Learning to Breathe: Part One - The Collective - Season 1, Episode 3

by Ellie Masters

  Reid ruffled the top of her head.

  “Don’t let George hear you calling Tank a mutt.” George’s pride in Tank’s pedigree bordered on obsessive.

  “Well, tell him I’m sorry I bailed on him last week, but I’m definitely ready for a trip to the mountains.”

  George had land and property up near Lake Tahoe. Reid had a cabin too, if she remembered correctly. However, George’s cabin was a seven-thousand-foot estate on the waters of Lake Tahoe. An avid skier, hunter, and off-road enthusiast, he and Reid had bonded over everything outdoors. Sometimes Mac joined them and they made it a man’s retreat.

  “I’ll let him know,” she said.

  “Nice to meet you, Derek.”

  “A pleasure,” Derek replied, but possessive overtones threaded through his voice.

  Reid turned, then paused, giving the whistling man a long look. With a shake of his head, he rejoined Mac at the counter.

  Chapter 16

  Done

  While Reid wandered back to his seat at the far end of the counter, Derek pulled Sally’s hand to his mouth, placing light kisses on her knuckles.

  “It’s time,” he said.

  With those two words, the tone of their conversation changed. Her stomach fluttered, and her pulse increased, anticipating…something.

  “For what?” She tried to appear nonchalant, but her breathy reply spoke to her anxiety.

  The warmth of his breath heated her knuckles and stirred her heart. His eyes swirled with power. With need. With an undeniable force drawing her in. A strength she would willingly follow.

  “You’re an intelligent woman.”

  He was a dominant who craved control, and she knew enough to have an idea what he meant.

  “Full disclosure…I’m not interested in dating, but I want to explore an alternate relationship with you.”

  She bit her lower lip. A relationship which wasn’t dating? She wouldn’t be his girlfriend, nor he her boyfriend. The truth was, she had only the foggiest notion what he wanted. An ultimatum was coming, leaving her sputtering for breath and nearly paralyzed with fear.

  “I need control.”

  His personality was a force of its own, and as she understood things, his need to exert his will upon others overpowered anything else.

  “What does that even mean?”

  “I want all of you.” His grip on her hand intensified. “Every bit of you. You had a small taste last night, but that was merely the tip of the iceberg.”

  Other than his cock, she hadn’t tasted much. There’d been hints of the lifestyle, but everything had seemed otherwise normal.

  “Okay?”

  “You need to think this through.”

  She opened her mouth to say yes, but he raised his hand, stalling her response.

  “Let me finish. This isn’t something you jump into blind.” He pulled out his cellphone and flicked through a few screens. “I’ve sent you homework.”

  “Homework?” She tugged out of his grip, intent on seeing what he’d shared, but he tightened his hold.

  “What I’m asking requires the deepest level of trust. I don’t want to confuse what happened last night with what I’m asking now. Sex is the smallest part of what I crave. When I say I want you, I mean all of you.”

  “You’re dominant. I get that.”

  He shook his head. “Much more than that. But what I want from you—”

  “Is for me to be your submissive?” The word felt odd on her tongue. The pieces had fallen into place, and she felt unprepared to understand. Uneducated more likely. This world he lived in, the one Warren and Ellen, and Karl and Justine embraced with natural ease, remained foreign territory to her limited understanding.

  His grip on her hands tightened. “Is for you not to interrupt me when I’m speaking.”

  Derek offered a new way of thinking about relationships. It was like that pie the whistling man had nearly finished. She could see it, even smell it, but she couldn’t taste it. While she craved the savory flavors of pumpkin, nutmeg, and cloves, the pie remained frustratingly out of reach.

  “Sorry.”

  “I sense something, a connection I need. I want to explore that further. But I need to warn you.”

  She waited for him to continue, unwilling to repeat the mistake of interrupting again, but he’d paused, as if waiting for acknowledgment.

  “Warn me about what?”

  “If you decide to walk this path, you need to know I’m not a gentle man. I will challenge you. Rule you, as it were.”

  Those words should have had her running out the door. Instead, her gut twisted and a sudden ache between her legs had her pressing her thighs together.

  “I’ll break you in slowly. I’d never rush you.” His voice took on a tone which made her squirm, low and raspy, his timbre deepened and thickened with his need. “But I’m not willing to wait too long.”

  His finger brushed across her knuckle making her heart sputter. He dipped his head, his breath rushing against the skin of her hands. The words he’d spoken whispered through her, and she stared at the union of their clasped hands.

  Uncertain.

  Curious.

  Excited.

  Something else lingered there, too. Fear. The fear of falling too far and too fast for a man who enjoyed the forbidden. The question she had to answer was whether she wanted to be a part of his world.

  She was terrified of speaking her fears, because, while he hadn’t yet voiced the ultimatum she knew was coming, it was poised between them with the potency of a bomb ready to explode. If she refused, everything would end. He’d said he wasn’t interested in dating. If she said yes, she would be agreeing to something she didn’t understand. That was not only foolish, but dangerous.

  “I’ll teach you. I’ll train you how to be mine.”

