A Kink in Her Tails (12 page)

But her eye was accustomed to dealing with large groups—it was part and parcel of her job. And this group was different. There were tight knots of people, touching, nodding, some with eyes cast down, others with heads held high. But always they were radiating some kind of togetherness. A familiarity with each other that bespoke a certain level of intimacy. There were a few tears now and again as they spoke of Master Granger.

Many hugs and touches were exchanged. They were consoling, loving, affectionate and grieving. It was as if a large extended family had returned to share the pain of loss.

And then there were the others. People like her, circulating, clutching their glasses of wine, smiling, chatting, making polite conversation, but clearly not friends, or even close acquaintances. Not part of the circle.

Laura was fascinated by it, even as she envied Adam his place in the middle of it.

“Interesting lot, aren’t they?”

A brash voice interrupted her thoughts, and she turned to see a large man standing beside her, stroking his beard in an effort to look scholarly, she supposed.

“Yes, quite.”

“Of course, my slave is in there. I let her mingle with her friends for a while. After all, got to be a caring Master about all this.”

His arrogance was only matched by his ignorance, thought Laura. Poor slave, whoever she was.

“But you can bet she’ll be wanting my leash back on before too long. Who’s your slave?” Laura considered the question, amused that he’d assumed she was a Domme.

“Have you been with your slave long?” she asked, ignoring his question.

“Oh yes, six months or so now. She’s properly trained, I can tell you. Loves the crop, does my gal.” The combination of superiority and pseudo-Englishman attitude was beginning to grate on Laura’s nerves.

“Cyril, Jennifer is awaiting you,” came a voice from behind Laura.

“Oh…er…very well. Good…thank you…” the big man stuttered and deflated before Laura’s eyes. He nodded at her and scurried off, leaving Fay to take his place beside Laura.

She smiled. “Obnoxious son-of-a-bitch, isn’t he?”

Laura chuckled. “Yes. I can’t imagine what his slave’s life must be like.”

“Oh he doesn’t have a slave.” Fay’s smile grew. “He
is
a slave.” Laura’s eyes widened as she watched Fay bravely try to suppress her laughter. It was too much. They both gave way and enjoyed the humor of the situation.

“Oh lord,” gasped Laura. “I should have known.”

“Nah,” chuckled Fay. “How could you? You’re nobody’s slave. Not even Adam’s.” Laura stilled. Perhaps this was not the time for diplomacy, political correctness or any kind of pretense.

She looked into Fay’s blue eyes and read many emotions there.

“Do you still love him?”

The response was unforced, prompt and honest. “How could I not?” It wasn’t the answer Laura was expecting. But she held her tongue, feeling that there was more to come.

She was right.

“He was my trainer, Laura. That is a special position for a man to hold in a slave’s life. Through Adam I learned to give freely, and that what I gave would come back to me in love, in caring, in protection, for all my life. I will never be able to find the words to tell you how I feel about the man who gave me all that. It

’s love and so much more. But…” she tugged on her lower lip, “it’s not the sort of love you’re talking about.”

It was Laura’s turn to let her eyes silently ask Fay for an explanation.

The birds sang and the conversations continued around the two women who found themselves locked into a space all their own.

“Has Adam become your Master, Laura?”

“No. We’ve not…we’ve never…it was only recently I learned of Adam’s interest in all this…” Laura struggled to find the words.

Fay thought for a moment. “And now you know, how do you feel?” How did she feel? God, how long did they have? Confused, scared, puzzled, all these words flew through her mind, but only one came out.

“Intrigued.”

Fay smiled. “Good. When Adam met you, he gave you his heart. He chose not to share
this
with you, because I think he was scared he’d lose you. He’s given up so much for you, Laura. Think about it. A Dom, someone who could be a Master, and he lets it all go for love of one woman. You.” Laura nodded, trying to grasp the magnitude of what Adam had done, the changes he’d made. All for her.

“I’m feeling rather humbled by it.”

“As you should,” smiled Fay. “But you’re here now. It’s been, what, five years or so?” Laura nodded.

“So you know you can trust Adam. That you love Adam.”

“More than my life, Fay. He’s my other half.” And that was the absolute truth.

