Hers to Keep (Irresistibly Bound Book 3)

by Anna Stone

  “Anything, Mistress,” Lindsey said.

  Camilla patted the spot on the bed next to her. “Stay here and keep me company for a while.”

  Lindsey climbed onto the enormous bed and sat down next to Camilla. After a moment or so, she placed her head in Camilla’s lap. Camilla’s hand fell to Lindsey’s head. She stroked her fingers through Lindsey’s hair.

  A feeling of warmth spread through her. She still had plenty of questions she wanted to ask Camilla, but they could wait for another time.

  Camilla broke the silence. “Tell me something about yourself. Something I don’t know.”

  “Uh,” Lindsey racked her brains. “I have the same birthday as Benjamin Franklin?”

  “That’s interesting, but not what I meant. Something meaningful.”

  Lindsey was silent for a moment. “I used to want to be an artist. I went to art school and everything. But I gave up on the idea after I graduated.”

  “Oh?” Camilla said. “What changed?”

  Lindsey shrugged. “I grew up.”

  Camilla brushed Lindsey’s hair out of her face and looked down at her. “Growing up doesn’t mean giving up on your dreams.”

  “It did for me,” Lindsey said. “I have too many bills to pay. And even if I didn’t, the chances of me being able to make a living from my art aren’t great. That’s the reality of being an artist.”

  “What kind of art do you make?”

  “I draw and paint. Well, I used to. I haven’t for a while.”

  “You don’t even do it for fun?” Camilla asked.

  “Nope. I don’t really feel like it these days.” Lindsey shut her eyes. “It was a childish dream anyway.”

  Chapter Eleven

  “I’m so stuffed,” Camilla said. “I can barely move.”

  Lindsey murmured in agreement. The two of them were sprawled out in the lounge just off the dining room, finishing the bottle of wine they’d opened with dinner. Camilla had recovered from her ‘flare-up,’ which was what she called those periods where her illness got worse, and she was back to her usual self. In fact, she seemed even livelier than before.

  “June should have finished drawing my bath by now.” Camilla turned to Lindsey. “Would you like to join me?”

  Camilla often disappeared to take long baths before bed. This was the first time she had invited Lindsey to join her nightly ritual. The two of them in the bath together? That could only lead to one thing.

  Lindsey’s entire body sizzled. That night in the playroom seemed like an eternity ago. Since then, Lindsey and Camilla had barely done more than kiss. It only made Lindsey’s desire for her grow. Almost every night, Lindsey would lie awake, alternating between thinking about how good it had felt, and wondering why she felt anything at all.

  It shouldn’t have been a problem for Lindsey. She’d always been open-minded when it came to all things sex and sexuality. She had no reason to resist what she felt toward Camilla. But this was uncharted, unfamiliar territory. Lindsey had never looked at another woman the way she looked at Camilla, never thought about one the way she thought about Camilla every night.

  And she certainly had never wanted to get naked in a bathtub with one.

  “Where did you go just now, Lindsey?” Camilla asked.

  “Uh, nowhere,” Lindsey replied.

  “Well, if you’re not interested, I’ll have to take a bath all by myself.” Camilla’s voice took on a low, sultry timbre. “It’s a pity. I was looking forward to having you in there with me, all naked and dripping wet.”

  Lindsey swallowed. “I’ll take a bath with you, Mistress.”

  The two of them made their way up to Camilla’s bathroom. As soon as Lindsey walked through the door, she was hit with the scent of flowers. It was coming from the enormous tub in the corner which was filled to the brim with milky water covered in a layer of petals. Bubbles propelled by underwater jets rose to the surface, and the air above the bath was thick with steam.

  Was this what Camilla’s nightly baths were like? No wonder she enjoyed them so much.

  Camilla shut the door behind her and sat down on the edge of the bathtub. “Undress,” Camilla said. “Then undress me.”

  “Yes, Mistress!” Lindsey pulled her dress up over her head and hung it on a hook by the door, then slipped out of her bra and panties. Camilla’s piercing eyes watched her the entire time. It only excited Lindsey more.

