An Excerpt from Bridget Midway's Love My Way
As he returned to the table with his whips, Eagan rolled up his shirtsleeves to his elbows. “As I was saying before, you all will learn more about me tonight.” He picked up his whip again. “I need one volunteer.”
Scanning the group, he thought for sure Sunny or even Venus would have jumped at the chance. It was apparent that Sunny had some background in the BDSM lifestyle. Venus didn’t, however she was ready to please, probably to get the prizes at the end. Women like her were so transparent.
“I’ll do it.”
Eagan couldn’t help but blink when Begonia volunteered. This was the same woman who couldn’t answer a simple BDSM question. Even if she weren’t in the Lifestyle, which was obvious, she should still be able to answer the question.
Without getting permission, Begonia stepped forward in front of Eagan. Nervous energy emitted through her gaze. Staring at her lips, he knew she was chewing the inside of her bottom lip the way it drew in and out.
“Are you sure?” he asked to give her a chance to back out.
“Yes, sir.” To punctuate her claim, she took another step forward, crowding into his space.
“Okay, take about ten steps that way and put your back to me.” He pointed toward the front door. Maybe if Begonia had a clear shot of it, she would keep walking.
She took the required steps. From the way her shoulders drew up and back down, he knew she had taken a deep breath.
In an elevated voice, Eagan said, “Now pull down your dress to expose your back.”
Her body froze. What seemed like several minutes later, she turned to him. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” Eagan adjusted the whip in his hand. “If I have to repeat myself, elimination will be a breeze tonight. Now you can either debate me or --”
Before giving her a second option, Begonia rolled her top down to her waist, exposing her bare back. Eagan caught a glimpse of the succulent curve of her breast when she briefly turned. Good to see nudity wasn’t a problem for her.
When Eagan saw Phil directing his cameraman to get into Begonia’s face, he held up his hand to stop him. Though in a mask, Begonia didn’t need her nudity exposed this soon. Ratings or not, he didn’t want to make this some Girls Gone Wild TV show.
Eagan stared at Begonia as she stood perfectly still. Her dark caramel skin was too perfect, too beautiful to mar. He did, however, want so desperately to touch it, taste it, feel it under his hand.
A clearing throat snagged Eagan’s attention. He turned to the cameras and found Phil pointing to his watch.
Time. Yes. He had to keep going.
“The basis of the BDSM relationship is trust,” Eagan began. “I know what you’re thinking. That’s the basis of all good relationships, right?”
The ladies nodded. Eagan took that time to snap the whip next to Begonia’s arm. He didn’t touch her. He made sure of that. However, he knew the sound would get to her. And it did. She, along with the other contestants, all jumped. A few gasped.
“Trust is paramount in the BDSM lifestyle. ‘Safe, sane, and consensual’ is not only our credo, it’s our mantra. We live by it. I expect you all to do the same.” He snapped the whip again, this time on the other side of Begonia. And he did it again over her head, a feat at her statuesque height, especially in her heels.
“I will use toys like this and canes and paddles throughout this competition and in the relationship. If you don’t think you can handle it,” he snapped the whip right beside Begonia’s head, “then get out of the competition now.” Good thing she stood perfectly still.
With whip in hand, he stormed to Begonia, standing behind her. He took in a deep breath and caught her fresh, fruity scent.
“Pull your dress up,” he commanded.
Without clarification this time, Begonia rolled her dress up. Then, she turned around. Although he couldn’t see her full face, her pupils were fully dilated, so much so her brown eyes now looked black. Her breathing matched that of a hard panting.
He’d done his job. Eagan managed to frighten her a bit. But she didn’t run away. Impressive.
“Go back in line with the other women.”
By the time Begonia resumed her spot, Iris returned to the living room, walking slowly as she held her head.
“I’m so sorry for fainting earlier.” She stood in between Freesia and Magnolia again. “I feel so silly.”
