On Becoming His by Benjamin T. Russell, Cassandre Dayne

tightly into him, he eased her legs around his waist.
    As the kiss became a passionate and very intimate moment, she shivered from his touch, her hunger for him building. She’d never admitted her need to anyone her entire life and in the few seconds it had taken her to say the words, she felt a breath of relief course through her body. Their tongues entwining, she closed her eyes and wrapped her arm around his neck.
    When Luke finally broke the kiss, he pressed his thumb across her mouth before easing back. “Because of every thing you’ve asked over our few months togeth er, your growing curiosity. Because of the pages left open on your Internet. But more importantly because I know you better than you know yourself but if you’re truly interested, this is not something you can enter into lightly. This is not anything that you have heard about from some sex site. This is about a loving and very trusting relationship and one that is much more powerful than marriage , but the lifestyle is not for everyone. Do you understand? ”
    “I…yes, I think so.” Did she? Jessie had read so much and was intelligent enough to know there were a lot of freaks and wannabe’s out there. What she knew, or thought she knew about Luke, was something else entirely. And something she longed to share with him.
    “Good. Now please continue asking me anything.” Luke smiled as he moved back away from her as if giving her breathing room. Sipping his wine, his eyes never left her face.
    “ Okay. Does that mean you’re a Dom?” The question was slightly redundant but she wanted him to tell her again.
    “Yes.”
    “Have you always been one?”
    “No. I didn’t know until later in my life this is what I wanted. No that’s not entirely true. I finally came to the realization this was something I could no longer live without in my life. Like you, I’ve had one too many false relationships and while some say they failed, I prefer to gravitate toward the understanding we change and grow as people and therefore our relationships do. Now, I know what I want and I won’t accept any less.”
    There was something so powerful about his statement . “And when did you have or have you had or…” Laughing nervously, Jessie swallowed hard.
    “To answer your question I haven’t had a sub in almost ten years. I’ve had two in my life and one was long term while the other was only a few months. I cared for them both but we simply didn’t work out.” Luke brushed a stray strand of hair away from her face. “Some people think they’re very ready for the life and in truth, they merely thought they’d enjoy some play time. What I want isn’t about play time.”
    “Oh. Okay.” Dear God what a stupid thing to say. While she knew what he meant, the thought remained daunting. No wonder he was allowing her time to explore. She thought about his answer. Luke was over ten years older and could certainly have had a long term sub relationship. She knew about his ex wives but there had been no real reason to go through their respective dirty laundry lists other than to acknowledge they both had a past.
    “What else, Jezebel? To an swer what you might be asking. D o I long to enter into another relationship of this nature? More than anything but when I do this will be the right person and I hope one who will be my partner for the rest of my life. Do I want to explore other options perhaps including aspects of traditional BDSM? Yes, but again with the right partner and over time. ” Luke took the wine glasses from their hands and eased them onto the hearth before turning back to her. “Go on.”
    The rest of his life? This sounded very permanent. She turned her head before rolling her eyes. Of course this wasn’t something simple or easy or frivolous. That she knew. Could Luke possible want her this way? The thought gave her a series of quivers. “ Okay. And would you…I mean… Could I? I… Oh hell, I don’t know what I mean.” Her body