“Oh!” This kind of treatment might even make me settle for vanilla. But she didn’t think so. She’d gotten a taste of kink, and it was addictive. “I’ll just put these in a vase. It will only take me a moment. Come on in. Do you want a glass of water or a soda or anything?”
Craig followed her in. “No, thanks, I’m good. I made reservations for seven thirty. You look gorgeous in that dress, by the way. Red suits you.”
I guess I made the right choice. “What if I wasn’t ready?” She grabbed her favorite green vase from the cupboard and poured water into it.
Craig looked at her as if the idea that someone could not be ready on time for a date was a foreign concept. Then, after a moment, he shrugged and said, “Then I guess we’d be picking up Chinese takeout or fast food instead of eating at the best surf-and-turf restaurant in the Washington area. It would be a shame, because they do steak just right and the shrimp scampi is delectable. I could eat there for lunch tomorrow, send you pictures of the food, and tell you what it tastes like. That would be almost as good, right?”
It was Alicia’s turn to stare. “You’re evil.”
“Possibly. I understand some women find that attractive.”
“If this is meant to be BDSM, it’s the strangest sort I’ve ever heard of.”
“The salmon in lemon butter sauce is good too. The sauce is so smooth, it’s almost like a hollandaise. Which they also do, on vegetables.” He closed his eyes as if to imagine the taste better and hummed.
Alicia’s tummy growled. “Okay, okay! I give. Just one minute.”
“I thought you’d see it my way.”
Alicia arranged the flowers in the vase, tossed in a little of the plant food that came with the bouquet, and placed the vase in the middle of her kitchen table. “Okay, I’m ready to go.”
Craig drove. The place didn’t look like much, but it was packed. They were seated in a little booth in the back of the restaurant. They chitchatted about work and the like and ordered dishes—steak for Craig, salmon for Alicia—all friendly enough. Alicia was nervous. Talking about their lives was good, and an important part of a relationship, but it felt like they were ignoring the elephant in the room.
“So,” she finally blurted. “What did you think about the club?”
A smile played at the corner of Craig’s mouth. “It was interesting,” he said.
Interesting. Can’t get much more vague than that. “And did you learn anything interesting with Parker and Karen?”
“Yes.”
“Just yes?” she demanded.
He chuckled. “Just yes, because here’s our food.”
Sure enough, a burly waiter arrived with their plates. Yeah, I didn’t really want to have that discussion with an audience either. The salmon smelled delicious.
“So,” said Craig when the waiter had wished them a good meal and left them in peace, “I would like to explore BDSM together with you, and I’d like to negotiate how we do that.”
Alicia’s heart sped up, relief and excitement mixing. Yes. She didn’t know where it would lead, but she knew she wanted to find out. “I’d like that too.”
He reached out and put his hand on hers. “And I’d like to be the top. The Dom. Whatever you want to call it. I’m not interested in switching.”
Alicia grinned. “Me neither.”
“I can read and learn, but I’m going to make mistakes. And I’m going to have to be careful, because I want to make sure I don’t hurt you. It’s not going to be what you’d get if you were with someone experienced. But it’s all going to be fresh to me, and I’m not going to be jaded. We can make it our own thing, together.”
“That sounds perfect, actually.” In a way, she would have liked to have it all laid out, but at the same time, she knew there was no other way to live life sometimes but to see how it went.
“I don’t think I’ll ever be into serious pain play.”
Alicia nodded. “I admit I’m curious. But I don’t think that’s where I want to start, and I don’t think it’s something I need either.”
“So, I think the next thing I need to know is your limits.”
He’s been reading up. Wow. “Well. I don’t know. We’ve ruled out lots of pain, so I don’t need to worry about that. I don’t think I’d like to be gagged, but I don’t know that it’s a limit as such. I like to be able to talk. Actually, I do have a limit, though. It’s kind of unusual, but I’ve been talking it over with Karen. She’s become a mentor to me.”
His eyes narrowed.
Alicia frowned. “You don’t want me to have a mentor?”
