by Anya Summers
Tyler filled her plate with more food than she typically ate in a day, let alone in one sitting. And then he did the same with his plate.
"Coffee or tea?" he asked.
"Tea, please."
He poured hot water into a fine bone china mug, placing the matching tea caddy near her plate, then helped himself to the coffee. She missed coffee, but during the last six months, if she drank it, her acid reflux doubled to mammoth proportions her Tums couldn't control, so she'd grudgingly made the switch to tea. Tyler finally seated himself, his actions making Elise think of how medieval knights and lords ensured their lady's trenchers were filled first before serving themselves.
Distracting her wayward thoughts from the fact that she wanted to sigh like a schoolgirl, Elise focused on selecting one of the tea packets, choosing an Earl Grey, and letting it steep a bit while she sampled the food on her plate. It was good. Really amazing fluffy eggs that tasted like a dream. She ate with restraint, worried that her constant state of acid reflux would rear its ugly head at any moment. She missed being able to eat with aplomb, as her weight loss from the last few months could attest to.
Tyler had no such problem with food, apparently, since he ate like he seemed to do everything else; with intense diligence and gusto, seemingly savoring every bite. He studied her, and pointed his fork at her overfull plate. "You need to eat. You've barely touched your meal. Are you ill?"
"No. I just haven't had much of an appetite here lately."
"Why not?"
"Work has been rather stressful of late. It's not a big deal," Elise deflected, not wanting him or anyone to know how close to perdition and ruin her company was.
"I understand how stressful owning your own company can be, but if you're not putting nutrients into your body, it won't be able to successfully combat the nervous energy you're dealing with. More importantly, as a Dom, as your Dom for the time being, I'm ordering you to eat what is on your plate. In order for me to be willing to continue with your training, you need to keep your strength up. Sessions can be rather strenuous, so eat."
"I thought men didn't like it when women ate a lot."
"Darlin', maybe some men prefer women who do that, but speaking for myself, I want a woman who is healthy and enjoys food. It's like sex. When a man sees a woman truly enjoy and relish a meal, he can't help but know she will be the same way in bed. Now eat."
Feeling herself blush, Elise dropped her gaze and focused on her meal. It was unnerving knowing that Tyler was watching her to ensure she ate. Elise ignored him. She had to if she was going to be able to eat. Somewhere between a bite of sharp cheddar and some cinnamon scone, she found herself enjoying the food. It was so nice, for a change of pace, having someone else do the cooking. It wasn't that Elise couldn't cook; she still held the blue ribbon in her hometown for her killer kicking chili that was so good, grown men had nearly wept over it at the county fair. Elise had been taking care of everything and everyone for as long as she could remember.
She was fourteen when she'd finally understood that she would have to make her own way in the world. While her folks weren't destitute, running a small vegetable farm in Kentucky wasn't necessarily a profitable venture. Especially since her daddy, Ned Beauregard, refused to have his farm subsidized by the federal government. He didn't approve of handouts, believing that would give the government the right to dictate how his land should be managed. And that just wouldn't work for good old Ned Beauregard.
She couldn't really say that there had been one instance over another that had set her on the road to independence early on. It had been more a compilation of things. Her dad believed in working hard, not asking for help, and that no child should be coddled. When she got sick, Dad had sold off parts of the farm to help pay for her medical expenses. Elise still didn't think he'd forgiven her for that, which was why she still sent her parents a check every month. Or rather, she sent it to her mom, who made sure to deposit it in a rainy day fund since her dad refused to accept it.
Elise knew she'd assimilated some of her father's upbringing in her life. This was why she had acid attempting to eat a hole through her esophagus on a daily basis.
"There now, that's what I like to see."
Elise blinked and shot him a glance. "What?"
"That you did as I asked and ate what was on your plate."
His blue gaze held a distinct note of approval in it, and she couldn't have stopped the unexpected warmth swarming her chest if she'd tried. She looked at her plate. Holy smokes! She'd eaten the whole thing. Elise held still, waiting for her stomach to revolt, waiting for the telltale signs that she needed to make a mad dash to retrieve the Tums from her purse.
And nothing. Not a single burp or gurgle, just a blessedly full belly.
"Oh, well. You're welcome."
She hadn't necessarily intended to follow his orders, but if the result was his pleasure and she was full for the first time in months, then who was she to argue?
"Now, about your sub training."
That put her on instant alert. "Yes?"
"After deliberating and giving your reactions last night much thought, I have decided we will continue your sub training privately until I feel you're ready."
"What do you mean, privately?"
Oh gosh, had she completely screwed up last night? Was he disappointed with her reactions?
"As one of the owners of the club, I think I can help you become a fully-fledged submissive. But after gauging your reactions, I believe it would be better for you without there being an audience present. To begin with, at least. I think if we start out slow, where I can show you what will be expected of you, it will help allay some of your fears. Then, when I deem that you are ready, we will go back to the club. Declan has agreed with me that if you want the membership, that this is the route to follow."
