Her session had gone well. This particular client was always cooperative and sweet and never had any outrageous requests. He was very kind to her. It made for a pleasant work day.
She finished brushing her teeth and went into her office for one more peek at her email. A new client request was waiting for her. She opened it up and quickly read the form. She found herself laughing out loud at some of his answers, especially the part about him being A MAN, playing with her own words, and the nickname he chose for himself. It pleased her that he used the main character in The Taming of The Shrew.
“Well, aren’t you a clever man,” she said out loud.
His teasing intrigued her, but she recognized that it was Reagan who enjoyed the playfulness. Lady Grace would not be so easily amused. Oh, he would be fun to play with.
Normally she would wait to reply, but she was too curious about this one.
Ok, Petruchio, let’s see what you are all about, she thought as she clicked reply.
Dear Petruchio,
Thank you for your entertaining client form. I can see you fancy yourself quite the comedian. I look forward to breaking you, my spirited little stallion. ;)
Before I decide to invite you into the show ring, we must first meet through the marvel of modern technology. FaceTime.
I do this for two reasons. First, you must prove to me that you are indeed a REAL man, and are, without question, serious about learning the exciting ways in which I will challenge you.
Secondly, I want to make sure YOU are someone I want to know. I will be free to speak with you tomorrow evening (Friday) at nine PM. Please confirm that this time will work for you.
Your reply within twelve hours will please me.
Lady Grace
Reagan read over her words and decided she was happy with them. She sent off the email, a little surprised at how hopeful she was that she would hear from this particular man again. Hope and anticipation, two emotions she was not accustomed to. She shook her head at her silliness and decided it was time for bed.
An hour later and she still couldn’t sleep.
She lay in bed thinking about “Petruchio,” intrigued by him. She wondered who he was.
He was clearly intelligent and witty, traits she found irresistible. She’d always been drawn to wit. But there was something else. Traces of vulnerability as well? What made him reach out to her? Why was he drawn to her website in the first place?
She tossed and turned for a while longer and decided that sleep was not going to come easy that night. She got up and went to the kitchen for a drink of water and then made her way into the office. She opened her laptop and saw that she had a message. Was it from him?
Feeling foolish about her eagerness, she opened the mail and saw his reply.
I wouldn’t want to displease you, Milady, but I am a very busy man. I may have to make arrangements to my schedule to fit in our meeting. Can I let you know before the twelve hour clock runs out? Looking forward to being broken by you.
Do you have spurs?
She chuckled softly to herself. Cheeky.
I have many implements and I look forward to using them, saucy boy. Seeing as how you are a very busy man, I am certain you are also a punctual one. Don’t keep me waiting.
LG
P.S. I will have to come up with a safe word for you. My guess is you are going to need one.
Giddy up.
Reagan smiled and shook her head slowly. This one may be trouble, she thought to herself. The good kind of trouble. She reluctantly pulled herself away from her email, certain a reply would not come back until tomorrow. She sighed gently and put herself to bed.
Chapter Five
Ethan
Ethan woke up bright and early. As he readied himself for another busy day, he considered the choice he’d made the night before. He had reached out to this mysterious woman. Certainly this was not in his character, at least he didn’t think it was. However, she did stir up something in him that he had not felt for a long time.
Actually, he couldn’t recall ever being that turned on. Was it the thought of being dominated by such a self assured woman?
Was it the pain that intrigued him?
Would this experience help him discover more about himself?
He wasn’t sure, but he was definitely willing to find out.
Unfortunately, along with this exploration came some risk. He had worked hard to establish himself in his career and he was almost always in the public eye. The paparazzi were never far away, and they would love a juicy story to sink their teeth into. He had learned to keep his public and private life as distant from each other as possible. He was always careful to be just friendly enough, to give them only enough to keep them fed, but not enough to start a feeding frenzy.
Wouldn’t they love that headline. It would sell a lot of papers.
It dawned on him that he was starting to feel some indecision.
He sat down at the table with his freshly made smoothie. He turned on his phone and it chirped as his emails came in. He scrolled through his messages mindlessly, his eyes falling upon the last message from Lady Grace.
He chuckled as he read through her message, amused by her easy wit and at the same time curious about her directness. He liked it.
He pondered for a moment what safe word he might use, and what situations they would find themselves in that would cause him to need one. Not having ever experienced the type of play that would push his boundaries, he felt at a disadvantage. The mystery of it piqued his curiosity all the more.
The early morning hours moved by swiftly. He had a full plate of meetings, including a video conference call with both the director and the casting director of the film. Both of these men were highly skilled, highly paid, and highly respected in the industry. They had big egos that needed managing.
