Continental Life

Eight

Seated in her car in the parking area at the DDTC, Bella looked herself over. She took a deep breath in and let it out slowly. As she smoothed her hair, she tried to recall everything that was contained in the first three chapters of the rule book, but it all seemed fuzzy now.

She had spent too much time daydreaming about the show she'd put on for Xander the night before. Her dreams had been filled with images of him stroking himself as he came. She had watched him do it before, and she knew well the look of elation on his face when he came by his own hand. It was a treat to be allowed to view something so private, but he seemed to enjoy giving her his own show and, in turn, watching her do the same to herself.

Just before stepping out of her car to face her new instructors and classmates, she slipped her engagement ring off her wedding finger and moved it to the digit directly next to it; the same finger Xander had placed her beloved ruby ring on before their split three years earlier.

A chirp from her phone alerted her to a new text message.

XP: A wonderful experience lies ahead for you. Your resolve will be tested and so will your way of thinking. Keep an open mind and heart.

XP: My distance during class will merely be an unkind pretense, but it is necessary. I assure you, I feel only love and pride for you. Good luck tonight, Princess. Try to enjoy yourself.

The next six weeks were sure to elicit many different emotions in her, but she doubted enjoyment or any derivative of joy would be one of them. Hopefully, she was wrong.

Once inside the waiting area, she found two other women who had arrived just as early as she had, and they both appeared just as nervous as she felt. They each sat quietly with their hands in their laps, and when Bella came to the conclusion that neither of them was going to introduce themselves, she took the initiative. Being the first to break the ice, she wasn't sure how she would be received, but both women promptly relaxed and began chatting with her in whispered tones.

Clarissa, the elegant, sandy-haired psychologist, dominated the conversation. She was only two years older than Bella, clocking in at thirty-four. Bella found it interesting that such a well-educated and prominent woman would want to be in the position of being a submissive to a man, especially in view of her profession. Although considering what she must be tasked with on a daily basis in her professional life, Bella could understand on some level how freeing it must be to let it all go at the end of the day and allow someone else to take over.

That was a large part of why she cherished her relationship with Xander so much. She loved relinquishing all of the inconsequential details that everyday life entailed. She loved that Xander enjoyed making those decisions for her, and in her own tiny way, she was pleasing him by surrendering herself.

From the very first day she met him, he had taken over her life. Yet, despite his dominance, it hadn't in any way hindered her ability to be a productive individual. On the contrary, she could focus on the things that were genuinely important.

When she was his personal assistant, her duties were limited to running his daily work life. Period. She never worried about how to fix her hair or what to wear or any of the posturing that the opposite sex acted out when working together. Everything was straightforward, including sex. Not to say it was passionless, seeing there was plenty of steamy sex involved. Xander dictated her behavior and so much more. Even now, her concentration lay solely on her medical studies and how to keep her fiancé happy, and that was enough.

The other woman, though not as talkative as Clarissa, was nonetheless friendly and engaging. Bella couldn't be sure, but Lauren, the black-haired stewardess with the darkest brown skin tone, looked to be at least forty-five years old. Her eyes were the most amazing shade of hazel, and Bella found herself mesmerized by her heart-shaped mouth and sparkling irises. She was classically beautiful.