by Ivory Quinn
“You don’t think that your ideas about non-conformity with right and wrong are against the church’s teachings?” She blinked. “How can you justify that?”
“At the heart of it, having faith is about God, not the church’s interpretation of the bible.” He argued mildly. “I’m not harming anyone. I do my bit for charity. I believe. Just because I live by my own set of morals doesn’t mean I’m going straight to hell.”
She wasn’t sure she agreed with him, but Christmas Eve on the way to midnight mass wasn’t really the right place for a difference of opinion on a theological argument. She filed it away to discuss it with him at a later date. “So will you be singing with the choir tonight?” She asked and he squeezed her hand.
“Normally I would be, but tonight I think I’ll sit with you.”
“As long as you’re not letting anyone down.” She traced circles on the back of his hand with her thumb. “I don’t mind sitting on my own.”
“They won’t mind.” He smiled across at her and then released her hand so he could use both hands to park up. “Stop worrying about it. They’ll love you.”
The mass was magical. The pastor turned out to be a wonderful man and the music was incredible. Although the sound swelling around them was too loud to hear Gabriel’s voice alone, Noelle could feel his song vibrating through her chest as he welcomed midnight and Christmas morning with her tucked safely under his arm. It lifted her heart and she didn’t realise she had tears on her face until he brushed them away.
They drove home in peaceful silence and went straight to bed without words. Noelle felt as though something in her had shifted and, for the first time in years, she was at peace. It was an extraordinary feeling.
Under the covers, Gabriel pulled her against him and snuggled his cold nose into her shoulder joint.
“That tickles!” She giggled, squirming away, but he held her close and teased her.
“Can I give you your first present?” He asked when his nose had warmed up, and she turned to face him.
“No.” She said, her eyes twinkling with mischievousness. “You know the rules...they have to be saved for morning.”
“I don’t think I can do this in the morning.” He said solemnly and she settled down.
“Well, I suppose it is Christmas day now.” She smiled, sliding a hand up between them to cup his cheek. “What is it?”
“I want to try and be gentle with you.” His voice broke slightly and she gazed up at him, eyes shining in the darkness.
“You don’t have to.” She said softly and he turned his face, kissing her palm gently.
“I think I do.”
“Gabri-...”
“Shh.” He soothed, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Let me do this. For you.”
“Okay.” She captured his mouth in a gentle but firm kiss, letting him take the lead as his hands moved down her body to caress the swell of her hips. He rolled them so that she was below him and she rocked her hips against him, feeling the length of his erection pressing at her belly.
“You’re always so soft and yielding.” He sounded almost reverent.
“I’m a woman.” She laughed. “It’s our nature.”
“Not all women are like you.” He dipped his head and captured a nipple between his lips, rolling it over his tongue and grazing it lightly with his teeth. Her back arched and he smiled, moving one hand between her legs to explore the moist heat between her thighs. “Open for me.” He pleaded softly and her legs fell apart with little persuasion. Gentle fingers teased between her folds, coating them in the glistening evidence of her arousal. It didn’t take much to give her a small climax and, while she was still basking in the afterglow, he moved over her and pressed his cock home. She surged up to meet him and he held her there, feeling uncertain and overwhelmed.
“Let me.” She whispered and he nodded, rolling them back so that she was on top. Resting her hands on his chest, she began to move, rising and falling like a wave in constant motion. “How are you doing?” She asked when his hands tightened on her hips, and he shook his head mutely. “Do you want me to stop?” She slowed her movements, but he shook his head again, more fiercely this time. She could feel the tension in his hands as he fought himself not to take control and slam into her. Lifting his right hand from her hip, she pressed it to where they joined. “Play with me.” She murmured. “Please.”
With something to focus on, some of the tension eased out of him and he relaxed into bringing her pleasure, letting his hips ride up to meet her as she drove the pace.
“I can’t...” she panted after a few minutes and he didn’t need to hear it. He could read her body like a book. Tumbling her sideways without pulling out, he began to move over her as she clung to him urgently, like she was trying to crawl beneath his skin. “Please.” She moaned and he thrust hard, once...twice, and she shattered beneath him, taking him with her as her body clenched around him.
Noelle let go and fell back to the bed, wondering in her blissful haze why it was raining in the bedroom. It took a few seconds to realise they were tears, falling from Gabriel’s chin. Pushing herself up, she kissed them away until they had stopped, wordlessly easing the yawning terror that had been threatening to swallow him whole. “It’s okay.” She whispered when he had quieted. “Thank you.”
Falling to the side, he pressed the length of her against himself like a shield against the darkness and then kissed the top of her head. “Happy Christmas.” He whispered back, but she was already asleep.
***
Noelle surfaced slowly from her sleep. The window was clear and she could see flakes of snow drifting past. It was so pretty that she just watched it sleepily for a few minutes, before remembering what day it was.
“Hey.” Gabriel must have woken up around the same time and his arms tightened around her waist as he said good morning.
“Hey yourself.” She turned in his arms to kiss him. “Did you sleep okay?”
“Uhuh. You?”
“Like a log.” She kissed the tip of his nose. “Happy Christmas.”
