All The Pretty Things

by Magdon, Rae D

  Robin brushed kisses over Tess's face every time her hands swept over new territory, kissing her chin as her fingers danced over her stomach and nuzzling behind one ear as they moved to cup her hips.

  "You're being surprisingly still," said Robin. "I can't decide if you're too overwhelmed or if you're trying to get me to hurry up."

  Tess blushed, but did not answer. It was true, she did feel overwhelmed, but she also held back any reactions, hoping it would provoke Robin to take her. She wanted to dominated, and that meant Robin needed to make her beg, not simply expect it. She forgot herself and released a small gasp when Robin slid two fingers between her soaked folds and rubbed the pads over her swollen clit.

  "So wet for me already," said Robin. "And I haven't even done anything." She tried to remember the dirty talk Samantha had suggested to her while she pushed down the urge to fuck Tess raw. "Tell me why you're so wet."

  "I..." Tess was at a loss for words. She could feel Robin's fingers slowly pressing into her clit and then rubbing over her entrance with the lightest pressure. It was maddening enough to keep her hips steady without Robin teasing her like that.

  Robin withdrew her hand. "If it's too difficult for you to answer me..."

  "No!" Tess cried out, hips arching up in search of Robin's hand. "Please, I'll answer you. I promise."

  Robin grinned and brought her fingers back to Tess's slick folds, enjoying the desperation in her lover's tone. "So, why are you so wet?" she repeated, rubbing Tess's clit in circles once more.

  "Because of you – because of everything you've done." Tess's thighs threatened to tremble as Robin continued.

  "Because I tied you up?" Robin asked.

  "Yes." Tess inclined her hips just a bit farther.

  "Because I called you mine?"

  "Yes!" Robin's fingers slipped a little lower, barely sliding inside her entrance.

  "Because I made you display yourself for me..." Robin leaned down next to Tess's ear. Her heart hammered, but she knew she had to say it, if only to satisfy her curiosity. "... and spread yourself like a whore?"

  "Oh god, yes," Tess whimpered. Her breathing had become more labored, and she writhed against Robin's touch. Robin felt a spike of arousal as more wetness coated her hand. She had been hesitant to use such a degrading term, but judging by her lover's reaction –

  and, surprisingly, her own – it had proven to be effective.

  "So... whore," she said, trying out the word again. She decided she loved the way Tess whimpered when she said it. "Who do you belong to?"

  "You," said Tess. "I'm yours."

  "Damn right you're mine." A moment later, two of Robin's fingers were inside her, plundering her without warning, forming a hook and dragging in and out of her at a brutal, harsh pace. It was exactly what she wanted – rough, riding the edge of pain, completely untempered.

  "Robin, please!"

  The fingers stopped, and tears stung in Tess's eyes at the abrupt halt. Her lips parted, breath skating between them, kissed to swollen redness and still slick from servicing Robin earlier. "Try again," Robin ordered, and there was no softness in her tone. It was an order, and she clearly expected to be obeyed. Just the certainty in her voice was enough to make Tess flutter and clutch down at the fingers buried inside her.

  "Ma'am?"

  "Better," Robin said, positioning her thumb over Tess's clit to encourage her, but refusing to press down. "Keep going. You've told me who you belong to. Now, tell me what you want."

  "I want..." What did Tess want? She wanted to be filled. She wanted Robin to do several things to her, but she was afraid to voice those thoughts. What if she was too explicit? What if she did not give enough detail? "I want you inside me, filling me."

  Robin pressed into her again, curling her fingers up. "Aren't I doing that?" she asked.

  "Yes," Tess gasped. "But I want... more. I want you to take me, own me, claim me, do whatever you want to me, I -"

  A moan forced its way past her lips as Robin thrust into her again, much harder than before. "So needy, aren't you? Are my fingers not enough for you? Maybe next time I'll have to strap up and fuck you properly."

