His hands held her waist as he entered her with a forceful thrust that slammed her into the table. Immediately, he pulled out and spanked her so hard she yelped.

“I told you to hold on,” he said. “If I have to tell you again, you won’t like what happens.”

She wasn’t going to find out what that would entail. She pressed forward as far as she could, grabbing hold of the end of the table.

“That’s better.”

When he thrust into her the second time, she was better prepared. True to his word, he pounded into her hard and deep. Each stroke of his c**k stretched and pushed her toward another orgasm.

“Sir!” she shouted as he hit a particularly sensitive spot inside her.

“Like that?” His voice was breathless, but he drove into her over and over, each time hitting that very spot she needed.

“Yes!” she managed to get out right before she came with such intensity her vision went black for a few seconds.

Daniel followed soon after, holding still deep inside her, his fingers digging into her waist. He stayed pressed against her for several minutes, breathing heavy.

“Are you okay?” he asked, moving away and stroking her back.

She took a deep breath. “That was . . . intense.”

She heard a rustle of clothes and then he spoke. “Stay here and don’t move or get up. I’ll be right back.”

Even if she wanted to disobey, she couldn’t. She didn’t believe she could talk any of her body parts into moving. It was as if she’d turned into stone and didn’t have the strength to do anything but wait for Daniel to return.

She sighed. Her backside stung pleasantly and there was a familiar ache between her legs. One that reminded her just how good it felt to be with him.

“Happy sigh?” he asked, coming behind her and rubbing an unscented cream over her sore bottom.

“Yes.”

He worked his way slowly up her body, massaging and kissing every part of her. His hands were warm and it felt as if she sank into the table.

“I was so stupid to let you go,” she whispered.

He kissed her shoulder and turned her around to face him. “But how absolutely brilliant of you to come back,” he said with a teasing smile. “Can you stand?”

“If you hold me.”

“Always.”

He helped her up from the table and gently pulled her close. She settled herself into his arms, tucking her head under his chin. How had she ever thought she could live without this?

“I love you, Daniel,” she whispered against his chest.

“Julie.” He lifted her head so their eyes met. “I love you so much.”

His lips brushed hers. Her arms slipped around his neck. All was as it should be.

• • •

Later that night, they sat at Julie’s kitchen table eating Chinese takeout. Speaking her mind had gotten easier, but there was something she wanted to discuss and she didn’t know how to bring it up.

“Something bothering you?” Daniel asked, as if reading her mind.

“How do you do that?”

“Part of being a Dominant is being observant and I know you well enough to know when something’s on your mind. Will you share what’s troubling you?”

She looked down at her plate and piled up her remaining rice. They had only been back together a few weeks, so she wondered if maybe she should wait.

No, she told herself, she needed to know now.

She glanced up at Daniel, who waited with infinite patience. “Whenever you’re ready,” he said.

There was no way around it. She put her fork down and cleared her throat. “In the past when you . . . with your previous . . . did you . . . ah, hell.”

He pushed back from the table, stood up, and held out his hand. “Let’s go sit down and see if we can get to the bottom of what has you tongue-tied.”

They made it into her living room, where he sat on the couch and pulled her into his lap. She took a deep breath, inhaling the smell of him and delighting in the feel of his arms around her.

“Let’s try again,” he said. “What was bothering you at dinner?”

She ran a finger down his arm, lightly brushing the hair on his forearm. “With your collared submissives, I know you said bedroom and playroom only, but are there, were there, rules? Things you expected?” She turned so she could look at him. He’d been right—it was easier to talk sitting on the couch, touching him. “I guess I’m looking for what the setup was like. The basics.”

A look of momentary shock covered his face, but it was soon replaced with an easy grin. “Thank you for being honest. The truth is, the setup is what the people involved say it is. It won’t be the same from couple to couple.”

“But don’t you have certain, I don’t know, expectations?”

“Everything’s negotiable.”

“Okay, so what would be on the list you first brought to the table?” she asked. “If I were to wear your collar.”

“What would be on my most wanted list?” At her nod, he continued. “For starters you would wear my collar every day. In fact, it would be locked around your neck and only I would have the key.”

She nodded. That didn’t sound so bad. In fact, she liked the sound of it.

“You would call me ‘Master’ any time we were playing or with the group.”

“But all the submissives call you ‘Master.’”

“No, they call me ‘sir’ or ‘Master Covington.’ ‘Master’ is reserved for my collared submissive’s use alone.”

“Oh.” She liked the sound of that.

“You would shave your pu**y and keep it bare for me at all times.”

Ouch.

“All your orgasms would belong to me and you would only be allowed to have one following my permission.”

“Forever?” she asked. “That seems a bit extreme.”

“Have you felt sexually deprived in any way, shape, or form since you’ve been with me?”

