The Right One

"I will try to schedule something soon." He doesn't make any promises, aware that too much hope may get the better of me.

I nod.

"You did very well tonight." He nibbles on the pad of my thumb. "Perhaps I got ahead of myself again?"

I don't know how to respond.

"Did you enjoy any of it? Be honest."

The question should make me wonder if wants me to stroke his ego. He heard my moans and my pleas. He knew the effect he had on me and the extent to which I would do just about anything he asked of me tonight. I put myself out there and I followed his lead with no complaints. So, why is there a hint of vulnerability in his tone?

I reach over to run my thumb across his cheek.

"You know how you talked about your mind and your body not being on the same page?" He lowers my hand but keeps it wrapped in his. "Although your body enjoyed everything we did, there may be something holding you back. Or maybe after everything is said and done you still have reservations. When we are lost in the moment it is hard to think rationally. It is only once we are done that, we can have a moment to reflect on what just occurred." He waits for me to respond.

"I like what we did." I put him out of doubt. "Very much." My cheeks flush. "I just wonder when it will happen again."

He smiles lightly. "I am very happy to hear you enjoyed yourself." He rubs the light stubble on his cheeks. "And maybe we should set everything else into place now that we're speaking freely." He lets go of my hand and motions for me to sit up.

I try to bring my blanket up with me, to cover my breasts, but he stops me. He places my hands on my lap and kneads both of my breasts until I'm a panting mess and my nipples are tiny little pebbles.

"I'm sorry." He shakes his head and then covers my breasts. "I don't mean to distract you. I just can't seem to keep my hands off you." The admission bothers him but I don't comment on it. "Back to your question, I will try to see you at least once a month."

I try to hide my disappointment. I should have expected it. I saw him a lot less in the past. He's probably making big changes in his schedule to manage even that. I should be grateful.

"I'm at a point in my career where I'm overseeing multiple projects and can't get away as often as I wish I could." He takes a breath. "That being said, I don't expect you to always be available whenever I make plans to come into town. I have family here and Rupert, so it is not as if I can't find something to do if you are busy."

That surprises me. I assumed he would be coming into town solely to see me. How presumptuous of me.

"So, I should just go on living my life until the next time I see you?" I make it sound very pathetic.

He smiles. "You should. It wouldn't do either of us any good if you halted your life just because I'm not around. I don't want you to become too dependent on me seeing as I can't be around as often."

That leads me to my next question, which has been burning the back of my throat ever since we walked through my front door. "Will you be seeing other subs while you're away?"

"I will not." His tone is serious.

I nod.

We sit in silence, me squirming in my seat, him waiting for my next question.

"Will I be able to seek other partners when you're not here?" I don't care to. I don't want to. I just want him. That may come across as needy so I try to appear intrigued at the prospect of sleeping with someone else.

He bites his bottom lip to hide his grin, I'm sure of it. I'm becoming familiar with some of his gestures. I expect a quick response. A sure response just like the last one he gave me. Instead, he plays around with words in his head. The wait starts to make me uncomfortable but I can't very well rush him. Patience will have to be my new best friend when it comes to Ethan.

"The simple answer is no." He gauges my reaction but I keep my face open and calm. "What you experienced tonight is just a taste of the things I want to do with you. Just as I like to control your body's every movement and every touch, I want to control your orgasms. I can't be at home or at work wondering if you're in bed with-" He stops short and shakes his head, trying to burn the image out of his mind. "I should toss you across my lap and spank you until the sun comes up for even asking that." The tension on his shoulders is very evident. "You are mine, Leila."

My thighs clench and I turn into a puddle.

I am his.

There is no doubt about it now.

<<<>>>

And so, I live my life.

To an extent.

Just before Ethan left, he reminded me that he now controls my orgasms. Should I ever get horny enough to try and get myself off, I need to call him first to ask for permission. I wanted to fight him on that. Ask him to do the same if he ever wanted to jerk off, but I promised both of us I would try to remain open-minded with his requests. This one just caught me off guard and so it took me a while to come to terms with it.

