Page 99 of Masters of Control

Kink was thirsty business.

The sheets were cool, but Freddy was warm, and she wasted no time grabbing her silk cap from where it was waiting on her nightstand and tucking her curls into it so she could snuggle up to him. The room wasn’t cold, but it was cool, which was how she preferred it when she was sleeping.

“Come here,” she demanded, as soon as she was on her side. Chuckling, Freddy set his water down on the nightstand on his side of the bed and scooted under the sheet, wrapping his arms around her.

He made a pretty good teddy bear, with a nice cozy nook between his arm and his chest. Camille sighed happily, snuggling up to his warmth and enjoying the feeling of lying in bed with someone else. She’d missed this more than she’d realized. Not just the kink but having someone. Resting her hand on his chest, she could feel it moving with his breath, the steady thrum of his heart a reassuring beat in her ear.

“I have to admit,” Freddy murmured, his fingers tracing little circles on her shoulder, “I thought this New Year’s Eve was going to be another disappointment. Instead, it turned out being the best one I’ve had in years.” He yawned.

“Me, too,” she admitted. “Julie pretty much dragged me out here.”

“I’m glad she did.”

“I’m kind of surprised someone hasn’t already snatched you up.” It was the only question circling her head about him. As far as she could see, he was pretty perfect.

Freddy shrugged, moving her head slightly, and she smacked his chest, which made him chuckle.

“I’ve scened with a lot of the Dominants at Stronghold, but nothing ever really clicked quite right. Sometimes, they wanted more hardcore pain than I do, some of them wanted a poly relationship or a harem, and I’m monogamous. Some of them wanted a slave… there was always something.” The tired note in his voice made her ache for him.

Sure, she’d been going without kink or sex, but what would it have been like to be so close, yet unable to find the thing you really wanted? Like craving Chipotle but being surrounded by Taco Bell.

“There’s always something,” she murmured in soft agreement, closing her eyes for just a moment to rest as exhaustion creeped over her. She’d get them both moving again in a few minutes.

She just needed a moment to enjoy this.

Just a moment.

Chapter Five

Freddy

Waking up next to someone wasn’t unusual, but it wasn’t the norm for Freddy. Yawning, he cuddled closer to Camille, who was still asleep. She was a very cuddly sleeper, and he had no objections. Not that he was touch-starved or anything, but he was also a big cuddler. Too much so, according to some people. In one of his previous relationships, he’d gotten most of his cuddling time with other subbies because Mistress Vi had not been a cuddler, which had been fine. That wasn’t why they hadn’t worked out, but it hadn’t helped either.

Unfortunately, cuddling up close to her had the sad side effect of waking her up.

“Oomph. You’re still here.” She sounded surprised.

“Still here.” Freddy couldn’t help but laugh. “I hope that’s okay.”

“It is, sorry, I just… it wouldn’t be the first time I fell asleep with company and woke up to a note on my pillow.” She made a face. “There’s a reason I don’t usually do this.”

He didn’t know whether to be outraged on her behalf or pleased that he came off looking good, but he was leaning towards outraged. He didn’t want to look good just because the bar was on the ground.

“Well, to make up for the previous men who lacked character, may I treat you to breakfast? They’re having a special one downstairs.”

For a moment, her expression lit up before it dimmed.

“I can’t, I’m sorry… I have plans. With my mom.”

The little knot that twisted his stomach when she said she had plans released as soon as she clarified who it was with. Not that he thought she would cheat, but he would have absolutely believed there was competition somewhere. Last night, he’d thought about asking how it was possible she was still single, then he’d realized it likely had a lot to do with how long she’d been out of the kink community.

That wasn’t something someone could just turn off, though people tried. And if she had once embraced her kinky side, it would be even more difficult. Add in that she was sexually dominant and a black woman, he could only imagine the difficulties in finding a compatible partner.

“Well, if you would like to see me again, I’m happy to give you my number. Or I’m almost always reachable here at Marquis.”

Yes, he was pushing things, but he’d warned her he was only submissive in the bedroom. Outside of it, he was happy to serve in other ways and follow his partner’s lead, but if there was something he really wanted, he didn’t hesitate to try to get it. It was better to be up front about that, rather than leaving it as a surprise. Some Dominants preferred to be in control all the time, which was fine. It just wasn’t for him.

Thankfully, she smiled with happy relief, not at all insulted that he was being so forward.