The Collaring of Chloe

Chapter 3: An Unwanted Clause

Chloe spun up from her chair with such suddenness that she nearly set herself off balance and fell over. She could hear Mittens giggle at her clumsy attempt to rise, but ignored it, focusing on the man standing in the doorway between the sitting room and the dining room. With all she'd seen so far of the interior of the house, she had begun slowly forming assumptions of what to expect of the man who now owned her body and soul. What she found herself looking at was not any of the images she'd conjured.

He was tallish and broad-shouldered, generally handsome, with soft brown hair and bright eyes of a shade that seemed elusive to pin down. He was clean-shaven and well groomed, his hair thick, but short, parted to one side loosely. He had a clean-cut air about him, wearing a blue-grey pull over shirt, chinos, and a pair of oxblood dress shoes. There was a laid-back feel to him, his posture relaxed and amused, arms crossed in front of his chest casually, leaning against the door frame.

He seemed almost at odds with anything she could have expected. While he had a strange aura of dominance to him, perhaps brought out by an innate confidence that was unmistakable, he looked as unremarkable, if handsome, as the average accountant. Considering the artwork, she'd expected someone more...stereotypical. She'd also expected someone older, if she was honest, though that had been more just a generalized assumption than based on anything she'd seen in the house. This man seemed less than a half dozen years older than herself.

His eyes meaningfully scanned her body and Chloe remembered suddenly that she was standing there completely naked, hair still hanging damply about her head and shoulders. She fought the instinct to cover herself with her hands, reminding herself that he'd requested her to remain naked as she came in and thus had a right, as her new owner and Master, to see her this way. Instead, she straightened her body a little more, swinging her shoulders back a little and trying to give him a good view of all she had to offer and that he now owned, lowering her head a little to show her submission to him.

"Good afternoon, Chloe." He said gently, his voice smooth and baritone. "Welcome to your new home."

He moved away from the doorway, straightening from his lean, and fixed his eyes on Mittens almost quizzically. "Really, Mittens? 'Can I play with your boobs'? I've not even played with them yet." His tone was admonishing, but playful, a pretend frown only barely covering his natural smile.

Mittens gave a little shrug, standing up from the sofa. "I knowed I were already in trouble, Master, so I figureded I'd go all in." She gave a big mischievous smile as she swayed her hips back and forth adorably, falling perfectly into her 'kitty voice'. "I weren't really gonna, I jus' wanted to see her, and your, faces."

"You are in trouble, you know, Mittens." He said almost fatherly. "I expressly told you that you were to stay out of sight until I'd properly and formally met my slave." He cocked an eyebrow at her. "You were not even supposed to be downstairs right now."

"I know, Master." Mittens replied in an chastized voice, lowering her head and making a little pouting face, cat-gloved hands slipping behind her back and one plush foot drawing little circles on the rug. "I sorry. I were curious and wanted to see her. I didn't mean to meet her yet, she jus' saws me peeking." She lifted her head, eyes widening a little. "I's a cat you know. We curious."

He peered at her with a narrowed eye, obviously not truly angry, but the look made Mittens seem to shrink a little and took a little of the mischief from her expression. Chloe thought she even heard a little 'gulp'.

"If I may, Sir." Chloe spoke up in a voice that came out much quieter than she'd meant or expected. "I'm really as much to blame."

His eyes turned to Chloe, but the expression softened, turning into a speculative one. "Are you offering to take some of her punishment?"