Chapter 2

Clover's room was through an open doorway from Corvus's. As soon as he walked in, she emerged, hands held behind her back. "Citizen Corvus, how may I serve?"

That was the million denarii question. Wasn't it? He should have asked Malcolm how he was supposed to broach the subject. He turned away so she wouldn't see his blush. "I'm done with breakfast."

"Yes," acknowledged Clover.

"I ... uh, think I'd like you to draw that bath now," he managed.

Clover smiled, turned, and left the room. Corvus took a deep breath, then realized he'd only bought himself a short delay. If he had to get undressed for his bath, what he wanted would soon be blatantly obvious.

A rising sense of panic told him to run, that Clover was too beautiful for him and would laugh at what he wanted. He closed his eyes and forced himself to breathe more calmly.

He had no experience with women - zero. Plebeian girls liked to pretend they didn't do that. But, the truth was they didn't do it with plebeian boys. If they did it at all, they did it with patricians or, if rumors were to be believed, amongst themselves. The ones who slept with patricians had to be extraordinarily beautiful to distract them from the slaves and prostitutes who were so readily available to young men of that station. If they could keep a patrician man's attention, they might theoretically end up like his mother - elevated and married. Much more commonly, they became well-kept mistresses with an income or free hetaerae.

Even in this day of readily-available birth control, virginity was a valuable commodity in a plebe bride. They didn't give it up for free. They certainly didn't give it up to a hetaera's son whose highest aspiration was to be a government clerk.

Corvus closed his eyes and forced himself to breathe more calmly. He wasn't that boy anymore. He wasn't some questionable investment that might or might not doom a girl to a life of penury. He was a patrician. He was going to be a senator. He was exactly the sort of man who got all the things he'd once looked on with envy.

Clover emerged, her hair pinned up into a pile on her head. As she stepped in front of the window, the whole shape of her body became visible through the diaphanous, white gown she'd changed into. Corvus couldn't look away.

"Your bath is almost ready. Can I help you undress?"

"I, uh ... yes." Corvus held out his arms awkwardly. Clover stepped in close and started unbuttoning his shirt. After a few seconds of holding his breath, he experimentally laid a hand on her shoulder. She kept unbuttoning. Apparently that wasn't the sign that he wanted to touch her. When she was done with the buttons, Clover made to lift his shirt from his shoulders and he had to lift his hand.

She folded the shirt and turned to place it in a hamper in one of the room's big walk-in closets. Corvus decided to try again. He reached for her shoulder, but she leaned forward to put the garment down and he missed. He left his hand there until she bumped into it on the way back up and he pulled it back.

"Oh, excuse me," Clover said. "I didn't mean..."

Determined not to be thwarted by his own awkwardness, Corvus put his hand on Clover's shoulder again and pulled her back towards him. She stumbled backwards against him with a startled gasp. His put an arm around her waist, partly to steady her and partly to keep her from pulling away. She tensed for just a moment, then relaxed back into him completely and looked back over her shoulder. "Would you like something besides a bath first, Citizen Corvus?"

Corvus swallowed hard. "I would ... uh, like to know you, Clover ... if that's all right."

She laid her hands on the one at her waist. "Service is a master's gift to his slave."

Corvus furrowed his brow. "What does that mean?"

She drew his hand up her stomach until it cupped a breast "That means that it's all right for you to know me, Citizen. Service is life."

Corvus gave an experimental squeeze. The flesh felt like nothing he'd ever touched before, soft and firm at the same time. Clover's nipple stiffened against his palm and her breathing quickened. "How may I serve?" she whispered.

"I, uh ... don't know." Corvus was overwhelmed with possibilities. "How do you usually do this?"

She turned in the circle of his arms. "I do as I am asked. Every man is different. What pleases you?"

"I've ... never done this before," Corvus admitted.

"Oh..." Clover's eyes widened, but followed quickly with a salacious smile. She laid her hands on his chest. "Of course. You were a plebeian."

