Hearing the doors close, I turned toward them to find that the man had left the room. It was only Master Holland, the maid, and I inside. As I walked to the table, the maid looked up at me and gave me a small smile before nodding her head once and leaving the room.
“Come, Lanie, sit next to me and enjoy this wonderful meal that Geoff has prepared for us. Lord knows you deserve it.” His eyes never left me as he waited until I took a seat.
I was starving, and having worked up an appetite, I picked up my fork and dug into my meal, which looked and smelled amazing. As we continued with our delicious meal, the man from before entered the room. He came over to Master Holland and whispered something in his ear. I couldn’t hear what he told him, but based on Master’s expression, he wasn’t happy about what the man shared. Looking over at me, he said, “There is somewhere I would like to take you. I think you will like it.”
Wiping my mouth, I placed my cloth napkin in my lap, and looked over to Master Holland to find he was smiling. Returning the smile, I waited a moment then asked, “Where will you be taking me, Master?”
Before I could take my last bite, Master snapped his fingers to summons the gentleman that had taken his place by the dining-room door. Just like an obedient server, he walked over and pulled my chair from the table, letting me know that I was to stand. Pushing his own chair away, Master stood, took a step toward me, and held out his hand.
As I placed my hand in his, he smiled. “I think we are past you addressing me as Master. Please call me Martin.”
It would be strange addressing him as Martin. Every man I had ever known, other than my father, requested I call him master. Every man except Roman. Something inside me broke. The thought of where Roman could be entered my mind and I couldn’t help but wonder if I would ever see him again. Emptiness filled my heart knowing that, just like my father, he was gone forever.
“What is it, Lanie?” The tone in Martin’s voice confirmed that he saw my unhappiness. There was no way I could let him know how I felt, so I lied.
“Nothing. Nothing at all.”
♥ ♥ ♥
When Martin opened the door to the home away from home, as he called it, the décor was just like his home on the coast. The only difference was it had more of a country feel with the massive wood beams and rustic furnishings. The trees that surrounded the home reminded me of an enchanted forest in a fairytale story.
Even though the drive distracted me from thinking about Roman, it didn’t take away the emptiness I felt being without him. My life was with Martin and the best thing I could do was to forget about Roman. Leading me to the back of the house, Martin looked over his shoulder and smiled, “There is something I want to show you. Maybe it will put a smile on that beautiful face.”
I thought I had left my sad expression at Martin’s home on the coast, but evidently, I brought it with me. Smiling the best I could under the circumstances, I felt him squeeze my hand. Reaching the back entrance, he pulled open the double glass doors to reveal a large sandstone patio that extended the length of the house. As we stepped outside, I looked around, feeling like I was in the land of tranquility. I wasn’t sure if there was such a place, but if there was, this would be it.
We headed down the steps at the end of the patio to a stone path that led deep into a wooded area. When I looked up, there was only a hint of blue sky that could be seen through the tree branches. Moss clung to the tree bark and a noticeable difference in the air was present as we walked further down the path. I wasn’t sure where Martin was taking me, but I felt safe.
Coming upon a clearing, another spectacular scene came into view. It was as though I had stepped back in time. A large cobblestoned house with stone pillars supporting an arched entry way was situated before me. As we got closer, I could see a door made of heavy wood and iron hinges that had been discolored by the weather. Even though I felt safe, there was something about this place that didn’t feel right. The minute Martin opened the door my mind was at ease. There was nothing to be afraid of, at least not at first sight. It was your typical cottage home with a stone fireplace, a modestly decorated sitting area, and a simple kitchen. It was only after we headed down the steep steps that it all changed.
Pulling on Martin’s hand, I waited for him to look at me. “I’m afraid, Martin.”
He saw my apprehension and waited a moment before going any further. “There is nothing to be afraid of, Lanie.” The light squeeze of my hand reassured me he was sincere.
In a way, the dark coldness of the basement reminded me of the basement at his coastal home. I was afraid then as well, and for no reason. Taking a breath, I held onto Martin’s hand as he led me to an archway at the end of the long hallway. On the other side of the arch were two doors, one on the right and one on the left. Choosing to enter the door on the right, Martin turned the knob and pushed the door open.
When he turned on the lights, I looked inside and saw it was a playroom. The room wasn’t scary at all, and knowing what would soon happen set off a tingle between my legs. Unlike Master Winston, I trusted Martin and liked the way he made me feel. Drawing me inside the room, he closed the door behind us.
“Assume your position, Lanie,” he whispered as he lowered the zipper to my dress, kissing me on the shoulder as he moved my dress out of the way.
I was just about to kick off my heels, when he called out. “Leave the heels on, but take everything else off.”
Naked other than my heels, I lowered to the floor and took my submissive position. With my hands resting on my lap, I saw the shadow of his footsteps. My head was lowered and even though I couldn’t see him, I could hear him on the other side of the room. My heart beat faster and when there was a light touch on my shoulder, I knew that he had returned.
“Stand, Lanie,” he commanded.
Standing, I waited for his next instruction. Instead of telling me what he wanted me to do, he took hold of my hand and led me over to a bench. Stopping in front of the bench, which was a little higher than my waist, I felt him apply pressure to my back, alerting me to bend forward. Bent at my waist, I leaned over the thick beam. My arms dangled freely until he secured them, one on each side. It was impossible to lift my head in this position to see what he would do next, and even if I could, I could only see what was in front of me.
The silence worried me. It was as though he had left me alone. But the minute I felt his hand on my body, it reassured me that he was still in the room with me. There was no warning when his hand came down on my ass. Along with the pain came pleasure, making it hard to hide the excitement it had caused. He gave my ass a hard squeeze before caressing the sting away. Over and over he teased me, toyed with my desire. I was his. His plaything, his slave. There was nothing I wouldn’t do for him.
“Tell me what you desire, Lanie.” His voice was soft, yet powerful, and I knew he would deny me unless I confessed to him what I wanted, needed.