Surrender to Me (8 page)

She stared at him, taking in his words, for a few seconds.

He placed another strawberry against her lips. “That was your request last night, was it not?”

“I—” The crimson color of her cheeks told him everything he needed to know.

“Eat.”

She parted her mouth and allowed him to feed her another strawberry. He fed her two more grapes and a piece of pineapple before he spoke again.

“Did you get caught up in the moment last night?”

She looked down at her hands.

“I would understand if you did.” He took her hand in his. “Intimacy can make us say and do things we may not have ever thought to speak out loud if we weren’t in the heat of the moment.”

Martin had thought about the possibilities of playing with Arianna all morning. He didn’t want to get his hopes up, but the idea of bringing a virgin sub into his playroom stirred emotions inside him that he thought were long gone. Not just any virgin sub, but Arianna. She was the reason he was so worked up over the prospect.

“As much as I said I would try to keep my dominant side at bay last night, I may have slipped into my role a time or two. I get how that could be intriguing for someone who doesn’t practice the lifestyle.”

“Your commanding side is rather sexy.”

“I believe we’re compatible either way.”

“You wouldn’t be upset if I didn’t want to—”

“Play?” He finished her sentence for her.

She nodded.

“I won’t lie. I’d be disappointed but never upset. It’s your choice. It will always be your choice.” He needed to make sure she understood. “I want you, and after last night there is no turning back for me. The thought of tying you to my bed and doing wickedly nasty things to you while you scream my name drives me insane.”

Her breathing picked up. It wouldn’t take much to convince her to submit, but he wouldn’t press. She’d have to come to him freely.

“But I knew going into this with you that you were not a submissive. I never would have taken you to my bed last night if I didn’t think I could be satisfied with—”

“Vanilla.” This time she finished his sentence.

“What we did last night was more than vanilla, but yes, if I didn’t think I could be satisfied without the kink, I would never have initiated sex. That wouldn’t be fair to either of us.”

“What if I want the kink?”

“You’d have to be absolutely certain.” He squeezed her hand, trying not to get too aroused over the prospect of showing her his way of life. “BDSM is something I take seriously.”

“What if I can’t do everything?”

“I wouldn’t expect you to do everything. We all have limits.”

“You’d be patient with me?”

“Of course.”

“I don’t think I could do it all the time. I’m not wired like Roxy and the other girls at the club.”

“I know.” He smiled because that fact that she wasn’t like the rest made her even more appealing. “I wouldn’t want you to submit to me all the time.”

“Why not? Isn’t that what you’re used to?”

“I was before I met you. When I’m with you I want more. I want things I’ve never even thought about before. I like the way you challenge and tease me.” Martin didn’t open up often because he’d never had to, but Arianna seemed to change the rules for him. “I can add the BDSM into our relationship, but I don’t want it to be the main focus. I’m not falling for you because you’re a submissive.”

“You want a relationship with me? Not just sex?”

“It will never be just sex with you. I’m sorry if I didn’t make that clear.”

“It’s not you.”

He saw the uncertainty in her eyes. Her ex-husband must have been a real gem. Perhaps he’d have to ask Hunter for some advice on that subject.

“I won’t hurt you.” He tilted her chin. “When I commit, I don’t take it lightly.”

“I believe you.”

“I’m not very good at normal relationships, but only because I’ve never tried it. I am very good at being dominant.” He laughed. “So, maybe if we blended the two I could find my way.”

“I liked the way you were last night.” She looked down and he sensed her embarrassment. He’d have to find a way to get her to overcome the awkwardness she felt when discussing what she wanted. “The way you talked to me. I want more.”

“You’re a brave girl.” His cock hardened at the thought of her on her knees, looking up at him and waiting for his command. “I’ll give you what you want.”

“You’ll show me how to be submissive?”

“By the time I’m done with you...” He lifted her off his lap and stood. “You will be submissive.”

My submissive.

He took her hand and led her back into the house.

“Where are we going?”

“My playroom.”

