Re/Paired

by Michele Zurlo

  He pinched the skin on her breast just below the nipple, pulling at the area he’d already pinned and making it burn a little. Then he attached another clothespin. Circling her breast, he attached two more. Now she had four total, each working against the other to simultaneously pull and pinch. Every breath she took aided the nefarious configuration. It stimulated, but it hurt too.

  By the time he started on her other breast, the pain had grown disproportionately to the pleasure she derived from the pinch. Using the breathing technique he taught didn’t help, because the rise and fall of her chest exacerbated the situation. She wanted him to remove the clothespins. Frustration built, and she snapped at him.

  “What is it with you and breasts? Do you have a boob fetish?”

  He glanced up, clinical curiosity his only apparent reaction. He studied her, no doubt noting the way her lips trembled. “Not really. I do prefer smaller sizes. Too big and it’s difficult to find the right combination to produce the pleasure/pain sensations I’m after.”

  He wasn’t finding the right combination now. Her breasts felt like they were on fire. She only felt the pain. Clothespins on her nipples wouldn’t have caused this distress. Earlier, with the clamps, Keith had established her love of that kind of stimulation. These additions just hurt.

  She had no problem remembering her place. He’d seen to that when he bound her like this. “Master, this hurts. It doesn’t feel good at all.”

  He finished and leaned back to survey his work. A satisfied smile settled on his mouth. “Perfect.”

  He flickered his gaze between her face and her chest. Then he brought his hand up and brushed his thumb across her cheekbone. She felt the wetness of a tear. She hadn’t been aware it had fallen.

  “Beautiful.” He kissed her lightly, reverently, and she realized exactly how much he loved seeing her like this. “Just wait. It’s going to get worse before it gets better.”

  It was a hollow assurance. A glance down showed a mountain of desire tenting his pants. She hoped he lost control of it before she started sobbing like a baby.

  He disappeared behind her only to reappear as he shouldered his way between her legs. Leaning up on his elbows, he buried his face in her cunt. He licked her wetness and fucked her hole with his tongue. He circled her clit with his thumb. She liked the way he dived right in and set about his task with urgency and passion. The rush of pleasure took her mind away from the pain in her breasts. It was still there, but it mattered less.

  Taking a chance, she rocked against his face. The bindings had left her with a little wiggle room there, and she used it to her advantage. He moaned and matched her rhythm. The vibration triggered a small orgasm, and her vagina convulsed around nothing. She’d had no idea she was that close. Air hissed through her teeth, the only outward sign that she’d inadvertently gained completion without permission.

  He dropped down and rested on his back between her legs. She thought he was waiting for her to come down from her climax, but he reached for a clothespin and closed it on one edge of her labia. It hurt in a different way than on her breasts, maybe because she was more sensitive there. Tears immediately welled and fell from her eyes.

  “Son of a bitch.” She hissed the oath. There was no way he could think she was calling him names, though it might come to that before they were through.

  But if he heard, he didn’t show it. Slowly, methodically, he clipped two more clothespins to that side of her labia. Each ratcheted up the pain factor. Then he evened out the torture by attaching three to the opposite side. She couldn’t stand it. He might think she was capable of withstanding—or even enjoying—this kind of agony, but he was wrong.

  Trying to escape the burning pain on her chest and between her legs, she jerked against her bonds. “Master, please take them off. They hurt too much.”

  He wiggled out from between her legs and put the rest of the pins into their bag. “No. You can handle this, Kitty Kat. You’re brave and strong. Breathe through it.”

  Breathing through it made it hurt even more. She lost her temper. “Son of a bitch. Take them off.” Now she was calling him names, and he took it that way.

  He leaned against her bedpost and crossed his arms. “That’s no way to talk to your Master. I just gave you an orgasm, and I didn’t even make you ask for it.”

