Nina's Dom (13 page)

"Who'd
sub?"

Athol
grinned, all the worry gone from his eyes.

"That's
up to you."

"I
will."

Both
men turned to stare at Nina. She gulped. Had she really said that?

"Nina?"
Nic spoke quickly. "You don't have to."

"Well
I will if you will," Nina said. She closed her mind to the butterflies in
her tummy and the spiders that crawled over her skin. "We'll both be in it
together. And we did say we'd be exclusive, didn't we?"

Nic
kissed her. As usual it went from mild to mind-blowing in three seconds, and it
was only Athol's theatrical cough that made Nina realize where they were. She was
shaking as Nic drew back.

"Okay,
but I need time to talk to Nina."

"Whenever you're
ready."
Athol winked and left them together.

Chapter Twelve

"Are
you really sure, anima mia?" Nic pushed down the excitement and arousal
that coursed through his body in a way he never thought he'd feel again.
"I can say you've changed your mind and ask Athol to sub for me. He would
if it was to help you."

"Tempting, just to see him
as a biddable sub, but no.
It's got to be me." Nina scraped her bottom lip with her teeth. "I
was so sure I'd be able to take a step back and say hey, fine off you go and
play. But the minute Athol asked for your help, and I saw what a big deal it
was for you, I knew I had to be there as your sub. You're mine." She
colored. "Um, if that's what you want?"

"That,
anima mia, is such a silly question, that if we were further into our relationship,
it would definitely warrant a punishment. And before you say no pain, let me
remind you, I can be very creative. But for now, I'll just reiterate this. I
want you.
Only you.
As my partner,
my sub, and my lover.
Now, let's plot strategy. Short and sweet I think.
After all I'm rusty."

Nina
laughed. "Well if you're rusty, I'm in the scrap yard. Seriously though, Nic.
Thank you.
Because to me as well, exclusive means just that.
Okay this would be extenuating circumstances, but can you imagine the furor if
I caused a scene of my own and tried to rip any sub's eyes out? And before you
say anything, yes you're the Dom, and what you say goes, but in that instance it
would be me that did the going.
Forever."
She
shrugged.
"If ever there was a wake-up call that was it.
I was like hold
on,
this is
my
Sir, no one else's. Anything he does, he does it to me. And
that, Sir, is something I never ever thought I'd want to say." She
shivered. "Mind you, it's scary."

Nic
rubbed her arms. They were chilly. "I feel the same, anima mia. I want
you, in every way possible, when we both feel ready. Hell, it was going to be a
slowly, slowly, softly, softly approach.
Then this.
I
couldn't say no. Athol and everyone here have been great to me. They helped me
after Lue died by just being around. No one forced me to jump back in the deep
end, but they were all there to hold my hand when I needed it. Now, you and I
can hold each other’s hands and swim together."

Nina
grinned.
"Good, because I'm a crap swimmer.
Okay,
Sir. What do you want me to do?"

"Let's
go and see, shall we?" He took hold of Nina's hand and walked with her to
where Athol had set up for the wax demonstration.

Nina's
hand trembled in his, and in a perverse way it made Nic stronger and more
determined. What was it she said? It just hadn't worked for her, either as a
Dom or a sub, and public play was a no-no?

It
was up to him to show her what they had could cope with things like that. He
hoped.

As
Nic expected, anything set up by Athol was exactly as it should be. Even so he
pulled Nina across to the table and explained everything to her. The laughter that
lurked in her eyes and made them shine made
him
grin. "Yeah, okay preaching to the converted. Were you good?"

Nina
giggled. "Sir, I was exceptional, but I threw up every time I finished.
And you are the first person I've admitted that to. Seriously, I was okay, no
more. I just did what I had to and quietly did no more."

Nic
stroked her cheek. "Anima mia, are you sure about this? What's your
color?"

"Green
because I'm doing it for us. Ah, I've just wondered what you want me to
wear?
This," she ran her hand over her dress,
"won't do, and my underwear is for your eyes only."

Those
words were all he could ask for. "Of course it is. However I can see
Linsey hovering, and at a guess she's found out what's going to happen and is
going to whisk you off to change. Then it's back here please and we can get the
show on the road." He put his hand under Nina's chin and lifted her face
so she looked him in the eyes.

"I
value this trust. I won't abuse it. And I am good." He winked. "Or I
was. Let's hope it's like riding a bike, eh?" He bent and kissed her briefly.
He daren't deepen the kiss or they'd never get around to doing the wax
demonstration. The way Nina made him feel, there would be a demonstration of a
very different kid. One they'd be kicked out for. "Off you go." He
patted her bum, and she wriggled it.

Nic
watched the two women leave the dungeon, and took a deep breath. His jeans
would do, and it would take scant seconds to remove his shirt.

The
dungeon door opened—it was getting to be like Central Station—and Athol came
in.

"Ready?"

"Who
did you bribe bully or threaten not to turn up to do this?" Nic asked.
"Oh I don't doubt Hamish's mum is ill. Have you heard anything by the way?
But I know you. If you think it's time for Nina and me to do something, then
you'd sort it."

Athol
rolled his eyes. "Hamish's mum is being kept in for observation."

In
one swift movement, Nic pulled his shirt over his head and hung it in a
cupboard.
"And the rest?"

Athol
gave the dirty laugh that surprised people when they heard it for the first
time. It never ceased to amaze Nic that such a big, raucous, deep, belly laugh
could emerge from such a slim person.
 

"If
we were in the States I'd plead the fifth."

Nic
punched him on the shoulder, enough to be felt but not enough to hurt.
"We're not, we're in Glasgow. So 'fess up."

 
Athol shook his head. "Ach, big man gonna
nae dae that?"

