by Tara Sue Me
“You guys planned that, too?” I asked, and behind me, Nathaniel chuckled.
“Yes, Abby. We planned everything. I wasn’t completely certain you’d try to take the chair off the platform. I knew I would have to goad you a bit.”
“Oh, right,” I said. “I forgot that part for a minute, when you told me I’d been a submissive long enough to know what to do?”
“Mind-fuck disguised as humiliation.”
“And you were never going to cane me?” I asked.
“Of course not. If you’d done something horribly insulting or disrespectful, I’d have let Nathaniel deal with it.”
I twisted in Nathaniel’s arms. “It seemed so real at the time.”
“Ah,” Nathaniel said. “Now, there’s where you’re wrong. It didn’t just seem real. It was.”
“Right now I feel like it was a play I wasn’t given the script for.”
“Don’t you see?” Cole asked. “If you knew what was going to happen, that would have been an act.”
“If you want,” Nathaniel said, “I can have you bend back over the chair. The cane’s still around here somewhere.”
“No!” I held up a hand. “That’s okay.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “If you’re certain?”
“Very, Master.”
Cole checked his watch. “I have a call to make. Nathaniel, I’ll call you tomorrow. Abby, thank you. You did really well for someone not experienced with mental play.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
Nathaniel waited until the door closed behind Cole before talking again. “So, tell me, how was doing a mental scene in front of a group compared to a physical one?”
“You mean, did the scene we just did turn me on like the ones we normally do?”
“Yes.”
“Mmm.” I leaned farther into his arms. “I was turned on kneeling and waiting. And then again, just a little, when I was bent over the chair. Even though it was Cole and not you. But during the actual thinking part? No, that didn’t turn me on at all.”
“Interesting. I wondered if it was enough to be in front of the group or if there had to be a physical or sexual component involved.”
His words gave me momentary pause. He’d thought that much and that deep about what I needed and got out of a scene. But as soon as that thought popped into my head, it was replaced with of course he does.
I cleared my throat. “What do you think it means that the mental play in front of others didn’t turn me on like the physical?”
“First of all, I’m not surprised that’s how you feel.”
“You’re not?”
“No, remember the day in Wilmington when I had you be, what were your words, a coffee table?”
I’d been horribly bored, I remembered that. In my mind, I’d sat on the couch for hours balancing two glasses on my legs. Then when Nathaniel mentioned it was time for something else, I’d snorted. He hadn’t been amused.
“I don’t think I’ll ever forget that day.”
“There was mental play in that scene, too, and you weren’t excited or turned on by it.” He smiled, faintly, but still a smile. “In fact, I believe your exact words were ‘What’s hot about a coffee table?’”
“Nothing,” I answered. “There’s nothing hot about a coffee table. But you didn’t answer the part about what it means.”
He framed my face with his hands, making sure I kept my eyes on his. “It means mental play in front of people doesn’t turn you on. And there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s just how you’re wired.”
I stroked his hand, touched by his words, and thankful that it did help me realize there wasn’t anything abnormal about me. “You always know how to make me feel better. Thank you.”
He shifted me so I could snuggle against his chest, and rested his chin on my head. “Every part of you, no matter how small or big or how it’s wired, is what makes you the person you are. And that’s the person I love. I won’t have you thinking negative things about her.”
I lifted my head for a kiss. “I love you, too.”
Chapter Eleven
NATHANIEL
Abby didn’t speak much on the drive back to Wilmington. Normally after a scene, she grew tired and would sleep, but apparently that was not the case when the scene was totally mental. It was almost as if I could see her brain working, still trying to process her time with Cole.
We had never done very many mental scenes. I thought to do one with the Partners in Play Dominants because it was different from what was normally demoed and I thought it would appeal to Abby’s intellectual side. And, if I was being honest with myself, I was starting to grow a bit concerned about her seemingly increasing need for public displays. Would it stop, or would it keep escalating? What if one day being with me suddenly wasn’t enough?
And what did it mean that she was turned on when she bent over for Cole? Did she want to be with another Dom?
I couldn’t even think about that. I didn’t know how I would handle it.
“Are you okay?” I asked when I heard her sigh deeply.
“Yes, Master,” she said. “I’m still just thinking.”
“Not tired?”
“No, Master. My mind is going in so many directions it won’t calm down long enough to get tired. It’s different this time from how it is after a physical scene. After being flogged or something, my mind is still in that fuzzy subspace hangover for a while. This mind stuff isn’t the same.”
“Was it something you wouldn’t want to do again or that you might not mind doing again?”
“I wouldn’t say I hated it. It’s just so different.” She laughed. “It’s like my brain’s been flogged.”
“I think that’s a very accurate description.”
She looked out the passenger-side window as we approached our house. Still thinking, it appeared. And while I loved her intellect, I wanted to play with other parts of her tonight.
I pulled into the garage and told her, “Upstairs in the playroom. Naked. I’ll let Apollo out and then I’ll meet you there.”
