The Tie That Binds

by Maura, Catharina

  “You okay?” she asks, concerned. “Yes, it’s nothing. Just forgot to plan in a meeting. The boss will kill me if I don’t do it ASAP,” I blurt out randomly. She nods at me in understanding and gets back to work.

  All I do for the rest of the day is count down the minutes until Daniel and I are finally alone again in the privacy of our home.

  32

  I jump up from the sofa self-consciously when the lift doors open and wrap my arms around myself. I’m wearing a revealing silk negligee that made me feel sexy when I put it on, but now it just makes me feel shy and nervous.

  Daniel walks in looking exhausted and freezes when he sees me. “Wow,” he whispers as he drops his briefcase to the floor. He stares at me with such intensity that I blush fiercely. He grins and walks up to me. As soon as he’s close enough he pulls me to him and lowers his lips to mine. He kisses me eagerly and buries his hands in my hair. I moan and tug on his tie, loosening it before I pull it off entirely. Daniel takes it from me and throws it on the floor.

  “You can’t be trusted with ties,” he whispers, and I look away shyly. I must’ve lost my mind when I tied him up the way I did.

  Daniel kisses me like he can’t get enough of me and runs his hands over my body. “This.. is this for me?” he asks, his eyes wide. I glance down at my outfit and grin. “Who else could it be for?” I whisper. I tug on his jacket and he shrugs out of, his lips back on mine as soon as he’s out of it. He groans when I pull away and push him against the wall. He looks down at me with heated eyes as I slowly unbutton his shirt.

  “I need you,” I tell him. “Those messages you sent me today.. did you mean it?”

  He tugs a strand of my hair behind my ear and cups my cheek. “About wanting you? Yes, I meant every word.”

  I smile. “Good,” I whisper as I push his shirt off his shoulders. Daniel shrugs out of it and lifts me into his arms. I wrap my legs around his waist as he kisses me and starts walking towards his bedroom. The way he kisses me is so passionate that my entire body feels sensitive. I’m aching with need.

  I almost sigh in relief when he finally places me on the bed. I rise to my knees and undo his belt and zipper. He grins down at me and helps me get it off. Before long he’s standing in front of me wearing only his boxer shorts.

  Before I have a chance to pull it down he gets into bed with me and rolls on top of me, kissing me gently. He cups my face and runs his thumb over my lips.

  “Alyssa, I can’t believe you’re really lying here with me,” he whispers. “You’re so fucking beautiful.”

  He leans in and kisses me so gently, so tenderly, that my heart aches. My eyes shutter closed and I wrap my arms around his neck, wanting him closer. He pulls away a little and kisses my forehead, and then my cheeks, my nose and finally my lips. I moan as his tongue brushes against my lips.

  I tug on his boxer shorts and he smiles against my lips before finally giving in and taking it off. He plays with the hem of my negligee and pushes it up. “You’re breathtaking in this, but I want you naked.” I nod and lift my hips to help him take it off. It falls to the floor as Daniel’s fingers close around my panties. He pulls it off and drops it on top of my discarded negligee.

  “I’ve waited far longer to have you than you can imagine,” he whispers. Daniel tangles his hands into my hair and rolls on top of me, his lips hovering over mine as though he’s hesitating. I cup his head and pull him closer, pressing my lips against his. He sighs and kisses me tenderly, like I’m breakable. I spread my legs and shift underneath him so he presses up against me and deepen the kiss.

  Daniel tangles his tongue with mine and slowly moves his hips, up and down, sliding against my wet heat. He angles himself so he’s aligned with my entrance but doesn’t push in. Instead he just keeps teasing me, sliding against my clit every time he moves.

  “You’re so wet,” he whispers. He pulls back a little and lifts himself onto his forearms so he can look down at me. “So beautiful, Alyssa. I can’t get enough of you.”

  He kisses me again, gently and slowly, taking his time. When he pulls back his eyes are filled with emotions I don’t recognise. He’s never looked at me like this before and my heart goes into overdrive. I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him in for a kiss.

  “I want you, Alyssa.”

  I nod and push my hips up so he slides into me slightly deeper. His lips fall open and he moans. His entire body tenses and he drops his forehead against mine.

