She laughed. The low seductive tone never failed to make him hard.

“There’s only one person going to tie me up,” she said.

He felt unexpectedly pleased at her reference and an overwhelming feeling of something that felt almost like possessiveness burned through his body. “You got that right.”

She sighed. “I guess a little bit more anticipation won’t hurt me.”

Probably not, he thought, but his erection wasn’t especially the most pleasant feeling in the world. Might as well do something about it.

“Talking about tomorrow night has me hard,” he said. “Let’s build that anticipation a bit more.”

From the other end of the phone came a low moan and he smiled. “I believe the correct response would be, ‘Yes, sir. If it pleases you.’”

Her reply was a whisper. “Yes, sir. If it pleases you.”

“Good girl, kitten. Now put the phone on speaker and undress for me.”

While she followed his order, he took time to slip out of his own clothes and put his phone on speaker.

“Okay, I’m finished,” she said.

“Okay, I’m finished, sir.”

“Okay, I’m finished, sir.”

“Thank you. Now for neglecting to call me sir, you get a punishment,” he said. “I’m not there to spank you, so instead take a picture of yourself naked and text it to me.”

Silence from the other side of the phone.

“Julie?”

“Yes, sir?”

“You have words if this is too much.” He felt the need to remind her; asking her to take a naked picture and send it to him might be more than she could handle at this point.

“Yellow.”

“Thank you for being honest, kitten. What’s wrong?”

“I know you’re not going to post pictures of me on the Internet. I know that. It’s just, once it’s out there, it’s out there.”

“I promise you as soon as this call is over, I’ll delete it. I won’t download it anywhere or show it to anyone. If you still don’t want to do it, say ‘red.’ We’ll say our good-byes and good-nights and have a wonderful day tomorrow. Otherwise, send the picture and we’ll continue. It’s up to you, so take your time deciding.”

He waited patiently while she thought. He knew he had to give her the time and space to make her own decision. Needed her to realize she was the one who decided the next step.

He’d prepared himself for her to say “red” when a soft chime alerted him to an incoming text. I trust you, it said, followed by a picture of her naked from the chest down. He felt the enormity of the gift she’d just given him.

“I’m honored and pleased by your trust, Julie,” he said, swallowing around the lump in his throat. “It isn’t something I take lightly.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Now I want you on your back in bed with your knees spread.” He pictured her situating herself. “One hand on your breast, the other checking to see how wet you are.”

“Wet, sir.”

“Good girl, now palm your breast, gently pinching a nipple, but gradually and gradually get harder.”

One day in the future he’d put nipple clamps on her. He had a feeling she’d like them. It was so easy to imagine her in his playroom, decorated for his pleasure.

From the other side of the phone came a short gasp.

“Did you pinch hard, kitten?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. Now, see if you’re wetter.”

“I know I am, sir.”

“Such a naughty kitten, getting off on pinching her nipples.”

“What about you, sir?” she asked in that sultry voice that drove him wild. “Are you hard?”

He loved her playful side. “I’m so hard it hurts,” he said, stroking himself. “If you were here, I’d have you suck my dick to take the edge off. Then just before I came in your mouth, I’d pull out so I could finish in that tight pussy.”

She groaned again. “I wish I were with you, sir.”

“You will be tomorrow night.”

“But your friend will be there.”

“We’ll have time together, don’t doubt it.”

“I’m horribly impatient.”

“Don’t tempt me to withhold orgasm from you,” he warned. “I can teach you patience.”

She knew he could do it; it’d been on the checklist she’d filled out. It hadn’t been marked as a hard limit.

“I’m patience personified, sir.”

He chuckled and decided not to call her bluff. He’d already pushed her by having her send the picture. Now it was time for him to reward the trust she’d given him.

“Are you still in position?” he asked.

“Yes, sir.”

“Good girl. Now take your finger and circle your clit, but don’t touch it.”

He listened carefully for her sharp intake of breath, smiling when it came.

“Ready to come, kitten?”

“Yes, please, sir.”

One day soon, he’d have to work on delaying her orgasm, stretching it out so she could take more of the pleasure he had to show her.

