The Sweetest Taboo: An Unconventional Romance

by Harper Miller

  No one had ever cared to know the reasons behind my submission, so Rick’s interest was a welcome change. The Men i had served preferred temporary arrangements. i never quite clicked with anyone enough to want something more out of our situation, so walking away when things had run their course had never been difficult.

  i was looking forward to seeing Him again, though. Under normal circumstances, i would never agree to meet a Man i hadn’t known for an extended period of time at His apartment for dinner and drinks.

  my creep-o-meter was dialed down to zero. Rick didn’t give off an ounce of crazypants. To be on the safe side, i told kisa where i was headed. Armed with His address and telephone number, plus His place of employment, kisa’s “i’ve got my eye on You” arsenal was locked and loaded.

  my best friend was skeptical. she didn’t think Rick was a jerk or a sexual predator or anything like that—she was merely looking out for my best interest, which i appreciated. we both had experienced our fair share of poseurs, so she armed me with a brand-new canister of pepper spray and told me to be extra careful.

  Rick had been expecting me. The door attendant barely gave me an opportunity to identify myself before calling up to Rick to announce my arrival. i chuckled at kisa’s warning and the enthusiastic greeting i just received as i pressed the button for Rick’s floor.

  i fidgeted and pulled down my bandage dress while the elevator carried me to the twenty-fifth floor. When i was home and in front of my bedroom mirror, it seemed like a good idea to wear the skintight navy dress and canary-yellow peep-toe stilettos. Although the dress stopped at my upper thigh, i worried now that it barely covered my ass. One thing was for certain: i was going to give the good Doctor a show.

  i’m not sure what my plan of action was, other than to look as appealing as possible.

  The last time Rick saw me, i was being discharged from the hospital wearing a pair of distressed jeans with my hair pulled back in an unruly ponytail. Tonight i wanted Him to have a different image, so i spent more time than usual on my hair and makeup. Of course i was nervous, so i proceeded to bite my lower lip, but stopped when i remembered i was wearing lipstick.

  If my lipstick was going to be ruined, it wouldn’t be my own doing.

  i was poised to ring the bell when Rick opened the door.

  He stood leaning against the door frame looking the part of a Greek God, wearing a pair of black dress slacks and a light blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up to His elbows. He appeared both dapper and casual, and if i was being truthful, mouthwatering. The glasses perched upon Rick’s nose made Him resemble a beefier version of Clark Kent. Not a bad image to have, since Clark was all sorts of yum.

  He gently took my hand, leading me over the threshold and into His apartment.

  “Hi, micah. you look absolutely breathtaking. Welcome to My home,” He said, closing and locking the door behind us.

  i’m pretty sure i blushed at His compliment. Well, my cheeks felt warm and my heart felt like it was about to pop out of my chest.

  “Hi, Rick. Thank You,” i replied.

  Rick spun me around to get a full view of the piece of thread i called a dress. i think He approved.

  His eyes settled on my breasts before He spoke. “you have to know that it’s going to be difficult for Me to focus this evening when you’re wearing something so incredibly flattering.”

  i knew what He meant; i anticipated having the same problem.

  His eyes lingered on my chest a little longer than necessary. i was fairly certain He was enjoying the view. Tonight, no push-up bra was needed; the dress enhanced all of my assets. Dangerous curves ahead.

  i cleared my throat. “i’m sorry, is it too much?”

  “No, pretty girl. you look stunning.”

  Something about the way He called me “pretty girl” gave me butterflies.

  He once again linked His fingers with mine, leading me farther into His condo. The place was spacious and immaculate with a modern but contemporary décor. i’m not sure what i expected, but somehow i knew this Man would have impeccable taste. His condo also provided an amazing view overlooking Central Park. i could only imagine how much the annual fees set Him back.

  This was one of those instances where i felt like i was out of my league. i held my own professionally and financially, but even so, my apartment was located in Spanish Harlem, not Central Park West. This side of the park was explicitly relegated to the upper echelon of New Yorkers. i was doing well, but clearly not as well as Rick. How could He afford such a spacious condo on a doctor’s salary? Doctors are well-off, but not this well-off.

