His to Command #4: The Arrangement

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Also by Opal Carew

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Kate steeled herself for what was to come. “What is it?”

“You know I met her because she’d done some legal work for a charity I’d been involved with. We had a few lunches together to talk about details and found we had some similar interests.”

He’d told Kate a little about this before they’d gone to Ileana’s party, so Kate knew he was referring to their common interest in the BDSM lifestyle.

“She and I became casual friends, and when she invited us to her party, I had thought it would be a great way for you to meet others in the lifestyle.”

Kate nodded. “I remember.”

“Yes, of course. The thing is, later it became clear that she wanted us to be more than friends. Since you and I were in a relationship, she must have seen this as an opportunity to get you out of the way.”

Shock seeped through her. “Are you saying that she did what she did to scare me off?”

“I’m really sorry, Kate. I had no idea she’d do such a thing.”

Her chest tightened. “So, did you date her?”

He sighed deeply. “Yes, briefly. After you and I broke up, she ensured she was conveniently around to console me.” He squeezed her hand in his. “And I missed you so much.”

Pain tore at his voice.

Kate’s heart ached at the thought of Ileana holding Matt close, whispering soft words of comfort in his ear. Then that comfort turned to passion.

The thought of that witch taking Kate’s man—pleasuring him and making love to him—made Kate ill.

Matt covered her hand with his, and the comforting warmth calmed her.

“I know you must hate me.”

Her gaze darted to his face. “Hate you?” She rested her hand on his cheek. “Matt, I could never hate you.”

As Matt gazed into her warm and loving eyes, he couldn’t believe she was willing to forgive him for being with Illy after what the woman had done to Kate. He had expected to see hatred in her eyes.

He knew he should take this opportunity and tell her the rest, but he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t bear to see her trusting look wither and die completely. Not yet.

And it wouldn’t be fair to her. Because at least now she would accept his financial help to get her company on track again. If he told her everything now, she would probably walk away. Or more likely run.

They sat in silence for a while, both wrapped in their own thoughts, as the miles passed them by.

“Kate, maybe we can’t be together, but I want to help you. I really think that you could learn to accept your submissive nature, and I’d like to help you do that.”

“What are you suggesting?”

He gazed deeply into her eyes. “You said you trust me.”

She nodded. “I do.”

“Then I have a proposal.”

The car made a right turn, then curved around and came to a stop. Matt glanced out the car window and realized they were at the entrance to an apartment building.

“We’re here, Mr. Pearce,” the driver, whom they were still separated from by the glass barrier, said through the speaker.

Kate glanced out the window at the familiar front door to her apartment building. She wanted to hear what Matt had to say, and she really didn’t want to say good-bye yet.

“Would you like to come up for a coffee?”

He smiled. “I’d like that.”

The driver opened her door and she got out and stepped toward the entrance. Matt spoke to the driver for a moment, then followed her.

As they walked across the lobby, Ellen came through the door from the parking garage. She smiled when she saw Kate and hurried to join them at the elevator doors.

“Hi, Kate.” Ellen smiled broadly and glanced toward Matt.

“Hi, Ellen. Matt, this is my friend and neighbor, Ellen.”

Matt shook hands with her. “Nice to meet you.”

The whole time Ellen beamed at him.

“Ellen, this is Matt. We used to know each other when I lived in New York.” Kate knew Ellen was well aware this was Kate’s ex. And from the broad grin on her face, she knew Ellen suspected they were getting together again.

If only it were true. Kate was disappointed that Matt had cut off that possibility so definitely. Yet, he had some kind of proposal for her and she was dying to know what it was.

The elevator door whooshed open and the three of them stepped inside.

“So you’re visiting from New York?” Ellen said. “Will you be in town long?”

“No, I’ll be heading back this afternoon.”

“Oh, that’s too bad. It’s a shame you and Kate couldn’t spend more time together.”

“We’ll definitely be spending more time together since I’m hoping Kate will take me up on my offer to invest in her company.”

“Really?” Ellen gazed at Kate with wide eyes. “That’s wonderful.”

“We’re going to discuss it over coffee,” Kate said, not wanting Ellen to get the wrong idea.

The elevator dinged as it stopped at Ellen’s floor.

“Well, I hope it all works out.” The door opened and Ellen stepped out, sending them a little wave as the doors closed.

“She seems nice,” Matt said as the elevator continued moving.

“She is. She struck up a conversation with me when we were in the laundry room shortly after I moved here, and I guess she could tell I really needed a friend. She stepped into that role, and I’m glad she did. I appreciate her friendship and support. I know I can call on her anytime I need it.”

“I’m glad you found someone in your time of need.” His expression grew serious. “I wish I could have filled that role for you.”

