Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 88350 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88350 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
As he headed downstairs, he saw Lia standing at the open doors of the main dungeon, her back to him. She was leaning forward as if pulled by an unseen force. The indentations created by the rope bondage had mostly faded from her fair skin, as had any trace of the impact play from the night before. If she’d been just someone he’d hooked up with at this event, he wouldn’t have hesitated to take her straight into the dungeon so he could mark that creamy skin once more.
Instead, he came up quietly behind her and placed a hand lightly on her shoulder. “Hey, there.”
She jumped at his touch and whirled to face him. “Oh,” she exclaimed. “You startled me, Sir.”
“I can see that,” he said with a grin. “You looked like a kid with her face pressed up against the candy store window.”
She grinned. “What can I say, Sir? Once a pain slut…”
He chuckled. “Come on. Let’s grab something to eat and find somewhere to sit and chat.”
They entered the dining room, which was filled with people, some seated at the table, others in the buffet line. After filling their plates with warm biscuits piled with baked ham along with homemade kettle chips and, for Lia, a slice of peach pie, they made their way into the large living room.
The vendor tables had been cleared away, and, as the night before, drinks stations were set up at various points around the room offering bottled water, fresh lemonade and sweet iced tea.
They found a secluded spot in the corner that contained two comfortable chairs. “Can I get you something to drink?” he asked, setting his plate down on the small side table between the chairs.
Lia looked surprised by the question. No doubt Enclave Masters didn’t get drinks for their slaves, instead expecting to be served. “Oh, um, yes, sure. I’ll have a glass of iced tea, Sir.”
He returned with Lia’s drink and a glass of limeade for himself. “Is the food always this good here?” he asked, biting into the delicious sandwich.
“Yep,” Lia said. “Mason was a world class chef before he retired to The Enclave. He still owns a couple of restaurants in Asheville.”
“Impressive,” Beau observed.
Focusing on their sandwiches, they ate in companionable silence.
After a while, he said, “So, you’ve had some time to process on your own. You still want to go through with this?”
“Yes, Sir. I’m game if you are.”
Beau smiled, glad they were on the same page. “I am.”
“Oh,” she said, her hand going to the rope collar around her throat. “I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to remove this collar for my shower, so I left it on.”
He reached for the collar, touching the linen rope. “It’s still damp, but it should dry fine as it is, though it may tighten a bit as a result. Going forward, you have my permission to remove it before showering. I’ll show you how to retie the knot. It’s actually very simple.”
His delicious sandwich devoured, he set down his plate. “I’m going to need to leave the compound from time to time over the upcoming week. I know we kind of sprung this whole thing on you today. Did you need to go back to your apartment or handle anything in town?”
“I do have a few things I was planning to do this week. I already got my ID card at my orientation and I want to go to the research library at least once before next Monday just to get myself better acquainted with the space. Oh, and I’ll need to water my plants at my apartment. It’s cool, though. I have my own ride. I rode my motorcycle up here.”
“Your motorcycle,” Beau snorted. “Why am I not surprised? But, no. That won’t be necessary. I’ll drive you where you need to go.”
For a moment, she almost looked like she was going to protest. Wisely, she seemed to reconsider. “Okay.”
“But remember,” he added, placing a hand on her bare thigh, “even when we’re not together, you’ll still be my charge. While I’ll never compromise you, I may require certain things of you to keep you in the proper mindset while we’re apart.”
“Certain things?” she queried, looking dubious.
“That’s right. But don’t worry. I won’t ask anything that could potentially get you in trouble. As long as you’re discreet, that is,” he added with a smirk. “I’ll be the only one who knows about the dirty slut who keeps herself hidden beneath the prim and proper librarian.”
Lia’s eyes widened, her lips parting in that sexy way that made him almost want to kiss her. Clearly, she was turned on by the idea. While that wasn’t the intent of the exercise, it might be a nice byproduct.
“Obviously, I won’t always be in a position to monitor your behavior,” he continued. “We’ll rely on the honor system. Any successful D/s relationship, be it a romantic one or a trainee situation, is based on trust. That works both ways. If you’re to succeed in tapping into your inner sub, I will require rigorous honesty from you at all times.”