by Amy Valenti
Marcus knelt by her. “Spread your knees.”
Tabitha obeyed, opening her legs to expose her glistening femininity.
Marcus measured off a length, fingertip to fingertip. He brought the end of the measured length between her legs and looped it around the post, around each ankle, and the post again. With his fingers, he tested to make sure the binding wasn’t too tight. “Comfortable?”
Tabitha tested her bonds. “Yes, Sir.”
Marcus tied off the end of the rope and pulled the main coil up between her legs, laying it against the less delicate skin outside her labia. He looped it around her waist, up between her breasts, and over her shoulder, pulling it snug. He encircled the post and lashed her wrists behind her. He guided the rope around and up again between her breasts and over the opposite shoulder. “Still good?”
Tabitha shrugged her shoulders. The snug rope immobilized her, but cushioned by the velvet, it didn’t dig in. “Yes, Sir.” This bondage didn’t compare to the handcuffs they’d used before. It encompassed her whole body, heightening her feeling of submission.
Marcus looped the rope around her, adjusting the placement. He encircled her upper arms, her breasts, and her waist. He moved down her body, creating a crisscrossing design around her hips and thighs. He tied off the rope to the post and left the excess to fall to the carpet.
Marcus stepped back to observe the result. “I want you to see yourself.” He moved a freestanding mirror from the corner of the room to a position opposite Tabitha.
The large oval mirror appeared antique and the sight of herself in it awed Tabitha. The dark rope contrasted against her skin. The simple, symmetrical design came up between her legs, around her waist and crisscrossed over her breasts. Even loops decorated her arms and thighs. Thick rings of rope bound her wrists and ankles. She trembled. Her skin flushed as she saw a hint of wetness between her thighs.
“It’s quite beautiful, isn’t it? You, naked and restrained. The pattern, the symmetry.”
Tabitha’s lips parted. “Yes … Sir.” The bonds held her securely, but she didn’t struggle. She’d never envisioned herself like this. Never. She looked ripe, ready, sexy.
Marcus revisited his bag. “I have something that will go well with this situation.” He pulled a toy from the duffle bag.
At first, Tabitha assumed it was just a dildo. But Marcus twisted the end and a faint buzzing emanated from the device.
He waved it toward her. “Would you like to feel it?”
“Yes, Sir.” Tabitha throbbed between her legs.
Marcus approached her. He stroked the vibrating tip around her breast and then focused on the areola.
In the mirror, Tabitha watched her nipples darken and swell.
Marcus switched to the other breast, lingering on the bottom curve before settling on the nipple. The vibrator drifted down her stomach, tantalizingly close to her inflamed nubbin. He switched direction, leaving a tingling trail as he guided the vibrator over her hip and around to the fullness of her ass. He slid the tip down the crack between her cheeks and down the back of her thigh to her knee. The vibrator then traveled to the front of her thigh and up to the apex.
Marcus held it just out of reach. “I want to put this inside you. Do you want that?”
Tabitha shook. Her excitement spiked. Marcus wanted to penetrate her. He wanted her to watch as he teased and tormented her. Did she want that? Yes. “Yes, Sir.”
Marcus parted her lips with the end, slipping it between her folds, almost inserting it and then retreating. Marcus leaned in and kissed her stomach. “Does this feel good? Do you want me to continue?”
The vibrator buzzed against her, radiating pleasurable tingles from the center of her body. “Yes, Sir.”
Marcus paused. “There were two questions, weren’t there?”
Tabitha arched against the post. “Yes, Sir. It feels … very good. Please … don’t stop.”
Marcus dipped the vibrator inside her again, in and out. “Mmm, I won’t. In fact, I’d like to penetrate you. Don’t you want to feel that? See that?”
Tabitha glanced in the mirror. Her quivering body flushed. What would it look like? Would it be arousing? “Yes, please, Sir.”
Marcus smiled. “I knew you were adventurous.” He guided the vibrating phallus back to her tender opening. He circled around, tempting and teasing.
Tabitha strained against her bonds, eager to feel it beyond her entrance. Marcus wielded the control now. Control over her arousal. Control over her.
