Requested Surrender (31 page)

“It was more than that, wasn’t it?”

He had no idea. “I don’t think so.”

“Tell me it wasn’t a test.”

“Okay.” He leaned back and held her gaze. “It wasn’t a test.”

“Yes, it was. You want to pick out what I’ll eat and how much I’ll eat from now on.”

David shook his head. There was something missing here.

“Andrew said he hoped I’d eat it because he had to report back to M
aster
David if I didn’t. Or something like that.”

David was a little surprised and a whole lot curious now. “Andrew said that?”

She nodded. “Scout’s honor. I’d do the sign, but my hands are on your knees.”

“I think Andrew’s got a soft spot for you.”

She pursed her lips and then asked, “Why would you think that?”

“You offered to go pick up my dry cleaning.”

“And when I did—did you see his face— he looked appalled.”

“Oh, he was. He takes his job very seriously. Besides, he’s English.”

“What does that mean? That I insulted him? Is that what you’re saying?”

David had no idea why he was saying any of this, other than he wanted his curiosity put to bed. “No. I think he appreciated the fact that you were willing to pitch in when you thought he needed help. Fine line though, for future reference. Andrew thinks he can move mountains and usually does, so I let him work at his own pace. But enough about him. I want to hear more about me being
master
and the chicken lasagna.”

“Of course you do. Now that we’re Dom/sub, I know what you’re doing. You’re going to start picking out what I eat
because
I ate it.”

“The white chicken lasagna?”

“Yes.”

She looked so serious he sat forward, and would have questioned her but there was a knock at the door.

“Who’s that?” She snatched her hands off his knees and cupped them over her breasts, leaning down against her thighs as added measure. “Are you expecting company?”

“I’m expecting our dinner to be delivered. Relax.”

As he went to get the tray of assortments he’d asked Francesca to put together for them, he mulled over her comments. By the time he returned, wheeling the server over to the couch, he asked, “So if I understand correctly, you think I was going to decide what you would eat from now on?” He lifted the lid off the tray and then looked down at her.

She nodded and then her eyes widened as she looked at the food on the tray. “Is that pudding?”

“It is. But you don’t get any of that until we have dinner.”

“You see? There you go.”

David sat down in front of her again and adjusted the cart closer. “I think the normal progression of a meal is to eat
it
before you eat your dessert.”

She craned her neck and examined the tray. “It does look pretty good. Are those mini quiches? They’re so cute. They’re all little minis.”

“They are and I’m going to feed them to you while we talk.”

Her excitement instantly fled. “About that?” She pointed to the plug.

“Among other things.” He didn’t like backtracking, but he felt he needed to so she understood where they were in the relationship process. She needed to know that he was more possessive boyfriend right now than he was her Dom. A Dom, at least the kind that he was, wouldn’t have him asking her if she belonged to him. They’d both know it in spades. “First thing I’d like to address is your earlier comment.” He picked up a stuffed mushroom and held it out to her. “Hands on my knees. That’s right. Open up.” The slide of her lips over his fingers as she accepted the bite of food got him warm. “I’m not your Dom.”

“Yorpt noph?”

He wondered if she did it on purpose. “It’s not polite to talk with your mouth full.” He turned to choose another bite when he stopped mid-reach.

“Ohay.”

Yeah, she was probably fucking with him, but he ignored it. “And to answer your question, I’m not. I haven’t asked so you haven’t committed.”

“Oh.”

Holding an asparagus spear wrapped in prosciutto, he said, “Open. Good, now as for your other canny observation.” He noticed her frowning and clarified. “The one where you thought I wanted to pick out your food. That’s absolutely ridiculous. Even now, if there’s something on this tray you don’t like, don’t eat it.” He heard the intake of breath through her nose, clearly she was relieved, so he threw this out there. “Don’t get me wrong. When I’m your Dom, there will be something I want to control, but it’s not the food you eat.”

Her chewing had slowed to a near stall. Any slower and he gauged she’d be pushing it off her tongue, the way someone does when they learn the rib-eye steak they thought they’d be eating was really the cow’s ass.

