It was all so odd, to hear this kind of thing spoken as if it were routine and not incredibly embarrassing. Wasn’t she embarrassed? Not even a tiny bit?
‘We haven’t been together long,’ he excused himself. ‘I’m sure it will come in time.’
‘Are you her first master?’
‘Yes, I am. But I wouldn’t go so far as to say I’ve earned that title yet. It’s early days. I hope to be worthy of her full and free submission in time, but for now, we are experimenting.’
‘Ah, the delightful experimental phase,’ said O. ‘What a lucky girl you are, Lucy, to have such a thoughtful man for a dom.’
‘I would hope all of them were thoughtful,’ I said. ‘The idea of giving such power to a careless brute is rather frightening.’
‘It is, I do agree. Some doms are naturally sensitive to their subs’ needs and others need a little help along the way. I think your lovely Lord Lethbridge falls into the former camp, and I’m very happy for you. Ah, now, this.’
She pulled a hanger off the rail and held it up before me.
It looked like some kind of cartoon dairymaid outfit, but of beautiful blue silk with a boned bodice and cross-lacing at the back, and a full skirt.
‘I think this will fit nicely, don’t you, my lord?’
Joss nodded. He had an avid look in his eye which was a sure giveaway that he was already turned on. The thought of me in that dress obviously worked for him, which made it work for me.
‘OK,’ I said. ‘I’ll give it a go.’
O unzipped my dress for me and helped me out of it. Her hands were light and deft and the long ovals of her fingernails brushed the skin on my shoulders.
‘What lovely skin you have, Lucy,’ she remarked.
‘Thanks, I think it’s all the spa bathing,’ I said.
‘Spa bathing? At Lord Lethbridge’s estate?’
‘No, in Hungary, where I lived until recently. They’re mad-keen on it. Wonderful palaces of spas everywhere.’
‘How marvellous – I should love to visit Budapest. I wonder if Mal will take me one day.’
‘You must make him – it’s such a beautiful, unique city.’
‘Well, you know, I can hardly make him do anything,’ she said, and disapproval frosted her tone.
‘No, but, well, you know. Subtly, I mean.’
She lightened again. ‘I’ve become very good at the subtle approach, over the years,’ she admitted.
I tensed as her fingers unhooked my bra so expertly that it was off before I knew it.
‘Do I have to …?’ I hid my breasts beneath crossed arms.
‘Lucy,’ said Joss warningly. ‘Behave yourself for O. It’s a dress fitting.’
‘But don’t I wear anything under the dress?’
‘Oh, no,’ said O, with a feline smile. ‘That would quite defeat the purpose. The idea is that you are freely accessible, all the time. Your master doesn’t want to be fiddling with clasps and knicker elastic every time he feels like availing himself of your charms, does he?’
This remark sent hot and cold shivers all over my near-naked body. I was to be accessible to Joss at all times – and presumably all places. A fervid vision flashed through my mind of him having me in a public corridor, against the wall, while revellers came and went and occasionally stopped to watch.
My sidelong glance at his face confirmed that this had occurred to him too. His lips were parted and his chest rose and fell more quickly than was natural. His eyes, always a dark brown, were almost inky and fixed on the only item of my clothing that remained – my knickers.
‘It’s all right,’ said O, more gently. ‘Nobody else will see what Lord Lethbridge can see. The dress will cover you, until he wants you uncovered. Now, would you mind slipping off those rather pretty knickers for me?’