Page 44 of Possess

“All right. I’m into the Dom/sub relationship. While there are some rules and protocols, we decide on them together. We’re a team. The Dom/sub relationship for me is in the bedroom and at Wicked Sanctuary…if you decide you wish to play there.”

“I’d like that.”

“I’ll still be protective outside the bedroom, but I won’t tell you what to do or anything like that. Unless I think you’re in danger.”

“I get it.” She did. From what she read, it seemed like a lot of Dominants were protective of their partners.

“The first thing I want to talk about is consent. I will ask for consent before I do anything we haven’t discussed before, and we will have safe words.”

“I read about safe words.”

“Did you not have them at the play parties?”

“No, but then again, I was never alone with someone I’d just met.”

Anger flared in his eyes, and he gripped the arms of his chair. She sat back. Had she made him angry with her? Maybe this wasn’t a good idea.

“Sweetheart.” Zeke’s voice was soft and gentle. “My anger isn’t directed at you, but at those who ran the parties and the people they let in.”

“Why?”

“The one thing that was drummed into me was consent and safe words, and that’s how Max operates the club. We believe in Safe, Sane, and Consensual.”

“I read about that.” She looked away from Zeke and out into his yard. “It wasn’t very safe or sane at those parties; I see that now. I’m not even sure how much consent there was.” She turned to him. “But I will tell you that, for me, there was always consent between me and my partner.”

“Good. I’m glad you didn’t allow anyone to talk you into something you didn’t want to do.”

Her lips turned up. “You know me fairly well by now. Can you really see someone talking me into something I don’t want to do?”

Zeke laughed. “Maybe Dani.”

“Yeah, she could.” Her heart lightened at his laughter.

“All right, so we abide by SSC rules. The lifestyle has been around for a long time. It’s coming more and more into the limelight, and people are starting to be more accepting.”

“It does seem like more people have gotten involved.”

“Yes. So we use safe words like red for stop, yellow for slow down, and green for keeping going.”

“Doesn’t it get frustrating using safe words all the time?”

“No. After a while, a couple playing together understands each other’s rhythm, and the Dom learns to read his sub’s non-verbal cues.”

“You can do that?” She never thought about that.

“Yes. Like right now, you’re sitting back in your chair, so your either testing what I’m saying or you’re getting more comfortable.”

Allyson giggled. She hadn’t expected that. “I was getting more comfortable.” This was fascinating to her, and maybe a little scary that he could read her so easily. “So now what?”

“What kind of kink you want to explore? What you don’t want. Your hard limits.”

The book on intro to BDSM talked a bit about these subjects, and as she read, it became clear how little she truly understood about BDSM in general. “I don’t know what I’d like or not like in a kinky relationship.”

“Which is why we talk.”

“Isn’t there another way? If we talk everything out, it will take forever.”

“Impatient to jump right in?”

---