No Safeword: Matte - Happily Ever After (Safewords)

by Candace Blevins

  Karen stripped out of her travel clothes down to a sports bra and bike shorts, and pulled a t-shirt on over them.

  “How is Cassie holding up? I wish they weren’t going to make her testify at the trial.”

  Sam shook her head. “It isn’t so much her testifying that bothers me. I mean, our nation was set up on the principal of being able to face your accuser. But, the founding fathers had no way of forecasting what television and the internet would do to the process. It’s become a damned circus and I have no idea how Cassie is going to survive.”

  “How did she handle the other guy going free, with no jail time?”

  Sam shrugged. “Both he and Clemente testified the same basic thing, and no one could make their story fall apart. Clemente supposedly told him they were helping her with a rape fantasy, and he didn’t know she hadn’t agreed to it ahead of time. I have my doubts, as does Cass, but there’s no way to prove it.”

  “Is she okay with it, or did it just add insult to injury?”

  “The latter, but there isn’t really anything we can do, so she’s kind of resigned to it.” Sam shrugged, trying to stay matter-of-fact and not get pissed all over again. “It helps that she isn’t positive whether he knew or not, but…it was still a slap in the face.”

  More than ready to change the conversation, Sam asked, “How’s the training coming for your title fight next month?”

  Karen rolled her eyes and smiled. “You’re a bitch to win the title and fucking retire. I wanted a chance to win it back from you!”

  Sam laughed. “I have no interest in making a career out of it. You know you and Ethan are going to be fighting the same night, right? So I’ll be there to watch you in person.”

  “If you’ll be around, maybe you can spar with me some in the days leading up to the fight? Show me some pointers?”

  Sam smiled. “Sure, since you’re doing so much to help out my charity, it’s the least I can do.”

  * * * *

  As Sam collapsed onto the hotel bed that night, Ethan smirked and asked, “Still intent on running for a state senate seat?”

  “So far most of my charity stuff has been weekends, so it hasn’t interfered too much with work. The other partners are prepared for me to be off some to campaign though, so maybe it won’t be too crazy?” She shook her head and added, “I still can’t believe Tyler’s boss managed to get me one of the top campaign managers in the country. The dude has already brought in so many contributions, it’s a little scary. I keep reminding everyone they can’t buy votes on future legislation, but it just seems to make them want to donate even more!”

  Ethan shrugged. “I’d vote for you even if I didn’t know you. You’re an attorney who isn’t afraid to step into a cage with a male fighter, and you’re well known for funding already established women and children’s shelters around the country, not to mention teaching self-defense skills to women all over the place. With your platforms of gun rights, cracking down on violence against women and children, and bringing Tennessee’s schools up to par with the rest of the world, it almost feels like a slam-dunk.”

  Sam sat up and raised her gaze to meet her husband’s. “Our lives have changed so much in the two years we’ve been married. Are you still happy? Do you want me to back off on some of what I’m doing?”

  Ethan shook his head. “Not a chance. I love who you are, and I adore how you support me in whatever I decide to do. You know I’ll always be here for you, too. I believe in you, and in all of your crazy causes. I’m with you through thick and thin, in sickness and in health, and even through pro-fighting, charities, and politics.

  He sat on the bed and drew her into his arms. “You’re pretty much stuck with me.”

  Sam relaxed into him, enjoying the safety and comfort of her caveman’s arms. “I love you so much, and I can’t imagine being stuck with anyone else.” She leaned back and looked up at him. “I know we have to be relatively quiet, but since we’re in a suite, maybe I could get a spanking tonight? You know, to help me chill out and fall asleep?”

  He rubbed her back and kissed her forehead. “Oh, you’re going to get more than a spanking before the night is over, but we’re going to soak in the Jacuzzi out on the deck, first.”

  The End

  Coming October 24, 2014

  No Safeword: Arabesque

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Frisco and Cassie’s story.

  ABOUT CANDACE BLEVINS

  Candace Blevins is a southern girl who loves to travel the world.

  She lives with her husband of 16 years and their two daughters. When not working or driving kids all over the place she can be found reading, writing, meditating, or swimming.

  Candace writes romance books about strong women who happen to be submissive, and in some cases have some pretty extreme kinks. Relationships can be difficult enough without throwing power exchange into the mix, and her books show characters who care enough about each other to fight to make the relationship work.

  You can visit her on the web at candaceblevins.com and feel free to friend her on Facebook at facebook.com/candacesblevins and Goodreads goodreads.com/CandaceBlevins.

  If you enjoyed No Safeword: Matte – Happily Ever After, you might also enjoy:

  Safeword: Rainbow

  Safeword: Davenport

  Safewords: Davenport and Chiffon

  Safeword: Matte

  Safeword: Quinacridone

  Safeword: Matte – In Training

  No Safeword: Matte – The Honeymoon

  Safeword: Arabesque (October 24, 2014)

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Safeword: Arabesque

  Safeword: Arabesque

  By Candace Blevins

  Chapter Four

  Frisco was momentarily speechless.

  He didn’t play power games with women.

