Authors: Lara Valentine
Tags: #Romance
Sara Jameson was quiet and dignified. Her long, dark hair and pixie-like features often fooled people into thinking she was naive and weak. She was actually a strong woman who had been through her husband’s death and had been raising her toddler son alone when she had fallen in love with not one, but two men. Jeremy, her husband’s brother, and his partner Cole were now the men in Sara’s life, and they adored her unashamedly. Last, but certainly not least, there was Tori Cordell. Dark-haired and sophisticated, she was creative and brilliant. She wrote children’s books for a living but was so intelligent she could have been a nuclear scientist. She was raising her teenage sons alone since her husband had died after a long illness.
Sara made a face. “He’s a little impersonal for me. I like a Dom who gives a shit about his sub. This guy is iffy so far. He keeps her safe and gives her pleasure, but he seems a little removed from it all.”
Brianne plucked a chocolate from the gold box on the table. “Maybe he has intimacy issues.”
Lisa arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow. “Then he shouldn’t be a Dom, should he? Noelle, what do you think of this guy?”
Noelle took a deep breath. These were her best friends in the whole world and today of all days, she needed them.
“I think you’re right. He seems a little cold to me. But, actually, that’s not what I want to talk about today. I want to talk to all of you about something personal.”
Brianne closed the cover on her e-reader. “We’re listening. How personal?”
Noelle leaned closer to the camera. “Very personal. I really need your advice. I’m actually kind of glad Tori’s on an airplane. I wanted to talk to you. I wanted to talk about what it’s like to be a submissive.”
Brianne, Sara, and Lisa glanced at each other, and Lisa sat back in her chair casually crossing one leg over the other.
“Why would you ask us about that? Why would we know anything except what we read?”
Noelle shook her head. “Don’t pull that shit with me. I’ve seen you with your husbands when you think no one is looking. I’ve heard you, both of you, call them Master when you think no one can hear. I’ve seen Sara’s men spank her when they think no one is watching. I need your help here, not your stonewalling. I’ve met a Dom, for fuck’s sake. A Dom who could just be the man of my dreams. He wants to get to know me, and I want to get to know him. I need to know what I’m getting into. You’ve been my friends for years. This is no time to pretend!”
Noelle’s voice had gone up an octave and sounded a little desperate by the end of her little speech. Lisa, Sara, and Brianne visibly relaxed. Brianne even laughed.
“Well, I guess the cat is officially out of the bag, then? How long have you known?”
Noelle smiled. “A while. I suspected Lisa and Conor years ago, then you and Nate got together…Well, it seemed like you guys weren’t trying to hide it, honestly. I’m not 100 percent about Sara, but enough to bring this up in front of her.”
Lisa fiddled with her cocktail glass. “Perhaps. I’m not fond of keeping secrets from my close friends. Well, you’ve met a Dom, huh? Who would have ever thought? He must be quite a man to get you to think about submitting. Tell us every detail and don’t leave anything out.”
“Maybe I was in denial about being submissive. I don’t know. I just know when I’m with him I have to fight the urge to fall to his feet. Did I mention he’s incredibly hot, too? There’s just something about him that makes me feel desired and safe. He’s nice, and smart, and we don’t agree on a damn thing having to do with politics. Oh shit. And he’s Brody’s dad. I forgot to tell you that.”
Lisa choked on her cosmo. “Brody’s dad? Isn’t Brody your future brother-in-law? How old is this Dom, anyway?”
“Forty-nine and every inch gorgeous. He’s in amazing shape. He looks forty, tops.”
Sara took the glass from Lisa’s hand and set it on the table. “If you want to fall at his feet, he must be one hell of a Dom. He must have an alpha vibe to die for. So what’s the problem? You seem okay with your submissive side. Or is that the issue?”
“He asked me to commit to exploring this side of myself while I was in Montana. No declarations of love and commitment past these weeks until the wedding. It’s just happened so fucking fast. I met him and here I am contemplating a relationship with him.”