  Once her clothes were hung up neatly, Lindsey returned to where Camilla sat.

  Camilla straightened out her legs. “Start with my shoes.”

  Lindsey removed her Mistress’s heels one by one, then placed them carefully to the side. Camilla stood up and turned around. Slowly, Lindsey unzipped Camilla’s dress, exposing the golden skin of her back inch by inch. She pulled it off, then peeled away Camilla’s bra.

  Camilla turned to face her. The sight of her Mistress’s near-naked body made Lindsey swoon. Camilla’s flawless skin glowed, and her hips and breasts were luscious and full. Lindsey found herself wanting to kiss them, and bury herself in them, and get lost in them for hours on end.

  “As much as I appreciate you admiring me, I’d like to get into this bath before it gets cold,” Camilla said.

  Lindsey snapped out of her trance. “Sorry, Mistress.”

  She looked down at Camilla’s panties. They were made of cream-colored silk. Camilla seemed to love silk. Silk sheets, silk nighties, silk lingerie. And these tiny silk panties that Lindsey had just been instructed to remove.

  Lindsey dropped to her knees and pulled Camilla’s panties down her hips and all the way to the ground. She barely caught a glimpse of what was underneath them before Camilla turned and stepped into the bath.

  Camilla slid down into the steamy water with a satisfied groan. “Hang my things up and come join me.”

  Lindsey did as she was instructed, then got into the bath in front of Camilla, sitting between her legs. Camilla draped her arms around Lindsey’s shoulders, pulling her in close. The bathtub was big enough that the two of them could fit without even touching. But where was the fun in that?

  “I’ll be going away next week,” Camilla said. “For five days or so.”

  “Where are you going?” Lindsey asked.

  “To Seattle for work. I have an event to attend the night before I leave, so I’ll be staying in the city then going straight to the airport in the morning. It’s a fundraising gala for a library downtown. These things are always so dull, but considering I practically gave them the building, I should probably make an appearance.”

  “You gave away a building?”

  “I sold it for a fraction of what it was worth, so I might as well have,” Camilla said. “Anyway, I’m letting you know in case you don’t want to be alone in the manor while I’m gone. Some people get lonely in this big, secluded house. I won’t be offended if you want to make other arrangements.”

  “I don’t mind,” Lindsey said. “I think I’ll stay.”

  “You can always go into the city for a day or two. I’ll even get you a hotel room if you want to stay the night. Or, you can invite a friend to come here for a few days.”

  “That could be fun.” Lindsey waved her hands through the cloudy water in front of her, gathering a handful of petals. “Faith has been dying to see the place.”

  “Oh?” Camila said. “You’ve been telling her all about the manor? About us?”

  “Only a little.” Well, it was more than a little. Lindsey told Faith everything. Except for the fact that she and Camilla had slept together.

  “It’s fine, I don’t mind if you talk to her about us. And she’s more than welcome to come visit.”

  “Thanks. I’ll ask her.” Lindsey slipped a little deeper into the bath. “Mistress?”

  “Yes?”

  “You’ve been living in the manor by yourself for a while, haven’t you?”

  “Ever since my parents passed 15 years ago,” Camilla replied. “I often have guests though. Friends, relatives, the oc
casional lover.”

  “Do you ever get lonely out here in this big house?” Lindsey asked.

  “No. I’ve always preferred solitude, ever since I was a child. I think that’s why I like this place so much. My sister used to think I was a freak because I spent every summer of my childhood hiding in the hedge maze reading books. Or I’d just go in there to get away from the craziness inside the manor. You’d think in a house this big, it would be easier to find some peace and quiet.”

  Lindsey turned to look at Camilla. “You have a sister?”

  “She’s ten years older than me,” Camilla said. “We don’t speak very often.”

  “Why not?”

  “We don’t exactly get along.” Camilla drew her hands down the front of Lindsey’s shoulders. “But my sister is the last person I want to think about when I have a beautiful naked woman in my bathtub.”

