by Poppy Flynn
Before she could dissect the question any further, Jake finally spoke. "How do you want this to work, angel?"
Charlotte shuddered out a breath but didn't move. "You tell me what you have in mind, and I'll tell you if I'm in agreement."
Jake closed his eyes just for a second. God, she was perfect. A sub who was willing to listen to a Dom's wishes first, rather than trying to top from the bottom by pushing her own desires, was a sub after his own heart.
"Micah made it clear that I wish to give my whip a good workout. Is that okay with you?"
"Yes, Sir." Charlotte didn't see the need to say more.
"Your Dom tells me that you enjoy sessions with the whip, but that you're not a masochist. Is that an accurate assessment?"
Was it Charlotte's imagination or was there an edge to Jake's voice when he referred to her Dom?" Since she couldn't see his face, she wasn't certain, but she did notice the way his fingers tightened on his thigh. Firm, taut thighs encased in denim softened with age. Damn…what was the question?
Inhaling deeply to get her mind back on track, Charlotte nodded her head. "Yes, that's right," she agreed. "I most certainly am not a masochist." A pleasurable bite to enhance the sensations was a far cry from the punishment some of the women here delighted in putting themselves through. Charlotte couldn't quite understand it, but she didn't question the fact that they most definitely got off on it, so who was she to judge?
Jake's next words stopped her wandering mind in its tracks. "Your limits list intercourse as negotiable. So, is it on or off the table, tonight?"
Jake noted the barely perceptible start Charlotte gave at the option of sex. She stayed quiet for so long, he wondered if she was even going to answer. He wasn't sure quite how to take that.
"Look at me," he demanded after more long seconds ticked by.
Charlotte slowly raised her head, still not knowing what to say. On the one hand, denying intercourse to Jake seemed petty, considering they had already been intimate on several occasions. On the other, guilt rode her hard that she had not even consummated her D/s relationship, such as it was, with Micah and he was officially her Dom.
Capturing her gaze, Jake compromised, even as he held her captive with just his remarkable eyes. "How about we leave that until we see how the scene unfolds and make the decision as and when we need to?"
Charlotte still wasn't convinced this was the best course of action. Leaving the decision until either of them was caught up in the moment didn't seem like the best plan she'd ever made. On the other hand, she truly couldn't answer him right now, so maybe his proposal made sense, after all. Surely, within the dynamics of this scene, she would be able to work out how far she was willing to take the experience. And if that didn't aid her decision, she could always say no. That was her right and she was in control.
The knowledge settled her and as Jake extended his hand to help her up, Charlotte verbalised her agreement with a simple, "Okay."
Charlotte followed Jake silently as he led her to a piece of apparatus she'd never used before. It resembled an A frame that a child's swing might hang from, and various straps were attached to it.
"Strip please, Cha-Cha," Jake commanded, and although he was respectful, the demand in his voice as it deepened, shivered through her consciousness and made her nipples peak.
Oh, goddesses! He wanted her bare…damn, she was bad at this negotiating lark. One look from Jake and she'd forgotten to lay down any parameters. She'd agreed to scene with him and his whip and to possibly have intercourse later, depending how it went because she hadn't been able to make her mind up about that, either, and the only other thing they'd covered was that she wasn't a masochist which he didn't want, anyway. Useless!
She'd said nothing about the use of toys or equipment, so the only fall back she had was her limit list which was fine—absolutely fine—she was good with everything set out in her limit list, except it said nothing about nudity. Micah knew she was unsettled with it, so he trod carefully. If he had done the negotiations for her, he would have covered it, but she had been adamant to do them herself, and she'd blown it. Her only choices now were to interrupt the scene they had already started and address the issues with Jake, proving to him and everyone else what a newbie she was—not the competent, discerning image she wanted to portray—or to suck it up and get naked.
