The Night Off

by Meghan O'Brien

  Oh, it was wonderful. Being filled by Nat, taken, used like the horny slut she often fantasized playacting—miles away from the responsible adult she’d had to be for most of her life. Wishing she could wrap her arms around Nat’s back, Emily had to content herself with pressing her lips to Nat’s shoulder instead. “Yes, mistress. Fuck, mistress.”

  And then Nat stopped moving. Emily cried out in alarm, rocking against her in a futile attempt to keep their rhythm going. Nat simply held her down more firmly. Exhausted, she gave up, accepting that she was at Nat’s mercy.

  Nat brought her mouth to Emily’s ear. “But you like being fucked, don’t you? The way you’re squirming beneath me, this seems less like discipline and more like giving you exactly what you want.”

  Emily’s heart thundered at the implication of Nat’s words. Was she going to stop? Not knowing how to respond, Emily stayed quiet. She didn’t want to say the wrong thing, to lose this contact. The thought of having Nat pull out and leave made her want to burst into tears.

  Lifting her head, Nat took deep, slow breaths and allowed the silence to stretch out between them. She seemed to search Emily’s eyes as Emily searched hers, and Emily’s chest swelled, because this was the closest she had felt to another human being, ever. The realization stunned her into silence.

  “Should I stop?” Nat murmured.

  Emily shook her head, trying not to look as panicked as the question made her feel. She never wanted this closeness to end. “Please, no.”

  Nat raised an eyebrow.

  “No, mistress.” She corrected herself in a whisper.

  “Why?”

  Emily bit her lip hard, fighting back her emotion. Trying to explain how Nat was giving her something so much bigger than physical pleasure would make her sound crazy. Or pathetic. Struggling to articulate, she said, “Because…I don’t want you to, mistress.”

  “Because you like this?” Pulling back with her hips, Nat retreated, then slowly filled her up again. “You like that?” When Emily nodded, Nat murmured, “Then say it.”

  “I like it, mistress, when you fuck me.”

  Nat stilled. “With my cock.”

  With no pride left, Emily said, “I like it when you fuck me with your cock.”

  “So ask me for it.”

  Earlier Nat had said she’d make her beg. Clearly she knew what she was doing. Lowering her gaze, Emily said, “Fuck me, mistress. Please, please fuck me.” More than being fucked, she needed this close human connection, the heavy weight of Nat’s body on hers. If she had to grovel to prolong this moment, she would do so gladly. “Don’t stop. I don’t want you to stop.”

  Nat’s expression softened, and Emily sensed that Nat had recognized the sincere desperation in her words. Rather than be embarrassed, she felt dizzy with relief. All at once, she was sure of at least one thing—Nat wouldn’t stop. Over the course of the evening, she had developed a deep trust that this handsome stranger always did the right thing. And now Nat knew that stopping wasn’t the right thing, right now.

  As though reading her mind, Nat released her grip on Emily’s wrists and undid one cuff, then the other. Surprised by the sudden turn of events, Emily didn’t dare move, unsure what Nat expected from her. Nat slipped an arm beneath her shoulders, pulled her closer, and said, “Put your hands on me.”

  Finally given permission to do the very thing she’d been burning to do, Emily wasted no time. She wrapped her arms around Nat’s strong back and clutched her shoulders, hanging on tight. Her hands acted as an anchor, keeping her tethered safely in the moment. The fear of losing this feeling vanished, replaced by the unbelievable joy of savoring every second of it.

  Nat kissed her gently, then whispered, “I’m not going to stop. Not until we both come.”

  The quiet promise made Emily’s pussy contract, sending waves of pleasure deep into her womb. The small toy buried in her ass only intensified the sensations. Whether Nat began to move or not, Emily knew she wouldn’t last long. Aware she was probably pushing her luck, Emily lifted her head and sought another kiss.

  Nat returned the kiss immediately, gathering Emily in her arms and rocking her hips to work the thick toy against ever-increasing resistance. Emily slid one hand from Nat’s sweat-slicked back to cradle her head, no longer worried about playing her part. They had obviously deviated from the script, but she didn’t care. She was acting from her gut now.

