by Sophie Stern
“I do.”
“You like being open for me? I can see all of you, sweetheart, and you’re so fucking beautiful. Your skin is so flushed, and you’re wiggling like you just can’t sit still, like you just can’t wait for what’s going to come next.”
“I need more,” I whisper, begging.
“Tell me what you need, Macie.”
“I need you to touch me more.”
“Like this?” He runs his hand down my thigh to my knee, and then back up. “Is this what you want, Macie?”
“No,” I growl. “Higher.”
“Up here?” He cups my breast, and I whimper.
“Please,” I beg. I know he’s going to make me say it. He’s going to make me ask him. I know what he wants, and I’m going to give it to him. I’m going to tell him exactly what I need because that’s what Tony desires from me. He wants to hear me say the words, and then he’ll reward me for my bravery.
That’s how this works.
I’m learning.
“I want to come for you, Master Tony. Please play with my pussy. Please touch me there. Please make me come. Please.”
“You’re so pretty when you beg,” he whispers, biting my ear, but then he moves his hand between my legs and begins to play my body like an instrument he’s been practicing for years. He knows exactly how to touch me, exactly how to make me fall apart. He knows just what I need, and he strokes me until I begin to freefall into oblivion.
I drown in pleasure as I come.
The waves of ecstasy wash over me and seem to last an eternity. When it’s over, I sag back against him. I am sated, tired, and content. I am happy.
And I am safe.
Chapter 12
Anthony
“That was beautiful,” I tell her. “Do you always look so lovely when you orgasm?”
“I don’t know,” she whispers. “I don’t usually watch myself in the mirror.”
“Have you ever?”
“A few times,” she admits. “It was fun to see.”
“See, sweetheart? I told you you’re kinky.”
“I guess I didn’t really believe it myself until Saturday,” she admits. I stroke Macie’s hair and touch her gently for a few minutes. Then she starts to wiggle away. “Where are you going?”
“I’m afraid I’m going to make a mess on your suit,” she stands and looks at me, blushing down at my pants.
“That’s not something you need to worry about, Macie. I have an excellent drycleaner and I have plenty of other suits.”
“Really?” She raises an eyebrow, and I motion for her to sit back down on my lap. She snuggles close to me and I breathe her in.
“Really.”
“What about you?”
“What do you mean?”
“You haven’t come,” she points out.
“Believe it or not, this isn’t my first rodeo. I’m not some horny teenager, sweetheart. I don’t have to get off just because you do. Sometimes a Dom is happy just knowing he pleased his sub.”
“You make me feel really sexy, Tony.”
“You make me feel sexy, too.”
“No wonder you said aftercare is important. This feels so nice, just snuggling and talking.”
“Absolutely. And aftercare looks different for everyone. Always remember that. Just because something works for us doesn’t mean it will work for someone else.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” she says, and then Macie is quiet. I hold her for a long time, and then I hear a cute little snore, and I realize she’s fallen asleep in my arms. Apparently, her week was just as difficult as she said it was. Carefully, I manage to lay her on the couch and get up without waking her. I wander around for a minute and find a blanket, and then I cover her sleeping form.
Heading into the kitchen, I start putting the leftovers away and washing the dishes. The work is methodical and simple, but it allows me to clear my mind. I try not to think about anything but scrubbing, and for about ten minutes, I manage to do that. Then I finish cleaning, and once again, Macie consumes my thoughts.
I peek into the living room and sure enough, she’s still out cold. The poor girl. She must work herself to death. It’s not even 9 o’clock and already, she’s passed out. A protective instinct fills me as I wonder why no one looks after her. Yeah, Macie is a strong, independent woman, but she needs someone to cherish her, to care for her.
She needs someone like me.
If Macie were my girlfriend, I would take care of her. I would protect her. I would help her around the house so she didn’t have so much to worry about. I’d do the dishes and help her with the shopping and everything else she needed.
I’d do anything she needed.
I’d treat her like a princess.
The truth is, though, that we don’t know each other that well. Oh, sure, we’ve gotten to know each other quite a bit this week. We’ve talked a lot on the phone and over text, but there are some things you only learn about someone over time. I don’t want to rush things with Macie because I don’t want to fuck this up.
She’s amazing, and sweet, and I want this thing between us to work.
I head back into the kitchen and call Zack. He answers on the first ring.
“What’s up, brother?”
“I’m at Macie’s.”
He chuckles. “Then why are you on the phone? Shouldn’t you be taking care of your new subbie?”
“She’s asleep.”
“Is that right?”
“We didn’t have sex.”
“No?” He sounds surprised. “May I inquire as to why not?”
“She’s new to all of this, Zack.”
“So was Lily. That didn’t stop Jaxson Thorn from pursuing her.000”
“I don’t want to rush things,” I admit. “And since she fell asleep, I’m not really sure what to do. If we’d been dating awhile, I’d know whether I should go home or stay. I’m worried that if I leave, she’ll feel abandoned. If I stay, she might think I’m creepy.”
