Life-Changing Gift(Closed for Thevirginwriter)

[LucianDevine]

Ethan was calm as he rode in the cab. Everything had already been paid for, and he already knew it. It was the way it always was for him on such occasions. His life was unlike most any other persons. Ethan had heard his job of choice called many things. He'd been called a man-whore, an escort, and even a prostitute. The truth though, was that he was a slave of sorts. He had been bought and sold several times, each doing so for their own reasons.

Such was the case tonight. A woman named Kimberly had bought him, though he'd come to understand that he was not to be hers, but rather a gift to a friend of hers. He found himself anticipating this first meeting, much like the others he'd experienced. He was effectively a pleasure slave, trained in all matters sensual, sexual, and submission.

Ethan hesitated when the cab finally came to a stop in front of the restaurant. He took several slow and deep breaths. With a quick look at his watch he knew he had a couple of spare minutes. He moved towards the bathroom, to make sure that he was ready for what was about to happen.

There were another couple of slow and deep breaths before Ethan could lift his gaze to study himself in the mirror. The first thing he noticed, was the same thing everybody noticed, his piercing green eyes. After that, one would notice his short black hair, just enough to fist your hand in, and intentionally so. It was then that Ethan let his gaze wander over the clothes that he, of all people, was so unused to wearing. Ethan may well have been a nudist for how comfortable he was being naked. Yet here he was, wearing a fully formal black tuxedo!

With a long and deep sigh, Ethan rose up to his full six foot height, letting his eyes study his own form in the mirror. His well-build chest filled out the tux nicely, as did his strong arms and shoulders. Ethan had always taken great care of his body. His appearance was very important to many of his now-former mistresses, so he'd made quite sure that he did not disappoint. Even his legs were wiry and strong.

When at last Ethan felt he was ready for the blind meeting he that was about to occur, he gave one final steadying breath and stepped from the bathroom.

Ethan already knew where he was expected to be. As he'd expected though, he turned heads as he walked through the restaurant. It didn't change his demeanor though. He was proud, confident, and focused on what was to come. When he came to the drawn curtain, separating the pair of ladies from the rest of the restaurant, he stopped. He could hear the women talking, it was faint, but he could hear them. A few people gave him some strange looks, which made sense since he did look like he was eavesdropping, but in truth he was waiting for his cue.

 

[Thevirginwriter]

Emily was still giggling as she wiped the cake frosting off her face. Her 23rd birthday party had been a total blast. She quietly sneaked into her bedroom as the party went on, the now-frosted t shirt was sticking to her body and she had figured she wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything until she changed. Just as she was pulling the fresh light orange tank top over her slender body, her phone rang.
Emily was greeted by Kimberly's cheerful voice, "Hey Em! Sorry I called in late, the crazy boss just called it night. Happy birthday darling!"
"I can't believe you missed my party! You are in big trouble!" Emily said while combing through her auburn hair. She paused to hear Kim's apology, "well, I don't care about the present. I just wanted my best friend to be here." she replied.
"I know, but I can honestly say you'll love this one!" Kim piped enthusiastically. "Just come get it on our lunch date tomorrow."
Emily sighed, knowing there was no point in arguing with Kimberly.
"Okay, where do we meet?"
* * *
Emily drummed her fingers on the table impatiently as she waited, her eyes checking the entrance door over and over again. Kimberly was late, as usual. The restaurant was new, and it was filling up quite quickly. She was glad that they already had a reservation of one of the private booths. She thought the curtain was a bit dramatic but seeing the crowd decided that it was a rather good idea. Her eyes swept over the entryway again and had to have a double take as she saw a guy entering. She could see from a single glance that he was anything but ordinary, too well build for someone seen in a random restaurant. He was wearing a buttoned down tuxedo that fit his perfect body. She was quite impressed by this far but her heart missed a bit or two as she laid her eyes on his face, his absurdly beautiful face. She had liked what she'd seen before but she had to decide that his eyes beat everything else about him. They were green, and deep, and before she could have enough, gone. The guy disappeared behind the partition which she guessed was the way towards men's room.
Emily blushed slightly as she realized that she had been totally checking this guy out. So intently that she noticed Kimberly when she almost reached the booth. The ladies hugged as soon as Kim was there.
"So, what's with the big secrecy about this present? You gave me my present one week earlier last year." Emily said after they were done with usual chitchat. "Though I'm dubious now if a date with Mark could be called a present." she said, trying to suppress the mocking tone, "seriously, Kim! Stop trying to set me up, your choice in guys is terrible!"
Kim chuckled, "I admit he did turn out to be a jackass. But you'll never say that again about me, not after today!" she smiled at Emily impishly.
"Ugh, don't tell me it's one of those blind dates again, please!" Emily grumbled.
"Fear not sweet child, for I have come up with the perfect present for you!" Kim said dramatically.
"Very original," Emily mocked, barely containing her laughter.
Kim continued in the same manner, "now, get ready to be amazed!" she waved her hand like those magicians in circus.
Emily didn't know what she was expecting, but no amount of wild imagination could have prepared her for what happened next. Pushing the curtain aside, in came the guy she noticed earlier. In was all Emily could do to not stare at him open mouthed like an idiot, she just stared at him in amazement, wondering in bewilderment what Kim had possibly done this time to get her present.

