by S. E. Lund
Kate ran to the bathroom and before I finished dressing, she returned, slipping under the covers quickly. I sat on the edge of the bed and leaned over her, kissing her, unable to get enough of her with her mussed hair and sleepy eyes.
"You look so delicious Ms. Bennet," I said, admiring the curve of her breast peeking out from under the sheets. "I think I'm crazy to leave you here all warm and snuggly under the covers."
"You have things to do,” she said and nestled into the pillow. “I'm glad you're feeling so much better. Can you join us for lunch at my parent's today?"
I nodded and ran my fingers down her cheek. "Should I pick you up or will you get a ride over to you father's?"
"I think I'll walk. I've been locked inside the studio for a couple of days. I need the exercise. I'll meet you there at 12:30?"
"Sounds like a plan." I kissed her again and smiled. "Then, after lunch, I want dessert. In other words, I want you," I said and slipped my hand down under the covers to her breast. "I have to make up for lost time. I hope you're ready for me, because I'll be more than ready for you."
Her eyes widened. "I'll have a hard time eating my lunch when you talk that way."
"Good. I'm feeling very deprived. I'm sure you feel that way as well."
She shrugged. "You were sick. But now…" She bit her lip and raised her eyebrows.
I smiled and squeezed her breast. "Now I feel almost my old self. I think I want that massage you promised."
"Your wish is my command, oh Sultan." She fluttered her eyelashes.
"I wish that you'll give me a very long and very sensuous massage when we get back from your father's,” I said. “Use some nice scented oil, have some soft music in the background, light some candles…"
She smiled. "Sounds heavenly."
I checked my watch and sighed, wishing I could stay home with her, take off my clothes and slip back under the covers. She was nice and warm and now her eyes were bright. I knew she loved sex first thing in the morning and regretted that I had to leave.
"Now I do have to go." I leaned down and kissed her deeply. "Hold that thought."
I reluctantly left the apartment and while I was glad to be up and around again, I would have preferred to spend a leisurely morning with Kate, fucking her slowly, relishing the intimacy of our naked skin against each other.
I went to the hospital and headed directly to the pediatric oncology ward to speak with the nurses and see how Liam had been doing. I’d been in contact with Liam’s doctors via email but hadn't been well enough to visit the hospital. I was infectious as long as I had a fever so I had to wait until it broke, and my cough had subsided enough, so I wouldn’t put the sick children at risk. They were especially vulnerable when fighting cancer, taking chemo drugs. Liam had a barely functioning immune system.
It would take weeks before we knew for sure whether my donation was successful but I had real hope for the first time that it would.
Once I was satisfied that Liam was doing as well as could be expected, I went back to my office and went over my paper once more, looking at the revised tables my colleague had submitted for my review. I approved the changes and made a few edits and then sent it off to him in an email, apologizing for my delay but explaining that I had been ill.
It felt so good to be working again. By the time I checked my watch, a couple of hours had passed and so I decided to pop by the studio and see how Kate was doing and if she was ready for lunch with her parents. I decided to surprise her. I wanted to see her in her natural state, and maybe peek at her canvas. I hated secrets, and hoped I might catch a glimpse of what she was working on.
I parked the car and walked up to the building. When I arrived at the studio, I opened the door quietly so I wouldn’t bother anyone. Kate sat at a table in front of a canvas that looked much darker than her art. Behind her stood a young man I hadn’t seen before. He leaned over her and was talking to her, pointing to whatever it was she was examining. I couldn’t help but feel jealous that some other man was sharing her art and had seen her paintings but tried my best to tamp it down.
They must have heard me for they both looked up at the same time and immediately, our eyes met. He said something to Kate that I couldn’t hear. Kate stood up, a bit of a guilty look on her face when she realized I had caught her in a rather intimate moment with a strange man. She came right over to me and took hold of my coat by the lapels and pulled me down for a kiss.
I let her, glancing away from the young man. I kissed her finally, pulling her against my body possessively.