  “Fucking hell, Alyssa,” he whispers, pulling back out of me a little. “No,” I whimper. “I need you, Daniel. Please. I can’t wait anymore,” I plead.

  He kisses me and then tangles one hand in my hair while he cups my cheek with the other. “Are you sure you want this, baby?” he asks. I roll my hips up and Daniel’s eyes fall closed, a soft whimper escaping his lips. “Yes, Daniel. I want you,” I whisper.

  He fumbles around for a condom and I grab his hand. “When’s the last time you got tested?” I ask, my voice quivering. He freezes and looks at me, bewildered. “I’ve never fucked anyone without a condom, Lyss. Not even once. I had my annual checkup a couple of weeks before we got married. I’m clean. I.. I didn’t know you were worried about it. I’m sorry, I should’ve told you.”

  I blush and shake my head. “I wasn’t worried, Dan. It’s just.. I’m on the pill,” I whisper. “I’ve been on it for years to regulate my periods.”

  Daniel looks at me with wide eyes. “I— you.. are you saying you want me bare?” he asks, his eyes darkening with desire. I bite down on my lip and look away shyly. “Yeah,” I whisper. I’m embarrassed and turn my head away, suddenly feeling shy.

  Daniel grins and leans in for a kiss. “Look at me, baby,” he whispers. I tilt my head and look into his eyes. He’s looking at me so lovingly that my heart feels ready to burst. It’s like I’m all he can see, all he’ll ever want or need.

  He pushes into me slightly and my lips fall open. He’s thick and he’s stretching me out more than I’ve ever been. I push down a sliver of panic. Should I have told him?

  “You’re so tight, baby. Damn. Is this okay?” he whispers. I nod and scrape my nails over his back. He pushes in deeper, slowly. “Fuck. So tight,” he groans. He pulls back out and then pushes into me all the way, fast and hard. I cry out in pain while Daniel cries out in pleasure.

  “Shit, are you okay, Lyss?” he asks, panicked. I nod as a tear escapes my eyes. “Fuck, baby. What’s wrong?” I pull him closer to me and kiss him. “It’s nothing. It just hurt more than I expected,” I whisper.

  Daniel looks concerned and I shake my head. “It’s nothing, Dan. Just kiss me for a little while, just a few minutes. Let me get used to your size.”

  My muscles involuntarily contract around him and he moans, his forehead dropping against mine. “I could come just like this,” he whispers. I giggle and wrap my arms around him. He leans on one elbow and cups my face with his free hand.

  “I.. did I hurt you? You’re definitely wet enough, I don’t understand. Should I pull out?” he asks, his voice soft. I shake my head and caress his face, trailing a path from his forehead down his nose and lips with the tip of my finger.

  “Dan, it’s okay. The first time is meant to hurt. It’ll be okay soon enough,” I whisper. His concern makes way for shock and then panic. He moves to pull out of me but I tangle my legs with his.

  “Please,” I whisper, my eyes filling with tears. “I promise I’ll be okay soon, please don’t just stop,” I plead. I sniff as a tear runs down my cheek. “Next time will be better, I promise. I’m sorry,” I whisper.

  Daniel looks at me, heartbroken. He wipes my tears away with his thumb and kisses me so tenderly that even more tears end up falling down my cheeks.

  “Alyssa, my love, don’t cry. Please.. You’re breaking my heart, baby.”

  He kisses every tear away and cups my face gently. I look up at him, distressed. “I just.. I just wanted it to be perfect. I’ve wanted this for so long, and I— now I.. I ruin
ed it.“

  Daniel leans in and kisses me, over and over again until I relax again and my tears subside. He pulls away and smiles at me. “I’m still rock hard. I’m still inside you. How is anything ruined, beautiful? We haven’t even gotten started yet and this is already the best sex I’ve ever had. You feel amazing, Lyss. So wet for me, so tight. This is absolutely perfect, my gorgeous wife. So much better than I ever could’ve dreamed.”

  He pulls back slightly and pushes back in, moving little by little. It doesn’t hurt anymore, but it also doesn’t feel as good as I thought it would. It’s tight and a bit uncomfortable.

  He kisses me as he slowly moves in and out of me. His lips caress mine so gently that I’m filled with tenderness. “Daniel,” I whisper. He leans back a little to look at me. He looks tense and turned on, and it’s the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.

