Her World of Submission

I strained my ears to hear any telltale sounds but the house was so silent my scalp began to prickle with dread. What if those notes weren’t from Jasper? What if he’d been … kidnapped … or … For God’s sake, Sarah. Who the hell else would they be from?

The mantel clock tick-tocked and I heard the grandfather in the hall strike a solemn five. It was now fully dark and I hadn’t thought to switch the light on in the room. I was getting colder and more shivery by the second. If I called out for help, what would happen?

I was just breathing in when I heard something.

Not much, a soft click, possibly from somewhere along the landing. I held my breath in my lungs and listened.

There was a definite creak – a floorboard. He was coming.

I shuffled, adjusting my posture for maximum attractive helplessness, whilst at the same time trying to make sure I could aim a good kick if needed. This wasn’t an easy manoeuvre.

The sudden downward turn of the door handle made me gasp, even though I was expecting it. I stared transfixed at the rectangle of white in the greyish gloom and watched it slowly open inwards. It brought with it a glow of orangey light, a candle, preceding its bearer. Its brightness concealed for a millisecond the identity of the person who held it but my eyes soon overcame the difficulty.

I saw an intent gaze above the flame, the curl of a familiar lip, a dark suit.

Thank goodness he hadn’t dressed as Santa. I never could understand the sexy Santa thing.

He stopped a little way into the room and put the candle down on a shelf.

‘Oh, now this is a Christmas present,’ he said fervently. ‘Did you find everything?’

‘I think so,’ I said, feeling my muscles tighten around the balls and beads.

‘Everything?’ he persisted, stepping closer.

‘I opened a lot of boxes.’

‘You opened more than boxes, if you found the lot,’ he said. He sat down on the side of the bed and grazed his knuckles along my nearest leg. ‘Didn’t you?’

I twisted my face away, feeling it flame.

‘Perhaps.’

‘Perhaps?’ he said, reaching for my chin and twisting my face back to him. ‘Did you find the little jingly balls, my love?’

‘Yes.’

His fingers ran along my inner thigh and patted it at the top. It was an almost unbearably sensuous feeling and I felt myself gush.