“Don’t tell anyone but he’s really a softie.”
“I’ve seen him in action. Trust me, he may have a soft side, but he’s no softie.”
Sasha muttered an agreement, but deep inside she was pleased that Cole showed his soft side only to her. It was like they had a secret they only shared with each other.
“I better let you go,” Dena said. “I’m sure Abby and Julie are champing at the bit to get you ready.”
They said their good-byes and Sasha turned back to her friends. “What else do I have to do to get ready?”
In hindsight, that wasn’t the best question to ask. Another hour later, they’d discussed how they wanted to do to her hair, how much makeup she should wear, and if she needed shoes. Sasha didn’t quite understand the shoe thing, but Abby was busy texting, and when she looked up she said no to the shoes.
When they finally let her look in a mirror, Sasha couldn’t believe the transformation. The combination of the dress and the light makeup made her look different than usual. But she could see this excitement in her eyes that absolutely transformed her. Hell, she felt different.
“Cole is going to die when he sees you.” Julie stood behind her in the mirror. “You look beautiful. And you know what else?”
Sasha shook her head.
“I don’t even have to ask how you’re doing; it’s written all over your face.”
Sasha laughed at Julie’s mention of the phrase she told her she wanted someone to use one day. “Thank you.”
Julie gave her a quick hug. “Are you ready? Because I think there’s a certain Dom waiting for you.”
Abby and Julie led the way with Sasha following close behind. She had assumed the ceremony would be held indoors, perhaps in the library. But her two friends led her outside, where she could see what looked like hundreds of candles burning in the garden.
Abby squeezed her hand. “We’re going to have a seat. Cole will let you know what to do next.”
Sasha jumped when somebody touched her shoulder.
“It’s just me, little one.”
“Sir, you startled me.”
“Forgive me, that was not my intent. But I wanted us to walk out together.”
“Is there anything I need to do or prepare myself for?” she asked.
“No, little one. I would have told you.”
He knew her so well. Knew her struggles. What caused her stress. And likewise, he knew how to alleviate those stresses and struggles.
She nodded and he cupped her face, softly stroking her cheek.
“You look incredible,” he whispered. “In fact, incredible doesn’t begin to touch it. I need more adjectives.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
He held out his hand. “Are you ready?”
“It seems odd, walking in together hand in hand.”
He put his hand down and looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “Because you’re a submissive?”
Duh, she wanted to say, but nodded instead.
“I’m sure there are a lot of people who would agree with you, and I’m not saying they’re wrong. Just that for us, you and I, I think it works better to show that we’re each equal in the relationship. More important, I want you to know that I don’t view you as lesser than I. Quite the opposite, in fact. As a Dominant, I hold you and your well-being so far above my own. It’s quite humbling to have you trust me so much.”
He never stopped amazing her. Just when she thought she couldn’t love him anymore, he’d say something like what he just did and her heart would swell. She held her hand out. “I’m ready now, Sir.”
He lifted her hand to his lips for a quick kiss and then led the way outside.
Chapter Eleven
The candles that lit the garden looked amazing, like something out of a dream. They gave just enough light for her to see the path and the smiling faces of their friends. She felt as if she were walking on air the entire way down the stone pathway to where Cole had set up a small table. Something was on it, but it was covered up with a white tablecloth. Most shocking was Fritz, standing beside the table. She looked up at Cole, but he only winked at her.
“Cole and Sasha,” Fritz started, when they came to a stop before him. “Is it your intent to enter into a Dominant/submissive relationship?”
Cole gave her hand a squeeze. “It is.”
“Yes, Sir,” she replied.
Fritz stepped to the side and waved Cole to the table. She felt his absence when he dropped her hand to lift up the white cloth. Underneath was a bowl. She couldn’t figure out what that was for. She’d been to a few collaring ceremonies and she’d never seen a bowl used before.
Cole took the bowl and handed it to her. She looked down into it as she took it. Water?
What was she going to do with water? Was she supposed to drink it?
Before her, Cole simply gave her the smile that always lifted her mood and eased her fears. She was being crazy. Cole knew what he was doing. He had the entire ceremony under control. She needed to relax and enjoy it.
“Sasha, my dearest little one, when you came to me, you were frightened and unsure. There were issues in your past that clouded your vision of the future.” He took a sponge from the table and put it in the bowl. He squeezed some water out of the sponge so it was only the slightest bit damp. “You are mine now and I am the one who will carry your fears and worries, letting there be only light for your journey forward. With this water, I wash all the pains of yesterday away.”
With the gentlest touch, he ran the sponge across the bare skin of her neck and down her arms.
“The nightmares that have haunted you are gone, washed away.” He knelt down and dribbled water across her feet. “The doubts you had, the fear, and all the secret things you kept hidden in your soul. They are all gone. There is only you and you are mine.”