Marcus didn’t make her wait. He probed gently, easing it inside her.
Tabitha’s head fell back and her eyes closed. A throbbing ache bloomed within her. She wanted more. She needed more.
Marcus grasped her chin. “Oh no. You want to see this, don’t you?”
Tabitha opened her eyes. Curiosity mingled with fascination drove her attention to the scene in the mirror.
Marcus released her chin and returned to the toy. He pressed it further inside, twisting it slightly as it entered.
Tabitha gasped. The textured surface of the vibrator ignited her delicate nerve endings. Drawn to the scene, she couldn’t turn away from the mirror. The sight of Marcus’s tanned hand pushing it in and out enhanced her excitement. He stimulated her with slow, methodical movements.
The intensity increased, until it was nearly unbearable. “Marcus, I can’t. It’s too much.”
Marcus stilled his hand, the implement buried deep inside her. “Are you sure?”
“No … I …” Before Tabitha completed her thought, she came. Intense strands of heated pleasure wove through her body, wiping all protest from her mind. Her muscles went limp and she sagged against the bedpost.
Marcus removed the vibrator, leaned in and kissed Tabitha. “That was intense.”
Her soft, pliant lips opened to his, responding automatically. “Yes …”
Marcus checked the rope. “How is the binding?”
“Fine, Sir. Snug, but it isn’t cutting anywhere.”
Marcus examined her hands and feet. Satisfied all was fine, he asked, “I don’t suppose you’d be up for one more thing?”
Tabitha smiled. Once the initial post-orgasmic lethargy passed, energy infused her. “What do you have in mind, Sir?”
Marcus slid his hand over his firm erection. “I’m going to move the mirror. I want you to watch while you pleasure me.”
Tabitha jolted. A vision of her as she appeared, on her knees, lashed to the bedpost, with Marcus in her mouth, flooded her mind. It was more than appealing. “Yes, Sir. I want to.”
Marcus moved the mirror to the side. He took his cock in his hand and brought it close, nudging it against her cheek.
Tabitha turned her head and grazed the shaft with the tip of her tongue. The reflection left her spellbound. Her lips were on Marcus, and she tightened inside as she watched herself take him into her mouth.
Marcus groaned. “I’m so close. I won’t be able to hold out long.”
Tabitha slowed her ministrations, wanting to draw out his pleasure. She curled her tongue around him, cupping his shaft. Lifting her head, she fixed her lips tight, sucking, increasing the pressure bit by bit. Her eyes flicked to the mirror. She saw Marcus’s muscles tensing, felt him holding back.
Marcus grasped the post over her head. His hips flexed, drawing his shaft out. “Don’t stop.”
Tabitha didn’t stop. She used her mouth, her lips, her tongue, until he shook, throbbing with release.
Marcus rested his forehead against the bedpost while he caught his breath. “That was amazing.” His breathing slowed, then he leaned down to kiss her. His fingers untied the end of the rope, and he unwrapped it. With care, he removed the coils and loops. He massaged her with his palms, rubbing her upper arms, ankles, and wrists. “Everything good? Any pins and needles?”
Tabitha shook her head. “No. My knees are a tiny bit sore.” Now free, she moved from kneeling to sitting.
Marcus caressed her knees. Bending forward,
he kissed her kneecap and nibbled his way up her thigh.
Tabitha wound her fingers into his thick hair and pulled him up for a kiss. “I think we might need a small break.”
Marcus nipped along her jawline. “I agree. Some food to fortify ourselves and a quick nap. Then it’s on to feathers.”
“Feathers?” Tabitha had never equated tickling with sensual pleasure.
“Oh, yes. You just wait. A feather can produce the most … interesting sensations.”
Tabitha considered the possibilities for a moment. “You haven’t been wrong yet, so I bow to your greater knowledge on the subject.”
Marcus laughed. “As well you should.”
Tabitha licked his jawline. “I want go for a dip in that lovely pool. Will it be cold?”
“No. It’s heated.” Marcus rose and offered her his hand. He led her downstairs and out to the pool area. A muted glow emanated from lights inside the pool, casting everything in shadows. Her feet slapped on the cool flagstone.