 

[LucianDevine]

Ethan couldn't help the smile that came to his face as he listened to the overly dramatic conversation that was leading up to his cue to enter. When the magic words came, his hand immediately lifted to brush aside the curtain. He paused ever so briefly after entering the private area to close the curtain once more before stepping forward.

Ethan's gait was one of pure confidence. His green gaze moved immediately to find the woman whose name he now knew to be Emily. Unlike many men though, he didn't give her body a once over as he stepped closer. No, instead, his deep green gaze held hers as he stepped towards the booth. A small smile had come to his face when he'd seen Emily's reaction to his entrance, and it lingered on his lips as he stepped right up to the booth.

What Ethan did next, he did with a calm fluidity that came from many many repetitions. Without ever breaking eye contact, he lowered himself slowly but easily to his knees. His legs barely shook as he took his time in performing that simple but enjoyable task. His left hand then moved to take Emily's right hand. Again, without ever breaking contact, he lifted her hand to his lips so he could press a light kiss to the tops of her fingertips. Once he lowered her hand back to where he'd taken it from, he finally lowered his head, bowing in deference to her as he waited for her reaction.

 

[Thevirginwriter]

Emily sat in astonishment as the guy's green gaze moved to her as he entered. What he did next was far more shocking, her heartbeat accelerated as his strong hand found hers, making her hand tremble ever so slightly.

She couldn't help but wonder if she was dreaming as she saw his perfect lips lowering to touch her hand in a gentle kiss. Emily was fearing at this point if he could actually hear her heart drumming wildly in her chest.

It took great effort for Emily just to tear her eyes from him to Kim. Even then she didn't have the heart to free her hand from his. She wasn't sure if her voice would comply, her throat was completely dry. So she just arched her eyebrows and widened her big blue eyes in a questioning look.

Kim had a puckish smile across her face as she watched the two of them. The look on Emily's face, although totally bewildered, was undeniably of admiration. She finally felt assured that she had come up with the perfect gift for her. Although there was no need for discretion in front of him, she mouthed to Emily, "he's your slave!"

Emily stared at her for full ten seconds like a statue, almost forgetting the guy's warm hand enclosed around hers. Then, with great effort, she freed her hand from his. She had to clear her throat before she could speak.

"Kimberly, can I see you outside?" her voice was scary calm as she spoke. Kim's smile vanished from her face as she heard her full name being called, Emily never did that. The calmness of her voice was what kept Kim from laughing it off. As Emily rose from her seat, Kim silently stepped outside.

With Kim gone, the booth suddenly seemed too small. The guy was still kneeling before her and Emily's mouth went dry again.

'Uh, just grab a sit. We'll be back in a minute." she mumbled, blushing scarlet red. He rose fluidly and as he did she could see that he was much taller than her. Her eyes were suddenly level with his perfect lips and she had the impulse to just tiptoe and touch those luscious lips with hers. Instead, she stumbled her way out of the booth.

Seeing the restaurant was fully packed now, Kim had stepped outside. She was feeling a bit nervous about Emily's reaction.

"Took you long enough!" Kim said as Emily came out, trying to lighten the mood.

"What do you mean 'my slave'?!" Emily asked pointedly.

"I'd rather not explain the details, sweetie. But just so you know, it's legal. I mean they totally go with this." Kim wasn't really sure with the legal thing but she didn't think she could mention that right now. "Just know that he belongs to you now. He's in great shape and very experienced. Do as you please with him. He won't mind!" she winked and before Emily could process what she was doing, Kim crossed the road. She thought about running after her but she could see Kim had already gotten into a cab.

Completely dumbfounded, Emily stood there trying to decide what to do next. She tried to ignore the wave of excitement that washed over her as she realized this guy was hers, literally so. She headed back to the booth, trying not to drag her feet on the way. Emily sighed; she couldn't deny the fact that the whole thing was horrible, no matter how much she could benefit from this situation. But she tried to forget that for the moment. She had a big problem waiting for her in the booth, and she clenched her teeth as she realized, in order to do the right thing, she had to resist every bit of him.

 

[LucianDevine]

Ethan was trained to observe, and observe he did. He saw every one of Emily's reactions to everything he did, as well as how she was reacting to all the thoughts in her own head. He kept his head bowed, and his hand enclosing hers as he waited for one of the two women to do something.

Of all the things Ethan expected to happen next, Emily asking Kimberly to step outside wasn't one of them. He was stoic in the face of this unexpected surprise though, and remained on his knees until Emily bade him to stand and take a seat. Without a word, but simply a nod, Ethan rose fluidly to his feet. His gaze lifted once more to meet Emily's as she stood briefly before him before moving to follow Kimberly out of the room. He then stepped aside to allow her to pass and took Kimberly's seat. He knew that she wasn't going to be coming back.