  Camilla’s hands slithered down to Lindsey’s chest. Lindsey’s breath hitched. She couldn’t help but feel like Camilla was trying to distract her from their conversation. But Lindsey wasn’t complaining. She’d been turned on since the moment Camilla had commanded her to undress.

  “Lie back and let your Mistress take care of you,” Camilla said.

  Lindsey leaned back against Camilla, sinking into her skin. Camilla’s breasts pressed into her back, and the scent of the rose petals mingled with the steam from the bath, making her head spin. Camilla began massaging Lindsey’s breasts with her slick, soapy fingers. A flood of heat went through her.

  Camilla ran her hands downward, all the way to the insides of Lindsey’s thighs. She pulled them apart gently and slipped a finger into Lindsey’s slit. Lindsey’s mouth fell open in a silent moan.

  “Are you wet because we’re in the bath?” Camilla asked. “Or are you wet for me?”

  “For you, Mistress,” Lindsey replied.

  “Aren’t I lucky?” Camilla glided her finger up and down. “I want you to ask me for permission before you come, okay?”

  “Yes, Mistress.”

  Camilla dragged a finger up to Lindsey’s clit, circling it slowly. “I’m having some special items made for you.” Camilla’s other hand crept back up to Lindsey’s breasts. “For both of us. Once they arrive, I’m going to take you into the playroom again. Would you like that?”

  “Yes, Mistress,” Lindsey whispered.

  “I’m looking forward to it. I love toying with this lovely body of yours.”

  Between Lindsey’s legs, Camilla’s fingers had gone from slow and light to hard and fast. The soap-filled water made every touch feel even more sensual.

  Lindsey exhaled sharply. It hadn’t been long, but she was already close. Her head tipped back onto Camilla’s shoulder. Camilla responded by kissing and biting Lindsey’s bared neck.

  Lindsey shuddered. “Mistress, can I come?”

  “Not yet,” Camilla said. “And if you do, I’ll be very disappointed.”

  Lindsey groaned and let out a curse.

  Camilla withdrew her hand. “Watch your language.”

  Seriously? Some of Camilla’s demands were ridiculous, but Lindsey wasn’t about to argue with the woman who had control over her pleasure. “Sorry, Mistress.”

  Camilla slid her hand back down to stroke Lindsey between her thighs. Lindsey whimpered. Her eyes screwed shut as she focused all her energy on holding back the storm raging within her and keeping herself from going over the edge. Just when she thought she couldn’t take anymore, Camilla spoke.

  “You may come now.”

  At once, an eruption went off inside Lindsey. Her cry echoed through the bathroom as she bucked against Camilla. Her Mistress held her in place, her fingers still strumming away until every drop of pleasure had been drained out of Lindsey.

  She let out a breath. “Thank you, Mistress.”

  Camilla continued to caress Lindsey’s body, her fingers wandering over Lindsey’s skin. She traced her hand along Lindsey’s collarbone, skimming the long scar that ran along it.

  “Where did this come from?” Camilla asked.

  “It’s from the car accident,” Lindsey replied. “Well, the surgery that came after it. I broke my collarbone.” She brought her hand up to touch it. It had healed well, and most of the time, she forgot that it was even there.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up something sensitive.”

  “It’s all right,” Lindsey said. “I have another one on my thigh. I broke my leg too, among other things.”

  Camilla took Lindsey’s hand. “Turn around.”

  Lindsey twisted to face her. Camilla guided Lindsey’s hand down her stomach.

  “Do you feel that scar?” She ran Lindsey’s finger over a little dip in Camilla’s skin. “It’s from surgery for endometriosis. I have three of them.”

  Lindsey had noticed the three round dimples on Camilla’s stomach when undressing her earlier, but she hadn’t thought anything of it.

  “You see?” Camilla said. “You’re not the only one with battle scars.”

  Lindsey smiled softly. It was nice to know they had that in common. But it wasn’t those scars that Lindsey cared about. After her accident, she’d realized that the worst scars were the ones no one could see.

  Chapter Twelve

  “Have you finished with your breakfast?” Camilla asked. “There’s something I need to show you.”

