by Tamsin Baker
Simone slumped in her chair, a lightness infiltrating her chest.
“Well I’m a total novice too, but all I want is for you to trust me, talk to me. We don’t need rules written down on a piece of paper. I believe you wouldn’t hurt me and I promise to always let you know how I’m feeling. No bottling anything up. No lies or cover ups. Transparency always.”
Patrick sat up straighter in his chair, a gorgeous smile lifting up both sides of his full lips. He nodded. “All right. It may be time for some new rules then.”
He jumped up and began pulling things out of the fridge.
Simone laughed, what else could she do?
“I thought we’d just decided not to get hung up on the rules!” She grinned up at him and shook her head. He liked order and rules, it was obvious. She wasn’t so keen on either, but hopefully they would balance each other out.
“What are you in the mood for? Or we could go out for breakfast if you would prefer?”
Simone shook her head and had a better look at Patrick’s kitchen. It was absolutely amazing. Modern and minimalistic. Stylish. All stainless steel and clean lines.
“Actually, I have to go soon. I still have to get ready, wrap presents, all that stuff, and it’s …” she glanced down at her mobile and gasped. “Ten thirty! How did that happen?”
Patrick raised an eyebrow and gave her a sexy smile. “Would you like a reminder?”
A surprised giggle burst out of her. “No, I remember.”
She scrambled in her bag for her phone and ordered a taxi via a quick SMS booking system. They shouldn’t be too long.
Patrick indicated to the food in front of him. “So, what can I get you? Cereal? Toast? Yogurt?”
Simone surveyed the different foods and stifled another giggle. “Shouldn’t I be doing that? Serving you on my hands and knees like a good little Sub?”
Patrick’s eyes dropped away and he turned to put the kettle on.
“You aren’t my slave, Simone.”
Her smile died on her face and she felt sick to her stomach with a suddenness that was shocking. She’d insulted him. “I’m sorry, Patrick, I didn’t mean to be disrespectful.”
He turned back and poured himself a bowl of cereal.
“It’s fine. We’ll work out our balance.”
Simone reached across the bench and grabbed a strawberry yogurt. “This will be great, could I have a spoon?”
Patrick pulled a spoon out of a drawer and passed it to her. “I’m sorry. I’m not quite sure how to do this.”
Simone cocked her head, and opened the yogurt. “Do what?”
Patrick leaned forward and put both hands on the marble bench top. “I don’t know what to say or how to treat you. My previous girlfriends didn’t know I was a Dom and I kept them away from that part of my life. My Subs don’t stay over and aren’t a part of my life, on a day to day basis, so I just don’t ...” He shrugged, seemingly at a loss for words.
Simone dug her spoon into the yogurt and sucked down some of the cold, tasty dairy confection while processing his words. Was he saying that she was the first woman in his life to be able to cross both boundaries? Wow, that was incredible! But she shouldn’t be getting ahead of herself.
“Patrick, I’m the one who’s lost. I have no idea what to do or how to please you. I want you to stay with me but I know that a relationship is about compromise and growth, so ...” She shrugged, imitating him unconsciously.
He chuckled softly, and then grabbed a couple of mugs from the cupboard.
“Would you like a coffee?”
She shook her head and finished the yogurt quickly, her empty belly happily gurgling. Her mobile buzzed, letting her know that her taxi had already arrived. Well, that was a bit quick.
“No thanks, my taxi is waiting. But I’ll see you tonight?”
Patrick nodded and began walking her to the front door, when he stopped and grabbed her arm.
“You called a taxi? Why? I would have dropped you home.”
Simone grimaced, how do you tell a Dom you needed independence from him?
“Yeah I know, didn’t think. Sorry.”
Patrick nodded slowly and opened the front door. “Pick you up around seven o’clock?”
Simone smiled her thanks and leaned forward for a kiss. Patrick didn’t disappoint as he dragged her into his body and kissed her until she couldn’t remember why she was leaving.
As he pulled away, she stumbled into him and pressed her forehead against his chest. She was never going to get used to his effect on her. Who needed drugs when kisses made you this spacey?
She tilted her head away and pushed herself out the door.
“Have a great day.” She waved at him and stumbled for the taxi, needing just a few hours peace to pull her scrambled thoughts together.
****
Simone rushed home, wrapped the present, had another shower and got changed. The afternoon was a bit of a blur amongst presents, party food, and gossip. But everyone commented on just how well she looked and she couldn’t stop the blush that rose into her cheeks.
It was too early to tell anyone about Patrick, though it was so tempting. Instead she chatted about her new job, moving out of home, all those normal things. But inside she was glowing. Never in her life, had she thought that Professor Patrick Smythe would actually want her. Thoughts of what he had done to her, and made her feel last night, still made her want to break out into hysterical giggles. It really was too much.
****
Six o’clock arrived and Simone looked at herself once more in the mirror. Her long brown hair was straightened, her makeup had been done to accentuate her full lips and brown eyes. The dress she had chosen was black, simple and classic, yet it accentuated her small waist and larger breasts.
Her doorbell rang and she stepped over her roommate’s pants left on the floor and opened the door. Patrick stood outside wearing black pants and a blue shirt. Simone’s knees went a little weak and she gripped the door frame. He was so frikkin hot, it was just unbelievable!
