All The Pretty Things

by Magdon, Rae D

  "I know."

  And then there was the press of Tess's mouth on hers, and Robin's lips twitched into a smile. It was a light kiss, finished almost before it started, but it had still happened. "You're brave, you know," said Robin. "That might have been the bravest thing you've ever done."

  "I know." A tenuous thread ran between them, a connection stretching from soul to soul. They breathed together, across bodies and through skin. Tess let out a long, shuddering sigh, her legs no longer supporting her weight, and fell against the arm of the couch. Robin took the space beside her, resting on one of the cushions, a steadying hand pressing into the small of Tess's back, an anchor against the tossing storm of emotions that violently rocked both of them.

  Chapter 29

  Memories returned of Tess's head thrown back against her leather chair, stockings and skirt below her knees, blouse undone. Of the shuddering ripples that overwhelmed both of them, leaving echoes of themselves. Robin's fingers twitched. In that moment, she had not had any idea how much Tess had opened up to her, even then.

  Robin had not been lying when she told Tess that when she saw her, she found her beautiful. When Tess's eyes glowed with the spark of life, the small star inside of her, she was too beautiful for words. Even in her work, which many people found distasteful, she had a desire to hear, to share and understand, to help other people.

  "You hurt me very badly when you told me to leave." Robin waited for the echo of her words to settle. She wanted to take Tess's hand, but kept the touch confined to her lower back, unwilling to move in case Tess remembered that skin was touching skin and bristled away from the contact. She used her words to touch instead. "You hurt me, but I'm not leaving again. I know better now."

  Tess continued looking away from her, towards the front door, considering whether to run through it. She hid her eyes, but Robin had expected that and it made no difference. At least she was listening, which was more than Robin had hoped for when she first barged in to Tess's apartment.

  Slowly, Tess's head turned, fingers closing tightly around Robin's hand in the caress that she had not known she was waiting for. Time seemed frozen, the seconds stopped. Robin's mouth found Tess's, hungry and begging for the press of her tongue, needing the reassurance that this – that they – existed in the real world and not just in the nebulous, floating world of dreams and emotions in between. Neither of them planned or expected it, but they accepted each other, opening themselves willingly to pleasure.

  Robin left Tess's mouth, moving to unbutton her shirt. She touched her gently at first, but soon her hands were woven in silky blonde strands and her teeth were grazing the column of Tess's slender, curved throat, hands pushing the wings of her blouse over her shoulders and smoothing away the straps of her bra. A pink flush had spread across Tess's skin, starting at her shoulders and creeping down to the tops of her breasts.

  "If you do this, there's no going back," Robin warned her. Tess understood what she meant. If she allowed Robin's touch, which reached so deep inside her that it brushed the edge of her heart, and touched her in return, it would not be about feverish attraction and need. It was something more.

  "I know."

  "I want everything."

  Tess was frightened. She wasn't sure if she wanted to give everything, or even if she had everything to give, but if she did... if she did, Tess knew there was no safer keeper for her heart than Robin.

  "We need to choose a safe word, okay?"

  The skillful fingers teasing her, just missing the spots where Tess needed them, made it difficult to answer. "W-what?"

  "Pick a safe word, sweetheart." Tess looked at her in hazy, lust-filled confusion. Robin broke out of her role for just one moment, smiling and offering a little reassurance. "Just don't choose the same one you used with Samantha, unless you think you'll forget."

  Tess knew which one to pick almost immediately. "Bill of Rights," she said as another pulse of wetness flooded over Robin's hand.

  Robin was prepared to ignore the fact that Tess had chosen a series of three words instead of one, and that her selection was incredibly dorky, but she couldn't let the politician get away with her other mistake. "Excuse me? Aren't you forgetting something?" she asked, fixing Tess with a stare. "How are you supposed to address me?"

  "Bill of Rights, Ma'am."

  "That's better. If you forget again, you will be punished, and it will not be a paddling or a spanking, because I happen to know you like those, thanks to a very reliable source. They are rewards."

