The Game (9 page)

I pursed my lips. He didn’t need to know I hadn’t come many times in life and never
with a man.

“Fuck. Nobody has ever made you come before.”

I squeezed my eyes shut. He was way too astute.

“Not before me last night.” He rocked me forward and backward, removed his fingers
from my sex, and cradled me closer. His face buried in my hair. “I won’t survive this
thing if you leave me,” he mumbled. “I thought I could hold my sanity in check if
we didn’t have sex. But I’m too far gone already. I can’t let you go.”

I let him rock me. He wasn’t the only one who wouldn’t survive. I could never leave
him. At the moment I couldn’t imagine separating from him to brush my teeth or shower.
I had a lot to learn, and I wasn’t sure I would like all of it, but leaving wasn’t
an option. I would learn his ways.

Already he’d driven me to the highest peak imaginable. And he hadn’t used his cock
on me yet. I was lost to him. No man would ever measure up. No man would ever look
into my eyes with the same deep longing I had seen in his since the first moment we
met months ago. No man would ever be able to make me come on demand like he’d done.
My body melted into his. I belonged to him entirely.

I just hoped I could survive.

Chapter Ten

When I woke the next time, I was alone, tangled in the sheets of Riley’s bed. My entire
body ached deliciously. My ass stung, but not in a bad way. It seemed to have a direct
connection to my pussy which instantly flooded with renewed wetness.

I moaned as I shifted against the bed.
My entire body tingled and my hand wandered down between my legs to press against
my pussy.
I’d turned into a nymph. I didn’t recognize myself.

“As sexy as that is, stop rubbing yourself, baby.”

My eyes shot open. I wasn’t alone after all. I lifted my head and blinked into the
brightness from the sun streaming through the window. Riley sat in a chair a few feet
from the side of the bed. He leaned forward, his elbows perched on his knees, a mug
fisted between both hands.

I smelled coffee. How had I not noticed that immediately?

“I wasn’t…”

He lifted an eyebrow.

I swallowed and dropped back onto the bed, burying my face in the pillow. What was
with my incessant need to lie all of the sudden?

“Let’s not start with the lying again this morning. I’m not oblivious. You won’t be
able to get away with it. Unless you want to spend the day with an ass too sore to
sit on, I suggest you rephrase whatever you were about to say.”

I remained mute.

“Let me help. ‘I’m sorry, Sir. I shouldn’t have attempted to masturbate against the
sheets. My orgasms belong to you. I won’t touch myself or rub against other objects
without your permission and approval.’”

I gasped. My heart raced. I could feel it beating as though it would explode out of
my chest. I didn’t lift my face to meet his gaze. Instead I gripped the sides of my
pillow with both fists, trying desperately to ignore the throbbing in my clit. It
amazed me how the man could control my body with his dominant words.

“Come here.”

I hesitated, knowing it was a bad plan.

“Cheyenne,” his voice was lower, authoritative, “come here. Now.”

I lifted my body as if I weighed a ton and dragged myself off the side of the bed
to stand at his side.

My entire frame shivered. I was naked, exposed, and so fucking aroused he would easily
see the wetness pooling between my legs.

“On your knees.”

I lowered to my knees at his feet, still not meeting his gaze. I kept my head bowed
the entire time.

“Grip your hands behind your back, baby.” His voice was steady. Easy. As if he were
asking me to flip on a light or grab him a cup of coffee.

I did as he instructed, gripping one wrist with my other hand tightly.

“Spread your knees wider.”

I inched them out one at a time, biting my lip again. My hair fell over my face.

“Perfect. When we play, I want you in this position first thing. It helps align your
mind properly. It’s humbling and submissive to kneel before me.”

He was right. And dammit it was effective.

There was no denying I was indeed submissive. To deny it would be insane. I wasn’t
sure I liked it yet, but it was a simple fact.

“Look at me, Cheyenne.”

I reluctantly lifted my face to meet his gaze.

“Good girl.” His brow furrowed as he concentrated on me, his gaze wandering up and
down my body as I held my gaze on his face. Finally, our eyes met again. “I told you
I have rules. You’ll follow them today. You’ll follow them for the next thirty-six
hours. You’ll follow them because I’m asking you to give this a shot. You’ll follow
them because you can’t help yourself. You’ll follow them because you’re submissive.”

I inhaled sharply, renewed moisture gathering between my legs and dripping down my
thighs. “Yes, Sir.”

“Repeat after me. I will not lie to you, Sir.”

“I will not lie to you, Sir.”

He lifted one brow. “I mean that, Cheyenne. You need to stop trying to hide your true
emotions and cover them up with piles of fibs. If we can’t be honest with each other,
we have nothing. This sort of relationship is based on honesty. Without that, we can’t
make this work.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“You’re not permitted to masturbate without my permission. Ever. When I feel like
watching, I will direct you. When you aren’t with me and you feel the urge, deny it.
Do. Not. Touch. Yourself. Are we clear?”