  Tess clutched down around the fingers inside her. Her body pulsed at the thought of Robin taking her with a strap-on. Something about being so completely filled, so utterly possessed... She cried out as Robin bit down harshly on her shoulder. "Pay attention," her lover ordered. Tess swallowed as Robin met her gaze. The woman stared at her with such adoration that she never once feared the stern tone of her voice. Robin was doing this for her, and she was doing a brilliant job. "You like that thought?" she asked, slowly dragging her fingers out of Tess only to thrust them back inside. "I should bend you over the bed, too. Is that what you want?"

  Tess was beyond words. She screamed and tossed her head, golden hair spilling across the pillowcases. Her glasses shifted on her nose, but she didn't notice. Her arms strained, pulling against the restraints, but the chain binding them to the headboard held firm, and she couldn't find any slack. She was so close, so desperate to come, and Robin had only been touching her for a few minutes. Somehow, she managed to string together a broken sentence. "Please – please, I need you to fuck me..."

  The desperation behind Tess's statement made something inside of Robin snap. She covered Tess completely with her weight, the muscles in her stomach flexing as she gripped Tess's left knee, throwing it around her hip. She straddled one of Tess's thighs, grinding against it as she used her own to propel the rapid, deep thrusting motion of her hand, filling her lover over and over again.

  Tess was drowning. Drowning in the feeling of Robin taking her. Just her. Sinking into her. The strained cords of muscle tightened along Robin's back, shifting with every ragged, uneven breath. Tess could sense the loss of control, the desperation in her actions. Somehow, that flare of dominance and feral possessiveness aroused her more than Samantha's methodical, carefully planned and carefully controlled scenes ever had. The raw power shifting above her as Robin moved, the blunt edge of teeth sinking into her throat, the burn of Robin's fingers, all of it combined to drive Tess crazy.

  But it was the knowledge that Robin was lost in fucking her, that Robin needed this just as much as she did, that finally sent her crashing over the edge. The want, the possessiveness, the wild, uncontrolled taking and claiming. It made her feel beautiful. It made her feel safe. It made her feel loved.

  "Fuck, come for me," Robin growled as she felt Tess's muscles shiver and squeeze around her fingers. A surge of wetness spilled into her palm, and she felt her own inner muscles twitch with sympathy as she bucked just above Tess's knee.

  As both of them rode through the aftershocks, something inside of Tess broke. Her heart wept with relief. Robin had truly captured and taken her for her own – heart, body, and soul.

  Chapter 31

  With a low groan of effort, Robin rolled off of Tess and reached up to undo the restraints holding her hands in place. She kissed each wrist before setting the cuffs on the bedside table, ignoring the scrape of the chain over its surface. Then, she settled back onto the bed and pulled Tess close. "How was that?" she asked, glancing down hopefully at her new lover.

  Tess stared up at her in disbelief. "You seriously need to ask that?"

  Robin blushed. "Well, yeah, you came, but I haven't done the whole 'Dom' thing intentionally before, so I was hoping for a little feedback."

  "If this is how you are as a beginner, God help me when you get a little practice in," Tess answered. She placed soft kisses along Robin's collarbone, enjoying the warmth against her lips, the taste of salt, the scent of her skin. She was not used to having someone to hold after such an orgasm, or having someone to hold her. It felt surprisingly nice, and she wondered how she had gone without it for so long.

  Robin chuckled and pulled Tess closer against her side. "So, I guess that means you and I need to go shopping sometime," she said. Her fingers trailed patterns along Tess's back.

  Tess shivered and tugged a
sheet up over their cooling bodies. "What for?" she asked.

  "If we're going to make good on my promise to strap up, I'll need your help picking out what I should wear."

  Tess snorted. "You're so butch I'm surprised you don't have five different cocks lying around at home to choose from." The comment made Robin laugh again. Tess was enjoying the banter. She had never had something so sincere in past relationships. She had never allowed it, hadn't even thought it was possible to find.

  "I have some, but I want one that I can use on you without flying home or asking a friend to awkwardly sort through my dildo collection and mail one to me." Tess pulled a face at that thought, and Robin melted. When she wasn't putting on an act for the public, Tess was stunningly beautiful, and Robin was thrilled to be the cause of her unguarded emotions. "Don't worry," she said, lowering her voice slightly and leaning in closer. "I don't make promises I can't keep."