  Robin took one last, deep breath. She could do this.

  Tess wanted this.

  Tess did not think she was bad or evil.

  This was good. Right.

  Between two people that wanted it, sex like this could be beautiful.

  Beautiful. Tess was beautiful. She would be even more beautiful on her knees, her head dipping between Robin's legs, her tongue buried deep inside...

  "Kneel for me."

  Even though she knew it was coming, even though she expected it, the sight of Tess actually kneeling for her made Robin's head spin. Her inner muscles twitched with soft pulses that usually heralded a strong climax. When she did reach that point, it was going to be beyond explosive.

  "Unbutton my jeans," Robin said in a low, rumbling purr. Even though she was playing the submissive role in this game, Tess kept her eyes turned up as she slid the button through its loop and pulled down the zipper, staring into Robin's face with an expression that made her heart stutter. Love. Adoration. Absolute trust. "Now, pull them off. Underwear, too. You're going to earn your reward from me."

  Tess could not hold back a sharp intake of breath when Robin lifted her hips and allowed her to pull off her jeans and bikini cut underwear, revealing the lower half of a toned stomach, two lean thighs covered in delicious olive toned skin, and a small, trimmed patch of curls that Tess was unable to tear her eyes away from. She chewed on the inside of her lip, wanting.

  "Do you see something you would like to have?" Robin asked, noticing where her new lover was staring. Tess's eyes burned. Without a hint of indecision or hesitation, she fisted the soft locks of Tess's blonde hair and pulled her closer.

  "Yes, ma'am. Please let me –"

  Robin stared down at her with a smoldering expression, eyes half-lidded. "Let you what, sweetheart?"

  "Please let me taste you. I've wanted to ever since the first time..."

  Not caring that Tess had forgotten to address her properly, Robin pulled her head forward, tipping her chin back in ecstasy as the hot little tongue that tore through arguments and inflated egos like a knife worked frantically against her folds. Her knees flexed, falling open even wider as her fingers curled tighter in Tess's hair. For a moment, she considered loosening her grip, but only for a moment. She had a feeling that Tess didn't want her to be gentle.

  Deciding that she wanted to watch, she forced her eyes back open and looked down. Tess Daubney was a walking wet dream on most days, but on her knees, with her head between Robin's legs, she was even more breathtakingly beautiful. Tess whimpered softly against Robin's wetness as the agent slipped one long leg over her shoulder, opening herself further. Below the patch of curls, Robin's lips were completely hairless, and her wetness made them incredibly smooth. The smell, the flavor, it was better than anything she had ever tasted, sweeter than anything she could imagine. Even though she made her living with words, her brain could only come up with one that came close to describing the experience: Intoxicating. She flattened her tongue, sweeping upwards with a broad, sure stroke before pausing to flick the hard bundle at the top.

  Robin's knees shook and she clutched Tess's hair tighter, trying to steady herself. She couldn't forget who was supposed to be leading this dance. "Mm. That feels so good, baby. Keep... doing... that... but slow. Take your time."

  And Tess really did try, so Robin did not complain when, after only a few moments of slow, gentle nibbling to puffy outer lips, the politician forgot herself and started teasing
Robin's entrance, thrusting her tongue completely inside. Robin felt Tess moan against her, and suddenly realized that her lover was taking real, physical pleasure from this, just from the act of giving. That sent her into a tailspin and she growled, flexing her fingers until the blood drained from her knuckles, her inner muscles tightening painfully with sharp, violent contractions before releasing in a blaze of liquid fire. Hearing Tess's appreciative gasp at the fresh flood of wetness only made her come harder. Her hips were bucking, riding her lover's face, completely beyond control.

  When the feel of Tess's tongue against her became too much, Robin gently tugged her mouth away. A small whimper of protest and need broke in Tess's throat, and Robin gazed down at her fondly. "Too sensitive. No more," she panted, trying to catch her breath. The sight of Tess on her knees, lips and chin covered in shimmering glaze, still wearing those damn glasses, it almost made Robin let her go another round. "That was – wonderful. But I think you're feeling a little needy, too, hmm?"

