“Stop,” he said, “Wait, come here.”

She paused, surprised. Looked at him – yes, that was definitely his Dom face. “Sir?” she asked.

He shook his head as if to clear it, looked around the room a moment, and let his eyes settle on her. “Yes,” he said. “It’s me.” He laughed. “I know, it’s like I’m emerging from a cave. Coming up for air. Something like that. But I’m back.” And his gaze sharpened. “You look very nice.”

“Thank you, Sir,” she said, smiling. She had just showered and done her hair, so it was nice that he noticed. It seemed like a very long time, maybe a week, since he’d really looked up from the book he was working on. He’d eaten, but barely, glanced up to take the glass of water or cup of coffee she offered. He’d showered, slept a few hours at a time, and mostly ignored her, totally preoccupied by the work.

She didn’t mind. She had her own work, and there were times that she was pretty absorbed in it, but she was glad to see him coming back to himself now.

“Are you going somewhere?” he asked.

She shook her head. “Not really. I was going to take my laptop to the coffee shop and work for a bit, but it can wait. Would you like something to eat?” But the look in his eyes didn’t suggest that kind of hunger, and he shook his head.

“No,” he said. “Thank you. That’s not what I need.”

She waited patiently, her head slightly tilted questioningly, watching him.

“Are you sure,” he said, “That you don’t mind waiting?”

“Of course not, Sir,” she replied. It often surprised her how easy it was to give what he asked of her. Without knowing exactly what he had in mind, she was sure it would be more interesting than the coffee shop.

He nodded, stood, and stretched. She watched him, the way his body moved reminded her of a panther she had seen once at the zoo. Lean and strong, sure of his power. She shivered in anticipation.

“I’m going to shower,” he said. “I want you to strip completely. After you’re naked, I want you to get me a glass of water, a cup of coffee, and some kind of light snack. Cookies, toast, I don’t much care what it is. Put them on the end table next to my chair. Is that clear?”

“Yes, Sir,” she said. “I’m to get naked, get you water, coffee, and a snack, and set them up on your table.”

He nodded. “Then I want you to wait for me in the corner. Not for punishment, just to help you focus. You may either stand with your hands behind your back, or take your cushion and kneel. Make yourself comfortable. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Sir, of course. Naked, in the corner for focus, either kneeling or standing with my hands behind my back.”

He smiled. “Good girl. Then think about what’s going to happen when I come back. Think about what I might use to warm you up, will it be my hands or the strap or even the paddle? Will there be toys? What toys? Which ones would you like? Or – more importantly – what might I like? And what can you do to please me? You can make it a meditation. When you find your mind wandering, just bring it back your assignment. Clear?”

“Yes, Sir,” she heard herself stutter, a bit short of breath already. “I’ll contemplate all the things that might happen, and all the ways I might please you. Sir.” In that moment, he was the center of her world. She could not have told you what coffee shop she’d planned to go to nor what she’d wanted to work on. But she could almost feel the strap landing on her ass, the taste of his cock in her mouth.

He smiled, pleased, and nodded, before he left the room.