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"There are well-defined D/s relationships, Madison," Logan said. "With clear boundaries. They serve the needs of those involved in them. There might be affection there, trust, a form of caring and partnership that's highly valued. But then there's the wild card. Love. It can change the rules, destroy them, rebuild them, in accordance with the people involved, not fitting any set of rules or etiquette, or bullshit terminology. That's why being in love is the scariest relationship. It risks the soul, but it's the one thing in the whole universe worth that risk. That's why Alice said you were the braver of the two of you. You've risked yours over and over."
"But what if I'm not like Troy? What if--"
"You're not like Troy." He tipped up her chin, held it, his hand a light collar on her throat that riveted all her attention on him. "You're Madison. All you need to be is who you are."
It was then she realized the trust he kept talking about in D/s was something far more harrowing than restraints and spankings. It was believing what he was telling her and acting accordingly. She had a monument to self-doubt built up inside of her, augmented by every failed relationship. He was telling her she could destroy it, sweep the pieces out of her subconscious entirely.
"You still didn't answer the question," she said at last, swallowing. "About yourself."
"I think the answer will scare you."
"Everything about you scares me."
His eyes darkened with regret, compassion, and something else, something that really made her wish they'd done this before she'd received that package. His body was so firm beneath her, his scent in her nose. All she wanted to do was immerse herself in him. As if he picked up on the thought, he traced her lips with a finger, and she bit him, an act of pure sexual and emotional frustration. He gave her an exasperated look, but then he answered her.
"I haven't had a session with anyone at the club or outside of it, other than Troy or an instructional demo, since you arrived in town."
That would have been during Alice's last few days, which meant weeks before she an
d Logan had actually met. Her gaze snapped up to him, searching his face for the truth. He was right. Seeing the truth there scared her.
"Why?"
He held her gaze. "My promise to Alice. She gave you to me, and I knew you needed a man who was faithful to you in all ways."
"How am I supposed to even respond to that? It makes me feel like I'm obligated--"
"To do nothing." His tone was sharp enough to cut through the music, draw brief attention from other booths. It startled her, but it was highly effective. She pressed her lips together, unsure, but he shook his head. "I told you before. There is no obligation on your part, Madison. Only to follow where your feelings take you. C'mon. Stop this. Dance with me some more."
He dragged her out of the booth, whirled her back onto the floor. She was stiff at first, but he wasn't going to let her brood on it. When Troy and Shale engaged them in a four-way marathon of spinning and gyrating, she had to let go of her worries and hold on to Logan instead unless she wanted broken ankles. He was a relaxed dancer, not as accomplished and loose-hipped as Troy, but one who enjoyed the music and could move well with his partner, as he proved by holding her securely as they pivoted and turned together, his hands on her waist, grasping her fingers, or sometimes bringing her back full against him with a large hand cupped on the side of her neck, the other on her hip as she wrapped her arms around his upper torso and enjoyed just moving with him.
Shale and Troy eventually wove themselves back into their choreography, switching partners so she danced with Troy and Logan with Shale. Another turn brought her and Shale together. Shale gave her a conspiratorial wink and turned Madison in her arms, wrapping both arms low on Madison's waist as they faced the two men and Shale took at nip at her throat.
The act caused about half the males on the dance floor to trip over their tongues. Troy's eyes sparkled at his Mistress's teasing. Logan gave them his slow grin, though he captured Madison's hand and pulled her firmly back to his side with a stern finger pointing at Shale. She crossed her eyes at him.
It was pure, sexy fun, from beginning to end. By the time they were ready to call it a night, Madison was doing exactly what he'd suggested. Being who she was, as well as having the pleasure of discovering more of what that meant. She'd been doing it since the day she'd taken over Naughty Bits. Though she realized he'd been her facilitator throughout, she wasn't entirely passive in the process. Not at all. And that helped her take a sledgehammer to that monument of self-doubt a little more enthusiastically. Maybe a lot more.
*
Troy left with Shale in her car, and Logan drove Madison back to hers at the store. Logan walked her to it, took her keys and opened it, looking inside before handing them back. It was the act of a courteous Southern gentleman, but there was that additional component to it as well, him taking charge in a way that kept her nerves humming pleasurably from the close proximity.
The rules could be bent, right? Yes, but with consequences. She thought about those twenty-five switches. She had no doubt Logan would carry through with them. Then she thought of that look Troy had given his Mistress when her nails dug into his biceps. That was part of it for them, wasn't it? The line between misbehavior that was improper, unwelcome, and stepping across the line to give his Mistress the opportunity to administer punishment. Two needs being met. It was a delicate dance, but one that didn't require much thought at all on her part. Just being who she was.
Logan bent to brush her lips with his, an obviously restrained gesture with so much more vibrating beneath it. "See you Monday," he said.
She played along, wanting to goad him a little. "So what are you doing with your weekend?"
"Making some renovations at the house. I'm preparing for a new tenant and I want to make sure everything is in place to keep her there for a good long time."
He gave her a wink while her stomach fluttered. When he started to step back, she curled her fingers into the spaces between the buttons of his shirt, holding on. He paused, eyes finding hers.
"Please kiss me, Master," she whispered. "Really kiss me. I'd rather take a punishment later than not have that now."
He put his hands on her shoulders, and she sighed into his mouth as his lips sealed over hers. Slow, but not restrained. It was a thorough, overwhelming kiss that had her sliding her arms under his so she could get even closer. He let go of her shoulders to frame her jaw and throat with both hands, hold her there as her lips parted and his tongue mated with hers. Then he had her against her car, his body trapping her there, so she dug her fingers into his back and made a needy sound in her throat.
She'd loved dancing with him, loved talking with him. She teased him about being the all-knowing guru of BDSM, but she clung to every word as he taught her about it, secure in his knowledge about a world that was both so new and yet instinctively familiar to her. He didn't talk to her the way he talked to Troy. It was like he was her personal guide, her partner, not just a temporary teacher. It was different, the same way it was different for Troy and Shale.
She stopped thinking. She let go of everything but being kissed by Logan Scott, thinking of him as hers. Her Master and no one else's.