He shook his head. “No, not at all. You need people you can talk to. That’s kind of interesting, isn’t it? I think Parker is mentoring me in a way too. I guess what I do want to say is that I want to be completely open about anything we do with either of them, or anyone else, even if it’s all in the name of learning.”
“You’re not poly.”
“I think I could be, if I didn’t care too much. But I don’t want to be poly with you, no. I’d like to focus on exploring what we can be together without that kind of distraction.”
“Agreed. And I don’t swing Karen’s way. There may be times when I need to confide in her, though, and I do want to be able to do that, between us subs.”
“Of course,” Craig agreed. “That sounds healthy to me. Anyway, what was your unusual limit?”
“I don’t want to have a scene in which you don’t receive pleasure, if possible. Don’t do things just for me, or because you’re trying to serve me by topping me. I need to please, Sir.”
Craig thought about that for a moment. “I see what you mean. One could, couldn’t one? Even whip someone, just because they wanted it. Topping but being submissive at the same time.”
“I know myself well enough to know that’s not what I want.” Would that be a deal breaker? She didn’t think Craig would object to receiving pleasure, but she did wonder if he was doing the whole BDSM thing for her benefit.
“It is so noted.” He shook his head. “One could turn oneself in knots there. Am I letting you please me because it pleases you? I think I won’t examine that too closely. But I have every intention of thoroughly enjoying myself.” He paused. “And you.” He cast his gaze down to her chest. “And your very delectable body.”
She blushed. “Um, yes, Sir.” Normally, when guys stared at her chest, she wanted to sock them. But Craig’s look was different. Territorial. As if he was saying, I’ve earned the right to stare at your tits, and I’m going to do so when I want to.
Craig looked back into her eyes. “We should eat our food before it gets cold.” He took his hand off hers.
“That does seem wise. Happy to do so, Sir.” She giggled. She wasn’t sure why, but she enjoyed calling him Sir, even over something innocuous.
That ate in silence for a couple of minutes until he spoke. “When you call me Sir, it sometimes creates a very physical effect.”
Alicia’s eyes widened. I did that? “Really, Sir? What kind of physical effect would that be, Sir?” It was strange, but being able to do that made her feel powerful. She knew she was being a brat, but at the same time, it was too good not to tease. He really had found her pleasing.
“That would be me getting hard,” said Craig. “And that would be something you’d be expected to help with, once we get back to your house. Eat your food.” The last came out as almost a growl.
Hmm. My, I have had an effect. She was tempted to kick her shoe off and try to caress his crotch with her stockinged foot, but the restaurant was pretty crowded, and she thought there was a decent chance someone would figure out what was going on. She’d never been the most graceful person in the world. Still, it was a nice thought, and her pussy was now tingling. Should I tell him about that? She decided she didn’t have to. But if he ordered me to tell him, that would be different. That would be hot. And then I’d have to. She opened her mouth to tell her he should and closed it again. “If you don’t have to top from bel
ow, don’t,” Karen had told her. “It’s more fun when they come up with their own ideas, even if they aren’t exactly what you want.”
“So what are you going to do?” she asked after a several bites.
“I’m going to tie you up.”
“And then?”
He grinned at her. “I’ve got some ideas, and they’ll be safe, sane, and consensual. Well within what you’ve told me about your limits. And satisfying.” He winked. “Can you trust me?”
She gave it a moment’s thought, then nodded. “Yes. I can trust you.”
“Then I will do what I please, and trust that you are consenting, unless you say ‘red’ to me.”
Both of them started eating faster.
* * * *
When they walked back from the car to her home, Alicia felt completely different than when she had left. Her skin was sensitive, and she was aware of each step and every breath. She could feel her heartbeat. Inviting him in wasn’t going to mean flower arranging and banter. He was going to tie her up. And do…something. And he wasn’t telling her what, but it was something he wanted to do.
He had grabbed a briefcase from his car. She had no idea what it had in it. Rope, presumably. Possibly other things. Had he done some kinky shopping? She supposed she would find out.