  Nat broke their kiss. “You feel so good,” she rasped. Her hips sped up, each and every hard thrust pushing Emily closer to the edge. “I’m going to come inside you, sweet Emily. Sweet, sweet girl.”

  The desire in Nat’s voice brought Emily to sudden, screaming climax. The internal contractions, the embarrassing rush of hot juices, the way her entire body quaked—the strength of all those things surprised her, even though she’d known orgasm was coming. But what shocked her the most were the noises she made: uninhibited, full-throated, and distinctly feminine. She’d never heard anything like it from her own mouth. It was as though she was truly someone else tonight.

  Nat came up on her hands, biceps flexing, and pumped twice more into her, then stiffened and groaned her own release. Vision blurring, Emily stroked her hand over Nat’s shaved hair and enjoyed the sight of pure satisfaction playing across her face. If she’d felt a connection with Nat before, it was nothing compared to now. Seeing Nat unguarded and lost in pleasure felt so uniquely special, it left her breathless.

  As Nat’s body relaxed, a grim reality swept over Emily. Nat felt nothing uniquely special about this encounter. It was just another business transaction. She was just another client. And even if tonight had seemed somehow transformative, allowing her a glimpse of what it meant to truly surrender, none of this was real. Nat was a prostitute, not her lover. The single most intimate experience of her life, and she’d had to pay for it.

  Emily’s throat tightened as she choked back a sob. Her stomach churned at the thought of breaking down in front of Nat, but as hard as she tried to hold back the tears, the night had shattered her normally iron hold on her control. Turning her head to the side, she closed her eyes and tried not to let Nat see just how weak she really was.

  “Hey.” Nat’s husky voice, tinged with worry, unleashed a renewed flood of tears. She ran her hand across Emily’s cheek, coaxing her to face forward. “Emily, hey. Don’t cry.”

  Emily shook her head and tried to laugh but it came out all wrong, and she just sounded so pathetically sad. Fresh humiliation washed over her, and this time there was nothing arousing about it. “I’m sorry.” In a desperate attempt to swing the evening back toward normal, she opened her eyes and whispered, “I’m so sorry, mistress.”

  Nat blinked. “Unicorn.”

  Chapter Five

  The confusion on Emily’s face mirrored what Nat was feeling inside. She’d never used the safe word with a client before. Ever. Not only had she never stopped a scene, but she’d only ever had one woman make that choice with her. Usually Nat did an excellent job of staying safely within individual limits, which allowed the safe word to remain a mere formality. The idea of breaking scene had rarely crossed her mind in the past, and she’d never even come close to succumbing to the notion. To say she was shocked didn’t begin to describe her state of mind—especially because she’d chosen to disrupt her client’s fantasy when Emily had been making a valiant effort to stay in character.

  But Emily was different. That was the only way to explain why she kept upsetting years of routine for this woman. This wasn’t the first time she had reduced a woman to tears, but watching a stranger’s emotional release had never before elicited such an intense answering reaction. When she saw real sadness in Emily’s eyes—and not just the usual post-euphoric explosion of emotion—Nat’s immediate impulse was to protect her. To comfort her. Maybe even make her smile.

  Unfortunately, she didn’t really know anything about Emily Parker beyond the fact that she was achingly pretty, with a delightful penchant for kink. Also that she’d just
given Nat the best sex of her life. It wasn’t much to go on as far as figuring out the perfect thing to say, but it was enough to intimidate the hell out of her.

  Emily’s lower lip quivered. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to ruin everything.”

  Instinct took over. Nat used her thumbs to wipe away the tears that rolled down Emily’s face, then pressed a soft kiss on her forehead. “You didn’t ruin anything.” Though she didn’t think the tears were a response to physical pain, she had to check. “Did I hurt you?”

  Wide-eyed, Emily shook her head. “Oh, no. Not at all. It was…” She smiled shyly. “Incredible. Thank you.”

  “Yes, it was.” Relieved to be able to drop the stern mistress stuff, she gave Emily a playful eyebrow waggle. “Incredibly incredible.” Emily tightened her expression in an obvious effort not to dissolve. Alarmed, Nat cradled her face tenderly. “Hey, that wasn’t supposed to make you sad. The opposite, actually.”