Brianne propped her chin in her hands as she leaned on the table. “It’s nice if you have the luxury of knowing someone for years like I did Nate. We already had trust. I just had to relax and let the love grow.”
Lisa smiled. “I suppose that would be nice. Taking your time and all. But I fell for Conor the minute I met him. Bam! It hit me like a ton of bricks. I looked at him and knew this was the man I was meant to be with forever. And we were really just college kids. You and this man are adults. You know what you want and don’t want by now. You don’t need a lot of time. You just need the right man. Sounds like you have one hell of a candidate up there.”
Noelle thought about how much she had enjoyed the time they had spent together. “He is. He’s…a man among men, if you know what I mean.”
Sara whistled. “Oooo, I like the sound of that. Besides, you’re not the type to waste any time. You go after what you want. Go after him.”
Noelle shook her head. “I think he’ll want to be in charge of going after things. He seems to like control.”
Brianne sipped her drink. “So do you, Elle. Are you okay submitting to him?”
“I want to try, Bri. The idea excites me. Hell, he excites me. He’s not asking for a lifetime. He’s asking me to give this a trial run. If I hate it, can’t I say a safe word or something?”
Lisa laughed. “Yes, you can safe word, although I hope it doesn’t get to that point, Elle. Just talk to him. Tell him what you want, what you fear. Let him know if you have any hard limits. If he’s a good Dom, he’ll respect them and you.”
“He will respect me. I can tell that about him already. I know I’m moving fast and taking a big chance, but what I feel is so strong. He seems worth taking a leap of faith for.”
She could see how Brody respected Abby and Colt respected Julie. She knew Cam would respect her if she submitted to him.
“I know I’ve said that couldn’t ever imagine submitting. And I couldn’t. Not before this man. I don’t think I could even picture submitting to anyone else. What I need from you guys is some, well, training. I don’t want to disappoint him. Can you help me? Teach me some of the rules?”
Sara held up her hands. “We just play at it. We’re not serious. I’ll defer to Lisa and Brianne.”
Lisa grinned. “We’d be happy to. However, you should know, every Dom has their own rules. Their own way of doing things. We may teach you something he doesn’t like or want you to do. But, I think he will be thrilled that you tried to learn some things for him. That would melt Conor’s heart in an instant. Doms, good Doms, have soft hearts inside their alpha exteriors.”
Noelle nodded. “He does have a soft heart. I see it when he interacts with his family. He’s also very protective.”
Brianne stood up. “Good. Now time to learn something. Stand up.”
Noelle stood and waited for her next command.
“Okay, kneel on the floor, spread your knees, and put your hands behind your back. Stick out your breasts, Elle. You’re offering your body to your Master. He owns it. Remember that. His will is supreme. Obedience brings him pleasure, and his pleasure is your only goal.”
Noelle tried to relax into the pose. Brianne nodded.
“Look down at the floor. Some Masters like you to keep your eyes down. Very good. Okay, up on your feet. Next pose. Oh, this is fun. I’ve never trained a sub before.”
Noelle rose to her feet. “Glad I could entertain you. Come on, be tough with me. I want to show him how serious I am.”
Lisa stood up. “You’ll need to curb your tongue, Elle. Masters like their subs quiet, in general. He may take away your permission to speak. Even if he doesn’t, it’s not a good idea to be chatty or sarcastic.”
“If that’s true, I’m in big trouble.”
Brianne laughed. “Yep, you’re going to get spanked on a regular basis. Welcome to the club, Elle!”
* * * *
Cam was nervous as hell, and he didn’t like the feeling one little bit. He had spent the day distracted, wondering if Noelle would decide in his favor. By the end of the day, his nerves were stretched so taut he had been barking at everyone in sight. Even his usually happy-go-lucky brother had finally pulled him aside and told him to get his head out of his ass and lay off everyone.
“If you’ve got trouble with your woman, Cam, don’t take it out on everyone around you. Go rub one out or whatever, but stop bein’ an asshole.”