Ethan clasped his hands on the table and waited patiently, his green gaze turning to look out the window. He could just barely see the women. The discussion between the two couldn't be heard, but it was a brief one that ended with Kimberly walking across the street and getting into a cab that was ready and waiting for her. As he watched Emily turn to enter the restaurant once more, Ethan shifted his gaze away from the window and back towards the curtain once more.

When Ethan saw Emily enter the room and close the curtain once more, he immediately slipped from the booth and moved to his knees, with his head bowed once more. He wanted to keep his head up so he could see the expressions on her face, but his training dictated different protocols for a first meeting. So there he was, on his knees and waiting for Emily to say the next word, his own curiosity building inside him.

 

[Thevirginwriter]

Emily started at his sudden movement. She felt a shiver rush through her, she wasn't sure if it was from guilt or the familiar excitement that followed with his sight. She felt the panic growing inside her as she looked at him. What on earth was she going to do with him?! She winced as the most likely answers crossed her mind. Be a mistress to him? Keep him as her slave? Do as she pleased with him?!

Emily felt her guilt worsen as she realized that some of those things she would gladly do.

"Sure, if I'd met him and went out with him like normal people do." she thought. But the problem was nothing about this situation was normal. Here was a guy, who was more beautiful than anyone she's ever met, let alone spoken to, who would do anything to please her. But the reason behind that was not something she would have preferred. He would do anything because he had been bought by her. No, scratch that, she had nothing to do with it. But still, it was true that he quite literally belonged to her.

Emily bit her lower lip anxiously as she looked at his kneeling form front of her, trying to decide what to do next.

"Well, you can get up now." Emily said, trying to keep her voice level. She sat down in her previous seat before he had risen, carefully avoiding being at a close proximity with him again.

He rose with fluidity, keeping his eyes on the ground. She couldn't help but admire him again as he did.

"Please sit." she said softly.

He stood there for a few second, as if hesitant, then took the seat where Kim had been sitting.

Emily studied his face carefully, trying to focus on his expression rather than just internally swoon over his beauty. But he didn't have any. He held a perfect poker face, which didn't give away anything but the fact that he was insanely handsome. The only other way to read his expression was to look into his eyes, which were locked into somewhere on the smooth surface of the table.

"Look at me." Emily said, and he obeyed. She had a feeling that he had been wanting to do that, seeing how swiftly he followed her order.

Staring into his deep green eyes, Emily almost felt uneasy. They were captivating, sure, but that was not it. It was because she couldn't read anything, maybe a slight hint of curiosity but nothing else. There was no way to find out how he felt about this entire situation. She could feel her thoughts getting jumbled as she tried to guess, but his intense green gaze messed with her head. So instead she decided to focus on one-oh-one basic questioning.

"What is your name?" Emily blurted out the first question that came to her mind.

 

[LucianDevine]

Though his face was one of calm passivity as he waited on his knees, Ethan's heart felt like it was beating a thousand times per minute. He always got excited for new meetings, and this one was even more special than the others, because it had been a surprise for Emily. Despite the excitement flowing through his body though, Ethan kept his face calm, following true to the training he'd excelled at.

Despite his bowed head, Ethan was acutely aware of Emily's position, and when she told him to stand, he rose once more in a single fluid motion. His head remained bowed though, once more keeping to his training in showing proper respect and deference unless commanded otherwise.

The next command was one that Ethan was far from used to, and it showed in the slightest bit of hesitation that came before he moved to take Kimberly's seat once more. He knew he was taller than her, and that his head should never be higher than hers if he could help it, but here they were... He still kept his gaze lowered though, since he hadn't been given permission to meet her gaze.

Ethan wasn't sure how long he stared at the table, silently studying nothing in particular as he waited for the permission to look up. When that permission came, his head lifted right away, and his piercing green gaze found her blue eyes and held them. His face was still calm, but his eyes reflected his interest and curiosity as he waited once more for her to speak up.

The next question was a simple and basic one. Despite that though, Ethan could tell that Emily was somewhat at a loss. He could see the unease in her eyes, and it was for that reason that he let a small smile come to his lips. His piercing gaze also softened with that gesture as he spoke. "My name is Ethan ma'am." He said softly in his rich baritone voice.

 

[Thevirginwriter]

Once again, Emily was surprised by this man's perfection as he spoke. His voice, like each and everything about him, was perfect. His tone, too, was surprisingly calm. Not at all what Emily had been expecting. She wasn't sure what she'd expected but his calm answer and the slight, friendly smile was nowhere near even the line of her thoughts.

