Taking Courage (6 page)

“Yes, Sir.”

He
strode from the room, high on the possibilities. But, once out the door, doubt
crept in. He had a safety net. She would only be his trainee. It was a
safeguard he would utilize. Skepticism continued its steady incline.

Maybe
he wasn't ready to take on the responsibility.

Once
back in his office, he paced back and forth in front of the window. That damn
ravine wasn't calming the edge of worry ticking at him like an alarm clock
ready to blow. A knock at the door stopped him in his tracks. It couldn't have
been five minutes already.

“Hey, Simon.”

“What
do you want, Jake?”
Just what he didn't want, a conversation
with his happy buddy.

“I
heard from Keller there's a new sub working here. Do you know her?”

“No.”
He sure as hell did not know Janna. She confused the dickens out of him, and he
wanted to fuck her senseless for it.

“Simon,
what has you so rattled?”

“Sorry.”
He stopped pacing, blew out a breath, and sank into his chair. “I was taken by
surprise today.”

“Anything
I can do to help?”

“You
just did.” He needed to remember Janna and Kelly were two different women. Just
because Janna had
lied
her way into her first scene,
she hadn't continue to lie like Kelly. “I think I just took on a trainee.”

“Really?”
His buddy had a
shit-eating grin on his face.

“Did
Keller send you in here to check on me?”

“I'm
pleading the fifth for the man only because he was right about Lydia.”

“You
could have warned me.” Keller and his matchmaking were famous around the
office, even if he did deny his efforts. Jake and Lydia were his latest
achievement. Simon never would have guessed he would have been next on Keller's
radar.

“Not
a chance.” Jake sat down in Simon's guest chair. The one he'd spanked Janna in
earlier. “I did tell Keller you weren't ready though.”

“Definitely
not ready for this one.” Simon took a deep breath.

“I
haven’t asked you about Kelly lately. Thought after our last discussion it was
best to give you space, but maybe that wasn’t the right decision.”

“I
should have come to you.” Simon rubbed his chest. “I am thankful for your
advice. After I thought about it for a few days, I realized you were right. I
wrote to Kelly’s husband, apologized, and told him how to get a hold of me if
he ever wanted to talk.”

“Did
you ever hear from him?”

“I
did. He called a couple weeks ago. They’ve decided to move, make a fresh
start.”

“She’s
lucky he’s not asking for a divorce.”

“That
still might happen. I gave him Charlie’s number.
Told him she
could help them find a couples’ therapist that specialized in BDSM.”
His
pulse kicked up. “She is lucky though. It’s clear her husband loves her.”

“Maybe
you are ready for this new sub.”

“Ha!
I think Keller is finally going to lose one.” Simon got up and waved his friend
to the door. Janna would be here soon, and he didn't want her crossing paths with
Jake just yet. “I might have agreed to train her, but that will be as far as it
goes.”

“Sure,
just keep telling yourself that. Remember, you don't like liars, so don't start
lying to yourself.”

“Get
out of here, Jake.” He gave his pal a smack on the back for his wise and once
again needed advice. “I'm expecting someone.”

“Keller
said she's the reason you missed our collaring ceremony a few weeks ago.”

“Don't
remind me.”

“Can
I meet her?”

“You
will soon enough. Now, get out.”

“You
can hide her until Friday, and then I'll know. Everyone will know.”

Chapter Four

Janna
kept her calm on the walk back to her office. She set her things down on her
desk and quietly shut her door. Jumping up and down might have been a little
girl's move, but she was giddy. He’d agreed to train her.

Her
new life couldn't be going better. Finally she felt like she'd broken free from
the chains. Power surged through her. She didn't have to worry about her father
watching over her shoulder every day and second guessing her decisions. She was
making her own choices and leading herself down the path she wanted.

She
leaned against the door and let the smile spread through to her fingers and
toes.

She
wouldn't be detoured. Her first team meeting had gone smoothly. She’d proved
she could support them. Of course, she didn't know what she didn't know. She
needed to double back on her notes to make sure she hadn't missed anything.

Her
cell danced and rang on her desk to her father's favorite tune. Ironically it
was Chicago's “25 or 6 to 4.” Memories of easy Sunday drives to visit her
grandparents flew through her thoughts.

“Hi, Dad.”

“Hello.
I wanted to see how your first day was. Make sure you aren't in over your
head.”

“It
went great.” Her father sure knew how to give her good memories a clean side
swipe.

“Oh.”

“I've
already had my first team meeting, and everyone is really nice.” She tossed her
pen across her desk. “I'm actually late now for my next meeting.”

“They're
keeping you late already?”

“Dad.”

“You
do know I can find a better job for you if you decide to come back home?”

“Dad.”
She bit her
tongue and remembered the promise she’d made her mom.

“If
you come home, we can spend a week together in Italy like we talked about.”

“I
like Chicago. Thanks for checking on me, but I really better be going.” She
didn’t need his fancy trips. She needed her own life.

“Okay,
Okay. I just never thought you'd leave us.”

“Talk
to you later, Dad.”

She
set her phone down and took a deep breath. Her father’s smothering ways weren’t
going to change. Fortunately, he hadn’t come to Chicago to force her hand. Her
mother advised her not to antagonize him. Keeping their conversations short
might be the key.