  “Like a dog?”

  He leaned back, a thoughtful expression on his face. “You don’t like that word,” he said.

  The man was entirely too perceptive.

  “You can’t expect to snap your fingers and expect me to do sub-tricks.”

  He laughed and released her hand. “Sub-tricks?”

  Their waitress, Laura, returned with their food. Her brow quirked up with interest, perhaps hearing the last bit of their conversation. She placed plates of scrambled eggs and bacon before them, then poured a steaming mug of coffee for Derek. The heavenly aroma filled the air with its rich scent. It was a shame coffee tasted like such crap when it smelled so sinful.

  In front of Sally, Laura placed a tall glass of orange juice and a bottle of ketchup. “I’ll bring out some salsa in a sec,” Laura said with a smile.

  “Oh, that’s okay. Ketchup is fine.”

  Derek’s eyes narrowed. “I can’t believe you’re going to ruin perfectly good eggs with that stuff. Don’t you at least want to taste it first?”

  Picking up the bottle of ketchup, she squirted a fair amount over the eggs, smothering them in red sauce with defiant glee. Red, the color of rubies, or scarlet emeralds, that’s where she’d seen the woman before, but the coiffed beauty from the ballet didn’t match the harried waitress of a diner. Now that had to be an interesting story.

  “Nope!”

  “Be careful using that tone with me.”

  “Or what?” Egging him on might not be the wisest move, but she wanted to see what would happen.

  “You might find sitting a challenge.”

  The blood didn’t drain from her face. It rushed out all at once, leaving her lightheaded and strangely aroused.

  His lips firmed. “Shall we continue?”

  “Eating our food?”

  “Discussing sub-tricks?” His tone teased, a stark departure from the firmness a moment ago.

  “I’m sorry, but I—”

  “My intent isn’t to be disrespectful of you or to treat you as less than myself. I’m looking for an equal partner.”

  “But, it kind of sounded like that. And this whole dominant and submissive thing…isn�
��t that exactly what it’s about? Inequality?” He’d said he wanted to rule her. That statement implied unequal roles.

  His lips firmed into a thin line and the muscles bunched at his jaw. “The files I sent are links to various educational resources. I’ll guide you, but you shouldn’t get all your information through me. You need to be well informed about what you’re agreeing to.”

  “To be your submissive?”

  “To be more,” he said with mystery. “Sooner, rather than later, but not before you’re ready.”

  The thought of belonging to him made her heart swoon and dip, not to mention it set her nerves to a vibrating buzz. That ache between her legs intensified too.

  Sex would only be a small part of what they shared. His words came back to her, leaving her confused and wary. What would the other bit be?

  He’d said control, but she didn’t need a man to run her life. She had a great job and made good money. Derek might be rich, but she wasn’t looking for a sugar daddy, nor did she need one. Ugh, that brought up the wrong image in her head. Definitely time to research. If that’s what he was into, she was out.

  “A penny for your thoughts?”

  How did he do that? Was she making weird expressions? His ability to see through her was more than odd. It was downright spooky.

  “I was wondering…” She glanced around them.

  Pie-guy was back to whistling. An empty plate sat before him, completely scraped clean. The conversation between Reid, Mac, and Rhianna had turned boisterous. Misty with her blue hair, slugged the hot guy with glasses.

  Nevertheless, Sally leaned over her food and lowered her voice. “If it’s not all about sex, what do you want from me?”

  His powerful shoulders squared off, and he crowded the space with his size. After last night, she knew every ridge and valley of the sharply defined muscle beneath his clothing. His bruising aggression to take what he wanted, the way he’d claimed her, seizing her lips with reckless hunger, that memory flooded her with liquid heat, an incessant need coursing through her veins. She needed more of that passion.

  “I want it all,” he said.

  She choked on a breathless gasp. What did that even mean? Questions kept popping up in her head, and not only did she not have answers, she lacked the appropriate context. Truly, what he demanded terrified her, even if his touch electrified her senses, awakening sensations she’d never experienced. Like that incessant throb between her legs, the ache grew more profound, nearly painful, with every beat of her heart.

  He reached across the table and stroked his thumb across her lower lip. “I want more of that too, but what I need from you is to give yourself over to my control.”

  Her veins hummed with the intimate touch, but her lungs seized in her chest. Blinking, she hid behind the long, dark fringe of her lashes, and attempted to gather her thoughts.

  “What if I’m not ready?” What if she wanted to date him before making that choice?

  “This is what we’re going to do,” he said. “Dan will take you to work.” He glanced at his watch. “And tonight, you’ll look at the first three websites on the list I sent.”

  “I’m going to be working late.”

  He cupped her chin. “I’m not calling tonight. Friday night, I’m going to ask you one question.”

  “What?”

  “Red or Green.”

  Her nerves rioted, electricity sparking just below the surface of her skin.

  Red or Green.

  Stop or go.

  A fever ran through her, firing up her pulse. One answer opened doors. The other closed them forever.