  He treasured them and put them on a pedestal, and he had no idea what to do with a woman on her knees before him.

  However, he knew what to do with a submissive, and right now he needed to see her as one. She’d really put herself out there and if he rejected her submission she may never recover emotionally.

  He leaned forward and she looked up, and when their gazes met Frisco wanted to swear and stomp away. But he couldn’t.

  Instead, he touched her cheek and said, “You’re beautiful on your knees. You look as if you’re comfortable. As if you want to be there?”

  Cassie nodded and he pulled her up and embraced her. She looked so small and so nervous, he couldn’t leave her on the ground for their talk.

  “We’ll get you back on your knees, but let’s talk a little, first.”

  He moved to a bench and had her sit next to him, with them both turned so they faced each other.

  “Do you want me to explain this to you with words, or show you? Ethan offered us the playroom downstairs.”

  “What’s in the playroom?”

  Frisco laughed. “I have no idea. I picked up on the fact they were kinky, but I’m not privy to any of the details. It may have a bed and some paddles, or it might have all kinds of scary stuff.”

  Frisco figured the latter was more likely, from what he’d heard of Ethan.

  Cassie seemed to think it over before saying, “I’d like to see the playroom, and talk about some of it, and then maybe you can show me?”

  “Okay, but let’s talk just a little before we go down, okay?”

  She nodded, and looked so damned submissive. Shit. He wanted to wring Sam’s neck for putting him in this position.

  “Okay,” he said, careful to keep his voice even. “Kink should always be consensual. Before I do anything to you I’ll let you know what I plan, and you’ll tell me if it’s okay or not. I know you like blindfolds, and Sam said you liked the idea of the leash?”

  Cassie looked down, embarrassed, but she nodded. He wouldn’t make her look at him and admit it. She probably wasn’t up to telling him her other kinks and turn-ons yet, either.

  The safeword talk should come
next, but he’d never played with a woman where a safeword was necessary and had no intention of starting now.

  “If you don’t want me to do something then tell me to stop, or say no.”

  Frisco had no idea what to do with her, or how far he should go. He refrained from the sigh trying to escape and decided on a few questions.

  He touched her chin and put just a touch of energy behind it. She lifted her face and he smiled. She was a natural.

  Shit. She was a natural.

  Ignoring his inner dialogue for the moment, he asked, “I assume you aren’t a virgin?”

  Cassie laughed and said, “No.” But then thought of something else and added, “Well, I mean, not…” she looked flustered and finally spit out, “I’ve had normal sex, just not the, ummm, back door kind.”

  Frisco smiled and kissed her cheek. “No worries. I only do the back door stuff with men so you’re safe with me.” He leaned back and said, “I don’t know what’ll happen, but if things progress and you aren’t comfortable, or think you may regret doing something, you need to tell me, okay?”

  Cassie nodded and looked as if she had something to say, but was deciding. He sighed and said, “Say it.”

  She looked down and said, “Why do you only do that with guys?”

  “I told you before, I treat men different than I treat women.” He lifted her chin again, and when he had eye contact he said, “Women are to be treasured and protected.”

  She shook her head, ever so slightly, and asked, “But what if I want you to treat me like you were treating Cameron?”

  Frisco didn’t want to get into it, so he only said, “Let’s head downstairs and see what equipment they have, and figure out what we’re doing from there.”

  Chapter Five

  “Sam and Ethan must be really kinky,” Cassie said as she stepped into a room created for torture.

  She recognized the big cross from a few of the online videos she’d watched, and every woman in America knew what the table with stirrups was for.

  Most of the other equipment’s usage was easy to guess, but she walked to a huge, floor-to-ceiling spider web made from rope and chain, and turned to look at Frisco in question.

  “You can tie people onto it in hundreds of ways, in almost any position.”

  Cassie stepped away from it, not sure she was interested in being tied into a spiderweb, and walked to a wall of floggers and whips.

  “We won’t use any of those today.”

  She was both relieved and disappointed, but kept her back to him to ask, “Why not?”

  “Those kinds of things are personal. Ethan is letting us use the equipment, but we’d be abusing their hospitality if we used their toys and tools.”

  She turned to look at him and he continued. “Some things are more generic, like rope and paddles. I know what I’d be comfortable with others using, so…” he shrugged and changed the subject. “Which piece of equipment appeals to you?”

  “Not the spider web.” She shuddered and looked around. “I don’t know. I’ve seen the cross on videos, and I’m not sure about it. I guess it depends on what you’re going to do to me?”

  * * * *

  She wanted the submissive experience, it was time for him to give it to her.

  “Let’s start by seeing how well you can follow orders. Take your clothes off, walk to the mat in the center of the room, and kneel the way Sam showed you.”

  She stood and looked at him, frozen. He counted to ten in his head and said, “You don’t have to do anything I tell you. We can both go upstairs, say goodbye, and continue on as friends from this day forward.”

  He hoped she’d take his offer, but she turned and walked to the bondage table, took her clothes off in stops and starts, turning as she did to try to keep him from seeing her private parts, and then walked to the mat and went into a perfect submissive kneel.