“Yes. Sir.”

“Yes what?”

“I won’t touch myself without your permission,” I whispered, humiliated at having
been caught pressing my hand against my pussy.

“I would ask that you keep your pussy shaved, but I enjoyed doing it myself, so I
think I’ll continue to do it for now.”

I shivered. The act had sucked brain cells from my head. I wasn’t sure I would survive
another round of that intense scrutiny.

“Ordinarily, if you agree to be my submissive, we won’t live under the same level
of intensity I’m going to demand for the next two days. But under the circumstances,
I want your total obedience in all things until I take you home tomorrow night. I
know it’s a huge step. But I want you to have all the facts when we part so you can
make a decision without any surprises.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Is there anything you need from your house that you can’t live without?”

I shook my head. I didn’t even have my phone. But who was I going to call? “No, Sir.”

“Birth control?”

I flushed. “I’ve never taken it. There was no reason.”

“Okay. We’ll stick with condoms for now. But I abhor them. If you choose to stay with
me, I’ll want you to get on the pill.”

“Yes, Sir.” My face was doomed to remain red for the rest of my life. I wasn’t accustomed
to such frank discussions about private matters.

“I want you to text Amy from my phone several times today and let her know you’re
okay.”

“Yes, Sir.” What if I’m not okay?

He chuckled. “You’re like an open book. Often I can read your expression. So, don’t
text her. I’ll give you some privacy to call her. I’ll even be generous enough to
give you time to talk things over with her. She’s been living the lifestyle for a
while. She might be able to help you sort through your feelings.”

“Okay.”

“I’m going to push you today. I want you to give it your all.”

“Yes, Sir.”

A pause filled the air.

“Are you wet, baby?”

“Yes, Sir,” I mumbled.

“You’ll get over the embarrassment fast. I want you to know your body. Know your needs.
Know when you’re about to come and be able to stop it if I say so. And part of that
is being able to express yourself and your needs to me. I know it may seem otherwise,
but I’m not omniscient. You have to speak up.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Eventually it won’t faze you to be naked in my home.” He leaned in closer. “Eventually
it won’t faze you to be naked in public.”

I shuddered. That would never happen.

“I’m going to make breakfast now. I want you to shower. Take some time for yourself
in the bathroom. Shave, but leave your pussy for me.” He reached out with one hand
and lifted my chin higher. “You’ll find what you need in the bathroom.” He leaned
forward and kissed my forehead. And then he stood and left the room, shutting the
door behind him.

Chapter Eleven

For a second I remained frozen in my spot. Slowly I slumped down, sitting on my heels
and then releasing my hands from behind me and thrusting them forward to rock into
them. I remained on all fours staring at the floor, unsure I would be able to hold
myself upright or walk.

I was overwhelmed.

And horny.

I needed to come. I had needed the release since the moment I rubbed myself against
the mattress.

The house was too big for me to hear Riley working in the kitchen. Silence surrounded
me. How much time would he give me?

I finally lifted one foot and braced to pull myself to standing. My legs shook. I
glanced down at my body, not recognizing myself. My breasts seemed larger. The bare
skin at my pussy was foreign to me. Raw in a way that left me exposed—which was the
intention.

I managed to make my way into the adjoining bathroom. A row of items sat on the counter
clearly intended for my use. I scanned them. New toothbrush, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner,
body wash. Even makeup remover.

How often did he have women stay the night? I shook the thought from my head. I needed
to leave the past in the past. Just because he had women submitting to him before
me shouldn’t make me jealous. Of course he had other women in his life before me.
He was ten years older than me.

I used the toilet and then flipped on the shower. While the water warmed, I grabbed
the pile of items from the sink. He even had shower gel. I climbed in and set the
girly things next to his own products. It seemed so intimate.

My shower was fast and meticulous. I wasn’t sure how he felt about me dawdling, but
I didn’t want to find out by having him bust into the room while I was shaving my
legs. I might cut a slit all the way up one side.

When I finished, I wrapped myself in one of the enormous thick towels and tried to
control my breathing. I felt like I’d been for a run this morning instead of spending
just ten minutes kneeling on the floor and then another ten standing in the shower.

After patting my hair until it was damp, I hung the towel on a hook behind the door
and spun around. What was I supposed to wear? Fear seized my stomach at the possibility
he intended for me to remain naked all weekend.

And then I spotted a silk pile I hadn’t noticed sitting on the other side of the vanity.
I padded toward the item and lifted it—a pale pink robe. Dainty with barely enough
material to cover my ass. I slipped it on, feeling decidedly sexy the second it touched
my skin.

