“So far, so good,” Sasha admitted. “He’s different than anyone I’ve played with. Such a complex combination of easygoing guy and no-nonsense Dominant.”
He was such a protector. She remembered at tea how tender and gentle he’d been when she’d confessed her fears about never being collared. There had been a kindness and sincerity she’d rarely experienced when he spoke to her. For a second she let her mind wander and thought about what it would be like to be his for more than a retraining.
“What’s the wistful look for?” Abby asked.
Sasha wasn’t sure she wanted to admit what she was thinking, but then decided if she couldn’t discuss it with someone she trusted, who else was there?
She dropped her gaze to the delicate flower pattern on the teacup sitting on the table. “I was just thinking about what it’d be like to be collared by someone like Cole.”
Abby didn’t say anything. When the silence grew too lengthy, she looked up at the other woman. Abby’s face was unreadable.
Sasha gave her a weak smile. “I know I’m not near ready for anything of the sort, but it doesn’t hurt to think, right?”
“When you say ‘someone like Cole,’ what do you mean, exactly?”
Sasha had a feeling there was more behind Abby’s question than what was being asked. “You told me you did some mental play with him. You know what he’s like. Or was there more to the question?”
Abby templed her fingers. “How much do you know about his relationship with Kate?”
“I know they were together for a long time, they lived together, and she left him.”
“There’s more. It’s not a secret or anything. Kate was his slave.”
Sasha felt her body stiffen at the word. “Slave? As in . . . ?”
“Twenty-four/seven. Yes.”
“Wow. That is—” She stopped. She was going to say “completely unexpected” but after only a few seconds of thinking, the statement made sense.
And turned her on.
“Is what?” Abby asked.
“Interesting. That’s interesting,” Sasha said, trying to hide her curiosity and unexpected arousal. Abby raised an eyebrow, so she continued, “Some of the comments he’s made make more sense now.”
“And?”
Sasha leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms. “You’re as bad as a Dom. You know that, right?”
Abby laughed. “I don’t think I’ve ever been told that, but thanks. Now, tell me what else was going through your head.”
“I think the idea of a Master/slave with Cole is hot.”
The smile left Abby’s face. “Wait. What?”
“When Peter suggested collaring me, he said he wanted to be twenty-four/seven on weekends.” Sasha was pleased to discover she only felt a mild uneasiness talking about Peter. Nothing at all like she’d felt in the past. “I didn’t like the idea, but somehow thinking about being that way with Cole sounds more attractive.”
“Sasha.” Abby’s voice had grown very serious. “You aren’t in a position to serve any Dom like that right now, much less . . .”
She stopped talking and looked down at her lap. Before she could say anything else, Sasha finished her sentence for her.
“Much less one like Cole?”
“I’m sorry, but yes.” Abby took a deep breath. “You’re only seeing a part of the Dom Cole is. He’s holding back a great deal because he’s an excellent trainer, but don’t be mistaken, he would not be an easy Master to serve.”
“I wasn’t even thinking of it that way. I was thinking what it’d be to have his care and protection all day, every day.”
“And all night, every night. As a slave, you give up control of everything. He wants to fuck at two in the morning, you fuck at two in the morning and you like it.”
She knew Abby meant it as a deterrent, but just thinking about it turned her on.
“Sasha, wake up.”
His voice is insistent and even though the bed is warm and sleep tempting, she wants to please him more than she wants either the warm bed or sleep. He’s been working long into the night lately and while she goes to sleep alone, she knows it won’t be too long before he wakes her each night. She loves that he can’t sleep without taking her first.
She rolls over to face him. “Yes, Master?”
He is standing naked by the bed, hands on his hips, his erection jutting upward. He crooks a finger at her. “Come here. Arse to the edge of the bed. And make it fast, I’m hard as hell and need to fuck.”
He doesn’t ask if she’s ready. He doesn’t have to. It’s her place to be ready for his cock at all times. She moves to the edge of the bed and feels the growing wetness between her legs as she does.
He places a hand on each of her knees, keeping her spread for him, and enters her fully with one thrust. “Fuck, yes.”
He presses deeper.
“Hell, you didn’t hear anything I said.”
Sasha snapped back to reality. “I heard the two-in-the-morning-fuck part.”
Abby groaned.
“Look at it this way,” Sasha said. “I’m safe in my fantasies.”
• • •
Three days later, she knelt in Cole’s office and questioned the intelligence in writing her slave fantasy down for him to read. Though her head was down, she could clearly picture how he looked reading her journal. He would be frowning and there would be worry lines between his eyebrows.
It took him a long time to read.
Finally, finally, she heard the chair scrape against the floor. She waited for footsteps, but only more silence followed.
Right when she thought she would be kneeling forever, there was a soft squeak from the seat cushion followed by slow footsteps that came closer and stopped behind her.
His voice was rough. “Interesting reading today, little one.”
Glad I could keep you entertained. But she knew better and didn’t want to start the discussion out on the wrong foot, so instead she said nothing.
“I was unaware you had an interest in being a slave,” he said.
“Before this week, I didn’t know I had an interest, Sir.”
“What triggered that interest?”
“I had a talk with Abby.”