  Of course, she’d situated herself so he viewed her from the side and not the front, but he hadn’t specified which direction she should face.

  He suppressed a grin as he walked to her, and then had to decide what to do with his face as he circled her. The strict Dom expression he used for Cam wouldn’t work, but a lover’s face wasn’t right, either.

  He finally settled on something in between, circled her twice, and went to the wall with the rope.

  Ethan had smooth, inexpensive rope on a huge spool. He apparently went through quite a bit of it. Frisco made a mental note to order some rope and have it delivered here, and he cut off a section long enough to create a body harness and attach a leash to it.

  He created the harness as he would for a man’s chest, and it framed her breasts a little more than he intended. No pressure on them, it wouldn’t hurt, but it just looked…wrong.

  And right.

  He kept his sigh in check as he attached the leash portion to the back and ordered her to hands and knees. He had her crawl to the edge of the mat and then walk to the gynecological table. Yeah, he’d have made Cam crawl on the concrete, but couldn’t bring himself to make her.

  He held the leash up as she reclined, and draped it over her shoulder, onto her chest.

  “Hold onto the rope with both hands.” God, she was so sweet, with those big doe eyes. So trusting, so… shit. He’d have to get through tonight and find someone else to lead her into the lifestyle. Someone who wouldn’t hurt her.

  Damn, could he trust anyone? Everyone he knew in the lifestyle was a fucking sadist, and no way could he turn her over to someone who’d deliver actual pain to this sweet submissive.

  She grasped the rope in her petite, graceful hands, and he added, “You can raise your arms over your head, or rest them on your torso. I don’t care where they are as long as you don’t let go of the rope.”

  “Will I be punished if I do?”

  Her voice was meek, but with an undercurrent. She wanted to be punished but was afraid of it.

  He shook his head. “You’re here because you want to experience it. You’re submitting because you want to. If you choose not to submit, you don’t have to. I’m not forcing you to do anything.”

  “Would you punish Cameron if he let go?”

  Frisco took a breath, leaned over her, and gave a few seconds for a dramatic pause. “You aren’t Cameron. You’re Cassie. You want to know what it feels like to submit? I’ll show you, but we do it by my rules. If you want to make the rules I suggest you go find yourself a submissive.”

  He waited a few beats, and when she gripped the rope even tighter, he stood and moved below her.

  She was trimmed, but not closely shaven. He wondered if this was how she normally kept herself, or if it’d grown out to this.

  He didn’t want to know bad enough to ask just yet, though.

  Submissives had to get used to being touched and handled, so he rested a hand on her stomach and asked, “How does this make you feel?”

  “Open, and vulnerable. A little embarrassed, but not as much as if it were someone else.”

  He smiled, “You’re saying you like being open and vulnerable to me?”

  She nodded, her look so shy and fragile, and for the first time he could see how this might work. Dom’s were responsible for their charges, and he was responsible for her.

  “Okay, let go of the rope and stand.” He offered his hand and helped her off the table.

  He stood her at the Saint Andrew’s cross, had her sit on the seated bondage cross and then the bondage chair, leaned her over two of the spanking benches, and finally took her to the single metal bar, currently placed at waist height.

  “Spread your legs, bend over it, and grab your ankles.”

  He still wasn’t sure what, if anything, they’d do today, but sometimes simple worked better than complicated.

  Her t-shirt was fairly small, so he positioned the shirt as a blindfold and used a nearby zip-tie at the back to secure it. He pulled at it, and was satisfied it was tight enough to stay without pressing on her eyes.

  Hoping he’d find bo
ttled water in the compact refrigerator, he stepped to it as he looked around for other possibilities.

  He found some bowls, and poured some of the cold bottled water into one, put the cap back on the water, and put the bottle in the refrigerator door so he’d know which he used.

  She jerked and jumped when he dripped the first of the water onto her ass, and his cock reacted.

  As hard as he tried to not get turned on, he’d wanted to take sweet little innocent Cassie out for months.

  Too bad she wanted him to treat her as he treated men.

  He walked around her, making sure his sneakers made noise on the floor. Not the same impact as boots, but it would do.

  She jumped at the next drip of water and said, “Please, Sir. You’re torturing me!”

  He couldn’t help his chuckle. She thought this was torture?

  Or, maybe she was trying to tell him something else.

  He needed to stop this “Sir” bullshit before he dealt with anything else, though.

  “I’m not your Sir. You’ll call me Frisco. Understood.”

  She nodded, but he made her say, “Yes, Frisco”, before he said, “Okay, you complain of torture. Can you tell me what you want?

  “Touch me?”

  He put a hand on her hip and she practically growled.

  “No, I mean,” she paused a handful of seconds and said, “touch me.”

  “My hand is on you, Cassie.”

  “I mean, my…” she sighed. “You have me so horny, and you aren’t doing anything about it!”

  Ah. He smiled and said, “You want something in your beautiful pussy? Is that what you’re beating around the bush trying to ask?”

  Her voice was so small, so meek, as she practically squeaked, “Please?”