Page 59 of Hog Tied

“Wow, okay, then by all means, continue,” I said, laughing.

“Let’s go out and see to our slaves, shall we?”

“Let’s.”

The two surprised me, though Ryan didn’t seem shocked to find them kneeling in the living room, facing the couch. Ryan told Brett, “Put some wood on that fire. It’s getting a little chilly in here.”

“Yes, Master,” he said like he was saying hello, just that casually.

Theo was prim and proper, hands behind his back, clasping his wrists. For once, his chin being raised wasn’t a sign of haughtiness; it was pride. I saw it plainly on him. His tiny chest stuck out with it; his entire being screamed it.

“Theo, how’s the kitchen?”

His eyes rose to meet mine as he said, “Finished…Master.”

Master. I didn’t think I’d ever get used to being called that. I sat on the couch closer to his face and whispered, “My God, Theo, you’re beautiful like this.”

“Thank you, Master. You’re always beautiful.”

I didn’t know how to take that either. Theo wasn’t one to dish out compliments. “Thank you.”

Ryan cleared his throat to get my attention, then gestured as if he had a phone.

“Oh, right. Theo, you need to make your list. Go to your room and make it now, pen and paper, not on your laptop or tablet.”

I saw his brow crease briefly, but he rose and started to the stairs.

“Congratulations, Master,” Ryan said to me. “That was step one.”

“And I almost choked on my tongue.”

“It’s not easy at first; you think you’re being hateful. You’re not. This is a kind of love that few on this earth will know. Brett…he loves me, and whatever we did, it only made it stronger.”

“Okay. Okay, I’ll do this. I…know I want to; I’m just unsure of myself.”

“Master, may I?”

Ryan nodded to Brett, who turned back to me. “You can’t be unsure. If you don’t want this, don’t feel confident in this, he’ll know. It’ll make him unsure.”

Thinking of that, of Theo being hurt in any way, was unfathomable. “Okay. Thank you. I needed to hear that.”

“Good. We’ll begin as soon as Theo’s got his limits.”

Chapter Fourteen

When things got started, they started quickly. My head was spinning with everything Ryan and Brett were teaching me, from how to speak, hold myself, and what to do with the brat when he was a brat.

Theo came down, presenting his list to me, and we reviewed them. Brett rolled his eyes as soon as I read Theo’s list, and I stopped reading to ask him what was wrong.

“Pain, Theo. You aren’t mentioning it at all.”

Ryan took the list from me gently, reading it over. “He’s right, Theo.”

“I don’t…I don’t know,” Theo confessed. “I mean, in theory, it’s a turn-on, sure. But…I’ve never experienced it, not really.”

“I got rough with you,” Ryan said to him.

“Rough is one thing; real pain is another.”

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