She was going to sit on a table? All day?

“Is that a frown?” he asked.

“Just trying to understand how it’ll work, Sir, with me being on a table.”

“It will work how I say it will work. It’s not your place to understand. The only thing you need to understand is that I have everything under control.”

“My brain has a hard time shutting off, Sir.”

“Yes, I know. Do you see now why it’s best you not work at the shop for these two weeks?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“I know it’s a difficult state of mind to get to, but once you do, you’ll stop analyzing everything so much.”

“Thank you for understanding my struggles, Sir.”

He traced her lips with his finger. “I think I have something that might help.”

“It’s not an anal plug, is it?” Please don’t let it be an anal plug.

He snorted in surprise, took a deep breath, and shook his head. “No, nothing quite as awful as a plug. In fact, I think you’ll like this. Go kneel in the middle of the room.”

As she moved off his lap, her mind raced trying to imagine what it could be, but she came up with nothing. The sound of a drawer opening led her to believe he had it stored in his office, and that just confused her more. The only thing she would think he’d have in desk drawers were office supplies.

“Look at me, Sasha,” he said from a few feet before her.

His voice sounded a bit hoarse, which made no sense. He’d been talking all day and even up to a few minutes ago sounded normal. She lifted her head and her breath caught.

He was holding a collar.

Excitement surged through her veins and her heart pounded like she’d just finished a five-mile run. She blinked to make certain she looked at it right.

“It’s a training collar,” he explained. “Just for these two weeks.”

She kept her eyes on the collar as he stepped closer. It looked like a thin band of black leather.

“If I were collaring a slave, the collar would be locked around her neck and I alone would hold the key. This collar has a clasp, making it easily removable. Though we agreed on two weeks, there is nothing stopping you from walking out my door.”

Even as shocked and happy as she was to be offered a simple training collar from Cole, she didn’t miss the trace of emotion he’d been unable to hide while speaking. Having his collar locked around her neck hadn’t stopped Kate from walking out of his door.

“I know you’re aware of the meaning behind a collar,” he said. “And though this one is only temporary, I think wearing it for these two weeks will be beneficial.”

He probably had a point. With a reminder of who she belonged to for this time, always there around her neck, she imagined it would be easier not to let her mind lead her into hesitation.

He reached down and cupped her cheek, so gently his thumb stroked her skin. “Will you wear my training collar, little one?”

Tears prickled her eyes over a training collar. She mentally scolded herself. It wasn’t even a real collar; it was temporary. But she’d never been collared before, even in a training sense, and she couldn’t keep the fears tamped down that this might be the only time anyone would ever offer her his collar.

“Yes, Sir. I will gladly wear your training collar,” she said, surprised by how husky her voice sounded.

He reached behind her and buckled the collar into place, dragging his fingertips along the leather’s edge and making her skin rise in goose bumps. She closed her eyes. Cole had just collared her and for that moment in time, she pretended it wasn’t only for two weeks.

“Your neck was made to display a Master’s collar,” he whispered. “Just as your body was made for his dominance. My collar looks good on you, slave.”

My collar. It felt good, too. “Thank you, Sir.”

“I want you to stay in here in that position. Meditate on how wearing my training collar will help keep you in the proper mind-set. When you’re finished, you may put your clothes on for an hour of free time before dinner. I’ll allow you clothes at dinner tonight, too.”

“One question, Sir.”

“Yes?”

“May I start on my writing assignment during my free time?”

He raised an eyebrow. “You may, but your free time is limited and it’ll probably be tomorrow night before you get more time to yourself.”

“I know. It’s just—” She paused for a second, then told herself to be bold. “I’d like to spend the evening with you instead of writing.”

“I’d much rather you spend the evening with me, too. So if you finish your assignment and I have a chance to look over it, maybe there’ll be some time to be together.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

•   •   •

The woman who joined him at the dinner table a few hours later appeared calm and content and nothing at all like the wounded submissive he’d first taken notice of. Sasha was strong now, physically and mentally, yes, but even more so because she believed in herself. While he was pleased with the transformation, he knew at the end of her training he’d need to let her go. She needed to see that she could be strong and confident with other Dominants, not just him.

She sat across from him with a smile. Fuck, she looked so good wearing a collar.

But not just any collar. His collar. Even if it was only for training.

She’d handed him her journal while he waited for dinner to be ready. Though he hadn’t had a chance to look over it, he had the feeling there would be no errors or grammatical mistakes tonight. So far Sasha didn’t seem to be one who had to be taught something more than once.

He’d selected a shirt with a plunging neckline for her to wear tonight. He remembered how much fun it’d been to shop for her. How he imagined her in the clothes he bought. The shirt she currently had on gave him a nice view of her breasts, but even better, it showed off his collar. He loved the way the black leather wrapped around her throat. Taken, it said. Claimed. Unavailable to you.

And yet to him it whispered something more. Yours. Take me. Use me.

He needed to keep that whispering voice in check. Technically, she was only his for the next thirteen days. Thirteen days.

And twelve nights.

“Dinner smells wonderful, Sir,” she said, shifting his focus away from his plans for the night.