“Oh, a hot toddy sounds wonderful,” Dahlia replied.
“Coming right up.”
She relaxed against the back of the barstool, resting her booted feet on the foot ring as Hayden turned on the flame beneath a tea kettle. She admired the view from behind as he pulled a bottle of dark rum from a cabinet, along with a jar of amber honey. He had a very nice ass. It occurred to her, not for the first time, that she’d like to see him naked. After all, he’d seen her naked. Surely turnabout was fair play?
But you’re not calling the shots, she reminded herself. Not tonight.
A shiver of nervous anticipation moved through her as she wondered what he had planned for her.
Hayden poured a jigger of rum into a white ceramic mug and added a teaspoon of honey. Then he selected a lemon from a bowl of fruit on the counter and cut a wedge.
When the kettle whistled, he poured the hot water into the mug, gave it a stir and brought it to the island.
“Thanks.” Dahlia wrapped her cold hands around the warm mug. Leaning over, she inhaled the fragrant steam before taking a sip. “Hmmm. That’s delicious.” The toddy both soothed and warmed her as it went down.
Hayden took a seat on the stool beside her. “How’s your patient from this morning? Mr. Hernandez, was it?”
“Yeah. I checked on him before I left this evening. He’s doing well. Stable, awake and alert.” They talked about work as she drank the delicious toddy.
“Subject change,” Hayden said. “Before we get too far into this, we need to get some housekeeping matters out of the way, just in case. Please don’t think I’m being presumptive, but having to negotiate birth control options in the middle of a passionate moment can be a serious buzz killer.” He flashed a grin as Dahlia chuckled in agreement.
“As a member of the Masters Club,” he continued, “I get routinely tested for STDs. But I’m still happy to use a condom for birth control if that’s what you prefer.”
“I’m on the pill,” she replied. “While I haven’t been specifically tested for any lurking STDs lately, I haven’t been with a guy since I moved to the city back in October. So, if things go that far, and if you’re okay with it, I’d just as soon forgo the condom.”
“Works for me.” Hayden swiveled on his stool so he was facing her. His deep blue eyes hooded. “Here’s what’s going to happen now,” he said, a quiet authority entering his tone. “From now until the scene ends, you are my sub girl. You won’t speak unless spoken to. If you do feel a pressing need to say something, you will ask first for permission to speak. The only word you don’t need to ask permission to use is your safeword. Do you understand the concept of a safeword?”
“Yes.” The butterflies were back in full force. Just the thought she might need an actual safeword set her heart pounding.
“Do you have one?”
“Rosebud.” He didn’t need to know she’d just now made it up on the spot.
“Rosebud,” Hayden repeated, nodding. “Got it. You can either use that, or the universal safeword, red, as in red light. And if you need to slow down, but you don’t want to stop, you can say yellow. In case you’re unable to speak for whatever reason, your safe signal will be to make a peace sign with either hand, like this.” He demonstrated, holding up his fingers in a V. “Can you remember all that?”
“Yes, Sir,” she squeaked, as a squirt of adrenaline shot through her veins. Was he going to gag her? Could she handle that? Did she even want to?
Yes, her secret soul whispered. Please.
“Got it,” she echoed, only the slightest trace of a tremble in her voice.
“Good.” Hayden spoke matter-of-factly, as if this were all just run-of-the-mill stuff, which, she supposed, it was. “When you do speak, you will address me either as Sir or as Master Hayden.”
“Yes, Sir,” she replied promptly, gratified when he looked pleased.
“I’m going to show you around a little first, and then we’ll start your first session.” He slid from his stool and held out his hand to her. “Ready?”
Dahlia swallowed hard. She was nervous as hell, but determined to go through with this, and to do it right.
“Yes,” she whispered. Recalling herself, she added quickly, “Sir.”
They walked through the gorgeous living room to a hallway that had a door on either side, both closed. Hayden opened one door and flicked on the light. She’d been expecting a bedroom. But what she saw made her mouth fall open as her hands fluttered reflexively to her chest.
They stepped into a small but fully equipped dungeon. There was a padded leather spanking bench, a St. Andrew’s cross and a restraint rack, along with a hanging display of whips, floggers and coiled rope. A loveseat sat in one corner beside a small cabinet. Her eye was drawn to an ominous metal contraption near the spanking bench that she couldn’t quite identify.