Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 55099 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55099 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
She hesitated before she shook her head. “It used to be, but not anymore.” Her blue eyes flashed with uncertainty. “I swear it’s not. I was about to reach my limit anyway. Limit for what made me cry, I mean. The pain wasn’t too much.”
I nodded and carefully rubbed some soap over her arms where I brushed my fingertips over so many welts. Thin and thick, barely there and definitely there.
Complete trust would settle over us like a comforting blanket with time, but I did trust her to safeword and be 100% honest in a scene.
Moments later, we were back in my cabin, and I had her cuddled up in my arms on the couch, dressed in a skimpy pajama set, while she sipped on Coke and ate ice cream.
Her skin smelled like my body butter.
Ash sat on the other side of the coffee table, and he was making notes in his notepad. He had Paws on his lap too, and the little thing was finally tired.
“In that case—what Penelope said—as long as you don’t try to prove anythin’, I’ll trust you to speak your mind on Saturday,” he said, jotting down a few more things. “So, you’ll grab my hand if you wish to say somethin’, and I’ll be the benevolent Master King Owner that I am.”
I grinned, and Nora giggled.
“Do you not identify as a Master normally, Sir?” she wondered. “You seem to know a lot about this high-protocol stuff.”
“Years of observing,” he answered. “I don’t really have a title beyond Sir.”
“He’s total Daddy material,” I felt the need to say. But given his and Nathan’s history, neither of them had found a good way to experience the best of both worlds. They’d had casual play together with others, and that didn’t always result in hearing a specific title.
I was the same way. Mistress was a title that would come down the road, once Nora and I were fully established.
“Yeah, you definitely strike me as a primal Daddy,” Nora noted.
Ash smirked faintly but said nothing. He kept writing things down.
It wasn’t his favorite subject.
“Okay, I think that’s it—no, wait. Touching. We gotta cover that as well,” he said. “What level of touching are you comfortable with durin’ the Game?”
Nora shrugged and scrunched her nose. “It’s gonna be nonsexual for both of us, so I’m not fussed. Do whatever the event requires, or…however I should put it.”
We understood what she meant, and it was a reasonable boundary.
“There won’t be any requirements for anything intimate,” I said. “One exception might be if bondage is involved. To create a harness for a girl, you kinda need to go near her breasts.”
“Breasts scare me less than bondage,” Ash joked. His forehead creased, and he glanced my way. “Will there be ropework? My version of restraints is using my hands or shackles.”
Unfortunately, I couldn’t say. I pretended to zip my mouth shut and throw away the key. But he had nothing to worry about. Rope would be a feature one could pick. It wasn’t mandatory.
“You’re real helpful,” he deadpanned.
I blew him a kiss.
“But what about you, Sir?” Nora asked. “Are you comfortable with everything we’ve agreed on?”
“Absolutely.” He nodded with a dip of his chin. “Honestly, I’m just lookin’ forward to getting back to kink. It’s gonna be fun. Despite the theme.”
I chuckled. “I’m sure we’ll do a primal event soon enough. Too many of us are into that.”
“True.” He pocketed his notepad and finished his coffee. “Maybe this will take the edge off, at least. I have two neighbors drivin’ me batshit with ideas, and…” He shook his head.
Wait, what?
“What neighbors?” I asked. “You haven’t told me anything about any neighbors.”
“I haven’t told anyone.” He shrugged. “It’s a married couple—and they’re kinky. Submissive Daddy-type, switchy Little. What’s worse, the Daddy works for me.”
Whoa. Nora and I exchanged a look of surprise.
“Uh, we’re gonna need you to spill the beans,” I stated.
Nora nodded.
Ash chuckled. “Ain’t much to spill. This guy—James. My brother and I hired him last winter, and I was bitching about my apartment one day. He said the house next to the one he lives in with his husband was on the market. Turned out it was perfect for a big family, so I bought it. Then I started pickin’ up cues from them. I watched them interact, and I put two and two together.” He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. “Shit was fine till a few weeks ago—right before the cruise…? We took a day off work, all of us, like we sometimes do. Team building, but in a way that doesn’t make you wanna shoot someone in the face. We played golf and basketball, we went to a nice steakhouse, and we spent the night at some spa hotel where they had a sauna and everything.”