His (3 page)

The first time he'd caused her to submit on a more formal basis - although he'd taken control of the relationship from the beginning - they were downstairs in his den, which was much less formal than the living room that was strewn with priceless antiques, stuffed to the gills after they had gorged themselves on an exquisite meal prepared by his chef.

He'd poured an especially good after dinner wine, giving her a larger goblet than he took, saying, "I want you to drink it all."

Raina wasn't a drinker at all. She never could much get past the taste of the stuff, although he was rapidly broadening her horizons in that area. She knew that it was an order, and she obeyed it. Once he'd seen that her glass was empty, after nearly an hour of idle but comfortable conversation, he'd instructed her very concisely to stand on the star that was marked on the oriental carpet to the right of her chair.

With the food to offset it, her mind was only slightly befuddled by the alcohol, and she wondered how she'd missed what was obviously a gold sticker that marked a place that, once she stood on it, she realized had been quite carefully placed such that she was well away from every piece of furniture. She stood, alone, near the wide open double doors that lead to the front door just beyond.

He walked around her, removing the anchors of her carefully coiffed hair, so that the wild fall of it hung to the middle of her back, murmuring the occasional order as casually as if he was making a grocery list. "Never wear your hair up when we're private again... stand up straighter. Look up, bella, look up." He touched her occasionally, here or there, but not in any sexual way - yet. Instead, Raina remembered feeling as if she was some sort of posable doll.

But then he did what she'd been secretly dreading - and secretly wanting - since they'd agreed that tonight would begin her servitude to him. And, yes, it had been an agreement. Although he'd warned her that she would be expected to submit to him in all things that didn't have to do with work, he would never have chosen a woman who didn't have a brain, and who couldn't make her own decisions. He wanted her to walk into this situation fully informed about what would be expected of her, and he'd told her he might consult her about the decisions he made for her, although the final say would ultimately always be his.

He began to remove her clothing, practically stitch by stitch. As she'd already begun to learn, there was nothing in this world short of a stock market crash that could make him move any more quickly than he wanted to. And when it came to her, it seemed that his normal slow, deliberate movements became even more so. She had never felt more vulnerable - then - than she did at that moment, even though the first things he removed were all of her accessories and jewelry. She still hadn't had a bit more flesh exposed than she had when she entered the house several hours earlier.

But she knew that was coming, as sure as she knew that just the thought of it had the blood pumping to areas that hadn't had felt any action in quite some time, sacrificed, as they had been, in favor of making money. She felt woozy from it, and it wasn't just the alcohol. Every inch of her flesh was sensitized, waiting for its unveiling, most especially the place between her legs. It was literally dripping, and he had yet to really touch her.

He met her eyes as his hands went to the simple white blouse she was wearing and began to unbutton it efficiently, his knuckles brushing the bare sides of her breasts. "It's a good thing you obeyed me about the bra, or you would have been sitting very gingerly at dinner," he threw out casually as he slid the shirt down her arms.

Raina tried to cringe, tried to make herself smaller so that somehow, absurdly, he wouldn't notice her, but he lifted her chin and forced her to straighten and then some. "Chin up. Always. Lace your fingers behind your head." Raina was mortified at the way that position forced her breasts to jut out, as if seeking his attentions.

She was able to retain the stance he'd put her in when he took off her pants, but once he'd had her serviceable white bikini panties to her ankles, when his mouth was inches from a place that hadn't been touched in years, Raina automatically brought her hands down to cover her mons and her breasts.

Somehow she'd expected a sudden, strict burst of discipline from him, but that was before she knew him well enough. Her Master was nothing if not deliberate. "I had hoped the wine would keep you from earning a punishment this evening. I hadn't intended on doing anything but testing your limits a little," he drawled with what sounded like sincere sympathy. "You've already earned yourself one by breaking position. I suggest you get your hands back to where they're supposed to be before you make it even worse on yourself."

She did so, however tentatively, her mind focusing on his wording. "Make it even worse on yourself". She had gotten herself into trouble. Nothing he had done - so far - involved an ounce of pain, and apparently nothing he had been planning on, either. She'd done it to herself.

A shiver ran through her body, making her nipples tighten painfully as he finished removing her panties, his long, thick fingers wrapping around each delicate ankle, lifting it out of the fabric, then setting it down much further away from its companion than it had been before, opening that sopping wet area between her legs by default.

He still squatted in front of her, although he'd sat back some. Raina could barely get her eyes to focus on him, but she did. His were closed, and he was breathing deeply. She made sure she raised her eyes before his opened.

"You're excited, Raina. Aren't you?" he asked, rising to stand in front of her.

Raina kept her eyes staring straight ahead, whispering, "Yes, Sir."

"Louder, Raina. Always softly, but not hiding the answer."

She repeated herself with more confidence this time.

"Very good." He reached out, then, and cupped her breasts with his hands, feeling those hard tips against his palms, hefting the weight of them, watching her closely for any adverse reaction. He could see how hard it was for her not to struggle against the liberties he was taking, but she knew better - especially now, when she knew a punishment was in the offing in her near future.

"Do I need to bind your hands?" he asked, almost off hand, as if he was thinking out loud as he continued to massage those firm, round globes just short of painfully while his eyes swept over her face, looking for any sign of rebellion or anything else he might need to punish her for.

Raina wasn't sure whether she should answer him or not, but she knew she was going to do her best to avoid being tied up, or getting herself into any more hot water. But it made her nervous to be practically in the foyer, near the front door, where anyone who decided to come in might catch them in this intimate tableau. But she didn't say anything, not wanting to get herself into any more trouble.

