“I don’t expect you to understand.” He holds still, his gaze steady and unwavering. He’s certainly not apologizing for his preferences. “When the entire world is at your fingertips, you can be more frivolous with your whims. Some people might like a fancy coffee maker in their kitchen, knowing they can have their favorite coffee drink whenever the mood strikes them. They’re addicted to coffee. They need it every day. The machine is there for their convenience.”

“You’re comparing me to a coffee maker?”

“I’m just saying, we all have our vices. Mine just happens to be beautiful, submissive women. If I can afford to have one exclusively on stand-by for me, then I certainly won’t deny myself that luxury.”

“So I’m a luxury?”

“You are absolutely a luxury.”

“And what exactly will I be consenting to?” I bring the paper closer, inspecting it and reading from the top.

“Read, Bellamy.”

I, _______________, declare under penalty of perjury that I am above the age of eighteen.

I, ________________, declare that I am participating in this sexual relationship of my own free will and that I have not been coerced, threatened, manipulated, or harmed into doing so.

Both parties agree that this agreement is to be private and not disclosed to third parties for any reason. Doing so shall result in legal punishment including sexual misconduct and invasion of privacy.

My initials next to the listed items below indicate that I am consenting to those acts:

___ Fondling and kissing intended to cause sexual arousal

___ Oral sex (giving and receiving)

___ Sexual intercourse with a condom

___ Spanking

___ Paddling

___ Sensory deprivation (blindfolds, etc)

___ Ball gags

___ Rope arrangements

___ Cuffs, ties, shackles, and other forms of bondage

___ Nipple clamps

___ Biting

___ Vibrators and forced masturbation

___ Orgasm denial

___ Public play

___ Sex club accompaniments

___ Dirty talk

___ Punishment in various forms (physical, verbal, sexual)

I, _____________, declare that I am drug, alcohol, and infection free, and I am consenting to have sexual intercourse and participate in a D/s relationship with _____________. I also agree to have a complete medical examination done at my earliest convenience and to release the records to _____________.

It is understood that when I say the word STOP at any time, before or after, my partner agrees to cease all activity immediately.

Party 1________________________ Date_________

Party 2 ________________________Date_________

“You’re blushing, Miss Miller.” Of course he points out the obvious.

“Will we be doing all these things?”

“Not necessarily. Some of them I’ve grown quite bored of to be honest. We’ll do whatever strikes my fancy when the mood hits.”

Our stares lock for a moment.

“Do these things scare you?” he asks.

“No,” I half-fib.

“Good,” he says. “You shouldn’t be scared. I would never hurt you, Bellamy. You should know that. This relationship isn’t pleasurable for me if it’s not, at least in some way, pleasurable to you.”

That’s a relief.

“That’s good to hear, because looking at all of these things makes me think you just want to hurt me.” It’s the most honest thing I’ve said in a while.

His hand shoots across the table, falling on mine. His movements are brisk and stiff like he’s not one to easily give comfort, but his gaze is reassuring in this moment.

“Don’t ever think that I want to hurt you. I take care of what belongs to me. I’ll take my pleasure and give some back in return. The power may seem to lie in my hands, Bellamy, but it’s really all yours. If you allow me to touch you, to do these things with you, the power is yours.”

Yeah, but it doesn’t feel like it. If I’m tied up and he’s forcing a vibrator between my thighs, who holds the power then?

“I’ll go slow with you,” he says. “I’m not in the habit of baptizing by fire.”

“Appreciated. Thank you.”

Dane slinks back in the chair, his brows coming together as his elbows rest symmetrically on the wooden arms.

“You’re sure you’ve never been trained before?” he asks.

Not in a sexual way and certainly by choice. “Never.”

“Then why do I get the feeling there’s more to you than what you’re telling me? Why do I feel like I’ve barely scratched your surface?”

 “Maybe because you’re not a man who trusts easily.”

I’m brazen and ballsy, but I get the feeling Dane’s a man used to having his ass kissed on a daily basis. My fingers cross under the table in hopes that he’ll respect me more for speaking up to him.

“You’d be right, Bellamy. But it doesn’t take a genius to make an assumption like that about a man in a powerful position. The higher I’ve climbed, the more I’ve found that there are very few people left for me to trust. My inner circle is rather small.”

“Am I in your inner circle? As your concierge?”

“No. But you’re in a position of privilege in my life, and you should be grateful for that.”

I roll my eyes on the inside. Dane needs to get over himself. Then again, if I were as rich and powerful and attractive as he is, I might strut around with an aura of arrogance too.

“Did you just roll your eyes at me?”

Shit. I thought I did that on the inside.

“No?” I ask it, like it’s a question because I don’t know and I didn’t mean to if I did. “I don’t think I did?”

Dane takes a heavy sigh before rocking forward in his chair and rising. He towers above the desk, his jaw set tight.

“Stand,” he orders.

I float above my chair slowly as he wears a calculating glare. “Let me just remind you that I haven’t signed anything yet.”

His fists clench though I get the sense he’s more sexually frustrated than frustrated at me. “You have until the end of the day to officially make up your mind as to whether or not you intend to be my submissive. Your signature on these papers makes it official.”

“Understood.”

“Do you have any questions before I return to my business?”

I have a million of them, but all of them would give away the fact that I’m a flaming virgin, so I shake my head no. A twinge of guilt resides in my chest. I shouldn’t have lied about being a virgin, but he said my job offer was contingent upon my answer, so I panicked.

“Do you have any last confessions or admissions you’d like to share? I’m willing to give you a period of amnesty. Right here. Right now. All confessed will be forgiven. I’m ready to move ahead with you, Bellamy. Anything you’d like to get off your chest?”

I’m a virgin.

My family’s polygamous.

I’m selling myself to you so that I may buy my freedom.

“Nope.” I flash a sweet smile. I’ve just confessed in my head, and that’s good enough for now. Besides, what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. And like he said, it’s only sex, and he likes his life to be as uncomplicated as possible. I’m doing him a favor by omitting those particular details. “I’ll sign the documents by the close of business today, Dane.”

“Pardon?”

“Master.”

“Good girl.” His words are like the stroke of a hand atop a dog’s head, and he leaves with a wide smile on his face, which I know is as rare as a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.

I’d be kidding myself if I didn’t admit that a teeny, tiny part of me almost enjoys making him smile.

I scan the consent form one more time, signing away every part of me and initialing next to the kinds of things I never imagined myself doing in all of my days.

I said I was willing to do whatever it takes, and I meant it.