“Hey, baby.”
Her belly actually flipped as he stepped forward and wrapped her in his arms, his lips coming down to steal her breath away.
A passion haze stole through her body as she gave up all rational thought except for her need to get closer to this man. She wrapped her arms around his neck and parted her lips for his tongue.
Patrick moaned low in his throat before separating their lips and looking down at her with blazing eyes. “Should we go inside?”
Simone shook her head, repulsed at the idea of Patrick seeing the state of her “home.”
“No, my roommates are pigs and I’ve given up cleaning the common areas.”
Patrick straightened up slowly and adjusted his pants. “Lucky the drive to the restaurant is a good fifteen minutes then.”
She laughed, exhilarated, as he tucked her into the car. Did she really have that much of an effect on him? Awesome!
“Tell me about your day. How was the baby shower?”
She reached over and lay a hand on his knee. Patrick turned his head, surprise evident in the raising of his eyebrows and the slight twitch in his leg.
Simone waited, not wanting to give up on him just yet. She was an affectionate person and wanted to share that. If what Patrick had said was true, he was struggling with their new relationship too. She waited one more moment, and then he settled, his thigh muscles relaxing beneath her hand.
Rapt at his acceptance of her touch she struggled to pull her mind back to the question at hand. “It was just a bunch of women talking baby stuff and eating really. Nothing amazing, how was your day?”
He shrugged, “Just marking papers, nothing special.”
“Can I ask you a question, Patrick?”
He nodded as he started the car and they began their drive. His car still smelled new and it was immaculately clean. He’d die if he saw the contents of her car.
“Did you want me at all when I was at uni last year?”
He
gasped out a surprised laugh and she couldn’t stop the smile that rose. She liked knocking him off balance.
“Where did that come from?”
She shrugged but refused to be derailed. “I was just wondering. I mean, you turned me down at graduation, and then last night you kissed me straight away. Did you change your mind? Or ...” She trailed off, wanting him to tell her, not just have her guessing out loud.
Patrick looked at her and smiled quickly before turning his head back to the road.
“Would it be morally wrong to admit that I wanted you for most of last year and some of the year before?”
Simone shook her head at the same time as a bubble of happiness burst through her belly and transferred into a semi squeal.
Patrick looked back at her shocked and she calmed down. “Sorry, I’m just happy you felt that way too.”
Patrick smiled again and shrugged. “I couldn’t touch you, but you were so beautiful. Modest and confident, so great with all your friends. I loved talking to you, but didn’t think you would ever be able to accept all the parts of me.”
Simone nodded, understanding completely. “I love all the parts of you.”
Patrick looked over at her quickly, his eyes wide, his eyebrows high. She smiled shyly at him, knowing that she had overstepped a mark, yet unwilling to pull back from it.
He cleared his throat and smiled tightly.
She needed to make him understand
“I know it’s early days Patrick, but I am so grateful to Nicola for showing me who you are. I would have just kept thinking that you simply didn’t want me.”
A strange growl came out of Patrick’s mouth and his thigh hardened beneath her hand. “Oh, I wanted you all right. When you’d parade around in that damn denim miniskirt and lean over your desk in front of me ... I just wanted to tie you up and fuck you senseless.”
A surprised gurgle emerged from her throat and she laughed. “Really?” A flash of what Patrick was describing came to her mind and she blinked twice. Amazing. “I can’t believe it.”
Patrick looked over at her and grinned as the car slowed down. “Believe it, baby. I’ve wanted you for a long time.”
An insane grin spread across Simone’s face and she wiggled in her seat while Patrick parked the car, got out, and came around to her side of the door.
“Up you come, baby girl.”
He gave her a devil-may-care smile that made her insides feel like warm goo. She let him open the door and help her out. Hand in hand, feeling like the most prized possession in the world, they walked into Le’ Miz.
Simone stepped into the restaurant and looked around in awe. Thank God she had worn her nice dress. This place was the flashiest restaurant she had ever seen.
“Reservation for two under Patrick Smythe.”
Simone smiled as Patrick placed his hand possessively into the small of her back and steered her towards the table. He held her chair out for her and she sat with butterflies in her belly the size of elephants. This man was too good to be true.
“The wine list and menus.” The waiter handed them their menus and Patrick spoke up.
“A bottle of Penfolds Shiraz and steak for us both. Rare for myself. How do you want yours done baby?”
Simone hid her frown in her menu as she quickly perused the vegetarian options.
“No steak thank you, I’ll have the pumpkin risotto.”
Patrick frowned at her and compressed his lips. “You need the iron Simone. You are a little pale.”
Simone looked at the waiter and smiled at him politely. “Could you give us a few minutes?”
The man nodded and headed off quickly, probably thankful to be away from them.
Simone looked at the man opposite her and saw so many people. Her trusted advisor, her lover, her friend. She also saw the Dom, struggling for supremacy.
“Patrick, I’m a vegetarian, I have been since I was sixteen. I take good care of myself and I know how to balance my nutrition. You don’t get to tell me what to eat.”