Cam had snarked back that he wasn’t the asshole, but decided in his mood he shouldn’t be around anyone else. He had spent the rest of the day cleaning up the equipment barn, torturing himself with visions of Noelle sitting as far down the table as she could.
It was dinnertime now, and there was no more waiting. In a matter of moments, he would know what her decision was. If she didn’t decide to give their relationship a chance, he wasn’t sure what he would do. She was a woman he wanted in his life. He wanted to take their relationship to the next level. But she had to want it, too. He was asking a great deal of her. She was going to be way out of her comfort zone with him.
He sat down at the table as everyone gathered in the dining room. His favorite, pot roast, was being served, but he couldn’t concentrate on anything but Noelle as she entered the room behind Abby. She looked beautiful in figure-hugging jeans that showed off her God-given curves and a white sweater that was the perfect backdrop for her glorious red hair. He would have thought she wasn’t as nervous as he was except for the telltale chewing of her full bottom lip. She was gorgeous, and she had to be absolutely his. If she said no, he would just have to think of another plan.
She walked toward him and he held his breath. She dropped her eyes and his heart fell, then started beating a tattoo in his chest as she pulled out the chair to his right and sat down. He reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. He could feel her trembling. She was as affected by the moment as he was. This amazing woman wanted to be his. To belong to him. A wave of possessiveness washed over him. He would make sure she never regretted her decision. He would be the Dom she needed. Cam hid his laughter.
The Dom she never even knew she wanted.
* * * *
She had made it through dinner. She just had to make it through the rest of the evening. Yes, there had been strange looks from the rest of the family when she had sat down at Cam’s side and his hand had reached for hers. Abby had started to ask her a question only to be interrupted by Brody’s commanding tone.
“No, Abby, not right now.”
Noelle was now cowering in her bedroom after Abby and Julie had shooed her out of the kitchen when she tried to help with the dishes. She didn’t regret saying yes to Cam, but she did wish she knew what was next. Lisa and Brianne had warned her about the loss of control going forward. She had to place her trust in Cam now. She was so lost in her thoughts she almost didn’t hear the soft knock on the door.
“Noelle? It’s Cam.”
She scrambled off the bed and opened the door. Cam had a gentle smile on his face as if he understood the strain she was under with the others in the house.
“Let’s go for a drive, sweetheart. I think we both need to get away from the loving arms and prying eyes of our family.”
She couldn’t agree more. She grabbed her purse and let him lead her down the stairs and into his SUV. She sat quietly in the passenger seat, biting her lip to keep from asking him where they were headed. She repeated to herself over and over, I have to trust him. Trust didn’t come easily, but she would work on it. She smiled when they pulled up in front of the small log house where they had spent their first evening together. It was the perfect place to be alone.
Cam cupped her chin and turned her to face him. His large, callused hands were warm and gentle.
“Here’s the key. Go on in and get comfortable. I just need to get a few things out of the back of the truck.”
Noelle headed into the cozy cabin. This brought back the best of memories. Had it only been a few days ago she had met this man? Life could take a turn in a hurry.
She flipped on some lights and smiled. She had an idea, and she hoped he liked it. She knelt down on the soft rug near the fireplace and went into the pose Brianne had taught her. She wanted Cam to see she was really committed to doing this. She wanted him, just the way he was. She was determined she wouldn’t try and change him. She understood this was a part of him. She heard the front door open and his steps halt in the doorway. She held her breath wondering if perhaps she shouldn’t have done this, but then he entered the room the rest of the way. She heard him behind her, and then he was in front of her starting a fire in the fireplace. She was about to stand up when she felt his hand on her head, his fingers stroking her hair.
“This is a wonderful surprise, Noelle. Your submission is a treasure to me, something very precious. I will never take it for granted, and I will cherish it. Please know that I will always keep you safe and cared for.”
He continued stroking her hair and then down her cheek, leaving a trail of heat where he touched.