Charlotte worked on the buckles of her shoes while she hastily tried to decide which option she was more comfortable with. It didn't take as long as she expected to come to a conclusion. She had suffered enough humiliation in the presence of Jake Blackwood. The clothes would have to go. She was determined that every interaction between them from now on was going to be polished and mature and meticulous.
She undressed slowly, carefully folding her clothes and storing them fastidiously in a wire basket she had spied at the bottom of a nearby toy cabinet, in an effort to calm her nerves. Busywork for her thoughts and her fingers, but, hey, whatever worked as far as she was concerned. When she couldn't delay any longer, she turned to face Jake, ruthlessly shoving down the urge to cover herself with her hands like a repressed, self-conscious virgin, determined that no one was ever going to know just how much this unnerved her.
He'd removed his black, silk shirt and undone the top button of the worn, black jeans which cupped and hugged every mouth-watering inch of his long, sleekly muscled legs. Seeing him standing there, patiently waiting for her in all his bare-chested glory, drove Charlotte's immediate unease regarding the rest of the viewing crowd straight out of her mind. The smattering of crinkly, black hair that arrowed down a delightful happy trail highlighted those lean, sexy notches which formed a 'V at either side of his hips in the low riding denim. Damn, the man was delicious!
Jake watched as Charlotte, composed and graceful, sedately removed her clothing. Looking at her, no one would ever guess she was new to the lifestyle. She disrobed unhurriedly and calmly folded and stored her clothing without so much as a hint of frenzy or nerves.
Once she finished, she turned to face him, standing tall and poised. Lean and willowy, she was one of those women who managed to look coolly elegant, even completely nude.
He couldn't help the way his chest swelled as she focused her gaze directly at him, not allowing the growing crowd of voyeurs who murmured around them to distract her whatsoever.
He tried to block them out, himself, but couldn't help picking up the appreciative comments and whispers that Charlotte provoked. Couldn't help gritting his teeth at how many of them there were. Couldn't help the frisson of possessiveness that hit him at the number that focused on the fact that Micah was sharing her and how many of them wanted a taste.
"Come here," he demanded. Instinctive denial made his words harsher than he intended when he finally spoke.
Charlotte shuddered as the command, in his roughened voice, made her girly bits sit up and take note and she walked towards him with carefully measured steps, praying she didn't stumble and end up looking like a dork, wondering what he would think if her growing arousal dribbled down her thighs, and all the while, doing her very best to emulate those relaxed and blasé women who strode nonchalantly around the floor.
Wordlessly coming to a stop in front of him, Charlotte dipped her head and hid her face with her hair, not wanting to witness any scorn or impatience in his eyes because she wasn't at the standard of his usual experienced submissives. A subtle quivering had her folding her hands together in front of her and nerves stopped her from speaking. She knew if she tried, she'd get tongue tied and falter, so silence seemed like the best option.
Jake resisted the urge to rub at the tightness that seemed to have banded around his chest. Charlotte was a vision. A dream come true—in his case, quite literally. She was simply faultless, and he couldn't get his head around how she could have picked up the subtler nuances of the lifestyle so very quickly. That deeper subservience that often ran against the grain of the modern, independent woman. Tiny things that were only learned and accepted when a
sub completely absorbed and embraced the lifestyle.
Not that they were cowed or servile, not in the least. It was just a deeper understanding and acceptance of trust and obedience that trainees often lacked. Instead, they sought their own pleasure foremost and tried to manipulate a Dom into doing their bidding, instead of trusting their Dom to take control and having that fundamental faith in everything he was doing for them. That's what was at the very heart of the power exchange. The faith of a sub to give her pleasure over to her Dom, completely and unequivocally, and trust him enough to create an awesome scene without any interference.
The gift of absolute surrender, one that Charlotte was offering him right now with her silence and her deference. That definitive capitulation which, for Jake, was at the heart of the lifestyle he loved. She couldn't have reacted more flawlessly if she'd been his full-time sub for a decade and come to know his personal preferences intimately. The thought made that band around his chest pull just a little bit tighter.
