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e of him being a Dominant was far more out front. The way his golden eyes examined her from head to toe, taking in the slacks and crisp shirt she'd chosen to wear with loafers, a more feminine version of male garments. A message that she would not dress sexually for him unless he commanded it, as she was sure he would. She would arrive as a Mistress and leave as one no matter what happened in between. That much she had promised herself.
"Are you wearing boxers or briefs under that outfit?" he asked.
As always, she was momentarily taken aback at his ability to pick up on the direction of her internal thoughts as if they were having a spoken conversation about them. Before she could respond to that, his tone gentled. "How are the bumps and bruises?"
"Fine. "
"And the ankle?"
"Nothing an ice pack couldn't cure. It's just a bit tender. Nothing you need to worry about interfering with or slowing down our sessions. "
"Hmm. " He moved toward her, didn't stop when he reached the personal space boundary. His hand snaked around her, pressing on her back, on the bruises. Not expecting it, she flinched before she could tell herself not to do so. Tossing her braid over her shoulder to throw her head back to face him, she was childishly miffed when he managed to pull back just enough to avoid the lash and level an amused gaze on her.
That gaze became much less amused when he brought his hand forward to cradle her face, his thumb tracing her lips. She had to make a conscious effort not to part them.
"We need to talk about the rules again. " She sounded desperate, even to herself.
"I remember them. No kissing. " He continued to stroke her lips. For some reason she couldn't take her eyes off his mouth. "You wanted to keep your clothes on. We agreed that's not an option. But I agreed to no questions about any unusual marks on your body and no sex. Unless you ask for it. I'm giving you thirty seconds to state any last-minute rules you've concocted and then it's going to be all about my rules. Okay? Go. "
She pulled away from his touch, stepping back, which brought her up against her car. "I want two hours each day to prepare and take my tea. That time will belong to me, not be part of the training. There should be plenty of time between now and Sunday afternoon to cover the session requirements even without those four hours. "
"All right. But if I choose to join you, I'll do so. You won't shut me out in my own home. "
That was exactly what she'd hoped to do but it was a fair enough request. She nodded reluctantly.
"Anything else?"
Yes. Don't make me do this. She shook her head.
"Good. Here's one of my rules, Marguerite. " He moved in, ran his touch down her back again, so tenderly that her bruised skin wanted to weep at the contact. "You won't lie to me about anything. As a sub, your care and comfort are completely my responsibility. If at any time something is beyond your capacity to bear, you'll use the word chado. "
The Japanese word, translated to "the way of tea" or "the philosophy of tea". A smile touched his mouth at her surprised look. "I figured that would be an easy one for you to remember. At that time, we'll evaluate what's going on. I won't necessarily stop what I'm doing but we'll work it out. But all that can wait a few more minutes. " Tucking her hand into his elbow, he laid his on top of her fingers. "You've shown me your place. Let me show you mine. "
"Shouldn't we just get started? We have a lot of ground to cover - "
"Marguerite. " He stopped and faced her but kept her hand. "When we walk up those front stairs and you step over the threshold of my house, from there forward I'm your Master and you're my slave. I can tell you're nervous as hell. So let's take a moment, okay? I'm not a complete tyrant. "
There was something in his gaze that told her that was not entirely true. He could be as ruthless as one. "This isn't a course at the community college where you can answer all the questions correctly, proving to the teacher you're paying attention so he'll leave you alone. " He tipped her chin, feathered his hand through some of the shorter wisps of hair around her face. "You're going to have my complete personal attention all weekend long. "
"I thought you said you were trying to make me feel less nervous. " She didn't smile. Neither did he. "I might like you a little nervous. " He pulled her into a walk, and now he clasped their hands loosely between them.
She'd never known a man who liked to hold hands so much. Though she didn't recall ever having seen him hold hands with his subs at The Zone, she found it a somewhat sweet, romantic gesture. She realized it suited him. She didn't know much of the man Tyler was outside The Zone, which made her wonder how much more she was going to find out.
The house had some minor architectural improvements that modern building technology could give it. However, Tyler had apparently made every effort to restore the home to its previous condition, honoring its past. It was painted the pristine white that a Southern belle like this deserved. He'd made the circular driveway a mixture of gravel and oyster shell and the groupings of azaleas around the foundation only accented the house's sweeping grace. He took her around the corner and she saw the rear and side areas had even more to offer. A lawn stretched out behind the house, followed by a mulched area that ran to the banks of the Gulf and had a scattering of sprawling live oaks draped with Spanish moss. There were tennis courts and a large glass pool house off to the right, connected to the house by a maze of gardens that even from a distance were beautifully designed, a series of linked circles that featured central pieces of statuary and fountains surrounded by lush green specimens splashed with blooms.
He strolled with her down to the wide lawn. "Slip off your shoes," he advised.
"You know those stuffed animals you find in the card shops that are so soft you'd like to sink into a vat of them? That's what this grass is like. " Bemused by his easy enthusiasm, she watched him toe off his loafers and then did the same to sink into the cushioned coolness of the grass. "How do you get it so green, so close to the salt water?"
"I have two house staff," he explained. "Sarah is our cook and does the cleaning.
Robert, her husband, does maintenance and repairs. He's also the best organic gardener in Florida. " He guided her toward the water's edge. "He keeps the grass back just far enough. That's why there's the mulched area with the oaks to serve as a wind break. At least that's what he tells me to justify why it's so green. I personally think he met the devil at the crossroads. He insists he just has a knack for knowing how to work with nature. So, was I right about the grass?"
"It's very soft. "
"Robert proves his reputation by keeping it this way practically year-round. We host Shakespeare in the Park here for the community theater in the spring and have even been known to show old movies on a wide screen and serve ice cream in the summer. " His eyes glinted. "In the fall, I have a three-day D/s carnival I'm sure you've heard about. It's an invitation-only fundraiser, a thousand dollars per Master or Mistress and their chosen sub. We donate the money to the Tampa domestic violence shelter. "
"Anonymously, of course. "
