N is for... (Checklist Book 14) by L DuBois (latest novels to read TXT) 📗

Autumn flinched, as if…well not as if he’d hit her, because her reaction to impact play wasn’t to flinch—it was to wiggle and moan. She flinched as if his words had slid straight into the soft, dark core of her fears.

Of course this wasn’t a date. She’d made it complicated because she was attracted to him.

Maybe some stupid part of her still thought she could have it both ways, even though bitter experience had taught her that wasn’t true.

In some alternate universe they met at a bar, had the same chemistry and banter, and that led to a relationship and eventually falling in love.

A relationship where she’d be sexually unfulfilled because she’d never admit to needing to be sexually dominated.

He’d met her at the club. He knew she was a submissive. That should have made it so easy for her to keep from thinking of him as anything but a play partner.

She swallowed back the hot embarrassment that was the most prevalent of the emotions running through her. She stared at one of the pale pink roses on the vine to her left and told herself to pull it together. It was hardly as if she were about to undergo something traumatic. She’d embarrassed herself by using the word ‘date.’ She needed to get her head in the game.

A very attractive, dominant man was going to play with her breasts.

Arousal slid through her and she focused on that. Desire and submissive need could mute other nasty thoughts. Add in D/s, and that desire and need became all-consuming.

“Out of curiosity, how is it that I’m looking at you?” Daniel asked. There was maybe a hint of worry in his voice.

“Like a Dom.”

His lips twitched and he seemed to relax. “I’m not sure if that’s disappointingly predictable, or…”

No, no. Don’t tease me, not in the witty banter way. I need you to be all Dom so I don’t start thinking about dating again.

When she didn’t respond Daniel sat forward, his elbows on his knees.

“We seem to have a problem.” His voice had deepened and had an edge to it.

Her skin prickled and her ass clenched.

“You think I sound like a Dom, but you aren’t sounding particularly submissive.”

Before she could reply, Daniel was on his feet. He stepped into her personal space, one hand gripping her waist, the other tangling in her hair.

“Look at me, Autumn.” He paired the words with using his hold on her hair to force her to look at him.

She could have closed her eyes, but it wouldn’t have been submission, it would have been hiding.

Damn it, his eyes were a beautiful blue-gray up close, with maybe even a little hint of brown around the outer rim.

“Our scene starts when I sit back down. I’m giving you a few more minutes, only because I know this is an unusual set of circumstances for starting a scene.”

“I understand.”

“You called me Master Daniel before. Let’s hear it again.”

“Master Daniel.”

“Do you need me to help you get into your submissive mindset?”

Normally, she didn’t need that, but with him…

“Maybe. I’m sorry, it’s just that I…”

He waited, but when she didn’t say anything else he shook his head. “You’re going to finish that sentence for me, but not right now.”

He released her hair for a moment, reaching back for his jacket. He carelessly tossed it onto the ground, then cupped her head once more, fingers buried in her hair.

“You’re going to kneel for me. You’re going to spread your knees, and if you aren’t wearing any panties, I’ll get my first good look at your pussy.”

“You’re going to hold that position. Kneeling, head down, legs spread, until I give you permission to move. If you disobey, you’ll get a spanking. Not a fun spanking. You won’t be over my lap. I’ll bend you over this chair and it will hurt.”

Autumn blew out a low, slow breath, all thoughts of dating pushed down and buried under his words and touch.

He leaned in, cheek brushing hers as he whispered, “I might decide to spank you either way. But if you’re a good girl, you’ll enjoy the spanking much more.”

He released her, inching back enough that there was space between them.

“If you’re not comfortable submitting to me, there is no shame in that. If you want to walk away, even if it’s just for tonight, this weekend, there is no shame in that, either.”

He let the words hang in the air. It was meant to give her a chance to turn away, but all it did was tighten the tension that gripped her.

The corset, despite having been loosened, felt too tight. She was hyper aware of her nipples inside the corset, and of the wetness between her legs, which had doubtless soaked the fabric of the black satin thong.

The air around them was still and heavy. The warmth from a nearby heat lamp seemed too hot against her arousal-sensitized skin.

Daniel lowered himself to the wide chair, leaning back and stretching his arms along the back. It pulled the fabric of his shirt tight against his arms and pecs.

The scene had begun.

She hung there, unsure. Unsure of what she should do, but also of what she was feeling. He wiped away that doubt and gave her something to focus on with a single command.

“Kneel.”

Chapter 5

The skirt finally gave up when Daniel toed her knees another inch further apart. By her calculation, she’d been kneeling here for hours. In strictly linear time it was probably closer to twenty minutes, but time passed differently in BDSM play. So far, she’d managed to mostly keep her skirt in place by sandwiching the fabric between her heels and ass.

When she obediently spread her knees in response to the nudge from his toe, the stretchy fabric of the bandage-style skirt rolled up, forming a black band of fabric at the bottom of her corset.

She shivered, both because cold air now hit skin that had been covered a moment ago, and because she was that much closer to