"I thought I'd pop by and see how you’re doing,” I said, raising an eyebrow suggestively.
"Almost done,” she replied. “Just finishing up the last touches."
"Can I see?" I went to the canvas, which was over by the far window, facing the other direction. Kate ran to the painting and tried to block me from seeing it.
"I don't want you to see it just yet, Drake." She stood with her body blocking my access to the canvas. When I tried to sneak by, taking her shoulders and pushing her gently out of the way, she resisted, so I tickled her. She couldn’t help but squirm in my arms, giggling.
"No, Drake!" she said, fighting to appear angry, but I could see her grin.
Then the other guy came over and tried to block me from seeing the canvas.
"The lady said no," he said firmly.
I stopped and put my hands on my hips. "Take it easy," I said, my voice tight. "I was just playing around."
The guy glanced at Kate, a frown on his face.
"It's OK," she said. "He was just having fun. He knows I don't want him to see it yet."
The guy held up his hands and backed away. "Sorry."
Kate took my hand, trying to diffuse the situation. "This is Keith," she said. "He's one of the artists who uses Nathaniel's studio. Keith, this is Drake, my…" she hesitated as if she didn’t know how to describe our relationship.
"I'm her boyfriend," I said as authoritatively as I could.
Keith eyed me up and down, as if measuring whether I was good enough for Kate, and then he backed down and went back to his table. While I didn’t really feel much of a threat from the two potheads I saw Kate with previously, this Keith guy was much more like the kind of man Kate could be with. He was good looking enough and seemed protective of her—the way I would be if I had found her in the same situation. I had to admit to myself that I could get very jealous if Kate was going to be spending any length of time with him—especially alone.
I tried to swallow my jealousy but it wasn’t easy. To be honest, not being jealous where Kate was concerned might not even be possible.
I took Kate back to my apartment in Chelsea, where she showered and dressed in something pretty for our meal with Ethan and Elaine.
As usual, Kate was breathtaking in her cashmere sweater, the soft fabric hugging her lush curves, accentuating her ample breasts and curvy hips. When I saw her, and thought about her eager willingness to submit to me, I felt incredibly lucky that we stumbled together on the way to the bathroom that first night at the pub. If it hadn’t been for Kate's interest in D/s, I probably would have been matched with some new submissive and would be going through my same old routine of work, the band, and a very sterile session of B&D with someone I cared nothing about.
We drove to Ethan’s but instead of going up with Kate, I dropped her off because I received a text from my answering service. I needed to stop by the hospital for a moment to check on a patient who had experienced a few complications post-surgery. I didn't bother Kate with the details but told her I need to run an errand and would only be a few minutes.
I drove to the hospital and popped onto the ward, meeting with the nurse who was providing care for my patient. We discussed his case and then I met with my fellow neurosurgeon to discuss treatment options.
After I was finished, I stopped at a little market to buy some roses for Elaine, in thanks for her generosity towards me. As I walked through the narrow aisles crammed with gro
ceries to the rack of flower bouquets, I thought about how lucky I was that she intervened that day. Elaine was one of the main reasons Kate and I were now together and I wanted her to feel appreciated.
I selected some beautiful yellow roses and had them wrapped. When I checked my watch, I realized I had taken longer than I expected. Kate would be wondering where I was and why I was taking so long.
I rushed back to Ethan’s apartment and parked in the guest parking in the basement. I took the elevator to the penthouse, eager to see them all. I’d been gone over an hour and hoped I hadn’t delayed lunch for too long.
I entered the apartment and was greeted by the three of them seated in the living room.
"There you are, young man," Ethan said, smiling broadly. "We were beginning to worry about you."
Kate followed her, smoothing her skirt and sweater. I caught her eye and tried to look apologetic.
"Sorry I'm late," I said, and showed the flowers to Elaine, who rose to meet me at the door. "I wanted to stop and get you something on my way. Here," I said, handing the bouquet of roses to her. "Something to brighten up the table." In my other hand was the bottle of champagne I picked up at the liquor store on the way.
