“That’s correct. Only if you want to. It’s not a decision you need to make now.”
She looked relieved. “Okay. Good. So, what’s this proposal?”
“I want to invite you to the party. But it wouldn’t be fair either to you or to the members of my club to bring in someone who only wants to gawk. That’s the opposite of what we’ve created—which is a sanctuary for hardcore lifestylers. So, in order for me to be comfortable even extending the invitation, I need to get a better sense of your true, personal interest in the scene. In order to do that in the very limited timeframe we have before next weekend, I’d like—with your full consent, of course—to put you through a series of tests designed to better tease out your innate submissive potential.”
“Tests?” she repeated, looking mildly alarmed.
“Yes. And I’m afraid this is nonnegotiable. If you’re unable or unwilling to do this exercise with me, it’s better we just put this behind us and move on.”
“Okay,” she said slowly. “I’m listening. What do these tests involve exactly? I need details so I can make an informed decision.”
“Of course,” Hayden agreed, pleased she wasn’t put off by the challenge. “To start, I’ll ask you a few questions to get a better understanding as to your thoughts and feelings about erotic submission. There are no right or wrong answers, but I will require rigorous honesty on your part. No censoring the replies to protect yourself or to say what you think I might want to hear. I want your genuine, heartfelt response. You good with that?”
“Yes,” she agreed readily. “I can totally do that.”
“Okay, good. Now it gets a little more complicated. You need to understand up front that this preliminary session will involve you removing some or all of your clothing. I’ve found potential subs do a lot better when there’s literally nothing between them and the Dom. It puts you immediately in a more submissive headspace because of your inherently vulnerable position in front of someone who is fully clothed. With me so far?”
Dahlia was staring at him like a deer caught in the headlights. Yet, her nipples were prominent now beneath the loose knit of her sweater and he could feel her excitement simmering just below the surface. If he placed his hand between her legs, would he find her wet?
When she didn’t respond right away, he said gently, “I get it, Dahlia. I’m asking an awful lot of someone who has only second and thirdhand knowledge in the scene. Normally with a potential sub, I’d go a lot slower, giving you a chance to absorb what was happening over time. Unfortunately, given our deadline for the holiday party, we have limited time. If this is too much for you, we can take it slower. We can forget about the party, and just take our time.”
“No,” she cried. Looking somewhat abashed, she continued, “I mean, yes. Yes, I’m with you. I don’t want to slow down. I want to do whatever it takes to attend the party.”
”Great,” he said, grinning to hide his relief. She was nervous but determined, and he admired that.
Sobering, he added, “The goal tonight is to give me a sense not only of your willingness to obey and submit, but to observe how that submission affects you. Don’t worry, this won’t involve whips, rope or even a playful spanking. The caveman will remain in his cave.”
“Ha,” she snorted. “I deserved that.”
He waved a dismissive hand. “I’m just teasing you. But seriously, if at any time you’re uncomfortable with what’s happening and want me to stop, I’ll end the session immediately. Like I said, we can always pick things up at a later date, if you’re still interested.”
“No, I want to see this through,” she asserted staunchly. Then she shrugged. “You know what they say—in for a penny, in for a pound. Let’s do this thing.”
“Let’s do it,” he agreed. It startled him to realize Dahlia wasn’t the only one who was a little nervous. He, too, was out of his comfort zone. As a Head Master, he wasn’t used to being the one with anything at stake. Subs came to him for training. He never sought them out.
Something about this enigmatic woman drew him in a way he couldn’t remember ever feeling. Whatever happened tonight, it would affect him as much as it affected her. He would need to tread carefully, for both their sakes.
Dahlia was watching him, a tendril of blond hair falling over one eye, the tip of her pink tongue just visible between parted lips. His cock stiffened, his lips tingling with the need to kiss her.
Ignoring his body, he took Dahlia’s free hand and looked her in the eye. Her hand trembled ever so slightly in his. He held it gently until the trembling stilled. When she met his eyes, he said, “From this moment until I release you, you will obey my commands to the letter, without question and without hesitation. Do you accept these terms?”
She said nothing for a long moment. Hayden remained absolutely still, his breath held, his heart pausing in its beat. This would only work if she was fully on board.
Finally, Dahlia pulled her hand from his. She placed her wineglass on the end table beside the couch and got to her feet. She lowered herself to her knees on the carpet in front of him, placing her hands on her thighs.
He gasped involuntarily at the lovely and quite unexpected submissive gesture. She looked sexy as hell as she gazed up at him through her thick lashes. She swallowed visibly, as if gathering her courage.
“Yes,” she said at last, her voice quavering ever so slightly. “Yes, Sir. I agree.”