Unfortunately, they had differing opinions that led to a very heated conversation, and Ethan was expected to referee and take sides. He knew he needed to stay focused, but as the clock ticked down and the deadline neared without any resolution, he found his patience running thin. He knew he needed to give his Lady an answer, but the truth was, he had some reservations he had yet to process. This wasn’t making it any easier. With only a short time left to reply to her, he needed to excuse himself from the meeting.
“Gentlemen, this conversation is going in circles and it appears that we will not find a resolution today. Why don’t we agree to table this discussion until Monday and take the next few days to process our thoughts on this,” he offered authoritatively.
Why couldn’t things just be easy once in a while? His life was filled with responsibility, and one damn decision after another. It wasn’t as though he didn’t like the work, but maybe Lady Grace would be a welcome distraction. Wouldn’t it be nice to let someone else take charge, even if it were only for a few hours. Perhaps it would give him a chance to unwind and enjoy a break from his stress.
“Well, I don’t see why we can’t just hash this out until we settle it. For fuck sakes, we have deadlines to meet,” the director answered with frustration.
What an asshole, Ethan thought impatiently. He smiled broadly and softened his gaze.
“James, taking the weekend might be just what we all need to get a fresh perspective.”
He thought he saw a glimmer of hope, a slight nod of approval, until the casting director chimed in.
“Look, why don’t we put together another casting panel and audition a few more actresses. It couldn’t hurt to have a few more options.”
Ethan sucked in his breath, bracing himself for the shit storm to come.
“What are you? A fucking idiot? The last fucking thing we need is to take another week or two weeding through a bunch of talentless prima donnas. We need to decide now,” James blurted out.
The casting director turned red, clearly affected by the insult. He waited for Ethan to say something. Ethan kept his cool, knowing that he was the only one who could diffuse the bomb.
&n
bsp; “Gentlemen, I know we’re all passionate about this project and that is what is driving this conversation, but I honestly believe that our talents will best be utilized if we all just take a break. We can pick this up after lunch. Let’s reconnect at one thirty. Can we at least agree to that?”
Ethan offered another reassuring smile. The other two men grumbled and then agreed. Ethan chimed in before they could say another offensive word.
“Perfect, have a martini with your lunch, James. Take the edge off.”
James raised his eyebrows and then let out a hearty laugh. Not many people could talk to James that way, but Ethan had worked with him before and they had a healthy respect for one another. One of the things that made him so successful was that he was so likable and people trusted him.
“Okay, Ethan. Too bad I wasn’t in town, we could grab lunch together,” James said.
Ethan smirked.
“Yeah, too bad. Go get something to eat. Maybe you’ll be less grumpy when we get back,” he teased.
James laughed again and hung up. Ethan took a moment to apologize to the casting director and assured him he would handle it. Their call ended and Ethan looked at his phone. He was cutting it close. With only minutes to go he sent a message to Lady Grace.
Funny that you would think punctuality would come easy to busy people. I am afraid that time is never my friend. I am notoriously late for everything. But at your request, I have responded within the time frame you gave me, Milady.
Nine PM is perfect. I await your call.
Petruchio
P.S. What would have happened if missed the deadline? How would you punish this bad boy? ;)
Chapter Six
Reagan
Reagan spent the rest of the afternoon running errands with a smile on her face. It was a beautiful day and the sun was shining brightly, reflecting her mood. She felt content and at peace. For reasons she couldn’t quite understand, she was looking forward to her meeting tonight with this interesting mystery man, and nine o’clock couldn’t come soon enough.
Was it silly, she wondered?
She filtered through inquiries from men all the time, but none of them had piqued her interest before. She didn’t have a clue who he was, but there was something about his words. She felt drawn to him. He was humble, and funny, but also confident, and yet she could sense a need in him.
A deep desire for discovery.
People were always so serious around her and she delighted in his playfulness. She enjoyed exploring her own kinky nature, but if she were being honest, it had been a long time since she had been inspired by anyone. She was so focused on business that she did not have the time or inclination to nurture her own desires.
She peeked at her phone and noticed that it was only four-thirty. She knew if she didn’t keep herself busy, time would creep on. She decided to go and walk Ragnar. He would be happy to get outside and play for a while. His joy was infectious. She would stop at Pet Village and pick up a treat for him on her way to the shelter, she thought.
The afternoon passed slowly and it was almost time. She paced through the kitchen, opening cabinets and looking for food she would surely not eat. Her curiosity was at its peak as her mind rehearsed the things she wanted to say to him. She knew from his information form what type of play he wanted to engage in, and more importantly she knew he wanted to be challenged and pushed beyond his comfort zone. But it would be through speaking with him, reading his body language, and gauging his reactions that she would truly know how to make the experience perfect for him.
She made her way into her office and opened her computer, setting it up for FaceTime.
