Make Me Stay (4 page)

“I told you to come in here, strip, and suck my cock. What kind of a man does that?”

“A man who knows what he wants.” She kneeled by his feet.

“Don’t do that now.” He gripped her forearm and tried to pull her up.

“I want to.” She placed her hand on his thigh. “I think you need to hear a few things about what I’ve done.” She had initially planned on introducing him slowly to her lifestyle, but she couldn’t run the risk of him bailing.

“I want to hear them.”

“Good.” She placed her head in his lap. “Can you play with my hair? It calms me.”

He threaded his fingers through her hair and gently stroked from her scalp to the ends of her long strands.

“You’re worried about ordering me into the house and making me drop to my knees for you, but I’ve served my Master publicly many times.”

His fingers tightened in her hair at her admission, but she had to tell him the things she’d done. Maybe if he knew he wouldn’t be so apprehensive or feel guilty when he commanded her.

“At the club,” she continued. “Sometimes, in the beginning of our relationship, Master would order me to give him oral sex in front of others. It was a technique he used to show his dominance over me.”

“Christ, Gracie, what the hell were you thinking?”

“That I enjoyed it. I wanted the others to know I belonged to him and I was the only one allowed to serve him that way.”

“You weren’t embarrassed to do that in front of others?”

“Not at all. At first I was shy, but once I realized we were all there for the same purpose, it was normal.”

“I don’t think I want you to suck me off in front of others.”

“That’s fine.” She smiled. “We all have limits.”

“What are some of yours?” He went back to gently stroking her hair.

“While I didn’t mind serving my Master in front of others, I didn’t want to have public intercourse. I don’t think I’d be comfortable with that. I did allow him to use me for instructional scenes at play parties, but he’d always dismiss the observers when it was time for us to have sex.”

“I’m not pleased to hear this is what you’ve been doing while we were apart.”

“You have to accept it, Cade. You need to embrace the idea that what we like isn’t so strange. If you could’ve seen the things I experienced over the past two years, you’d know that because you like it rough doesn’t make you a freak.”

He laughed.

“We could try some things together,” she said. “If you wanted.”

“Like what?”

“Maybe role play or bondage.” She felt his muscles tense in his legs, and she knew he was thinking about the night she’d gotten hurt. “We can start with silk scarves and blindfolds. I could teach you how to tie them so I wouldn’t be in any danger.”

“You want to top from the bottom?”

“You know about things like that?” She was surprised to hear him use those terms.

“I’m not a complete idiot. Just because I don’t practice the lifestyle, doesn’t mean I’m not familiar with it. I just don’t know if it’s for me.”

“I want you to feel comfortable. I want to learn what brings you pleasure.” She lifted her head from his legs. “Is that what you want?”

“Why can’t sex be enough?”

“Because we’re not wired that way, and you know it. We need something extra.” She got up and crawled into his lap. “We could have it all.”

“I’m just not sure I want to have it all.” He closed his eyes and thought for a few moments. “I thought you were lost to me forever. So many nights I wished for you to come back to me. I swore if you ever did I’d do things differently. I’d treat you better. With respect and understanding this time.”

“You can still do that.” She traced his lips with her fingertips. “We can have boundaries.”

“What if I push you too hard?” He pressed her fingers to his lips and gently kissed them. As domineering as he was, he was still a big teddy bear when it mattered most.

“We’ll set limits. I’ll tell you what I don’t like and when dominating me isn’t appropriate. We don’t have to decide it all right now.” She kissed him. “I have to get ready for work.”

“It’s Saturday.”

“I’m in the wedding business.” She laughed. “I have to get to the church and then the reception site to make sure everything is in order.”

“Will you be gone all day?”

“I’ll be home around dinner time if I don’t have a Bridezilla on my hands. Do you want to meet me back here?”

“How about you come to my house tonight? I’ll order in and we can talk some more.”

“I hope we’ll do more than talk.” She ran her hand down his bare chest, stopping just above the button of his jeans.

“Not now.” He grabbed her arm. “You’ll never make it to the church if you do that.”

