Free Honest Cravings by Erin Lark

Chapter One
     
     
     
    Alison eyed her spur-of-the-moment tools—her husband’s lubricant, a vial of peppermint oil and the handle of an old hairbrush—as she stood from the tub, drying her legs off with a fresh towel. She’d been too hard on herself, her body still yearning for the pleasure only her husband could give.
    She wasn’t supposed to come without him, as per their agreement. He was her Dom, delightfully so. But today… Today was different, and her cravings had been much too strong for her to ignore. Closing her eyes, she inhaled the faint fragrance of peppermint oils, smiling when a chill danced up and down her spine.
    She’d heard of using certain scents as aphrodisiacs in the past, but she’d never had the opportunity to try them before today. The most Aaron—her Dom—had ever used on her was the lubricant she’d shamelessly borrowed during his absence and the many toys he had locked away in their room.
    She’d always known better than to come without him, and she waited patiently each day for him to give her the proper command. What made today so different was the novel he’d brought home for her the day before, rewarding her for her good behaviour and for being a good sub. Alison’s craving for new material was insatiable, and he did his best to feed her addiction whenever possible. Now, Alison glared at her tools of pleasure, wishing she could take back the whole thing—her love of reading included.
    It had never taken much to turn her on, but she’d always held onto her self-control. But with her newest read, the mention of peppermint oils mixed in with a gentle lubricant had been something she’d wanted to investigate on her own. It was too strong.With the images from her story fresh in her mind, it hadn’t taken much for her to reach her peak, quickly tumbling over the edge before she’d been able to bring herself back down from her sexual high.
    After dragging a brush through her blonde hair, Alison turned off the bathroom light and padded back into the master bedroom she and Aaron shared. It was his territory, the domain where he ruled over her. And she enjoyed every minute of it, only now she felt as if he could see her from every corner of the room, as if now he knew she had practiced without him. No, that wasn’t an issue. She was allowed to work herself up for him any way she liked, but she wasn’t supposed to finish—not outside his presence and certainly not without his permission.
    Knowing better than to get upset over small details he might not even notice, Alison scanned the room. It was simple enough as rooms went, containing all the necessities she and her Dom would need later in the evening—a bed for a restful sleep, blinds to cover the windows facing the street and an array of candles on their dresser. A chest sat at the foot of the bed.
    After carefully gliding over to the wooden compartment, Alison ran her fingers over the hardened fibres, moaning when she thought of the tools hidden deep inside. It was locked, of course—it was Aaron’s toy chest, which was only opened once he was home and she was willing and waiting.
    She cursed under her breath at her selfishness. It didn’t even feel good. Or rather, not as good as it would’ve felt if she’d waited. She was still able to feel the tingling sensation of the peppermint oils within her, a lasting warmth that expanded, collapsed, then expanded again. She’d hoped once she’d cleaned up, the sensation would pass. It was still as strong as when she had first started.
    Feeling more exhausted than she would’ve liked, Alison flopped onto the bed, making sure to keep to her side of the mattress. The polished headboard called to her, reminding her of last night, as well as the first night Aaron had brought her home with him.
     
    * * * *
     
    Alison met Aaron at a club a handful of co-workers had taken her to after a terrible break-up. She’d never thought a Dom would be willing to take her on as his sub, but it