  “I know, and I appreciate that.” Emily fidgeted, making Nat uncomfortably aware that their lower halves were still intimately entwined. “I’m just a little embarrassed right now. I’m never this emotional.”

  “Let me just—” Nat lifted herself up slightly, nodding between them. “I’m going to pull out now, okay?”

  Emily nodded, twin tears sliding down her cheeks. “Okay.”

  She withdrew as gently as she could, wincing along with Emily. “Sorry.”

  “You’re fine.” Chuckling, Emily shook her head and swiped at the wetness on her cheeks. “Ignore the crying. It’s nothing, really. Endorphins.”

  Nat rolled off to the side and studied Emily’s profile. As a little girl growing up, she had never aspired to be a sex worker. She honestly didn’t aspire to remain one much longer. However, the one thing this vocation had provided her was a terrific insight into human nature. Emily was clearly a woman who thrived on being seen as put together and in control. Her sudden, calm competence seemed like a well-practiced mask, making Nat suspect that she didn’t often confide in strangers.

  That meant Nat had to tread lightly, approach her like a skittish animal. Putting aside the subject of Emily’s breakdown, she said, “Do you want me to get the other toy out?”

  Emily blushed. “Yes, please.”

  No longer in the heat of the moment, Nat battled an uncharacteristic twinge of shyness as she reached between Emily’s legs and grasped the base of the slim plug. “You need to help me with this one.” When Emily’s brown eyes found hers, she struggled not to join in her red-cheeked modesty. She hadn’t felt this awkward with a woman since she was a teenager. “Just…push.”

  Emily did so with a self-conscious giggle, covering her eyes with the back of her hand as Nat extracted and then tossed the toy over the side of the bed. “Not something I’ve heard after sex before.”

  “Here’s to new experiences,” Nat said lightly. She propped herself on her elbow, winking when Emily finally uncovered her face. “Did you enjoy it?”

  For a woman who’d just been taken over the knee and spanked, then tied to a bed and forced to orgasm before getting fucked with a strap-on, Emily managed to look positively prim as she replied, “Very much.”

  Emily’s innocence stirred her predatory lust, making it difficult not to reach for her again. The only thing that kept her from doing so was the knowledge that Emily was likely still troubled. Gentling her voice, Nat murmured, “I wasn’t kidding. I had a really, really nice time just now.” When Emily averted her gaze, Nat caught a lock of blond hair between her fingers and tested its softness. The caress instantly drew Emily’s attention back to her. “And no, I don’t say that to all my clients.”

  Emily bit her lip, only partially able to hold back the smile that threatened to appear. “Just the ones who burst into tears afterwards?”

  “Not even them.” Since beginning to choose her own clients, she had taken true pleasure from only a handful of appointments, but she always remained professionally detached. She doubted that Emily realized just how much she was putting herself out there. “You’d be the first, actually.”

  A fresh tear tracked down Emily’s cheek into her hair. “God,” she mumbled, then swiped at her face and sat abruptly. “This is mortifying. I must seem so pathetic, so…” She exhaled, bringing her knees up so she could hide her face in them. “Weak.”

  “Weak? No way.” Nat sat as well, trying to decide whether Emily wanted contact or space. Yearning to offer the former, she decided to take the chance that Emily would accept her touch. With an easy familiarity she hadn’t yet earned, Nat wrapped her arm around Emily’s waist. “No one who does what you just did is weak. You not only owned your sexual fantasy, you also found the courage to make it a reality. That takes guts.”

  Emily snorted. “No, it takes money.” She lifted her face from her knees and offered Nat an apologetic look. “Don’t get me wrong. Tonight was…” Satisfaction ghosted over her face. “Magical. But it didn’t take guts—just two months’ salary.”

  Guilt swept through Nat at the thought of accepting money for sex she absolutely would have had for free. Knowing it wasn’t the right time to broach that subject, she said, “Never mind the economics involved in bringing us together tonight. Submitting to me, trusting me to introduce brand-new experiences, required courage. Letting your secret, kinky self out to play? Also very brave. So no, you’re not weak. And this did take guts.” She ducked her head, pleased when Emily finally cracked a tiny smile. “Deal with it.”

  “Yes, mistress.” Emily’s eyes twinkled playfully.