Kate shrugged. “If I’d still had you in my life, I never would have been starting out all alone in a new town.” She smiled. “I’m sure you would have let me stay with you for a while until I’d gotten back on my feet.”

When the jobs had dried up, and the payments on her Manhattan apartment continued, she’d quickly realized that she had to make a change. She’d thought about renting another, more affordable apartment after she sold her place and staying in the city until she found something, but that would have left her in a precarious situation. When the opportunity in Connecticut had come up, she’d jumped at it. If she and Matt had still been dating, however, she knew he
wouldn’t have minded her staying with him while she worked things out. That would have given her the luxury of time before she’d have to make a move.

“Of course I would.” Matt’s expression tightened with regret.

“It’s okay. You couldn’t help what happened.”

Matt nodded, but it wasn’t true. He hadn’t known about the lies Ileana had told, or what had happened to Kate, but he did know why Kate had such trouble finding a job afterward, and he could have done something about it.

The elevator came to a stop.

“This is my floor,” Kate said.

Matt followed her from the elevator and down the hall to her apartment door. As soon as he stepped inside, he knew this was Kate’s place. Bookshelves lined the walls, full of colorful books of all types. She loved books: romance, mystery, DIY, decorating, art. She had very eclectic tastes in her decor, too. She had the same beige couches with bright floral cushions he remembered, along with what looked like a new a glider rocker, and the large TV armoire her mother had given her. She used to read about feng shui and she’d told him once that a television should be hidden from view when not in use. For some reason, it was supposed to improve the energy of the room.

“Nice place,” he said as he took off his shoes.

“Thanks. Not as ritzy as your penthouse, but it’s home.” She put her purse in the closet.

“Come in. Would you like coffee?”

“Please.” He walked into the living room and sat down on the couch.

He could hear Kate moving around in the kitchen and the clatter of cups and cutlery. He pulled out his cell and checked his e-mail while he waited. Nothing urgent, just an acknowledgment from his company lawyer that they’d get right on the contracts first thing Monday morning.

Kate returned a few moments later with a tray that held mugs, cream, sugar, and a coffee thermos. She set it on the table and poured them both a cup, then put sugar and cream in hers. She knew he took his black.

Kate sat across from him on the rocker. “You said you had a proposal for me.” She seemed anxious to hear what he had to say.

“Yes. Although I don’t think you and I can be together, I do believe you’ll eventually find a man who will make you happy and I think you’ll have to face your discomfort, fear, whatever you want to call it, about being submissive. I believe if you meet the right man, and he handles things properly, I think you can be very happy.”

She looked disappointed as she sipped her coffee. “That’s not a proposal.”

“True.” He leaned forward. “What I propose is that I could help you to learn more about being a submissive so you can embrace that side of yourself.”

She put down her mug and gazed at him with interest. “How would you do that?”

“I was thinking we could spend some time together, maybe a week or so, and I could train you. Sort of an intensive training course on how to be a submissive.”

Her eyes grew keen with interest. “Train me how? I mean…would there be sex involved?”

“There doesn’t have to be. I could teach you how to serve your Master, what kinds of things he might expect of you, how you should behave.”

“But with no sex.”

“It would be like learning the theory of flying before you actually go up in the plane.”

She picked up her cup again and sipped. “But what if”—her fingertip circled around the rim of the cup—“I want to go up in the plane?”

At her words, and the sultry look she shot him, his cock swelled.

Could he really allow them to go this route even though there would be no romantic relationship between them? Then he thought about her calling him “Sir,” and assuming submissive positions, and he wondered if he could survive
not
having sex with her.

“Wouldn’t it make the experience more realistic? I’d learn better, wouldn’t I?”

“Well, yes, that’s true. If it’s okay with you, and you understand it won’t lead to anything else…” He sent her a questioning glance.

She nodded. “Yes, you’ve made that clear.”

He gave a single nod. “Okay, then, you’ll get the full experience.”

“I’m curious what you’ll be training me to do. Could you give me an example?”

“Certainly. Put down your cup and sit up straight,” he said slipping into his authoritative Dom voice.

She followed his instructions. As she sat up, her breasts thrust out more than when she was relaxed. He longed to tell her to take off her blouse so he could see those pert, naked breasts. But he wouldn’t. Not here. Not now. Perhaps in the future, when he had her at his home. Then he would see her naked again, now that she’d opened the door for the sexual side to be part of their training. He could hardly wait to get her into the well-equipped dungeon he had and to chain her to the wall.

“Now it’s very important that you address your Master with respect. You already know to call me ‘Sir,’ but sometimes you can call me ‘Mr. Pearce.’ Anytime you respond to me, you
should use one or the other as a sign of respect. So what will you call me?” He knew asking questions was the best way to bring the lessons home.

“I will call you ‘Sir,’ Sir.”

“Or?”

“I can also call you ‘Mr. Pearce,’ Sir.”