  The twin spots of pink that burned at both points of Tess's cheeks gave her away. "Yes, ma'am..."

  Robin felt her strength returning, as well as her desire to completely and thoroughly possess the woman before her. For the first time, she was at peace with her decision and did not question her desires. "All right. Get up. Take my jeans and underwear with you, and put them in the hamper in your bedroom. Then, I want you to lie on your bed, face up, arms stretched up to the headboard and legs spread. Keep your eyes closed. I'll be there in a few minutes."

  Tess did not need any more encouragement.

  Chapter 30

  When she walked into her room, Tess immediately saw that the bed, which she had remade meticulously that morning, was not as she had left it. There was something on top of her mattress. Tess gasped, her eyes widening as she stared at the pair of serviceable black wrist restraints draped beneath her pillow. The cuffs were padded, and a chain stretched between them.

  Part of her knew that she should feel irritated with Robin for going into her bedroom without permission, but the gesture tugged at her heartstrings, and she couldn't find it in herself to be mad. All of this was for her? Tess felt tears stinging at her eyes. Why was Robin trying so hard to please her? Why was she agreeing to play her game? Was Robin doing it because she loved her that much, or because this was something she needed for herself, too? Could it be both? She hoped so.

  Remembering her instructions, Tess dropped Robin's clothes into the laundry basket. Stripping out of her panties, the only remaining part of her outfit, she realized that the rest of her clothes were still in the living room. For the first time in her life, Tess decided not to worry that they might get a little wrinkled from a night on the floor. She crept over to the bed on trembling, naked legs, bare toes curling in the shag carpet. A shiver ran down the middle of her back, and she exhaled slowly through her nose. Robin had said face up, eyes closed, legs spread and hands reaching for the headboard. Was she planning to use the cuffs? Anything else? How far would her new lover be comfortable taking her? Even though Tess knew that she had the real control in this scene – she could stop it at any time – Robin also held a surprising amount of power. It was her comfort levels that would dictate most of the next few hours.

  Tess honestly did not care at this point. Although her complicated desires resonated strongly within her core, she would be satisfied – no, ecstatic – just to make love with Robin normally tonight, any way the she would allow. It would be enough. More than enough.

  But there was still that craving.

  She was thrilled that Robin seemed willing to explore this side of her, a side she had never truly understood, even hated and feared on her worst days. Later, Tess thought. Later, she would ask why. She would ask Robin whether she was doing this to please herself, or only to soothe Tess's needs.

  Remembering her instructions, Tess climbed onto the mattress, which dipped under her slight weight, and rolled onto her back. She stretched the muscles in her shoulders and reached for the headboard with both hands before settling down in a comfortable position. One of her wrists nudged the cuffs waiting beside the pillows, and she trembled despite herself.

  Finally, Tess closed her eyes, swallowed, and spread her legs.

  The waiting was torturous. Her own breathing seemed loud and harsh in her ears, and her skin was burning even though it was cold. She knew that Robin was making her wait on purpose, drawing out the anticipation, but the memory of her new lover's taste had Tess too keyed up to appreciate it.

  She flinched and almost opened her eyes when the bedroom door clicked open, but managed to keep them shut. Tess didn't think that Robin would deny her if she accidentally deviated from her instructions, but she didn't want to take the risk. Not being with Robin was... unthinkable. The first time, it had taken every ounce of willpower she possessed to tell Robin to leave her office, both of them still only half-dressed, disheveled from their frantic mistake. This time, she knew she would not survive if Robin left again.

  "Mmm." Robin's low hum of approval made the muscles in Tess's legs flex and the tips of her breasts harden against the cold air. She desperately wanted to see Robin's face, but resisted the temptation to peek. "You look absolutely gorgeous, spread out on your bed and waiting for me."

  Tess wanted to speak, but wasn't sure if it was allowed. So far, Robin had seemed to enjoy hearing her voice. Controlling her actions was enough. "Thank you, ma'am," she whispered at the woman she could not see. "It's beautiful... just, thank you." No one had ever cared enough to make cheesy, over-the-top romantic gestures for her before, although she knew that not everyone would consider a pair of restraints on the bed romantic.