  After giving me a tour of His apartment, Rick and i settled in the kitchen. He pulled out my chair and waited for me to be seated before He poured me a glass of wine. As i sipped my wine, He filled our plates with the chicken stir-fry and wild rice He had prepared. It was great to see that there were still Men who believed in chivalry.

  “Do You cook often?” i asked, taking another sip of the Pinot Grigio He had selected.

  He placed our plates on the table and took a seat across from me. “Define ‘often,’” He countered.

  “Well, You’re a Bachelor. i was wondering if You eat out of takeout containers more often than preparing home-cooked meals?”

  He picked up His fork and took a few bites, making me wait for His response.

  He wiped His mouth with a napkin and paused for a moment before speaking. “I don’t cook often, but if I do, it’s usually something quick and lean like what we’re eating now.” Rick rested His elbows on the table and leaned forward. “With My schedule, by the time I arrive home I’m not in the mood to stand over a hot stove. It’s times like that where I’d really enjoy domestic servitude. I would come home and My girl would have My dinner waiting.”

  Domestic servitude didn’t bother me one bit. i enjoyed it, since i was a bit of a neat freak. Everything in my apartment had a place. i think the term for someone who’s into apartment therapy coupled with a bit of obsessive compulsiveness is called a domestic goddess. i might’ve heard it mentioned on one of those HGTV design shows, or maybe it was Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, but don’t quote me on that.

  Providing for a Dom in a capacity that made His life easier was my duty. If that meant doing His laundry, making His meals, keeping His home clean, so be it. Besides, cleaning was therapeutic for me. It was yet another way i dealt with stress.

  i took a few more bites of the sweet and tangy stir-fry. Rick had a few skills in the kitchen.

  “Is domestic servitude something you’re interested in, micah?” He asked.

  “Yes, Sir. i consider myself a bit of a neat freak. Although i’ve never been in a long-term arrangement, i’ve served as house girl for other Doms in the past,” i replied.

  He quirked an eyebrow and stared at me . . . hard.

  i immediately stopped eating and put my fork down, trying to replay my last few words in my head. Did i overstep my bounds and say something inappropriate by discussing previous Doms? Why was He looking at me like that?

  “you called Me ‘Sir.’”

  Yep, i’m pretty sure my cheeks were flushed. While i may be of a darker hue, i felt as if my entire face had turned bright red. For all i knew, i was giving that damn reindeer Rudolph a run for his money.

  “i-i’m sorry. i—”

  He interrupted my stammering. “micah. It’s all right. I prefer you address Me that way, but I wanted it to come naturally.”

  i didn’t know what to say. i addressed Him as Sir as if it were the norm. i had gotten caught up in our discussion and it . . . it just happened.

  “Between our phone conversation and the time we’ve spent together tonight talking, it’s pretty obvious we have something powerful between us, but we’ve got to feel one another out and see how well we jive. What works, what doesn’t. I want you to be comfortable with Me. I accept you addressing Me as Sir.”

  In my nervousness, i lightly chewed on my lower lip. He seemed so incredibly calm
while i was a mess inside. i lowered my eyes to focus on my plate and poked at a piece of chicken with my fork.

  He reached across the table and gently lifted my chin, pinning me with His gaze. “Hey, pretty girl, we still have a bit more ground to cover. We only scratched the surface over the phone. Tonight, we dive in.”

  my heart chose that moment to beat erratically against my chest. i was intrigued by Him. i don’t think He realized i noticed that was the second time He called me “pretty girl.” i liked it. i liked it very much. Something about Rick made me want to be His pretty girl.

  her Master

  Dinner progressed well. To Me, micah was a gem. A beautiful diamond that had yet to be adequately polished and displayed.

  Aside from her stunning physical attributes, I found her to be intelligent, enterprising, cultured, artistic, and funny. Our conversations flowed after we got over the initial awkwardness; it was like we had known each other for years.

