“I’m ready to sign up,” she says after her breathing calms.

I can’t help but chuckle. “This is just the tip of the iceberg, babe,” I warn her.

“I want it all—minus hard limits,” she clarifies, turning her body toward me.

“Stay put,” I instruct, continuing to stroke her arms. I’m not ready for her to leave me yet.

“So how do I know when we’re on and when we’re off?”

“That’s negotiable between each couple. For most, the bedroom is an automatic ‘on’, for some the entire house is ‘on’—"

“Whoa, I could not do that,” she admits.

“Yes,” I agree, “That might be a challenge for you. “A club environment is always on—that’s not negotiable,” I inform her sternly.

“I gathered that,” she admits. “But the limits always are.”

“Yes, Avery, the limits are hard. Always. A good Dom will always respect them while at the same time helping you discover things you haven’t felt safe enough to admit to yourself that you want.”

Her breath quickened.

“We can use green, yellow, and red, just like you suggested. What do you see the colors meaning?” I ask.

“Green is good-to-go,” she explains earnestly. “Yellow is, proceed with caution,” she bites her lower lip. “Red is obviously, stop.”

“Let’s define yellow further,” I suggest. “Yellow can mean that you’re not sure, or that you feel the need to slow down, but not stop. Does that sound accurate?”

“I like it,” she says. “How will you know exactly what yellow means at that moment?”

“I’ll know,” I growl, “but I’ll also check in with you.”

“Okay,” she releases a long breath. Then sits up straight. “Are you good with this? Do you want to explore this with me?” She pauses. “I mean, you’re really experienced, and you deserve a—sub—that knows what they’re doing. I’m probably too tame for you in light of your self-proclaimed deviance.” She adds for good measure.

I’m pretty sure Avery might be asking for her first spanking, and my cock thickens at the idea.

“Turn and face me.”

She moves away and shivers.

I take the blanket and put it around her shoulders, tucking it between her arms and side, leaving her chest bare to my eyes.

“Keep your legs crossed, shoulders back.”

“Yes, sir,” she says, eyes hooded with desire.

“You’re going to have to trust me, Avery. In order to do this, you’ll have to be willing to do things you’re resistant to, and trust that I care enough about you to take you to an edge that can bring you greater pleasure in the submission than you’ve ever known. It’s not going to be easy, and I can be tough,” I admit. I want her to understand what she’s really asking for, and what will be required of her.

“Can we start slow?” She asks.

“We already have.”

Her mouth forms a big O.

“As far as your question if I’m interested in pursuing this with you, yes, I am. I think we’ll have some challenges ahead of us in light of the distance…” my voice trails off, “but I prefer women who are naturally dominant in their personal lives, Avery.” I watch her nipples pucker and moisture glistens on her cunt, just at the juncture of her lips. This is turning her on, and I decide to see how her body will react to the next part.

“Your body will belong to me, Avery. You will not come unless I tell you, you will not masturbate or come when we’re apart unless I tell you to.”

She swallows hard and her breathing quickens. Cream leaks from her pussy onto the sheets.

“I’ll expect you to do what you’re told, even when we’re not together. Even with respect to your personal health. I’ll expect you to wear your seatbelt, always,” she starts to interrupt, but I continue on, “I’ll expect you to keep your phone in your purse when you’re driving. Absolutely no texting.” She bites her lower lip at that one, and I already know what that tells me.

I continue. “I may send you toys, and we’ll play with them remotely—phone sex if you will—when we’re not together.” Her butt wiggles at that tidbit. “You can be ‘off’ when you’re in professional mode with respect to your cases and interactions with peers, colleagues, and clients, but—and I want you to listen very closely to me—I own your time, Avery. If I tell you to leave at the end of a ten-hour day, I’ll expect you to do it without fighting me.”

She jumped in, the yellow glints in her eyes sparkling. “That’s ridiculous. There are high demands and expectations for any attorney on a partner track, Caden. You can’t seriously expect me to jeopardize that. Would you have done so as a SEAL?” Her chest is heaving now, and I can’t hide the fact that I find it fucking sexy.

“I won’t be unreasonable, Avery. I understand there are times, like an active SEAL mission, when you have to work excessively long hours,” her breathing slows slightly when I admit that, “but I want you to understand that I’ll expect you to eat three meals daily, and be in close contact with me during those times. We’ll discuss what you need, why, and what’s required for you to stay on track, and stay healthy.”

Her eyes are wide, but no longer angry. I can see that she’s been waiting for someone to care enough about her to take control of this. She wants me to take control.

“I will never take anything from you, Avery. It’s up to you to give your control to me, and I promise, I will show you just how amazing that can be,” I assure her.

She rolls her eyes, and I raise my eyebrows. “Already challenging me, Avery?”

“It's going to take time to adjust to it,” she insists. “I already feel like you’re a bit overprotective, and I have a feeling I haven’t even begun to experience what you’re like in an actual agreement.” She emphases.

I nod. I’m not going to hide it from her.

“Still ready to jump in,” I ask, “or need more time to think about it?”

Her eyes lock onto mine, and we stay that way for more than a minute. “I’m ready,” she whispers. “I want this. I can still ask questions, clarify things, though, right?”

I chuckle. “Yes, of course, you can. But when we’re ‘on’ you need to ask for permission to speak and ask questions, otherwise I expect you to do what you’re asked, when you’re asked, and you’ll call me ‘sir’, but that’s already natural for you. You’re a natural, Avery,” I confirm.

“And if I don’t?” she asks with a glint in her eye.

“You’ll be punished,” I promise her, looking at her cunt, and the cream dripping from it.

“Can we go to a club? Is there one nearby?”

I don’t belong to a local club here in Tahoe, Avery. I’m very selective about the clubs I frequent and belong to, but let me see what I can do, maybe that can be an excursion for your final day of vacation if you like.”

Her green eyes sparkled, and she nodded. “Yes, I would very much like that.”

I drew in a long breath and exhaled. I hadn’t realized how relieved I would be when she agreed to be mine—to let me take care of her. The need to do so nearly consumed me.

This little minx was wriggling her way into my life quickly, but somehow I knew I was ready. I loved how eager she was.