Charlotte led her new sub into the kitchen, then turned on her heel to face him. Damn, he looks delicious. “Can I get you something to drink? Water? Soda? I won’t offer you anything stronger since we’ll be playing at some point this evening.”

“Um . . . water . . . water will be fine. Thank you.”

Taking two glasses from a cabinet, she filled them from the tap in her refrigerator. “Take deep breaths, Michael. I’m not going to pounce on you. We’re going to sit and talk for a little while.”

She handed him one of the glasses, then gestured to the home’s family room. “Please, take a seat on the couch.” She’d specifically indicated where she wanted him to sit. If she’d given him a choice, she was sure he’d try to put some distance between them and sit in one of the two recliners.

As the soft jazz music she had on filtered through the air, her pure black cat decided to grace the newcomer with his presence and emerged from wherever he’d been hiding after the doorbell had rung. Confucius jumped onto the ottoman in front of where Mike had taken a seat, and meowed loudly at him. Mike chuckled and some of the tension in his shoulders eased a little as he reached out and scratched the feline’s ears. “A black cat, huh? Is there a bit of witch mixed in with your sadistic Domme persona?”

Smiling, Charlotte sat next to him, and curled her legs under her as she faced him. “Maybe. But I didn’t plan on ever having a cat. My family always had dogs while I was growing up. I found Confucius by accident. When he was a kitten, some heartless ass had left him in a box next to the shopping carts at the grocery store I use. I took one look at those amber-colored eyes and fell in love. I’ve been his mistress ever since. He’s the only one I’ll ever submit to and he knows it, the little brat.” The cat meowed then purred loudly in response.

“Confucius? Interesting name,” Mike said, relaxing back on the couch, his gaze turning to hers.

“Mm-hmm. He taught the virtues of order, structure, and correct behavior—things I like to have in my life.” Resting her elbow on the back of the couch, she lightly caressed his shoulder. “Things I need in my life. I’ve noticed that about you, too. When you’re working, you do certain things the exact same way every time, as if you’ll miss something if you do it otherwise.”

“Really? I’ve never noticed.”

“I notice a lot of things about you, Michael. It makes me wonder why I never noticed your submissiveness before now.”

He took a sip of his water before placing it on a coaster on the side table next to him. “Maybe because I had no clue I had it in me.”

“Perhaps. But whatever the reason, I’m glad it finally came to my attention.” She handed him her glass. “Please put that next to yours.” She didn’t ask him if he wouldn’t mind doing the small task, wanting him to get used to following her commands to simple things. It would help when she upped the ante.

Dropping the hand that had been holding the glass to his knee, Charlotte made lazy circles with her fingers. His leg muscles tightened, and she could tell he was trying to hold onto the control she wanted him to give over to her. In time, it would become second nature to him, but for now, it was the beginning of his training. “So, tell me, Michael, what did you learn about the male orgasm?”

“Um, what do you want to know?”

“My directive to you was to research everything that happens to a man before, during, and after an orgasm, so that’s exactly what I want to know. And since you’re new to this, and I wasn’t entirely clear, we’ve moved into D/s mode, which means you will address me by my title as I’ve already instructed.” Her fingers at his shoulder trailed to the skin of his nape that was exposed above his shirt. She was thrilled when a shiver coursed through him.

“Right, um . . . I mean, yes, Ma’am.” He took a shuddering breath. “Right, the male orgasm.” When he said that last word, the hand on his knee moved an inch or so up his leg, and he gulped before letting out a nervous laugh. “I feel like I’m back in my high school health class. Okay . . . um, when something or someone prompts a sexual interest in a man, the brain sends out a signal down the spine to the . . . sexual organs.”

“Michael,” Charlotte interrupted, her hand moving further toward the growing bulge in his groin in a sensual seduction, “my fingers aren’t very far away from those sexual organs of yours, so you may use the words cock and balls or any others you want. You don’t need to sound like a textbook. In fact, I prefer you don’t. Dirty talk while playing isn’t considered crass in my book.”