Janna
checked her watch. She only had a minute to complete her orders and get back to
Simon. She yanked her panties off, stuffed them in her purse, and made her way
to Simon’s office.

She
stopped at his door and watched him. The only sign of tension in his large
frame appeared in the crease between his eyes. With his hand on the mouse, his
sights were on the monitor in front of him. His lips appeared relaxed. She
wanted to run her finger along them and find out for herself what they felt
like. Were they strong and silky at the same time, much like the man himself?
In another minute, he'd notice her and his closely guarded features would
return.

“Stop
lurking there. I sense you watching me.”

Damn, does he
miss nothing?

“Sit.
I need to set a couple ground rules, and then you need to get back to work.”

He
watched her like a morsel he wanted to tear into. She felt moisture gather in a
couple different places marking her heat.

“Before
we make another go at the club this Friday, I wanted to make sure we were on
the same page.”

“I
need to thank you again, Sir, for taking me on after our first scene.”

“You
might not want to thank me after you hear my ground rules.” He adjusted his
posture and looked at her straight on. “After punishing you, I've found
forgiveness, but if there’s a next time, I won’t be so tolerant.”

“No,
Sir, we wouldn't want that.” She fought the scowl nagging at her. No one would
let her forget her mistakes. Here she'd just met him and he was already
reminding her of her wrongdoings. At least he didn't have her full list.

“Keep
up the attitude and I'll put you back over my knee.”

“Sorry, Sir.”

“Better.
You do well when you remember your place. In fact, I'm quite impressed with how
much you've learned without firsthand experience.”

“Thank
you, Sir.” Maybe she'd been too quick to jump to conclusions. Hard to earn
praise seeped into her. Her extensive studies were keeping her in the door,
giving reason to be grateful for her ferocious need to read.

“Have
you followed my first request?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“The
only place you are allowed to forgo the formality of calling me Sir is during
the work day, when we are not alone.”

“That
seems reasonable, Sir.”

“I
had Charlie send over your limit list, and I've just refreshed my memory on
your hard limits. Anal sex is a soft limit, correct?”

“Yes, Sir.”
A flutter of
nerves danced across her growing arousal.

He
slid a box on his desk towards her. “While you are in this building I'd like
you to consider wearing one of these.”

She
peaked under the lid and gasped. Half dozen different sized plugs filled the
box. The smallest one was a soft dainty pink. Each plug became more saturated
in color making the largest plug a shadowy rose. A shiver worked its way down
her legs, and her heels tapped out a rhythm.

“You
want me to trust you, and I want you to trust me. Are you willing to give my
request a try?”

She
reached out to the box and pulled it closer. He wanted her to wear one of these
while at work. He was crazy. How would she be able to concentrate with
something stretching her back entrance? She ignored the liquid fire soaking her
channel. There was only one reason for this kind of training.

“Each
day of the week you'd be preparing your body for my use.”

“Oh,
I do like the sound of that, Sir.”

“You’ve
pleased me. You're willing to do this for me then?”

“I'll
give it a try.
Yes, Sir.”
She shifted her thighs back
and forth.

“I
want you to be comfortable with the largest plug by Friday.” A satisfied smirk
lit his face.

She
leaned back, her refusal on the edge of slipping out.

“I
suggest you swallow your retort. Use your safe word, or start a conversation.
This is not a place for disrespectful comments.”

“What,
I didn't...”
Shit
. She had to
remember her feelings often shone brightest on her face.

“Smart,
I'll forget about it since it's your first day and you didn't finish the
sentence. Next time you talk back, I'll bend you over my knee whether you
finish the sentence or not. Understood?”

“Yes, Sir.”
She pushed down
on her knees silencing her heels.

He
got up and moved around the desk, sat on its edge, and flipped open the box. He
picked up the smallest plug. She stared at it for a second and looked up into
his eyes, trying to find a hint of the man she'd been dreaming about.

“Some
of your training you will find enjoyable and some you will not. It's not all
about pleasure. Do you want to continue?”

In
the past, this was often the point of her retreat. Every time she tried to find
her passion in life a confrontation would knock her off course and send her back
to her humdrum routine. Pushing her history aside, it was a simple question.

What
did she want?

He
wouldn't make it easy. He would make her earn it. She appreciated him for the
challenge. Each time he made her choose her path she remembered the why.

“Yes,
I want to continue, Sir.” She pulled air into her lungs, slowly letting it go
as she examined the soft pink surface of the plug.

“You've
pleased me.”

Warmth
spread like honey over her senses, heavy and tasty. Why did he have to look so
shocked?

“Put
the plug in before you head home.” He handed her the box.

“But
I've never ... how?” She rubbed her elbow, and when his eyebrows rose she added,
“Sir.”

“Would
you like some help this first time?”

“Yes.
Thank you, Sir.” She shook her hands and rubbed them on her skirt.

“Come
and bend over my desk.”

She
set the small box on the desk and did as he asked.

He
flipped up the back of her skirt and rubbed a hand over her skin.
“Very nice.
Now, spread your legs.” He pulled out a tube
from the top of the box. “This might be cool at first, but it will warm up as I
spread it around.”

He
held one side of her ass, and with his free hand he drew a slow circle over the
rippled skin of her anus. She closed her eyes and pushed away strange thoughts
about the act and reveled in his attention and caress. His finger dipped inside,
and sensations sprang to life, heating her sex.