by Anna Stone
“No, once again, it isn’t you.” Lindsey didn’t know why she was saying this. “We’re not really a couple.”
“You’re not?”
“I’m her sugar baby.”
“Oh.”
An awkward silence followed.
“And that bothers you?” Vicki asked.
“Yes,” Lindsey replied.
“Because you have feelings for her?”
Lindsey nodded.
“Then you should tell her.”
“I can’t. I have no idea if she feels the same way.”
“There’s only one way to find out,” Vicki said.
Lindsey just sighed.
The conversation lapsed into silence again. Vicki crossed her arms and looked out into the crowd. Lindsey sipped at her wine. Her eyes fell on Camilla, who was at the other end of the room, talking to April.
Suddenly, Vicki spoke. “It’s terrifying, isn’t it?”
“What?” Lindsey said.
“Love.”
Lindsey looked at Vicki. The blonde woman was staring in the same direction Lindsey had been looking. But Vicki was looking at April, her eyes filled with passion.
“It’s this incredible, impossible, overwhelming thing that drives you crazy, and upends your whole existence,” Vicki said. “It makes you wonder how a single person can cause so much turmoil.”
Was that what this feeling was? Love?
“But it’s worth it. Even if it means putting your heart on the line and risking everything, it’s so worth it.” Vicki turned to Lindsey. “Tell her. Before it’s too late. You’ll regret it otherwise.”
Lindsey’s pulse quickened. Across the room, Camilla and April were working their way over to where Lindsey and Vicki stood. Lindsey’s eyes met Camilla’s. Camilla gave her that warm smile that always made her heart melt.
“You’re right,” Lindsey said softly. “I have to tell her.”
Moments later, Camilla and April joined the two of them by the bar. Vicki picked up the two glasses of wine and handed one to April, who thanked her with a kiss. It was clear that there was only love there. Apparently, their argument earlier had meant nothing.
Camilla slipped an arm around Lindsey’s waist. “I hope you weren’t causing any trouble, Vicki.” The tone of her voice suggested she was only half joking.
“Don’t worry,” Vicki said. “My troublemaking days are over. Now, I only meddle for good reasons.” She took her girlfriend’s arm and tipped her head toward Lindsey. “I’ll see you later.”
As the two of them walked away, Vicki mouthed the words “tell her” to Lindsey behind Camilla’s back.
“Well, that was odd.” Camilla reached out and brushed Lindsey’s hair out of her face. “Are you having a nice time?”
“Yeah,” Lindsey said. “I am.”
Camilla examined Lindsey’s face. “Are you all right, darling?”
“Yeah. I drank a little too much, that’s all.” She’d only had a few glasses of wine, but right now, Lindsey felt like her world had been tipped on its axis.
“Oh?” Camilla took her hand. “Do you need some water? Or do you want to go lie down? There’s a spare room just down the hall.”
“No, I’m fine.”
“Well, it’s getting late anyway. Should we head home?”
“Home sounds great,” Lindsey replied.
As she and Camilla said their goodbyes, Lindsey realized that for the first time, she’d called the manor home.
They spent the car ride back to the manor in near silence. Camilla seemed to accept that Lindsey had drunk too much. But that was just another excuse. As the wine wore off, Lindsey was left with a churning in her stomach that had nothing to do with being drunk.
As soon as they pulled up outside the manor, Lindsey practically ran inside. She knew she had to tell Camilla how she felt. Why was this so hard? When did she become so anxious and fearful? The old Lindsey would have shouted her feelings from a mountaintop.
“Lindsey?” Camilla’s footsteps echoed across the entrance hall. “Are you all right?”
Lindsey stopped by the stairs, her arms hugging herself in the cold. I’m fine, she tried to say. But she couldn’t lie anymore. Her feelings toward Camilla were so strong that they hurt.
“Lindsey.” Camilla took her hand and guided her to sit on the bottom step of the grand staircase. “What’s going on?”
“Why did you take me to that party tonight?” It wasn’t what Lindsey really wanted to say. But she needed some hint, some inkling that everything between them wasn’t just a lie.
