Masters & Lovers Box Set Three

She has her bath, returning an hour or so later scented of lavender and rose. We drink, but not too much. We eat, sharing Charlotte’s favourite treats; cheese, bread, olives, strawberries and cream. She sits on the rug by the fire, not hitting the food the way she normally does, but nonetheless, she eats.

Then she sits, inert, leaning back against my legs as I stroke her hair.

Over her head, James cocks a brow to me, tilts his head. I nod.

He rises, takes Charlotte’s hand and pulls her upright, then kisses the fingers. “You are going to go downstairs now, undress and wait for us. Michael and I will join you in a few minutes…” She hesitates… “And the next words I expect to hear from you are ‘Yes, Master’.”

She bows her head. “Yes, Master.”

“Good.” I pass her a glass of Rioja… “Now, drink your wine… And I want you to have another glass after that.”

*****

Downstairs, in the basement, James’ ‘playroom’, the demesnes of a Master, she’s waiting for us. As he instructed, she’s naked, kneeling, head lowered and the glass she took down with her, empty.

She’s goosing a little. The heating hasn’t quite dispelled the chill yet, but that won’t matter. With what James has in mind, I’m sure she’ll soon be warm.

And the hearth glows; old logs dropping to embers, new logs flickering new flames. The light shimmers gold and amber. Candles reinforce the honeyed glimmer, sending dancing shadows over wall and arch.

James gestures me towards her and then to a ceiling hook. “Charlotte, stand up.”

She rises, chewing her lip, trembling slightly…

Cold?

… Or nervous?

Stepping close, I wrap arms around her, holding her against myself, giving her the heat of my body. One hand winding into her hair, with the other I caress the smooth skin of her back and shoulders, “Shhh… It’s alright. Calm down.”

“What’s going to happen?”

“Remember your safety words. You may need them.”

he angry? Is he going to

he’s not angry... You’ve done nothing to be punished for. But he is very

“What then?”

How to say this?

of yourself, then we’ll both bring you back home.

a tremor in

cheek. “You can always say ‘No.’ Do you want to?

falters, then dumbly, she shakes her head. Taking her hand, I lace my fingers with hers. “Come on. You’ll be fine. And

“Are you sure?”

You

“Yes, I do.”

now. Let him take you the way you need to

as I lead her to where James waits,

that didn’t know him, he might appear severe, frightening even,

… the pity…

under the anchor point, I press my lips to hers before,

“Cuffs will be fine.”

I walk by him to the

he murmurs, “And she’ll be more herself

what I told

pair of cuffs are a snug fit to her wrists; a carabiner and a length of rope

I check her colour; hands, fingers, face, then

let my hands drift over her upstretched body; her hips, her waist, her breasts. Muscles tremble and quiver. And she smells cool, with no scent of arousal. Drifting fingers between her thighs I test her, then “I’ll just

the cupboard where I keep a store of massage oils.

My hands on her waist, my fingers almost encircle her as I work her spine with my thumbs. Then

unhurriedly, deliberately; removing his jacket to hang it neatly over the back

around, I cup a breast, nuzzling into her hair and her neck. “You’re so beautiful. I never forget how beautiful you are. Or that you are my wife. Or that I love you. And I will never let anyone

My hands cupping and stroking, my chest pressed to her spine, I love

kicks off his shoes. Barefoot now, stripped to the waist, he takes up the flogger again, holding it in one hand,