  And he’d given her loads of fiery pain. She choked on a combination of tears and rage. All week she’d been upset and more than a little pissed at him for turning her down and forcing her to have a conversation with Dustin she’d never wanted to have. For over a decade, she’d lusted after Keith and loved him from afar. And then last night when she’d called him to tell him someone had been in her apartment, he’d treated her like she’d fabricated the whole experience. Now he was calmly persecuting her just for the fun of it.

  Those feelings came barreling out. She called him every combination of horrible names she could think up, and then she accused him of lacking any kind of compassion. “You’re inhuman. That’s what you are.”

  He leaned close and licked the trail of tears on her cheek. “Yes, Kat. I am. It’s important you understand that about me. I’m not the kind of man you think I am. Call red, and I’ll stop everything. I’ll take off the clothespins. I’ll untie you. I’ll wrap you in a blanket and hold you until you feel better.”

  His quiet acceptance caught her off guard, and she realized the danger inherent in his game. If she cried off, she would confirm that his initial reaction had been the correct decision. They weren’t compatible. She couldn’t let him win that way. Perhaps she didn’t particularly like this, but there were plenty of other ways he could pleasantly torture her.

  “No.” She shook her head to emphasize her point. “I can take this. I don’t have to like it.” A submissive endures pain for the pleasure of her Master. She repeated that to herself silently.

  He gave her that same sinful grin, and she melted a lot. Then he smacked a powerful kiss on her lips. “Slave, would it help to know the pleasure is always greater than the pain?”

  Without waiting for her answer, he moved away. She didn’t turn her head to follow his path, but it wasn’t long before she felt him slide into position behind her.

  It did help to know that. She was fast realizing that he liked the mental game as much as or more than he liked the physical game. This shouldn’t have been a big revelation for her, having participated in countless heated discussions with him, but it was. He wasn’t into sex for the romantic aspects; that much was for certain.

  She felt his fingers at her anus, smearing lubrication on the tight muscle here. He inserted two fingers to stretch and pull. A wave of pleasure washed through her body. She’d always loved this kind of stimulation. She didn’t question it. She just went with it.

  He fingered her that way until she moaned. The pain of the clothespins had once again become minor.

  “That’s it. That’s my beautiful, strong slave.”

  The tip of his cock nudged against her sphincter. Taking a deep breath, she let him know she was ready. Even though she exhaled and relaxed, she still found herself stunned and frozen when he entered her. He’d reamed her. She hadn’t expected him to be gentle, but she’d thought he would at least enter her the first time with a little more care and caution. He didn’t know what she was used to.

  “Son of a bitch.” She gasped when she finally recovered the ability to breathe.

  He withdrew and thrust again. “I think I’m going to ask you to choose a new term of endearment.”

  Her vision narrowed. The hot-and-cold, prickly feeling that preceded a huge orgasm was running up her spine. “Master.” She wanted to warn him, but the word came out too reverently to be anything but a verbal caress.

  “That’ll do.”

  He set a fast pace. She shoved back, bearing down to ensure that he took her hard. The sense of losing control spread, and the feeling she was flying settled over her. She’d kissed this bliss when he’d whipped her with the deerskin flogger, but
this was so much better. “God, yes. Master, please!”

  “No, Kitty Kat. No orgasm yet. Hold it back. Breathe.”

  It was too much. She closed her eyes and leaned her forehead on her arms. “I…I can’t. Please, Master. Please let me come.”

  He reached around to her front, and she sobbed. The tears tonight seemed to have no end, but now she was crying for a different reason. Just when she thought to beg him not to touch her clit, he ripped away two pins. She cried out, and he pulled the rest of them off.

  Blood rushed to her vulva. The smoldering fire burst into flame, and so did her orgasm. She came hard and fast. From far away, she heard screaming. A hand clapped over her mouth and blotted the sound.

  It went on and on. He pumped his cock into her, and he removed the pins from her breasts. Each sharp jerk—he didn’t bother to open them when he pulled them off—made her orgasm pulse faster. Every cell on her body stood at attention. Individual follicles of hair prickled on her scalp. The world went black, but she still felt every one of the tumultuous sensations rioting through her body.