  Tess smiled as she thought about having sex with Robin again – hopefully on a regular basis. Denying her feelings was exhausting, and even though the rest of her life seemed to be falling apart, she was going to relax and enjoy Robin's company for as long as she possibly could. "I'm sure the two of us can find something. Samantha might have some suggestions."

  Robin cleared her throat, propping herself up slightly against the pillows and scratching the back of her neck. "Um, she might have already given me a few of those along with the key to the apartment," she admitted.

  Several things clicked in to place, and Tess made a mental note to get her friend a thank-you present, or at least take her out to dinner. "That's why you called me a whore, isn't it? And why you mentioned using a strap-on? She told you to."

  Robin nodded, her embarrassment giving way to enthusiasm. "She told me a lot about your kinks... and if you give me a little time to work up to it, I want to try them all." When she saw a shadow of doubt flicker across Tess's face, she continued. "I was usually the dominant one in my sexual relationships anyway. We never planned it or talked about it, but it felt natural for me."

  "I'm surprised you didn't," Tess said, shifting against Robin's shoulder to find a more comfortable position. "BDSM takes a lot of trust, especially the mind games."

  "Does that mean you trust me?" Robin asked, unable to disguise the hope in her voice. Every time her relationship with Tess seemed to take a step forward, something always sent her back to square one. Robin knew that Tess trusted her - she wouldn't have told her about Samantha or asked for her help otherwise - but she still remembered the betrayed look Tess had given her in the hallway outside of her office.

  "Yes, I suppose it does," said Tess. She knew that statement was inadequate, though. It did not sum up exactly how she felt about Robin. "I trust you completely," she admitted.

  Robin sighed and waited for a moment before bringing up her next point. She wanted to enjoy having Tess in her arms and bask in the afterglow without worrying, but she knew that the issue needed to be addressed. "So, does that mean you trust me enough to let me help you find out who is blackmailing you? After what happened yesterday, you didn't want to be anywhere near me."

  Several seconds passed before Tess spoke again. "I will let you help me," she said. "And I'm sorry..." Robin let the apology hang between them while Tess struggled. For once, finding the right words was difficult. "I'm sorry I hurt you like that. I'm sorry I shut you out and pushed you away. It was the stupidest thing I've ever done."

  Robin leaned down and kissed Tess's forehead again. "As long as you realize that," she said. "Now, let's pick up where we left off. Who do you think is doing this to you?"

  Tess groaned and turned into her lover, burying her face between her breasts. "It could be anyone in my office," she said, the sound muffled against skin.

  "I don't think so," said Robin. "How many staff members do you employ that you honestly think are capable of discovering your past relationship with Samantha?"

  "I have no idea." Tess sighed with disappointment. "Honestly, I would have to say none. I was very careful. But you never know, one of them could be an obsessive stalker. The blackmailer had to find out somehow."

  Robin shook her head. "No, it doesn't add up. I mean, this is something you haven't told a single person about except for me, and the blackmailer hasn't specifically stated what they're threatening you with."

  "Well, they're not going to threaten me with nothing," said Tess. "It would be too easy for me to call their bluff."

  Something clicked in Robin's mind. It was always the little details that got overlooked. She felt somewhat ashamed for not realizing it sooner. "Tess, tell me again who on your staff knows that you're a lesbian?"

  "No one... I'm not out at work. Why?"

  "The blackmailer never mentioned Samantha or paying for sex at all. It's possible they don't know." She frowned. "I guess I didn't think anyone would pay two million dollars just to keep from being outed as a lesbian."

  Tess lifted her head, propping herself up on one elbow and pulling away from Robin slightly. The sheet slid down along the curve of her side, pooling at her hip. "I wouldn't now... although I'm embarrassed to admit that I might have considered it a few weeks ago. The first openly gay member of the House was only elected recently... and she was a Democrat. A gay Republican has never run for office at the federal level and won before."

  Sensing Tess's doubts, Robin reached out to stroke her cheek, offering her a smile. "So? Someone has to be the first."

