by KB Alan
“And that tongue. It wasn’t nice of you to tease me with your tongue earlier and then deny me the use of it now.”
Her eyes were sorrowful as they met his.
“I love it when that sweet tongue tries to wrap itself all the way around me. Slides up and down…” He twisted his grip, brought his thumb over the head and teased the slit there. With his other hand, he reactivated the clit tickler. The whiny buzz almost drowned out the long whimper from Emma. He picked up the bottle of lube, leaned over and dropped a bit into her curls to slide down to where rubber met the bundle of nerves the vibe was torturing.
When a tear trickled out, he checked her over. “Are you going to come?” he asked.
She shook her head fiercely. Then waggled her head. He had to bite his tongue not to smile. He turned off the tickler, turned the rotating shaft back on and upped the speed on the beads. God, he loved this thing. When she didn’t relax at all, he double-checked. “Are you all right?”
She nodded.
He lightened his grip on himself. He probably could have come just from looking at her, without touching himself at all. But that wouldn’t have had quite the same impact. “I wish I could bury myself in your cunt. I wish it was my fingers stuffed up your ass. You look pretty with my toys filling you up, but you feel better wrapped around me.”
Another couple of tears. He resisted the urge to lick them off her face.
“I’m going to have to come on my own now. Do you think that’s fair?”
She shook her head.
His gaze roamed over her. The sweat at her hairline, the crinkles in her forehead, the slow stream of tears leaking from her eyes, her lips stretched wide over the gag. The pulse pounding in her throat, her nipples tight and dark and oh, so delicious looking. Her stomach muscles jerked and tightened, the blue vibrator working her relentlessly. Her arms and legs, muscles quivering. All of it for him.
He pumped his dick, watched her face, her eyes, used the remote to reengage the tickler. As she fought the sensations, fought the need to release, fought to obey him, he came. He pointed his cock at his own stomach so the fluid hit only him, and she fought. When she was as close to the edge as he judged she could take, he punched the remote, turned everything off.
In no hurry, he stayed slumped against the couch, semen drying against his skin. Emma’s head hung down as she continued to struggle against her body’s needs. Slowly, very slowly, her breathing evened out, her fingers loosened their grip and her shoulders relaxed. Damn, she was beautiful.
Emma’s insides still throbbed with the need to come, but it was manageable. Unhurried, Drew began to release her bonds. Her hands fell to her thighs and she waited patiently while he unbuckled the horrible gag. He smoothed her hair down and used his thumbs to massage the joints of her jaw. It felt wonderful.
After a minute, he gripped her elbows and helped her to stand up, free of the blasted vibrator. And to think she used to love the one she had that was similar. She clutched her hands to his sweaty chest as he reached behind her and eased the plug free. Dropping her head to his shoulder, she breathed through the riot of sensations. He didn’t rush her, rubbed her back softly until she raised her head.
“Let’s go get cleaned up.”
Slowly, as the water sluiced over her, each of them cleaning themselves, though bumping often in the smallish shower, she came back to herself. She’d been punished before. Been “tortured” before. But nothing had ever felt like that. She’d never felt genuine sorrow for having failed her Dom before. It horrified her that she’d cried, though he hadn’t seemed to mind. At least he’d known she wasn’t in pain or trying to get him to free her. No, she’d just been so deep in the emotions, so sorry for not trusting him, for making him have to punish her. And afraid that she would fail him again by coming without his permission.
When they’d dried off, he took her hand and led her into the bedroom. She felt…subdued. Not in a negative way, but in the sense that she didn’t really feel like engaging her brain. He handed her one of her ponytail holders.
“Okay, missy?”
“Yes, Sir.”
He brushed a finger over her shoulder. “Still horny?”
“Yes, Sir.”
He pulled on his jeans and her heart fell with the sudden realization that the punishment might not actually be over. She should just sit back and wait, but Drew usually didn't mind when she asked questions if she wasn't sure what he wanted.