She looked sharply at me, obviously not expecting another scene. I didn’t have any plans to go crazy tonight, but I needed her. Needed to control her pleasure. Needed her waiting for my commands.
She must have sensed how I felt because even though she pressed her lips together and seemed to want to argue or suggest something else, she nodded. “Yes, Master.”
I took my time letting Apollo out and climbing the stairs, wanting to allow her time to prepare mentally.
She was waiting in the middle of the room for me and I let that sink in. For me. She was waiting for me. No one else. No people to watch. No demos to teach. This was her and me. Dominant and submissive. Coming together because it was what we wanted and what we needed from each other.
There was no other submissive, no other woman, who could affect me the way Abby did. There was something about her that made me calm and complete and I didn’t know who I would have become without her in my life. She had given me so much, and I knew as sure as I was breathing that whatever she needed, if it was within my power, she would have it.
But for tonight, it would only be us. If I was craving having her at my command, more than likely she craved being under my control. I took a deep breath as I settled into my headspace and when I opened my eyes, I was ready.
Tonight I would once more take her to those places we only found together, in this room, and with her in my collar.
“Abigail.” It was the only word I spoke, but it was the only one needed.
“Master.”
“You did so well with Master Johnson. I’m so proud of you.”
“Thank you, Master.”
I stood silently, allowing us both to bask in our roles. It had to be difficult to submit to a different Dominant. Especially since I had been her first. She needed to know how much she pleased me. How proud I was that she went through the session with Cole, was even going so far as to be ready to let him cane her because s
he understood that I’d given my consent.
It had been hard as hell, watching her react to Cole’s insistence that she sit in the chair. But I wanted her to experience what he offered. I knew it would be something she would find fascinating and think about for a long time, and write about. Whether she liked it or decided not to experience anything similar again, the session today would aid in her continuing journey of self-discovery and serve to make her stronger. And that would make us both stronger.
“You pleased me today, Abigail, so I’m going to reward you for being such a good girl.”
“Thank you, Master.”
I gave a slight chuckle. “Make no mistake about it, I’ll be getting something out of your reward, too.”
Though her head was bowed, I could hear the smile in her voice. “I wouldn’t have it any other way, Master.”
Hours later as she slept in my arms, I tried to plan for what I would do if this need of hers continued. If I didn’t plan, there might come a time I couldn’t meet her needs. It was hard for me to even think that, much less envision it happening.
The problem was solely with me. I didn’t like another Dom controlling Abby and it didn’t matter if it was a training session, a demo, or whatever you wanted to call it. The last few months had taught me I didn’t like sharing her. It did nothing but remind me why I had made the rule that I wouldn’t share my collared submissive. And if that made me a possessive, jealous dumb-ass … well, I was a possessive, jealous dumb-ass.
We didn’t have another demo scheduled any time soon. The tri-state was having a workshop weekend they’d invited me to speak at. That was about a month away, though. But I did have my own playroom and could set up my own demo.
Lynne was due to come by over the weekend to meet the kids and talk with us. If everything went well, we could possibly have her watch Elizabeth and Henry the following weekend. She could keep them occupied or take them out somewhere while we were in the playroom.
Feeling a bit calmer and more at ease, I finally closed my eyes and allowed myself to sleep.
The next day at work, I made a list of who I’d invite to our demo. Not Simon this time, not with Lynne potentially in the house. That was an awkward situation we didn’t need. I tapped my pen against the desk. Maybe Cole in Simon’s place? I could invite Luke DeVaan and Jeff, and have them observe the two of us in the playroom, maybe ask them to be part of the scene in a nonsexual way. Three would be enough. The playroom wasn’t that big, after all.
With that decided, I brainstormed about what to do. Abby had spent some time over the last few days writing about the mental play we’d done, but I didn’t want to do another mental-only scene. What I wanted to do was combine mental and physical play. Give her a little of both and see how she responded.
I formed a skeleton plan in my mind and then called her. She answered on the second ring and we chatted briefly before I explained my purpose in calling.
“I have an assignment for you,” I said. “You can either do it in your notebook or post it on the blog, but you have forty-eight hours to complete it.”
“Sounds interesting.”
I didn’t give her assignments very often, but in this case, the topic and writing would serve to add to the mental aspect of the upcoming session.
“I hope you find it interesting. I think it’s certainly an entertaining topic.”
“I’m intrigued.”
I chuckled. “The topic is predicament bondage.”
With predicament bondage, I’d bind her in such a way that any movement would cause some sort of consequence. We’d done it a few times, but not often at all. Now that I’d put the idea in her head, she’d know we’d be doing a scene with it soon. And if I guessed correctly, she’d spend a lot of time wondering if the consequences would be painful or pleasurable.
“I know what you’re doing, you know,” she said.
“Oh?”
“You’re mind-fucking me, aren’t you?”
“I am, Abby. And the funny thing is, even though you know it’s a mind-fuck, it’s still working.”
