“You shouldn’t be here. I’m still angry.” Her words traveled in soft whisper. One public scene per week was her new rule.
“I just can’t stay away. Despite everything you had to go through and despite how you may feel, I know we need to spend time together tonight.”
“I just don’t know. I don’t think I can do this any longer.”
“Charlotte, you need to give us a chance. You keep running, and I unintentionally keep giving you reasons to flee.”
Charlie stared into his eyes for a few moments. Nothing had changed. He hadn’t changed. He was still the man she wanted. He hadn’t cheated on her, and he had never made it a secret that he had been with other women before her. He truly seemed to want to work things out.
“I had planned on taking you somewhere tonight, somewhere we could have a scene.” Declan glanced at his watch. “We missed the reservation, but I still think we need to have a session. I want to play a game with you. I think it will help us get past this, and dissolve some of your reasoning for running every time you feel we get too close.”
“Okay. You can come in.”
***
Once inside, Declan spent a few minutes on the phone cancelling or rescheduling their plans while Charlie poured some wine. While he was out of decent eavesdropping range, he still managed to hold her in his gaze. Charlie also noticed he positioned himself between the front door and her. She had nowhere to run.
Her imagination conjured up all sorts of scenarios where she ran and he caught her. Charlie envisioned Declan throwing her down to punish her and have his way with her. The little scenes always ended the same: with Charlie surrendering to Declan’s will and promising to never run again. A delicious chill snaked its way down her body as she replayed different versions of the same theme.
By the time Declan was walking toward her, she was dying to take off toward the door just to see if he would be in hot pursuit. Charlie couldn’t wipe the silly smirk off her face.
“That’s a devious little grin. What are you thinking about?”
“I was wondering what you’d do if I made a run for the door.”
“Hmmm … What do you think I’d do?”
Charlie giggled nervously.
“Okay, let me rephrase that … What do you imagine me doing?”
She could feel the heat rising up her neck and onto her cheeks.
“Go ahead. Run.”
Charlie spun away from the door to throw him off. It bought her a couple yards of a head start but she was going in the wrong direction. She ran around the furniture grouping, placing the objects between them for a momentary standoff.
Her heart was knocking wildly. Her mind had somehow convinced her body that she was in some sort of danger and needed to flee. It was completely exhilarating. She faked right and then changed direction to the left, but he was onto her. His arms wrapped around Charlie as she hooked around the end of the sofa and was about to make her way toward the door.
“Gotcha.”
Charlie struggled in Declan’s arms, but he wrangled her to the sofa and managed to climb on top of her so that his knees and calves pinned her arms, and his weight held her hips in place. Charlie made one more attempt to free herself but could feel that there was no chance of escaping that position. He had her. She lay panting in defeat beneath him.
Declan sneered down at Charlie. “That’s all you got?”
She struggled against him, and he had to use his hands to keep her restrained.
“Charlotte, you’ll hurt yourself if you’re not careful. It won’t buy you any sympathy from me. I’ll still punish you for running.”
Declan released his grip on her wrists but he still pinned her arms firmly between the sofa cushions and his legs. He ran his hands through his hair, smoothing back the strands that plastered his face.
“You’re a pain in the ass, you know that? Always plotting your escape. Never really giving us a chance.”
Charlie froze. Is he role-playing or is this for real?
“I’ll take the blame for some of it. I’ve been too soft on you. But that changes right now.”
***
“Charlotte. Charlotte?”
Charlie’s brain traveled to remote locations that involved in-depth analysis. Her mind worked overtime to process what Declan requested of her. But then again she had always been like that. Her mind operated at a different speed than most people, and when she was a young girl she had trouble sleeping. She learned techniques to quiet her mind, but when she faced a decision, her analytical side went into overdrive.
She agonized over personal decisions, sometimes for days. Charlie worked through all the possible consequences of her decisions. She could make split decisions in a work environment, but when it came to her personal life, it was nearly impossible for her to decipher the best choice. Tonight was no different.
“You need to make a choice. Which will it be?”
Charlie stared at the boxes labeled “A,” “B,” and “C.” Declan’s kinky version of “Let’s Make a Deal” it seemed. He gave her three options for play to choose from tonight. He told her one she would like, one she would hate, and one she would struggle with but find pleasure in. She had to pick.
“Whatever choice you find best, Master.” Charlie thought playing the submissive card would get her out of having to decide. It didn’t work.
“That’s not going to fly tonight, my dear.” Declan chuckled. “We can sit here all night, but you are going to choose.”
Reverse psychology failed. Second-guessing him was not an option. Declan knew human nature well. Hell, he understands me as well as, if not better than I do. Charlie knew she couldn’t avoid the choice.
And the cycle of indecision continued. Charlie wanted to make a choice but felt like she couldn’t. If I follow statistics, I would get the one he wants me to have. But he would know I know that, so he would expect me not to choose that one … Which is the one I would enjoy and which is the one I would detest? Which one does he want me to pick?
Charlie became a frustrated, fidgety mess while Declan on the other hand remained perfectly calm, almost amused.
“Okay. I pick C.”
“C? Really?” His eyes darkened. “Are you certain you want to choose C”?
That one small question set Charlie’s mind spinning once more. Is that the wrong one? Is that not the one he wants me to pick? Should I change my choice? Should I hold firm with my decision?
“Yes, please, Master. I choose C.” Charlie exhaled, her pulse racing, her heart beating like a steam engine.
“Very well then, Charlotte.” Declan raked his gaze over her. Taking the box, he placed it in front of her on the coffee table where they sat. “You’ve done well tonight. All I wanted you to do was to pick a box, to put yourself aside and do what I required. All I wanted was your absolute cooperation and complete obedience and you’ve given that to me.”
“What’s in the box, Master?”
Declan smiled. “My sweet girl, it doesn’t matter what is in the box. It matters that you allowed me to be in control. Your fears have been getting the best of you, the best of us. Your questioning of your choices is getting in the way of fully submitting to me. But not tonight..”
***
Declan stared down at the flawless, creamy skin of Charlotte’s naked backside. Not a mark in sight, it was the most perfect canvas.
She’s trembling.
He liked it when she was a bit scared. It gave him something to work with. He fully admitted her vulnerability got him charged. It was a tribute to how completely she trusted him. Granted, Charlotte couldn’t move because he bound her to the bed, but she allowed him to do so with full knowledge of what he intended to do.