Tamping down his uncomfortable reactions, Jake directed her to stand beneath the frame. "Give me your hands," he commanded as he grabbed the cuffs attached to the horizontal bar above her head, trying to ignore the jolt that ran through him when she presented her arms, side by side, to him. The delicate, white skin of her inner wrists appeared almost translucent as the two lamps affixed to the junctions at each side of the frame picked her out in their spotlights.
Jake adjusted the cuffs carefully, then encouraged her to wrap her hands around the smooth bar of the framework while he fastened the straps attached to her cuffs to the bar, as well.
When he'd finished, Jake tapped on her thigh and motioned for her to spread her legs apart, then he went about cuffing and strapping her ankles to the side bars in a similar manner.
Last of all, he buckled wide, heavy fabric straps just above her knees, leaving the connected rope to dangle down her calves, and all the while, Charlotte kept her head lowered, saying nothing, just hoping and praying that she pleased him, hardly daring to breath, in case he was disappointed.
Finally, he stilled, but instead of stepping away, Jake stayed close. Charlotte could feel his breath tickling her temple, the heat of his body like a brand against her skin, even though he wasn't physically touching her. She was oh so tempted to lift her head and take a quick look at his face, but she couldn't find the courage to do it. She felt so very vulnerable at this moment. Naked, bound, and on display.
Apprehensive and uncertain, it was almost overwhelming enough to pull her back into that maelstrom of debilitating fear and helplessness that she had fought so hard to escape within the Disciples of Modesty.
But, no! This was for her. She had the power here. This was taking back her control. Doing things on her terms, instead of having them dictated to her. This was not her humiliation; this was her catharsis.
"Good girl," he murmured. "Absolutely perfect!"
Charlotte drew in a shuddering breath. Jake would never know just how much those few small words meant in that particular moment, but to Charlotte, they meant everything.
Closing her eyes, she felt as if he'd breathed confidence right into her very soul, and suddenly, she knew everything was going to be all right.
Jake felt Charlotte physically relax at his words and basked in her complete surrender. Leaning forward, he placed a chaste kiss on her forehead. It was an incongruous reaction for a Dom at the beginning of a scene, but it was pure instinct. It simply felt right, just like Charlotte did.
Staying close but keeping their bodies apart, Jake ran a finger from Charlotte's shoulder, across her collarbone and down through the valley of her breasts to her navel. Moving slowly around her, he trailed the same single finger around her waist and stopped behind her, switching to his whole hand and adding the other to sweep gentle strokes across her back and up her arms. With the downward motion, he increased the pressure, then hooked one arm around Charlotte's waist while the other reached down and rubbed her buttocks and thighs. Charlotte knew he was warming her skin, preparing it for the stroke of his whip to minimise any potential bruising, but somehow, she couldn't regard the way his hands felt on her body quite so dispassionately and, along with her skin, she felt her blood begin to heat as longing shimmered through her body everywhere he touched.
Jake came back to her, his naked chest rubbing against her nipples. The coarse smattering of chest hair just gave the gentlest of abrasions, but still hardened them to pebble stiff buds that ached for his touch.
"Club safewords," he murmured, his breath hot against her lips. It was more of a statement than a question, but she answered anyway, the fleeting eye to eye contact all but taking her breath away as electrifying awareness chased through her body.
"Yes, Sir."
Jake nodded once, then broke the spell when he stepped away and beyond her line of sight.
Charlotte dropped her head once more, closing her eyes and taking a deep, fortifying inhalation as she readied her mind for what was to come.
Expecting to feel the fire of his whip behind her, Charlotte let out a surprised yelp and her eyes flew up when he grasped both her rigid nipples between his thumb and his forefinger and twisted them roughly. Before she could form a coherent thought, two sets of hands were busy pulling and tweaking, and the next second, both straining buds were clamped at the same time, tightened relentlessly, causing her to shriek, then pant, her comprehension completely fractured as Connor gave her a wicked grin, winked at her, then moved away before she barely even acknowledged his presence.