I pushed my weird twinge of nausea back at the thought that another woman had been
here and worn this robe before. I even lifted the edge of the silk to my nose and
inhaled the scent. It smelled new. Who had brand new women’s robes lying around?

A Dom.

Did he have a dozen of them in different sizes for his various conquests?

I grabbed a comb from the counter and worked through my tangles a bit rougher than
necessary. After applying facial lotion, I stared at myself in the mirror. I had no
interest in putting on makeup. And besides, there was nothing like that in plain view.
I could have dug in the drawers, but I was afraid of what I might find.

If Riley wanted a piece of the real me, he was going to have to get used to the me
without makeup. I wasn’t the type to lie around on a Saturday in mascara and eye liner.
Outside the house, I had always worn a meticulous combination, but at home, I didn’t
bother. Did that make me feel vulnerable in front of this man I barely knew? Maybe.

Taking a deep breath, I exited the bathroom and headed down the hall toward the sound
of soft music and the smell of bacon and coffee.

I rounded the corner to the kitchen feeling cautiously shy.

Riley spotted me and smiled. “Feel better?” His gaze roamed up and down my frame,
hunger obvious in his eyes.

“Yes.”

He lifted a brow. That was his way of letting me know I needed to rephrase.

“Yes, Sir.”

He nodded to the island behind him. “Take a seat.” He watched me as I shuffled across
the room. His gaze bore into my back before I turned to climb onto one of the many
stools around the island. I fought the urge to meet his penetrating gaze.

I held the front of the robe closed when it wanted to slide open. The belt was thin
and slick. It wouldn’t stay tight. Even in a knot, it would slip free. The more daunting
part was the length, however. I sat on my bare ass. The hem of the robe wasn’t long
enough to tuck under me.

A glass of juice sat at my spot, and I reached for it and quickly drained the contents.
Fresh squeezed orange juice. Heavenly. I was suddenly ravenous. I hadn’t eaten since
the quick microwave dinner I’d prepared before Amy and Cade arrived the previous night.

Riley turned around and handed me a cup of coffee. “Sugar? Cream?”

“Yes. Please, Sir.” The word was still foreign on my tongue. I wasn’t sure how I felt
about calling him
Sir
. It humbled me.

I supposed that was the point. “If I’m the submissive, shouldn’t I be the one preparing
the meal while you sit around with your feet up or something?”

Riley chuckled as he turned around again and set a plate in front of me. The steaming
pile of scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast made my stomach growl.

“You aren’t a domestic slave, baby.”

“What am I?” I was truly curious. I reached for my fork and then hesitated, unsure
if I was supposed to wait for permission to eat.

“Eat, Cheyenne. Go ahead.” He turned around and grabbed another plate, filling it
with food while I took my first bite.

When he returned, he settled on the stool next to mine and grabbed a napkin. “This
is about sex, baby.”

I gulped back my bite, trying not to choke.

He smiled at me and reached for my chin to hold my face steady. “I enjoy the thrill
of controlling you for the purpose of making you so horny you can’t think. And likewise
my cock gets harder than a rock when you obey me. It doesn’t work for everyone. And
it’s rare for two people to be on the same page enough to mesh.

“I think you have what it takes.”

I stared at him. Was I truly that weak? So malleable that I was aroused by letting
a man order me around?

“I can tell by the look on your face that you’re misguided. It takes an incredibly
strong person to submit to another. Not the opposite.”

“How do you figure?” I had read that. I just didn’t understand it.

“I’m not taking anything from you, Cheyenne. You have to give it.”

I nodded. Amy had mentioned that.

“I’m never going to force you to do anything, Cheyenne. The decision is yours. I can
demand you to do my bidding. I can even discipline you when you don’t obey me, but
it’s all a shifting of power. It’s only as real as you make it. If you choose to walk
away or defy me, I am powerless to stop you.”

That made sense.

He pointed at my plate. “Eat before it gets cold.” He took a bite of his food.

I lifted my fork, but my mind ran in ten thousand directions. I wasn’t sure I could
swallow.

Between bites, Riley continued to speak. “I know you’re nervous, but think of it this
way—you hold the cards. I’m the vulnerable party.”

I jerked my face up.

He continued. “Think about it. I’m putting myself out there. Especially with you because
you’ve never been in the lifestyle. You’re so new you can’t possibly understand the
feelings you’re experiencing.” He shoveled another enormous bite into his mouth and
chewed while I watched.

“Finish your breakfast, and then we’ll talk. I don’t want you to be hungry.”

I turned my gaze back to my plate and concentrated on lifting the fork, sliding the
eggs into my mouth, chewing, swallowing. Normal things I didn’t usually think about
that were almost insurmountable this morning.

