Meg's heart pounded in her chest as she pulled into a parking space in front of the condominium. She was having difficulty believing that she had agreed to this. What in the name of God had her hormones gotten her into this time? Where was her mind when she visited that Internet chat room? It had been hard enough to admit that old desires had begun to surface again but to actively go out and seek someone who could help her fulfill them was madness.
But she had done it anyway and met someone whose interests seemed similar to hers and amazingly enough also lived in Toronto. They had spent many nights chatting on the computer, learning a lot about each other and finding out that they had similar backgrounds in law enforcement as well. Now she could laugh as she realized that all the clues were there. She should have known whom she was dealing with but when she finally agreed to have dinner with him to talk in person, it had been a complete surprise.
She glanced at her watch. 5:55pm. She had time. She could simply drive away and make her excuses later. Yes, she could claim that a work related emergency had kept her from meeting him and he'd never need to know that she had actually arrived but then chickened out.
Just as she was starting to shift the car into reverse, she saw the draperies move. Though she hadn't actually seen a body, she was certain that he had looked out the window and knew that she was there. "Damn," she said to herself, "no backing out now." Meg took a deep breath to calm her nerves, surrounded herself with an aura of nonchalance and finally felt prepared to face whatever challenges awaited her.
As she opened the car door and began to step out, a glint of metal in her bag caught her eye and she realized that she hadn't removed her gun before she'd left. The knowledge heartened her, reminding her that she was, after all, an experienced police officer. They'd agreed that there would be no bondage tonight, only subservience and that was something she could walk away from. While she acknowledged that she was quite a bit smaller than he was, she was certain that she'd be able to break virtually any kind of hold he might try.
She glanced quickly at the contents of her bag and ran down her mental checklist once again. She'd brought her own water bottle so she didn't have to depend on him for hydration. Earlier in the day she'd told her friend, Patricia, that she had a blind date and was having minor misgivings about it. So now the woman had his address and instructions to call the police if she didn't hear from Meg by 8:00. Pat had been concerned that her friend thought such precautions were necessary but Meg reassured her by saying she didn't really think she'd be in any danger but she just wanted to be certain she had a safety net if she needed one.
Meg smiled to herself as she walked to the front door of the condo. Back at her home there was a plastic bag that would be of assistance to the police if it were needed. The last time they'd met, he had been drinking a soda and had deposited the can in the trash. She'd carefully extracted it and kept to so she'd have his fingerprints. She'd also steered a conversation to the subject of badges and bad ID card photographs. They'd compared pictures and that had given her the time to jot down more information about him. Yes, if something happened to her tonight, the police would certainly have something to go on.
She barely had a chance to knock before the door opened. Renfield Turnbull smiled at her from the other side of the threshold.
"Hi, come on in," he beckoned.
"Thank you," she responded as she walked into the condo.
Meg took a quick scan of the layout. Beyond the living room there was a very short hallway of sorts that led to a small eat-in kitchen. She noticed a back door which opened to a concrete patio that was, blessedly, unfenced. For a moment she catalogued where his condo was in relationship to the rest of the building. In case a quick exit was needed, she didn't want to waste time running the long way around the structure. She hadn't seen a balcony on any of the other condos so she knew that escape from upstairs would best be made down the steps and straight out the front door.
"I'm glad to see you," he stated, sounding genuinely pleased.
"Thanks."
"Have a seat," he said, indicating a loveseat on one side of the room. "Can I get you anything to drink?"
"No, thanks," Meg responded, reaching into her bag to get her water bottle. "I'm covered," she added, brandishing the plastic cylinder.
Ren took a seat on the sofa across the narrow living room. He watched her for a moment, trying to assess the situation before he began. "Thanks for sending me your list," he said, picking up a piece of paper from the coffee table. "Looks like we agree on a lot of things. I'm not really into the more extreme stuff." He flipped the paper around so that she could see the activities which he'd highlighted in yellow ink.
Meg listened and watched him closely as she tried to discern if he was lying but couldn't detect any hint of deception in the tone of his voice or his demeanor. "Well, I have nothing against it if that's what you're into but it's just not for me. I guess I'm just too squeamish."
"I don't think you're squeamish," he corrected. "I think you're very intelligent and just know what you want."
Meg had to laugh, "Oh sure, flatter me all you want."
"I was, however, rather surprised at the number of things you'd listed as a 4 or a 5. Have you done this kind of thing before?" he asked with a furrowed brow.
"Only once," she responded neutrally. "So, please bear with me while I get used to all this again. It's been a long time and I'm sure I'm pretty rusty."
"You'll be fine," he reassured her.
Ren smiled at her admission. He'd been looking forward to this evening all day and could hardly believe his good fortune. Ever since he'd returned to Canada, he'd been looking for someone to play with and the fact that it appeared Meg would be his new play partner had kept him on pins and needles since he'd gotten out of bed that morning.
So much had changed since they'd each left Chicago. Her years at CSIS had hardened her, even beyond what the RCMP had done to her. In fact, he thought, it had hardened her so much that she had finally cracked and was willing to show the sweet, soft compliant woman that hid underneath. Realistically, he had to admit that he had changed too.
Getting out from under the shadow of Super Mountie Ben Fraser had done a great deal for his self-image. Away from the rules and regulations of the RCMP, he began to apply his natural skills and learn that he had far more to offer than even he'd realized. Though his attempt to run for public office had failed, it had brought him to the attention of people who noticed his raw potential and nurtured it, molding him into the man he was today. Now he was an executive at one of the largest architectural and design firms in Ontario, with a staff of half a dozen people answering to him. Toronto Monthly magazine had named him the city's most eligible bachelor. While there was any number of women willing to share his company and his bed, there was always something missing.
A wrong turn down Church Street one day had led him to a shop that dealt exclusively in fetish wear and accessories had opened his eyes. He wasn't as naive as most people thought and he certainly wasn't shocked by what most people considered aberrant sexual behavior. This was, however, the first time that he'd come face to face with all the gear and accessories that went with the leather lifestyle and something began to glow within him. This was what he wanted. A submissive woman would complete him and fill that empty spot in his soul... but where to find one.
He checked out the clubs in Toronto but didn't particularly like what he found there. They were more geared towards swinging and swapping than dominance and submission. He checked the personal ads and even met with a few prospective women but none of them possessed the fire he looked for. He didn't want a doormat with low self esteem. He wanted someone confident enough in herself and her sexuality to know that her submission was a gift to be given only to the Dom who could appreciate it. So he turned to the internet, started checking out the chat rooms and that's where he found her.
When he first met her, he'd noticed that she exuded a raw sexuality. The night they shared a bed with Buck Frobisher in that ridiculously small RCMP cabin before going out to capture Muldoon had attracted him even more although he knew that as his superior officer he shouldn't even be having such thoughts. And the kiss at the end of their evening together last week was still seared in his memory. Though it had been brief, it spoke volumes about her sensuality and femininity.
"So, you've got my list," Meg began. "Are there any house rules I should know about?"
Ren smiled at her. "As a matter of fact, there are only a few." He picked up another piece of paper from the coffee table and handed it to her.
She glanced at the paper and realized that he was telling the truth.
"1. 'You will be punctual for all sessions'," she read aloud. "That shouldn't be a problem. I tend to be pathologically punctual."
"Fine, go on," he stated.