“Um . . . right . . . um . . . yes, Ma’am.” His gaze dropped to her hand on his leg. Taking a deep breath, he then let it out and forged ahead. “Where was I? Um, brain sends signal to . . . the cock, which then gets hard with five times the normal amount of blood rushing . . .” He inhaled sharply as her fingers moved higher, about an inch from his erection. “Uh . . . blood rushing to it. Jesus, Charlotte—”

“Tsk, tsk.” She brought her hand back to his knee. “Forgetting to use my title will delay any relief you’re hoping for.”

“Shit . . . um. Sorry, Ma’am.”

Charlotte smirked. “Very good, Michael. Continue.”

As her fingers started moving in small circles again, his chin lifted until his head hit the back of the couch. “Cha—I mean, Ma’am. May I adjust myself, first? Things are getting very uncomfortable.”

She hadn’t expected him to ask permission so soon in their play—most subs forgot until they were reminded several times, which usually involved a punishment. “You obviously did a lot of research. That pleases me, and since you asked so nicely, yes, you may adjust yourself. But without using your hands. That hard-on is mine tonight.”

Groaning, he shifted his hips, moving his ass closer to the edge of the couch, and reclined into a more comfortable position.

“Comfy?” When he nodded, Charlotte prompted, “Verbal responses, Michael.”

His gaze met hers, and she saw heated lust in his eyes. The pulse in his neck was pounding as he licked his lips. “Yes, Ma’am.”

“Good. Take a drink of your water if you need it, then continue.”

Lifting her glass, he glanced at her. Pride swelled within her. “No, thank you, Michael. I’m good for the moment.”

Taking his own glass, he gulped half of it before putting it back down. He seemed to draw on some inner strength before he started to speak again. “Okay. Erection. Blood. Veins at the base of the cock squeeze shut, keeping the blood in so it stays hard. The balls get drawn up as the body’s muscles tense. It takes the body between thirty seconds and two minutes to prepare for the orgasm. During that time, the pelvis begins to thrust involuntarily. The guy’s breathing and heart rate increase. He feels like he’s going to explode. When he reaches the point of no return, he’s going to cum whether he wants to or not. Cum shoots out in a series of fast contractions of the muscles in the cock and ass. The nerves causing the muscles to contract send messages of pleasure to the brain, which by now is just a pile of mush. After he shoots his load, the erection fades. The muscles in the body relax, and he’ll feel drowsy afterward.”

During the rest of his explanation, Charlotte’s hand got closer and closer to his bulging cock, which twitched in response to her ministrations. She was certain it wouldn’t take much to send him over the edge into oblivion.

“That was very good, Michael. Thank you.” She really couldn’t care less about the hows and whys of the male orgasm at this moment, but it had been an exercise to see how much he was willing to invest in their relationship. She also wanted him to be comfortable in his own skin. And now that he’d pleased her, it was time to reward him. “Now, stand and strip completely.”

His hazel gaze shot to hers, as if shocked by her order, before he stood and did as instructed. He’d probably been on the verge of begging for relief and was now silently hoping it was within reach. Turning, Charlotte grabbed a large throw pillow from the end of the couch and tossed it on the floor in front of her. Confucius stretched on the ottoman and then hopped down. Showing his furry ass, he strolled out of the room, appearing too dignified to watch his mistress play with her sub.

As Mike quickly shed his clothes and draped them over the arm of her recliner, Charlotte’s gaze roamed his body and her mouth watered. He had a typical Floridian man’s tan on his upper torso while his hips and legs were paler. She knew he mowed the lawn at his mother’s house on a regular basis, and probably did it shirtless. A swath of fine hair covered his chest and narrowed as it went lower to his groin where a very impressive cock extended upward. On the tip was a bead of pre-cum that Charlotte intended to claim as hers. But it would have to wait for the moment. She turned her attention to his next task. “Hand me your limit list, please.”