Tabitha slipped into the pool. Warm water enveloped her. “Oh wow, this is wonderful. It’s great for lounging, but isn’t it too warm for exercise?”
“There’s a lap pool on the other side of the pool house. During the day, the heat isn’t on usually. I flipped the switch earlier, thinking we might want to use the pool.”
“Ah.” Tabitha floated on her back a moment and then swam to the deep end. She treaded water, creating ripples across the surface. Her eyes watched Marcus and her heart squeezed as she tucked away the image of him highlighted by the moon.
Marcus dove beneath the surface and Tabitha lost sight of him. She turned, trying to catch a glimpse, when something grabbed her foot, pulling her under.
She bobbed back to the surface, laughing. “Marcus! I’ll have you know that I’m a very good swimmer, despite what happened in Hawaii.”
Marcus swam in behind her, encircling her with his arms. “But if you hadn’t had some trouble with that rip current, we might not have met.”
Tabitha rested her head back against his shoulder. “True, a rip current is trouble for the best of swimmers. However, we would have met anyway, somehow. I had my eye on you.”
Marcus laughed. “What? You did?”
“Of course. Do you think you can just walk around looking so handsome and no one will notice?”
Marcus dunked her under the water.
Tabitha came up, sputtering and laughing. She plunged her arm into the water and splashed him.
Marcus pulled her close and kissed her neck. “I’ll admit I saw you, too. At the restaurant.”
“You did?” Tabitha wondered what he’d thought. Had he been attracted? “I saw you at least twice. At the restaurant with your sister and also standup paddleboarding the day before. I must confess I …”
Marcus cupped her face. “What?”
Tabitha flashed a smile, at once playful and bashful. “I might have utilized you in a little fantasy of sorts.”
Marcus nipped her lip. “What do you mean?”
Tabitha ducked her head, embarrassment getting the best of her. “Well, I had a little excess energy to … release, and I used you.”
Placing his fingers under her chin, Marcus tilted her head back up. “You used me how?”
Tabitha smiled. “Well, I thought of you… when I … you know.”
Marcus leaned in, his tongue licking the corner of her mouth. “No. I don’t know. Tell me.” His tone indicated that he clearly did know, he just wanted to hear her say it.
Tabitha’s hands tightened on Marcus’s shoulders. “Masturbated. When I masturbated.”
Marcus recoiled in mock outrage. “You used me? You used me as a sex object before you even met me?”
Tabitha laughed at Marcus’s faux indignation. “Yes.”
Marcus’s hands slid from Tabitha’s waist around to her rear. “Huh. Should I be flattered or offended?”
Tabitha squirmed in his grasp, wanting to be closer. “Flattered, since it was me. Maybe that’s why I reacted so strongly to you physically. I’d already been there with you. In my mind.”
Marcus slipped a finger between her legs. “Women do that?”
Tabitha sniffed. “Of course they do.”
Marcus edged his finger closer to her swelling core. “I’ve always suspected.”
“Perhaps you should forget I said anything. I feel like I’ve betrayed a secret.”
Marcus’s finger dipped further between her intimate lips. “Is that so? I don’t think I can forget. In fact, thinking about it makes me hot.”
Tabitha welcomed him between her legs, spreading to give him access. “What about you?”
Marcus’s fingertip delved into her. “What about me?”
Tabitha gasped at his intimate touch. “Do you … fantasize about me?”
His finger explored the entry to her most private recess. “Are you asking me if I masturbate?”
Tabitha clenched, trying to draw him further inside. “Don’t you?”
He shook his head in a way that neither confirmed nor denied her assertion.
Tabitha’s eyes fluttered as arousal awakened within her. “You got to watch me. Doesn’t it seem only fair you share?”
Marcus withdrew his finger and replaced it with two. “You want to watch me?”
Tabitha trembled as his fingers invaded her again. “Yes. Who knows? I might learn something.”
Marcus removed his hand, tugging her close for a kiss. “Maybe.”