Emily picked the next words out carefully, looking at her nails as she spoke them, "look, this is obviously a very strange situation for me." she paused for a moment to study his face, then continued, turning to examine her nails once again. "I don't know what you've been through, but it doesn't have to be that way this time." she took a sip from the glass of water in front of her, glad to have it ordered before. She discovered suddenly that her throat was completely dry. She emptied the glass thirstily, feeling not quite satisfied.

"I'm not someone who uses someone for pleasure. I'm just... not one of those people." Emily said the words looking straight into his eyes, and before long she was having trouble explaining herself. Ethan's gaze was fixed upon her and that was not something that helped her hold on to her train of thought. She had to look down before she could continue, "I won't hold someone in for... pleasing me." she said, her ears getting red and her cheeks flushing despite her efforts to remain casual. "So, I'm going to let you go. You don't have to come with me." she let a long breath out that she didn't realize she'd been holding.

The relief that followed her words had been instant. Now that the words were out, she felt as if a weight has been removed from her heart. There was something else though, something laced with the lightness. The feeling itself was a heavy one, and it totally surprised her. Something about letting go of this this polite, beautiful stranger was troubling her. Maybe it was the fact that she'd never see him again, yeah, that must have been it.

"He was never yours to begin with!" the organized part of her brain sneered towards the one with much less control. Emily frowned at the turmoil going inside her head, never a good sign when two parts of brain don't agree with each other.

"Hey, have you had anything to eat for lunch?" Emily asked before she could stop herself. It's not as if she didn't care, but she hated it when the impulsive part of her brain took over the leveled part. But now the words had been spoken, and she struggled not to look hopeful as she met his captivating eyes once more.

 

[LucianDevine]

Ethan knew that Emily's first statement was true. Hell, he knew it before she'd said it. He was a surprise for her birthday from Kimberly, and even for an experienced domme, it could be considered awkward. He also knew though, that Emily had more on her mind, and he had a near-infinite amount of patience. One couldn't easily do what he did for a living if they didn't, so he remained silent while Emily spoke what was on her mind.

At Emily's final offer, and what it likely meant in terms of what she thought of how he lived, he could only chuckle. His head bowed briefly as he laughed softly at the thought of what must be going through her mind, understandable as it may be.

"I can only imagine what you must be thinking Ma'am, but no, I haven't eaten anything for lunch yet." Derek started softly as he lifted his gaze to find hers once more. "I can tell you though, that what I've been through is nothing like you think." Ethan let his face soften and the smile come to his lips once more.

"Nobody forced this on me, I am what I am, a pleasure slave, because I choose to be. Even the word slave is more of a misconception than anything else. I am a submissive, yes, but I have the freedom to terminate any and all of my contracts at any time."

Ethan wasn't sure how Emily was going to react to what he'd told her, so he stopped there, giving her time to voice any other thoughts she might have.

 

[Thevirginwriter]

Emily stared at him in bewilderment. It was all she could do not to stare at him open mouthed. She had not been expecting that. His demeanor seemed more surprising to her than anything. His perfect lips were pressed together into a small smile, one that spoke of confidence and reassurance. Confidence, after all she heard could be understandable. But the fact that in a matter of seconds she came to be the one being reassured, instead of the one who was being reassuring, threw her for a loop.

Emily tried to ignore the soft smile that lit up Ethan's face in order to hold onto her train of thought. Two more seconds of that smile and she would have been ready to forget there was anything unusual about this situation.

Emily had to pry her eyes off of Ethan's face and look at her watch before starting to speak. She wiped off every trace of shock from her face and kept her eyes locked on her nails as she spoke.

"Well, it's quite late. Let me buy you lunch, okay? And you can tell me all about it while we're eating." she forced to keep her voice casual. Again, she had to struggle in order to keep herself from sounding hopeful.

 

[LucianDevine]

Ethan watched as Emily lowered her gaze from his, and he couldn't help but wonder what was going through her mind, especially after she spoke, since her words voiced nothing about her or what she was thinking.

"I could definitely go for something to eat. Truthfully speaking, I was so excited this morning that I didn't get a chance to eat much for breakfast."

Ethan meant what he said, though he didn't expect that she'd doubt him. She was likely excited as well, though more because of the fact that it was her birthday. He did wonder though, how excited she might have been if Kimberly had told her beforehand what she was getting for that birthday.

"I know that you have questions Ma'am..." Ethan started with that same small smile still on his lips."...and I encourage you to ask anything that's on your mind. My life is an open book. Ask whatever you want, and I will answer them to the best of my capability."

 

[Thevirginwriter]

Emily knew Ethan was trying to clear things up for her, yet everytime he opened his mouth something surprising came out that puzzled her even more. She could tell that he was honestly trying to make her understand though, so she tried to see things from his perspective for a change.

Wait, did he just say he was excited to meet her?! As much as that confused her, she suddenly felt elated. Her heart was racing in a matter of seconds. She made the mistake to meet his eyes in a surprised glance, and was rewarded with a small smile playing along his lips, distracting as ever! She pressed her fingers lightly to her temples as if to bring back her focus.