“Drew, are you…is the punishment…umm, I guess, is the scene over?”
He pinched her chin between his thumb and fingers. “Yes, Emma, the punishment is over. No, Emma, we’re not done playing.” He leaned in, kissed her softly, then let go and stood back. “Go put your outfit back on.”
****
Departing the plane, Emma was wiped. Drew had kept her up deliciously late, then woken her up with sweet caresses. And before he’d sent her off to security, he’d wrapped her in his arms and told her he would miss her. She’d almost cried, but managed not to. Thankfully. She knew a lot of it was emotion still running high from the night before. But she’d squeezed him tightly and simply said, “Me too.”
Napping on airplanes wasn’t in her skill set, so she read a book she’d been saving from her favorite romantic suspense author and tried not to let her thoughts run away from her. She mostly succeeded. Her father picked her up from the airport, giving her a big hug. She gave him an extra squeeze. Somehow it always surprised her how much she missed him, her mother, her home. She’d never really had a bout of homesickness, and figured that was because she had always known this would be temporary. Always known she’d be coming back, and was enjoying the time away more for the absolute certainty that home would be there waiting for her to return to.
When they drove up to the house she’d grown up in, her mother didn’t wait for her to come in, but came out the door and was halfway to the car by the time Emma got out. Her mother’s hug was even tighter than either her father or Drew’s had been, and she suspected her mom might be letting a few tears loose while Emma couldn’t see. By the time she stepped back, though, she was beaming.
“My beautiful girl, I’m glad you’re home.”
“I’m glad to be home, Mom. I missed you.”
She settled in very quickly. It was after dinner while her parents were enjoying their coffees that her mother gave her a look. A very motherly, there’s-something-going-on-here look.
“You’ve met a man.”
Totally shocked, she just stared.
“Tell me.”
“Well. I mean, yes, sort of, but, I’ve met men before. Why would you say that?”
“You look troubled, but you haven’t told me about any problems. So it’s a man.”
“Huh.”
She took a drink of her water. “Well, I have met someone, but I’m not really sure there’s a future for us together, so I haven’t mentioned him.”
“He’s not good enough for you.”
Laughter bubbled out of her. “Thanks, Dad.”
He winked at her, but continued. “Seriously, if he’s known you for any length of time and doesn’t know that you would be the best thing that ever happened to him, I’m not sure I like his intelligence.”
“Well, he’s established, back in Massachusetts. He’s not a college kid, he’s a cop, he owns a house. He knows that I’ll be leaving this year.”
“What’s wrong with California?” her mother asked. “There are plenty of police stations here.”
“There are other issues, but I don’t want to get into it. We’re exploring things and I’ve recently come to the realization that I do want there to be a future for us. So I’m going to work on that when I get back. I’m just not sure how it’s going to go over, and I’m not used to being unsure.”
Her mother nodded. “Like your father, I agree that he should already know if you’re the perfect one for him. But, maybe it’s not so bad for you to have to do a little work to show him that he’s the one that you w
ant. When it comes to boys, you have things too easy. Working for it will make it count for you.”
Again, she gaped at her mother. “Too easy with the boys? I can’t believe you would say that.”
Her mother rolled her eyes. “Not that you are easy, mija, but the truth is, you’re a beautiful woman who has confidence in herself. When you’ve been attracted to a boy and wanted to date, you’ve never had trouble making that happen.”
Emma frowned. She supposed that was sort of true. Really, it was that she hadn’t had many boyfriends, hadn’t met many guys she wanted to go there with. She wasn’t sure how accurate her mother’s portrayal was, but it didn’t really matter.
“Well. Maybe. I don’t know, Mom, but I know that when I go back, I’m going to step things up and see what happens. If it fails, at least I’ll know I’ve tried. And I’d really like it to work out. He’s a great guy.”