As her nipples started to throb, the first licks across her buttocks swiftly followed, scarcely giving her equilibrium time to shift from one sensation to the other, keeping her unbalanced and muddled. The blows landed fast but erratically, never where she expected them, sometimes soft, sometimes harsh, shoulders, calves, across her back. There was no pattern or design. Never allowing her to settle, the confusion all but short circuiting her brain as it whirled, trying desperately to grasp onto something stable where there seemed to be nothing. Her mind was frenzied, her breath coming in short audible pants, regardless of the force of the lashes as she tried, but failed, to comprehend reality.
A bare pause made her sigh in relief as she fought to get her mind restructured. But seconds later, Jake was in front of her, raining the kisses of his whip on her abdomen and thighs. He spoke before he resumed his torture, but it was long minutes before she managed to process his command.
"Let go, angel!"
The words echoed in her head, but it took longer again for the meaning to sink in as she scrambled still to disentangle her jumbled senses.
Then, suddenly, the demand pierced through the tangled chaos of her thoughts, seeped into her awareness, then resonated in her perception, and she understood.
Immediately, Charlotte relaxed, freed her mind from the necessity to find sense where there was none, released her brain from the torment of chasing a viable interpretation and, instead, embraced the calm that suddenly filled her senses.
Her throat eased, her muscles loosened, and her mind floated on the wave of endorphins that flooded her bloodstream as she hit subspace at warp speed, where all she felt was a pleasure that was, surely, out of this world.
Jake's erection strained uncomfortably against his zipper. Charlotte was magnificent. He'd wanted to keep her unbalanced and had gone about it ruthlessly. But ultimately, it had made her eventual submission all the more outstanding as she surrendered herself to him completely, and now he was in awe. The desire to fuck her hard and fast rode him mercilessly so that he thought it might truly break him if she denied him her tight, wet heat after this.
Sweat dripped off his forehead and between his shoulder blades and his hair was damp. Not just with the exertion from working out with his whip but also from the strain of holding back from dropping the whip, dropping his jeans and just ploughing into her scorching depths, even without her verbal consent. She was so far gone that he knew she wouldn't stop him and Jake's morality was han
ging by a thread.
Realising that he was at his limit, he nodded to Connor, who stood off to his left, at the front of the growing crowd who had stopped to appreciate their scene.
Connor would either help him string her up or help him get her loose. Jake prayed it was the former. He couldn't remember the last time he had been this hard for a woman, had been so invested in the outcome of a decision. Had he ever been?
Not even in those dulcet days of high school passions, when he'd wanted to rut like a stag or the dawning of his inauguration into kink and the heady revelations of the BDSM lifestyle, could he remember a time when he'd skated this close to the edge. Where safe, sane and consensual hadn't been more important than plunging his throbbing cock into a soft, sweet submissive. And not just any submissive. Jake knew that whatever Charlotte's decision, no other woman would do. It was her, and her alone, he had to have.
With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed the whip on her milky white breasts, sending the nipple clamps scattering.
A low mewl emitted from Charlotte's throat, and in a second, Jake was by her side massaging her tender nipples, sucking them deep into his mouth, all too briefly, before he grasped her by the hair and ran the fingers of his other hand through her sopping wet folds. She squirmed and pressed her pelvis against him, seeking much needed relief for that neglected part of her body that he had so carefully avoided.
"I want to fuck you, angel? What's it to be?"
For a second time tonight, Charlotte's thoughts were slow to process, but this time, because she was so mired in the pleasure of subspace that she didn't want to have to stop and think. She was enjoying just feeling and she wanted those feelings to continue without the pesky intervention of conscious thought.
She strained to rub her clit against Jake's hard thigh to encourage his magical fingers to delve deeper, to sate that deep-seated need and shoot her to the pinnacle of release.