After he pulled the folded paper from his pants’ pocket, and gave it to her, she added, “Now, fold your clothes neatly and set them on the seat of the recliner.”

His brow climbed a bit, but he silently obeyed the order. Charlotte wondered if Nick had drilled into his future brother-in-law the benefits of following a Dominant’s commands without hesitation. As soon as he was done with his clothing, she pointed to the spot on the other side of the pillow on the floor. “Stand in front of me and present yourself—spread your feet shoulder-width apart, bow your head, and clasp your arms with your hands behind your lower back.”

Once he was in the proper position, Charlotte set his limit list to the side and stood. Circling around him, she ran her hands up his arms, across his back and chest, then lower to his ass and hips, avoiding his family jewels. She loved the mind-games, which built up the anticipation for a sub. It made the end results of a scene that much more enjoyable. Under his soft skin, his hard muscles quivered under her palms, and his breathing increased. When he leaned into her touch, she removed her hands. “While we’re in D/s mode, Michael, you must ask permission to speak or move. However, if something feels wrong, tell me immediately. Understood?”

“Yeah. I mean, yes, Ma’am.”

“Your safeword is ‘red.’ If you’re uncomfortable with a command or scene, say ‘red’ and we’ll stop and discuss what’s wrong. Understood?”

There was only a moment’s hesitation before he answered her. “Yes, Ma’am.”

“Good. Kneel and present on the pillow, please. Rest back on your heels for comfort.”

Somewhat ungracefully, Mike, lowered himself onto his knees. When she was pleased with his posture, Charlotte sat down on the couch in front of him, then picked up and unfolded the papers he’d given her. Scanning the list, she was pleased to see most of their hard limits were similar, and there were quite a few things under the yellow column, meaning he hadn’t tried them yet but was willing to. She smiled when she reached the second page and saw a ménage with two women in that column—typical male. Charlotte had no problem letting a female sub join them on occasion, but it would only be for Michael—she wasn’t into women, although, she had scened with many without sex involved. “The activities you didn’t assign a color to we’ll discuss during a visit to the club. I’ll let you observe those scenes and then you can decide if you’re willing to try them or not.”

“Thank you, Ma’am.”

Charlotte put the list aside and stood again. Setting her hand on his upper arm, she trailed her fingers up to his shoulder, across his back, and down the other side. “You’re a very fine male specimen, Michael.”

A soft snort escaped him. “My brother got the looks in the family.”

Grabbing his hair, Charlotte yanked his head back and glared at him, letting him see her annoyance about his words. “You will never, ever, put yourself down, or negatively compare yourself to anyone again, Michael. I won’t stand for it. I wasn’t only referring to you physically, but also mentally and emotionally. You’re strong, smart, sensitive, caring, and so much more. And, yes, you’re physically attractive. All that combined makes for a very enticing package.”

A package she couldn’t wait any longer to experience. Bending, Charlotte slammed their mouths together. After a split second of surprise, Mike recovered and returned the kiss. His lips parted for her tongue, allowing her entry. Charlotte reveled in the taste of him—minty and spicy and all male. Her fingers in his hair held his head where she wanted it, while her other hand explored his bare chest. She tweaked his nipples before scratching her way down his abdomen. Mike swayed, and his arm shot out and grabbed her around her hips to regain his balance.

Lifting her head enough so she could speak, Charlotte said, “You may hold onto me, but do nothing more than that. Tonight is about me showing you how much you’ve pleased me. You’re going to cum for me. I’ll take my pleasure from seeing you lose control.”

His eyes narrowed. “You don’t want—”

“No.” Reaching down, she wrapped her hand around his cock, causing him to hiss and moan in response. “This is what I want, Michael.” Tightening her hold on the hard flesh, she explored the length. His hips bucked forward. “Uh-uh. Control the urge to do that. I’ll let you know when you’re allowed to.”