“You’ve got a deal.” Tabitha seized on the maybe as a yes. She pushed out of Marcus’s arms and glided to the shallow end of the pool. She got out of the pool, dripping water on the flagstone. She grabbed a towel from a deckchair, dried off and wrapped it around her. She turned and met Marcus’s eyes. Still treading water in the deep end, he watched her activity.
“I’ll meet you inside.” Tabitha dropped the towel on the chair and walked into the house. She sensed Marcus’s gaze burning into her exposed skin and added an extra wiggle into her step. Once in the house, she sprinted upstairs and into their bedroom.
Chapter 6
The rest of the weekend flowed by in a sensual haze. Before she was ready, Tabitha was back at work, where piles of documents cluttered her desk. Concentration came with difficulty as memories of the weekend repeatedly crept into her mind. She fidgeted as images of her with Marcus warmed her body. When the phone rang, it was a welcome distraction.
“I want you to come to an event with me on Friday.”
Tabitha experienced an involuntary shiver at the sound of Marcus’s voice. “What event?”
“It’s a charity benefit. My father sits on the board, and I said I’d attend.”
Anxiety surged into her mind. “I’m guessing this is a fancy society thing, right?”
“Yes, basically.”
Tabitha took a deep breath. “Marcus, I don’t have anything appropriate to wear. Plus, I’m not sure it’s my style.”
“As to the former, that is easily addressed. The latter? You have nothing to worry about. The people I associate with are all regular people.”
Tabitha bit her lip. “I’m not sure.”
“Tabitha, I’d like you to come with me.”
He wasn’t ordering. His voice didn’t have a hint of command. He simply asked. If she continued to protest, she didn’t think he’d force the issue. But what was she afraid of, really? Being out of her element? Being judged? Tabitha tried to turn her thoughts around. It sounded like it could be fun. She’d dress up, dance, eat, and maybe even have a good time.
“All right. I’d like to.” Her voice possessed a new conviction.
“There’s a shop in Soho called Madriana. You’ll be able to find something there you like. Don’t worry about the bill.”
“Marcus …”
He interrupted her. “It’s a gift. Please accept it.”
Tabitha hesitated for a split second. “Okay.” Giving them a chance meant stepping outside her comfort zone.
“Mos
t women are happy to get a new dress.”
Tabitha sensed his amusement. “I suppose so. But I’m not with you for what I can get, Marcus.”
“I know. You’re not the type, and believe me, I can recognize the type.”
“Okay. I don’t ever want you to think that.”
“It’s never crossed my mind. I’ll see you tonight.”
“Yes. Have a good afternoon.” Tabitha hung up the phone. What would it be like to attend such an event? Would she make a fool out of herself? Would she embarrass Marcus? She rolled her eyes. She had manners. She could be polite. Hell, she could look up which fork to use on the internet. She vowed to herself she’d try, for Marcus. If she hated it, well, she’d worry about the next one when the time came.
~ * ~ * ~
Tabitha wasn’t familiar with the Soho area, but had little trouble finding Madriana. The shop looked quaint and quirky, yet clearly upscale. The wide windows displayed beautiful gowns with full, flowing skirts. She braced herself and opened the door. A tiny bell jingled as she stepped inside. The saleswoman met her gaze and smiled in a reassuring way. Tabitha realized she wore her trepidation on her face.
Tabitha scanned the store, unsure where to begin. She jumped when she realized the saleswoman had silently glided to her side.
“May I assist you?” The saleswoman’s voice was friendly and welcoming.
Tabitha stammered. “Uh, yes. I’m looking for a dress.”
The saleswoman projected calm and patience. “What is the occasion?”
Tabitha wished she brought a friend for support. “It’s a charity function, formal.”
“We have a number of gowns that would look lovely on you. With your height and coloring, you’ll have plenty of choice.”
This lady was good. Tabitha felt some of her tension ease.
“Might I show you a few suggestions?”
“Yes, please.”
The saleswoman crossed to the wall and flipped through several dresses. She selected one and removed it from the rack. She held it out for Tabitha’s inspection. The dress was a deep sapphire blue, smooth satin overlaid with matching lace. A wide ribbon accentuated the waist. “This color is lovely against your skin. You can definitely carry off the strapless look. I’d recommend a wrap, though.”
