Party Favors

by Jennifer Dunne, Madeleine Oh

  “You’ll go to sexual heaven for your reward.” He stroked the side of her cheek, Just that simple touch upped her need another notch. “You’ll learn the ecstasy of obedience.”

  He brushed his lips on her cheek, and was gone.

  Katie stood by the open door watching as he strode down her short front path, and turned left towards his car. He paused, waved, and called, “Shut the door, it’s cold out!”

  She hadn’t even noticed.

  Chapter Seven

  She felt bereft without Jud’s presence, his overbearing presence, she amended to herself. His fascinating presence, her emotions insisted. All that remained of the strange evening was her still high-pitched arousal, the aromas of curry spices in the air, and a heap of almost-empty aluminum containers. Trying to ignore the first one, Katie scraped the remains onto a plastic container and cleared the mess away. Now the place seemed even emptier. She snuffed out the candles, remembering how Jud had liked them. Most men never noticed these things. Most men would have had her upstairs long before now. They’d be naked between her sheets, and sometime towards dawn he’d go off home, leaving her vaguely satisfied and wondering if that was all there was to it.

  Jud, she suspected, wouldn’t leave her wanting. In that hope, she’d keep her promise about do-it-yourself sex. A cold shower would no doubt help. An early night in bed, reading the convoluted prose of her employers' new health care benefits would dampen her ardor.

  Jud called, next morning, while she was swigging down her second mug of caffeine between bites of toast. “Did you sleep well?”

  She swallowed a seemingly enormous mouthful of crust. ”Yes.”

  “Are you telling me the truth?”

  She eased the last of the chunk down with a mouthful of coffee. “Yes, I am. I admit I was a trifle hot and bothered after you left, but I put myself to sleep reading about my new health insurance plan.”

  He had a particularly sexy chuckle for this early in the morning. “Katie, I admire a woman of resource. I’ll have to put it to good use.”

  “Maybe.”

  “There is no ‘maybe’ about it, dear. I’m looking forward to discovering you. Tell me dear, have you ever had anal sex?” Damn good thing she’d set her mug down. Coffee all down the front of an ivory silk blouse was no way to start the morning. “Have you?” he persisted, while Katie contemplated hanging up on him. She couldn’t. The soft, insistence of his voice held her. “Once,” she replied. It was a memory she tried hard to forget.

  “Did you enjoy it?”

  “Let’s put it this way, if I had the choice of a root canal or anal sex again, I’d jump at the chance of a root canal.”

  “Was it that terrible?”

  “Yes!”

  “It won’t be with me.”

  In his dreams. “Jud, if we’re going to get into bed together, let’s get this straight, you’re not coming anywhere near my back door. Understand?”

  “Completely. I’ll respect that limit. There’s plenty more I will enjoy with your lovely body. I’ll call you tonight, and we’ll talk about what you like best about sex. I do hope you’ll like sucking my cock.” On that parting shot, he hung up.

  What now? Jud was outrageous, demanding, so damn full of himself he deserved a good kick where it would hurt most. Drat him! He excited her, and to be honest, not that she’d admit it to him, the thought of sucking his cock was anything but unwelcome. If she’d had her way, she’d have had that pleasure last night.

  As it was, if she didn’t get a move on, she’d be late for her appointment with a prospective client.

  Jud was not one of the men who promised to call and then fell mute. By the time she got home from work, he’d left three messages on her voice mail. The first sounded like his usual cocky self, the second had a tinge of annoyance, but the third sounded downright concerned. “Katie, please give me a call. If you’ve got cold feet or worries, tell me. Okay?” A pause... “I was beginning to think you were a dream come true. Just let me know one way or another, my number...” and he repeated it for the third time.

  A dream come true! Either Jud was a slick talker, or...or what? She wasn’t sure, but she punched in his number.

  “Katie!” He half-sounded as if he’d been waiting by the phone. “Is everything alright?”

  “Fine!” Okay that was a lie, but... “It’s fine between us, I mean. I just got in. Had to work extra hours.”

  “Does this happen often?”