“Then perhaps it’s time to let the relationship grow. Time to let Adam reclaim some of what he once was.

And time to find out what you can be. That’s the kind of love that Adam deserves. I could never have given him that. I’m not strong enough.”

Fay raised her hand and stroked Laura’s cheek, letting her hand sift through the hair stirring in the late afternoon breeze.

“Laura, I watched you today. I saw the comfort and ease with which you handled this crowd. You’re obviously at home in groups, able to chat on many different levels with different people. You’re a professional woman, quite in control of her emotions. But then you look at Adam. And there’s something in your eyes…”

She leaned over and dropped the lightest of kisses on Laura’s cheek. “Something that makes me believe I’ll be calling you ‘sister’ before long. Open your heart, Laura. Let that hidden part of Adam come inside you and discover what pleasure can really be between two people.” Fay smiled and pulled back, leaving Laura to sort through her muddled thoughts.

She shivered and realized that she’d been alone on the patio for some time and the sun was beginning to set.

Someone had lit the candles inside and their glow encouraged her back inside. Adam met her at the door.

“Sweetheart, you’re chilled. Come get a cup of something warm. I’m sorry I neglected you, it’s hard not to get involved in some long conversations…”

“Adam, please.” She put her hand on his arm, and felt the absurd desire to lower her eyes respectfully. “ It’s no problem. You have many people to talk to here. I understand.” And she realized suddenly that she did. In this environment, Adam was something new, something dynamic. Not the warm, caring teacher, nor the loving husband, but the vibrant and—yes—dominant Adam Burns. His head was high, his back straight, and he carried himself slightly differently. He accepted the lowered glances and respectful greetings naturally, and without affectation, as if they were his due.

Laura felt something drop away from her mind and found she could watch Adam with a new clarity of vision. How could she have missed it? The air of leadership that encircled him?

Was it just that a fourth grade classroom or a black tie legal banquet were not places to expect such a thing?

Or had she just never looked for it in the first place?

Her mind had no answers, but her heart swelled as she looked at her husband with new eyes.

He was hers. Her man, her husband, and her lover. What else could he be? Could he be her Master?

Could they explore this new dimension together? Would he let her try?

Laura took a deep breath. There was only one way to find out.

* * * * *

The long box rested on the back seat of the car as they prepared for the journey home.

Adam had been torn between laughter and tears as he’d opened it.

“Master always intended for you to have this, Adam Sir,” said Fay, offering the box. “It was one of his wishes. Please accept it as such.”

Adam had smiled, bent forward and kissed her gently on the cheek. “Of course, Fay. I shall always honor the Master’s wishes.” Then he’d looked inside and laughed.

“My first flogger. I can’t believe he kept it all these years.” His hand stroked the soft red tails and caressed the worn handle. “It carries many good memories of our times together. I shall treasure it.” He wasn’t sure if Laura had any idea of what it was for, but he let it go for the time being, just seeing that it was secure. He hadn’t lied when he said he’d treasure it.

Laura reached out and stopped him from starting the engine. “Adam, can we talk for a moment?” Adam breathed deeply, but released the key. He’d known this was coming. How could he not?

“Sure, sweetheart.”

He watched as she nervously nibbled her lower lip. It wasn’t often his brilliant corporate wizard of a wife was at a loss for words.

“I have a confession.”

Whoa. That was a surprise. “You do?”

“Yeah. Um…the other night, Wednesday night. I came home early.”

“Oh.” Adam kept the surprise from his voice. He had not expected this.

“And…and I saw your site and the invite to Master Granger’s wake. I…I put the pieces together Adam.

I realized that you were…that you used to be…that this was…”

“That I am a Dom. Is that what you’re trying to say?” He reached over and touched her hand. It turned within his and gripped him, hard.

“Oh yes. Thank you. It is. So I wanted to know about it. And I did a whole bunch of research on it.

Mark helped.”

Adam smiled, thinking how helpful Mark must have been. He and Mark had read each other as fellow adherents immediately, and bonded. Quietly, and without fuss, they had both known they’d found a friend and someone in whom their secrets would be safe.

And coincidentally, a friend who had often alleviated the major boredom of some of Laura’s more agonizingly pompous affairs. “I’m sure Mark was a great help. Do you have questions, Laura? Worries?

