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.”

eyes dart. “Is he angry? Is he going

No, he’s not angry... You’ve done nothing to be punished for.

“What then?”

How to say this?

going to take you out of yourself, then we’ll both bring you

still a tremor in her

say ‘No.’ Do you want to? No-one is going to force

dumbly, she shakes her head. Taking her hand, I lace my fingers with

“Are you sure?”

You

“Yes, I do.”

Let him take

she follows me as I lead her to where James waits, a flogger

any that didn’t know him, he might appear severe, frightening even, but as his

… the pity…

anchor point, I press my lips to hers before, loudly enough for her to hear clearly, “Rope,

“Cuffs will be fine.”

by him to the racks, quietly, “She’s jittery.

will,” he murmurs, “And she’ll

what I told her

are a snug fit to her wrists; a carabiner and a length of rope connect her to the hook, restraining her tautly

hands, fingers, face, then casting across to James

and quiver. And she smells cool, with no scent of arousal. Drifting fingers between

head for the cupboard where I keep a store of massage oils. Passing James, I

as I work her spine

while, as I massage her, soothe her, James stands to her fore. My hands on her, she watches him. He moves unhurriedly, deliberately; removing his jacket to hang it neatly over the back of a seat. His tie is next. Tugging

Or that you are my wife. Or that I love you. And

accelerating as I caress her. My hands cupping and stroking, my chest pressed to her spine, I

removes his cuff-links, again setting them to one side, then unbuttons his shirt and kicks off his shoes. Barefoot now, stripped