"So it's another stipulation after I had already agreed to the first? Did I do something wrong? Was I not good enough?" she asked.
Crushing guilt and shame flooded her system. Walking around with her defect seemed to make her less than, no matter what she did. Elise couldn't seem to get life right. It was as though there was this special formula that all of her peers understood, which was why they seemed to have their lives together whereas for her, no matter how hard she tried, no amount of work could fill the gaps her defect left.
She blinked back the sudden rush of tears and hid her gaze. She didn't want him to see how much his words wounded her. She felt spliced open and raw.
Tyler's face stormed into her line of vision as he knelt at her side. He gripped her chin and brought her watery gaze to his, which appeared like bejeweled flames.
"Not at all. If anything, I enjoyed having you on my lap a little too much. I mean, look at me." His hand gestured to his crotch and the noticeable bulge in his jeans. "As I understand it, you are brand new to our world, and you're extremely modest from all indications. I thought it would be more calming for you to ease you into it a bit and give you instruction that way. My concern, as your Dom for the time being, is to ensure your happiness and peace of mind."
"Oh."
"If you're agreeable, I'd like to begin at eight tonight in my room. I will have everything we should need."
"Well, I don't know. Are you sure we should be alone for it? Is that something that is acceptable?"
"It's more than acceptable. In fact, for you to gain access to the Dungeon Fantasy Club, it's a requirement. I need you to trust me. I do have your best interests at heart here. What do you have to lose, huh? Say yes, Elise, and I can promise you more pleasure than you ever dreamed possible."
An unrepentant ball of lust melted in her core at his words. He was doing all of this, changing the arrangement, to take care of her. Because he thought that was what would be best for her. When the hell was the last time someone had put her needs above their own? She knew the answer and it was far too depressing. Sixteen years; not since she was in the hospital when she had been sick all those years ago.
"Yes," she said.
She hadn't realized she'd wrapped her arms around her middle in a protective gesture until Tyler unclenched her hands, pulling them down to her sides. Then he started untangling the bedsheet from her body.
"What are you doing?"
He gave her a small smile and stroked her cheek. His touch charred her skin and sent a corresponding blaze to her groin. "You've been so brave, darlin', that I'm going to make you come before I leave you for the day."
Oh, well, was that it? Moisture swamped her core and her nipples perked up into hard points as they came under his fiery gaze.
"Hope you don't mind, but I haven't been able to get your taste out of my mind. Now, keep your hands on your chair, here," he went on.
He positioned her arms so that they were slightly bent at the elbows and she was holding the bronze bars of the backrest. Then he untangled the remainder of the sheet until it drooped onto the floor around them, leaving her decidedly bare to his ministrations.
Tyler ran his hands over her breasts and down south until he reached her thighs. And then he was opening them, baring her pussy to his rapt gaze. Her belly fluttered and a drumbeat had taken up residence in her breast. He teased the flesh of her thighs, running his calloused fingers over her flesh and inching closer to her nether lips.
He cast a devilish glance and then she watched as his face descended and he took her flesh into his mouth. He stormed her body with all the finesse of a battering ram. This was no gentle exploration or teasing, but a full on assault to her senses, and it was incredible. Waves of desire lashed at her system as Tyler stroked his tongue inside her pussy. He ate her just like he'd done his breakfast, diligently ensuring not a single part of her pussy was left untouched by his wonderful mouth. Her eyes damn near rolled into the back of her head as he nipped her clitoris between his teeth before plunging his tongue inside her sex.
Her body pulled taut in on itself as her desire raged and built. Her hands fisted against the bronze bars, holding on for purchase as he pulled her deeper to him. His hands held her ass still, denying her any movement as he siphoned her bud into his mouth. Panting at the sheer force of pleasure, Elise let go and felt herself shatter into a million sonic boom explosions. Pleasure engulfed her as her pussy quaked and shivered from the force.
The orgasm decimated her until she was a limp noodle with no more strength than a strand of cooked spaghetti, unable to move.
Tyler finally retreated from between her thighs. The hunger in his gaze, if she'd been standing instead of reclining limply against the back of her chair, would have brought her to her knees. Had she ever had a man look at her with such passion before?
He rose slowly, his hands once again moving over her body. Then he captured her lips, and with a single kiss, claimed her more than any man had ever done before. This was no light peck or 'thanks for the fun'. His kiss altered the very fabric of her being. There would forever be a 'before Tyler kissed me' and 'after' for Elise. It was a kiss meant to drive away any memories of former men from her life, and in her soul she understood that no man, save Tyler, would ever kiss her this way. As if she belonged to him, body, heart, and soul.
And it devastated her. Because for the woman who was defective, who feared she would never have anyone want to keep her, to suddenly have a glimpse into what it would be like to truly belong, was more heartrending than if she'd never experienced it at all.
Tyler broke the kiss and stood. Her gaze followed his ascent and his unreadable expression. Had she ever realized how big a man he was? From this angle, his six-foot frame towered over her, putting his rather obvious erection near eye level.
