Note from the author:
The story takes a while to get to the sex bits. Fair warning.
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I drummed my fingers on the table. I took a nervous breath and shifted anxiously in the booth, conspicuously alone. He always made me a little bit tense, but waiting like this only made it worse.
I was two hours from home, at a training conference for work; it was not often I had a hotel room by myself, and I had invited him to meet me.
I cursed him silently for making me wait like this.
Trying to calm my restlessness, I studied the modern-ish lines of the hotel's decor, all blues and grays and trendy exposed brick. The whole place could have been really stunning, if it hadn't looked so... terribly corporate. Like a caricature of real style. The foyer and bar were filled with high-back booths that afforded me, blessedly, a bit of privacy, and I had chosen the farthest table from the door, so I could watch the comings and goings of the other patrons. Maybe it was a remnant of some long-buried prey instinct, but I always felt more comfortable with the widest possible view of my surroundings.
The waitress dropped off my second gin and tonic with a plastic smile; the bite of the alcohol did little to calm my nerves. My breath was shallow as I tugged at my short dress.
A green dress.
That's what I had told him. I'd be wearing a green dress.
I had picked it up this afternoon, dodging out of the dull afternoon sessions I was supposed to be attending. Somehow, shopping for him just seemed like the better - or at least the more entertaining - use of my time. I had strolled slowly through the mall, aching for the hours to pass, so I could see him. When I saw the dress, I knew it was perfect; I could feel my pussy drip and my skin flush.
But now I wasn't so sure.
The dress was made of that nearly-transparent jersey fabric that was the hallmark of cheap, disposable clothing. Normally, I wouldn't waste my money on something so trashy, but somehow it didn't seem quite right to meet him in the wool pencil skirt and blazer I had brought for the conference itself. And although the choice of clothing had been intentional on my part, now I just felt silly. And slutty. And, to make matters worse, in a rush of courage earlier, I had left my bra in the room upstairs, and every small breeze reminded me of that fact. Even from my semi-protected vantage point, I still felt like every eye in the room was on my hard nipples, poking obviously from the front of the dress. I wished he'd get here, then we could go upstairs and do something that didn't make me want to cry from embarrassment.
I checked my phone. Nothing. I polished off the drink in one smooth pull.
Gods, I thought. What is wrong with you? Just go, he can call when he gets here.
I gathered my purse and was halfway out of the booth when I saw him walk through the door, his tall, broad frame moving with perfect confidence. My breath caught in my throat, and I suddenly had the feeling of a small, trapped animal. What is wrong with you? This is insane.
I watched him quickly scan the room, before laying his dark eyes on me. I licked my dry lips and sat back down, feeling strangely cornered in the booth that, until a moment ago, had felt almost safe. Adrenaline prickled up my arms.
He sauntered over to me, completely unhurried, hands in his pockets.
"You're not cutting out on me, darling, are you now?" he drawled, his voice cool as always, but with some half-hidden timbre of threat. That voice that made me want to run, and gave the impression that he'd enjoy the chase.
I let out the breath I had been holding, looking up at him with the most innocent eyes I could muster. "Jack," I said, smiling timidly. "Of course not. Wouldn't dream of it."
"Good." He slid in across from me. "Because I brought something for you."
My heart skipped a beat. "Oh?"
"Yeah. Something for the occasion. Not often I get to meet you at a fancy hotel." He leaned to the side as he dug into his pocket.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl as he gently placed a red leather collar in the middle of the table. He looked at me with a sly smile.
I glanced around uneasily, not sure how to react. None of our play had ever been in public, and this caught me off-guard. Usually we just met, and fucked... and some other things.
Once I convinced myself that no one had discovered our table's newest accessory, I decided that maintaining civility was the best course of action. "It's... wow. It's beautiful." I was mildly pleased to hear that my voice held the confidence that I no longer felt.
The moment dragged on.
"You should put it on."
I felt my eyes go wide and my breath catch. "Oh... Of course, yes. I'd... I'd be happy to," I said, starting again to extricate myself from the table. I grabbed for my purse.
"No." His tone stopped me flat. "Put it on here."
My heart raced. "Here? But..." I tailed off, the small-trapped-animal feeling settling again into my stomach. I slumped back into the seat, a blush creeping up my neck. I looked up at him, hoping he wasn't serious. "Can't we just...?" I motioned upwards.
"No," he said, his voice hard. "I want to watch you do it here." He paused, then his face lightened. "I can give you a minute, if you want." He paused again, for effect. "Should I get a drink? Do you need another?" A look of pure innocence swept over his face. "Let me call the girl over..."
"No. No, wait." I cut him off, fingering the tooled leather. It was truly gorgeous. Thick, with a sturdy ring in the center. I had always imagined wearing his collar... just not like this. Not sitting in some bland bar, surrounded by leering strangers.
After a minute of stalling, he cocked an eyebrow at me. "Well?"
"But... everyone..." I began again, before my voice faded. I was having trouble forming a coherent thought.
He glanced around theatrically and shrugged. "Maybe. But it looks like you picked a pretty secluded spot. Furthest from the door. Good choice." He looked positively angelic.
I narrowed my eyes. Something... something about his tone made be nervous. And surprisingly wet.
His expression dimmed. "Now get on with it. Because if you make me wait any longer, I'm going to make you beg to wear it."
I bit my lip.
"... Or is that what you want?" His stony gaze pressed into me. He snaked his hand across the table, idly fingering the tendons in my hand. "Tell me. Tell me what you want."