“No offense, but have you seen yourself in the mirror? Trust me: the last word she would use to describe you is ‘creepy.’ ‘Soft, loveable teddy bear’? Yeah. ‘Creepy’? Not so much. Sorry to disappoint.”
“So you think I should stay?”
“I think you should take care of your new submissive. I think you should honor her and watch over her. I’ll let Christina and Lily both know you’re there, so Macie will have someone to talk to if she needs it. If for some reason she wakes up and gets upset you’re still there, she can call them and won’t have to waste time filling them in.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.”
“It’s been a rough week for you, huh?”
“I feel better when I’m with her, Zack. I’m not supposed to feel this way. It’s not supposed to be like this with someone new.”
“That’s how it was with me and Christina, brother. You know that.”
I do.
Christina caught Zack’s attention right away. There was an instant connection between them that didn’t make sense to anyone but them, and it worked. They’ve been married for awhile now, and they’re happy.
Could I have that with Macie?
“I know.”
“I don’t want to sound cheesy,” Zack says slowly. “But don’t let the past hold you back. I know you have a difficult profession, one that probably makes you feel jaded in many ways, but dealing with divorce regularly doesn’t mean you can’t find love.”
“You really think I could find love?”
“Anthony Diamond, I think you already have.”
Chapter 13
Macie
I yawn, stretching. The morning sun is shining through the windows, which is weird because I just bought those blackout curtains. Then I realize I’m not in my bedroom.
I’m in the living room.
Why am I in the living room?
“Good morning, sunshine,” a familiar voice greets me, and I suddenly sit straight up.
“Ant
hony!” I screech.
“I prefer Tony,” he says, gently. “But yes, it’s me. Would you like some coffee?”
“What time is it?” I scramble off the couch, completely ignoring the fact that I am naked, it’s the morning after, and Tony is still in my house. Shouldn’t he have gone home or something? Why is he still here? We didn’t even have sex.
Oh shit.
We didn’t even have sex.
Talk about a terrible first date.
Shouldn’t we have had sex? Everything was so perfect and sweet, but then I just fell asleep. Oh, I’m so embarrassed that I don’t even know what to do or where to start. I need to go to work. I’m sure of it. If I don’t hurry, I’m probably going to be late, but right now, I kind of just want to crawl into a hole and die.
I can’t believe I fell asleep on the first date.
He must think I’m such a dork.
“Six,” he says slowly, and I realize he’s showered and is wearing a different suit from yesterday.
“You changed,” I say.
“Yes, that’s what people usually do in the morning,” he says, sitting down in a chair.
“But how? You spent the night. How did you get clothes?”
“Zack was kind enough to drop off a suit for me.”
“Zack knows we spent the night together?” I shriek, grabbing a pillow and covering my face. Tony just laughs.
“I wouldn’t say we spent the night together, but yes, he knows I stayed over. So do Lily and Christina,” he adds. “I had Zack fill them in for accountability purposes. I didn’t want you to feel like I was taking advantage of you, but I also didn’t want to leave you without saying goodbye. You just fell asleep so quickly.”
“I didn’t mean to.”
“That just means you enjoyed the aftercare. I’m glad. I took it as a compliment.”
“I felt safe with you,” I admit.
“You have no idea how happy that makes me.”
Slowly, I lower the pillow from my face and look at Tony. He must think I look hideous. I’m sure my hair is a mess, and I’m still naked, although somehow, I ended up with a blanket, and I’m sure I have him to thank for that.
“Now, how about that coffee?” He asks again.
“I’d love some.”
He goes into the kitchen and comes back a minute later with a steaming cup of coffee.
“Thank you,” I take it and start to sip, grateful for the pick-me-up. I’ve got a full day at the office and I’m catering an event tonight, so I’m going to need all of the caffeine I can get in order to make it through the day.
“Anything for you.”
“Where did you sleep?” I ask.
“I crashed in your bed,” he looks a little sheepish. “I know it’s super weird. I’m sorry. I should have slept in a chair or something, but you don’t have a guest room and you were already on the couch. I didn’t want to move you and risk waking you up.”
Tony Diamond slept in my bed.
Tony fucking Diamond was in my bed, between my sheets, and he’s apologizing?
Oh, I can’t wait to go smell my damn sheets later. I bet they smell like his aftershave now. Fuck yeah. Talk about masturbation city. I know exactly how I’m going to be spending my weekend now.
“That’s totally fine,” I say, hoping my face doesn’t give away my secret inner thoughts. If he knew how I was tearing him apart in my fantasies right now, Tony would definitely be running.
“I had a good time last night, Macie.”
“Me too.” Everything about the date was fun and sweet. Well, except for the whole me-falling-asleep thing. That’s mostly just embarrassing.
“I’d like to see you again.”
“Really? I mean, I would, too. It’s just that…”
“What?”
Honesty.
Communication.
Trust.
These are the things that are so important to Tony. These are the values I need to work on if a relationship of any sort is going to happen with him. I haven’t had a lot of experience with sexual relationships or with being open. I’m not used to saying how I feel.
The dating world is one big, messy game, and I’m used to playing that.
I’m not used to spreading my cards out on the table, face up, and showing them to the other player.
