One True Master (Desire Island 1)

Caelan’s heart lifted in his chest as if it were filled with helium. “Nothing would make me happier.”

“I think maybe the universe was sending me a message, letting me win that contest,” Skylar continued, again focusing on the waves ebbing and crashing gently against the sand. “Coming here for training was what I needed—what’s been missing from my life. For the first time, I feel truly at home in my own skin, as if I’m finally where I’m supposed to be.” She turned to him again, an awestruck expression on her face. “I feel like I’ve known you forever, instead of just a few days. I feel known by you, in a way no one else has ever known me. It’s like we skipped past the preliminaries—the months of casual dating and hanging out on the weekends and went straight to the heart of what really matters.”

“Ella was just saying how a couple of days of intensive BDSM interaction equals a month in vanilla time. By that reckoning, after two weeks, we’ll have spent over half a year together, in BDSM time,” he added with a grin.

Skylar threw her head back and laughed. Caelan laughed too and soon they were both gasping for breath, tears of crazy joy rolling down their cheeks. When they finally quieted, Caelan took Skylar’s face in his hands, lowered his mouth to hers, and kissed her.

The next morning after positions training and breakfast, Caelan met Skylar in the water room, his heart quickening with anticipation. Normally, a new trainee wasn’t advanced enough for this level of intensive water play, but he sensed Skylar was receptive and ready. In just the short time they’d been together, her training had moved forward so quickly. At first Caelan had chalked it up to her natural receptivity and desire, but now he understood that it was the emotional connection that had bloomed so unexpectedly and readily between them that had made the difference.

When you loved someone…

Whoa. Surely it was too early to speak of love? And yet, a small voice in his heart whispered, “It’s never too early to speak of love.”

That was it, wasn’t it? That was the crucial ingredient here that made this experience with Skylar so unique. For the first time in his BDSM training career, he’d let his heart overtake his head. Or no—it wasn’t a matter of letting it—he’d had no choice in the matter as he’d fallen, head over heels, for this wonderful woman.

The developing trust and love between them had changed the experience from one of professional satisfaction at sharing his passion for BDSM to something deeply personal. His heart, empty and silent for so long, was suddenly full of joy and newfound possibility. And that made all the difference.

Not quite ready to admit the extent of his feelings, he said instead, “A crucial part of any D/s relationship is trust. It doesn’t happen immediately, but grows through shared experience. For this exercise, I want to put you in the submersion tank for a session on trust and letting go. I’m going to get into the tank with you. I will hold you under the water for a safe but extended period of time. You will not resist me in any way, mindful that I hold your life in my hands, but also your trust, which I promise I will never abuse. Are you ready to try this exercise, slave Skylar?”

She stared with wide eyes at the tank, which looked like a huge fish aquarium, the sides made of thick, durable plexiglass. Demonstrations were sometimes held in the water room, the clear sides of the tub allowing for full viewing.

“Yes, Sir,” she whispered tremulously.

“Take off your collar and leave it on the platform,” he instructed. As she did so, he removed his boots and shucked his clothing. He suppressed a grin as she bit her lip, her eyes fixed hungrily on his groin. Time for that later.

Focused on the task at hand, he said, “You won’t be able to use a safeword, obviously, when your head is underwater. Instead, if I’m not picking up on your distress, which is unlikely, you will use a hand signal. Raise your hand out of the water and do a V with your index and middle finger, like this.” He demonstrated and she nodded her understanding, her eyes wide with trepidation, though her lovely, fully-erect nipples indicated her arousal as well.

If she’d only been his trainee, he wouldn’t have climbed into the tub with her, instead standing beside the tub to dunk and raise her. Indeed, it was rare that he deemed a sub ready for such an intense experience during their first week of training. But he sensed that Skylar was ready. And as her lover, he much preferred to hold her in his arms.

He climbed first into the tub, using the pool ladder installed for the purpose. Though the plexiglass walls were high, the actual water level wasn’t much above that of a regular bathtub. He settled himself against the back wall in the warm, soothing water and gestured for her to enter.