“If we move to that phase of our relationship I’ll be selecting what set of undergarments you’ll put on each day for the rest of your life.” He saw the look. “What, that surprises you? The commitment I make as your Dom is no less than the commitment a vanilla guy makes when he marries a woman. Granted, that regular guy wants his intended to wear a ring to showcase her pride in being with him. What I want my woman to wear is the fabric I choose to go between her thighs, so she knows I’ve chosen with pride of ownership the things I hold dear.”

Yeah, he heard her gulp, so he picked up a sausage roll and held it out for her. Waiting until she accepted the bite, before he continued, “Currently you make that decision without much thought, but that will change when I’m involved. I’ll cherish the opportunity. It will be a ritual. My right to make a careful and intimate decision for you every single day from then on. As I’ll be mindful about the fabric that touches a very treasured part of my property.”

This time when she gulped, some of the pastry must have gotten stuck in her throat because she coughed. He ignored it as he fed her and ate himself, until she shook her head, indicating she didn’t want anymore.

He wiped his hands off on a napkin and said, “I hoped you saved room for dessert.”

The napkin had barely hit the tray when she asked, “What did you mean by you’re not my Dom? You’re certainly acting like one.”

He inclined his head because she was right. “I am one. I’m just not yours…yet. Let’s get through tomorrow night and we’ll see.”

“What are you expecting to happen tomorrow night?”

It was a fair enough question so he answered it. “The real test between us.”

Her expression had never been more intense. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“It’s simple. Think of it as I’m inviting you into my church. Passion, sex and pain are my holy trinity. My trifecta. When they come together, it doesn’t get better than that for me.”

“Me neither.”

Did he hear that right? He stared at her and was surprised that she stared right back. God, he wanted her. Wanted her bad. As his sub, his love and possibly his wife. But there was something…

“I have to tell you something. It’s been bothering me for days.”

His heart rate picked up speed.
Finally.

“My brother…occasionally he’s not very nice. He’s had a hard time with things, you see…and he takes his frustrations out on other people.”

David really hadn’t been expecting this. He was sure this wasn’t her monster, but he was paying attention because sometimes monsters, just like demons, were tricksters. “Why are you telling me this?”

She didn’t look at him now. Only bowed her head. “Saturday. I don’t want you to get mad at him because he’s not nice.”

He stared at the top of her head, wondering why she’d think he’d get mad. Hadn’t he been more than patient with her? “Providing he doesn’t take a swing at me I think I can manage.”

“He’ll be nice to you.” She looked up. “It’s me he’s not very nice to.”

That’s when David knew her monster had just showed its face, but the demon remained hidden. Damn. “Would you like to talk about it?”

She shook her head so adamantly he knew she was uncomfortable. How uncomfortable is what he wanted to know. “Would you rather finish our discussion about this?” He picked up the plug to show her.

“Yes.”

That
uncomfortable. Interesting. “I’ll be introducing you to this tomorrow night. Tonight, however, this is going back in the bag and I want you to sleep with it under your pillow.”

Her nod was too quick.

“Don’t you want to know why?” He reached forward and tipped her chin up so she’d look him in the eyes. “If things go well between us you’ll be spending a lot of time with this. So tonight, while you’re lying in bed, I want you to imagine what position you’ll be in when I slide this inside you. I want you to envision several different ways, because my guess is, you’d be wrong with all of them. Be creative. Think outside the box.”

He dragged the tip of the metal over her shoulder and down the length of her arm before he let go of her chin and leaned back. “To be clear. This gets inserted in this direction.” He held it horizontally and rocked it forward. “You see how the end flares? Your bottom cheeks hug the sides right here, so your tight little muscle can close around the base.”

Nothing. Not a flinch or a cringe. Not even a bratty little comment. She was mortified, he could tell, but she was dealing with it. What did this point to? He’d have to watch things with her brother very closely on Saturday.

Slipping the metal in the bag, he set it down next to the lube and asked, “Are you ready for your dessert?”

Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Are you having some?”

He shook his head and her eyes narrowed even more. “Hm. I didn’t see a spoon anywhere on that tray.”

“Observant and right. There isn’t one.”

The instant the words left his mouth her gaze dropped to his lap.

“And no, you won’t be eating it off of
that
part of my body.”

Her gaze shot up expectantly and he smiled.

“I’ll be feeding you with this.”

“Your thumb?”

“Yes.” He lowered his tone and added, “And after each serving I expect you to suck and lick it until it’s clean before you get another mouthful. Understood?”

Her eyes widened and he knew the action was unconscious when her hands squeezed his knees. “Yes.”

“Good girl.” Picking up the small bowl, he was just about to dip his thumb into it when he stopped. He didn’t look at her as he said, “One more thing. When you’re imagining those positions I may put you in tomorrow night. Remember to include rope. I won’t be using jute as it’s rougher on the skin. I think a braided vinyl is in order.” Now he looked at her. “Something colorful. Maybe the blue and bubble gum pink combination I have. It will go beautifully with your complexion.”

He didn’t wait for her to say anything. Scooping his thumb into the dessert, he collected some and then held his hand steady for her. Close, though, so she had to lean in to get it. “Open your mouth for me. A little wider. That’s right. Here you go.”

Less than a minute later David wasn’t sure what tortured him most. Her hot lips wrapped around him while her tongue stroked and petted, or the sight of her sucking on his digit in the same manner that she worshipped his cock. He tore his eyes away from her and looked down at the pudding, thinking.

I should have asked for a bigger bowl of it. Damn.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Lacy spent all morning and the better part of the afternoon in a state of nervous excitement. Until the texts started, and then the excitement within her turned to slow curling lust. The kind that sent those sexy flutters to dance low in her belly and made her nipples spike hard against her bra cup.

Reading his most recent messages, there were five in total, it was hard for her not to be affected. He was bold at the best of times, but organizing the evening ahead had made him even more so.

I want you to go to your room after dinner and get the red sack. Put it on my bed and then get ready for our evening.

No creams or perfumes. Wash with straight soap and water and make sure to tie your hair back. You won’t need your collar or cuffs tonight, but I want to see you in the four inch black stilettos.

You should be finished getting ready by 7:30. At that time I want you to sit on the right side of your bed and think about what’s in the red bag and those imagined positions you were to come up with.

At eight o’clock go into my room and stand in front of the bookcase. Take off any clothes you’re wearing—leave the shoes on—and count to three hundred.

After you’ve counted I want you to sink to your knees and put your hands behind your back, then bow your head and wait for me. Control your breathing.

That last command was going to be a toughie as she was already breathless. But then several hours later she had to admit. Breathless didn’t compare to what she was feeling now as she knelt naked in David’s room waiting for him.

The spice citrus scent of him came to her before he did, but then she saw his polished black shoes and all her thoughts, nerves and excitement merged together. Everything in the room. Even the room itself disappeared as she focused in on him. The way his black pant-hem fell to a perfectly tailored length over those shoes. The crisp and straight crease in his pant leg that landed dead center, no doubt from being freshly pressed at the dry cleaners, reminded her of a military officer’s uniform. Would he be wearing one of his white dress shirts or something different? She didn’t look up. She just examined all she could of him with her head bowed while she waited for him to speak. The knowledge that he was standing right over, looking down at her, gave her a delicious thrill.

“Your hair is pretty like that.”

She’d taken the time to French braid it, so it was nice he noticed it. “Thank you.”

He placed a hand on the top of her head and she closed her eyes. If felt good to have the weight of his palm on her. “I want you to know that I’ll be cautious tonight. I’ll go slowly, and if there is anything that makes you uncomfortable—either physically or emotionally—I would ask you to communicate with me on that. Understood?”

“Yes.”

“Are you nervous?”

His tone, when he asked this question, lowered, sounding soft and husky. It caused the flutter in her belly to curl downward and stroked her right between her thighs. “A little.”