That’s what I’m going to do with Tony, though. I like him a lot. He’s smart and interesting, and he’s thoughtful. He’s kind. There’s this saying that if someone is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, he isn’t a nice person. That’s not Tony. Tony is nice to everyone. He was kind to the bartendress at Anchored. He was kind to my friends. He’s calm. He’s stable.
And he’s here, now, waiting for me to tell him what’s bothering me.
“We didn’t have sex last night,” I tell him. “In your world, isn’t that kind strange? I mean, don’t you usually have sex on the first date?”
“Do you?”
“No! I mean,” I calm myself. “No. I don’t. Ever.”
“So why would last night be any different?” He asks slowly.
“I mean, I guess, I just assumed that you would want that.”
“Macie, the only thing I want is to get to know you. I have no expectations of our sexual relationship except that sometimes, I’ll Dominate you. I would love to tell you to drop to your knees and worship my cock. I would love to tie you up, to tease you for hours. I would love to play with your body and make you come over and over and over again. I would love all of those things, but those aren’t as important as us getting to know each other. I want to know everything about you, Macie. I want to know what makes you tick and what makes you laugh. I want to know what makes you smile, and I want to make you smile at me.”
I set my coffee down, drop my blanket, and go to him. I’m naked and he’s dressed, but I forget about my modesty and just wrap my arms around him.
“Thank you,” I whisper. “I had an incredible time last night, and I’m lucky to have met you. I’m not used to being around people who respect me. It sounds kind of pathetic, but the truth is that most guys aren’t like you, Tony. Most guys aren’t going to be okay with the fact that I didn’t put out. They certainly wouldn’t have stuck around to make sure I was okay. Thank you for that.”
“I want to see you again. Soon. Tonight, if you’re free.”
“I would love to, but I have a huge catering event,” I frown. “It’s going to take up my entire day and I probably won’t get home until late. How about tomorrow?”
“I’d love that,” he kisses my nose. “Why don’t I come by around noon and pick you up? I’ll plan something fun for us to do.”
“How fun?” I wiggle my eyebrows suggestively.
“More fun than you’re ready to handle, sweetheart,” he smiles, and a wave of satisfaction and happiness rolls over me. I don’t know where this thing with Tony is going, but I’m excited to be on this journey.
And I’m excited to be on it with him.
Chapter 14
Anthony
I see four clients today, and with each one, my anxiety levels increase. I went from waking up completely refreshed and calm to being a walking ball of negative energy. By the time I leave work, I’ve already drafted my resignation letter three times.
It’s time for me to leave.
It’s not that I have anything against the firm I work for. I don’t. The paralegals and attorneys I work with are fantastic, and I love being able to have lunch with Zack or run ideas by him.
What I don’t like is seeing the worst in people, and lately, that’s all I’ve seen.
When I meet Zack at Drinking Games, I hand him my final draft.
“What’s this?” He asks.
“My resignation. Will you look it over for me?”
“Really?” He looks surprised. “You’re really going through with it, huh?”
“Yeah,” I sit down on a barstool and the cute bartendress comes over.
“Whiskey sour?” She asks.
<
br /> “How did you remember my drink? I’ve only been here once.”
Jennifer just shrugs. “Remembering drinks is a great way to earn extra tips. Think about that when it’s time to pay.” She winks and heads off to make my drink, and I turn to Zack.
“Is she for real?”
“Jenny is the best,” he confirms, sipping his beer. “But let’s talk about you.”
“I’m turning in my notice on Monday,” I tell him. “And I’ll start interviewing attorneys to fill my spot.”
“Won’t be hard,” Zack points out the obvious. Our firm is a very popular one and positions in this office are coveted. Walking away from Edgar & Bernstein might be one of the worst career choices I’ll ever make, but after last night, I know I need to choose my sanity and not my wallet.
“Well, I do tend to over think things.”
“There’s nothing wrong with that. Walking away from your career is a huge choice, Tony. Considering all of your options doesn’t make you stupid. It makes you smart. Are you worried you’re going to change jobs and discover being a lawyer really wasn’t that bad?”
“Not at all,” I laugh, trying not to think of how much my anxiety levels have risen in the last few months. It’s only been recently that I’ve started to think that maybe leaving the law firm is the best choice.
And now that I’ve had a taste of Macie, I’ve had a hint of what my life could be like.
The truth is that I want her.
I want to pursue this thing with her.
I want to wake up next to her with our arms wrapped around each other, and I want to not get ready for work filled with a sense of dread.
I want to look forward to each day.
I don’t want to head for the office wondering whose life I’m going to tear apart.
Jennifer brings my drink and sets it down. She looks at us thoughtfully.
“You know,” she says. “Sometimes taking risks is hard.”
“And what do you know about risks, sweetheart? Thank you, by the way,” I take my drink and sip it. Perfect. This bartender knows exactly what she’s doing. It’s incredible that this place isn’t packed every damn hour it’s open.
“I took a risk opening this place, didn’t I?” She asks. “You think I had any support from my friends or family? Yeah, right,” she laughs and leans against the bar. “I had nothing but my savings and a dream, but I still went for it.”