  Another shout, this one deeper and shorter, joined the high-pitched one keening in her ears.

  When full awareness returned, she found herself wrapped in her sheet and curled up on Keith’s lap. The last vestiges of her tears finished falling as he smoothed her hair away from her face and whispered praise and assurances. Her entire body trembled, inside and out.

  “I c-can’t s-stop sh-shaking.” Her teeth chattered too.

  She felt him smile as he kissed her forehead. “It’s all right. I got you. I won’t let you go.”

  They sat in silence and let the minutes pass. Her heart slowed back to a normal rate, but she seemed to be getting all her body heat from him. Still, the quivering wound down as well. She knew it had a lot to do with the fact that he held her as if she were the most precious thing in the world.

  “Talk to me, Kat.”

  “Seriously? Men never want to have conversation after sex.” She meant it as a joke, because she needed time to think of something to say. What, exactly, could she say to the man who’d just put her through hell to show her a new level of orgasm she’d never believed existed?

  He kissed her forehead again. “Real men do. If a Dom doesn’t talk to a sub after a scene, then he’s not fulfilling his responsibilities.”

  While she didn’t want to be thought of as a responsibility, she wasn’t willing or able to have that discussion right then. “Thank you, Master. I didn’t know orgasms came that large.”

  His laugh rumbled against her shoulder and chest. “Pain turns into pleasure. That’s the reward you get for trusting me. But I need you to be honest with me, Kat. I need you to tell me what you liked and what you hated.”

  So much had happened in just a few hours. He wanted her to process it all now? “Keith, my mind isn’t really working right now. Can we talk about this tomorrow?”

  He eased her up so that she sat on the bed next to him. She wanted to protest the loss of his protective embrace, but she could see by the firm set of his jaw that he was going to demand answers. He’d probably also reached his limit on cuddling, and this topic of conversation couldn’t be all that comfortable for him. Shifting to cross her legs, she noted that the ropes were still wrapped around her thighs and the cuffs were still on her wrists.

  She scrambled for something to say. “I liked pretty much everything. You almost put me to sleep with that flogger. I really thought they were supposed to sting.”

  “Some do. It depends on the material and the force of the swing. We’ll get to that eventually.” He regarded her cautiously, and she noticed that although he’d disposed of the condom, he hadn’t put his clothes back on. They were equals for this discussion.

  “The clothespins hurt. Seriously hurt. I think I’m going to have bruises.”

  He nodded as if that were no big deal. “Bruising is pretty normal. I won’t cut you. I’m not into blood play, but bruising happens. Welts too. You’re going to be sore tomorrow, but that’s nothing compared to how you’ll feel after this weekend is over.”

  She wasn’t sure she wanted welts or bruises, but she figured she’d reserve judgment for now. “I liked the lighter stuff, but…”

  The first part of the scene had been light BDSM, and the second part had been a heavier practice. She understood what he’d done. He’d given her a comparison, and now he wanted to know which product she’d chosen.

  She looked up at him and realized he’d never once let his gaze wander from her face. And he was waiting patiently while she gathered her thoughts. “The clothespins are a bit of a sticking point. I think I’m okay with them on my nipples and pussy, but I didn’t like them on my breasts. That was too much.”

  He regarded her solemnly. “So that’s a hard limit, then?”

  “Yes.” She knew the terminology, but she’d forgotten to use it. “That’s a hard limit. Also I don’t think I could do the harder play all the time. I liked it, and I loved the payout, but it was draining, physically and emotionally.”

  Not to mention he’d played head games with her. She definitely didn’t like that.

  “Kat? You have that look on your face.”

  “What look?” She’d been inside her head, so she hadn’t been aware of her expression.

  “The one you get right before you lay into someone.” He held steady, his gaze locked to hers, but he clenched his jaw as if he expected her to say something horrible.

