Read Online Lyon on a Leash by Erosa Knowles - Free Book Online Page A

there is a small pool of Dommes. But looking at you and listening to you, it’s hard to believe you’re real and that you picked me.”
    If only he knew. “First off, I’m real. Secondly, do you think submissives are the only ones looking for reliable partners for D/s relationships?” She didn’t allow him to answer. “No, we look for good men just like you look for a Mistress. It takes a lot of time and energy to cut through the bullshit. What I paid to participate in this auction is small compared to the amount of time I would have spent to put all the information together for myself. There are forty men here.”
    He nodded. “Yes, I know.”
    “All different. Different personalities, different needs, and different appearances. Without all the information Madame Chertier provided on each submissive, there’s no way I could make a good decision, the right decision, in so little time. I might have been swayed by the hunky bodies and stuffed packages.” She grinned at his narrowing eyes, but he didn’t respond to the dig. Instead, he grunted his acknowledgement.
    “For me, this is a pick-a-partner event, no different from a lot of vanilla dating services. With the exception that I don’t have to explain my need for kinky play to you. Or worry that you’ll be offended by my giving instructions, or running things. You expect it.”
    “Looking at it from that point, it makes sense. It’s part of the reason I kept coming back. This is my third auction.”
    “Now that I didn’t know. What made you keep returning?”
    He gave her a wide grin. “Would I get extra points if I said I was waiting for you?” he asked.
    She laughed. “Corny and not totally false, so yeah, you get cool points. You served your last Mistress when?”
    He sobered. “Two years ago. She moved to California to take care of her mother who had been in an accident. She lost her father and younger sister. It was a very hard time for her and her family.”
    Although Vera felt bad for the woman, she knew she couldn’t handle him being emotionally tied to anyone else. “Do you still talk to her?”
    “No. She was supposed to marry some guy last year. We haven’t spoken since she told me about their engagement.”
    “Are you still in love with her?” The program claimed he’d served his last Mistress two and a half years. The woman had even written a brief reference. There was no doubt they had been close.
    His head tipped to the side as he contemplated her question. “In love? No. I was when we were together and for a while after she left. But time and her decision to move on cured me of that. Don’t get me wrong, I wish her the best and appreciate the experiences we shared. They changed my life, helped shape me to who I am today. But I wouldn’t take a chance with her again. On one level, I understood the need to leave right away, but she left me in flux, with half-promises and no direction. It was hard getting through that. I won’t ever do that again. To answer your question, no, I’m not in love with her.” The decisive tone he used convinced her to ease off that avenue of discussion for now.
    Listening to him talk about his former Mistress, she prayed she’d do a better job. Her mentor was right. She needed an experienced sub who’d be patient with her as their relationship developed.
    “Do you believe in poly relationships?” he asked a moment later.
    Vera tensed. She hadn’t wanted him to discover all her little quirks so soon and thought to sugarcoat her challenges. “I believe that everyone should engage in the type of relationship that works for them. I have no problems with relationships involving more than two people. A lot of folks are happy in them.” Unsure how he’d respond, she exhaled. “However, I have a few issues that don’t work well with poly relationships. For one thing, I lived with my grandmother out in the country most of my life. The house was old and far out of town. Most of all, it was quiet.