  Only five minutes outside her third orgasm of the night and Emily Parker had her locked and loaded with just one look. Unbalanced, Nat dropped her gaze to her lap. The sight of the harness and dildo still strapped to her hips startled her. Mumbling an apology, she worked to free herself as Emily watched with obvious interest.

  “You’re very talented with that.” Emily stretched out her legs and leaned away, giving her room to maneuver. “I liked it a lot.”

  “I know you did.” Nat dropped her rig over the edge of the bed, thrilled by the way Emily flushed at her words. Unable to help herself, she kissed Emily’s warm cheek. “So did I.”

  Emily turned slightly so their lips nearly brushed. “I was nervous about tonight, but you made it so easy. You’ve made me feel safe.”

  “Good.”

  “Honestly, you have no idea how much I needed this. I really needed it. So thank you, Nat. Truly. You were perfect.”

  “You, too. A dream client.” She dragged her gaze up Emily’s body, ending at her sorrowful eyes. “So why are you so sad?”

  Emily’s chin trembled. “I’m not.”

  Raising an eyebrow, Nat scooted down and propped herself on her elbow. Then she brushed her lips over Emily’s thigh, hopeful that her affection was still welcome. “We don’t have to talk about it, but if you want to tell me, I’ll listen.” She paused. “I know what sadness looks like, Emily. I hate seeing it on you.”

  Emily pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes, sighed, then slid down to lie beside Nat. She rested on her back and stared at the ceiling, adjusting the sheets to cover her bare breasts. “Is this typical? Do you often end up playing therapist to your clients?”

  “Occasionally.” Nat edged closer to Emily, but didn’t touch her. She didn’t want to do anything to spook her out of bed. “Look, you don’t know me. I get that. But even if we’ve only spent a couple of hours together, I do care about you—really, truly—and if I can do anything to help, I’d like that very much.”

  Emily laughed again, nervously. “Dark, handsome, dangerously sexy—yet also kind, compassionate, and scarily insightful. You must have women falling all over you.”

  “I haven’t had a relationship in a long time.” Once again, Nat was surprised by the ease with which she revealed her personal life to Emily. “The only women I see are clients.”

  “Well, then I’m sure you’re incredibly popular with your clients.”

  Nat lifted a sho
ulder, both pleased and embarrassed by Emily’s words. According to Janis, she was the agency’s most requested escort. These days she took far more pride in her developing culinary skills and the new career she hoped to pursue with them, but she still reveled in the fact that she knew how to please a woman. “I do all right.”

  “I’ll say.” Emily’s lower lip quivered. Her throat tensed as she gave Nat a self-derisive smile. “That was the best sex I’ve ever had. Ever. And I’ve never felt closer to anyone than I just did to you. How pathetic is that?”

  Uncertain how best to react to that stunning confession, Nat simply trailed her fingers down Emily’s arm. “I can’t say I’m sorry to hear that, but I hate that it’s upset you.”

  Emily hesitated, inhaled, and then suddenly words began pouring out. “I don’t date—no time for a relationship. There are too many other things on my plate. The sex I have had has been mostly awkward, very vanilla, and not even in the same universe as what we just did. Tonight was a crazy, extravagant gift to myself—and let me tell you, it was worth every cent. So worth it.” Another errant tear escaped, dripping onto the sheets. “But this wasn’t real. It was make-believe. So even though I loved every second of it, fucking you has somehow made me feel even lonelier than before. And that wasn’t what I expected.” She forced an unconvincing smile. “I’m okay, though. Honestly.”

  Nat didn’t believe that for a second. “How do you feel about cuddling?”

  Emily shrugged, her smile fading. “Not sure. But I wouldn’t mind trying it.”

  It was hard to imagine how physical contact could be so foreign to a woman like Emily. Certainly it wasn’t for lack of interested suitors. Counting herself lucky to have somehow breached Emily’s obvious defenses, Nat opened her arms. “Another first?”

  Emily moved into her embrace, all warm curves and soft skin. Without looking at Nat’s face, she easily settled against her with the comfort of a longtime lover. Nat buried her nose in Emily’s hair and kissed the crown of her head. Careful to keep her hands away from Emily’s most sensitive areas, Nat caressed her sides and her hips, putting just as much thought into holding Emily as she had into crafting their scene.