She muttered something under her breath and I laughed.
“See you in a few hours,” I said.
As I suspected, she was very excited about inviting the men over to watch. I wondered if I was helping or hurting her by setting up this session and feeding this growing need of hers. But it was hard for me to deny her anything, and if she wanted public play, I wouldn’t be a good Dom if I didn’t meet that need.
To further get her into the right frame of mind, I had her set up the playroom the morning of our session. Lynne had hit it off great with the kids the previous weekend and they were excited she was coming over again. The new house was large and I’d designed it so that the playroom was as far from the children’s wing as possible. Everything was separate, but I had installed both an intercom system and a security system so we would be notified, even in the playroom, if something was wrong or someone needed us.
Five minutes before the men were due to arrive, I sent Abby to the playroom to wait. We found her kneeling as I’d directed when the four of us stepped inside. I waved the men over to the three chairs I’d arranged for them, then walked over to Abby.
“Tell the gentlemen your safe words, Abigail.”
“Red, yellow, and green, Master.”
“Very nice. Stand for me, please.”
She slowly stood to her feet. Her breathing had taken on the panting sounds she made when she was aroused, and though her head was bowed, I knew if I looked into her eyes, they would be lust-filled. She enjoyed playing in front of an audience, but just how much she liked it struck me in the chest.
“You’re already so turned on you can hardly stand it, can you?”
“Yes, Master,” she confirmed.
“Going to show these men what a good submissive you are?”
“Yes, Master.”
“I have no doubts, my lovely. You’ve never disappointed me before.”
I could see her body nearly humming with my praise.
I looked over the area she’d set up for our scene. As per my instructions, a St. Andrew’s cross stood in the center of the room. All but a tiny circle of the floor surrounding the cross was covered in sharp points. Not sharp enough to break her skin, but it would be painful if she stepped on them. Not a problem if she could somehow find a way to remain in the small circle.
I would ensure that she couldn’t.
When she moved the ropes between her legs, it would rub against her clit, which I knew she’d like. Being bound with a rope that excited her clit wasn’t new to her, but being bound like that in a predicament situation was.
Once she was bound to my satisfaction, I led her to the tiny circle that was clear in front of the large wooden X. The circle was so tiny she had to stand on her toes. One by one, I bound her arms above her head, allowing enough slack to let her drop to her flat feet if she needed.
Then I turned to speak to the men. “We haven’t done many scenes with predicament bondage, so this is relatively new for Abigail. It’s not going to be comfortable for long being on her toes like that. But if she drops to her feet, she’ll be standing on the sharp pegs. Plus, I’ve bound her with rope in such a way as to provide stimulation with every move.” I turned back to her. “Are the ropes okay? Not too tight on your arms?”
“I’m as comfortable as can be expected, Master.”
He turned back to the group. “Now we could just sit here and watch her, waiting for her to grow tired of standing on her toes. But she can have a bit of a stubborn streak, so I think I’ll provide some incentive for her to move.”
I was willing to bet they thought I’d flog her, or maybe use the cane. But when I went to my cabinets and pulled out a long feather, they laughed. Abby couldn’t see it from her angle, so I moved closer to her.
“Personally, I think it’s a lot more fun to use something other than pain to entice her to move. Of course, she may not agree.” I held up the feather so she coul
d see.
Abby groaned. She probably wished I’d use a flogger; she was incredibly ticklish.
“Are you ticklish?” I asked her for the benefit of the watching men.
“Yes, Master. Very.”
“Mmm,” I hummed. “This will be quite the challenge for you, then, won’t it?”
“Yes, Master.”
“But you like a challenge, don’t you?”
“Most of the time, Master.”
“Only most of the time?”
“My liking of a challenge is indirectly proportional to the amount of bondage I’m in.”
The three men chuckled.
“Is that so?” I asked, and without waiting for a response, tickled her side.
She yelped and twisted, stepping on part of the peg-covered mat. “Ouch.” She moved back into position, but doing so made the ropes shift. “Oh.”
I tickled her again. “Bit of a predicament, wouldn’t you say?”
She only sucked in a breath, but she still couldn’t hold position. Poor Abby was so very ticklish. I took another feather and started tickling her with both.
I ran them down her back, around her waist, and under her arms. Just as I thought, Abby squirmed and danced, trying to get away from one feather, which only sent her into the path of the other. And each time she moved, the rope I’d placed around her clit had to be driving her crazy.
I decided to arouse her even more and circled her nipples while tickling right where the rope rubbed that supersensitive spot.
“You like that?” I asked.
“Oh yes, Master.”
“You know our guests are watching you get turned on by my two feathers?”
“And the rope, Master.”
I tickled her again so it moved against her. “Right, we can’t forget the rope.”
I fell into a rhythm, which allowed her to drift into subspace. Soon, I had her swaying back and forth and before too long, she wasn’t even trying to stay on her toes. Her feet were on the pegs and she moaned in bliss every so often.
“What color are you, Abby?” I asked.