  “You don’t need to hold back,” I whisper, worried that it doesn’t feel good for him. He closes his eyes and bites down on his lip.

  “Baby, I’ve been ready to burst from the moment I sank into you. I’m not holding back, I’m just trying my best to make sure your first time lasts more than a couple of thrust, but fuck. I’ve wanted you for so long and so badly..”

  I laugh and rake my nails over his scalp. I pull him towards me and kiss him deeply. He moans against my lips and picks up the pace. He leans back a little to look into my eyes and then thrusts hard. “Alyssa, my love.. I can’t.. I’m gonna come, baby,” he grunts.

  I nod and tilt my hips up to meet his frantic thrusts. “Yes.. Fuck yes, Alyssa,” he moans. His entire body tenses and he closes his eyes as he collapses on top of me.

  Well, damn. That’s gotta be the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.

  “Sorry, I must be heavy,” he whispers. I shake my head and hug him tighter. He slowly softens inside me, the sensation novel to me. After a couple of minutes he slips out of me and presses a quick kiss to my lips.

  “Stay here, babe.”

  He comes back a minute later with a wet wipe in his hands and lifts the sheets. I gasp in horror when I look down and clutch the blankets, trying my best to cover myself with them again. My thighs are stained with what looks like a mixture of sperm and blood. I’m sure there’s not actually that much blood but it looks horrific.

  Daniel kneels down in front of me and brushes my hair behind my ear. “Let me, my love. It would mean the world to me if you’d let me take care of you now,” he whispers. I bite down on my lip and nod, releasing my death grip on the covers. Daniel tugs it away gently and spreads my knees. He looks at me so intently that I can’t help but look away. “Daniel, it’s embarrassing,” I whisper.

  He shakes his head and carefully wipes my thighs, cleaning me up delicately. “It’s not, Lyss. It’s fucking beautiful,” he says, genuinely sounding like he’s in awe. I glance at him and he’s looking at me so adoringly that I blush, a smile tugging at my lips.

  “Come on, baby.” He grabs me and lifts me into his arms. “I’m running you a bath. That’ll make you feel better for sure.”

  33

  “Ugh, I just knew you’d be unbearable once you started dating. I’d rather have the ice queen back instead of this giddy giggly mess,” Luke mutters, his eyes roaming over me disapprovingly. Usually I would’ve glared at him, but today I grin and blow him a kiss. He shudders and looks away, much to my amusement.

  After spending ten minutes coming up with an excuse I finally walk to Daniel’s office with a document he needs to sign. He looks up and smiles at me as I walk towards him. I’m eager to be in his arms again. He hugs me and I relax in his arms. He’s been at Devereaux Inc every morning, and the office just isn’t the same without him. I rise to my tiptoes and press a kiss to his lips. Daniel smiles and kisses me back gently and slowly.

  “How’re you feeling?” he whispers.

  My cheeks burn. “Fine, just a bit sore.”

  Daniel drops his forehead to mine and sighs. “I’m sorry, Lyss. I didn’t know. I wish you’d told me you were a virgin. I would’ve gone easier on you. Maybe stretching you out first would’ve helped.”

  My embarrassment increases and I shake my head. “It was fine,” I murmur. And it was. It hurt at first and it felt uncomfortable for a while, but towards the end it was alright. I struggled to get used to his size, but I’m sure it’ll be fine over time.

  Daniel pulls away from me and shakes his head. “Maybe we shouldn’t have,” he whispers, and my heart drops. “Why did you wait to lose your virginity? Were you saving it?”

  I panic internally. The truth is that I thought I was in love with Dominic, and throughout the years no one managed to convince me otherwise. Even when I dated, my heart wasn’t really in it, so none of my relationships went any further than second base.

  “I wasn’t saving it, per se. I just.. it just never happened.”

  Daniel stares at me thoughtfully, a hint of agony flashing through his eyes briefly. “Hmm, I see,” he says. He takes a step away from me and I miss him instantly. “You’ll be sore for a while,” he whispers. He looks torn and regretful, and I don’t know what to make of his reaction.

  “It’s fine. I’ll be fine. I’m okay. I’m sure it’ll be better next time.”