  “Only when another clerk has to take a sick kid to the Emergency Room. I offered to stay and cover for her,”

  “I see.” A pause. “So you’re still prepared to celebrate Halloween my way?”

  “I think so.”

  “You’ve doubts?”

  “Yes, but isn’t that the whole point?”

  “Not doubts, no. I want you secure with me, certain I’ll never do anything without your consent.”

  So he kept saying. “Just how does that fit with ‘trust and obey me’?”

  ”Perfectly! After tomorrow night, you’ll begin to understand.” She wished she felt half as confident as he sounded. “I bought the pirate costume this evening, and yours too. They’re delivering it tomorrow. Get ready to obey. Good night, dear.”

  “Good night.”

  “Tomorrow,” he promised, his voice soft and suggestive, “will be the best Halloween of your life.”

  Time would tell. If it was half as good as he promised she’d not complain, but right now, she was dead on her feet. If she didn’t get any sleep tonight she’d end up snoring through her night of passion.

  Katie overslept, luckily she was working short hours, and not due at the shop until one. She took a leisurely shower, eyeing her legs for overnight appearance of fuzz, and gave them a quick shave, figuring this time it would be worth the effort, and deciding to treat herself to a real breakfast. She was in the middle of scrambling eggs when the front door bell rang. As she signed the receipt, her hand shook. The name ‘Jud Carlton’ as sender, told her what was inside.

  She left the eggs to overcook, while she grabbed a kitchen knife and slit open the tape. Inside the carton, was a shiny, black box. She lifted off the top, black tissue rustled as she pulled out the costume. Not the Princess Leia in captivity, or the harem outfit she’d half dreaded. This was the Jane Austen one from the Rose and Leather: all pastel pink and white muslin, with little pink rosebuds, a low-cut neck and high waist. Demure and sweet looking, until she shook it out and remembered the slits all the way to the high waist. And if that wasn’t revealing enough, the back was wide open. She’d had more butt coverage in the open-back hospital gown she’d worn when she had her tonsils out.

  Not a trace of underwear. Hardly surprising! He’d shown he preferred her bare under her clothes. This was going to be some trick or treat. In her heart, she didn’t doubt Jud would deliver on his promise.

  When the last bunch of little goblins scampered down the path, Katie gratefully turned off the porch light. It was five past nine. It's time the juveniles were back home eating candy until they bounced. She had an hour to get ready, and given the quantities of Milk Duds and Tootsie Rolls she’d munched between doorbells, she was fired up with energy. Heck she was more than ready! When it actually got to showering and changing, curiosity and courage did bit of a flip. Was she sure what she was doing? No! Was she willing? Sort of... How could she tell Jud ‘no’, when her heart raced with anticipation?

  If she backed out of this, she’d spend the rest of her life wondering ‘what if’.

  That decision made, she toweled off briskly, slathered her body with scented lotion, and gave herself a generous spritz of perfume for luck. She dried her hair and fluffed it up. Gave her eyebrows a last inspection for stray hairs, and slipped on THE DRESS. This beat any costume she’d seen tonight. The elastic waist fit snugly, showing off her breasts, heck, showing off her nipples! The fabric was soft against her skin, and the skirt hung gracefully from the high waist, the hem brushing her ankles. The skirt
didn’t reveal as much as she’d feared. Until she moved. Sheesh! It left nothing to the imagination, and the back let in chilly night breezes. She felt so exposed behind. He’d promised no anal sex, and she trusted that, but what about a strong, male hand, stroking and squeezing her very available flesh?

  She was getting hot just thinking about it.

  Downstairs, she skipped her leather sofa, in preference for a velvet-covered armchair as much cozier to the rear, only the nap brushed her exposed ass and thighs every time she moved.

  Nine fifty! Ten minutes. She could last. A nice stiff drink might help, but she remembered Jud’s dictum about not letting alcohol dull her wits, and passed. The house was silent, as was the street outside. She listened to the chiming clock on the mantle, and the hum and drip of the refrigerator as it started the defrost cycle. She flicked open a magazine, but gave up trying to concentrate on environmental protection laws, when she saw the print came off on her sweaty hands.