First thing Emily did was to call up the waiter and ask for the menu. She handed it to Ethan and motioned for him to choose.

"So I get this feeling that you're comfortable with what you do." Emily asked him, looking at him from under her lashes to see if he was looking at her, he wasn't. Though she meant it as a statement, the confusion made it sound more like a question. "Um, have you ever had to terminate one of your contracts?" Emily continued, carefully choosing the words for her question. The reason behind asking the question was to test his limits. She had almost wrapped her head around the concept that he does what he does for pleasure, of both himself and his... mistresses. What she wanted to know, was how far he was willing to push for that. She had the idea in her mind that a slave was used against his/her will. Having that removed from the picture, she didn't know exactly how to explain the little knowledge she had about these sort of relationships.

 

[LucianDevine]

Ethan smiled as he took the menu from Emily, and gladly started to browse the selection. His only reservations on that particular matter were the prices. He knew that Emily had offered to pay for him, but everything on the menu was expensive, and he wasn't overly comfortable with that. He took a slow and deep breath and tried to let it out as softly as he could, hoping that Emily didn't pick up on it.

Thankfully for Ethan, Emily's next statement helped to distract him, at least from the prices. He nodded without looking up so that he could make his final decision, and once he was sure and comfortable, as comfortable as he was going to get anyway, he set his menu down and lifted his gaze to meet hers once more.

"I am very comfortable with what I do, because truthfully speaking, it's what I would call my dream job. I love nothing more than to bring pleasure to women, regardless of how long I'm with them. I've been all over the spectrum on that issue. I've been rented out for single day occasions, and I've been with some owners for over a year. I just do the best I can for each owner with the time that I have."

Emily's second question actually made Ethan smile. He leaned forward and clasped his hands on the table as he looked at her. "I've never had to terminate a contract before. It's one of the advantages of being a pleasure slave. People know what they're looking for, and understand what they're buying. It does make that feeling out process at least a little easier."

After he finished speaking, Ethan eased his menu towards the edge of the table and spoke once more. "When the waiter gets back, I'll take a ten ounce steak, medium well, with a baked potato."

 

[Thevirginwriter]

Hearing Ethan's quiet sigh, Emily's eyes darted back to him. It was so quiet that Emily knew it wasn't meant to be heard by her. Yet she did, and she couldn't help but ponder if it was about her questions. Then she noticed him glancing over the menu with a straight face. She wondered what could possibly bother him in there.

His face was different when thoughtful, Emily noted. He was beautiful, of course. But there was something else as well, it changed his eyes. His beautiful green eyes looked slightly bigger, and he was blinking much less often. The look was so beautiful that she could only stare, without even attempting to look away from him. She was glad that he wasn't looking at her though, that could definitely lead her into doing something dangerously stupid.

Just then Ethan laid the menu back on the table and looked right into her eyes. Before she could tear her gaze off of him, he was speaking.

His words were so... she couldn't put a name to it right then. However, she did manage to keep her eyes locked on his. Ethan's next answer actually made Emily blush a little. She didn't want to think about the details, but his words, whether consciously or unconsciously, held enough details to make her drift into her imagination. She snapped out of it almost instantly though, and that brought on the blush. What was she thinking?! Emily groaned inwardly in self-annoyance. It was distracting enough to make her break away her stare.

Hearing his lunch order, she reached for the menu. A small frown formed on her face as she glanced over it, he had ordered the first thing on the menu, which also happened to be the cheapest. Sure, food was a bit pricey here. But did he just give up his liberty to order because of that? She didn't question him though. She called the waiter and gave him Ethan's order, for both of them.

"Just add in two beers." she said before dismissing the waiter and accidentally meeting Ethan's eyes. And all at once, she found the word she was looking for.

Stimulating, this guy was bloody stimulating. Even his words were just so. The thought made her blush fiercely. She fought the impulse to bury her face in her palms. Anything, to hide from his piercing eyes. Fortunately, the waiter arrived with the beers just then and she had just enough time to compose herself. Enough time to remind herself of sticking to the ultimate plan, resisting Ethan.

She didn't meet his eyes this time. Maybe that's what enabled her to force her voice into a casual tone as she spoke, gave her the strength to ignore the sudden clenching in her heart as the words escaped her mouth.

"So where do you suggest I drop you off?"

 

[LucianDevine]

After he spoke, Ethan let his gaze linger on Emily, even though he could see that she was doing her damndest not to meet his gaze. She failed every now and again though, causing her to blush, when she wasn't already blushing from the thoughts in her head, thoughts that he was quite curious about.

Ethan was thankful that Emily remembered the beers, because he'd actually forgotten to order something to drink.

Emily's question, when it came, really caught Ethan off guard. He knew that the shock registered on his face, but he forced himself to look past it. His gaze lingered on hers for a long time, studying her before he spoke.

