The use of his honorific seemed to settle him and the grip on her hair gentled. “Not a joke, baby. I want you naked and accessible at all times. Besides, it’s good practice for the club.”
Her heart slammed against her ribcage at the insinuation. “You can’t be serious, Austin.”
“I’m very serious. I like the idea of being able to spread your thighs and eat that sweet pussy whenever I get the urge.”
She liked that idea, too. She liked it very much. “But the part about not wearing clothes in the club. That was a joke.”
“Not a joke. If we’re going to scene in public, you’ll most likely be naked. You and most of the other subs there.”
“No. Absolutely not.” Panic wrapped its tendrils around her chest, squeezing until she couldn’t seem to drag in enough air.
“Hey. Breathe, kitten. You’ll have your safe word if you need it. Even for something as simple as taking your clothes off.”
“You won’t be mad?”
“Look at me.” Turning her head at the stern command, she let out a whoosh of breath at the understanding she found in his eyes. “I will never be mad at you for setting limits. If youdon’ttell me that something is upsetting you, or if you refuse to use your safe word when something gets to be too much, then I’ll be pissed as hell. And I can promise you,thatpunishment would be a hell of a lot more than three measly strokes from my belt. Understood?”
Oddly enough, it was the threat of a punishment, delivered in that hard, strict tone, that finally settled her system. “Yes, sir.”
“Good girl.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead before nudging her out of the bed. “Let’s go get dinner. I’m starving.”
“Can I at least put my panties on? I’m not going to sit on my fabric dining room chairs naked.”
“We’ll put a towel down.”
Sensing this was an argument she wouldn’t win, she huffed out a breath. “Fine.”
* * *
Austin
“A cattle prod? No way!”
Grinning at the shock on his girl’s face, Austin nodded and stabbed at another spear of asparagus. “So I heard. I couldn’t make it this year, but everyone’s been talking about it. Hopefully we can get tickets to next year’s Roulette.”
It wasn’t like him to start making plans seven months out with a girl, especially so early in, but every time he thought about not having Kit around, there was a weird sort of pressure in his chest. So he didn’t think about; he just made plans.
Problem solved.
“That, ah, sounds nice.” There was a pink tint to her cheeks that hadn’t left the entire time they’d been having dinner. Part of him hoped she never completely lost that sweet shyness, but he did have some concerns about visiting Black Light. If she couldn’t handle it, he’d deal with it, but he couldn’t deny that part of him that wanted to show her off, parade her around for everyone to see what was his, the spectacular treasure they’d never get to touch or taste.
Hopefully she’d feel more comfortable after she spent some time naked with him. “Shoulders back, kitten. Don’t hide yourself from me,” he chided gently when he noticed her hunching over to take a bite of chicken.
Her face screwed up in a petulant way he found inexplicably adorable, but she straightened up as he’d instructed. At least for a second, until she leaned in for another bite of her dinner.
Hmmm. “Put your fork down.”
She frowned slightly before asking what he was beginning to think of as her favorite question. “Why?”
Cocking an eyebrow, he gave her a cool stare. “Do you need to know why? Or are you supposed to do as you’re told?”
“Is that a rule?”
One look at her serious, dark eyes told him the question wasn’t borne out of snarkiness or a desire to be a brat, so he didn’t slap at her for it. “Yeah, it’s a rule.”
With a quiet sigh, she placed her fork on her plate. “Happy?” she asked, the sulk clear in her whiskey-smooth voice.
“I’m always happy when you’re a good girl.”