Finding Master Right (Masters Unleashed 1)

“It should be short and easy to remember. Something most people wouldn’t say in context.”

“Wombat?”

Banner chuckled. “Wombat? Will you remember that?”

“Yes, will you?”

“If you say any odd words while you’re with me, I’ll make sure you’re okay. I’ve had partners forget their safewords before and yell things like ‘tuna’ ‘cardigan’ ‘matchbox’ ‘ukulele.’ It gets the point across even if you don’t hit the right word.”

She laughed, a true, beautiful sound that thrilled the ear.

“Are you ready to start?”

“Yes, Sir.”

He quelled a shudder.

“Call me Banner for now, okay? You’re not mine, and every time you call me that it makes me a little crazy.”

“Crazy how?” Her lips parted, and he wished he could show her just how crazy.

“For a moment I forget you’re not mine, and I don’t think you want that.”

Kate nervously licked her dry lips. “Okay . . . Banner.” From her mouth, his name sounded oddly like a not-so-subtle Sir.

He threw a blanket on the floor in front of him. “Kneel there. We’ll see what you need to work on in terms of posture.”

Without hesitation, she folded herself into an attractive kneel on the small blanket. Her affect was a mixture of pride and self-consciousness. The graceful line of her neck begged for a collar.

“Good. Most Dominants will prefer you to kneel with your knees open and your hands turned upward on your thighs.”

“What do you prefer?”

“Knees open, unless there’s company. Hands palms down on the submissive’s thighs. I find it more aesthetically pleasing.”

Kate gathered her hair and put it behind her shoulder, then spread her knees and placed her hands palms down on her legs. The tilt of her head was challenging, so he took gentle hold of her jaw and waited until she went docile. Unable to resist, he let his fingertips brush her cheek before withdrawing his hand.

She blinked rapidly for a moment, then went very still. Her green eyes became soft and bottomless for a moment before regaining their usual alertness.

“Why did you hold my face like that?”

>

“You looked like you were challenging me. Some Doms love that, but many don’t. You have to learn what your Dom will tolerate and work within those limits.” He rhythmically rubbed a thumb over her chin, just to see if it would work again. Kate’s eyes went dreamy and she relaxed into the pose. It was like a magic button. He smiled. “Likewise, if a Dominant cares deeply for you, he might adjust what he expects from you in small ways.”

He slid his hand down to caress the side of her neck. The scoop neckline of her T-shirt tempted him to trace a finger over her collar bone. Her eyes fluttered shut, and her breathing slowed. A small shiver took her, and the peace in her expression arrested his attention.

“You look very calm, Kate,” he whispered, dragging the tip of his finger over the softness of her exposed flesh. “Do you like how this feels?”

“Yes, Banner,” she breathed.

“When you talk to Doms, you have to try to remember this feeling. This is what you want from them. If you stay focused on this headspace, you might find yourself less tempted to scare them off.”

The spell broke, and her eyelids snapped open. Her glare was eloquent. “So I always need to walk around feeling all dopey and stupid? If a Dom wants that from me, he needs to work for it. I’m not just going to automatically become a mindless sex doll every time a Dom ambles by, on the off chance he can get me into that headspace.”

Before he realized what he was doing, he’d buried his fist in her hair. She gasped but didn’t try to get away.

“Did I say you had to be a mindless sex doll?” he growled. “I said you need to remember what you like, so that you don’t lose track of what you’re after.”