Page 2 of Need

Suddenly, I felt comforting arms wrap around me. I thought I might have drifted off to sleep again until I heard his voice in my ear, his breath against my hair. He was here. Really, truly here.

I snuggled back against him, and he held me tighter. My tears ran freely down my cheeks, and he silently brushed them away until I drifted off to sleep again.

The next time I woke up the sun was higher in the sky, and I knew it had to be close to noon. I was alone in my bed again, but when I rolled over I saw him sitting in a chair just off to the side. He had a laptop resting on his legs, but looked up in response to my movement.

His eyes roamed my face as if searching for something. “Hi,” I squeaked. My throat was dry, probably from crying.

“Hello,” he replied in a steady, even voice. As if he knew what I was thinking, he picked up a glass of water that was on the nightstand beside my bed and handed it to me. I hadn’t even noticed it. “Drink.”

I brought the glass up to my lips and felt the liquid coat my dry throat. Only after the contents were completely gone did I lower the glass and look up at him again. His eyes were still on me. Watching.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

“You’re welcome,” he responded. “Are you feeling better?”

I nodded.

“Are you hungry?” he asked.

I hadn’t even thought of food until he mentioned it, but my stomach grumbled in response. He smiled. “I guess that answers my question.”

He arose from his chair and set his laptop aside. His hand reached out to me. “Join me?”

It was a question. He was asking me again. I was free to refuse.

My hand reached out and found his. He helped me up, and we walked in silence into the kitchen.

“Would you like breakfast or lunch?”

“Um,” I mumbled, looking down out of habit. His finger came up under my chin, making me look at him. He didn’t say anything, just quirked an eyebrow. “Breakfast?” I said as more of a question than an answer.

He nodded and motioned for me to take a seat at the island. I slid onto the stool without comment. It had been a while since we’d eaten at the island. We usually ate breakfast together at the table. The change made me slightly nervous.

I watched as he made ham and cheese omelet for us, just as he had over a month ago. The differences between then and now struck me. Then, I had been worried about what was expected of me by my new Master. Now, I was just as concerned over what to expect, but for very different reasons.

After splitting the large omelet onto two plates, he set one in front of me, and placed the other to my left before coming around to sit down. He was silent as he ate, only glancing up at me once when he noticed I hadn’t started eating immediately.

I was almost finished when he said, “Tell me what you’re thinking, Brianna.”

My fork stopped midway to my mouth. This was it.

I laid my fork down and placed my hands in my lap. “I’m wondering... what happens now?” I said without confidence.

“What do you want to happen now?” he asked.

I clenched my hands into fists in frustration. “I don’t know,” I said somewhere between a sigh and a sob.

His right hand covered both of mine before he spoke again. “This decision is yours, Brianna. I can’t make it for you.”

“I know, Mas—” Was I supposed to call him Master? Did he want me to?

He sighed. “Maybe we should start with names.”

“Names?” I asked, bringing my head up to look at him hesitantly.

“Yes,” he said more confidently. “You may call me Stephan, or Sir, if you prefer.”

I knew my eyes were wide with shock. He was giving me permission to call him by his given name.

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