“Fine.” She stuck out her bottom lip. “I can wait. I’m good at holding off my climaxes.”

He shook his head and laughed. “I have a lot to learn about you.”

“Don’t worry,” she whispered against his jaw as she ran her hand over his hardening cock. “You’re going to love it all.”

* * * *

Cade took a long, cold shower when he returned home. Gracie had him good and worked up by the time he’d left her house. She said the anticipation would make things better for later. He didn’t see how. He was all about instant gratification.

He threw on a pair of sweatpants and sat down at his computer. He was familiar with the BDSM lifestyle. He’d read books and surfed the net, but he’d never considered himself a Dom. It was true that he liked things rough. He liked to hold girls down and found telling them exactly what he wanted was hot. Making them do it was even hotter. Bondage was a turn on for him and he liked to spank, but other than that he’d never tried anything else. He had a feeling Gracie was about to change that.

He’d have to be prepared. He found an on-line store that catered to certain fetishes. Perhaps if he researched and ordered some basic toys he’d feel more comfortable about playing with her. He started out slow, clicking on things like scented massage oils, lubricants, vibrators, and soft handcuffs. But when he got to some more intricate items like floggers, anal beads, and crops he didn’t know what to think. Were these the kind of things she was into? Did she want him to hit her with anything other than his hand? Fill her mouth with a ball gag? Clamp her nipples? Was he supposed to put anything other than his cock up her ass?

As he continued to click on images of toys and devices he laughed to himself.

Only for you, Gracie, would I even be considering this.

Chapter 6

Gracie stepped into the grand foyer of Cade’s house and looked around in complete amazement. He’d come a long way from the tiny apartment they’d shared a few years ago.

“Wow, Cade.” She handed him the bottle of wine she’d brought with her. “This house is spectacular. You live here all by yourself?”

He placed the bottle on the foyer table and pulled her into his arms, lifting her off the floor. “I’ve been waiting for you all day.”

He pressed his lips against hers and gave her a slow, sensual kiss. The kind of kiss that made her clit throb and her nipples harden. She wrapped her legs around his hips as he walked her down the long hallway and to the family room.

“How was your day?” He placed her on the couch.

“Good.” She looked around the large, masculine room. She’d never seen a TV that big before. It was more like a movie screen. “I really like my work.”

“How long is this consultant job for?” He sat down next to her. “Is it a long-term thing?”

She hoped his questions meant he wanted her to stay in town. She had no intention of leaving. “It could be. The firm just asked me to consult on two more weddings and they’re not happening until the spring. So I’m here for at least that long.”

“What else can you do with your business? Can you plan weddings?”

“Yes, that’s mainly what I do.” That was all she really did, but Martin wanted her to have some stability when she returned to Boston so he made sure she had a firm that could help her with her wedding planning business. “I can pick up some clients while I’m here.”

He nodded. “That’s good.”

“Don’t worry.” She smiled. “I’m not going anywhere that easily this time.”

“Would you like a drink?”

“Sure.” She rubbed her hands over her bare arms in an attempt to warm up. The night air was cold and she’d forgotten to throw a sweater in the car.

“Sit by the fireplace. You always got cold so easily.” He got up and flicked a switch on the wall, turning the gas on. “I ordered Italian. It’s in the warming drawer. I’ll get it.”

“I could serve you dinner,” she offered.

He shook his head. “You worked all day. Take off those ridiculously high heels and get comfortable on the floor. I’ll be back in a bit.”

“Are you sure? I don’t mind getting dinner together.”

“I’m not going to say it again.” He motioned to the floor. “Get comfortable.”

“Yes, Sir.”

He rolled his eyes and walked out of the room.

She took the chenille blanket draped over the back of the sofa and placed it on the floor along with some throw pillows. He said to get comfortable so she slipped off her heels and pulled down her stockings, placing them in the corner by her bag. She settled in by the fire and thought about how quickly things were moving between the two of them. She’d hoped their reunion would go smoothly. She’d spent years dreaming about what it would be like to return to him. She often wondered if she’d be too late. Would she find him with a significant other? Perhaps a family?