"I suppose your question shouldn't surprise me, because I know I wasn't what you were expecting when Miss Kimberly met you tonight, but I find myself surprised. You would be the first I've been bought by or given to who didn't sample my talents before taking me back to the halfway house. May I ask what's on your mind?" Ethan knew he was being a little bold to ask something like that so openly, but from what he'd observed, he didn't think Emily would mind. He was just truly curious what she was thinking, and what was holding her back, because her reactions were obvious enough to him. He knew she was interested. There was just something keeping her from taking the risk and indulging in what he knew she wanted.

 

[Thevirginwriter]

Emily took in the brief moment when the shocked expression crossed over Ethan's carefully composed face. It was gone as soon as it'd come, but was enough to muddle her thoughts yet again.

He had looked surprised, despite her telling him beforehand that she wasn't going to keep him. Had her secret desire for him somehow betrayed her? Was he mocking her inwardly as she'd been unsuccessfully trying to bury the attraction that she felt for him ever since she had laid her eyes on him for the first time?

How much did he know?

How much had he seen?

How amused had he felt?

The questions kept echoing inside her head. Instead of blushing, for once, her face had drained of blood.

Emily's dazed state was momentarily broken as Ethan spoke. The words didn't necessarily tell her that he was clueless about her feelings, but was vague enough for her to recollect her thoughts.

As crazy as it seems, her first impulse was to scoff at his statement. As if he NEEDED to tell her that nobody let go off a chance with him! But then he dove into a much complicated matter. She was anxious about what he asked.
"What's going through my mind? Where do I start!?" she thought warily.

"Just that this wouldn't be the right thing to do!" she nibbled on her nails, a reflex for her when she was anxious. "Because every time I-" a short image of her, intertwined in his arms flashed into her mind and she blushed profusely, "we, uh, you know-" she really wished for a second that she could disappear into thin air. She took a long breath before finishing, "I'll feel guilty. Because you wouldn't be there if it weren't for Kim." she said in a rush.

And then, again, Emily made the huge mistake of meeting his eyes. And she continued without thinking, "And not that I wouldn't want to, but it's also a matter of what you would rather want!" before she could make sense of the fact that she had been speaking her mind, the words were out. And suddenly, she knew. She knew that any cover she might have managed to pull off before, she had blown it now, entirely.

 

[LucianDevine]

Ethan had been taught to observe, and to learn as much as possible from what he was observing. The signs he was getting from Emily though, were so all over the place, that even he couldn't decipher much from them. Her words though, when they finally came, gave him a little bit more to go on.

"Emily..."Ethan started calmly, when she finally met his gaze once more. "Is it really all that different than when a friend sets you up on a blind date, or if they give you any other present? Do you think about your friend every time you use a sex toy that they got you for your birthday?"

Ethan knew that the situations weren't exactly the same, but he hoped that she could at least see some of the logic in it.

"As for what I want..." Ethan began once more after he gave Emily some time to consider what he'd said before. "Every time I've been bought, rented, or given away, I always hoped that it was the last time, but not for the reason that many expect. I, not unlike many people, hope that I will one day find the woman willing to keep me, the woman I can spend the rest of my life with."

After he finished speaking, Ethan let his gaze drop once more. Despite the fact that he could sense where this evening was going to end up, he still found himself wishing that she'd change her mind. She was unlike any other woman he'd been owned by, and maybe, just maybe, the things that made her different from all of the others made her perfect for him.

 

[Thevirginwriter]

Emily had torn her eyes from Ethan as soon as the words tumbled from her mouth. He was quiet for quite some time, or maybe it was just because she had been dreading the moment he'd speak. Finally, she couldn't wait any longer. "it's not like it could get any worse." she thought as her eyes drifted back to meet his.

Her heartbeat picked up for some unknown reason as she heard him utter her name for the first time. However, the words that followed pushed her into deeper thought. The thought that immediately crossed her mind was that he was, in fact, a human being. And she could not possibly generalize him with just about anything that fulfills her sexual needs. Not that she wouldn't even... Emily forced her mind to break away from this line of thought. At least she had the good sense not to blurt out her thoughts this time.

Hearing his next words made an unexpected warmth rush through her. She realized that she had been a little too judgmental since she heard who he was. She couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed at her behavior with him so far. Maybe he really was just another guy looking for a girl to fall in love with.

But another thought made her frown, no matter who he was, he had still been bought. And still, the very thought of using someone as a property... She was torn. Part of her told her to let him go, but another part of her- equally strong, or maybe more than that at times- told her to forget it all. Sure, he had been bought! But he sure wasn't displeased about it!

Emily leaned forward to place her elbows on the table, her palms pressed into her forehead. The conflict was literally giving her a headache. She closed her eyes, and could almost feel his gaze on her. Her words were barely audible when they came out.

"What do I do with you!? You tell me." she said, absolutely hating the slight tremor in her voice.

 

[LucianDevine]

Emily was silent for a long time after he spoke, but Ethan was actually okay with that. He knew that this was a lot for her to process at one time, and he had long since learned the value of patience. So he was more than happy to give her as much time as she needed to sort out her thoughts and truly decide what she wanted to do.