When I finished, I found Riley had also cleaned his plate. He took my dishes from
in front of me and deposited them in the sink. “Come.”

I eased down from the stool and followed him to the living room, pulling the robe
tighter around my middle. With every step, the front slid open to expose my sex. I
took small steps and found Riley rolling his eyes as I approached. “I’ve seen you
naked, baby. Why the modesty?”

“I— I don’t know.” That wasn’t a lie. For some reason in the light of day I was self-conscious.

Riley reached out a hand and pulled me down to sit next to him on the couch.

My butt hit the soft cool leather, making me squirm. The front of the robe slid open
at my waist even though I had a tight grip on it between my breasts.

Riley fingered the edge of the silk at my shoulder. “I thought this would make you
feel a little more relaxed, but I think as sexy as it is, it’s working against me.
Stop fidgeting or I’ll remove it.”

I tried to relax.

He reached for my fingers and peeled them from the robe. He wrapped my small hand
in his and set it at my side. Turning so that his back rested against the arm of the
couch, he spoke again. “Spin toward me. Cross your legs under you. I want you to face
me.”

I carefully turned in his direction, tucked my feet up, and assumed the position he
requested. My pussy was exposed this way. The robe separated at the center, barely
covering my nipples and doing nothing to conceal my sex. I forced myself to lift my
gaze to his.

“As I was explaining, you hold the power here. One word and my assumed position is
done.”

I thought about his proclamation. He was right. I hadn’t thought about it. He was
asking me to give over my control, but he hadn’t done anything that would force me
to do so. “I see.”

“It’s a give and take. For this to work—and I’m so fucking hopeful it will—we have
to have continuous open dialogue about what each of us wants and needs. It’s a discussion
that will never end. We have to check in with each other daily to make sure we’re
both still happy with the arrangement and renegotiate the terms.

“I know it feels like a dictatorship to you, but it’s not. At least not the way you’re
thinking. Do I want to totally dominate you and have you allow me to guide your every
move inside the house? Hell yes. But not in a way that makes you deflated. It needs
to be done with the perfect balance created when you give me exactly what you’re able
to give and I take not one ounce more.”

So much information. I was having trouble keeping up.

“If you agree to stay with me, we’ll negotiate every conceivable point. For the purpose
of indoctrinating you to the lifestyle, I’m asking you to concede everything just
for this weekend. In return, I’ll give you a taste of as many aspects of BDSM as I
can stuff into forty-eight hours.

“Bondage.” He wrapped his hands around my wrists and squeezed them briefly, a smile
playing at the corners of his mouth.

I gasped, shocked by his playfulness.

He tugged my wrists forward, lifted my butt off the couch. He released one arm and
reached around behind me to swat my ass before I had any clue what he was going to
do. “Discipline.” He leaned forward, lowering me back onto my butt.

“Sir…” I had no idea how to finish that statement.

He set his hand on the back of my head and pressed forward so that my chin dipped.
His lips hit my ear, and he whispered, “Submission.”

A fresh wave of arousal sent a shiver down my spine.

He leaned back and lifted my chin once more to meet my gaze. “Afterward, you’ll need
a few days alone to think about everything and make sure this is what you want. I’ll
be at your mercy, waiting for you to decide.” He took my hand in his and gently brushed
his thumb over the backs of my knuckles. “I’ve dreamed of this for six months, never
daring to hope it could become reality.

“That night I met you, the attraction was instant. You had no clue about my lifestyle.
Amy specifically told me and Parker she hadn’t shared what she had with Cade. Not
to you or Meagan.

“I had to respect that. It wasn’t mine to share. And I also couldn’t imagine leading
you down this path blindly. You were so sweet and innocent.” He lowered his head for
a moment. “I’ve kicked myself in the ass so many times over the last six months thinking
about how I must’ve made you feel when I left you.”

“It wasn’t pretty.”

He cringed. “I’m so sorry. It was cowardly. I was an ass.”

“I can also see why you did it. And in hindsight, it’s kind of endearing to think
you were so attracted to me that you let me go.”

He grinned. “Don’t give me any points. What I really wanted to do that night was take
you out back, press you against the nearest wall, shove my knee between your legs,
and force you to orgasm. It wasn’t altruistic.”

“Forcing me to orgasm isn’t altruistic? Listen to yourself.”

He chuckled. “Yeah. Okay. That came out wrong.”

“What about you? It seems all your interest lies in my satisfaction. You even said
this was all about sex.”

“It is. In the sense that my goal is to drive you insane with need and ensure you
stay that way most of the time.” He leaned forward, his face inches from mine. “I
want to know your pussy is always wet for me, your legs always quivering with need,
your nipples stiff points, your breasts heavy with the pressure of desire.