I can’t breathe as Master Roman arranges Lucy to one side of his thighs, leans her over his knees, and clasps her wrists in one large hand at the small of her back. Wetness coats my panties as he lifts her dress over her butt and tucks it under their combined hands. I’m pretty sure my heart stops entirely when he lowers her panties over her bottom.
I wince as his hand lands on her naked skin.
Lucy whimpers.
He spanks her again several times, his palm never landing in the same spot.
Lucy purses her lips and buries her face against his thigh.
I feel like I’ve slid into another dimension, and time stands still while Master Roman finishes doling out his punishment, pulls her panties back over her butt, and stands her in front of him. He sets one hand on her shoulder and lifts her chin with his other hand. “Good girl. You’ll keep your voice down now?”
“Yes, Sir.” Her voice is soft.
“Okay. I’ll be done with my meeting soon.” He spins her around and pats her bottom, releasing her.
I watch Master Roman rise and roll the chair back toward the desk and then I jerk my attention to the doorway. Kellen is standing just inside the room, fingertips in his pockets, feet planted wide, gaze on me. How long has he been watching me?
I squirm. The spanking aroused me. I’m shocked by my reaction. I watched several people get spanked at Surrender in the last month. None were as erotic as what I just witnessed.
I feel the heat rise up my cheeks as I turn around to face the gameboard, unnerved by Kellen’s attention. Surely he has no idea I’m aroused. I can’t begin to ponder the opposite.
Chapter 3
Sabine
“You’ve become a voyeur,” Abby teases me the next afternoon as we sit on the back porch enjoying an unusually warm and cloud-free summer day in Seattle.
I groan. “It’s like I’ve left the planet. I’m consumed.”
She giggles. “I can see that. Do you still think you might be dominant?” she teases before sipping her lemonade.
I sigh. “Apparently not. It’s still hard to grasp how someone like me, who’s always been outspoken and loud and domineering in every aspect of my life, could possibly enjoy some form of submission. Nevertheless, evidence would suggest I was wrong.”
She laughs again. “Evidence being your arousal when you watch other people submitting?”
“I guess so.” It’s not really deniable. “I can’t imagine participating, though. It’s surreal. In every relationship I’ve been in, I was the more dominant one. Bossy even,” I remind her about my few boyfriends.
She smirks. “And how did that work out for you?”
I sigh. “Okay. You’ve got me there. Good point.” Every boyfriend I’ve had dumped me.
She holds my gaze before continuing. “Julius thinks you should give it a try.”
“Give what a try? Submitting? Like at the club one night?” I’ve participated in a few demos just to see what it feels like, but at no time have I let myself succumb to the mindset.
She shakes her head. “Nope. More intense than that. Levi and Beck agree with him.”
I swallow my last sip of lemonade, surprised I manage not to choke. “They discussed my submission?”
She smiles. “Yep, and I agree.” She sets her glass down and leans forward. “Admit it. You came to Seattle to get as far away from your parents as possible so you could explore BDSM.”
I nod. She’s right about that. I’ve been living vicariously through her for two years while she’s become the happiest person I know. I’m uneasy about actually taking any action though. Watching is one thing. Participating fully is another ballpark. Am I ready for that?
“You’ve been here a month, and I love having you. And don’t get me wrong, we have plenty of space. You can stay as long as you’d like. But, here’s the thing. I’ve taken several weeks off to relax between semesters, but I have to start studying for the bar. It’s the perfect opportunity for you to broaden your exploration.”
I bite the corner of my bottom lip. “You have a plan, don’t you?” I try not to laugh. I’m certain Abby has a plan. I’ve known her for six years. She has always been the more level-headed one between the two of us. I’m the one who tended to get us into trouble. She’s the one who tended to get us out of it.
“Yep. I mean, I didn’t come up with it myself. The guys did. But yes.”
I grip my glass, trying not to shake.
“They think you should immerse yourself. Give it a try. Take advantage of this time to give submission a try.”
I know Julius, Levi, and Beck used to train submissives before they met Abby and decided to keep her permanently. Surely, she doesn’t mean they intend to teach me themselves? “I suppose you have someone in mind?”
She nods again. “Keep an open mind. You’ve met him.”
I strain my brain and come up with nothing.
“Master Kellen.”
I gasp. Even though I formally met him yesterday at Lucy’s, and I know he’s a member of Surrender, this idea hadn’t occurred to me. “Kellen? Why would he agree to something like this?”
“Master Kellen. You should get that in your head. You won’t be referring to him as Kellen.”
“Wait…” I shoot her a glare. “Is that why he was at Lucy’s yesterday? Is Master Roman also in on this scheme?”
She cringes apologetically. “Don’t be mad. The guys tell me he’s perfect for you.”
“The guys?” I draw in a breath. “You do realize these guys you keep referring to are grown men, significantly older than us. Master Kellen must think I’m a baby.” I emphasize Master, trying it out on my tongue while humoring Abby.
She chuckles again. “And I can’t stress enough how amazing it is to have an older man.”
I laugh. “First of all, how would you know? You never had any man at all before you moved here. And second of all, you have three.” I pretend to swoon, tossing the back of my hand over my forehead.
“Okay, three is better than one. Don’t judge,” she jokes.
I give her an exaggerated shudder. “I may be floundering a bit trying to feel my way into the BDSM world, but I know for sure I’m not interested in having three men. It’s great for you and all. I’m not judging. But I think I’ll stick to one.”
“Perfect. Master Kellen doesn’t share.”
I groan. “Why on earth would he want to help me out? I’ve only seen him a few times and just met him formally yesterday. He knows nothing about me.”
“Julius says you’d be helping him out, too. His wife, who was his submissive, died from cancer a few years ago, and he’s been reluctant to get back in the scene.”
“Shit. That’s awful.” I feel bad for him. That doesn’t really explain why he would want to help me.
“At first, he turned Julius down, but then he saw you in action. He’s changed his mind.” She beams as though she’s made an amazing breakthrough.
“Is that why he was at Roman’s yesterday? To watch me?” I sit up straighter, my spine going rigid. “Wait. Is he like Roman? A Daddy or whatever?”