So far, I haven't had the urge to make myself cum.

Sure, I have gotten close a few times. Late at night when I remember him on my couch on Thanksgiving. His hands all over my breasts, holding my hands back with little to no force but knowing he could exert his will over me in a matter of seconds. That is what makes me breathless whenever I think about it.

Ethan is a good guy. He naturally cares about people and his hands are very careful when they need to be. Yet, just below the surface, he is strong and physically capable of overpowering me in the blink of an eye. I feel his strength between my thighs as I drive home. He doesn't use all of his power. He just reminds me that he has it but prefers to guide me in a less aggressive way.

Not that I mind the slight pain.

When he was rough, my nipples did hurt. I did want to complain. But my orgasm was much more intense when the throbbing of each peak mixed into the wave of pleasure. Holding my breath and sucking it up for a beautiful moment of bliss was absolutely worth it. Even when I was thrown across his lap and spanked with full force, I secretly enjoyed his hands on me. Any way that I could get him to touch me is a win in my book. I crave his touch as much as I do his company.

Through all of this, I don't call him or beg him to let me cum.

I sweat it out. I hope that I will see him soon and that he is thinking about me just as much as I am thinking about him. It is easy to let my insecurities get the best of me. Whenever we are apart, I can only wonder what he is doing or who he is with. I expect calls, maybe even one text from him but I get nothing. For all I know, he could be discarding our last time together and happily moving on to the next one.

No, he can't.

I fight the negative voice in my head.

He can't be doing that because, as he said, I belong to him. He wouldn't just leave me here with no intention of showing me exactly what that means. That is the only thing keeping me in line. Knowing that the next time we're together, I will officially be claimed as his. He wouldn't be so cruel as to let me wait much longer.

Would he?

<<<>>>

"What is going on with you?" Maggie throws a pink bow in my direction.

I snap back to myself, after daydreaming about Ethan's cock in my face, and give her a look. "There is nothing wrong with me." My hands go back to work until I finish wrapping up the last baby doll in our pile.

Maggie and Travis are spending Christmas with Maggie's side of the family one day and his side of the family the other. And here I am, with no family to fight over. I try not to be envious of their obvious love and the way they kiss when they hand each other wrapped gifts but it is hard. What I wouldn't give to have that type of relationship. It makes it hard not to yearn for it over the holidays. I'm still grateful to spend some time with them, even if it is to wrap gifts for others.

"I'm with Maggie on this." Travis pipes up. "This is different from when you and Hank broke up." He points an empty cardboard roll at me. "You're so easily distracted. What is it?"

I push the box toward Maggie and ignore them both. "That is the last of it. I should be heading out soon." I look down at my phone, knowing there will be no missed calls even though I wish otherwise.

"Any plans for New Year's Eve?" Maggie gives Travis a look. I know they're trying to be mindful of my new single status, but I'm sure they have someone they want to push on me.

According to them, I have gone on long enough without a boyfriend. My Hank mourning period was over a month after we broke up, per Maggie. Travis agrees wholeheartedly which means they're both on the same mission now.

"Not yet." I don't bother lying.

If Ethan had any plans for us, I wouldn't know about it. It's not like he has called or texted to tell me.

Ugh, I need to give it a rest.

"Great!" Travis hands Maggie the trash bag so she can clean up her side of the floor. "My friend, Stephen, is having a party at his place. He has a nice apartment in the city with a great view so we'll be able to see the fireworks."

I already have an excuse coming out of my lips when Maggie interrupts me.

"You cannot say no! We know your parents won't be around and we have to start the year together. It's tradition." She shrugs.

It is a tradition we started years ago. One that Hank hated being a part of since he preferred to play video games with his friends on New Year's, but do I really have to be around this year? I wonder what Ethan has planned for New Year's. Ugh, okay enough about him! I need to do as he said and just live my life. The constant thinking about him is starting to become very obsessive and almost harmful.

