress.”

  She skimmed her lips against his again. They were soft and supple, and it took all her strength to pull away and not ravage him. “Very good, Michael. I’ll see you tomorrow then. Have a good night, and remember, that hard-on you’re currently sporting is mine. You’re not to touch it unless I allow it. I’ll know if you do, and you won’t like the punishment.”

  Letting go of his hair, she turned on her heel and walked out the door, smiling to herself.

  7

  Glancing around the bar, Mike made sure there was nothing else that needed his attention before heading home to shower and change. The last thing he wanted to do was to show up at Charlotte’s late. She’d sent him a text earlier with her home address. He’d actually been surprised since Nick had said that as far as he knew, Mistress China rarely played outside of the club. But Mike had been relieved she wasn’t throwing him to the wolves, so to speak, by taking him directly to The Covenant. He had no idea how that was going to go over with the men he knew that belonged to the club. With Nick as a sub there, he doubted they’d say anything to embarrass Mike, but that didn’t mean he still wouldn’t feel it.

  The new waitress, Daniella, walked up to the bar. “Hey, Mike, can I get a chardonnay and a Coke, please?”

  Since the bartender, Missy, was busy at the other end, Mike grabbed two glasses to fill the order. “Sure. How’s everything going? You’re picking things up quickly.”