“I’m going to stroke my cock in a steady rhythm,” he said. “You follow along with me, however you wish.”

He took himself in his hand. “Ready?”

“Yes, sir.”

Stroking his cock, he started slow. “Now. Now. Now. Are you following me?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Let me hear you.”

She followed each of his “now’s” with a “yes” of her own and together they kept up his tempo.

“Now.”

“Yes.”

“Now.”

“Yes.”

He gradually went faster and she went with him, until he finally felt his climax rushing forward. “Whenever you want, kitten.”

She came in a rugged sigh and he followed, spilling in his hand.

“Mmmm,” she said.

“Did that help ease your anticipation?” he asked.

“No, sir. I think it only made me want you more. My fingers are a poor substitute for the real thing.”

Her honesty was enchanting and he found himself laughing. “Trust me, kitten, I feel the same. I’ll take you over my hand any day.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow. I guess that’s not so long.”

He thought briefly about telling her she couldn’t come again until he gave her permission, but decided against it. If everything went the way he planned, there would be plenty of time to claim ownership of her orgasms.

“Long enough, Julie. Long enough.”

They spoke for a few more minutes, revising their plans and saying good-nights. Not long after hanging up, he made his way down to the playroom to plan.

* * *

Daniel decided to work from home the next day, so he heard Cole trudge into the kitchen around noon.

“Feel better?” he called from his home office.

Cole gave a grunt that might have been an affirmative reply.

Daniel sent the e-mail he’d been working on and went into the kitchen. “Sleep well?”

His friend looked better after a shower, a shave, and a decent night’s sleep, but there was still an underlying fatigue in his eyes. “Like the dead.”

“Ready to talk about why you’re going halfway around the world for months?”

Cole took a deep breath. “Kate left me.”

The news was so unexpected, Daniel sat down. Kate had been Cole’s girlfriend and submissive for years. “No. Cole, I’m sorry. When she wasn’t with you last night, I just assumed she’d be following later. What happened?”

“There was only one thing we ever argued about on a regular basis.”

“The baby issue.” It had been an ongoing battle between the two for almost as long as Daniel could remember. Kate wanted children and Cole didn’t.

“It’s not an area you can compromise on,” Cole said. “You either have kids or you don’t. She eventually decided kids were more important than me.”

“I’m sure it wasn’t exactly like that.”

“Trust me, it was exactly like that.”

Daniel chose his next words carefully. Cole was hurting, but Daniel wouldn’t be much of a friend if he didn’t tell the truth. “You know that if you’re in pain over losing her, you can’t escape it by running.”

“Maybe not, but I can sure as hell avoid it for a while.”

“You know you’re always welcome here.”

“Thanks.” Cole smiled, but it looked forced. “How about you? Did you and Dena ever, you know?”

Cole had always thought Daniel should make more of a move with Dena. No matter how often Daniel insisted they were and would always be just friends and occasional play partners, Cole had the idea stuck in his head.

“No. I’m actually seeing someone new. She’s coming for dinner tonight, you can meet her.”

“New woman? Nice.”

“She’ll probably be spending the night.”

“Ah, hell.”

Daniel knew what Cole was thinking. Could only imagine how he felt. “I’m sorry. I invited her before you arrived.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll be okay.” He stood up. “I’m going to go for a run. Clear my head.”

Daniel nodded. “Trail hasn’t changed.” The pond had always been a favorite spot of Cole’s to run when he visited and needed time and space to think. Daniel was under no misconception that one run would aid Cole in exorcising his personal demons, but maybe it would be a start.

* * *

The first thing Julie noticed about Cole was his eyes. They were a stunning bluish green, and though his mouth smiled, his eyes didn’t. She wondered what made him so sad and if his warm smile fooled most people.

“Julie,” he said, shaking her hand and speaking in a smooth British accent. “So good to meet you. Cole Johnson.”

“Cole Johnson,” she said. “Daniel didn’t give me your name. I love your writing. Especially your piece on the diamond mines.”

His eyes widened with shock and then he playfully pushed Daniel aside and took her arm. “Daniel vastly underestimated your many charms. Come sit beside me at dinner. We’ll talk.”