  His head canted to the side, studying her with that intense focus of his, then he placed two bills on the table and stood. Gripping her hand, he helped her to her feet and ushered her into his arms. She sank into the heady aroma which was Derek Lemark. Crisp and clean, a wildness defined him.

  “If I’m right, you’ll make the right choice.”

  “And if you’re wrong?”

  He kissed the top of her head and guided her to the front door. Dan waited outside with the car.

  “I’m rarely wrong.”

  “What if I’m not ready? What if I need more time? What if I can’t give you red or green?”

  “Those are the only choices. You know what I want. You need to decide two things.”

  She gazed at him, overwhelmed, and wanting what he offered, but terrified of what would follow.

  “Two?”

  “Are you willing to surrender your will to me? And why?”

  The first question had her stumped, but the second? Why? He expected an answer to that question. She’d be lucky to have an answer to the first by tomorrow night. Would she surrender to him? If it meant spending more time with him, then yes. She’d fake it until she figured it out. But why? A blank wall of nothing stared back at her.

  He helped her into the town car, but instead of joining her, he stood at the curb, his broad hand holding the car door open. Dan took his seat behind the wheel. He gripped the steering wheel and faced forward, giving the illusion he couldn’t hear every word of their conversation.

  “Red or Green,” Derek said. “I’ll take your answer tomorrow night.”

  The door swung shut, and with it, her breath stopped. The beating of her heart hung in the balance of that moment, lingering somewhere between panic and freedom.

  She didn’t want to leave. The answer to his question was on the tip of her tongue, and she was ready to give it to him. Grabbing the door handle, she pulled, eager to give Derek her answer, but the door locked and the car rolled forward.

  “No!” She turned to Dan. “Stop! I want you to stop.”

  But instead of stopping and unlocking the door, Dan accelerated. Sally pounded on the window, watching Derek stare at the retreating car.

  “Let me out!”

  “I’m sorry, Miss Levenson, but Master Derek’s instructions were quite specific.”

  “I don’t care what he told you,” she screeched. “Let me out!”

  “I’m under strict orders.”

  “I’ll just drive back here,” she said. “Stop the goddamn car!”

  “Your car will be delivered to your work later tonight. I’m to make sure you make it to work, and Master Derek won’t be here.”

  “Dammit! Take me back!”

  But Dan didn’t. Despite all her curses and threats, Dan remained resolute. He turned a corner, and Derek vanished from sight.

  Twist of Fate

  Publisher: JEM Publishing, LLC

  Released February 2017

  Books2read.com/TwistofFate

  Blurb: A Contemporary Romantic Suspense/Thriller...

  Melissa is a victim, capable of attracting only the worst kind of man. She seeks redemption for crimes she did not commit.

  CJ struggles to absolve himself of an unforgivable act. He seeks salvation through heroism, but fails every day.

  Our prince, a man with the blackest of hearts and an endless capacity to inflict pain, seeks validation for his work. His corruption is absolute, but even he will sacrifice for love.

  Meanwhile, a man of pure evil invades their lives, weaving his sinister threads and binding their futures.

  But Fate has different plans for them all. As tornados tear through the town, their lives will be uprooted, twisted, and tangled beyond what any of them could foresee.

  * * * * * *

  Sensual Secrets: Not Your Mother’s Coffee Table Book

  Publisher: JEM Publishing, LLC

  Released November 2016

  Available in paperback and hardback: http://www.blurb.com/b/7438139

  And as an ebook:

  Books2read.com/SensualSecrets

  Blurb: This isn't a novel...it's not a book of poems...it's something MAGNIFICENT!

  Enter a world of luscious thoughts and decadent desires. Within these pages you will find a momentary escape from the real world as you sink into a sensuous reality, where fact and fiction combine to sweep you away
in an unadulterated fantasy.

  Why is it called "Not Your Mother's Coffee Table Book?”

  Because, the stories and images inside this book are not fit for younger eyes. They are however, meant to inspire your imagination; to take you on a sensual journey into "what if" and "what may be." It's a key to the discovery of the soul, a path less taken, a road you will want to travel again and again. It's something to share with your lover. You'll want to keep it close at hand. Under your pillow might just be the perfect place!

  The concept for SENSUAL SECRETS: Not Your Mother's Coffee Table Book came to me in the Fall of 2016. I enjoy writing erotic shorts, snippets of stories, kernels of revelation, simple moments where we can dip our toes into another place, a sensual realm where we can dream and play. Sensual Secrets is a compilation of my sinful shorts, passionate poems, and sexy short stories written this past year, all bundled into a visual feast for your enjoyment.

  * * * * * *

  Ashes to New: an Angel Fire Rock Romance Prequel

  Publisher: JEM Publishing, LLC

  Released October 2016

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  Blurb: Ashes to New, prequel to Heart's Insanity: An Angel Fire Rock Romance, is not a romance. It's a story about the fiercest kind of love. It's about enduring. Surviving. And never giving up.

  Elsbeth and Forest are two teenagers trapped within an abusive foster home. They endure horrible abuse, but find there is light in the darkest places. And hope is as limitless as the summer sky. All they need is the love of one another to survive.