“Because I thought that you’d enjoy it,” Camilla replied.
“So it wasn’t so you could show your sugar baby off to your friends?”
“Of course not. Do you really think I’d do that?”
“No, I don’t. But I wanted to be sure.”
“Sure of what?” Camilla searched Lindsey’s face. “What’s going on?”
Lindsey’s voice stuck in her throat. Her heart was pounding so hard, she felt like it would burst. She took a few deep breaths. Because of Camilla, Lindsey had faced her fears once already, that morning in her sunny studio. She could do it again.
“Camilla,” Lindsey said. “I don’t want this to be pretend anymore.”
“What do you mean?”
“These past months, they’ve been some of the best of my life. It’s all been like a dream.”
Camilla patted Lindsey's hand. “I’m glad you’ve been enjoying life here at the manor.”
“No, I mean… It’s not because of this house, or the expensive clothes, or the gifts. It’s because of you.”
“Because of me?”
“Yes. Is that so hard to believe?” Lindsey stared at Camilla’s bewildered face. Could it be that she really had no idea how Lindsey felt? That she was so determined to live her life alone that she couldn’t see what was right in front of her?
“What are you saying?” Camilla asked.
“I’m saying that I’m in love with you.”
“Oh.” Camilla fell silent.
A lump formed in Lindsey’s throat. She was wrong. She had read it all wrong. “Forget it. I never should have said anything.”
“No, that’s not… I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I never thought-”
“Of course you didn’t.” Tears fell from Lindsey’s eyes. “I’m just someone you’re paying, like June. How could I be so stupi-”
“Lindsey, stop.” Camilla reached out and cradled the side of Lindsey’s face. “You’re not just someone I’m paying. You’re so much more to me. You always have been.” Camilla brushed a tear from Lindsey’s cheek with her thumb. “What I’m trying to say is, I never thought that you’d return my feelings.”
Lindsey’s heart skittered. “Return your feelings?”
“Oh, Lindsey. These past few months have been like something out of a dream for me too. And all because of you. I feel the same way you do.”
“You do?”
“I do,” Camilla said. “It’s just that, I didn’t plan for this to happen. I’m not good at dealing with anything unexpected.”
“Really?” Lindsey blinked away the last of her tears. “I haven’t noticed.”
Smiling, Camilla pulled Lindsey in close. “I want this to be real too. From now on, no more pretending.”
“Mistress, I stopped pretending weeks ago.”
Camilla cupped Lindsey’s face. Her lips met Lindsey’s in a soft, steady kiss. Lindsey dissolved into her. Now that their feelings were finally out in the open, the kiss seemed so much sweeter.
But Lindsey was all too aware that not everything was out in the open. She’d told a little white lie the day they had met. And she still hadn’t told Camilla the truth.
Lindsey pushed the thought aside. She didn’t want to ruin this perfect moment.
Chapter Twenty
“Lindsey?” Camilla called from the hall. “Where on earth are you?”
Lindsey cursed. She hadn’t finished setting up
yet. “I’m in the dining room.”
Moments later, Camilla appeared in the doorway. She stared, first at Lindsey, who was standing next to the dining cart, then at the table where breakfast was laid out. “What’s going on?”
“I’m serving you breakfast, Mistress,” Lindsey replied.
Camilla looked at Lindsey, her eyes narrowed. “What have you done with June? The only thing that could keep her from her duties is being tied up in the basement.”
“June’s fine. She’s in her room relaxing. I told her that I’d take care of breakfast this morning.” It had taken a while to convince the housekeeper to let Lindsey take over, but she’d agreed in the end.
Camilla crossed her arms. “June’s in on this too?”
Lindsey nodded.
“Really, both of you should know better. I don’t like disruptions to my routine.”
“I just want to serve you, Mistress.” Lindsey bowed her head and peered up at Camilla. But her expression was inscrutable.
Camilla walked over to where Lindsey stood. She grabbed Lindsey’s chin and tilted her head up. “You’re lucky that I find this very sweet. I’ll allow it. This time.”
“Thank you, Mistress.”