  We talked during dinner, and when micah laughed her face completely lit up. Beautiful.

  Watching micah laugh made Me happier than I’d been in years.

  Remember I said I don’t date? It’s true. Once My last partner and I parted, I had no interest in getting emotionally involved with another woman. I found women to fulfill My sexual needs and that was it. Bed ’em and keep it moving. I didn’t want to go down that path again: emotionally investing in someone only to have them fuck up what we had. I thought samantha was satisfied, but it turns out My lifestyle wasn’t what she wanted long-term.

  samantha was My live-in submissive. We were together for about two years before she decided to call it quits without any warning. she gave no indication that she was unhappy, just a brief conversation after work one day that ended in her telling Me she was leaving.

  There was a time when I was angry with sam for leaving, since she knew what she had signed up for from the beginning. All the anger and animosity I held withered away a long time ago. I let that shit go. Harboring ill will could only bring You down.

  After that fiasco, I’d been gun shy about becoming emotionally vulnerable with another woman. But until two weeks ago, no one had sparked My interest long enough to make Me think about the future. My perspective had changed. samantha was simply a road I had to cross to get to My present opportunity: micah. Enough time had passed and I was ready to start over.

  We needed to expand our discussion of limits we began on the phone, so I clicked the shuffle button on the stereo and led micah to the sofa as Miles Davis’s album Kind of Blue filtered through the condo.

  micah leaned back against the sofa and crossed her legs. her dress steadily climbed up her thigh as she shifted in her seat. her skin shimmered and I couldn’t help but stare. There is nothing more attractive to Me than a woman with flawless skin.

  I sat in an armchair, thinking of all the dirty shit I wanted to do to her. Goddamn, she was sweeter than pie. Maybe it was the two and a half glasses of wine we consumed during dinner, but watching her as she spoke turned Me on. I wasn’t drunk or buzzed, but I was feeling full of energy. It wasn’t anything she did or said, it was simply My overwhelming desire for her. We were discussing micah’s hard limits when I removed My glasses and placed them on the coffee table.

  “i’m not into race play of any sort, verbal or physical degradation, scening with anyone under twenty-one, bestiality, fisting, or bodily fluids.”

  “I see,” I replied. “Anything else you wish to add?”

  “No, Sir. Those are my absolute hard limits.”

  micah maintained eye contact momentarily before dropping her gaze to My glasses on the coffee table. her teeth once again grazed her bottom lip as she shifted on the sofa.

  I was beginning to think micah was full of nervous energy, and I have to say, I took great pleasure in her attempt to control her demeanor while she spoke.

  she raised her eyes to Mine and continued. “i’m flexible. While many things may not be my cup of tea, i think it’s good for a sub and her Dom to explore. her boundaries are pushed because she trusts Him not to do anything to harm her emotionally or physically.”

  I rose up from the chair and walked over to where micah sat. her eyes intently focused on My towering form until I was so close that she was forced to lean back to meet My gaze. I extended My hand and she took it without delay. she was a good girl, such a good girl, displaying obedience without the slightest hesitation.

  I pulled her up from the sofa a bit more roughly than I intended, but I didn’t regret it. her body pressed firmly against My chest. Fuck, she smelled amazing. I placed My hands on the small of her back, just slightly above the curve of her ass, and nuzzled against her ear.

  It was clear from the sigh that escaped her lips, micah was feeling some kind of way about Me. she was turned on, and that was good. Very good.

  I whispered in her ear, “My hard limit is sharing. I do not share under any circumstances, micah. What’s Mine is Mine, so that puts a damper on your threesome plans.”

  Even though micah had an unfulfilled fantasy, and I was all about meeting My woman’s needs, there was no way I was going to let another Man fuck My pretty girl. she was Mine. And her pussy was Mine. I share many things, but pussy was never one of them.

  “I’m also in agreement with your other hard limits,” I said as My breath caused tiny goose bumps to rise along micah’s neck and jaw.

  she tried to wriggle out of My grasp, but I wanted her to feel what she did to Me. There was no way to hide My erection.