"It'll
be a Glasgow kiss next," Nic said, speaking about the famous head-butt
used in gang fights on a booze-filled Saturday night. "Truth or I ask Edan."

"Fiona
and Lizzie would have filled in, but Lizzie would probably have fainted. She's
had a long day at work, and says, and I believe her, that her blood sugar
levels are so low you need to lie down to
see
them.
Seriously, that apart, Nic, do you think I couldn't help but notice how you two
struck sparks off each other? Hell, I love you both, and I hated seeing you
without your sparks. No, I didn't set it up at the beginning, unless you call
arranging for you to show her around on that hen night setting you up. This
though, well I did do a bit of tweaking. And don't tell Linsey or she'll skin
me alive."

"Tell
Linsey what?" The lady herself had reentered the room. Nic ignored her,
and Athol's laughing disclaimers and silly responses. He'd only got eyes for
Linsey's companion.

Nina
wore a tight to the skin strapless corset, which skimmed her breasts and barely
covered her nipples, and a short leather skirt with a slit up each side. She
smiled self consciously as Nic walked toward her and took hold of her hands.

"Anima
mia, you look perfect."

"Sir,
with respect, I look stupid and feel it. If I take more than the shallow of
shallowest breaths my boobs will pop out and wave hello. And if I make one
unwary move I'll be showing more than a stripper in a peep show or
whatever." Nina tugged ineffectually on the top of the bustier and then
the hem of the skirt. The consternation on her face was at odds with the
erratic pulse that beat in her wrist and the soft sheen of arousal on her skin.

"Are
you coding out?" Nic spoke harshly on purpose. He had to break into her
funk.

She
jumped. "Eh? Of course not, just being a good open and honest sub. I'm
letting you know how I feel."

"Stupid and aroused?"

She
blinked. "That's about it, Sir."

"By
the time I've finished it will be stupid for feeling stupid and so aroused
you'll be begging to come. Okay Athol wants us to start. Assume the position by
the bed."

Chapter Thirteen

Nina
decided it wasn't hard to walk tall when you were doing your damnedest not to
let your knees knock and your teeth chatter. Staying upright took up all your
concentration,
and nothing else mattered. At least she
wasn't trying to navigate in heels. She'd told Linsey in no uncertain terms
that if she had to wear heels, all bets were off.

Linsey
laughed. "I remember. Nina, do you know what you're doing?"

Nina
wriggled and twisted the skirt until it sat as low on her hips as she could
make it.
"Subbing."

"Pet."

The
tone was warning.

Nevertheless,
the sobriquet irritated Nina. She wasn't Linsey's sub, and was only doing a
favor, so therefore in Nina's eyes it was unnecessary. After all, to all
intents and purposes to people at Dommissimma she was a switch. One of the
things that had been drummed into her when she played regularly at the club,
was unless it was specified, a sub or a Dom could be exclusive and answer only
to their partner. As a switch it could be even more complicated. It might be
different elsewhere, and indeed it might have changed at Dommissimma, but Nina was
damned sure she'd had no notifications and she was having nothing of it.

"I
am not a pet." She kept her tone even and turned to look at Linsey, who
leaned against the wall and drummed her fingers on the doorjamb. "This is
a favor to Nic, no more, no less. Unless you count making sure your club has a
successful demonstration." Nina tugged the top of the bustier higher, pushed
several hair grips in more firmly and walked past Linsey without another word.

Out
of the corner of her eye Nina saw Linsey follow her back to the dungeon.

****

Now
Nina was determined to do her best to block everyone out except Nic. One thing
such a short period of time had shown her was it wasn't really her scene. She
sniggered under her breath.
My scene, no,
I think that's still a performance for two, Nic and I, but I'll do this and do
it well.
For both of us.

With
her natural grace—all those years of ballet her mum had ferried her to must
have done some good—Nina moved to the mat next to the bed and knelt with her
head bowed and her hands behind her back. For once her mind wasn't full of what
she'd forgotten to buy at the supermarket, or how many essays she had to mark.
It was full of Nic and what he might demand from her.

The
lack of outside thoughts surprised her as much as the excitement it gave her.

She
was so absorbed in her non thoughts, that when she felt a hand—God she hoped it
was Nic's and not some independent acting body part or someone else getting in
on the act—on her head she squeaked and jumped.

"Steady,"
Nic's voice rumbled through her and spread out like ripples on a lake, calming
her and steadying her down. With him this close his scent surrounded her, all
male musk and Nic. She drew a deep breath. It calmed her worries, soothed her
soul, and helped her focus.

The
lighting dimmed until only the bed and the surrounding area was bathed in
light. Outside that tiny area was all shadows. The sound of the door opening
and closing several times hardly impinged on her consciousness.

"All
right, anima mia, let’s show them what we're worth, eh? Remember your colors,
and remember anything you say goes. You are a star, my anima mia, and what you want
is what I want as well."

It
was then she knew she'd fallen in love with him.
Soppy, slushy,
romance novel heroine-like, unexpected love.

"Yes, Sir."
Would he understand how
heartfelt her salutation was? It wasn't lip service; it was true.

"Get
onto the bed and lie down as we discussed." His voice was all-Masterful
now. There was no sign of the man who not so long ago had said he wasn't interested
in scening with wax anymore, and definitely not in public.

Nina
moved as if she were in a trance. Nothing impacted other than his voice, which
spoke to her deep inside.

"Now,
anima mia, as we discussed I'll tie your wrists and feet. All you need to do is
feel
."

All
the time he prepared her for the wax, he spoke to her in soft gentle tones.
There was no doubt who was in charge, and no question
who
was going to set the scene. With each word, each phrase, and each movement he
included her in his thoughts and deeds. She closed her eyes to absorb the
atmosphere better so she could feel, not wonder.