She leaned in closer and nuzzled his cheek softly before kissing his shoulder. One hand traced up the flat of his stomach. "There are hetaerae trained specifically in ushering a boy into manhood. Would you like me to call one?"

Corvus looked into Clover's eyes, trying to figure out which answer she wanted, but they revealed nothing. He shook his head.

That wicked smile came back. "Perhaps, I could show you a few things I've learned and you can tell me if you like them."

Corvus nodded and swallowed. "Yes, please."

Clover leaned in and kissed his chest, then smiled up at him. "Do you like that?"

Corvus nodded. "Yes."

She kissed lower. "And do you like that, Citizen?"

"Yes," Corvus's voice was getting hoarse.

A few inches lower, she kissed again, "And do you..."

Corvus buried a hand in her hair, tilting her head back to look at him. "Why don't you assume I like everything you're doing until I tell you I don't?"

She gave another smile, this time coupled with a little wriggle that made her bottom do interesting things beneath her gown. "Yes, sir."

On the next kiss, she unbuttoned the fly of his jeans, unzipped them, and drew them down off of his hips. The kiss after that was on the shaft of his cock. Corvus gave a little groan. She licked him playfully.He stroked her hair and shifted his feet to better maintain his balance.

Sliding her hand down the length of his cock, she squeezed the base of it and lowered her head over him, taking him deep into her mouth and throat. Corvus thought he might lose his mind or at least blow his load right then, but she squeezed him tighter as she licked the shaft inside her mouth.

Corvus had seen enough pornography to know that slaves and prostitutes would sometimes take a man's penis into their mouths or taste it with their tongues. He'd even fantasized about it once or twice. But, he'd never really thought it would happen to him until he could afford a mistress. Seeing the top of Clover's head bobbing up and down his length was almost enough to undo him without the sensation. He felt his body surge, but her fist kept everything in place.

"Gods," he moaned. "Clover, if you ... I don't think I'm going to last long enough to know you."

She leaned back to look up at him, letting his gleaming cock slip from her mouth. "If you let go and enjoy it, soon you'll be able to know me long enough to really enjoy yourself."

Corvus didn't know what really enjoying himself was compared to this, but he was willing to take her word for it, particularly if that meant he didn't have to hold back. He stopped clenching and let the pleasure rise until it felt like his climax was inevitable. She kept him there with her grip for several exquisite minutes before loosening her hand. Corvus came so hard that stars appeared before his eyes and he momentarily lost his footing before catching himself again. Clover kept his cock in her mouth, swallowing down what to Corvus felt like a gallon of seed. Even as he pumped it into her mouth, she kept stroking him, cupping his balls now.

When it was finally done, Corvus staggered again. Still on her knees, Clover looked up at him and asked in an innocent voice, "Would you like to lie down, Citizen?"

Corvus nodded and, once she released him, let himself stumble backwards onto the bed. She freed his feet from his pants, folded them neatly, and disappeared into the closet with them, presumably to place them in the hamper. When she emerged, not only did she not have Corvus's pants, her gown was gone as well leaving her gloriously, incredibly naked.

Corvus took in all of her, but especially focused on her heavy breasts and the squared-off little tuft of hair on the lower curve of her belly. He beckoned and she climbed on the bed to lay beside him, wrapping her hand around his cock again. To no one's great surprise, it began springing back to attention immediately.

Clover gave a low chuckle. "Would you like to touch me, Citizen?"

He nodded emphatically and reached for her. "Call me Corvus ... unless it will get you in trouble."

Clover shook her head. "It won't unless your mother objects."

"I don't think it will, but maybe you shouldn't do it in front of her ... just in case. She's new to owning slaves." He places his hand on Clover's breast, fascinated by the feel of it and how it moved. "Show me how to touch you."

Clover laid her hand over the back of his. "Do you want to cause pleasure or pain?"

"Pl-pleasure," said Corvus. He raised his head. "What kind of question is that?"

Clover's smile was much harder to read now. "Pain is a master's gift to his slave, too."

"What does that mean?" Corvus was more confused than ever.