Deviations: Submission (15 page)

"Possibly, sir. In the showers."

"Damn. Oh well, it can't be helped, I suppose," Tobias said regretfully. Perhaps he'd have a chance to play when Noah took vacation time. Tobias spread his legs, let his own shaft have room as it began to fill. "Now, more rules. Unless I specifically say, you don't have to ask me to speak. To speak frankly, yes, but you seem to have that worked out. You will not speak to me with disrespect, nor yell, nor threaten. You will not call me names nor will you curse at me. I know that things happen in scenes, of course-I'm speaking generally.

You will move quickly when I tell you to. You will think of my needs-if you are thirsty, offer me a drink. But don't neglect your needs-if you are thirsty, tell me that as well.

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"Note I said needs, not wishes. Needs are defined by your body-heat, food, liquid. If your restraints hurt and you don't think they should, ask me to check them. Understood?"

Noah nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Very good. Now, are you hungry?"

"Yes, sir. Are you?"

"Yes. There is a casserole in the oven. Put on your jeans-if they don't fit over the cage I have sweatpants for you."

Tobias stood up, rather regretfully. He liked watching Noah like this and would have preferred to stay, letting his desire build. However, eating meant that he could take Noah out to the playroom-and there was plenty of opportunity there for him to indulge in other, baser hungers.

Noah reached for his jeans and took his time stepping into them. They were loose and hung slightly on his hips anyway, so he didn't have any problem getting them on over the belt.

He paused for a moment as if thinking over what he might be forgetting to do, but evidently came up with nothing and squared his shoulders again. "I'm ready, sir."

Tobias smiled. "I hope so." He left the room, leaving the nipple clamps on the floor and Noah's other clothes on the chair. He listened to Noah's breathing as they went down the stairs and smiled to himself as the plug made itself known.

In the kitchen he showed Noah where the dishes were, the serving spoons, and everything else he'd need, then sat at the table to watch. Mostly he wanted to be available for questions before they moved to the dining room to eat, but he wasn't immune to the pleasure of watching Noah move.

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Noah moved about the kitchen, albeit slowly as the apparatus shifted and tugged against his jeans. He took a few minutes to set the dining room table, and Tobias went to the larger room with him.

"What can I get you to drink, sir?" Noah asked before hunting down the oven mitts and removing the casserole from the oven.

"Just ice water, please."

Noah ended up pouring them both glasses before he brought the casserole to the table to serve Tobias. "This smells wonderful, I suppose Mrs. Miller made it? She's a genius; I'm going to have to ask her for some tips." He spooned out a serving of the casserole onto Tobias' plate.

"Salt and pepper, sir?"

"No, thank you."

He'd decided early on that he wouldn't make Noah kneel to eat-the man really wasn't a slave, and Tobias still remembered the indignity of eating that way during his own training; as far as he was concerned, it would make Noah feel humiliated, and that was not acceptable. They both sat at the table, and once more Noah waited for Tobias to begin eating before lifting his fork.

Tobias ate slowly, enjoying the meal. Mrs. Miller really had pulled out the stops, making a simple casserole a thing of beauty-Tobias suspected she was trying to impress Noah, which was nice to know. He really hadn't been sure how she'd react to his having a guest once more. "If you'd like, you're free to leave a note," he told Noah. "As you get more used to our routine you may even want to try specific recipes or 132

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meals. You'll be able to leave lists for her to make sure she has the things you need." He smiled, watching Noah keep his eyes on his plate. "She adores flattery, and there's little more flattering than a request for advice."

Sitting seemed a bit of a challenge for Noah and Tobias did his best not to laugh at him.

"I did make an effort to make a good impression, sir. I'm sure it was over the top, but at least she knew I wanted her to like me." Noah said. "And you really hadn't told me anything about her, so I'm glad she didn't press that point."

He grinned and took another bite of his dinner.

Tobias could tell that Noah was hungry and could have eaten more, but he stopped after only a few bites. He did, however, finish his water. "Can I get you more water, sir?"