Chapter 8

Ari swallowed hard, trying not to vomit all over Martin.

His playroom?

She was on her way to his secret room. The room she’d been aware of but had never seen. Would he expect her to submit today? Would he allow her to make mistakes? What if she couldn’t do the things he asked? How would she tell him?

He led her down the back staircase just off the kitchen. He stopped when they got to the bottom. “You need to relax.”

“I am.”

“Rule number one, kitten—we need totally honesty if this is going to work.” He twisted his hand around her ponytail, tugging her head back to stare into her eyes. He didn’t hurt her, but he showed her who was in charge. “I can feel you shaking, so I know you’re nervous.” He pressed his lips against her neck. “It’s okay to be anxious.”

She nodded.

“It’s also okay for you to tell me what you’re feeling. I’ll expect that of you at all times. Do you understand?’

“Yes,” she whispered.

They walked through the massive finished basement and then to the back corner. Ari spotted a set of mahogany double doors. They were an exact replica of the entrance to
Master M’s.

“Once I open these doors.” He pinned her against the wall with the weight of his rock hard body. “You’ll be at my total mercy. This is my playroom and I demand certain things.”

Ari’s throat felt drier than the Sahara and her stomach kept flip flopping, but she wanted to continue.

“You need to understand that just because I’m in control and I want you to submit to my will you are not rendered powerless.” He leaned closer. “Without you there is no scene.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I can be as dominant as I want to be, but if you don’t want to participate then we can’t play.”

“But I’m here. I said I wanted to learn.”

“I want you to know how happy that makes me.” He stroked her cheek. “But this will be an informal session today. I’ll show you around the room and answer your questions. I won’t hold back how I am when I enter the playroom. I don’t want you to be afraid of me.”

“Will I have reason to be?” Ari remembered how the other subs in the club responded to Martin. They respected him, but there was a certain fear in their eyes. She shuddered when she thought about the way Roxy responded to Nico. There was a look of sheer terror on the girl’s face. Could Martin elicit that from her?

“I’ll be different with you in here, but I won’t be cruel, and I would never push your limits harder than I think you can handle.” He gently kissed her lips. “I promise I’ll be patient with you.”

“I trust you.”

“I know it’s a big step for you.” He brought his lips to hers again. “But with trust we have everything.”

Ari wasn’t sure how the tender side of him would disappear in a matter of minutes, but she had a feeling Master M didn’t do gentle in the playroom.

“You need to pick a safe word.”

During her research into Martin’s lifestyle she’d read about the importance of safe words. The word would be crucial if they were going to indulge in safe, sane, and consensual play.

“It has to be a word you’ll remember during a scene and one you can easily get out. If you say ‘stop’, I may not listen because you could just blurt that out and not mean it. When you safe word that means you have to think about it and all play stops. There are no consequences when you use your safe word. I’ll stop the scene and we’ll discuss what made you safe word. You’ll have to be open with me. Can you do that?”

“I can try.”

“You’re frightened.”

“A little.”

“What can I do to make this easier for you?” He brushed his lips against hers. “I want to bring you into my playroom. I want to show you the pleasure we can achieve together. Will you let me?”

She closed her eyes and focused on the feel of his lips. First on her own and then on her cheek and jaw. Moving lower, he lingered at the base of her throat. The feel of his stubble scraping against her skin caused her body to tingle in all the right places.

“Objection.” She ran her fingers through his hair.

“Huh?” He stopped and looked at her.

“That’s the word I want to use.”

“Perfect, counselor.” His brilliant smile put her at ease “You won’t regret this.”

He pushed open the door and pulled her through. Because they were in the basement, there wasn’t much natural light. He turned on the overhead lighting, but it did little to brighten the room. She looked around, taking in the new surroundings. The colors, tones, and even the scent seemed familiar to her.

“It reminds me of the club.”

“As it should.” He closed the door behind them, causing her to jump as the sound of the wood frame clicking shut echoed throughout the room. “Same designer.”