She managed to turn the conversation in other directions, though she knew her mom considered grilling her further. They talked about their plans for Christmas, and when she went up to bed, she went to send Drew a text, wanting to let him know that she was thinking of him. She realized she hadn’t turned her phone back on after getting off the plane, and when she did, she found a message from Drew.
Hope your flight went well. Let me know you're home safe? Miss you already.
Filled with warm fuzzies, she texted him back that she was home, that she missed him and that he should stay out of trouble while she was away.
He answered almost immediately.
Hard to get into trouble without you around. More worried about what you might get up to out there without me to keep you safe. No speeding!!
She responded, Yes, Sir! before going to bed, a big smile on her face.
****
Usually her trips home seemed to fly by too quickly. Now she was in the very weird position of feeling as if it was going too fast, but also not fast enough. It didn’t make any sense, but she supposed it didn’t really have to. It was how she felt. She sent Drew a few texts throughout the day, and so did he. It was by no means the manic back and forth that she’d seen some of her college friends go through with their new boyfriends. But that didn’t bother her. That just wasn’t them. They talked at least every other day, depending on Drew’s schedule and the time zones.
She spent time at the store and remembered how much she loved working there, seeing the families that she’d known her whole life, talking to strangers who were new in town, or just visiting. The general store was an important part of their town, a symbol of the way of life they were choosing to live. She looked around and felt a wrenching loss at the idea of leaving, though she tried to tell herself that there were other stores, other small towns, other ways of working and having the same love for her job. But she was afraid, really afraid, that she didn’t believe herself.
On Christmas Eve, just as she and her parents were sitting down to dinner, the doorbell rang. Her father answered it but then called for her. When she saw the amazing bouquet the delivery woman had brought, she actually had to fight back tears. The explosion of color was in a long, slim vase. She snatched the card up and opened it while her father carried the flowers into the dining room, placing them in the center of the table.
Not as gorgeous as you, but they were the closest I could find. Merry Christmas, Drew.
She smiled and handed the card to her mother, who was about to break something, trying to read the card over Emma’s shoulder. When she’d read it, she gave Emma a hug.
“This is a good start, mija.”
“Yeah.” Her smile was huge as she reached for the mashed sweet potatoes. “Yeah, it is.”
The next morning she made breakfast for her parents and then they opened their gifts. They weren’t extravagant, but a healthy mix of satisfying basic needs, thoughtfulness, and a touch of whimsy. When the last gift was opened and the last thank you said, she went upstairs and called Drew. He had agreed to work on Christmas day, so she knew if she managed to catch him, he wouldn’t be able to talk for long.
“Good morning, baby,” he said.
“Good morning, Drew. Thank you for the amazing flowers. I love them.” She'd texted him, of course, but she still wanted to say it.
“I’m glad you liked them so much. Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas. I won’t keep you long, I know you have to get going, but will you open your present from me?” She’d given him an envelope with instructions not to open it before Christmas.
She heard the tearing of paper, then his breath blowing out.
“Jesus, Emma, tell me you didn’t spend this kind of money. These look like really good seats.”
She smiled. “I didn’t, I promise. Not like you think. And they are, lower level, courtside. I have a friend at school whose Dad has season tickets, and he sold them to me for a good price in return for giving his daughter some serious tutoring help.”
“I’ve never been to a Celtics game, this is fantastic.”
“I hope you can get the day off work, I figured February would be enough time to work the schedule.”
“Baby, if I have to call in sick to go see a basketball game courtside, that’s what I’ll do. But yeah, February shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Good. I’m glad you like them.”
“I love them. I will show you proper appreciation when you get home.”
Home. She both loved and hated that he thought of her coming back as coming home.