"No, thank you. You can, however, eat more-you'll do me little good if you pass out from hunger. I won't be giving you a hard workout tonight, merely a taste." Tobias finished his own plate a little more quickly, his eagerness to show Noah the playroom getting the better of him. He'd spent a good portion of the afternoon out there, putting the new things away and making sure the equipment was in perfect order.

"And please remind me to have flowers sent to my partner-I left her rather abruptly today, and I'm sure she thinks I've lost my mind." He smiled, remembering the look on Deidre's face as he fled the clinic. She hadn't been angry, but she'd been knowing; a bribe was in order merely to avoid the questions.

"Yes, sir, I'll remind you." Noah took several more bites, slowly but obediently. When he was finished, he shifted once 133

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more in his seat and stood, letting the leather settle again. He started to reach for Tobias' plate but pulled his hand back quickly. "Would you care for seconds or are you finished, sir?"

Sighing, Tobias pointed to the floor and watched Noah kneel, a sharp inhale accompanying the shift of his harness.

Gently, Tobias said, "I know you're nervous and probably have first night jitters, but we might as well start right. Each night you will have your day's punishment and each morning will begin with your daily discipline. That was one stroke for tonight; you'll keep track. If your count is different from mine we'll combine them. Now, I am done in fact, so you may take my plate and do the dishes. When you're done, come back upstairs to the safe room, and we'll continue."

"Yes, sir," Noah answered with a quiet sigh. He took a moment and then stood, picking up both plates from the table and putting them in the sink. Tobias went upstairs and heard nothing but the sound of running water and the clink of dishes until Noah appeared in the doorway of the safe room.

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Chapter 12

Tobias went to Noah and stroked his cheek with the back of his hand. "Well done, boy. We're leaving the house so I want you to put your sweater on-it's a little chilly out. It's not far so we won't worry about socks, just shoes."

"Yes, sir." Noah went to the chair and retrieved his sweater, then waited while Tobias got the stable keys from the cabinet.

"I've been looking forward to this," Tobias said softly. "I've spent a good part of this week finding new toys to use on you, boy."

He noted that Noah fell in stride behind him with ease.

"Thank you, sir," Noah said. "I have been looking forward to the weekend as well." He followed Tobias down the stairs, Tobias moving them as quickly as Noah could manage, and then out the door into the chilly fall air.

Tobias pointed to the largest of his three buildings as they walked up the hard packed lane. "That's the stable and barn.

There's a paddock out behind, and on the other side of the barn is the start of an indoor riding ring. It's not a pressing project and looks like it'll cost more than I'd expected so I'm letting it slide for now. There are four horses at the moment; if you ride, I'd like some help exercising them. If not, you'll have to merely be content with cleaning the stalls."

Noah followed Tobias, looking out at the buildings as Tobias pointed them out. "I ride, sir," Noah told him with a smile. "Or, rode my whole life until I moved to the city, 135

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anyway. I grew up with horses. I haven't been in the saddle for a few years, but I'm sure it will come back to me."

Tobias grinned. "I might even take out the plug. If you're a very good boy."

"Thank you, sir. I will be." Tobias heard Noah chuckle softly over his shoulder.

"You'll still be doing stalls," Tobias pointed out. He felt good-light on his feet, full of energy ... and calm. He couldn't seem to stop smiling, which was something he'd have to get a bit more control over. He pointed to the smallest building, to their left. "That's storage, mostly equipment. The tractor, the plow, that sort of thing. Any chemicals. And this used to be the old stables."

Instead of taking Noah to the door he walked them along the side and pointed to the windows. "The light is bad right now, but in the daytime you can tell the shutters are actually solid. They won't open. There's a door at either end and a fire exit built in halfway, but any functional windows are high up.

The interior has been entirely soundproofed and reinforced, with new plumbing and wiring in the last fifteen years."

Tobias heard a light whistling sound as Noah ran his fingers over a shutter. "Whoa." Clearly Noah was so awed by Tobias' description that the words came out unbidden.