  Lindsey gulped down the last of her coffee. “All done.” She got up and followed Camilla out of the dining room. “Where are we going?”

  “You’ll see in a moment.”

  Camilla led Lindsey through the house, walking with purposeful strides. It seemed like whatever she wanted to show Lindsey was of the utmost importance.

  Camilla stopped in front of a door. “Here we are. Why don’t you have a look inside?”

  Lindsey opened the door and entered the room. It was a large, light-filled space, enclosed by glass walls on three sides. The view of the grounds outside was magnificent. The room was set up like an artist studio, and a well-equipped one at that. There were easels, a drawing table, and an assortment of art supplies.

  “What is this?” Lindsey asked.

  “This is the sunroom,” Camilla replied. “At least, it used to be. Now, it’s your studio.”

  Lindsey had visited this room while exploring the day she’d arrived at the manor. Back then, it had been furnished with a lounge and a couple of armchairs. “Where did all this come from?”

  “Most of the furniture was in storage in the east wing. The easels, the drawing table—they belonged to my grandmother.” Camilla strolled up to the table by the window and ran her hand over the smooth, dark wood. “As for the art supplies, I had them delivered yesterday. I wasn’t sure what you’d need, so I asked a friend of mine who’s an artist to recommend some basics.”

  Basics didn’t even begin to describe everything in the room. It held everything an artist could ever need. Canvases of all shapes and sizes. Pencils, sketch pads, different types of paints. And all of it was of the finest quality, from all the best brands. Camilla’s friend had advised her well.

  “I hope this is adequate,” Camilla said.

  “This is more than adequate. I would have killed for this stuff in art school.” Lindsey peered into a box filled with very expensive oil paints. She felt a twinge of guilt.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Lindsey hesitated. “I don’t know if I’m going to use it, that’s all.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong,” Camilla said. “I’ve decided you have it too easy doing nothing all day when I’m working. So you’re going to do some work of your own.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “From now on, you’re going to spend an hour in here after breakfast every day working on your art.”

  Lindsey opened her mouth, then shut it again. Was Camilla seriously going to force her to do this? “But-”

  Camilla folded her arms across her chest. “This isn’t a request.”

  Heat bubbled up insid
e Lindsey’s stomach. For the first time in as long as she could remember, she felt angry.

  “You can’t just tell me what to do!” Lindsey said.

  “The last time I checked, I’ve been telling you what to do for weeks now,” Camilla replied.

  “This is different. This isn’t like everything else!”

  “Why not?”

  Hot tears gathered at the corners of Lindsey’s eyes. Why was she suddenly finding it so hard to express herself?

  “Apple,” she said.

  At once, Camilla took Lindsey’s hand and drew her to a window seat beside them. “I’m sorry, darling. Are you all right?”

  “Yeah,” Lindsey grumbled.

  “I was trying to help. I thought you needed a little push. But I pushed you too hard, didn’t I?”

  Lindsey nodded. Her frustration had reduced to a simmer.

  “Do you want to talk about it?” Camilla asked. “When we spoke the other night in my room, it was obvious that you didn’t really want to give up on your art. I could hear it in your voice. Is something holding you back?”

  “It’s just that, it used to be so easy,” Lindsey said. “I used to have this constant desire to create. I used to find inspiration everywhere I looked. But now, every time I even think about trying to draw, or paint, or anything else, it’s like I’m paralyzed. I just… can’t.”

  “Well, my grandmother used to say that creating art is work like anything else. Sure, you need talent and inspiration. But sometimes, you just need to sit down and do it.”

  “I don’t think I can.”

  “You’ll never know if you don’t try,” Camilla said.

  Lindsey frowned in thought. It was true that she hadn’t actually tried. She’d told herself that she was too busy, or that there was no point because she was never going to be able to make a living from her art.

  But those reasons alone shouldn’t have stopped her from doing what she loved. Were they just excuses? As Lindsey looked around the studio, she realized she was avoiding the truth. She was scared. Scared that she’d fail. Scared that she’d lost that innate part of herself that was capable of creating great things.