The statements that came from Emily's mouth caught Ethan off guard once more. He'd seen the way she'd leaned forward and pressed her palms against her forehead, a posture that made the conflict she was feeling inside clearly visible. It was the last few words though, that surprised Ethan the most. Surely she had to know, or at least suspect what he was likely to say, yet she'd asked him, or more specifically directed him to tell her anyway.

Ethan let Emily's words hang in the air between them for several long moments before he finally acted, and even then, he acted slow. He eased his upper body forward until his posture mimicked hers. Instead of bringing his hands to rest on his forehead though, he slowly reached for Emily's hands, daring to enclose her hands with his own. He was then just as slow as he very carefully eased her hands down to the table, moving slow enough so that her head didn't fall from any sudden movement.

"Emily..." Ethan started simply, using her name in the hopes that she'd look up and meet his gaze, even if he still held her hands.

"You worry so much about what I am and what brought me here, but I wish you wouldn't. I am here, because I want to be." Though the words Ethan spoke were something he'd already told her, he felt they needed repeating. Emily was so obsessed with them, that it was making it that much harder for her to get past them.

"You ask me what you should do when you already know the words that are going to come out of my mouth." Ethan gave Emily's hands a gentle squeeze, hoping that that slight physical sensation would distract her from the thoughts that were troubling her.

"Would it really be that bad if you worried about yourself for a change, even if it's just one night?"

Ethan could have said more, could have said far more to try to prompt Emily in fact, but he knew that no matter how hard he tried, in the end, it was her decision. So he just let that single question hang in the air between them while he still held her hands. He hoped that she would allow him to show her just how good she could feel, but he wasn't going to push her the issue beyond a reasonable point.

 

[Thevirginwriter]

Emily was glad that Ethan took a long time to answer. It gave her more time to pull herself together. The thoughts on her mind were rushing so fast, and not even remotely at the same direction. Her resistance was wearing thinner by each second that passed, with other thoughts on overdrive.

She didn't start as she felt Ethan's warm hands enclosing around her wrists, her state could only be described as frozen. However, some corner of her mind was elated at how the resistance seemed to slip off even farther with his mere touch, another part was horrified because of it, of course. She let his hands guide hers off her face, keeping her head at the same position as before.
It seemed to take forever to feel the cool surface of the table top beneath her fingers, what little sense was hanging on to her sighed in relief thinking that he'd let go of her hands now. Clearly, she couldn't do it on her own.

That's when he started speaking. The small relief in Emily's mind vanished right away as she realized he wasn't intending to leave her hands at all. Her eyes drifted off to meet his, what was he thinking?! His next words were clarifying, although totally disarming. It straightened up her muddled thoughts, as though it had wiped every thought that was against him. If he really was just another guy, who was she to drive him off? He could stick with her if he wants to, and didn't he just say that he wanted to? Sure it's insane but when it came to these sort of stuffs, wasn't it always supposed to be so?

She knew she should be frightened. But she wasn't, not even remotely. His squeeze on her hands wasn't even difficult anymore, because she had already lost her will to fight entirely.

Ethan's hand already was closed around the back of her hands, pressing her palms together. All she had to do was to twist her hand a little to have his hands on hers. She held onto them, a little too tightly maybe, but who cares! Her eyes was straight on his as she nodded tightly, careful not to break the stare.

"So, what's the deal with this thing?" she asked lightly. Her head wasn't heavy with conflict now, and maybe that's how a tiny smile crept onto her lips as she waited for his answer.

 

[LucianDevine]

The long silence that followed his words was just beginning to worry Ethan, when Emily started to move. He'd of course worried that she would tear her hands away from his, but the movement she made was quite the opposite, shifting her hands just enough to enable her to grip his, and with a tightness that was surprising.

Emily's words though, took away every worry that had been floating around Ethan's head, especially when the smile managed to creep across her lips afterwards. He gladly held her gaze as he let a smile come to his lips as well, a small but sincere one.

"It will be like any other relationship in some ways Emily, and completely different in others." As he spoke, Ethan gave Emily's hands a gentle squeeze of his own.

"We can get into the specifics of it later, after we eat, but just know that nothing will progress any farther that you are comfortable with, and if you ever want me to slow down or stop, all you have to do is say so."

As if on cue to his words, the waiter came through the curtain, bearing a large tray in hand with their food.

 

[Thevirginwriter]

Emily's mind wasn't fogged with confusion anymore. She could feel a genuine relief overcome her as she held onto Ethan's hands. It was unbelievable how good it felt after having such a hard time about making her mind up. She could barely remember what was going through her mind a minute ago, what little had remained washed away as soon as Ethan smiled back at her. His smile was warmer than even his hands and it made her smile grow.