Concerns? What is it, love?”

Her hands twisted this way and that beneath his.

“Adam, I want…I want…” She raised her eyes to his, almost as if she was scared to mouth the words.

“What do you want, Laura? Tell me, sweetheart,” he urged gently, squeezing her hands tight.

Please don’t let her say she wants to leave me
, he prayed. This was the moment he’d dreaded for so many years. This was why he’d never told her anything about his history with this lifestyle.

She took a deep breath. “I want to be your submissive.”

Adam’s jaw dropped. “What?”

“You heard me. I want to be your sub.”

For a moment Adam’s mind refused to function. “I…I…” he stuttered, trying desperately to reconnect the neural passageways that would allow him to speak coherently.

“For a Dom, you’re surprisingly speechless,” risked Laura, giving him a rather naughty little sideways glance.

The world clicked back into place and Adam felt his lungs fill. “Are you quite sure you understand what that means, Laura?”

“No. No, I’m not sure at all, Adam. And that’s why I’m so glad I have you. I love you and trust you, and you’ve been my other half for five years now. But seeing you here and learning everything I’ve learned makes me realize that something has been missing between us. Something I didn’t know we didn’t have has been slowly driving us down into someplace I don’t want to be. Does that make any sense?” Her frown as she tried to express her feelings touched something deep inside Adam. They really were on the same wavelength.

“It does make sense. I’ve felt it too. But I don’t know if the answer is you becoming a sub…” Laura raised her hand, interrupting him. “Adam, I must make one thing clear. I want to be your sub. I
don’t
believe I can be your slave. If this is not possible, then tell me now. We’ll work something else out.

”

Adam smiled. “I don’t think I could ever be your Master, love, so that’s not an issue. Neither of us are cut out for the 24/7 lifestyle and all that it entails. That’s for others, not us. Not me. And certainly not you. But if I understand you correctly, you would like to be submissive to me…sexually.” Adam felt his cock shiver as she nodded and dropped her eyes.

“Yes please, Adam. Sir.” She’d added the respectful title she’d learned by watching Fay and the other pets. His wife was nothing if not observant.

His lips curled and his heart lifted. Perhaps the Master had sent him a special gift, and not just the one in the box behind them.

“Very well, Laura, pet.” He felt her tremor as he addressed her in the D/s style. “Let us start with a little experiment, shall we?”

“What,
here
?” Laura peered through the twilight around her at the other cars. All was silent.

She turned back to Adam with a question on her face. He raised one eyebrow and stared at her expressionlessly. It was a look he’d perfected so many years ago on his subs. He’d only used it occasionally since then, although it had proved effective with little Fred Stubbins who was about to put a frog down Jennifer Moreton’s dress during their field trip last month.

Like Fred Stubbins, Laura quailed before “the look.”

“Yes, Adam. What do I…what do you want me to do?”

“Undo your jacket and spread it apart. I want to see your breasts.” He heard her indrawn breath and saw her hands move to obey him, yet waiver over her buttons.

“Undo your jacket, Laura.”

She obeyed, and his cock high fived itself. Shit. This was
Laura
. He’d have to be careful or he’d come all over the steering wheel. That was not going to help his image as her all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful Dom.

She spread the sides of the jacket carefully, revealing her soft whiteness to his gaze. As he had suspected, she wore no bra. The pearls gleamed in the twilight, resting against her soft swells. The nipples hardened as he looked at them.

He raised his hand and lifted the beads, letting them trickle back against her breasts. Her breathing was ragged.

Time for step two.

“Now, undo your pants and slip them down to your knees. I know you are not wearing underwear. I want you to feel the touch of your buttocks against the car seat.” He heard her gulp, but this time there was no hesitation. She did as he asked, letting her bare bottom ease down onto the soft leather.

Adam felt a bead of sweat form on his upper lip, and he surreptitiously wiped it away.

“Spread your thighs so that I can see your pussy.”

“Adam,” she moaned, following his instructions. “God, Adam.” The Almighty was being invoked a lot. He was praying too, praying for control. Praying that he wouldn’t give in to the urge to bury his face in her darkness, or jerk her onto his lap where he could free his cock and plunge deep inside her. Right this minute.