Nathaniel slowed down, but if I thought him doing so was going to give me any sort of reprieve, I quickly learned I was mistaken. Slowing down only allowed him to be more intent with his movements.

He took hold of the rail on each side of me and I upturned my hand. Knowing what I needed, he entwined his fingers with mine. We’d been in more intimate settings. We’d done kinkier things. And yet being on that balcony, feeling his presence around me and inside me, hit me with an emotional force that I’d never felt before. Perhaps because it was so close to being a very public scene and yet it was still very intimate and private.

After several long moments of Nathaniel’s seductive and sensual thrusts, he once more sped up. I glanced at the trio. They, too, appeared to be nearing release.

“Sie kommen, Herr,” I whispered in both relief and regret. They’re coming, Sir. Relief because that meant it would soon hopefully be time for my own release. Regret because the moment had been so perfect and there were never enough perfect moments.

“I see them,” he said. “You’re free to come as soon as she does.”

The Dom behind her took another handful of hair and pulled her head. Even sitting on the balcony, I clearly saw her back arch and her chest rise and fall in a deep sigh as his mouth formed the unmistakable shape of one word.

“Come.”

At his command, she relaxed into her climax. Her eyes fluttered several times and her body shook slightly. The man behind her kept thrusting through her release and wasn’t far behind with his own.

“Jetzt kann ich kommen, Meister?” I said, asking if I could come, and at his “Yes,” I loosened my grip on the tiny thread of self-control that had been keeping me from my orgasm. At the next pass of his body into mine, he dropped our clasped hands between my legs and rubbed my clit.

“Feel this,” he whispered, and moved our hands slightly so I felt him pushing in and out of me. “Feel me fuck you. Feel me as you come all over me. Squeezing me deep inside. Like you don’t ever want me to leave your body.”

His words were just the thing I needed to send me soaring over the cliff into my climax.

“There we go,” he said, still pumping his hips. He grunted as he went deep. “Come hard for me. Never get tired of feeling you come apart.” He held still inside while he rode out his own release.

He gently let go of my hands and rubbed my shoulders, slipping down the front of me to cup my breasts. “Sore?”

“Only pleasantly so, Master.” The dull ache of my nipples and between my legs was a welcome reminder of what we’d just shared.

“Come here.” He pulled me back to sit in his lap. From beside the chair, he took a warm blanket and draped it over my shoulders.

I sighed as contentment settled over me like the blanket. The intimacy of our time by the rail carried over to the chair and I snuggled deeper into arms. Usually, he’d hold me, but I lifted my head slightly and found his lips waiting to take mine in a kiss.

It was soft and gentle and he spoke in whispers against my mouth before cupping my head and slanting his own so he could kiss me fully. I lifted my arms to encircle his neck, feeling his muscles and basking in his warmth. He parted his lips and I followed, kissing him long and deep.

He pulled back and gave me a last quick kiss on the lips. “Better stop for a while. I’m not as young as I used to be.”

“You couldn’t be in better shape, Master.” He certainly had the stamina of a teenager.

His forehead crinkled a bit as he smiled. “Thank you, my lovely.”

I ran a hand down his chest, frowning slightly when I realized he still had his shirt on. “Of course, I could get a much better look and make a more accurate observation if you’d take your shirt off.”

“You do it.”

I looked around for a clock. “How long do we have the room, Master?”

“For as long as we want.”

“Good.” I kissed his neck. “Then I can take my time.”

He let my hands wander down his chest and I caressed him through the material. Teasing him. It wasn’t often when I wore his collar that I had free rein to touch him any way I wanted. The shirt he had on was a light blue dress one. I started at the top and unbuttoned the first button, leaning in to lick the skin it exposed.

“You taste good, Master.”

“Probably taste like salt.”

“Whatever it is, I could taste it every day and not grow tired of it.”

He chuckled lightly, but sucked in a breath when I undid the second button and nipped the skin. “Fuck, Abigail.”

“We did that already, Master.”

“Keep that up and we’ll be doing it again. Sooner rather than later.”

I kept my mouth to myself while I undid the rest of his buttons. I found, however, that once he was all unbuttoned, I couldn’t stop myself. I dropped my head and inhaled the scent of him, reminding me of oak and cedar.

He let out his breath in a low hiss. “Your breath is so warm.”

“Are you cold, Master?”

“Not with you in my lap. It’s only when you take a deep breath like that, it’s all hot and I imagine it lower.”

“I can go lower.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “I know you can.”

And since I had his collar on, if he wanted me to, he’d tell me. But for whatever reason, he seemed content with the way things were, so I stayed in his lap. With one fingertip, I traced one of his nipples, watching as gooseflesh pebbled his skin. He still didn’t tell me to stop, so I lowered my head and licked along the path my finger had taken. Then I sucked as much as I could into my mouth and bit him lightly.

He shifted in his seat but didn’t move.

“What are you thinking, Master?” It was a question he asked me often in the middle of a scene.

“Thinking about how much longer I’m going to sit here and let you play with me.”

“What have you decided?” I asked, nibbling along his neck once more.

“I’m not sure. I’m certainly enjoying your hands on me at the moment.”

And for the rest of our time in the private room, we stayed like that. Me in his lap, simply enjoying being close to each other and letting our fingers tease and touch. A simple way to pass the time and yet one we didn’t take advantage of often enough.

I wasn’t sure how long we stayed on the balcony, but by the time we left, the night had grown darker and most of the partygoers below had left. And though we hadn’t done anything public, I felt satisfied and blissful.

Chapter Eight

ABBY

A few days after the tri-state meeting, I’d just sat down at my laptop to do research on an upcoming blog post when my phone rang. It was a New York number I didn’t recognize. I glanced at the clock—just after two. Both kids would probably sleep for at least another thirty minutes.

“Hello,” I said.

“Abby?” The voice was friendly, but I didn’t recognize it any more than I did the phone number.

“Yes.”

“This is Lynne. How are you doing?”

“Oh, Lynne, hey. I didn’t recognize your voice. How are you?” Lynne belonged to our New York BDSM group. We weren’t what I would call close friends, but we were more than passing acquaintances. Before the move, some months ago, her Dom, Simon, had participated in a scene Nathaniel set up in Wilmington.

“To tell you the truth, I’ve been better,” she said with a sigh. “That’s why I’m calling.”

Her reply made me curious about why she called. “What can I do to help?”

“You remember I worked as an admin for a legal firm, right?” she asked.

“Yes, sure,” I said. The firm wasn’t one of the largest in the city, but it was well known and had an impressive staff.

“They’ve had a rough few months and have decided to cut jobs. I’ve been let go as of last Friday.”

“Oh, Lynne, I’m so sorry to hear that.” Already my mind was spinning with how I’d be able to help. Nathaniel was my first thought. Surely with a corporation as large as his, he’d be able to find something for her to do.