  I let her out of My embrace, offering My hand to her once more. she didn’t make eye contact, which disappointed Me, but she did take My hand.

  “When I gave you the tour of My condo, micah, I neglected to show you one room in particular: My playroom. Would you like to see it?”

  she nodded without hesitation. In that moment, she looked coy, demure, wanting, eager. I wanted a taste every ounce of her.

  We had briefly discussed the possibility of play when we’d spoken on the phone, but nothing was set in stone. I think she and I were on the same page tonight, though. I wanted her in that room—she belonged there and she knew it.

  More than anything, I wanted to kiss her. Those lush lips of hers were calling out to Me and I wanted to devour them. Throughout the evening, I’d witnessed a variety of smiles from micah. When she laughed and lit up, that was by far My favorite.

  I interlaced micah’s fingers with Mine and made a path down the corridor toward My sanctuary. For the past couple of years, I only played at clubs like Spanxxx or private parties. I hadn’t brought a woman to My playroom in five long years. I missed sharing My special place with a special lady—My special lady.

  Showtime.

  micah

  The music pulsing through the sound system gave me chills. “Flamenco Sketches” provided the soundtrack of the moment. He was a Miles Davis fan. There was no way for Him to know, but Kind of Blue was my favorite album by the trumpeter. It’s one of those must-have albums for a jazz enthusiast.

  The musical taste of most men i’d dated recently was questionable. i was starting to believe the art of seduction via love songs had died, but Rick had me rethinking my stance.

  Music was the gateway to the soul. It conveyed what words alone could not; it seemed that Rick understood that. His musical selection was perfect. The soft tapping of the drums. The purr of the saxophone and trombone. The quiet plink of the piano. The riffing, the trills, the chords all flowed around my eardrums like warm caramel.

  His musical selection told me that He was the kind of Man who liked to take His time. my stomach continued to do flips as He took my hand and led me down the dimly lit corridor. i got the feeling He was about to turn my world upside down.

  He stopped in front of a door i had pegged as the laundry room during the initial tour and pulled a lone key from His pants pocket. He unlocked the door and entered ahead of me into the darkened space, and then switched on the lights.

  i was immediately struck by the v
iew. The twinkling lights of Midtown Manhattan illuminated the room through panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows. Times Square sparkled in the distance as Rick fiddled with the dimmer on the wall. Softer lighting cast a smooth glow over the room. This was His playroom, where He was most Himself.

  Wow. He must really really like me.

  my gaze was fixed on the view of the city when Rick filled my line of sight.

  “We’re high enough up, but the windows are made of privacy glass.” His lip pulled up on one side to reveal a deep dimple. “In case you were uncomfortable.”

  This Man just got better and better.

  He turned and moved to the window. His muscles rippled under His clothing when He reached for the pulley to close the drapes.

  my God. This was unreal.

  “Feel free to look around,” He said from His position at the window while my eyes adjusted to the dim lighting.

  “Thank You, Sir.” i could feel His eyes on me, watching my every move.

  One wall showcased a variety of floggers and paddles and chains hanging from hooks. my gaze lifted to the ceiling, where more hooks were located. This space did not belong to a Man who simply had a hobby. Rick took His play seriously. Very seriously.

  i ran my hand along the spanking bench, but my attention was on the Saint Andrew’s Cross.

  my thoughts shifted back and forth between worry and inadequacy as my eyes landed on a rattan cane leaning against the wall where the floggers were housed.

  Rick wrapped His hands around my waist, pulling me out of my thoughts by leaning His sculpted frame against my back. He was a giant compared to me. Even in these heels, Rick easily dwarfed me. They say size doesn’t matter, but with Rick, size was everything, and i felt everything pressing up against me. He ran His nose across my jaw and back again, His stubble raising goose bumps on my skin with each pass. And then His lips were on my flesh. Hot. Wet. Firm but supple.

  “I’ve finally got you where I’ve wanted you for the longest time,” He whispered just behind my ear.

  i wasn’t having an asthma attack, but i couldn’t breathe.