The Tattoo Artist's Mate
“MacDonald and Campbell on the same side? The ancestors will turn in their graves.”
He snorted. “There is that. Are you worried??
?
“No, I don’t see why I should. My Gran warned me when the right person came along there would be pitfalls and I’d need to keep an open mind. I’m not sure she meant the breaking of bread with the enemy so to speak, but hey ho.”
He let out the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. Now for the next question. “This is a bit more tricky. What do you know and think of Doms and BDSM?”
Isla sighed. “That Julian wasn’t one, that I didn’t get what I should have. I was no sub to him, just someone to boss about without any thoughts for me and my wellbeing. Spanking fucking hurts, and is a major no go area, and scribing is another word for GBH.”
Damn. Not as easy as he hoped. “Within a true Dom/sub relationship, it only hurts when it is mean to. Such as a punishment. For pleasure it hurts, it tingles, it morphs into something beautiful. And yes, I have been on the receiving end. I vowed never to do anything to my sub, I hadn’t experienced myself. Anything,” he stressed.
“Hmm,” she said in a skeptical voice. “So you say. I’m not so sure.”
Gaspar hugged her tight and stroked the side of her luscious breast. Her sharp intake of breath gave him hope. She wasn’t unaffected, so maybe she’d be open to learning a little more? “I could show you, my pet. Show you what a really loving Dom/sub relationship is all about.”
He hoped to hell his yearning didn’t show in his voice. How Dom-like would that be? Uncertain and … fuck it, and human. “I hope I could,” he added. “It’s been a while. I swore I wouldn’t let my Dom out to play until I knew it was with my mate. I’ve kept that vow.”
Fuck and shit, why do I keep emphasizing the word “mate”? She’ll ask why and then what? Bear comes out to play before time? That would put a right damper on everything. No human could be expected just to accept and understand. Fuck, even he had difficulty with the acceptance and understanding at times and he was born to it.
Isla stared at him. “You’re holding something back,” she said with more perception that he’d expected. “Open and honest at all times?”
He signed. “It sounds so far-fetched, you won’t believe it.”
“How do you know unless you tell me?”
She had a point.
“I am a shifter. Human into bear.”
Isla blinked. “Oh, is that all? When you come or any time without warning?”
He guessed she didn’t believe him then.
****
His eyes flashed, and by sheer force of will Isla didn’t cringe or move away. After all who was she to say it could or couldn’t happen? Whatever, she had no intention of asking him to prove it. That could come later. First, she wanted to get to know him in a more intimate, carnal way. Not only as a lover but also as a sub to his Dom.
So against her normal, clear-headed, think twice and then twice again before she made a decision, persona.
“Sir?” She slid to the floor and knelt in front of him, head bent. Her breathing sped up, and she did her best to calm herself.
Gaspar took her chin in his hands and encouraged her to look up at him. “Are you sure I’m your Sir, my pet?”
Isla nodded, no mean feat with her chin held fast. “Oh yes, Sir. Plea…please show me how pain is pleasure.” She let out her breath in a whoosh. “I mean it, I want and need to know. Only from you.”
The smile he gave her was all a woman could wish for. “Those words, from you, are heaven. Then follow me.”
Gaspar took her hand and helped her to her feet. “We’ll take it slow, my pet. Use the traffic light system. Red stop, yellow stop and let’s talk, green all good and carry on. Yes?”
“Yes.” Isla followed him into a small shadowy room, which held little more than a hard chair, a wide settee, and a three-legged table. “Cozy.”
He laughed. “Not really but perfect for what we want. So, pet, are you ready to play?”
She grinned. “Oh yes, Sir.” Ready was an understatement.
“Then, my pet, strip.”