“I’ve seen him in action. Trust me, he may have a soft side, but he’s no softie.”
Sasha muttered an agreement, but deep inside she was pleased that Cole showed his soft side only to her. It was like they had a secret they only shared with each other.
“I better let you go,” Dena said. “I’m sure Abby and Julie are champing at the bit to get you ready.”
They said their good-byes and Sasha turned back to her friends. “What else do I have to do to get ready?”
In hindsight, that wasn’t the best question to ask. Another hour later, they’d discussed how they wanted to do to her hair, how much makeup she should wear, and if she needed shoes. Sasha didn’t quite understand the shoe thing, but Abby was busy texting, and when she looked up she said no to the shoes.
When they finally let her look in a mirror, Sasha couldn’t believe the transformation. The combination of the dress and the light makeup made her look different than usual. But she could see this excitement in her eyes that absolutely transformed her. Hell, she felt different.
“Cole is going to die when he sees you.” Julie stood behind her in the mirror. “You look beautiful. And you know what else?”
Sasha shook her head.
“I don’t even have to ask how you’re doing; it’s written all over your face.”
Sasha laughed at Julie’s mention of the phrase she told her she wanted someone to use one day. “Thank you.”
Julie gave her a quick hug. “Are you ready? Because I think there’s a certain Dom waiting for you.”
Abby and Julie led the way with Sasha following close behind. She had assumed the ceremony would be held indoors, perhaps in the library. But her two friends led her outside, where she could see what looked like hundreds of candles burning in the garden.
Abby squeezed her hand. “We’re going to have a seat. Cole will let you know what to do next.”
Sasha jumped when somebody touched her shoulder.
“It’s just me, little one.”
“Sir, you startled me.”
“Forgive me, that was not my intent. But I wanted us to walk out together.”
“Is there anything I need to do or prepare myself for?” she asked.
“No, little one. I would have told you.”
He knew her so well. Knew her struggles. What caused her stress. And likewise, he knew how to alleviate those stresses and struggles.
She nodded and he cupped her face, softly stroking her cheek.
“You look incredible,” he whispered. “In fact, incredible doesn’t begin to touch it. I need more adjectives.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
He held out his hand. “Are you ready?”
“It seems odd, walking in together hand in hand.”
He put his hand down and looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “Because you’re a submissive?”
Duh, she wanted to say, but nodded instead.
“I’m sure there are a lot of people who would agree with you, and I’m not saying they’re wrong. Just that for us, you and I, I think it works better to show that we’re each equal in the relationship. More important, I want you to know that I don’t view you as lesser than I. Quite the opposite, in fact. As a Dominant, I hold you and your well-being so far above my own. It’s quite humbling to have you trust me so much.”
He never stopped amazing her. Just when she thought she couldn’t love him anymore, he’d say something like what he just did and her heart would swell. She held her hand out. “I’m ready now, Sir.”
He lifted her hand to his lips for a quick kiss and then led the way outside.
Chapter Eleven
The candles that lit the garden looked amazing, like something out of a dream. They gave just enough light for her to see the path and the smiling faces of their friends. She felt as if she were walking on air the entire way down the stone pathway to where Cole had set up a small table. Something was on it, but it was covered up with a white tablecloth. Most shocking was Fritz, standing beside the table. She looked up at Cole, but he only winked at her.
“Cole and Sasha,” Fritz started, when they came to a stop before him. “Is it your intent to enter into a Dominant/submissive relationship?”
Cole gave her hand a squeeze. “It is.”
“Yes, Sir,” she replied.
Fritz stepped to the side and waved Cole to the table. She felt his absence when he dropped her hand to lift up the white cloth. Underneath was a bowl. She couldn’t figure out what that was for. She’d been to a few collaring ceremonies and she’d never seen a bowl used before.
Cole took the bowl and handed it to her. She looked down into it as she took it. Water?
What was she going to do with water? Was she supposed to drink it?
Before her, Cole simply gave her the smile that always lifted her mood and eased her fears. She was being crazy. Cole knew what he was doing. He had the entire ceremony under control. She needed to relax and enjoy it.
“Sasha, my dearest little one, when you came to me, you were frightened and unsure. There were issues in your past that clouded your vision of the future.” He took a sponge from the table and put it in the bowl. He squeezed some water out of the sponge so it was only the slightest bit damp. “You are mine now and I am the one who will carry your fears and worries, letting there be only light for your journey forward. With this water, I wash all the pains of yesterday away.”
With the gentlest touch, he ran the sponge across the bare skin of her neck and down her arms.
“The nightmares that have haunted you are gone, washed away.” He knelt down and dribbled water across her feet. “The doubts you had, the fear, and all the secret things you kept hidden in your soul. They are all gone. There is only you and you are mine.”