Having the knowledge Cade wasn’t in a serious relationship and hadn’t been since she’d left was another thing she could thank Martin for. He’d checked up on Cade and made sure the timing would be perfect for Gracie to reappear. Knowing Cade was available gave her the courage she needed to return. His business was thriving, he had just built this house, and he was single. Martin encouraged her to go. He said she was ready, and there was no reason to wait. She owed so many things to her Master.

She knew she had to stop referring to him that way. He was no longer her Master, but she was still very attached to him. Eventually, she’d have to tell Cade that Martin was still responsible for her. He’d insisted on caring for her both emotionally, by checking in on her every few days, and financially, by setting her up in Boston. There was no way she could afford the house, car, and clothes without Martin’s support. She tried to refuse, but Martin had insisted. Gracie had a hard time disobeying his wishes. Although she was no longer his sub, he still held her to certain aspects of her contract.

She was so caught up in thinking about Martin she hadn’t heard Cade enter the room until he put the tray down on the floor. She jumped when he placed it in front of her.

“What’s got you so lost in thought?”

“Nothing.” She looked at the tray. “That looks great. Is that eggplant parm?”

He sat down next to her. “From Tony’s Bistro.”

“You remembered?” They used to order from the tiny restaurant all the time when they lived together. Some of her favorite memories with him were the nights they'd stuffed themselves with delicious Italian food and then cuddle on the floor and talk about the future.

“I never forgot anything about you.” He handed her a glass of wine.

“I thought about you every day.”

“Why didn’t you call me? Didn’t you think I’d want to know if you were okay?” He fixed her a plate. “I just about went crazy. I kept thinking they were going to find you in a ditch somewhere.”

“I’m sorry.” She picked up a breadstick. “I guess I wasn’t thinking about that. I figured you wanted me out of your life and you didn’t give me another thought.”

“Did you really think that?” He placed the plate in her lap.

“I was young and afraid. You were all I knew, and when you told me to leave I didn’t know what to do. It all happened so fast.”

“Just don’t do that again.”

“Leave?”

“Disappear.” He took a sip of his wine. “I wouldn’t be able to handle that a second time.”

When they finished dinner Gracie insisted on cleaning up. Before she went into the kitchen she handed Cade a packet. It was her contract and checklist of hard and soft limits she’d entered into with Martin. She wanted Cade to read it over.

“Well, what do you think?” She walked back into the family room and sat down next to him.

“You did all these things?”

“Not everything. My limits were things I said I would try or in some cases not try. Like the public sex. That’s a hard limit for me.”

“But you like hot wax?”

“Very much.”

“He punished you with whips?” His jaw tightened.

“Paddles, belts, and crops too. But not often.” She could see he was uncomfortable with this, so she moved to sit in his lap. “Mostly in the beginning when I was still learning. He’d punish me for not being able to hold off my climax or speaking when I didn’t have permission.”

“I don’t like thinking about someone hitting you.” He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her into his chest.

“It was never without reason, and I agreed to it. That’s what the contract is for.”

“Are you trying to tell me we need a contract?”

“Not if you’re not comfortable with it.”

“There are a lot of things in these papers I’m not comfortable with. Breath play, suspension, and sharing. I’m definitely not sharing you with anyone else.”

“I don’t like to be shared. My Master only did that in the beginning to help me with certain scenes. He wanted to watch as I played them out and direct me as needed so I would know exactly what he wanted in the future. Once I got more comfortable in my role as his sub, I said I didn’t want anyone in the playroom with us. I never had intercourse with anyone other than my Master.”

“Limits can change?”

“All the time. If you don’t think we need a contract, I’m fine with that, but a checklist might be a good idea. We could see what we both like and don’t like. As we grow in this relationship so will our desires and needs. It’s an ongoing process.”

“The whole thing sounds complicated. A lot of planning goes into this. I was on the internet for three hours today researching this lifestyle.”