Page 7 of On His Terms

“Are you right-handed?”

“I am.”

“In that case, I recommend you carry the plate in your left hand. Wrap the napkin around the fork and carry those in your right hand. Keep your head down, gaze lowered. At this point, he won’t be expecting you to kneel. Concentrate on the pleasure he will receive from your actions. Offer the fork and napkin first, and then seamlessly transfer the plate to your right hand so you have no awkwardness. The most important thing with service is to think about things ahead of time, plan them out, but have the room to be flexible if your Dom desires it.”

No doubt Gregorio was correct. Master Alexander had already said that—service was part of submission. “What about that little curtsy thing?”

“You can manage something, I’m sure. Bonus points if you use the term Sir or Master Alexander when you address him.”

“Right now, I’m not sure I can remember my own name.”

“That’s why you need to concentrate on him, not yourself. Don’t overthink,” he added. “Try to be natural. You will screw up. Everyone does. Just accept the correction without taking it personally. As I’m sure Master Alexander has already advised, give yourself over to the experience of pleasing your Dom. Get out of your own way, allow someone else to be the center of your universe. If you’re a submissive, pleasing him will fulfill you. It’s not for everyone. In fact, it’s not for most people.”

Before she could thank him, he had moved off. Surreptitiously, she watched another server. Cake was offered one way to Doms, and a little less formally to subs. Some Doms accepted a piece for themselves but refused one for their submissives. A male sub was hand-fed.

One server was directed to place a plate on the floor. The blonde didn’t hesitate before lowering herself to all fours and starting to eat. Her Domme placed the spiked heel of her boot on the girl’s shoulder while tasting her own dessert and conversing with another Domme.

As Gregorio had observed, no one seemed to notice.

But the more she saw, the more she questioned the path she’d set for herself.

At that moment, Master Evan C entered the room, electrifying the atmosphere with his energy. The woman he’d been to the dungeon with looked radiant, smiling, with tear tracks staining her cheeks. She walked over to the tray and carefully selected a plate for him, and she looked happy to do so. If others could find pleasure in this, so could Chelsea.

Doubly resolved, she straightened her spine, picked up Master Alexander’s plate, along with the utensils. As she moved toward him once more, she focused on the act of serving him, ignoring the little voice protesting what she was doing. “Happy birthday, Sir.”

“Thank you,” he replied. “But I’ve changed my mind about having cake.”

Aggravation flared. Just in time, she bit back her instinctive curse. “Of course, Sir.”

“I’ve decided I’d rather give you a birthday spanking after all.”

Chapter Two

Chelsea lost her grip on the plate, almost dropping it.

Alex had unnerved her, and he wasn’t sure anything had pleased him more.

Without saying anything, she turned and hurried back to the serving cart, her sensual hips swaying provocatively.

What the hell am I thinking? He’d stopped training over two years ago. Even when he’d done a fair amount of it, he’d only worked with subs with prior experience who needed minor refinement. In her heart, her soul, every part of her being, Liz had said she was committed to the lifestyle, but she’d really been more of a masochist. Training had been a constant—and wearing—battle. Eventually he’d learned that she hadn’t wanted to be a perfect sub, she’d wanted his punishment. The harder, the better. Though he’d fallen in love with her, her constant misbehavior had destroyed their relationship. Recently he’d heard she’d married a man who was much more extreme than he was.

Still, the dissolution of their bond had devastated him. Maybe it had even contributed to the failure of his business, something he hadn’t looked closely at.

In the past two years, he’d been selective about who he’d played with. He took no one home and refused to form physical or emotional attachments. Not that he would have had the time, even if he’d had the inclination.

Rebuilding after the Bartholomew scandal had consumed his life and focus. Along with his younger brother and business partner, Gavin, and their team, he’d performed months of due diligence. But one of their attorneys had been paid to overlook some contractual details at the final negotiating table, leading to devastating results for Monahan’s clients.

Tonight was the first time he’d been at the Den in perhaps eighteen months, and he wouldn’t have come if Damien hadn’t organized the party and presented it as a fait accompli.

Damien wasn’t just a friend, he was one of the investors who had lost big in the scandal, but he insisted there were no hard feelings. Business was business. Sometimes a deal went south.

Now that he’d met Chelsea, he was grateful for his friend’s generosity. The pretend sub was refreshing. Bold. Brazen. Unable to comprehend the word no. She made him forget the disaster that had become his life. Time with her might be exactly what he needed.

She was at least five foot seven, even taller with the heels on. Her short blonde hair had chunks of dark lowlights, and the few curls that had escaped their clips lay on her forehead. But her blue eyes snared and kept his interest. They were wide and expressive, and he could see her emotions revealed there.

The way she sometimes betrayed her inner turmoil by worrying her lower lip charmed him. In the time they’d been talking, she’d worked off most of her lipstick, making her appear a little more vulnerable. He doubted she’d appreciate that observation.

Although he had no intention of seeing her after tonight, he could give her a taste of what she was really in for if she pursued her course of action. He understood why she’d want Evan C as a client, but frankly he thought the self-absorbed rocker was a wannabe and a never-gonnabe. Evan C lacked discipline and vision, though he demanded both of the subs he played with. Still, the man had a modicum of talent that might sustain him as a cover vocalist.

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