Read In Training for Free Online Page B

grunt as his feet found a new place to perch--on her shoulders. Ice cubes rattled as he took a drink from his water. He swallowed, then sighed, returning the glass to the end table with a small click. "Golf originated in Scotland."
    That explained much. Seth carried a fierce pride for his homeland. Striving for something supportive to say, she located some useless trivia from somewhere in her memory. "True, as did curling."
    He laughed. "Now that's an unmanly sport, even though it did start off in Scotland."
    The return of his good spirits lifted her spirits. "Sliding rocks across a frozen lake at marauding ducks isn't manly?"
    "Not unless a man has dinner in hand when he's finished."
    She managed a chuckle, despite his heavy sneakers parked on her shoulders. "Seth, can I ask a question?"
    "'Master.'"
    Ah, yes, that. His first training command had been for her to henceforth address him as Master. Why? Well, according to Seth, no slave in the community is permitted to speak the given name of a non-collared man. Not unless the man permits such familiarity, and Seth most certainly did not.
    "Master, can I ask a question?"
    "Master, may I ask you a question," Seth corrected. "You must ask permission to question me. You also must not ask your question if I then don't give you permission to do so."
    "Oh." Small and meek was how she felt and that was his intention, no doubt. She rephrased the words per his preference and was given permission to ask her question at last "Master, why are you resting your feet on me?"
    "It amuses me to do so."
    What on earth? "But it's not comfortable."
    "I'm quite comfortable." He drank again from his water.
    Perhaps she wasn't clear. "Your shoes hurt."
    "They're not hurting me one bit."
    Abby gasped. The jerk! She hissed out an unladylike curse and set her hands onto the floor, ready to push herself upright.
    Seth rumbled darkly, causing the hairs along her arms and neck rising in warning. She froze as a wave of dark energy crashed over her. Her blood rushed to her face and beat a warning tempo in her ears. She eased back to her former position.
    "You were not given permission to rise," said Seth.
    She chose silence as her defense. It wasn't so much as physical fear, but fear of his annoyance that had crashed through her. She hadn't known him long, no, but even now his disapproval felt like damnation.
    The golf game continued on the television. Relaxed and apparently comfortable, Seth hooted and grumbled as things progressed, while she lay on the floor acting as his footrest. At last, Seth sighed and clicked off the television.
    "Two hours. Not bad."
    Abby dared to glance up. "What?"
    "You handled this learning exercise better than most new slaves."
    "I don't understand."
    "This was an initial test of your obedience. Two hours is outstanding, considering this is your first time." He twirled the ice around in his goblet. "A slave represents everything that's fine and beautiful in our lifestyle, particularly when she's a well-trained piece of property."
    Her mind spun as she grappled with the concept. "Property? Like...like a footstool?"
    "Aye, property," he repeated. "The philosophy we live, as best we can in conjunction with our nation's laws, is that slaves are property. Like a good pair of boots or, yes, a footstool."
    Stunned, she could only murmur, "I see."
    He tossed aside the remote control and used his feet to shove her onto her back, then propped his shoes on her stomach. She gasped. He pinned her in place with a gaze of ice blue. "Any girl I train is expected to act--to accept--her role as property. She is valuable property, yes, but an owner's property all the same."
    "I see," Abby repeated, struggling to assimilate.
    That she'd lain beneath his feet for two hours would doubtlessly send her bra-burning feminist mother into a rage if Abby ever confessed the event. However, this is why I invited Seth into my home, she reminded herself. So she could safely explore a power exchange relationship.