Patrick glared at her, a muscle in his jaw ticking away. Simone glared back, a part of her brain telling her that she was going to pay for this later on.
“It is almost impossible to get the right amount of nutrients without some meat in your diet. Perhaps you could try some meat, for me?”
Simone frowned at his tone. It was both demanding and cajoling. Patrick was used to getting his way that was for damn sure.
“Patrick, why are you telling me how to eat?”
She had surprised him with that question, it was obvious in the way his mouth literally hung open.
They were interrupted for a moment while the waiter made a show of the wine Patrick had chosen and poured them both a glass. Lucky she drank red, since he hadn’t asked before ordering it.
“Have you decided on your order?”
Simone eyed Patrick then smiled brightly at the young man who would probably be older than her. “Yes, I would like the pumpkin risotto and Patrick ...”
“The steak.”
He handed back his menu with an arrogant nod and twist of his wrist and Simone had to stifle the urge to laugh. Was he always going to be such a baby when he was thwarted?
Once the man had walked away Simone raised her eyebrows expectantly at her lover.
“I always make sure my Subs ...” Patrick stopped and cleared his throat while Simone’s anger went up a few notches. She wasn’t just a fucking Sub!
She forced herself to take a deep breath and reached out for his hand. He took it and she was grateful. They were in a lot of trouble if they couldn’t talk about this.
“Patrick, do you want someone who is your submissive in the bedroom and a normal girlfriend out of it?”
He nodded stiffly and Simone squeezed his hand, feeling older than her partner despite the twelve year age gap.
“I can’t be a 24/7 submissive, Patrick and I don’t think you really want that or you would have found one already. True?”
Again he nodded and picked up his wine, swallowing some of the rich red before looking at her again.
“All right, good. Now, you’ll let me eat whatever I choose, and later on you can control me in any way you want. Is that okay by you?”
Patrick’s blue eyes warmed, lust clouding them in a way that sent a bolt of desire into Simone’s belly. She may have had to walk him through it, but she had made her point.
“Yes, I can definitely do that.”
****
Patrick took a deep breath and a large swallow of his red wine. He had better be careful or he would not be playing tonight. He generally had a no alcohol rule, but he didn’t know what his rules were with Simone. His whole world had gone topsy-turvy. Last night’s sex had been amazing, even with only a little bit of kink.
And again this morning, she blew his mind with her passion and trust. No vanilla girlfriend had ever made him feel like that and to have a virgin was a heady thing indeed.
“Tell me more about why you haven’t dated before, Simone.”
She smiled and kept his gaze, no fear showing in her eyes. “I dated Patrick, a few people throughout high school and uni.”
Anger and a small amount of fear spread through his belly. She had lied to him? “You told me you didn’t.”
She chuckled softly and picked up a piece of garlic bread.
“I told you I was a virgin, and I was. I have barely let anyone do more than kiss me. So stop looking at me like that.”
Throwing in the towel so to speak, amazed at his lack of control with this woman, he poured more wine into his glass.
“I think I’m jealous that anyone has touched you.”
She laughed at that and he felt heat fill his cheeks. That would teach him for being honest.
She reached across the table, taking some of the sting out of her laugh with the squeeze of her hand on his.
“I didn’t mean to laugh honey, but seriously? You’ve probably slept with more people than you can count and you’re jealous jus
t because I kissed a few guys?”
Patrick smiled, guilty as charged. “Are you telling me I’m being a hypocrite?”
She laughed again and ran her nails over the back of his hand.
“I love that you’re jealous. It means you care.”
Patrick turned his hand over and gripped her fingers. He instinctively knew that this was one of those defining moments in a relationship He’d never been jealous before, hadn’t cared about anyone enough to be upset when they moved on. This was very different. “I do care Simone. You are amazing.”
She drew back and he instantly wanted her hand back in his.
“So you’ll teach me more about the subby stuff?”
Patrick laughed, he couldn’t help it. She made it sound so basic.
“Yes, I’ll teach you everything. What I need, how to please me.”
Her eyes sparked and her mouth flattened into a straight line. Oh how he was going to love teaching her.
“And in return I will give you more pleasure and make you feel treasured beyond your wildest dreams.”
Something changed inside her eyes when he said that and the frown disappeared to be replaced by a shy smile. “But you’ll go easy on me to start with?”
Patrick nodded, serious now. “It’s my job to push your limits, but you always need to feel safe. If you say stop, we stop, that never changes.”
Their dinner arrived and Patrick ate his steak while Simone enjoyed her risotto.
They finished the wine and Patrick called the waiter over. “Dessert?”
Simone shook her head and held her belly. “No thank you, I’m so full.”
He placed some cash in the leather binder containing the bill and smiled as wickedly as possible. He would be fine to drive, though handling a flogger may be a problem. “Home then?”
She nodded and stood, swaying gently on her small heels.
He tucked her into his arm and led her to the car. When he opened the door she fell into it, giggling away. He shook his head, but couldn’t wipe the smile off his face.
Once he had the car started and they were driving back to his home, he asked her, “You didn’t have that much to drink. Why are you giggling so much?”
She slid her hand over his thigh, a little too close to his aching cock.