It struck her that this was not a completely safe thing to be doing. She trusted Craig, but on some level, no one was completely trustworthy. Tied up, he could do anything. The thought didn’t make her any less aroused. She did, in the end, believe that he would honor a safe word. She was in danger and safe all at the same time. She couldn’t quite figure it out, but it excited her, and she knew she needed to find out what would happen next.
She opened her door and preceded him inside. When he put his hand on her shoulder, she nearly jumped.
“Alicia.”
She turned around to face him.
“That is a beautiful dress on you.”
“Thank you.” She couldn’t read his face, and that was unnerving.
“Thank you, Sir,” he corrected.
Oh my. “Thank you, Sir,” she repeated.
“Good. As I was saying, it’s a very nice dress. Take it off.”
“Here? In the living room?”
“Is that a limit?” he asked.
Even since getting her own place, she tended to get dressed in the bedroom and stay dressed when she was out of it. There was no reason for it, she supposed. “No, Sir.”
“Then take it off.”
Was this what he was like in the office? He was more confident than she’d expected, but also colder than she was used to. The coldness made her nervous, but the confidence was an aphrodisiac. The combination of nerves and arousal somehow heightened the latter. Her nipples hardened in response. She pulled her dress up and over her head. She’d worn a black bra and panties, but they didn’t feel like much covering. The bra was lacy and didn’t conceal her nipples, and the panties were just a thong.
He put his hands on her breasts and stroked her nipples with his thumbs. “Are you cold, Alicia?”
“No, Sir.” If anything, she felt it had gotten warmer.
“Aroused, then?”
It was useless to deny it. “Yes, Sir.”
He moved his hand down her stomach slowly, his gaze fixed on her eyes. She bit her lip, wondering if he was going to touch her where she ached to be touched. His fingers slipped under the waistband of her panties. She shifted her feet to open her legs up for him as he pushed through her curls. His finger encountered her clit, and she shivered. He pushed farther. “You’re wet.”
“Yes.” She felt the heat rise in her cheeks.
“I like that.”
“I can’t help but wonder what you might do to me.”
“Good. I like you wondering too. I don’t know why it is, but anticipation turns me on. It’s a part of the power exchange, isn’t it? Me knowing what I plan, you having to wonder? It’s a part I get into.”
Have I unleashed a monster? But the fact that he was getting into it was good. She knew, looking at him, that he wasn’t doing it just for her anymore.
He pulled his hand away, and she instantly missed it. But she was distracted by his smile.
“I think it’s interesting that you had a reluctance to strip in your own living room.” He took her hand. “And it’s given me an idea.”
Uh-oh.
He walked her over to the couch. It was dark blue, with a sturdy oak frame, and would be comfortable for making out on. A little cramped for making love. What does he have in mind?
“Your breasts. I want to see them.”
He could have asked me to take my bra off. But no, he wants to emphasize that I’m exposing myself, offering my body to him. She reached behind her and unclasped it, then shrugged it over her shoulders. She wasn’t as happy with her breasts without the support, but his eyes lit up.
He caressed them, and his touches sent tingles straight to her pussy. “So beautiful,” he said.
“Thank you, Sir.” And on an impulse she added, “Yours, Sir.”
He grinned. “And don’t you forget it. Show me the rest of you.”
“My panties, Sir?”
“Yes. I want them on the floor.”
She was tempted to sit down, but she knew what he meant. It seemed unfair that she was taking all her clothes off, and he still had all of his on. But he was in charge. She pushed the waistband over her hips and shimmied out of them, leaving her in only her red high-heeled shoes. “The shoes too, Sir? Or do you like them on?”
“That depends.” He pulled her to him and kissed her hard and deep. He ravished her mouth with his tongue, leaving her panting for breath, and she was aware of how naked she was against his body. His hand roamed her back before he settled it on her ass, squeezing as he kept her close, pulling her upward so that her toes barely touched the ground.