  She couldn’t recall ever saying anything cruel to him. Even when she’d cursed him out during the scene, she hadn’t been malicious. Sure, she’d snapped at him when he’d annoyed or teased her too much, but that was when he’d treated her like a sister. Of course, he’d seen her eviscerate a dishonest witness before.

  “I don’t like the head games. I don’t like when you pretend to be a jerk. Keith, I know you like to pretend you don’t care, but I know you better than that.” She placed her hand over his heart and soaked up the warmth radiating from his chest. “You’ve walled it up pretty well, but I know it’s there.”

  Color drained from his cheeks. She didn’t know if he was going to vomit or run, but she had enough sense to figure out he hadn’t wanted to talk about feelings. He’d wanted to analyze the scene. Always an agent.

  “I’m not going to hurt you or try to tear down anything. This is temporary. You’re just training me, and then you’ll turn me loose.” She rushed to assure him that her intentions were good. “I just want you to know you can be yourself with me. I like you.”

  He stared at her for the longest time. Blood returned to his face. He shook his head in disbelief. “Kat, you don’t know all the sides of me. I told you earlier that I was a bastard. I wasn’t lying.”

  With a start, she realized he really believed that. Lucky for him, she didn’t.

  Chapter Five

  A shaft of light focused on Keith’s left eye, turning the inside view bright red. He turned his face the other way. The scent of the pillow cradling his head was both familiar and unfamiliar, and the air smelled faintly of sex and sweat. Kat.

  All at once, he was fully awake, and so was his cock. She’d rocked his world, and then she’d laid down the law. She was not a compliant submissive. In fact, unless he had her bound or in pain, familiarity intruded and she forgot her manners. Normally he wouldn’t put up with a submissive who took him to task the way she had or who continually crossed the lines he set.

  Training someone who mattered to him was new territory. Kat unsettled him. She pushed his emotional boundaries, and he felt himself responding in alien and unexpected ways. As yet, he had no regrets about opening this door, and he had definite plans for them today.

  Part of that plan was to keep her on edge. Today, she was going to learn to control her orgasms. Or rather, she was going to recognize they belonged to him. They’d happen when and if he wanted. He planned to introduce her to the concepts of orgasm denial and forced climax.

  He snagged a condom fr
om the bedside table and covered his cock. Never having slept next to her before, he didn’t know whether she woke slow or fast. It would be fun finding out.

  In her sleep, she’d rolled onto her side, facing away and curled up into a ball. He pulled her toward him, turning her onto her back, and pushed her legs out of the way. With a series of smooth, practiced moves, he had her in position, and he slid into her warmth. The condom was lubricated, so she didn’t have to be ready for this. She only had to be willing.

  He thrust twice before her eyes opened. She stared at him in shocked silence laced with speculation, but she didn’t call her safe word. At last she opened her mouth to say something. He wasn’t in the mood for conversation, so he pressed his finger to her lips.

  “Shhh. I’ll just be a minute, slave. Don’t talk. It’s distracting.”

  She closed her mouth and drew her knees up to allow deeper access. When she met his thrusts, he knew she was seeking her own completion. He couldn’t let that happen. It would spoil his plans. Two more, and he climaxed.

  Before she could initiate more action, he withdrew and rolled away. “You hungry? I was going to run out and get some breakfast.”

  Silence greeted his question. He let her have a moment to come to terms with the fact he’d just used her body without seeing to her pleasure. It could be a difficult idea to assimilate after he’d so thoroughly seen to her pleasure the night before.

  He felt a slight shift in the mattress as she sat up. “Yeah. Don’t forget coffee.”

  She didn’t sound upset or angry, only tired, so he hazarded a look over his shoulder. She blinked and swayed a little, clearly still not quite awake.

  “You can go back to sleep if you want.”

  Gravity took over. She flopped back and closed her eyes.

  * * * *

  The warm spray washed over her skin, soothing some of her sore muscles. So many places hurt, but her thighs seemed to have borne the brunt of the strain. The positions into which he put her certainly required stamina.