"Dinner's ready," she said quietly, as she appeared behind him and carefully ran her fingertips over his temple and down his cheek.
He glanced up from his reading and reached out to tug gently on the o-ring of the collar she always wore in his presence. Pulling her down to him, he reached up and caressed her face, then cupped her neck and kissed her small, perfect lips. He bit them—hard—and smiled with delight at her startled gasp. "What are we waiting for, then?" he asked, as he got up and motioned for her to follow.
He walked in to the dining room and was instantly pleased with her attention to detail: candles flickered, silverware sparkled, linen looked crisp and his best crystal was partially filled with what looked to be some very fine wine. The table was set for one.
She trailed behind him and helped him into his seat, and bent provocatively—and just this side of flirtatiously—over his lap to smooth his napkin for him. She poured a small glass of Italian sparking water and then lifted the covers off the plates before him.
His appreciative gaze swept over the table once more. She had, without consultation, arranged the perfect meal for the bitterly cold night that raged outside. In the finest French tradition, she had carefully prepared the best available ingredients with not even a nod to fashion or fad. There lay before him a salad of tender romaine lettuce hearts, unbroken and arranged to remind him of the St. Andrew's cross he had placed her on just the night before, then drizzled with a dressing worthy of entire empires. Large, paper-thin shreds of fine Italian cheese rested about the plate, and coarsely broken peppercorns decorated the rim. He noted he needn't even use a fork—his preference—but rather would be able to enjoy the spears of delicately tinted lettuce by simply holding them in his long fingers.
He also took in the main course. It was a meal designed to tempt him, and indeed, the scents wafting from the kitchen all afternoon had very nearly—but not quite—driven the image of her corseted kneeling form from his mind. A rich, deep sauce covered large chunks of the finest organic beef. Perfect little pearl onions glistened beneath the rounded flesh of waxy young potatoes, and a mound of torn country bread tumbled over itself on a plate to his left, as if in a hurry to mate with the deep, purple glace.
He nodded to her, once, and she gratefully sunk to her knees at his feet. She rested, but in an attentive pose, in this position throughout the meal. Whenever his glass needed replenishing she would gracefully stand and retrieve the bottle of fine French wine on the sideboard and fill it. Anticipating his needs, she had crushed more pepper and laid out a small silver bowl with the finest coarse French sea-salt and a tiny spoon. Once or twice she smeared the freshly whipped butter over the artisanal bread and quietly licked the glistening oil from her fingers after handing it to him.
She was not hungry. Sitting at his feet, she reveled in his distracted attention. She loved that something she had created would bring him such pleasure. He stroked her head, often, and in between mouthfuls, asked her to tell him of her day, her dreams, her desires. And he told her of the things he planned for her in the coming weeks...and often, he would hold a piece of dripping meat between his fingers and motion her close. She would rise up on her knees and put her face close to his, and he would gently nudge her teeth apart with the morsel in his hand and she would bite into it with a thankfulness apparent in her entire pose. He did this for her with every part of the meal, even allowing her to sip on the delicious red nectar filling his glass. He smeared his fingers with the aggressive dressing clinging to the salad leaves and watched with pleasure as she licked them clean. He held out a perfect spear, a delicate heart-leaf and had her nibble on it like a bunny until she was literally eating out of his hand. He sopped the bread in the abundant juices and made her tremble while he held it just out of her reach, bidding her still and silent, until he finally allowed her to plunge her lips around this favoured treat and swallow it greedily.
Finally, sated, he leaned back and, tipping the wine glass to his lips, drained it. "Little one," he crooned, catching her face in his and twisting her gaze to his: "that was delicious."
"Thank you," she murmured, demurely trying to avert her eyes. He held her tight, though, and she tried to steady herself for whatever it was he was about to say.
He began caressing her cheek again, each time pulling his hand back a bit more firmly, and starting his stroke with a bit more force. She didn't flinch—he wouldn't have liked that—but finally, his caresses turned to harsh slaps and with one forceful blow, she was knocked off her heels and against his knees. She struggled to right herself but her stumble disappointed him. He looked down at her and said, sadly, " I suppose we'll have to wait for dessert."
He rose, and reached back to tug her up by her collar. This time, she preceded him out of the room, guided by his strong hands on her pretty hips.