Instinctively she attempted to lower her chin. The collar restricted her movement.

"How is it, now?" he asked.

"Effective, Sir."

"There's a mirror over there. Go."

She reached up to touch the collar's three D-rings.

"I can attach a leash or secure your wrists, or tie you to any number of things."

"It's...it's a bit frightening, Sir."

"Please tell me your safe word." He was watching her reflection in the mirror, and he saw her wrinkle her nose.

"Parsley."

"Use that word to stop the scene at any time. If you're just a bit scared, you are welcome to ask to talk or use the word slow." He took her shoulders and turned her to face him. Damn, she had beauty that appealed to him on a primal level. He wanted her. Her eyes hid nothing, and he saw a mixture of desire and trust beneath the apprehension. For a moment, before he harnessed his thoughts, he thought about fucking her hard, and her grabbing hold of him as she surrendered. She was not his, he reminded himself ruthlessly. He'd screwed up once before. With Chelsea, he'd keep his emotional distance. "Return to the centre of the room and practise kneeling up from the inspect position. Do it ten times. You may use the rug."

"Thank you, Sir."

"You recalled your manners," he said. "Kneeling on the hardwood was uncomfortable, wasn't it?"

"Yes, Sir."

"So you understand that a rug is a luxury."

"I do."

"I'm glad you recognise that," he said. "Always remember to thank your Dom when he or she allows you a comfort."

"I will. Thank you, again, Sir."

He released her. As she slowly walked towards the rug, her hips swayed seductively. The wide collar had changed her normal gait. Keeping her in it permanently was a definite consideration.

On her bare feet, she crossed the room. He noticed she'd painted her toenails. If he remembered correctly, and it was possible he didn't, they'd been a coral colour at the Den. Tonight they were a fire-engine red. He was taken aback by how erotic it looked. His preference was for mile-high heels, but this woman was the sexiest thing he'd ever seen.

Forcing himself to focus, he picked up the rattan cane. She stumbled when she saw his approach. "I am not intending to use this for punishment," he assured her. "I prefer canes for instruction or for sensual play. I do not rule it out for correction, if necessary, but I would not surprise you with it."

"I appreciate that, Sir."

"But you can repeat that one. The idea is for you to be able to do what you need to, despite distractions. Focus." He stood close to her. He breathed in her scent, one that had haunted him since their night at the Den. Her body smelt slightly of vanilla, something light and fresh that could attract men from a ten-state region. But more intoxicating, it was layered with the heady scent of feminine arousal.

Once she had finished the sequence, he said, "Extend your hands." He attached fabric cuffs to her wrists then fastened those to the D-rings on her collar. "Another dozen."

"I won't be able to balance as well, and my legs are getting a bit cramped."

"In that case, we'll make it two dozen," he amended.

"I..."

He cocked one eyebrow.

She set her jaw and glared. "No."

He picked her up. She squirmed and squealed as he carried her to the chair. Since her arms were confined, manoeuvring her was more tricky than normal, but he managed to sit and get her body across his lap in a single, fluid move.

"Sir!"

"Generally I warm up a sub's skin before striking her. But this is meant as instant behaviour correction. I do not tolerate defiance. Think about this the next time you choose to be wilful." He reached for the tawse and used his legs to trap her lower body. He knew she was in an uncomfortable position, and being unable to brace her upper body had to be disconcerting. But he didn't allow any of those thoughts to dissuade him. "You'll receive eight spanks for your insolence, and you'll be grateful it isn't more."

She screamed as he laid the heavy forked leather strap across the backs of her thighs. He gave her no time to absorb the blow or reflect on it before laying it to her again and again.

When he was finished, her ass and the backs of her legs were coloured an angry red. "Any questions?" he asked.

"No."

"Anything else to add?"

"Thank you, Sir." Venom dripped from her voice.

He helped her to stand. "Now, naughty sub, you can perform your exercise or you can get dressed and go home. I have no energy for someone who intends to waste my time." Rather than let her go, he held her around the waist.

Tears swam in her eyes, but he refused to let her emotion soften him. He'd spanked her hard to teach her a lesson.

He released her long enough to stand himself, then he took her by the shoulders.

"I hated that," she said.

"Because?"

"It felt so impersonal, Sir."

"It was meant that way, Chelsea."

"And..."

"Go on."

"This collar, and the way my wrists are attached..."

"I'm listening."

"It just..." She looked up at him.

The moisture in her eyes made the green appear more startling. He waited. She frowned, then scowled. She blinked to erase the tears, and he saw her try to reach for her face, only to have the bondage restrict her movements. This woman bore little resemblance to the one who'd approached him so determinedly at the Den. She was softer, more vulnerable, but he also saw her internal confusion about what that meant to her.

"You were right. I wasn't prepared for it to be this difficult."

He nodded. "It takes a tremendous strength to subject yourself to someone else's will." At times, being a Dom, especially a trainer, wasn't easy, either. It could be an emotional minefield, and he sure as hell wasn't perfect and didn't always make the right choices. His failed relationship with Liz reinforced that. "You have a safe word and a way to slow things down. You never have to do anything you don't want to. And you can end things at any time," he reminded her.

She sighed.

"You've never looked more beautiful, with your red behind and your tears."