Ari didn’t panic easily. She’d negotiated contracts with many bulldogs in her time. Even fresh out of law school she hadn’t backed down from the most fiercest and experienced attorneys. She’d made partner at the age of twenty-five because of her tough tactics, but this was a whole different world. Martin’s way of life seemed new and exhilarating, but Ari was often scared of the unknown. She always liked to know what she walked into before she leaped head first.

“Look around.” His voice jolted her back. “Take in your surroundings. It’s important you know where you are. You’ll need that security as we progress.”

She let go of his hand and moved to the center of the room. The white carpet beneath her feet felt plush against her toes. It seemed as if no shoes had ever touched the soft fibers. Everything was clean and crisp. She stood in front of a metal table. It almost reminded her of a gynecological examining table.

Yikes!

She noticed black leather cuffs at the top and bottom. She knew enough to know what they were for.

“We’ll use that table many times during our sessions.” He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against his muscular chest. “I’ll restrain you and teach you how to hold off you climaxes, because in this room all of your pleasure belongs to me. I say when you come and how many times. Orgasms are a reward I don’t give freely, especially if they’re not earned. “

That doesn’t sound like any fun.

Ari looked over at the large, wooden X-like structure in the far corner of the room. Martin must have followed her gaze. “It’s gorgeous, isn’t it? It was handcrafted in Italy. The carvings are one of a kind.”

“What is it?”

“It’s a Saint Andrew’s Cross.” He slipped his hands under her shirt, tracing his fingertips over her stomach before moving to the edge of her shorts. The heat coursed through her body when he popped the button and lowered the zipper. “Rule number two.” He pushed the shorts over her hips and let them fall to the floor. “You’ll wear as few clothes as I deem necessary.”

Ari let out a long breath when he gripped her hips and pressed his erection against her backside.

“There are many things to take in. I know it’s overwhelming, but we won’t explore everything at once. If you agree to stay with me, we’ll take it as slowly as you need and we’ll start out easy.”

“Can you do that?”

“For you, I can.” He licked the side of her neck. “Shall we play?”

“What do I need to do?”

“Obey me, listen to what I say, and let go.”

She nodded.

“Are you sore from last night?” He moved his finger to the inside of her panties.

“No.” She rested her head against his shoulder and waited for his magic touch to ignite her fire like he had so many times the night before.

He ran his finger over her clit, but she was more sensitive than she’d realized. When he added another finger she winced. He withdrew and spun her to face him. “How are we ever going to progress if we can’t master rule number one?”

“I—”

“Shh…” He tugged at the bottom of the t-shirt she had borrowed from him, so she lifted her arms, allowing him to remove it. She hadn’t bothered to wear a bra, but now that she stood before him cold and bare, she wished she had. “What is rule number one?” he asked.

“Honesty.”

“Very good, kitten.” He folded the shirt and then held it in front of her face. “Do you still trust me?”

“Yes.”

“That’s all I need to know.” Wrapping the shirt around her eyes, he secured it behind her head. “Until the session is over, you’ll only speak when I ask you a question. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“You may safe word at anytime with no repercussions. What is your safe word?”

“Objection.”

“You will not refer to me by my name. You may call me Sir if you need to address me. Is that clear?”

“Yes.”

“Are you addressing me?” He tugged on her ponytail.

“Yes, Sir.” The way that word rolled off her tongue surprised her.

“How do you feel?”

“Exposed, Sir.”

“We did many things together last night. I’ve seen your body, felt you from the inside. The only difference today is you are surrendering to me.” He ran the back of his hand over her breasts. “You’ll surrender to me over and over until you have no sense of time and place. You’ll lose yourself in me. When I’m done with you, I’ll be the only one who will ever exist in your world. You’ll belong to me, Arianna.”

“I already do,” she whispered.

He trailed his hand up her neck and gripped her chin. “I didn’t ask you a question. If you can’t obey me this won’t work.”

“I’m sor—” She stopped when he tightened his hold on her face. She’d messed up three times in mere minutes. This was going to be harder than she thought.