Charlotte took a seat on the couch again, stretching her legs out on either side of her sub, never once releasing his cock. She swirled her hand around the thick stalk from its root to tip. Up, over, down, and back again. His every moan was hers. Every expression of ecstasy, every gasp, every response belonged to her. Using a finger from her other hand, she swiped it over his slit, taking some of the pre-cum, as she continued his sweet torture. “Eyes on me, Michael.”

His eyelids were heavy as his gaze met hers. Opening her mouth, she brought her finger to her lips and licked it. “Mmm. Very nice.”

Her hand dropped again, and she cupped his balls, gently rolling them in her hand. His legs began to quake, and she knew he was getting close. “Fuck my hand, subbie. Get ready to cum for me—your orgasm is mine.”

In time with her hand, Mike thrust his hips forward and back. “Jesus, that feels amazing. Oh, fuck! Cha—Ma’am. Please!”

“It feels amazing to me, too.” She studied his face and body language. His moaning vibrated through the air and she felt it in her core. “Do you want to cum, Michael?”

“Oh, God, yes!”

Charlotte’s hands froze. “What did you say?”

His eyes went wide as his hips stilled. She could see frustration and agitation surging through them. The muscles in his jaw, arms, abs, and thighs tightened as his mind warred with his instincts. He’d thought she was about to send him over, but he’d failed to use her title in his blurted response. Training a sub required consistency from the very start, otherwise there’d be confusion and misunderstandings, which would defeat the intended dynamics of their relationship.

Seconds ticked by, and then he finally inhaled deeply and let it out slowly. His gaze dropped to the floor. “I’m sorry. I meant to say, yes, Ma’am, I would like to cum, please.” His jaw was still rigid, but his words had been respectful.

“Very good. Failure to use my title or ask permission to speak unless I’ve asked a direct question will always be met with a negative response. Compliance will result in a positive one.” She resumed the hand job she’d been giving him and sped up the pace. Leaning forward, she licked one of his nipples, and then the other. She could sense the strength and tension emanating from him. It wasn’t long before he was nearing the crest of his climax. Her hand holding his balls felt when his body drew them inward. “Cum for me, Michael.”

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she bit down on his nipple and tightened her hold on his cock. His body stiffened, and then, with a roar, his orgasm exploded. His eyelids slammed shut. Streams of semen shot from him, coating his abdomen and her hands. She continued to pump his shaft until he had nothing else to give her.

His body sagged as he leaned back on his heels again, gasping for air. “Holy—” He caught himself before it was too late. His eyelids lifted, and his gaze met hers. “P-Permission . . . to speak, Ma’am.”

She gave him a pleased nod. “Permission granted.”

“Holy shit . . . damn, that . . . was incredible.”

Grinning, Charlotte released him and stood. “Stay there.”

Before he’d arrived earlier, she’d placed a bowl of water, a washcloth, and a towel on a table next to the room’s love seat. After wetting the washcloth and wringing out the excess, she returned to the sofa with it and the towel and began cleaning the evidence of her sub’s release from his torso. He was still recovering, but his breathing was almost back to normal. She reached over and grabbed his glass of water. “Drink the rest.”

Once he was clean, she patted the cushion next to her. “Come up here.”

Mike was a little wobbly on his feet, which was expected. When he sat next to her, Charlotte took one of the couch’s smaller throw pillows and put it in her lap. “Lay down and rest awhile.”

His eyes narrowed again. “It feels weird that I got to cum and you didn’t.”

“Don’t worry, Michael. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to give me orgasms. Just not tonight. This was all about you and seeing how much you trusted me and were willing to invest in a D/s relationship with me. Now, come lay down.”

He hesitated a moment, before following her command. Taking a blanket from the back of the couch, she laid it over him. For several minutes, neither spoke as she massaged his scalp and shoulders. The low jazz music became the only sound in the room. It wasn’t long before sleep overtook Mike, and Charlotte smiled to herself. My sweet, strong sub.