  Tess began to smile back, but her face froze, eyes widening with realization. Her heart skipped a beat in her chest, and her throat tightened. "Robin," she whispered, her voice growing more urgent as certainty began to sink in, scratching and clawing at her mind. "There is one person on my staff who knows I'm a lesbian... I told him myself."

  Robin sat up beside her. "Who?"

  "Brian."

  "Your campaign manager?" Robin asked, but Tess wasn't really listening. Small pieces of the puzzle were sliding into place. Brian knew she was a lesbian. Brian knew her personal cell phone number, as well as his own – he had probably left the message on it himself. Brian knew about her brother and the rhododendrons. Most importantly, he knew she was closeted enough and ambitious enough to pay for his silence.

  Or, she had been until recently.

  Tess looked at Robin. "I have to go," she said, climbing out of bed and hurrying over to her closet. The light flicked on a moment later, spilling across the floor in a square-shaped beam.

  "I'm going with you," Robin said, tossing aside the wrinkled pile of sheets as she stood up, flexing her toes on the shag carpet. She walked over to the closet and blocked the entrance, unwilling to let Tess leave until she had extracted a promise. "You're going to need backup, and some kind of plan."

  Tess paused, turning around with a skirt in one hand and a hanger in the other. Robin felt her stomach twist again. Even in the harsh light beaming down from the closet's ceiling, she looked beautiful. Before she realized what was happening, Tess's warm body was wrapped securely in her arms, small hands running up and down along her back as the politician buried her face in Robin's shoulder. "Of course you're going with me," she murmured, holding Robin as close as she could. "I wouldn't ask anyone else."

  ***

  Robin had been skeptical that Brian would answer his phone at two in the morning, but Tess proved her wrong after dialing his number on their drive to her office. He picked up after two rings.

  “Tess? Why in God’s name are you calling at this hour? Did you kill a hooker?” Robin could barely hear the smart-ass comment. She concentrated on the road instead. Hearing Brian’s voice made her grip the steering wheel too tight.

  “Very funny,” Tess replied, hoping that Brian was too tired to notice the quiver in her voice. Although he couldn't have known it, the comment hit close to home. “Actually, I received another call from the blackmailers. They’re getting bolder in their demands. I need you to meet me at the office and help me resolve this now.”

  The other end of the li
ne remained silent for several seconds. “What?” Robin could have laughed. The man sounded incredulous. She was already convinced of Brian's guilt, but his shock made it even more obvious.

  “Look, I don’t want to say any more over the phone, but can you come into the office tonight? I think they mean business. My reputation might be sunk.”

  “I’ll be right there.”

  The second Brian hung up, Tess dropped her cell phone into her purse and turned back to Robin. “I told you he’d come.”

  Robin turned down the street that Tess’s office stood on. She glanced down at the woman for a moment. “Have you thought about what you're going to say when he gets here?”

  Tess frowned uncertainly. "I'm not sure. I don't want to cause a scene..."

  “Arresting him wouldn’t cause a scene,” said Robin dismissively.

  "It will when it makes the headlines tomorrow. If he's arrested, I've basically outed myself." Although she was swiftly coming to the realization that she could not stay in the closet for much longer, Tess wanted to come out on her own terms, without the threat of a scandal hanging over her head. She just hoped that Brian would back away and give her the opportunity. Hopefully, they had arrived at some kind of stalemate.

  "Fine. We'll go in alone instead of calling anyone else in on this... but I have to admit, I don't like the thought of him walking away from this clean. He broke the law, Tess, not to mention making your life hell for the past two weeks."

  Tess sighed, checking to make sure that her hair was still in its bun even though she had pinned it carefully in place. "I know, but please, just let me try this my way first. I promise that if he doesn't cooperate, I'll let you go all Butchy McFabulous on him."

  Her last sentence made Robin snort. "Let me guess, Samantha said that?" she asked, trying to stifle her growing irritation. The more she thought about Brian, the more impatient she got. What he had tried to do to Tess disgusted her, and even though she knew it might be in Tess's best professional interest, the thought of letting him go made anger burn in the pit of her stomach.