Chapter Ten

Note to self: There is a world outside Toffer’s house. Don’t allow yourself to become too accustomed to this wonderful feeling. He’s never mentioned anything about forever.

To Do List:

Finish last four chapters of novel Answer Lindsey’s e-mail and convince her that I’m all right Return Becca’s call with same message Try to behave myself and not jump Master’s bones when he comes home tonight Grace was becoming accustomed to California. She’d been here for five days now and each day was an improvement over the last one. Even though it was February, it was beautiful outside. Not exactly hot, but it was in the seventies. And Becca had told her that it was snowing, again, in Boulder.

She knew that it wasn’t just California she was enjoying. Her time with Toffer was wonderful. She clenched her muscles and smiled as the plug she was wearing moved inside her. Master required her to wear it for three hours each day. He said it gave him a silent thrill to know she was here obeying his wishes. And it gave her more than a silent thrill.

In the five days since she’d been submitting to Toffer, she’d had more orgasms than she’d had in her entire life. And in more varied ways. He still hadn’t taken her to the dungeon. He said he was saving that for Sunday, when he had an entire day to ‘torture’ her. He’d raised his eyebrows up and down and then laughed maniacally.

She read over her carefully worded e-mail to Lindsey, who was frantic about not being able to find her friend after she’d called the school and been told that Grace was on suspension.

The subject line had screamed, ‘Where The Hell Are You!’ and Grace had winced. It was unfair of her not to have told Lindsey what was happening. Even though her friend was very busy, Grace knew she would try and contact her at some point. She felt horrible that she hadn’t been there to answer the phone, or to offer assurances that things were fine.

In her answer, she’d explained the problem, and said that she was staying in Denver with friends. She hated lying to her, but if she told the truth then Lindsey was liable to find out about the party, and Peter would kill Grace. She finished the email with ‘I’m fine, really. More than fine. Don’t worry about me, because I’m beginning to think this is for the best. My writing has never been better. And I think I might have sold a story.’

Grace clicked on the letter from the online publisher expressing interest in a short story and asking to see more of her work. She couldn’t wait to show it to Toffer tonight. She’d already shared it with Millie, who offered to cook a special dinner for the two of them to celebrate.

When the e-mail was sent, Grace opened her short stories file to try and decide what to send to the publisher. She was deep into reading a story she’d written several years ago, when a woman’s voice sounded from the door of the library.

“Does Drake know what you do all day, what he’s paying you for?”

Grace looked up to see an absolutely stunning woman looking at her; anger blazed on her face.

“Excuse me?”

“Well, I guess you’re the new housekeeper since the other fat one is gone.”

A look at her watch showed that it was just after four. Millie had gone to the store to pick up steaks and a bottle of wine for dinner tonight.

“Who are you?”

“I’m Drake’s girlfriend, Giselle.” When Grace didn’t respond, the woman huffed.

“The model? I don’t have to clean someone else’s house for a living like you obviously do. Although it doesn’t look like you’re doing more than sitting on your ass.”

Grace straightened her back. “I’m not a maid. I’m Toffer’s guest.”

The woman laughed. “Toffer? He left that name behind long ago. If you’re his ‘guest’, you would know that.”

“And if you’re his ‘girlfriend’ I would have seen you before now, seeing as how I’ve been here for almost a week.”

Grace could see the moment understanding dawned in the model. She’d obviously been ignored for a while, and now she knew why. She couldn’t help feeling smug over the fact.

“I don’t believe that he would dump me for your fat ass.”

“I don’t care what you believe,” Grace said as she stood.

Giselle looked her up and down. “Well, maybe he wanted to play with your tits. But he’ll tire of those before long. Other than your tits, you’re much too fat for his tastes. Drake and I have been an item for years. I won’t let you come between us, so I suggest you pack and leave.”

“How did you get in here?” Millie’s voice was harsh.

“Through the gate. I know the code, remember?”

“You need to leave.”

“No. I plan on having a nice dinner with Drake. It’s being delivered, so you can shove off. And you, guest, can just go to your room. You’re not invited to this party.”

“Well, since I’m staying in Toffer’s room, I guess I’ll just go up there. Millie, don’t worry about cooking. Toffer and I will do it when he gets home. And you, Giselle, can be the one to shove off. Something tells me Toffer didn’t invite you, and he won’t be happy to find you here.”

Grace picked up her laptop and left with her head held high. She knew that Toffer wanted her here. For five days, she had seen neither hide nor hair of this woman, not a toothbrush or a T-shirt. Toffer had never mentioned her and Grace trusted him implicitly. She was sure that if Giselle was here when Toffer got home that the fur was going to fly.

