Slave to Love
Chapter 4: What the eyes can see
The door was promptly opened.
If someone told Niles he should be prepared for the vision of a smiling CC Babcock clad in what seemed to be just a silky red robe, he would not believe them.
The notion of her greeting him all relaxed and willing was too close to some of his most cherished fantasies to be true.
However, that was exactly what he had in front of him: instead of a blonde hurricane, who opened the door was a lovely – thus, dangerous – witch.
The butler must have stared for too long, because her smile turned into a smirk and she pointed at the doormat, 'I don't know if you can read, but it says Welcome'.
'What is that supposed to mean?', he asked, wary, 'That I should be naïve enough to believe it?'
'At least try to pretend you do', she raised her brows, 'It's less entertaining when you act as if you're here to be mauled'.
Niles pondered his defensive stance must not be very engaging, and decided to compromise, 'I'm sorry', he adjusted his suit, 'I'll try to control my survival instincts'.
She rolled her eyes good naturedly and stepped aside for him to enter.
He didn't remember seeing the place she called home, and seized the opportunity to look around.
'Looking for emergency exits?', her voice sounded from behind him, while she closed and locked the door.
'You never invited the family over, and the few times I came to fetch documents you left them with the doorman'.
'I didn't want to give a certain butler any chances to be nasty in my own territory', she stopped besides him and nudged him, 'Now I do'.
Before he could control it, Niles was smiling at her teasing.
He didn't have the guts to look into her grinning face; so, he pretended to be deeply interested in his surroundings.
'What do you see?', she asked, her eyes on him.
He focused on the furniture and style, in order to give her a satisfying answer.
Miss Fine had been in the penthouse and commented on the fact everything was in white and made of metal, and yes, his impression was that this living room was the most non-personal place he has ever set his foot in.
'There's less ice than I have guessed', he chose to answer.
'Nanny Fine didn't like it very much when she came here'.
'You must agree', he answered, feeling at easy enough in their banter to risk a look at her, 'that normal human beings can hardly consider themselves welcome in such a lair'.
She scoffed, 'Define normal, Niles'.
'Alive'.
CC chuckled, amused, 'Good one'.
Her approving attitude disconcerted him, and he grinned, 'Well, thank you'.
'As I said, you're welcome'.
Their eyes met with unexpected warmth.
'Touché, Babs', he murmured.
'Maybe I'm not that bad as a host', she whispered back.
'You seem to be perfectly capable of some niceties', he looked ahead, 'Of course, this charming reception may be part of a trap'.
'Don't worry about my intentions when I catch you', she said, walking to stand in front of him and crossing her arms, 'You're here for what must be the less demanding task someone has ever asked from you. It's the ideal thing for such a lazy servant'.
'Dear, and I just called you charming', he glared, 'I see you can't keep the façade long enough'.
'Making you wrong feels too good to let it pass'.
It was his time to raise his eyebrows.
He was amused by her sincere attitude. It gave a lightness to the situation he didn't know how much he needed.
CC looked at Niles from head to toe, getting serious, 'Now that you're less of a trembling leaf, may we set the rules for slave time?'
Niles realized she had entered business mode, but had to tease, pretending surprise, 'You're asking the slave?'
'First rule is exactly that slave time just starts and ends when I say so, and I still haven't. Thus, you're not my slave, yet'.
He squinted, 'I see you want to avoid any misunderstandings'.
'I think it's for the best we know exactly where we stand – Yes, Niles, besides in the witch's house –. No need to complicate what can be a very simple deal'.
He pressed his lips to not answer to that, not just because she had almost guessed his zinger, but especially because she had suggested things between them could be simple.
As if.
She resumed, 'So, first rule is that slave time happens when I say so, and I'll state clearly when it starts and when it ends. Got it?'
He nodded.
'Second rule is that whatever happens between us stays between us. I don't want to be exposed, and I won't expose you in any way'.
He nodded again.
She frowned in confusion, 'You're not making a scene of gratitude because people won't know you're intimate with the kinds of me?'
He blinked, surprised she was giving him such an opening for a zinger.
Was she trying to access his feelings on the subject?
Niles decided to give CC something to sooth any doubts she could have at his stance, 'That's an old joke. I have this feeling it does not suit this new situation'.
'Great!', she beamed, her joy at his words barely contained, and went on, 'Third rule: you can speak as much as you like, and say whatever comes to your mind, during slave time. I enjoy our banter, and things will be a lot more interesting if we can talk to each other while we're at it'.
His grin made obvious he agreed wholeheartedly – with speaking his mind and, probably, with being at it.
'However', CC raised a hand to claim all of his attention, 'you must do everything I order you to do, and nothing else. Is it clear?'
Niles nodded, 'Freedom of speech is granted, right to come and go is not'.
'Your right to come is something I can't really take away', she chuckled at his reddened cheeks, 'But you got the general idea perfectly'.
She spoke and bit her lower lip, again giving him the once-over.
Niles joined his hands in front of him. He didn't know what she was thinking, and such a direct gaze made him slightly uncomfortable.
'Just one thing more', her voice gained a heated inflection, 'Even if I would really enjoy it, I won't tie you down or restrain you in any way. You are free to leave the moment you change your mind about our deal'.
He cleared his throat, trying not to focus on the fantasy she had just revealed about tying him down, 'However, the moment I don't obey or decide to leave, you call Mister Sheffield and tell everything'.
'The moment you don't obey or decide to leave I start planning the worst way of telling Maxwell', she looked triumphantly at his non-impressed look, 'Well, those are the rules. Any questions?'
'Not that I can think of, now', he shrugged, 'Once I can speak any time, I suppose I can ask questions later, if necessary'.
'I'm glad you're a fast learner', she approved, 'Slave time starts now. Follow me'.
She turned and started walking quickly to the interior of her apartment, and it took Niles some seconds to react.
It was going to happen.
CC Babcock was leading the way to some place in her penthouse where she intended to have sex with him.
Niles breathed deeply and commanded his legs to follow her.
The red robe hugged her curves at each confident step she gave, and his heart started beating so loud it was making him deaf.
They crossed a corridor and she, again, opened the door and waited for him to enter the new room to close it behind him.
Niles did so and then halted in surprise.
The living room of the penthouse was decorated seemingly to confirm the public opinion that CC Babcock was made of ice and cold.
This huge place, that he supposed was the suite she mentioned redoing when she bought her old neighbor's apartment, was the opposite.
The indirect light from hidden spots and lampshades created a feeling of intimacy; the floor had an inviting tone of dark wood; there was a huge bed across the room, and an ottoman at its right side, both in wood and some red fabric – maybe velvet.
The headboard of the bed was large and seemed very comfortable, with enough space to support half an adult body laid on it.
Niles was looking from the ottoman to the headboard and trying to deal with the possibilities they offered, in terms of sexual positions, when he heard a bip and a mechanical sound.
CC had activated a mobile part of the ceiling, right over the bed, to reveal a giant mirror.
He blinked several times.
That was something unexpected.
So, to any passing visitor, CC Babcock presented that living room as a confirmation of her cold and hard exterior; however, the ones she invited in would find out she enjoyed intimacy and was very interested in exploring the possibilities sexuality offered.
Niles gulped. And that place really offered a lot of possibilities to…
'Put this on'.
He hadn't noticed her moving to his side, but now she was close, and with something in her hand.
He looked at it with attention.
It was a black sleep eye mask.