“Continue.” Camilla took her seat at the head of the table. Lindsey had left Camilla a newspaper in its usual place beside her plate, but Camilla didn’t pick it up. Instead, she sat back and watched Lindsey, her lips curved up slightly.
Lindsey continued setting everything up. “What do you have planned for today, Mistress?” She asked Camilla this question every day, even though her answer was always the same.
“I have some work to do in the morning,” Camilla said. “But I’ll be finished with everything by lunchtime. After that, I was thinking we could spend the afternoon in the playroom.”
“The afternoon? What about your schedule?”
Camilla raised an eyebrow. “Are you questioning your Mistress?”
“No, Mistress,” Lindsey said hurriedly. “I can’t wait.”
“Good. Because I have something special planned.”
Lindsey’s stomach flipped. She knew what that something special was. They’d talked about it already. And it excited her.
Lindsey placed the pot of coffee on the table in front of her Mistress. “All done. Your breakfast is served.”
Camilla surveyed the spread laid out before her. She poured herself a cup of coffee, then helped herself to her usual dishes. Then she picked up her knife and fork and took a bite of her eggs, chewing slowly and deliberately.
Lindsey stood in place next to her Mistress, waiting for her approval. She’d been planning this for days. Even with June’s instructions written down, it had taken her several tries to get everything exactly the way Camilla liked it.
Finally, Camilla placed her knife and fork down. “This is very good. But there’s something missing.” She beckoned Lindsey closer. “Something important.”
Lindsey scanned the table before her. “What is it?” She was sure she’d thought of everything.
“You.” Camilla grabbed Lindsey’s arm and drew her onto her lap, planting a deep, possessive kiss on her lips. “Now put that cart away and join me at the table. Your Mistress commands it.”
After lunch, Lindsey and Camilla had a long, sensual bath, before heading to the playroom. Both of them were wearing nothing but robes.
As Lindsey entered the room, her eyes were drawn to the foot of the bed. The drapes had been tied back carefully, leaving the X-shaped cross that was built into the frame completely exposed. That had to be deliberate.
Camilla led Lindsey to the table. Once again, the wooden chest with Camilla’s initials on the lid sat on top of it. Camilla untied the belt of Lindsey’s robe and slipped it from her shoulders, baring her naked body.
Camilla tapped the table next to the box. “Sit up here.”
Lindsey took a seat on the edge of the table and watched her Mistress open the box, once again using the lid to hide its contents from view. First, Camilla pulled out the blue and gold wrist cuffs. Then, she took out a second pair of cuffs that were identical, but slightly bigger. They even had the same little gold tag with Camilla’s initials on them. Finally, she pulled a blindfold out of the chest and set it down on the table next to the four pairs of cuffs.
Lindsey stared at the blindfold. It was made of the same midnight blue leather as the cuffs on the outside, but the inside was lined with soft black fur. This blindfold was her one soft limit. Her mountain to conquer. But Lindsey had faced her fears with Camilla so many times now. She felt ready.
“You’re awfully quiet,” Camilla said. “Having second thoughts?”
“No,” Lindsey replied. “I want to do this with you.”
“I promise I’ll take care of you.” Camilla slid her own robe from her shoulders. “And I promise I’ll make this a pleasurable experience.”
She pulled Lindsey close, kissing her with her whole body. The scent of Camilla’s freshly washed skin enveloped her. God, everything about her Mistress was mesmerizing. Her long, dark hair, which flowed down her chest, and the way her nipples peeked out from behind it. Her generous curves, which Lindsey just wanted to drown in. Those full, soft lips that made Lindsey weak every time they touched her skin.
Camilla broke away. Silently, she took Lindsey’s hand and drew her fingers all the way down Lindsey’s arm from her shoulder to her palm. She picked up one of the small cuffs and buckled it around Lindsey’s wrist before doing the same with Lindsey’s other wrist. Then she took Lindsey’s leg and ran her hands down it gently. She straightened out Lindsey’s knee, her fingertips tickling the sensitive skin behind it, and buckled a cuff around her ankle carefully. It was like her Mistress was performing some kind of sacred ritual.