  He nods at me but looks uncomfortable, which in turn only makes me feel more awkward. I take a step closer to him and wrap my arms around him. I push my breasts up against him and drag his head down towards me. I kiss him and relax against him when he kisses me back, passionately this time. A small moan escapes my lips and I feel him harden against my stomach. I slide my hand down his chest until I’m cupping his hardness, but he jumps back. I freeze while Daniel looks at me with wide eyes.

  What just happened? “Ah, we’re at the office, Lyss,” he murmurs. I glance at the desk behind him. The same one he lifted me onto before he buried his face between my thighs. The same one he said he wanted to bend me over.

  “Uh, yeah,” I whisper. I clear my throat and hand him the document I wanted him to sign, both of us suddenly stiff and awkward. I can’t help but feel like something is wrong as I walk back to my cubicle, but I can’t figure out what it is.

  34

  By the time I walk into the apartment Daniel is already sprawled on the sofa surrounded by documents, his glasses on the tip of his nose. He got home before I did for a change.

  I rush into our bedroom to take a quick shower and change. I bought a new nightgown that I can’t wait to see his reaction to. Daniel has been distant and awkward all day, but I’m hoping that was just because he doesn’t know how to behave around me at work now.

  He looks up when I walk in and his eyes roam over my body appreciatively. My new nightgown is mostly sheer with some lace covering my privates, and it’s obvious Daniel can’t get enough of the sight I’m presenting him with. “Hey, Lyss,” he murmurs, his eyes shifting back and forth between my face and my breasts.

  He clears the space next to him and hands me a takeout box awkwardly. “Got some Chinese on the way home,” he says. He tries to focus on his paperwork but keeps glancing at me with heated eyes. I grin to myself and take a bite of my stir fry as I start scrolling through our list of favourited movies. Eventually I settle on The Lord of the Rings and Daniel grins at me when I click play. I belatedly realise it’s his favourite movie. He always teases me for being a nerd for loving Star Wars, but he’s even worse with his Lord of the Rings obsession. Daniel leans in and presses a quick soft kiss on my cheek as the movie starts, putting my heart at ease. Thank god he isn’t being awkward at home. I’m not sure what I would’ve done.

  I settle against him comfortably as he works and I eat, the two of us content with our regular routine. It’s not until halfway through the movie that I’m starting to feel needy. I glance at him and gently tug his documents out of his hands before climbing onto his lap. He hardens against my butt instantly and I bite down on my lip to hide my smile.

  Daniel throws his arms around me and kisses the top of my head. “Hey, I was working,” h
e whispers, trying his best to sound annoyed and failing miserably. The cute smile that tugs at his lips gives him away. “Hmm, I know,” I acknowledge. “But I feel neglected. Give me ten minutes of your time and I’ll let you get back to work.”

  Daniel laughs and stretches out his legs, shifting us both into a more comfortable position. He spoons me and I sigh in delight when he starts to kiss my neck, trailing a path from my ear to my shoulder and back. I turn around and bury my hand in his hair to pull his lips against mine. He kisses me back eagerly and before long I’m panting, already wanting more. I hook my leg around his to get him where I want him and he moans against my lips. Daniel rolls on top of me and grinds against me.

  “Daniel,” I moan. He pushes himself up to look at me and I blush. I’m sure I’m a disheveled mess. “This thing you’re wearing.. it’s torture,” he whispers. He leans in and sucks on my nipple through the lace that covers it. I arch my back and moan. My entire body feels sensitive.

  Daniel smiles and moves his lips to my other nipple, sucking on it eagerly. I buck my hips against his and scrape my nails over his back before sliding my palm down his abs. He freezes when my fingers grasp at his erection and pulls away, out of reach.

  “Your ten minutes are up,” he murmurs, sitting up. I stare at him in disbelief. “You’re kidding, right?”

  Daniel shakes his head and stands up to move away. I grab his hand and try to pull him back to me, but he won’t have it. “Dan.. you can’t leave me like this,” I whisper, my voice husky. He glances at me and shakes his head.

  “Lyss, I’m sorry. I’ve got a video call with Liam Evans in a couple of minutes.”

  He makes his way to his home office and I sigh in relief. At least he’s got a genuine excuse. For a second I thought he just didn’t want to take things further.

  I hesitate for only a couple of minutes before I follow him into his office. He looks up in surprise when the door opens and I grin evilly.