Submission by Ella Ardent Page B

gleaming brass. The room was at the end
of the hall and she took a breath before sliding the key into the slot.
    Not knowing what to expect.
    The lock clicked, illuminated a
green light, and she opened the door, her knees weak with relief. The lights
were on inside, lamps that threw a soft golden light. It was a suite, with a
large bathroom, a living room, and a bedroom with a king size bed. Everything
was off-white and luxurious. The lights of the city sparkled beyond the sheers,
heavy ivory velvet drapes hanging on either side of the windows.
    And there was no one other than
Joanna in the suite.
    She stood in the middle of the
living room, uncertain what to do.
    The phone rang and she leapt for
it, guessing who it would be.
    “Take off your coat,” the Master
said. “And put it on. Sit on the coffee
table where I can see you.” Joanna pivoted and looked at the coffee table. It
was stone, a huge piece of beige marble veined with gold, about two feet high
and four feet long on each side.
    “Yes, Master.”
    She heard the smile in his tone
when he replied. “And put your purchases beside you.”
    Joanna hung up the phone. She
removed her coat, her mouth dry, and hung it up in the closet, leaving the
scarf tucked into the sleeve as if she was at a restaurant. She took the mask
and the ribbon out of her purse, then slid the purse into the pocket of the
raincoat. She shut the mirrored closet doors, then walked slowly to the coffee
table.
    She sat down on it, jolted by the
cold of the stone against her bare skin. She set the coils of ribbon down, two
on each side of her. The dark purple looked good against the stone.
    Then she tugged on the hood,
hearing her breath catch when it was in place.
    Ankles together.
    Knees apart.
    Lips parted.
    She placed her hands on her knees,
palm-up in submission and waited for the sound of a key in the lock.
    She didn’t have to wait long.
     
    ***
     
    Rex opened the door to the suite.
Even though he knew what he’d find, the sight of Joanna stopped him in his
tracks. She was perfect. Completely obedient. Prepared for his pleasure exactly
as he had commanded. Ivory skin. Chestnut hair. Purple satin. In a creamy beige
room that showed her off perfectly.
    He couldn’t believe his luck.
    He put down his bag silently and
locked the door behind himself, turning the deadbolt. He shed his coat, hanging
it beside hers, an unexpected intimacy and one that gave him a pang.
    He pulled out the camera and took
three quick shots of her, knowing he’d want to relive this night over and over
again. He undressed silently, his erection springing free of his pants with a
vigor that didn’t surprise him. He stood for a moment, looking and savoring.
    He crossed the room toward her
with measured steps, the carpet nearly swallowing the sound of his footfalls.
His heart was pounding and his cock was thick, pulsing. He put the camera down
silently on one of the thickly upholstered chairs.
    He put his hands on her head and
she jumped slightly. He spread his fingers wide and smoothed the satin over her
skull, wishing he’d been able to put the hood on her himself. She was so tiny
that he could have crushed her in his hands, his thumbs meeting over her eyes,
his hands spanning almost all the way around.
    He pressed down slightly on her
ears with his palms, knowing that they would be more sensitive, and felt her
tremble within his grasp. Her lips opened wider as his hands cradled her nape
and he held her captive there for a moment.
    Every dream come true.
    He didn’t want to spoil it. He
looked at her, those full breasts, the lipstick turning the nipples the same
pink as her luscious mouth, the pale smoothness of her skin. Her compliance
fired his blood as nothing else could have done. He smelled that body wash and
her own scent, rain and leather. He wanted her in so many ways that he was momentarily
uncertain where to start.
    With her supposed secret desire.
    The one that haunted him with the
possibilities.
    He