"I've never felt more humiliated, with my tears, and knowing I was punished for failing."

"You were not punished for failing," he said, digging his fingers into her reassuringly. He considered having her kneel or sit, but decided to allow her to stand while she sorted through the feelings from the spanking. "You were punished for your attitude."

"But if I had practised more-"

"Practised at all," he corrected.

She tried to nod, but the rigid leather around her throat wouldn't let her. He saw the frustration on her face. This, more than anything he could have possibly done, gave her a taste of what true submission was like. He saw her struggle and silently vowed to hold her until she admitted defeat or triumphed over her internal conflicts.

"If I had practised at all, I would be better at the whole kneeling thing."

"That part concerns me less than your defiance."

"I get that." She swallowed deeply. "At least I think I do. Until now, no one has ever seen me cry."

He believed that. "I'm honoured that you're not hiding that."

"I'm freaking trying to, Sir."

He smiled, appreciating her honesty. "So not being able to wipe your eyes is as difficult as the tears themselves, and maybe harder than being spanked?"

"I hadn't thought of it that way, but yes."

"I'd like you to release your conceptions. Crying means something different to you than it does to me." He moved one of his hands from her shoulder to her hair. He smoothed strands back from her forehead. "I frankly like it when my trainees cry. To me it signifies she's giving over some sort of control. It can mean she's hurt, chastised, or that she's enjoying the experience. I've found it can mean there's some sort of emotional change going on inside her. It's real and it's honest, and I appreciate it when it happens. Tears can be cathartic. You can embrace them or pretend to be brave." He flattened one palm against the back of her head. "But pretending to be brave will get in your way of embracing everything you're hoping to find."

"I'm feeling a little overwhelmed, Sir," she admitted.

"Understandable. I recommend we end the evening early."

"I thought we'd be together longer."

"That was my original plan. But I want you to take some time to think about what you want and what you're hoping to achieve through training. I want you to think about whether you're doing this for you or whether you're doing it simply to hook a man you think you like."

"I-"

"Hear me out." He held her tighter. "Doing this for anyone other than yourself will result in failure. That's not a judgement, that's a fact. Submission can be emotionally fraught. Make sure you're doing it for the right reasons."

"There's nothing wrong with trying it, is there, Sir? I didn't know I liked scallops until I had one at a party."

"We're not exactly talking apples to apples," he said with a grin.

"You're disappointed in me, Sir." She swallowed again.

He shook his head. "You will never disappoint me. There's a reason you chose your defiant behaviour. You should consider why that is. I expect you to need to work through things. Almost all subs do." Liz had been the exception. When she found something he hated, she did it over and over. "Before I release you from the collar and send you home, I'd like you to do the kneeling and standing exercise that I had instructed before your spanking. Of course, you're free to safe word and leave immediately." He could not and would not allow her tantrum to thwart his will.

"I'll finish," she whispered.

He released her.

She walked across the room, and he liked the sight of the fading red stripes left by his tawse.

He picked up his cane and went to stand near her. Because of the collar, she couldn't look away. No matter how badly she hated the thing, he decided he would continue to use it if she came back. And that was the big question. Would she return?

As she went through her motions, he gently used the cane to reposition her. "Remain standing," he said when she was finally finished. She was perspiring, and her breaths were a little laboured. "I'd like you to remain here," he said, "for less than sixty seconds. Can you do that?"

"Yes, Sir."

Some subs had a mental mindfuck if they were left alone, and he knew of some Doms who would use that as a punishment to exploit emotions. He wasn't a big fan of it, but he saw its purpose.

He went upstairs to the master bedroom to grab a tube of arnica. When he returned, he bent down behind her. "You only have a couple of minor welts on the backs of your thighs." He dabbed some cream onto each mark then used his fingertip to cover the reddened areas. "Take this home with you, and put on a bit more before bed. I doubt you'll bruise, however. You take the strap well." That would be good news for her, if she chose to continue her training.

"Thank you for doing that, and for the instruction, Sir."

"My pleasure," he told her as he stood. He'd forgotten how much he really enjoyed interacting with a sub.

He placed the tube of arnica next to her purse then returned to unclip her wrists. "You'll want to stretch, very gently, and maybe rotate your shoulders."

She did so, then he unbuckled the collar.

"Thank you, Sir." She placed her hands at her sides. "This feels a bit awkward."

"This?" he asked.

"Ending the evening prematurely. Me being naked. The way I am questioning everything I thought I wanted."

"I'll get you a bottle of water from the kitchen," he said, leaving her alone to dress...or not. He'd let her set their direction.

When he returned to the living room, she was perched on the arm of the couch, fully dressed, back in control.

He handed her the drink, and she uncapped it with a shaky hand.

She took a sip and looked up at him. "If we continue, will I have to wear that...thing again?"

"What is your objection to the posture collar?" He took a seat in his wing-backed chair.

"I don't like having my hands and motions restricted like that."

"Why?"

"Why?" she repeated.

"I find it to be an excellent training tool. If you thought about it objectively, you'd agree. So why do you hate having your motions restricted? Consider your answer. The first night, at the Den, you told me that you like to be tied up. Then when I attached you to the wall, you didn't do well with it."