Page 9 of Unmasked

Her hand fluttered to her chest.“I know.”She sighed.“This isn’t easy for me.”She fiddled with the collar of her shirt.“I think I want to feel connected.”There was that softness again.Logan wasn’t yet positive what that said about her true feelings, but he was getting closer.

“I can understand that.”Connection was a big part of Wicked Sanctuary, being with likeminded people.“How much do you know about the lifestyle?”

She pushed the folder across the table.Her hand lingered on the report before she pulled back and rested her hand in her lap.“I’m new to it.I’ve done a little research, but nothing major.I talked with Sierra before I made the appointment to apply.”

Logan nodded and opened the folder.There was a sticky note from Max.He read it quickly, then moved on to her questionnaire.Max had been right; her kinks were similar to his.But the sticky note intrigued him.Max had written:She’s not sure if she’s a sub or switch.I really can’t see her as a Dominant but can see her topping from the bottom at times.

Interesting.Ellie did have a strong personality.Yet there was something he couldn’t put his finger on.Her surprise at seeing him wasn’t unexpected.

“Are you okay with me being your mentor?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

There she went answering a question with a question.Was she trying to divert the conversation away from the hard topics?Time for a new tactic.“You weren’t exactly happy with me the night I drove you home from Sierra’s bachelorette party.”

“You were bossy.”

He laughed.“I hate to tell you, but I’m always bossy.”He was a Dominant through and through, and his need to protect steered him to law enforcement.

“I don’t like taking orders.”

“I noticed.You know, BDSM isn’t about one person ordering another one around.”

“It’s not?”

“No.It’s a give and take.”He tried to think of a way to explain it.He’d been in the lifestyle for a while, but this was the first time he’d taken on a completely novice sub.He studied her for a minute.“Tell me: How did you feel in your gut when I told you to wait while I made sure your apartment was safe the night I took you home?”

Her shoulders relaxed.“In my gut, protected.In my head, frustrated.”

“Why frustrated?”

“Because it’s important to me to take care of myself.”

“Understood, but your gut said protected.That’s the feeling I want to give you.That any Dom should give you.”He’d felt compelled to add that last bit, but Logan already knew no other Dom would be playing with Ellie while he was around.

“I don’t understand.”

At least she wasn’t telling him it wasn’t going to work.“I’m probably botching this up, but for me and the way I was taught, the Dom/sub relationship is a give and take.I want a sub I can protect and keep safe, but also one I can make feel good about her body and give her pleasure.Pleasure designed for her only.”

Ellie sat there staring at him.Had he revealed too much?He didn’t think so.He’d heard the Doms talking at their meetings.Besides, if he was going to be her mentor, that meant showing her who he was.

“I never thought of it that way.What do you get out of it?You talk about me but not you.”

“I receive my pleasure from you.By that, I mean, when you’re happy and satisfied, so am I.”

She bit her lower lip before answering.“I don’t know.Maybe Sierra was wrong when she said I belonged at Wicked Sanctuary.”

“Why?”Sierra was a good judge of character from what he’d seen, and Max could weed out those who weren’t suited for the lifestyle before they got to this part.

Ellie shrugged.“I’m not sure I’m submissive material.”

“That’s why we talk before we do anything.Have you ever wanted to hand control over to someone else?”

“No.”

She answered quickly, and Logan realized his mistake.“I phrased that wrong.Have you ever wanted to give control over in the bedroom?”

Her eyes softened.“Yes.”

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