***

Toffer frowned at the myriad of cars in his driveway. Millie and Rafe were still here. There was a delivery van from a popular LA restaurant and beyond that… Shit. Giselle’s car. Did the woman not take a hint? He’d told her they were done the other day. He mentally kicked himself. He hadn’t, however, taken back the key or changed the code at the gate.

He walked inside of the house and stopped in the foyer. It was eerily silent. “Grace?”

“In here, Toffer.” Her voice was low and sweet and he grinned. He found them all in the kitchen. Giselle was paying the delivery boy, an eager college student who was staring openly at the beautiful model. Grace was sitting at the bar, smiling, and Millie was biting her thumbnail. Rafe was standing guard in the doorway to the dining room.

“Darling!” Giselle’s voice rang out as she ran to him. He caught her before she could fling herself at him and pushed her away.

“What are you doing here?”

“Well, I know we had a tiff, but I forgive you. Your little houseguest, however, is less than cordial. I told her that you would want to be alone with me, but…”

“Giselle, I don’t want to be anywhere with you. I thought I made that clear. I want you to leave.”

“Drake.” She pushed her full lips into a pout. The delivery boy moaned out a “man, you’re nuts,” and Grace tried, and failed, to hide a laugh behind her hands.

“Who is this woman, anyway?” Giselle pointed toward Grace. “You’re replacing me with that fat bitch?”

“Grace is a sweet, loving woman that I’ve come to care a great deal about,” Toffer said. “I’m sorry, Giselle, if you didn’t understand me the other day when I said we were done. But let me say it again. We’re done. Please give me your keys and leave. Take the delivery boy home and fuck him. Maybe he’ll give you the dinner for free.”

Giselle’s slap resounded through the room. Toffer ran his hand along his cheek and didn’t move. The model stomped to her keys, fumbled with them until she’d freed two from her ring, which she promptly turned and threw at Grace.

“There, now you don’t have to have copies made.” Then she ran out the front door.

“Hey, man, somebody’s gotta pay for this food and the fine chick didn’t finish paying for it.”

Toffer nodded and took out his wallet; he placed two hundred dollars in the man’s outstretched hand.

“Thanks, Mr. Dawson. Later.” Then he leaned toward Toffer. “Just between us dudes, I think you should have taken the skinny chick. She’s freaking hot.”

Millie broke out in apologies the minute the van pulled out of the driveway. Toffer held up his hand.

“This is my fault. I should have taken her keys earlier. It’s been over for a long time; you know that.”

Millie nodded, and then Rafe propelled his wife out the door.

“I’m sorry, Grace.”

He was surprised when Grace laughed. “Toffer, I learned years ago not to pay attention to what women like that say about me. Besides, I knew that you wanted me.”

“I want all of you.”

“It would be a shame to waste that beautiful dinner. You did pay for it.”

Toffer laughed. “Send it upstairs on the dumbwaiter. We’ll use it for a little lesson in submission.”

***

“Open.” Grace sat up, fighting for her balance with her arms clipped behind her back, and took the offered bite of food into her mouth. She was naked, as she always was in the bedroom and she felt very vulnerable.

She watched Master take a bite of the steak and chew.

“Submission isn’t just about sex. It’s about giving up control. It’s about compassion and building up trust. Learning to eat from my hand will build trust. I’ve been lax since you got here. You haven’t stood in the corner once. Not in five days. And I’ve only whipped you once. Bite.”

Grace took a bite of the potatoes. She’d been instructed not to talk until she was given permission. It was very hard to obey that instruction. She wanted to voice her opinion on the matter.

“I blame my laxness on the fact that I’ve been bewitched by you. The minute I saw you, I couldn’t wait to fuck you. Tomorrow, we’ll spend time in the dungeon. I’m going to teach you about delaying orgasm. And I’m going to teach you how pain can turn into pleasure, which means I’m going to introduce you to the clit clamp.”

Grace widened her eyes and took another bite. She’d been dreading that clit clamp. But his other words affected her more than the idea of the clamp. She bewitched him? Those words buried themselves in her brain and took root. He’d kicked a beautiful model out of his house and Grace bewitched him. Did she dare hope that he loved her? She knew that she was feeling love for him.

“Here’s how tonight’s going to work. When I’m done feeding you you’re going to stand in the corner for thirty minutes. Then we’ll watch some TV and go to bed, just like an old married couple. Except for the fact that I’m going to tie you to the bed before you go to sleep. You’ll sleep bound to the bed frame.”

Grace shook her head violently. There was no way she could sleep while she was tied up. No way at all.

“Yes. I’m impressed that you didn’t talk, but that doesn’t change what’s going to happen. This will put you in a very submissive frame of mind for tomorrow. This involves trust, Lolly. You have to trust me not to bind you too tightly, not to make it so you would get hurt. Do you trust me, Grace?”

“Yes, Master.”

“Good. Then let us begin.”