She was thinking of that as she exited the plane in Boston. It did, in some ways, feel like coming home. Returning to school always had. A temporary home. She’d spent the last few days in California working in the store and seeing old friends. On Michael’s birthday, she and her parents had gone to the cemetery and then to his favorite restaurant. It was sad, but they also had a good conversation, a good time together, and enjoyed telling stories about him, even though they all had heard or told them before. Still, her mom had cried at the gravesite and Emma had been pretty choked up herself. Her dad had wrapped his arms around both of them and they’d stood that way for some time.
She pulled her jacket out of her carry-on bag, shaking it hard to re-fluff some of the down that had been squished. Part of her, she supposed, would miss having real winters when she was back in California. But it wasn’t a very big part of her. It didn’t take long for her to get her bag and spot Caleb and Taryn, who had come to get her. Drew had told her on the phone the previous day that the department was having a very bad flu bug sweeping through, and there was no way he’d be able to get away to come get her. He’d sounded very sorry and worried about how she’d get home, but she’d assured him it wouldn’t be a problem. Someone she knew was bound to be heading into the city. A fast-paced texting session with Taryn had resolved the issue quickly. Taryn had taken the question as a sign from God that it was time for her to take a day off from the coffee shop and force Caleb to take her into the city for a day of fun.
Taryn wrapped her in a big hug, then pulled her to the car, chattering the whole time, interrogating Emma on her trip and telling her about their day in town. They stopped for dinner at Mama’s, where Richard joined them. She was exhausted and a little bit tipsy from only one glass of wine by the time she got to her apartment and called Drew. She got his voicemail, which most likely meant he was still working, poor guy.
She talked to him only once that day, and the phone call was quick. The next day she received a text and nothing else. Classes hadn’t started yet, so she had a couple of full day shifts at Grounded and tried not to worry about him having to work so many hours.
When the phone finally rang that night with the song she’d assigned as Drew’s, she tried not to snatch it up too quickly, but mostly failed.
“Hey, Emma.” How those two words managed to convey such exhaustion and yet pleasure, she hadn’t a clue.
“Hey, Drew. You okay?”
“Yeah. Thankfully, I’m not sick myself. Not so thankfully, half the department
is or has been. I’m not even sure how many shifts I’ve worked this week.”
“Oh, poor baby! I’m glad you’re not sick, but that sounds pretty sucky.”
“It’s not the greatest thing ever. I’ve got the rest of the night and all the way until ten tomorrow morning before I have to go in. I miss you, baby, but I’m not sure when we’ll be able to get together, there’s still a shortage of able bodies at work.”
“Would you like me to come out there and make you some dinner, tuck you into bed? I wouldn’t mind.”
“That’s sweet, and part of me really wants to say yes, but honestly, I don’t think I’d even be awake by the time you got here, so there’s not much point. Get your own rest, because once I get a couple of days off in a row, I plan on doing whatever is necessary to fill up some of those hours with you. Even if that means driving out to your place and figuring out how to ravish you without your roommates catching us.”
She laughed. “Okay, it’s a plan. Get some rest and I’ll see you soon.”
After she’d hung up, she gave it some thought. He had sounded sincere when he’d said he’d like to see her. Maybe she should go ahead and drive up. If the lights were out when she got there, she’d turn around. The only thing she’d waste was a bit of time, and honestly she wasn’t going to get much done lying here worrying about him anyway.
If he was awake, she’d cuddle with him until he fell asleep. Maybe do a load of laundry, pick up around the place a bit. Chances were good that he’d only had enough time to make a mess, not pick up. That kind of thing would annoy him once he got enough sleep to be thinking about anything other than sleep and work.
Decision made, she grabbed her purse and jumped in the car. The drive seemed almost short as she worked through one of her Spanish exercises. Less than an hour after hanging up, she pulled down his long driveway. It was a surprise to see another vehicle in front of the house, and she frowned at the sassy red Miata. Her plan to drag Drew to bed and ease him to sleep with some tender loving care looked to be in jeopardy. Shutting the car door with her hip, she slung her purse over her shoulder and started toward the house. Before she reached the porch, the front door opened.
