Protege(58)

***

Over the next several days they fell into a bit of a rhythm. Every morning he’d wake her with a text and ask her to join him. She’d quickly wash up, find the adjoining door unlocked, and slip into his bed, where he tenderly took from her body. She never minded him using her for his gratification. On the contrary, it made her feel necessary and he always expressed how much pleasure she brought him.

What surprised her was the deep satisfaction she got from this dynamic. It was an understanding that she would be sexually available to him unless ill. She’d imagined this would be a chore at times, but it wasn’t at all.

There were some embarrassing moments when her body needed a bit of coaxing. Typically, foreplay could be the necessary bridge, but these moments were about her being available to him, and he would simply compensate with a touch of oil and it would be smooth sailing.

In the end, her body always responded. Though she didn’t always climax, she did reach pivotal points of arousal. It was an expectation she wanted to meet and one he appreciated. There was little intimacy during these early-morning visits, but something crossed between them, something personal and satisfying that she had no label for.

After their morning coupling, they’d part to shower and she’d make breakfast. Breakfast was followed by a meeting in the library, where Jude educated her on theory versus reality in the world of BDSM. She was coming to understand just how much was exaggerated and how achievable the D/s lifestyle could be if one found a trustworthy partner with similar views.

She was also coming to understand that BDSM was different in every relationship, as was the D/s dynamic. It motivated her to apply herself more and vindicated how much she truly wanted that future.

Some form of business that didn’t concern her typically interrupted their afternoons. Jude often directed her to see to lunch or rest at this time, depending on how fatiguing their morning had been.

She loved the opportunities to take care of him, be it sexual relief or bringing him a cool glass of sun tea. There was a deep-seated need inside her to nurture, and the chance to take care of someone as authoritative as Jude Duval was a thrilling honor.

Jude helped her understand this desire to serve. Understanding that any demands or expected slave practices were not stimulating to her, there seemed a very fine, but real line between the kind of submissive she desired to be and the labels available. She appreciated his attention to detail when helping her recognize the multiple variations.

Basically, she took great pleasure in making his life calmer and happier. It was empowering, without the exploitation of needed recognition. Seeing to his comforts put her at ease. She was a nurturer at heart, but in the past, when she doted over a boyfriend, her intentions were often suspect and sometimes taken for granted. Jude let nothing go unnoticed, which made her care a labor of love. But she assured herself it was the behavior, not the man, that made it so.

If there was some sort of exchange at play, she believed it was his dependable kindness and consideration of her personal needs. Sure that some feminists would tremble with objections to her behavior, she once again was grateful she’d found a place like Fernweh, a place where she was free to be the person she needed to be, without worrying about the judgment of others.

There also came a great satisfaction every time she discovered something new—something about Jude. Knowing he liked his sweet tea with lemon but not mint seemed a defining moment. More defining was the moment he recognized that she’d noticed his preference without having to be told.

She’d also noticed that he ignored the towel hooks on the bathroom door and always tossed his towels in the corner. The day she placed a small wicker basket in the corner, he’d kissed her and called her thoughtful. Same as he didn’t take her service for granted, she never took his recognition for granted. It meant something to her, something monumental.

Jude was a very gentle Dom, she was coming to see. It amazed her that other, much more rigid Doms deferred to him. Perhaps that was because he created the world that provided the life they desired, but she believed it had more to do with his endless tolerance and the fact that he was nonjudgmental.

They’d visited another couple’s house for dinner one evening, which seemed a common rotation in the village. Collette worried about her menu and when it would be their turn to entertain. The variety of relationships at Fernweh fascinated her as much as the adoration fawned upon the subs mesmerized her.

The Doms were not short on attention either. The subs, both men and women, were almost flawless in their ability to read and please their Doms. It made Collette envious for such a partner, one she understood well enough to anticipate his needs and provide each one without prompting.

She glanced at Jude, who was currently working up a sweat on the speed bag she could barely reach. His back was corded with muscle, and the little bit of pudgy belly fat he’d had when they met was now eradicated.

It was dangerous to believe she might be affecting him the way he affected her. For all she knew, he was this meticulous with every woman. She didn’t like the thought, but it was na?ve to believe she was different from anyone else.

Look at how meticulous he is with himself.

Jude was an exceptional lover, the best she’d ever had. He was thorough and attentive when he chose to be. Even when he was taking his own pleasure, he was careful with her, always making sure she was not in any pain and tending to her aftercare with a delicate touch. She understood how much he, too, needed someone to care for, but as a Dom, he also needed that sense of control, the power exchange she also enjoyed, but from a different angle. She trusted him in the superior role.