Camilla fastened the last cuff around Lindsey’s ankle and stood up. “Now for the final touch.” She picked up the blindfold and pulled it over Lindsey’s head, adjusting it so it sat covering her eyes.
For a moment, Lindsey wanted to panic. The blackness was so complete. But Camilla’s presence was enough to ground her. And her anxiousness was far overshadowed by her arousal.
Camilla placed a hand on the front of Lindsey’s shoulder. “How does that feel?”
“Good, Mistress,” Lindsey said.
“Here.” Camilla took Lindsey’s hand. “Come with me.”
Camilla led Lindsey in the direction of the bed. Lindsey’s pulse thrummed in her ears. Was Camilla taking her to the cross? Lindsey’s suspicions were confirmed when Camilla nudged her backward, and her shoulder blades hit solid wood.
“Spread your feet apart,” Camilla said.
With the same reverence she’d shown earlier, Camilla trailed her hands down each of Lindsey’s legs and attached the O-ring of each of the cuffs to the cross. Lindsey couldn’t see how she did it, but she heard a metallic click each time. Camilla took Lindsey’s wrist and raised her arm up gently, binding it to the cross, then did the same with her other wrist.
Lindsey’s breath grew heavy. This was the ultimate surrender. To be bound and helpless, unable to move, and touch, and see. But she wanted this. Lindsey wanted to give herself over to Camilla so completely, to trust her Mistress with every part of herself, to give her all to this woman who made her feel so many incredible things she hadn’t even known she was capable of feeling.
Camilla cupped Lindsey’s face and kissed her greedily. Lindsey let out a low murmur. The taste of her Mistress’s lips was better than fine wine, or chocolate covered strawberries, or any of the other indulgent delights that she’d shared with Camilla.
Camilla drew her fingertips down Lindsey’s cheek, down the side of her throat and between her breasts. Her Mistress’s feather-light touch made goosebumps form on Lindsey’s skin. Soon, Camilla’s hands were all over Lindsey’s body, painting invisible lines with the pads of her fingers, sculpting Lindsey’s curves with her palms.
Right then and there, Lindsey forgot all about the blindfold. All her other senses were
overloaded with Camilla. Her touch, her kiss, the scent of her—it flooded every cell in Lindsey’s body with need.
“Oh, you like this, don’t you?” Camilla traced her thumb over Lindsey’s pebbled nipple. “It’s not so scary after all, is it?”
“No, Mistress,” Lindsey said.
Camilla slid her palm down to Lindsey’s mound, skimming her middle finger between Lindsey’s outspread lips with an agonizingly light touch. Lindsey pushed her hips out toward Camilla as far as she could.
“Patience.” Camilla pressed herself against Lindsey. “I’ll give you what you need, but only if you don’t rush me, understand?”
“Yes, Mistress,” Lindsey whispered.
Camilla broke away. Lindsey waited in silence. Then, she felt a puff of heat on the inside of her thigh. Camilla’s breath.
Her Mistress was on her knees.
Lindsey’s lips parted, a gust of air escaping them. Camilla had her tied up and at her mercy, yet she offered Lindsey this small act of submission. It paled in comparison to Lindsey’s submission. But it filled Lindsey with a desire so insatiable that she felt like she was drowning.
Her Mistress kissed her way up Lindsey’s thigh, grabbed onto Lindsey’s ass cheeks, and drew her mouth over Lindsey’s lower lips. Camilla’s lip brushed the side of Lindsey’s clit, drawing a sharp hiss from her. With the blindfold keeping Lindsey in darkness, Camilla’s every touch was unexpected.
“You can come whenever you want,” Camilla said. “I’ll be much too busy to give you permission.” She swept her hand all the way up Lindsey’s leg. “Just enjoy it.”
Before Lindsey could say so much as a “Yes, Mistress,” Camilla’s mouth was between her thighs. She rolled her tongue over Lindsey’s folds, from outside to inside, every stroke getting closer and closer to Lindsey’s aching bud. Lindsey bit her lip, anticipation growing inside her.