  The last thing she needed was smudges on the rosebuds. Come to think of it, the last time she’d worn rosebuds, she’d been five and flower girl at an aunt’s wedding. But she was wearing flowered muslin because Jud had ordered it. That realization, sent a weird thrill down her spine, but it didn’t solve her dirty hands. She ran into the kitchen and washed them in the sink. Now, they smelled of lemon fresh dish detergent now, but what the...

  Her mind and body went into shock at the sound of the front door bell. What if it was a last contingent of trick or treaters? She couldn’t open the door to local juveniles dressed like this. It couldn’t be kids. The porch light was out. It was Jud.

  She peered through the spy hole, at a tall figure in the dark. She flicked on the porch light, a pirate, complete with red spotted kerchief and eye patch, looked right at her.

  “Open this door,” he said. “Or feel my rope end where you don’t want it!”

  Chapter Eight

  Her body tensed. Her throat jammed shut. She could barely hear for the blood rushing in her ears, but she opened the door.

  And stood there, staring.

  He was incredible. Dark knee breeches and over-the-knee boots accentuated the strength and muscles in his legs. He wore a purple silk sash round his waist, and the full sleeves of his shirt billowed in the night as he stood, feet apart, and hands on his waist. The knotted kerchief over his dark hair, and his eye-patch completed the picture. With hair a little longer, and shirt hanging open, he’d fit right on the cover of a romance novel. And come to that, bent backwards over his arm, she’d show a prodigious amount of bosom and leg. Maybe there was something about those paperbacks she covered before reading on the bus.

  “I didn’t come to stand on the front step all evening,” he said. “Although the sight of you in the light was worth the trip.”

  She stood aside and let him in. In the bright light of her sitting room, he stood even more magnificent. He smiled and she smiled back, until she noticed the whip tucked in his sash.

  She gulped, staring like a mouse caught in a snake’s eyes. “Why? ” she asked.

  He rested his hand over the top of the handle, his long fingers rippling the tresses. “I brought it for you.”

  She shook her head. “You’re not whipping me!”

  “It’s purely for pleasure, not chastisement,” he said, as he pulled it out of his belt.

  The sight of the long, blue tresses dangling from his hand both horrified and fascinated her. “If that’s your idea, you’d better go right now!” And if he did, she’d be desolated.

  “Bear with me long enough to prove what I say.”

  “How can being hurt be pleasurable?”

  “It’s very pleasurable in fact, but that’s not where we’ll start. Trust me in this, Katie,” He took hold of her hand. “Let me show you.” He looked up at her, his lips parted in the beginning of a smile. “It won’t hurt.”

  “Okay.” What the hell had she said that for? Because she was as fascinated as she was scared. She gasped as he lifted the whip and tickled her wrist and the back of her hand.

  She stared. The tresses were bright blue and green to match the braided handle. Some looked like fine leather, others were ribbons. As Jud gently flicked his wrist, the tresses caressed her skin. A little sigh came unbidden, as he brushed back and forth on her arm. “You like that?” It was more statement than question.

  Katie nodded, unwilling to commit herself by agreeing but wanting him to continue. He didn’t disappoint. He trailed the soft thongs, up her arm to her shoulder. He merely brushed a few inches of leather and satin over her skin, and she felt it deep in her pussy. “Why?” she whispered.

  “Why not?” he replied. “You like it don’t you?”

  She nodded.

  As if waiting for that agreement, he brought the whip up to her shoulder again, but this time, he trailed the tresses across her breasts, until her nipples hardened to little points of sensation. Her head dropped back against the wall, and she let out a low moan. She wanted this to go on forever. Every touch, every little brush of ribbon and leather, sent wild thrills of pleasure across her skin, until all sensations seemed to be pooled between her legs.

  “Jud...,” she whispered.

  He squeezed her hand and kissed her wrist. “Turn around.”

  She obeyed without hesitation, wanting more, needing the caress of the whip on her shoulders and back.