  "You're beautiful."

  Tess had heard those words before. They were nothing new to her. However, the way that Robin said them was completely different. She was speaking about Tess's soul as well as her body, and the compliment was breathless and completely genuine. The politician gasped as a warm palm stroked her arm, fingertips trailing over her shoulder and between her breasts, barely grazing her skin. The gentle, hesitant exploration was a marked contrast to the role that Robin had assumed at the beginning of their game. For a moment, Tess wondered what she was thinking.

  "I've never done this before, officially," Robin admitted, rubbing the pad of her thumb over one of Tess's inner wrists, circling it with her fingers, stimulating impossibly soft flesh. "I always just sort of took the more dominant role without being asked. But I have a feeling I'm going to enjoy myself. Thoroughly." Robin emphasized the statement with a sharp pinch to Tess's left nipple, which she was not expecting. She arched into the touch, her breath hitching.

  Well, for a first-time dominant, Robin was doing just about everything right. The wetness pooling between Tess's legs was proof of that. Maybe it had to do with her job, or maybe it was natural instinct, but either way, Tess decided that she didn't care. Robin's hands splayed just under her breasts, spreading over her rib cage and sliding down, learning her curves. Having her eyes closed only heightened the sensations of touch, and she sighed as her lover's hands finally slid back up to cup her breasts, testing their weight.

  Tess felt the mattress dip again as Robin climbed onto the bed beside her, warm breath whispering beside her cheek as she kissed the soft place behind Tess's ear. Painting a trail of kisses down her throat, Robin decided that she needed to leave her mark. Even though Tess would probably cover them with makeup later, the thought that she had marked this woman as hers – hers to touch, hers to kiss, hers to possess – sent her spinning further and further into delirium.

  "You're being so good, pet," she cooed, pleased to notice that Tess had not lowered her arms even though her shoulders were straining with the effort to keep still. In a way, it was arousing to watch Tess try and control her reactions, offering herself up like a gift, but Robin had other plans. That talented mouth had definitely earned a reward back in the living room. Reaching for the restraints, which she had deliberately left lying out so that Tess would
notice them, the agent dangled them from one finger. "Maybe these will help."

  Tess couldn't hide the hitch in her breath. The threat of being bound, completely helpless underneath Robin's touch, sent her arousal skyrocketing to almost painful levels. She held perfectly still, waiting for her lover to say something, to show her what to do.

  "Give me your hands, Mine."

  Obediently, Tess offered Robin her hands. Robin brushed a kiss across the knuckles of her right fist before encircling Tess's wrist, stroking the underside of her arm and pressing her lips against the place where her pulse beat. Slowly, she kissed a trail from Tess's palm to her inner elbow, taking her time, drawing it out. She felt her new lover squirm beneath her and snapped one of the restraints around Tess's wrist. Their fingers linked for a second, and Robin's lips curled up in a smile as she thought about all the wonderful things she could do once Tess's arms were immobilized.

  "Good girl." Robin could feel Tess shiver against her at those words, and she reached for the Tess's other wrist. "Raise your arms." Tess did as she was told, raising her arms until they were stretched up towards the headboard again. Threading the chain through one of the slats, Robin closed the other side around Tess's left wrist, leaving her trapped. Instinctively, Tess began testing the range of motion, moving her shoulders to see how much slack she had to work with. Robin pinched her thigh, immediately refocusing her attention. "Hold still. This is my time to play with you."

  Looking as excited as a child with a new toy, Robin took in the beautiful sight of the woman before her. So much pale skin to caress and mark, such smooth curves, and so many soft, sensitive places to discover. Her hands went to work, running up along Tess's torso and circling her breasts, careful to avoid the stiff nipples that were pleading for attention. She rubbed Tess's shoulders, feeling the strain in them as she kept her hands above her head, and traced along the groove of each rib.