Make Me, Sir

Beth gave an exasperated snort. “Okay, you jerk. You don’t need to go through it all again, although you really should have finished with a ‘will you marry me’ question.”

He smiled slowly. “I didn’t want to take the chance you’d say no.”

“You’re such a dom,” she grumbled and then gave him a breathtaking smile. “Of course I’ll marry you.”

As everyone broke into applause, Cullen handed Nolan a ring, and he slid it onto Beth’s finger. She let out a squeak of delight, her eyes wide. Hands bracketing her dom’s face, she gave him a very long, very sweet kiss.

And then she shoved herself off his lap to hurry to Kari and show her ring off.

Jessica grinned as Nolan winced and adjusted a conspicuous erection.

Dan snorted and told Nolan in a low voice, “You’d better take her home soon before you damage something.”

“Hell with that. We’re heading upstairs the minute she stops showing off her ring.” Nolan grinned as Beth trotted from Kari to Andrea. “Then again, if she takes much longer, I may just bend her over this chair.”

As the men laughed, Beth dropped down beside Jessica. “Look, Jessica.”

Jessica smiled at her instead, seeing the glow in her eyes, the utter happiness with no reservations whatsoever. “I’m so glad for you.”

Beth hugged her. “Without you holding my hand and encouraging me, I might have run. Thank you.”

Blinking away tears, Jessica hugged her back. “Okay, show me.”

The ring was lovely, a diamond in the center of smaller multicolored gems, giving the impression of a flower in bloom, perfect for the landscape designer. “I’m envious,” Jessica said, trying to make her words light even though she meant them with all her heart. “And I know you two will be wonderfully happy together.”

“Thank you.” Beth kissed her cheek before grinning at Z. “Thank you, Sir.”

Z stroked her hair. “Be happy, Elizabeth.”

Feeling a little excluded and a lot envious, Gabi watched Beth return to Nolan.

His black gaze had never left his submissive for more than a few seconds.

Beth flapped her subbie blanket at him. “Want to go upstairs, my lord and master…or just bend me over the arm of your chair?”

Everyone burst out laughing.

Nolan’s face darkened, and he rose.

Beth warily took a step back.

Gabi giggled when Nolan stripped the blanket from Beth and tossed her over his shoulder. He slapped her butt, glanced around at everyone, and grinned. “We’re going upstairs for a bit, Z,” he said.

Master Z inclined his head. “Feel free to spend the night, Nolan. Use as many rooms as you deem necessary to get her properly engaged.”

Nolan chuckled, caressing Beth’s slim thigh. “Good suggestion, Z. It shouldn’t take more than a handful of rooms to obtain a quiet little fiancee.”

A muffled “What!” came from the redhead, even as the rest of the doms grinned.

Cullen had picked up the various toys in the scene area. Now he hung the leather bag over Nolan’s shoulder. “You’ll need this, buddy.”

Gabi shook her head, a bit appalled. Each of the private rooms on the second floor had a different piece of equipment-from spanking benches to St. Andrew’s crosses to bondage tables. By morning, poor Beth probably wouldn’t be able to walk.

“Well, that exhausted me.” Dan nuzzled his pregnant sub. “Brought back all sorts of horrible memories of getting engaged.”

“Oh, it did not,” she said. Gabi gasped as the round little sub poked her hard-faced dom in the ribs. Was she insane?

“Do you get the impression we have an overabundance of smart-ass subs?” Master Dan growled to Cullen. He grabbed Kari’s wrists and hooked her cuffs together over her protruding belly.

Cullen’s sub, Andrea, grinned. “Not me. As a past trainee, I’m the very epitome of a submissive, an example to the other subs in my attire and demeanor and obedience.”

That sounded like a quote, but if that had been in the trainee instructions, Gabi had sure missed it.

Cullen stared at his sub in disbelief. “For that absolute whopper of a lie, you may fetch me a beer-and just water for you.”

When she scowled at him, he yanked her dress over her head, leaving her in only a thong. His fingers curled under the thin band on one hip. “Look at me in that tone of voice again, and you’ll lose this too, love.”

As she flounced away, Cullen grinned. “You know, I never get tired of watching that ass, especially when she’s stomping.”

Marcus laughed. He rubbed his cheek against Gabi’s, his beard shadow tantalizingly abrasive, and murmured, “Get dressed, sugar; then fetch us both a drink. Since you’ve been a good girl-for oh, at least the last five minutes…you may have whatever you wish.”

God, she could listen to his voice forever. She turned her face up and whispered, “Thank you, Sir.”

He gave her a kiss as slow and sweet as his Southern drawl.

After squirming into her vinyl skirt and hooking up her corset, Gabi waited at the bar to give her order. An older couple had taken over the closest scene area. In a pink bustier and matching collar, the woman was carefully helped onto a spanking sawhorse by her white-haired dom. They must be around seventy and looked so sweet together. Imagine living with-and loving-someone for half a century.

With fingers knotted by arthritis, the dom stroked his sub’s cheek, and they exchanged a kiss and laughter.

Gabi’s heart squeezed. I want that. I want Marcus to be my dom. My man.

She ordered Marcus’s vodka and a soda for herself from the dom serving as bartender, then made circles in a streak of spilled beer. Marcus acted affectionate. But did he treat all his trainees like her? Wouldn’t he have said something if he figured on seeing her after tonight?

Her insides fluttered as if she’d eaten an anxiety sandwich for lunch rather than tuna. Maybe he thought she wasn’t interested, that she planned to go home and never think of him again. He’s a dom, Gabi; he’d know, one part of her said. The other more optimistic side insisted she should make an effort before giving up.

“Hi there.”

Gabi glanced over and saw the blonde submissive who adored Marcus. Miss Golden and Perfect. “Hi.”

“My Marcus said you’re one of his new trainees.” The woman’s voice was soft and sugar-sweet. “My name is Celine.”

My Marcus. The pain of her claim slid into Gabi’s heart so quickly she had no defense against it. She inhaled carefully and attempted a return smile. “It’s nice to meet you.” And that is so not true. I could have happily lived my whole life without meeting you. “I’m Gabrielle. How long have you two been together?”

“Since spring. He’s everything I ever wanted.” Celine smiled and patted Gabi’s hand. “I’ve watched you, bless your heart. Don’t you realize the doms don’t like bratty submissives?”

“Oh. Really?” Some village somewhere is missing an idiot. “Why, I hadn’t noticed.”

Celine pursed her lips into a moue of disapproval. “That’s why that trainee Sally still hasn’t found a dom who can stand her. I’m surprised Marcus puts up with her. He hates disrespectful behavior.”

Gabi managed not to wince and kept her voice level. “Well, damn. Who knew?”

“Now don’t be hurt,” Celine said. “I’m trying to help.”

On the other side of Celine, Master Dan’s pregnant submissive frowned; maybe she didn’t approve of sarcastic subs either.

“You see, that’s why Marcus loves me so much,” Celine said. “I never give him any trouble or back talk. Whatever he wants is what I want.”

I should punch her. Tear some of her perfect hair out. No submissive in the place would blame me.

The bartender showed up-finally-and set Gabi’s order down. “One Grey Goose, one Coke.”

“Thank you,” Gabi said.

“Oh, is that for my master?” Celine picked up Marcus’s drink. “I’ll save you the trip, and you can get back to