He moved behind her, his hands never leaving her body, trailing down the delicate slope of her back to cup her bottom and squeeze it tightly, then hunkering down to run his hands down her legs, as if checking to see that she was a sound filly.

Then he issued an order that she wanted to pause at, but even then she knew she had better not. "Spread your legs wide, and bend over."

There was no emotion in his voice. He could have been asking her to pass the salt. He just said it, completely expecting that she would obey him.

And she did, as slowly as she dared, spreading her feet first, which was the hardest, she'd thought, until she bent over and knew exactly what sight was greeting him. He could probably see how her privates were glistening with liquid encouragement, just for him and because of what he'd already done to her. She knew that just the idea of him staring at her like this, of being told to bed over and expose herself to him like this, and then obeying, nearly made her orgasm right then and there, although she knew that climaxing without permission was strictly prohibited.

What was worse was that he didn't say a thing - not a compliment or a complaint. Nothing. He didn't even touch her, although she could feel his hot breath on her bare flesh.

Instead, he rose, saying almost gruffly, "Well, we might as well get your punishment over with."

Before she knew it, she was bent over again, but this time it was over the back of his overstuffed leather sofa. She was so short and small, and the couch was so big, that her feet didn't touch the ground.

"There are two straps in front of you. I suggest you hold onto them for dear life. You've already got one spanking coming - I can assure you that you won't want another."

Raina had done as she was told, gripping the leathers as if they would save her from what was to come.

"You won't always have that courtesy. Eventually you'll learn that regardless of what I'm doing back here, or anywhere else on your body, that you are never to interfere with what I choose to do with you."

He came around to the front of her as she dangled there and deliberately leaned down to meet her eyes. He didn't say anything further, just watched her carefully, then returned to his previous spot, claiming a vulnerable cheek with one big hand. "This is your first punishment from me. I want to see how you take it, how you react. You can feel free to do anything you like - except get out of position - there are no restrictions on your reactions at this time, although I can assure you that they will appear in future."

And with that, his palm cracked down onto her flesh for the very first time.

Presently, Raina was waiting for him to begin. As usual, nothing could rush him. He was a master of timing and often made her wait as long as a day or two for a punishment after telling her she was due one for something or other. Or even just because he simply wanted to spank her, and wanted her to spend that time dreading it, which she most certainly did.

His spankings were truly something to dread - she'd learned that right from the beginning. He'd never once gone easy on her. If she had any sort of asthma problems - which he'd forcibly required her to keep pretty much under control by making sure she took all of her meds, all of the time - within a week of a spanking, he'd wait until her lungs were completely clear. When he punished her, he always had a rescue inhaler in his pocket, just in case.

And he always had a rescue inhaler in his pocket, in case the whim overtook him.

He adored looking at her, especially when she was in a submissive position of his own device, but also just across the room at one of the few cocktail parties they deigned to attend, or across the breakfast table when she was being a bit pouty at having to eat three nutritious meals a day, as he required.

She heard him rustling behind her and desperately wanted to turn her head to see what he was doing. That was one of the worst things - not knowing what he was going to do to her next, and knowing that if she took it into her head to try to find out by moving even just a bit, she'd be bent over and paddled mercilessly until he thought she'd learned her lesson.

Raina knew better than to do that, so, despite her itching curiosity, she stood stock still.

"Bend over," he commanded, and it was just like that first time she'd just been recalling. Only now she had long months of being under his thumb to think back on, all that pain and tears, as well as the exquisite pleasure he'd never failed to wring from even her still stinging body.

She obeyed without question, without so much as an inkling of hesitation, despite the fact that, even after so much time, she still blushed even at the mere thought of what she was displaying to him. She'd never gotten over that modesty response, and, what was worse was that he thought that it was extremely endearing. Raina wasn't used to having a man consider her in many ways that didn't have to do with business - only Master rarely thought of her in a business capacity at all. Here, within the walls of their house - his house - she was a harshly treasured possession.

He bent down and removed the underwear cuff from one ankle, then the other, then bade her spread her legs even wider merely by tapping the inside of her thigh. Raina moved immediately, placing her legs as far apart as she could and still maintain the position.

Her master wasn't the type to gloss over things. He especially liked to inspect her minutely, but for that he generally put her into a more comfortable position - bound fast, but still comfortable.

This time, he cupped her possessively, letting his fingers part what had already been loosened by the prominent position he'd put her into. When he had her like this, he tried to pay attention to even the minutest reaction - he felt and heard her sigh, and her body relaxed into his hand as soon as she realized that he wasn't causing her any pain... at least right now. Quite the opposite, in fact. She was dripping wet - as she so often was around him. He considered that the ultimate compliment, and the ultimate reinforcement that he what he was providing for her - the strict rules, the searing punishments, and even the embarrassment factor - on a regular basis was exactly what she needed and wanted.

He christened his index and third fingers with her juices, then brought them up to her already prominent little clit, cutting a big swath over it very slowly and deliberately, allowing himself only a small grin at her tiny whimper. Moving that thick band of fingers away from her pleasure center, he settled them at her entrance. Even now, even after innumerable invasions of unmentionable things, she was still nearly as tight as a virgin.

When he'd first realized just how untried she was, he'd been amazed. She'd had a hard time just taking the two fingers he was threatening her with now, and he'd barely been able to keep himself from replacing those two fingers with his nearly exploding cock. He'd managed, but just barely.