Hell, no, she hadn’t. In fact, she felt just the opposite—fulfilled, content, sated. She shook her head.

“Maybe I’m being a bit prideful,” he said. “But I’d like to think I’m a generous Dom when it comes to permission.”

She kissed his cheek. “You were very generous tonight.”

“Thank you.”

“Anything else?” she asked.

“I’d claim your ass.”

“You don’t mean by spanking, do you?”

“No, I’d claim it with my cock. I enjoy anal sex a lot and I believe I’d like f**king your ass very much.”

Throughout their talk, she’d felt comfortable and warm. But the thought of anal sex scared her and she felt a light sweat break out over her skin.

“I’ve never . . . ,” she started.

“I know you haven’t,” he said, tightening his arms around her. “And I know you’re scared, but I would also expect you to know that we’d take it slow and easy. That I would make everything about the experience as pleasurable as possible and that I would only f**k you there when I knew you were ready.”

“Well, when you put it that way.”

He smiled at her.

“Your c**k is huge, though. I may never be ready.”

He laughed. “Flattery won’t get you out of it. I’ll fit.”

“Says the one not getting it in the ass.”

“Says the one who will treat you like the world’s most precious and desired treasure.” He shifted her so she reclined with her head on the armrest and her body resting along the length of the couch while he held himself above her. “Says the one who honors and respects your submission too much to ever give you cause to fear me. Says the one who will push you to your limits, but never past them. And says the one who would rather cut off his own arm than cause you pain you don’t want.”

“As opposed to pain I do want?” she asked. He was hard between her legs; she doubted the conversation would last much longer.

“Did the spanking tonight in your shop hurt?”

“Yes.”

“Would you want to do it again?”

Understanding flooded her mind. “Yes.”

“Then there’s a pain you do want.” He started undoing the buttons of her shirt. “We can talk more about this later. Collaring is serious and should be discussed seriously and carefully. We have all the time in the world and I want to be sure you know exactly what you’re getting into. Okay?”

She took a minute to think over her answer. So far he hadn’t mentioned anything he’d expect that she didn’t think she could do. She decided she’d trust him about the anal sex. There was no doubt in her mind he’d be as gentle as possible, while bringing her all the pleasure he could.

“Okay, sir.”

He took both her hands in one of his, pulling her arms above her head, murmuring the entire time about how proud he was and how much she’d grown. She knew at that moment with certainty that it wasn’t a matter of if she’d wear his collar, but when.

ELEVEN

THREE MONTHS LATER

Julie sat in the middle of Daniel’s spare bedroom, eyes closed in excitement, while Dena braided her hair and pinned it tightly to her head. She’d been planning this evening for weeks, ever since Daniel first brought it up.

“There we go,” Dena said. Sasha held up a mirror for her inspection. Perhaps it was only her imagination, but her neck looked longer and conspicuously bare.

“Thank you.” She gave Dena a hug, and glanced at the larger mirror over the dresser. She wore a simple cotton dress of white, with nothing underneath per Daniel’s request. Vaguely, she remembered their first date and smiled at how much had changed between them since then.

Though she didn’t live with him, she spent a good number of nights at his house each week. Since her return to him three months ago, their relationship had strengthened, both in his playroom and out of it.

“I love your nails,” Dena said.

“Thanks,” she said, admiring her new manicure. “Daniel treated me to a spa day yesterday and he insisted I get them done.”

It was a small extravagance and wouldn’t last a day at work, but for now, she had girlie nails. Silly how such a little thing made her feel pretty, but even more so, it made her feel loved and cared for. He’d remembered her comment about wanting girlie nails from the night at the benefit and gave that to her.

So much better than flowers.

“I’d better be going.” Sasha picked up her purse and glanced around, looking to make sure she hadn’t dropped anything.

Julie grabbed her in a hug. “It made my day that you came to help me. Thank you.”

Sasha still fought her submissive side and while she never said as much, it was obvious she had misgivings about the step Julie was taking tonight. Yet she’d put that aside to stand beside her as she prepared.

When she pulled back, Sasha had tears in her eyes. “Daniel’s a great man. I’m truly happy for you.”

Julie knew what the admission cost her and choked back her own tears. “Thank you. See you Monday.”

Someday, she knew, Sasha would find her own great man.

Sasha left after saying good-bye to Dena, and then Julie took a few seconds to take several deep breaths. Once calm, she took the barely opened white rose from Dena and headed outside where Daniel and Master Parks waited. While discussing the evening, one of the points she and Daniel had debated was whom to invite. Eventually, they agreed to invite only Dena and Master Parks.

Daniel stood on the deck overlooking the expanse of his backyard, the warm evening breeze ruffling his hair. He wore dark tailored pants and his white shirt was unbuttoned around his throat. An almost completely opened red rose sat in a vase on a nearby table.