My gut clenches as I remember the telling signs of falling for someone too quickly. I did this exact thing. I wondered about him all the time. Except in the past, I would have called and texted just to know what he was up to. Maybe because I haven't done that, I feel even more susceptible to thinking about Ethan constantly. The hold that my ex had over me is very close to what I feel with Ethan at the moment. I should probably pull back while I can. Learn from my previous mistakes and whatnot.

"You're not trying to set me up on a blind date, right?" I shoot both of them accusing looks.

They both shake their heads. Travis even puts his hands up to further corroborate his innocence.

"Fine, I'll come." I place my hands on my hips. "But," I put a finger up. "If I catch even a whiff of matchmaking, I will storm out of his house and ruin our New Year's tradition."

They share a nod in understanding.

<<<>>>

My desk phone has not stopped ringing all morning.

I've been glued to my chair since I sat down and hours pass before I realize I may have to work through my lunch break. It doesn't happen often in my new position but when it does, I know I have to be more diligent with the work I produce. Not getting a break sounds awful, but I get to leave early and since I'm still fairly new, I like the idea that I can help in any way. Shelly comes into my office twice to hand me some reports and thanks me again for the great work.

Halfway through the day, there is a knock on my open door.

I turn away from my computer screen and beam up at Rupert who's standing there with a proud smile on his face. "You're looking the part, boss."

I scrunch up my nose and invite him in.

He places a small succulent down on my desk and sits across from me. There is a small card around it.

"Another gift? Taking me to dinner was more than enough!" My mind is super excited about the small distraction.

"That is from our good friend, Ethan." He smiles.

The heat that takes over my body only intensifies with Rupert's knowing smile.

"How kind of him." I fail miserably to sound unaffected.

"Indeed. He insisted I deliver this first thing in the morning but I have been glued to my desk, as you are now." He nods and then stands. "Make sure to let him know I did a wonderful job of delivering the surprise." He looks around my office once more. "It adds a nice personalized touch." And then he leaves.

I look around and realize there isn't much in here that says anything about me. No pictures or posters. Not even a small bulletin board. Just a calendar on my desk and all the neatly stacked piles of folders I've been working on. I guess the white mug with pens is something. Although, not much. Anyone could walk in here and take over where I left off.

I get up and close the door, before walking over to the small plant on my desk. It is cute. Small, delicate but somehow sturdy for its size. My hand trembles as I remove the note and take great care flipping it open.

Leila,

May this be the first of many promotions in your future.

Congratulations again,

Ethan

I reread the letter over and over again, deciphering if it should mean more than what it says. It is a wonderful gesture albeit a bit late considering I've been in this position for a few months now. The fact that it came from Ethan has my heart thumping erratically. My fingers lightly brush over his name. He hand-wrote this. I am very familiar with Rupert's handwriting and this is definitely not his. It is elegant just like everything else about him.

My eyes fall on the time on my computer screen.

Fuck it.

I call him and wait for the sound of his voice.

"Leila," He answers after two rings. "I see gifts are the best way to get you to call me." His tone is teasing but my thighs clench at the soft reprimand.

"Hi," I want to call him sir but I don't know if the rules still apply when we're hundreds miles away from each other. "Ethan."

"Did you like my gift?" His voice is clear. The soft rumble in it makes my panties wet.

"Yes, thank you." I touch the plant and pull it closer to my side of the table.

"I know plants aren't your thing but I figured it would be a nice reminder of me when you're at work."

I snort in response and instantly slap my hand over my mouth.

"What was that?" He chuckles on the other side, fully aware that that sound came out of me.

"I have no idea." I cringe from embarrassment.

"Did I say something funny?"

"You did, actually." I smile down at the plant.

"Care to let me in on the joke?" He waits patiently.

"I don't need a plant to think about you," I state plainly.

"You don't?" He is mildly surprised.

"No." I move the plant over to the other side of my computer, closer to me, and well within view. "I think about you entirely too much." My honesty stems from the small plant at my side. "How do you know plants aren't my thing?"

"You didn't have any in your home." He states. "And after going so long without hearing from you, I thought maybe you needed a little nudge."

I bite my lip. "Should I send you roses when I want to hear from you?" My joke falls flat.

"You just have to call and I'll be here."