His words were easy to grasp, though they made all of it seem deceivingly easy. When he put it like that, it didn't seem complicated at all. And whatever part he left indefinite indicated thrill, not the confusion she had felt before. When he squeezed her hand, it made her want to pull him closer, instead of pushing him away. Her eyes were glinting with what could only be described as excitement.

Emily was startled as the waiter entered. She was so lost in the moment that she almost forgot where they were. She tore her hands off of Ethan's without thinking. It took her a second to realize what she had done, by then it was too late. Her heart sank, thinking she may have hurt his feelings. And a little bit because she hadn't really planned on letting go off his hand. It just sort of happened, like reflex. But it would sound stupid if she tried to explain it now, or put her hands back where they had been. She lowered her gaze onto the table, where their plates had been put down. She thanked the waiter as he left, still looking at the table. Her face burning in shame.

Emily had to clear her throat before speaking, and when she found her voice she could hear that it sounded nervous.

"Um, okay. Then we'll see about that." she couldn't think about saying anything else as they ate. The food was delicious but her throat felt tight and she was having problem swallowing it.

 

[LucianDevine]

Though he was briefly surprised when Emily practically ripped her hands from his, Ethan could certainly understand why. Her reaction to what she had done though, was practically palpable. Her head lowered with what was clearly shame, and her face was blushing a bright crimson.

The pair ate in silence, but Ethan knew that it wasn't a comfortable one. He found himself at a loss of what to say to her that might help her relax. All he could do for the longest time was just sit there, eat his food, and look at Emily, hoping that she'd say something.

When it became evident that Emily was far to distraught to try to rectify a situation that, to her, must have seemed like a tragedy, Ethan pushed his plate aside and leaned over the table, clasping his hands together as he let his green gaze settle on her once more.

"It's alright Emily, I'm not offended, I promise. I can tell that you're a private person, and that you did what you did out of reflex."

Even as he spoke, Ethan knew that words along weren't enough. So he continued to look at her, hoping that her head would rise, and that she would meet his gaze. Even while he waited though, he extended his hands over the table once more. His palms were raised, and he found himself hoping that she'd push her plate aside and put her hands in his. He knew it was a long shot, but he also felt that it was something she needed, whether she realized it or not. So he had to try.

 

[Thevirginwriter]

Emily stared at Ethan's outstretched palm, offering to put her hand in his. His words did soothe away most part of her uneasiness. The wave of relief and pleasure washed through her mind and she quietly let go of the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. She sought out his warm gaze on her and held it. Emily didn't hesitate for more than two seconds before she pushed away her plate and slowly reunited their hands again. The tiny smile crept its way back to her face.

Emily took her gaze off Ethan and looked around for the waiter through the curtain. She wanted to get out of here, with him. She wasn't at all ready to think about what that would result in, she just knew that she had to. The hands holding hers were warm and reassuring and they made her forget all her worries. All they made her want to feel was how good they felt and how much she wanted to them on her.

Emily almost reluctantly took one of her hand off his and peeked around the curtain. This seemed to have capture the attention of their waiter because he appeared immediately. Emily's body tensed automatically again. Ethan was right, she was bad with the whole public display thing. Not that they were showing off to anyone or doing anything inappropriate. It was just unusual for her. She put her hand in Ethan's again and tightened her grip on him a bit. She didn't wanna let go this time.

"Uh, that'll be all. We're done. Can you send in the bill, please?" Emily said to the waiter. She could see the waiter briefly look at their intertwined hands. She tried not to tighten her grip further. Ethan could totally think she was a psycho!
The waiter nodded and left. He reappeared shortly after with the bill and soon after that, Emily and Ethan were stepping outside, hand in hand.

"Do you mind if we walk to my apartment? It's just two blocks from here." she peeked up at Ethan.

 

[LucianDevine]

Ethan found himself holding his breath as he waited to see what Emily would do. His anticipation grew when her head lifted and she met his gaze.

Despite his anticipation though, Ethan found himself genuinely surprised when Emily actually put her hands in his once more. He let out the breath he'd been holding in a slow, and thankfully silent, breath.

Ethan held Emily's hands gently as he watched her turn head to look for the waiter. He offered up the occasional light squeeze, just letting her know that he was still with her in this, even though he was silently waiting for her and the waiter.

Though he was reluctant to do so, Ethan let Emily lift one of her hands free of his so that she could pull the curtain aside and look for the waiter. He both saw and felt the tension that likely came with them being seen holding hands, and he offered up another gentle squeeze for reassurance once she put her other hand back within his. He felt her grip tighten, and wanted to say something to help calm her down, but the waiter was upon them before he got the chance.

Ethan knew that the the waiter's glance at their joined hands did little to calm Emily's nerves, but thankfully, soon enough, the pair was stepping outside, hand in hand.

Emily's invitation brought a smile to Ethan's lips as he turned to her.

"Not at all." Ethan replied simply, offering his arm to her so that he could escort her properly. If she did put her hand on his arm, he was ready to cover it with his own hand, hoping to ease any nerves that might still be lingering within her.