His face lit up with excitement. “And to you!” She couldn’t help but wonder when the last time he’d spent Christmas with someone was. All that joy couldn’t just be because of her. “What do we do now?” He whispered and she smiled.
“Whatever you want. Presents? Or breakfast? Or shower?” She grinned mischievously. “Play room?” His face actually went blank as he tried to process the choices, torn between which one to go for.
“Shower. Then play room.” He finally said after a few minutes. “I know you were kidding about the play room, but there’s something I’d really like you to do for me.”
“Okay.” After what he’d given her the night before, she couldn’t really argue.
“Stay here. I’ll go warm the shower up.” He squeezed her one last time and then slid away. She watched him stride across the expanse of bedroom carpet, gloriously naked. That arse could sell anything. It was perfect. She knew it was a cliché, but the words ‘poetry in motion’ ran through her mind as she watched the muscles flex beneath his skin. The ten seconds of watching a guy that gorgeous walk across the room would have been a perfect Christmas present on its own. She still couldn’t believe she was here in his bed.
Her...a quiet, down to earth school teacher in the bed of a world famous rock star. It defied rational explanation. She still couldn’t quite figure out exactly when she’d thrown away her old life to embark on this crazy affair. Even a month ago, if anyone had suggested the thought of being tied up she’d have totally freaked out. It had all happened so fast, but she’d been so overwhelmed. Gabriel was overwhelming. There was no other word for it. His generosity and passion filled her with an intense desire to want to please him, whatever the cost to her morals or her sanity.
“The shower’s ready.” He called through and she sighed, not quite ready to relinquish the comfort of the bed yet. He appeared in the doorway. “Do I have to come and get you out of there?” He arch
ed an eyebrow and she burrowed deeper under the covers.
“I’ll be there in a minute.” She mumbled.
“I want you here now kitten.” Something dark rolled under his amusement, but she was too snug to hear it.
“But I’m so warm!” She protested. “Just five more minutes.” Without any warning, the covers over her were yanked back and strong arms scooped her up. “Gabriel!” She squeaked in protest. “What are you doing?”
“Teaching you a lesson.” His grin was fierce as he carried her into the bathroom and straight into the shower cubicle. “If you’d got out of bed when I asked you to, you could have had a nice relaxing shower on your own to start the day. Now...” He let her feet slide to the floor and turned her away from him. “Well, now you’re going to have a slightly more bracing start to the day.” Under the rain of hot water, he slid his hand down her belly to tangle in the folds between her legs and she automatically flung her arms out to steady herself against the tiled wall as desire rippled through her and pooled low in her core. Nudging her ankles apart, he curved around her and slid his fingers deep into her pussy.
“If I wasn’t awake before, I am now.” She joked, even as she gasped.
“You’re going to be wide awake in a minute.” He promised, his left hand covering hers on the tiles as his right continued to tease and delve. It wasn’t long before she became slick and moist and he wasted no time thrusting into her. She almost overbalanced and caught the shelf at the last second. “Steady on.” He sounded amused.
“I’m steady.” She went quiet for a moment and then burst out laughing.
“Being fucked is no laughing matter.” He warned, but she couldn’t stop herself.
“I’m sorry.” She giggled. “It just reminded me of that joke...you know, the one about Irish foreplay.”
“What joke is that?” He gripped her hips to hold her steady as he pounded into her.
“You know...what’s an Irish man’s idea of foreplay? ‘Brace yourself Brigit’!” she snickered. “You never heard that joke before?”
“People don’t joke with me about sex.” Why was she still talking?
“Well imagine that!” She giggled sarcastically. “I couldn’t possibly think why!”
“You talk too much.” Letting her brace herself, he released her hips and drove his hand between her thighs, playing her clit with masterful accuracy until she came apart beneath him. “That’s more like it.” He grinned fiercely as she shuddered in silence, feeling his own release following not long after.
When he released her, she leaned bonelessly against the shower wall. “That ranks in my top three favourite ways to start a day.” She giggled, panting.
“I think it’s in my top one.” He rolled his neck and reached for the shower gel, laughing. “Come on. The sooner we’re done here, the sooner we can get into the play room and then onto breakfast and presents.”
“We’re still going to the play room?” She didn’t complain as he began washing her down, allowing herself to be moved about.
“Yes. Not to play though. I have something else in mind.”
“Oh.” Perplexed, she allowed him to finish washing her and conditioned her hair while he cleaned himself down.
Finally he shut the shower off. “Don’t bother getting dressed.” He kissed the top of her head. “Just dry your hair and I’ll see you in there.” He strolled through the bathroom, rubbing himself briskly with a towel, and vanished into the bedroom.
“And happy Christmas to you, oh great and glorious master.” She muttered, torn between irritation and amusement at his manner. Following his instructions, she dried her hair and pinned it up loosely. There was no way in hell she was walking through the house naked, so she wrapped a sheet around herself and made her way through to the play room.
Soft piano music was playing and she took a moment to listen to it as she studied Gabriel. He’d pulled on a pair of jeans and one of his favourite old T-shirts, but he was bare foot on the sprung wooden floor.