He caressed her cheek. "I will see you at my room at eight. Please don't be late."
"Yes Tyler, um, Sir."
And then he released her, retreating from her room. She stared after him, unmoving for some time, her legs still too unsteady to hold her weight.
Elise knew with a certainty that being with Tyler would be a mistake, and yet she could no more turn away from him than she could stop the sun from shining.
Chapter Five
Elise smoothed her fingers over the black spandex dress, feeling like she was forgetting something as she left her room to go meet Tyler. All day long, as she had sewed and altered Zoey's wedding gown, she had replayed the events of the last twenty-four hours. She lost count of the number of times she poked her fingers with a needle or found herself walking to the window to get some cool air.
Her hands trembled as she pressed the elevator call button and rode the conveyance up to the third floor. Elise felt like a virgin bride on her wedding night—which, in turn, made her feel like a ninny. It wasn't like she'd never had sex before, she had. None of her previous encounters had been of the mind-blowing variety, though. Even in her longest relationship, as enthusiastic as her boyfriend Brian had been, she'd only ever had an orgasm a handful of times with him during the year they were together. Elise had assumed that the fault, the defect, lay somewhere within her genetic makeup. Why wouldn't she? It had been a logical deduction on her end that her barren womb made it so that she didn't experience sex like everyone else.
And yet, within twenty-four hours, Tyler had blown that theory to smithereens. This morning had been the first time she'd ever had a man bring her to orgasm with oral sex. Her pussy pulsed at the memory. She had come twice in a matter of hours with him, when other men she'd been with had gotten her off once in a blue moon. And while she had a selection of vibrators that did the job nicely, even those provided tepid releases compared to the earth-shattering experience under Tyler's capable, magic hands.
All day she'd wondered what the night held in store for her. And now that she stood before his door, holding her hand aloft and about to knock, tremors of anxiety skittered along her spine. If he could make her orgasm that spectacularly with only his mouth, would she even survive a full night with him, or would his touch incinerate her bones until there was nothing left of her former self?
Elise knocked on his door and stood waiting for him, feeling exposed. Tyler opened it and took what little breath she had away. God, he was gorgeous. He was shirtless tonight. The expanse of muscles, dusted with a smattering of dark hair that tapered from his pectorals, down over—Christ, he has a twelve pack—his sculpted abs, in a single line that disappeared beneath his leather pants. Elise could only stare at his solid broad shoulders, which led to arms that, from his sheer nature, were stronger than those of any man she'd ever known.
"Come in, Elise." The appraisal in his voice sent fingers of pleasure through her system.
He held out his hand and she just stared. This was it. The moment she stepped across the threshold of his door, her life, her world, was in his hands. A part of her knew she should turn away, that the fire might burn just a little too hot for her well-being, but the simmering, banked flames in his steady gaze propelled her forward. There was no shying away from the longing she felt, or her unrequited need to taste what he offered.
And, peering into his eyes, she saw they held compassion and understanding at her internal struggle. He didn't push her or get annoyed as she hesitated. Instead, he just stood there, steady as a rock, and patiently waited for her to put her trust in him. With that knowledge, Elise laid her hand in his, his large fingers dwarfing hers as they circled her hand and he drew her into his room.
Tyler shut and locked the door, baring anyone from entering, as well as keeping them in.
"Relax, Elise." He pulled her toward the sofa and she followed behind.
He sat down and left her standing, feeling rather awkward. "One of the first rules for our nightly sessions is that, when we are in this room, you will divest yourself of all clothing. Now, if you would, strip."
"What? Why?"
"Tonight, I will encourage and answer your questions. As your Dom, it pleases me to have you naked. It also serves another purpose: that you become comfortable being undressed in front of others, which will help with your modesty issue when it comes time for yo
u to return to the club."
"Oh, okay."
Elise peeled the spandex dress off, followed by her bra and panties. It was unnerving to stand before him completed nude. Especially when his gaze roved over her form with a carnal appreciation swirling in their hungry depths. God, he made her weak-kneed, and just from a look.
"Very good. Second rule, any time we are in this room, you will address me as Sir or Master, understood?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Come here." He held his hand out to her once again. It was even more intimidating this time, since she no longer had a stitch of clothing on. But she complied and he pulled her onto his lap.
Elise sat stiffly, unsure of how to respond. Tyler settled her close until her body was all but plastered up against his. Those large hands of his stroked along her body, as if he was committing her form to memory.
"Easy there, sweetheart. Take a deep breath and relax. Tonight is about pleasure, more pleasure than you ever deemed possible. That I can promise you."
She did as he asked, inhaling a large gulp of air into her lungs and breathing it out. Her internal unease melted as oxygen suffused her body. It felt so good, she took another deep breath and, surprisingly, felt her body melding into his under his deft touch.
"That's it. Now, for tonight, I'm going to restrain you on the medical table I had brought up from the club. This is for me to test your limits, to see how your body responds to both my touch and the stimulus. If at any time, something hurts, you need to use what we call a 'safeword'. Yours is 'red', understand?"