Earlier she’d made herself ready. She enjoyed getting dressed up and liked the way her costumes made her feel. Strong, powerful, and anonymous. But tonight she chose something understated. She wasn’t sure why, but her instincts told her to present herself more true to her own nature. Classy, but confident. Sensual, but not too erotic. She wanted to intrigue him, wet his appetite for kink, and ease him into his fantasies slowly.
The clock turned over to nine. She inhaled deeply, her adrenalin spiking.
“Ready or not,” she said out loud as she dialed his number.
Chapter Seven
Ethan
“Are we all in agreement then?” Ethan asked, glancing at his phone.
It had been a long day and he’d spent the better part of it resolving the conflict that had presented itself earlier that morning. Both of these directors had been acting like stubborn children, unwilling to bend, certain that their opinions were the only right ones.
He was grateful to be working with impassioned artists, but at the same time, it was exhausting. Managing them was like trying to herd cats.
They were almost there.
It hadn’t been easy and he didn’t have much left in his engine.
He regarded both of the men on his monitor, ready to end this conference call. It was going on five o’clock and he was ready to call it a day. James nodded slowly, happy to have at least made out with most of his requests.
“Yeah, I’m good. I think we’re ready to scout locations. Shall we contact our people in Vancouver or did we want to stay mainly in the Seattle area?” James asked.
Ethan held up a hand and chuckled.
“Let’s save that for another day,” he said, certain that opening another discussion would be a bad idea.
He turned to his casting director.
“Feel good about this?” he asked earnestly.
The other man gave a thumbs up, perhaps afraid to open his mouth in case he triggered a response from James.
“Good. Let’s move forward with our plan on Monday and tuck this day in, shall we?”
Ethan pulled his Porsche into the driveway and the gates closed behind him. Grabbing his take out, he made his way into the house. The refreshing chill of the air conditioner hit him as soon as he walked in and he swiftly made his way to the kitchen to grab a beer from the fridge. He took a long swig, grateful to quench his thirst.
He had a few hours before his call with Lady Grace. He thought it would serve him well to swim some laps in the pool after dinner. It would help him to unwind before he met with her. He wanted to feel as refreshed as possible.
The coolness of the water was a welcome contrast to the warm evening air. It was unusually hot for this time of year. His laps completed, he pulled himself out of the water and wrapped a towel around his naked body.
Exercise was something Ethan enjoyed and his body reflected that. At thirty-eight, he was proud to say he was in excellent shape. He had to stay fit in order to keep up with his demanding schedule and it allowed him to play the role of action hero with confidence.
Although he enjoyed working on the other side of the camera, acting was his first love. He’d been doing it since his early twenties. He wished he had a great story about how he’d been discovered, but the truth was, it came pretty easy to him.
The week he came out to LA, he found a talented agent who loved his look. She helped nurture him over a few months and within twelve weeks he had his first casting call for a small part in a big movie. He nailed the audition and was offered the part. After that the roles came in fast and furious. Before he knew it, he was the leading man in a cheesy little chick flick that for some unknown reason became a mega hit. It literally launched his acting career into the stratosphere.
He was well aware that this was not usually how things worked and not a day went by that he didn’t count his blessings. He never took any of it for granted and he worked his ass off to build his brand and branch out beyond the role of actor.
He was smart and observant and he knew the right people to surround himself with. They gave him the opportunities to develop new skills and to grow. He threw his time, talents and money into a film project that had a moderate amount of success, and this opened up new opportunities for him as a Hollywood whiz kid, both behind the camera and in front of it.
He had a full life.
It just wasn’t fulfilling.
He pulled a white t-shit over his head and slipped into a comfortable pair of jeans. It was close to nine and his excitement was building, but he had to admit he was also nervous. He wondered how she would react when she realized who he was.
Would it change the game?
Would she be comfortable?
In spite of her reassurances of discretion, would he be able to trust her?
This was the first time he had allowed himself to be vulnerable, having spent the better part of twenty years building and protecting his brand. He had taken a leap of faith and had done so because something deep in his core told him he needed more.
He’d always trusted his gut and it never steered him off course. He had to explore this for his own peace of mind. Acting had always been an escape for him and allowed him to play many different parts, but in doing so, he lost sight of who he really was.
He wanted to figure that out.
He knew he needed to start honoring that.
He grabbed a bottle of water and made his way into his study. He opened his Mac and set up FaceTime. He was certain she would be punctual and he wanted to be ready. He did not have to wait long. At exactly nine the familiar chime went off, signaling a call. He felt his stomach flutter and took a few deep breaths to ready himself.
ACCEPT.
The camera turned on and he sat up straight, as if he were readying himself for a job interview. He chuckled at his nervousness and mentally chided himself. Pull yourself together man, he thought.
Then he saw her.
For a moment they regarded each other without saying anything. She had a soft smile on her face, and he instantly felt at ease. He waited for her to speak. If she recognized him, she didn’t offer any indication of it. Finally she spoke.
Grace and Mercy Page 3