“What does it depend on, Sir?” she asked breathlessly, when at last he let her go. She wanted more kisses like that.
“On what height they leave you at. But my guess is we’ll leave them on.” He put the briefcase on the table, and opened it in such a way that she couldn’t see the inside. It didn’t surprise her when he then pulled out some rope. It was white and looked new; white didn’t stay that white for long. “Hands together and in front of you, please.”
She took a sharp breath, suddenly panicked. But she did as she was told. She exhaled slowly and held her hands together in front of her.
“A little apart, like so,” he said, pulling one hand from the other until they were three inches apart. “Hold them like that.”
She nodded. She was afraid the touch of the rope would make her jerk away, but instead its softness surprised her. Of course it’s soft. It’s only rope. As he wrapped it around both wrists, making a loop, she noted the sensuousness of it. It was like a caress. Not scary at all.
Then he cinched it in the middle and tied a knot, and all of a sudden she had gone from having rope looped around her wrists to being bound, with the other end of the rope in his hand. Her heart beat faster, but something softened inside her too. The binding emphasized the fact that he was in control. They had crossed a threshold. He was assuming power and responsibility, and she could relax into submission. Bound, she could no longer be expected to do things for herself, only yield.
He seemed to think for a moment. She wondered what was going on in his mind, but didn’t ask. He pulled the couch from the wall a few inches. “Turn around and kneel on the couch.”
“Yes, Sir.” The words felt natural, and she realized she loved saying them. She knelt, not knowing what was to come next. Turning her back to him added to her vulnerability. He knelt next to her, to her surprise, and for a moment she wondered how the power dynamic was going. But then he took the other end of the rope binding her wrists and pulled it forward, yanking her wrists with it until they were hanging over the back of the couch. He leaned forward and tied the rope to the beam that ran under the seat in the back. Her wr
ists were comfortable on top of the backrest, but she could pull them back no farther.
“There. That will do nicely.”
“What are you going to do to me?”
“Patience, Alicia. You’ll find out.” He swatted her bottom, playfully but hard enough to startle.
“Eek!”
He chuckled. It sounded evil to her, but it was Craig. She was safe.
“Stay facing the wall,” he directed. “I don’t want you to see. In fact, close your eyes. I want you to focus on what you feel.”
She nodded. And then had a thought. “I have a sleep mask in my bedroom. On the nightstand. I don’t use it often, but it’s there.”
“Good idea.” He took a step or two, and then she heard him stop. “If you are in any distress at all, call, and I’ll come running. It’s not a good idea to leave someone tied up. If I don’t find it right away, I’m not looking for it.”
She nodded. Craig had never actually been in her bedroom before. It was ironic that the first time he was there he’d be looking for a blindfold, while she was naked and tied up in the living room. This wasn’t how I expected our relationship to go. And not what he expected either.
But it might be better.
He came back a moment later. “Good directions,” he said. “I found it.” He fixed the mask around her head, and she closed her eyes as it got dark. Unable to see, she realized she couldn’t know what was going to happen next either. She felt herself giving more of herself to him and relaxing into his power.
The next thing she sensed was rope on her left ankle. He wrapped it around several times. She marveled at how soft the rope was. The more she felt it, the more she wanted it wrapped around her everywhere.
He wrapped some around her right ankle too. Then he pulled her thigh, forcing her legs farther apart. She adjusted her weight, trying not to think about how exposed she was. Or how wet. Could he see that?
He moved away. She could hear him moving and knew he wasn’t far. That was good. She needed him close.
“Now. Try to bring your ankles together again.”
That’s easy. Except it wasn’t. She shifted and got them closer, but he’d tied the rope taut, and she couldn’t close her legs more than a few inches. He touched her pussy, stroking with all his fingers along the outside, and all desire to close her legs vanished. A rub on her clit felt like heaven, and he diddled it a few times, enough to let her know he knew exactly where her center of pleasure was before he caressed around it instead. Not being able to see intensified the sensations.
Take Me With You Page 7