“Beautiful music.” She smiled, walking over to him. “What is it?”
“He’s a modern composer, Einaudi. I think the piece is called Run, but I could be wrong. I haven’t had the album long.”
“Ah well. Whatever it is, it’s lovely.” She stopped in front of him. “What do you want me to do?”
“Just stand. I have some gifts for you.” He turned her towards the mirrored wall and pulled the sheet from her body. Self-consciously, she fought the urge to cover herself with her hands and watched him as he brought a set of gift boxes and laid them out on the nearest flat surface, which just so happened to be the gymnastics horse. “First, we have underwear.” He grinned broadly as he opened the smallest of the boxes and retrieved a pair of black lacy briefs.
“Those are pretty.” She stepped into them and giggled as he pulled them slowly up her legs, following with his lips, placing kisses here and there. “That tickles!”
“Shh!” He couldn’t hide his smile. “Don’t make me punish you again! You’re being such a bad girl this week.”
“Sorry.” She wasn’t and they both knew it, but it had to be said. When they were in place, he reached into the box and removed a suspender belt, fastening it round her waist and carefully seating it just right on the swell of her hips. “How did you know my size?” She asked, amused, and he shrugged.
“I went through your overnight bag until I found some clothes that had labels with numbers on.” He didn’t seem at all self-conscious about his use of subterfuge and she smiled ruefully. She couldn’t really be angry with him when he’d done it for her benefit.
Next out of the box were stockings so fine that they gleamed in his hands like gossamer. With infinite care, he gathered them up one by one so that she could lift her feet into them and rolled them up her legs until they came to mid-thigh.
“I’ve never worn hold-ups before.” She admitted, not wanting to stare at the mirror but unable to look away. “They feel different.”
“I’ve always had a weakness for them.” He smiled, running a hand gently down the back of her calf. “They’re so...naughty.” Grinning, he rose to his full height and went to open the next box. He returned with a pile of shimmering green silk.
“Raise your arms.” He commanded softly as he shook out the fabric, and she obediently held them over her head. The silk whispered down her arms and enveloped her body in soft swathes that stopped just above the knee. He moved behind her to button the back, and the strapless dress tightened over her bodice. It was almost a shift, with no tailoring.
“It’s such a beautiful colour.” She murmured. The green was vivid, like a dappled spring forest leaf. It brought out the best in her hair.
“It suits you.” He opened the third box and pulled out loop after loop of polished leather that was about the width of her hand.
“What’s that for?” She asked curiously and he circled her once, before falling to his knees before her.
“Gift wrapping.” He said drily. “Hold your arms up and be still kitten.”
He measured out the middle of the leather and began to wrap it around her, starting from just beneath her breasts and methodically layering it down the length of her torso. After a few moments, Noelle laced her fingers at the nape of her neck and closed her eyes, losing herself in the music and the sensation. It was peaceful to be dressed in such a way, being carefully wrapped as though each inch of her was precious. He was wrapping it tightly too, as though it was an external corset. The leather was soft and pliable, but it wove a rigid cage around her that was as comforting as it was noticeable. It reminded her of being tied to the table...secure, fragile, valuable. He was gift-wrapping her. He was doing it as a gift to himself, and in a way it gave her a powerful sense of belonging. As long as she was wrapped and safe within his presence, there was nothing that could touch her.
He worked in silence, the music flowing seamlessly around them. Noelle felt almost in a meditative state, when she realised he was no longer moving. Op
ening her eyes, she realised he had finished the wrapping with a gold clip and was simply kneeling with his forehead resting against the bindings.
“Gabriel?” She lowered her hands and ran them through his hair, cupping his head to her gently. “Are you alright?”
“I don’t deserve you.” He murmured, so quietly she almost didn’t hear it over the music.
“What makes you think that?” She asked carefully and he looked up at her with so much raw pain on his face that she felt flayed to the soul by the emotion of it.
“You don’t deserve a man that wants to break you.” His voice was thick and choked with feeling and she leaned down to look right in his eyes.
“Everyone deserves a second chance Gabriel.” She said firmly. “You won’t break me. I’m a lot stronger than you give me credit for.”
“I hope so.” His eyes were haunted and it hurt to gaze into them. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she kissed his forehead. It cut her to the bone that someone had damaged this amazing man so profoundly.
“I know so.” She said firmly. “Thank you for the dress. And for the experience. It is...was beautiful.”
“I’m not done yet.” His eyes were still lost, but a ghost of his usual smile touched his lips as he rose once more to fetch the last box. “No outfit would be complete without shoes.” Setting it by her feet, he lifted the lid away to reveal a pair of knee length leather boots with a small wedge heel. They were exactly the same colour as the leather of the binding and she smiled as she allowed him to pull them on and zip them up.
“They’re gorgeous.” She exclaimed, genuinely meaning it. If she’d been choosing shoes for herself, she couldn’t have found any that were more perfect than these.
“I’m glad you like them.” He sat back on his heels and looked up at her. “What do you think of the outfit?”
“I love it.” She truly did. “I look like a warrior princess. All I need is a bow and arrow and I’ll be like a dryad defending the forest.”
