“We only started playing again last weekend,” I said. “But yes, I can see that.”
“Listen,” she said. “I’m a very open and honest person. Do me a favor and tell me to knock it off if I give out too much information.”
“You’re fine.”
“The first time we played after Sam was born, about four weeks ago, I didn’t wear a bra and, well . . . leakage. I’ve very rarely seen Paul look taken aback.” She giggled. “But the expression on his face was priceless.”
I tried to picture the unflappable Paul looking taken aback and failed.
“What did he do?” I asked.
“He cleaned it up,” she said. I pictured washcloths and paper towels. “Afterward, he said it tasted almost sweet.”
I felt myself blush.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “That was too much.”
“No,” I said, wanting to hear more about her and Paul. “Just unexpected, although maybe we should start with something easier. I want to hear about how the two of you work. Tell me how you met.”
“Paul’s very well-known,” she said, and I got the impression she told this story often. “His reputation preceded him. Probably much the same as Nathaniel.”
I nodded.
“I met him for the first time, here actually, at a meeting,” she said. “I’d been a submissive for a good number of years, but I was between relationships at the time. He asked for my help with a demonstration a few weeks later. I know Nathaniel is your first dom, but trust me, when you play with someone experienced”—she shook her head—“it’s amazing.”
I doubted anyone else could make me feel the way Nathaniel did, but I refrained from saying so.
“We played casually for a few months,” she said. “And eventually moved to a weekend arrangement. We started dating, and well, the rest is history.”
“Nathaniel said you had a twenty-four-seven Dom/sub relationship once.”
She nodded. “After we started dating. There were some parts I really enjoyed, but I don’t think Paul liked it very much.”
“I don’t think Nathaniel would either.”
“Would you?”
I thought about that. How would it be to go an entire week as his submissive? To expand our weekend play? Seven days . . . My mind wandered, thinking. So much time. So much we could do.
“Maybe,” I said. “Just for a week or so. To try.”
“Like I said, there were parts I liked. It was a different kind of experience.” She took a minute, switched Sam to the opposite breast and then covered herself again. “I don’t want to see the look on Nathaniel’s face if you decide to tell him you want to try a twenty-four-seven relationship.” She laughed. “Probably not what he had in mind when he said he’d like for us to talk.”
I laughed along with her. “Probably not.”
“The thing you need to remember about Nathaniel,” she said, once more all serious, “is that he’s in love for the first time ever. He’s going slower with you than he has with previous submissives. I know part of that is because of your inexperience, but part of it is he’s afraid of coming on too strongly.”
I definitely believed that. “I know, and I can tell there’ll be times I’ll want him to push harder and further.”
“You need to tell him. It’s your job to tell him when you want things to happen differently.”
“I just can’t get to that point in my head. Not during a weekend.”
“He needs that feedback,” she said. “Although, if it’s more comfortable for you, tell him on a weekday. There’s no rule you can’t talk about your weekend time on a Wednesday night.”
“That’s what I need to remember. It’s feedback. Not telling him what to do.”
“Right. The ultimate decision is still his, but he can make more informed decisions if you’re giving him all the information he needs.”
There were other questions I wanted to ask, but just one I really needed to talk to someone about. Someone who wasn’t Nathaniel.
“Can I ask you something?” I asked.
“I’m an open book,” she said with a smile. “Very little is off-limits for me.”
“Canes,” I said, almost shivering at the word. “Tell me about them.”
“That’s rather random.”
I picked at a fingernail. “I marked them down as a hard limit, because I was scared. But Nathaniel really likes them.”
“And you want a submissive’s view on canes?”
“Yes.”
“I’d be surprised if Paul hadn’t used a cane or two on Nathaniel during his mentorship,” she said. “But I suppose his view is different from mine.”
“So you’ll tell me?” I asked, very interested to hear what she thought about the scary-sounding items.
She nodded. “Now, Paul’s punished me with a cane before, and that’s something completely and totally different. I don’t like that use of the cane at all.”
“You can use canes for reasons other than punishment?”
“I know several people who enjoy it when a cane’s used on them. I’m one of them.”
“Really?”
“It’s all in the technique, and Paul has the most amazing technique. And Nathaniel learned from Paul.”
I didn’t say anything.
“I won’t lie to you. It hurts,” she said. “But so do spankings, right?”
“Right. But I like the spankings.”
“In that case, when and if you ever feel comfortable with canes, you’ll probably like Nathaniel using them,” she said. “If he builds up to it properly, that is.”
“Builds up? Like a warm-up spanking?”
“Yes, like that.”
“Mmmm,” I said, by way of reply. I’d put that aside to think about later. Canes for pleasure? Who would have thought?
The doorbell sounded right as Christine took Sam out from under the blanket and straightened her shirt.
“That must be Mom,” she said. “What perfect timing.”
After Christine’s mom left with Sam, Nathaniel and I went back to the guest room. He told me he had an outfit laid out for me, but stopped me before I could put it on.
“Before you change,” he said. “Until further notice, library time is over. Understood?”
A twinge of desire, lust, and yearning shot straight through me.
“Yes, Master.”
“Paul has certain rules for his playroom,” he said. “You are to wear your hair up. The only jewelry allowed inside is wedding rings. He made an exception for your collar. I don’t want your head down. I want you watching both Christine and Paul. And as an observer, you are to remain silent.” He smiled. “Unless you become overwhelmed, in a negative way, and need to use your safe word. Understood?”
“Yes, Master.”
He leaned forward and kissed me. “Meet me outside our room in fifteen minutes.”
When we entered the playroom downstairs, Christine was already in position. Nathaniel walked over to the straight-backed chair at the edge of the room, and I followed behind him. After he sat down, I sat on the pillow at his feet and tentatively placed a hand on his knee. Christine didn’t move. As I expected, she wore a bra, but was naked otherwise.
I watched her for a minute, letting myself grow accustomed to the sight.
She’s naked, I told myself. She’s naked and it’s okay.
I took a minute to glance around the room—it was twice as large as Nathaniel’s and held more equipment. Much of the room was the same—a refrigerator, a sink, and a large first-aid kit. One shelf held a baby monitor, though, and the realities of playing with a child hit me. I became even more thankful Christine’s mom had taken Sam for a few hours.