Elaine took the bouquet and kissed me on the cheek.
"Why, thank you so much, Drake. Fresh flowers are always nice." She turned and pointed to the kitchen. "I'll go put them in some water."
I handed an eager Ethan the bottle of chilled champagne. "I'll get some glasses," he said, smiling. "We have lots to celebrate."
Kate came up to me and after I hung up my coat and removed my boots, I leaned down to kiss her, pulling her briefly into my arms, rocking her gently for a moment. Ethan returned all too soon with champagne glasses and the bottle in a chiller. We took our seats while he opened the bottle and then poured champagne into the crystal flutes. He seemed his jovial self so he was obviously recovered from his own bout with the virus.
"Ethan," I said, looking him over, checking his color. "Good to see you're feeling better."
"You as well, young man,” Ethan replied, smiling. “You're a hero with all that's happened this past week."
I shook my head and put my arm around Kate, leaning back. "I'm no hero. Liam's my son. It was the least I could do."
Elaine returned with the flowers in a vase. "Katie, do you want to help me in the kitchen?"
Kate stood up to leave, but when she got to the door, Ethan’s cell phone rang and he looked at the call display.
"Oh, damn," Ethan said, shaking his head. "Gotta take this, Drake. You relax for a bit, read the paper, watch some headlines."
He handed me the channel changer.
"No problem, Ethan. I had a busy morning so I'm glad to take it easy for a moment."
I leaned back on the couch and put my feet up on the coffee table. Kate stood in the doorway as if unable to decide what to do. I caught her eye. "Were you going to help Elaine?"
She seemed startled but finally nodded. “Of course.” Then she left me alone.
While she and Elaine fixed lunch, I scanned the television channels for news headlines and then I searched for the paper. I found it and flipped through the pages, searching for sports highlights, eager for some lunch.
In about ten minutes, Kate returned and startled when she saw me.
"Is lunch ready?" I said, wondering about the expression on her face.
"Yes," she said. "Come to the table. I'll get my father."
I nodded and folded the paper, placed it on the coffee table and then made my way down the hall. Kate went to her father's study to let him know lunch was ready so I went to the dining room. Elaine was there, putting a bowl of salad on the table.
“How is Liam doing?” Elaine asked, an expression of sympathy and concern on her face.
“He’s doing as well as can be expected,” I said. “He’s had his bone marrow destroyed and my stem cells transfused. He’ll be a very sick boy for a few weeks.”
Kate returned and stood in the doorway, looking strangely anxious. I smiled, and she smiled back and then entered the dining room. I pulled out a chair for her and seated her, bending down when she was settled to kiss her neck in a moment of affection, hoping to calm her down about whatever it was that was making her anxious. Ethan arrived just as Elaine came in with a big plate of pasta.
"Sorry I'm late," he said. "Miniature crisis at the campaign office. Some mix up about my record as a judge, rulings on controversial issues. Had to clear it up. Don’t want false data circulating. Someone from the office gave out inaccurate information and we got a call from a reporter hoping to drum up a scandal."
"Was the information good or bad?" Elaine asked, as she passed the salad.
"Bad for me, unfortunately," Ethan replied. "Some people don't like my rulings on certain cases, but my record is my record. Don't want anyone to think I'm being deliberately misleading."
"Honesty is the best policy," I said. "In politics and life, it's better to clear up any misunderstandings as soon as possible, to avoid looking like you're being deceptive."
"Absolutely," Ethan replied, smiling at Elaine when she handed him a plate of pasta. "Get the facts out there so there's no misinterpretation."
I let go of Kate’s hand and then passed her the salad.
"You all right dear?" Ethan asked Kate. "Your cheeks are red."
"Just the heat from the stove, I guess," Kate said, forcing a smile. She turned to her father. "Did the person who released the wrong data do it deliberately to make your record look better than it is?"
"No," Ethan said, shaking his head. "He used data that was preliminary instead of the final data. It wasn't deceptive, just incorrect. Unfortunately, it makes my staffers look either like liars or bumbling incompetents, so either way it's not a good news day for me."