I hate that he leaves the ball in my court. It actually bothers me more than I can understand. "What happened to you leading and me following?"

"Watch your tone, little one." He lowers his voice.

I sit up straighter and press my thighs together. The juices are definitely going to coat my underwear now. "I'm sorry, Sir."

"Make sure to take care of this plant, okay?" I can feel his hands against my hair, petting me into submission.

"Yes, Sir." I sound breathless.

"How wet is your pussy right now?"

I clutch my phone. "Very much, Sir."

"You want to cum to the sound of my voice?" He practically growls softly on the other line.

"Yes, please, Sir." I forget altogether that I'm at work. All that holds me in place is his soothing tone.

He sighs. "Maybe another time."

"Ethan," I whine into my phone.

"No, Leila. You've gone this long without feeling the need to call or text me. What are a few more weeks?" His harsh tone leaves me breathless. "While I have you though, make sure to check your personal email soon."

I ball my hands into fists and stay silent.

"If all goes well, I will see you on Christmas morning." He throws me a bone. "Unless you already have plans."

The lightness in my chest scares me but I ignore it. "I don't. Thank you, Sir."

"Take care, little one."

He waits until I hang up first.

<<<>>>

My knee bounces as I sit in the quiet waiting room.

I don't know what I expected from Ethan in my personal email. Maybe a short email or an itinerary of things we would do on Christmas day. Something that I have not stopped thinking about since speaking with him. But instead, I received a link to a nearby clinic, specifically a testing center. After momentarily thinking that he overstepped and should have just told me over the phone, I made my appointment. It was easier to do after seeing his own recent exam attached to the email. STI-free, of course.

The more I think about it, the more I realize it is actually smart. Not once did I think about this part of being in a new sexual relationship. To be honest, I have only slept with a handful of guys, and not once did I think about the negative implications that could arise. I trusted them when they said they were clean. I don't think I would have had the guts to ask for their test results but now I can see that it is not too much to ask for. Not if I'm expecting real intimacy. It could also be why he didn't try to push anything further between us back in my apartment.

I think about the fact that my getting tested means he is also looking forward to the next time we're together. I get butterflies in my stomach as I imagine him finally pinning me down with his gorgeous cock. I just need these test results to come back clean so that I can send the information and await his arrival.

I shoot him a quick text while I continue to wait.

Getting tested this morning. Fingers crossed! It may sound childish, but maybe light banter will go a long way.

Our last conversation replays in my head. It seems he wants me to reach out to him as much as I do. Instead of feeling nervous that I'll be left on read or replied to hours later, I'm more inclined to believe that he will appreciate the gesture. I still don't completely understand why I have to be the one to initiate a conversation but this ounce of power makes me feel good. I have a nagging suspicion Ethan thinks everything through. Me reaching out to him first has to mean something.

My phone buzzes as a nurse comes out and calls my name.

Good morning, Leila. I appreciate the update, let me know if you need anything.

Hmm not flirty or bantery at all.

Thank you. I bite my lip and stare down at the screen. Wish you were here.

I will call you tonight. He replies within seconds.

Very short but to the point.

>>>

The call happens much much later than I anticipate.

I'm already in bed, freshly showered, and staring at my black phone screen when his name pops up. I watch it ring a few times, not knowing if it is too late in the night to answer. Will this be a long conversation or just a quick goodnight? I thought he would call around the time that I got home but he didn't. After dinner, there was still nothing. My disappointment was hard to swallow when I tucked myself in.

"Hello?" I swallow past my anxiety.

"Six rings, huh." He mumbles into the phone. There is no real anger in his tone. Just voicing his thoughts.

"I'm sorry."

He stays silent and then I hear shuffling on his end. "How is my girl doing?"

"Good," I stare up at my ceiling and blink a few times. "Trying to be patient."

He sighs. "I know, baby. I am counting down the days."

I bite my lip. "How are you doing?"

"Very busy." I hear the tiredness in his tone. "I've been assigned another project that doesn't officially start until the new year but there is a lot I want to prepare before the time comes."