"Thank you." Tobias was proud of his playroom, he'd never deny it. However, it really only inspired awe in other players, and as he rarely brought anyone here it was still a novelty to see someone else's admiration. "It's been a lot of work. Come on in-the interior should take your breath away."

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He led Noah back to the door, and this time he unlocked the main bolt and the two hidden ones. He reached in to turn on the lights, making sure that only the center track went on before he threw the door open.

"Welcome, Noah. You'll be spending a lot of time here, so I hope you like it."

Noah followed Tobias inside. He was wide-eyed to say the very least. "Oh, my God," he said several times as he made his way down the long center aisle peering into the stalls.

"Oh, my God."

Standing at the door, by what had originally been the tack room, Tobias watched Noah explore and flicked lights on to illuminate areas just ahead of him, enticing him forward. Past the first set of stalls, one on either side, which contained little more than supplies, to the second set, decorated for scenes.

The one on the left had been Phan's favorite, a room set up to look like an office. He'd liked to play student and headmaster

. On the right, a pile of pillows, the wall lined with chains. A third set, these larger than the others, with manacles on the wall and pulleys. Chains fell from the ceiling and each had a sling. The last set of stalls, save one set-one white, one black.

He watched Noah move, noted which stalls he lingered over, which he passed by quickly but came back to. The entire time, Noah whispered to himself, exclamations of joy, of wonder, and of surprise at the sheer number of stalls all set up and ready to be used. As he moved to the last set of stalls Tobias turned on the lights beyond them, revealing the ring. As the lights went up, showing off the huge area, he 137

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dimmed the rest, making it look like the prize at the end of a long journey.

The last stalls he left dark, knowing that the ring would distract Noah nicely.

"Go on," he urged softly as he walked up behind his boy.

"Go look. Strip naked and wander in my playroom, sweetheart. I want to watch you explore, I want to watch you move, on display for me."

Noah gave every impression of a kid in a candy store. He obeyed quickly, removing his sweater first and then his jeans.

Moving about seemed easier for him now, or maybe he was just too distracted by the enormous ring to notice any discomfort.

He put his things discreetly in a corner and then wandered the room slowly, touching everything, running his fingers over smooth, rich leather, testing the strength of restraints, even standing or sitting or kneeling to test them out. "I've never seen a place like this outside of the club." He stopped by the padded, leather-clad spanking bench and lay down on his stomach across it. Then he grinned and stood up again and moved on to the next piece. "This is incredible, sir."

"I prefer it to a club," Tobias said honestly. He watched Noah move to examine the Saint Andrew's Cross and then the faux antique library table, crouching down to see the iron rings at the corners. His ass was a beautiful thing, taut and sweet, marked by the leather holding the plug. "If only because here I know the weight of every tool, know exactly what it will do."

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Tobias walked to the center of the huge space, to where as a child he'd held the end of the lunge line and put the horses through their paces. He'd placed his chair there, a massive thing of walnut and leather, almost a throne but more ...

ominous. He sat, once more spreading his legs to allow his erection some comfort. From this vantage he could watch every twitch of Noah's muscles.

"Take a look in the boxes, if you'd like. The steamer trunks have toys, the wooden chests have floggers, whips. There's fur in one of them, leather in another ... it's safe to say that if there is a sensation you crave, I can give it to you."

Sensation, in Tobias' mind, was second only to meeting, accepting, and rejoicing in one's own nature. Sensation drove him, sensation pulled him, sensation was what he sought to give and to take. With one hand he idly rubbed his cock, with both eyes he watched Noah seek.

"Thank you, sir." Noah reached for one of the trunks, opened it, and peered in. He pulled out a flogger and looked it over, trading it for another and trying this second one out lightly on his thigh. "Nice," he murmured, then set those back and moved onto the next trunk, peering in for a long moment. He knelt next to this one and pulled out a length of silk. He ran it over his thighs, and across his cock which twitched with interest but could do little else locked in its cage. He put it back and pulled out a length of mink, which he rubbed his cheek against for a moment. "Soft things are nice too," he whispered quietly before returning the fur to its box and standing to close it.