Page 9 of The Honor of Being Hers
He showed her through common areas that smelled of beeswax and fresh flowers: a library with floor-to-ceiling windows and Persian rugs soft underfoot, a sitting room with overstuffed chairs arranged around a fireplace where the leather was worn smooth by use, a conservatory filled with plants that caught the afternoon light and made the air humid and green.
“You’re welcome in any of these spaces,” William said.“The scent cancellers are built into the ventilation system, so you won’t be overwhelmed.”
“And this is the kitchen,” Tyler added, pushing open a door to reveal a space that was somehow both professional and homey.Copper pots hung from hooks, and the marble countertops showed the patina of regular use.“We take turns cooking, but there’s always something available if you prefer to eat alone.”His fingers brushed the edge of a well-worn wooden cutting board as he spoke, the gesture unconsciously gentle.
Ryan spoke for the first time since they’d arrived.“I usually handle breakfast prep.Early riser.”His voice was carefully neutral, but there was something almost apologetic in his tone.
Lauren nodded, taking it all in.It was beautiful, yes, but also carefully designed for her comfort.She could feel the thought that had gone into every detail.
After settling her things in her suite, they gathered in the sitting room again.William produced another folder from a side table— it was thicker than she’d expected.
“You mentioned the more intimate protocols earlier,” William said directly.“This contains those agreements.”
Lauren accepted the folder, relieved that he wasn’t dancing around the subject.She opened it and began reading.
The document was comprehensive.Physical comfort measures included hand-holding, embracing, deliberately leaving scent traces, and potential shared sleeping arrangements, all with explicit consent requirements and safe words.
She paused at the disciplinary section, reading through protocols for structured correction—verbal guidance, physical consequences, including spanking when explicitly agreed to, all within carefully defined parameters and safety measures.
“The spanking protocols are very detailed,” she observed, not looking up from the page.
“They need to be,” Tyler said quietly.“It’s about providing security and grounding; they may be a form of punishment, but they are never meant to harm you.”
Ryan shifted slightly in his chair.“We wanted to be thorough.To make sure you felt safe with any boundaries you might want to explore.”
Lauren’s head snapped up, something sharp in her expression.“You wanted to be thorough?This isn’t about what you wanted, Ryan.This is about what I might need.”
The room went very quiet.Ryan’s face flushed slightly, and he nodded once.“You’re right.I’m sorry.I meant—we wanted to make sure you had options.Though the choice is entirely your own.”
William stepped in smoothly.“All of these protocols are optional.You can select some, none, or add others.And Ryan is only included if you specifically agree to his participation.”
Later, after they’d left her to consider the additional agreements, Tyler found her in the conservatory.She was sitting in a wicker chair surrounded by ferns and flowering vines, the second folder still in her lap.The air was warm and humid here, scented with jasmine and something earthy that reminded her of greenhouse visits as a child.
“Is it okay if I sit here with you?”he asked.“Or would you prefer to go somewhere else?”
“Here is fine,” she said, gesturing to the chair across from her.
Tyler settled himself carefully, his long legs folding gracefully.He didn’t crowd her space but sat close enough that his calming presence reached her, close enough that she could catch the subtle scent of cedar and something clean that was purely his.
“This is overwhelming,” Lauren admitted after a moment.
“I imagine it is,” he replied.“You’ve had a lot thrown at you in the past twenty-four hours.”
“It’s not just the agreements,” she said, fingering the edge of the folder.“It’s the whole situation.Ryan being here.This scent match thing.I spent years building a life where I didn’t have to think about any of this.”
Tyler was quiet for a moment, considering.“What did you think about instead?”
“My work.My research.Problems I could solve with logic and data.”She looked up at him.“Problems that made sense.”
“And we don’t make sense?”
Lauren almost smiled.“Not remotely.”
“That’s fair,” Tyler said, and his gentle humor made something loosen in her chest.“We probably don’t make sense to ourselves half the time.”
They sat in comfortable silence for a while, surrounded by the green growing things and the soft sound of water from a small fountain in the corner.
“Can I ask you something?”Lauren said eventually.