  It wasn’t until the tresses trailed down her back and over her ass, she remembered just how much naked flesh this costume revealed, and by then she didn’t much care. When he whispered, “Part your legs,” she spread them wide. Moaning with sheer bliss as leather and satin kissed the inside of her thighs.

  She was leaning into the wall, breathing fast and losing herself in the wild sensations, when she realized with disappointment, he’d stopped. “No! I want more!” she cried as she turned to look at him. It took a few seconds to realize she’d been shouting.

  “Katie, my love, there is so much more,” he replied. “Much, much, more, and we have all night.” He dropped the whip and reached out to pull her into his arms. “You looked so terrified of my flogger, and I wanted to reassure you.”

  “You succeeded in making me horny!”

  “I’m so thrilled.” He kissed her forehead, her cheek, and the swell at the top of her left breast. “Before we start playing in earnest, we need to talk.”

  The man was always talking! Right now what she wanted was a good fuck, not chatter. “You get me hot and horny and then want conversation?”

  “Trust me love, after this conversation you’ll be even hornier.” An arm round her shoulders, he started towards the kitchen. ”A nice cup of coffee will perk us both up. Seems to me you’re feeling a bit wobbly.”

  “You did that!”

  “I know.” Damn him, he was smirking. But if the past few minutes were any indication of what she had to look forward to, he was entitled to be pleased with himself. “Where do you keep your coffee?”

  “In the cabinet.”

  She reached to open the door, but his hand on her arm stopped her. “I’ll make it. You’d better sit down. Give those shaky knees a break. Save your energy. I’m going to ask a lot of you once we get upstairs.”

  “I can manage to make coffee.”

  “I never doubted, but I’m doing it. Now if you want to help, bring in the bag I left on the front porch.”

  She bit back the comment that if she was too weak-kneed to make coffee, where did he think she’d get the strength to go to the front door and back? Perhaps this was all part of obeying. She wasn’t too sure she’d be that good at it, but she might as well try. It had been part of the deal after all, and if the rest of the night was anything like the little interlude with the whip, she’d go along--all the way.

  With great care she peered out the front door. If fetching his bag involved stepping out onto the porch, he could do it himself. She wasn’t freezing her butt off-literally-for anything. Not even the promise of kinky sex.

  The br
own paper grocery sack stood just inches from the threshold. She reached out for the bag, grabbed it, and made sure the door was locked behind her and the porch light off. Late night trick or treaters could go elsewhere.

  “Thanks, dear.” Jud looked up from pouring boiling water into the press pot. “Please put it on the table, we can go through it while we have our coffee.”

  She set it down, just inches from the blue flogger that he’d arranged on the table, like a peacock’s tail. Gingerly, she ran her fingers through the spread tresses. She’d been right, some were soft leather, some ribbons. They slipped through her fingers as gently as they’d stroked her arms and shoulders earlier. Was he going to use it again? Her crotch came alive at the thought. Oh, Please!

  “You like it after all, don’t you?” She turned to find him watching her. “Don’t you?” he repeated. She nodded. “Katie, speak to me. It’s important. Part of any dominant/submissive relationship is communication.”

  Mentioning ‘submissive’ just about dried up her tongue along with her throat. “Is that what we have?” she croaked.

  “Not yet, but I hope we will one day. I believe you will make a perfect submissive--with a little direction. You like the touch of the flogger on your skin, don't you?”

  “Yes.” It was more of a long sigh that a word.

  Jud grinned as he pressed down the plunger in the pot. “I’m so glad, Katie.” He reached for two mugs off the hooks, and poured the coffee before carrying the mugs over to the table, and reaching in the fridge for milk. “Sit down. I want you to feel that polished seat against your bare ass.” It touched off nerve endings she didn’t know she had. Against her soft flesh, the wood felt hard and smooth. “Open your legs. Wide.” She stared, but obeyed.

  She wrapped her hands round the mug and looked up at Jud. “What’s in the bag?”

  “Toys. Have a look.”

  Did she really want to? Yes. Time to stop hesitating. The whip she dreaded, had turned out to be a sensual delight, so would everything else in the bag.