“Don’t. Your body reacted the way you felt. No shame in that.” Eagan put his hands to his hips. “Unfortunately, ladies, one of you will have to go home. As much as it pains me to remove the very collar I just gave you to signify that you’re mine, I will have to do it.”
He started at the head of the line with Lily and walked his way down it again like he’d done before. He stopped at Sunny.
“You answered a question I didn’t ask you.”
From the way her long, lean neck moved, he noticed Sunny swallowed, then bowed her head. Eagan sauntered down the line. He stopped at Meadow.
“You questioned my name for you and implied I wouldn’t have addressed your special needs.”
Meadow wrung her hands. “I didn’t mean to. I swear. It’s just that every time I buy a necklace, I have to --”
Eagan held up his hand to her. He strolled, stopping in front of Venus. “I don’t know what it is about you, but I think I’m going to have to keep my eye on you.”
“I would like that, Master Eagan.” Venus capped off her clueless statement with a courtly head bow.
He stepped over to Begonia. Damn Begonia. If he felt something was wrong with Venus, he really felt it with Begonia. She stared into his eyes without breaking her glare.
Anger? Hmm, he hadn’t expected that emotion from her. Fear, maybe. Appreciation that he didn’t actually touch her delicate skin. He had to find out what she was thinking.
Eagan stepped back to the center of the row. “Although I don’t know all of you ladies yet, I have made my decision.” He scanned the group again. “Even though a lot of you made some mistakes tonight, only one will be rewarded and one will be eliminated.” He turned to Begonia.
Shit! Did her nipples just get hard? Don’t look, man. Don’t look!
“Begonia.”
“Yes.”
Eagan cocked an eyebrow.
She swallowed. “Sir. Yes, sir,” she quickly followed.
“You didn’t know something as basic as what it means to be collared. I find that unacceptable.”
She lowered her head.
“However, because you were willing to step up and be the first to brave the whip, you have won the reward challenge. Due to the brevity of this show, that means you also win the immunity challenge, meaning you can’t be eliminated in the next show.”
Eagan wanted to know more about this one contestant. Once he figured her out, he would let her go and let a real submissive serve him.
“Tonight, I’m releasing you, Iris.”
The woman buckled like she wanted to faint again. This time Eagan was able to catch her and hold her arms.
“When you fainted, that showed me that you didn’t trust me. You assumed I would do something to hurt or harm you. If you can’t come into the relationship with trust, it’ll be impossible to build.” He held out his hand. “Iris, please return your collar.”
She unclasped her collar and placed it in his hand.
Eagan and every woman stared at Iris as she removed her mask. Underneath hid a beautiful, if not scared and remorseful, woman. Her brown hair cascaded down and around her face like chocolate waves. Her blue eyes entranced all who dared to look at her directly.
She handed her mask to Eagan as well. “My name is Deana,” she said. “I didn’t think I would be so scared of you and the whip. I just saw it and assumed the worst. You have been very kind to me. If I could do it over again, I wouldn’t have fainted.”
“Either this is not the Lifestyle for you, or I’m not the Master you need. I wish you luck in your search.” Eagan took a couple of steps back so that she could exit out of the front door.
As soon as she walked away, Eagan wasted no time turning his attention back to the group.
“One minute, Eagan,” Phil called from behind the camera.
“Begonia,” Eagan began, “since you won tonight, your prize will be a private dinner with me in thirty minutes. You also will be allowed to pick which bedroom and bed you desire before the other ladies. You other ladies can go to the patio where your dinner is waiting. Begonia, Apple will escort you to where we will be dining. Please remember not to be late.”
Although he wanted to see her reaction, he turned and headed to the stairs. Behind him blared the song “Love My Way” with Tony attempting to talk over it to congratulate the remaining women.
Dinner tonight would be interesting. Perhaps he should bring a cane to the table ... for dessert.
© Bridget Midway, March 2007
All Rights Reserved
|