"That's too bad, Ethan," I said, hoping that the screw up didn’t hurt Ethan’s campaign. I knew he’d make an excellent Congressman if elected. I intended to do what I could to help him get there. "What will happen to the staffer?"
"He'll have to be reprimanded of course,” Ethan replied. “He shouldn't have released the data until he cleared it with Greg, but I'll have to have a little talk with him, make sure he wasn't doing it to hurt the campaign. You know, sabotage it. Can't ever know what's going on in someone else's heart, can you?"
I nodded, for it was true. You never knew what someone else was thinking or feeling. I glanced at Kate and thought how well I usually read her and right then, she looked extremely nervous about something.
Ethan didn’t seem too worried about the mix-up, and dug into his pasta with gusto.
"Darling,” he said and turned to Elaine. “I do believe this is the best you've ever made."
Elaine smiled and I turned back to my meal and wondered what was up with Kate. Was she coming down with the virus and not feeling well? I couldn’t figure out what was wrong with her, but I knew something was bothering her.
"Drake, is it not to your liking?" Ethan asked.
"Hmm?" I glanced up to see Ethan eagerly eating his meal. "Oh, sorry," I said. "No, I was just thinking about what you said." I lifted a fork to my mouth and then smiled at Elaine. "The pasta is delicious. Worthy of a restaurant. Bravo."
Elaine looked pleased at the compliment and gave me a smile.
Beside me, Kate seemed preoccupied and barely ate her own food. Ethan, ever watchful, noted it.
"Sweetheart,” he said and pointed to Kate’s plate. “You're not eating your pasta."
Kate put her fork down. "I'm not feeling all that well," she said, wiping her mouth with a napkin. "A bit tired, I guess. It's been a stressful week."
Ethan seemed satisfied and then turned back to his food.
"Excuse me," Kate said suddenly. She stood, knocking her chair back and left the table.
"Are you all right, sweetie?" Ethan called out to her. Kate didn’t reply and so I got up and put my napkin on the table. I was on edge because of Kate’s behavior and wanted to be alone with her so I c
ould find out what was wrong.
“I’ll go see what’s the matter,” I said and turned to Ethan and Elaine. “She may be coming down with this virus.”
Elaine forced a smile. “Thank you, Drake. You may be right.”
I went down the hall to Kate’s old bedroom and saw that she was in the en suite bathroom. I knocked at the door.
"Kate?"
"I'm okay," she said. "Just feeling a bit queasy."
"Let me in," I said softly.
"I'm okay, Drake," she said. "I'll be out in a minute."
I didn’t believe her for a moment. Something was wrong. "Are you sure?"
"Yes. I'm fine."
"If you say so, but I am a doctor."
"I know you are,” she said through the closed door. “I'm fine."
When she opened the door, I was waiting at the end of the bed. I was going to force her to tell me what was wrong.
"Why are you in here?" she said, her voice shaky. "You haven't finished lunch yet."
"I was concerned about you,” I replied. “You don't look well."
"I'm fine." She tried to leave the room without saying anything more, but I grabbed her hand and stopped her, maneuvering her between my legs. I wasn’t going to let her escape without an explanation. If I knew anything about BDSM relationships, it was that a Dom had to insist on openness and honesty from his sub. The submissive couldn’t keep anything from the dominant or else the relationship was doomed to fail. There could be no secrets between partners in the lifestyle. Secrets were like a slow poison that crept in between the couple and ruined the bond.
"What is it, Katie?" I said, keeping my voice soft and unthreatening. "Tell me what's wrong."
"Nothing," she said, forcing a smile. "I'm just tired and stressed out over everything."
"As long as you're okay," I said, but I knew she was being untruthful. I didn’t want to punish her for being deceptive. Instead, I wanted her to feel safe enough with me so that she’d open up. I brushed her hair back from her face, touched her cheek tenderly.
"Drake, we really need to talk," she said, but at that moment, I wanted to diffuse her anxiety completely.