by Tara Sue Me
“I remember you mentioning it. Innovations in Finance and Banking. Delaware, right?” It didn’t sound interesting to me, but they had invited Nathaniel to be one of the speakers.
“Yes, and I’d like for you to go with me.” He dropped his voice. “As my submissive.”
“How long did you say it was?” I asked, my brain already running through everything that would need to be taken care of: the kids, Apollo, and, now that I was working, what to do about the posts that would be due.
“A week.” He placed his wineglass on the table beside the couch. “And I want you to wear my collar the entire time.”
“A week?” I asked, confused. Where had that come from?
“Yes.”
“But I thought . . . Wouldn’t you . . . Shouldn’t we?” I had so many random thoughts and questions, I couldn’t focus on one long enough to voice it. Why did he want to play for a week? Why bring it up now?
“Let me reassure you, I have no interest in you being a twenty-four/seven submissive. But”—he shrugged—“the idea of you wearing my collar for a week, out of town? It holds a certain appeal.”
Years ago, on our first visit to Paul and Christine’s, I’d mentioned to him I’d like to wear his collar for a week. He’d said then that while he wasn’t opposed to the idea, he felt our relationship was too new for that kind of extended play. Looking back, it had been the right decision. At that time, I hadn’t yet reached the point where I felt I could tell him everything.
Now, though, I had no such problem and he was better at communication, too.
“We never have gone for a week, have we?” I asked. He’d told me when I first brought it up that we’d revisit the idea of weeklong play once he believed our communication to be open enough.
“No, we haven’t. I’m bringing it up now because I think time away from our normal routine is exactly what we need.”
The idea of wearing his collar for a week still held an appeal for me, though it was in a general, vague sort of way. Knowing it could easily become a reality made my pulse quicken.
“I confess, I’m a little apprehensive about it.” I took a sip of my wine. “I’m concerned on how I’ll handle it. My knees are out of practice and I’m used to telling you exactly how I feel anytime I want.”
“Look, Abby, I have to be honest and ask, how’s not wearing my collar most of the time working out for you?” He traced my knee. “Because I have to confess, it’s not working that great for me. I can’t continue to push that side of me away.”
That’s what we had been doing, I realized. We’d been pushing those needs aside. Maybe not intentionally, but there was always so much to do and we both felt the children came first. But that was a dangerous path to walk, to never take care of our own needs.
And I allowed myself to admit, I missed wearing his collar. And the more I thought about it, the more and more wearing it for a week sounded good.
“I don’t want to push our needs aside all the time, either,” I said. “Let’s do it. I’ll wear your collar for a week in Delaware.”
* * *
I spoke to Linda the next day and explained Nathaniel had a conference and wanted me to go with him.
“To be honest,” I told her, “I can’t remember the last time we went away. Just the two of us.”
“I understand, Abby. I remember vividly how crazy and tiring it is with little ones.”
I loved Linda. Though no one could ever replace my mother, Linda always treated me as if I was one of her own. “Do you think you can keep the kids while we’re in Delaware?”
“It won’t be a problem. Matter of fact, if you like, I can just stay at your estate. That way it’ll be easier on them and Apollo,” Linda said, proving again I had the world’s best in-laws.
Note to self: Make sure Nathaniel locks the playroom and hides the key. “That would be wonderful. Thank you.”
“It’ll be a joy to keep them. Though I always thought your first trip away together after Henry’s birth would be to your chalet. Not Delaware.”
I laughed. I couldn’t help but smile at the mention of the wedding present Nathaniel had given me. We hadn’t been to our honeymoon chalet in Switzerland since Henry was born. I wasn’t quite ready for my children to be in a country different from the one I was in.
“We do need to visit there,” I said, looking out the window. Maybe in the fall we could take a long weekend and go. We hadn’t traveled much since Henry had been born.
“Either way, just know I’m here if you need me.”
I thanked her again and we said our good-byes and hung up. I couldn’t wait to tell Nathaniel everything was taken care of. My body shook with anticipation at the thought of wearing his collar for such a long time.
Just the time we’d recently had together had been incredible; my body might not be able to physically handle the pleasure he’d have planned for a week.
“That’s certainly an interesting expression on your face.” Nathaniel’s voice brought me back to the present and I spun around to greet him. He’d told me he’d be leaving the office and city early today, because we had a birthday party later in the afternoon for Maddox, Todd and Elaina’s son.
He walked toward me with a sultry grin and kissed me softly. “Anything in particular you were thinking about?”
“I was thinking about how I was looking forward to wearing your collar for a week.” My knees weakened at the lustful look in his eyes following my statement. I picked imaginary lint off his shirt. “Especially since Linda just agreed to watch the kids while we’re at your conference.”
“You asked her?”
“Mmm.” I nodded. “The more I thought about going with you, the more I liked the sound of it, so I figured why not go ahead and do something about it?”
He groaned. “Normally, I’d tell you to leave the details like that to me, but right now I’m just excited that you’re interested in it.”
I rose to my toes and whispered, “That’s not all I was thinking.”
“Don’t let me stop you from telling.”
I dropped my hands to his waistband and ran my fingers along the smooth leather of his belt. “I was also thinking how I obviously never earned this the weekend Simon and Lynne came over. I hope I do better in Delaware.”
He groaned and glanced around the living room. “Where are the kids?”
“Nap.”
“At the same time?”
I understood his surprise; it didn’t happen very often. I leaned in close and ran my tongue along his ear. “I’m that good.”
His hold on my hips tightened. “Fuck, Abby. How long?”
“They should be down for another twenty minutes.”
“Excellent, but twenty minutes isn’t enough time for me to properly work you over with the belt.” He rocked his hips against me. “Are you pouting? How about I put that pouty mouth to better use. I want to feel it around my cock. Do it and I’ll reward you now and seriously consider bringing a belt to Delaware.”
“What if—”
He held a finger to my lips. “Stop talking and get on your knees. Right now the only thing you need to be thinking about is my cock and how it belongs in your mouth.”
I dropped to the floor and hurriedly shed him of his pants and boxers. Usually, I’d tease him by running my tongue around his length, but I wanted to keep him guessing, so I engulfed him all at once. He hit the back of my throat and I relaxed and took him all the way in.
“Fuck!” He grabbed fistfuls of my hair.
I started bobbing on him, sucking as he withdrew and then allowing him access to go as deep as he wanted. I alternated short shallow moves with long ones because I knew it’d drive him crazy. His breathing came in pants and I smiled around his cock, knowing he couldn’t hold out much longer.
With a yell, he pulled out and dragged me to my feet.
He’d never done that before. Had I done something wrong? “What?”
He pushed me backward until I hit the living room wall. “What’s the only thing you’re to be thinking about?”
My knees wobbled and my arousal increased exponentially. Damn, I loved it when he was rough. “Your cock.”
“Right.” He took a step back and fisted his erection. “And right now it wants to fuck your pussy. Undress from the waist down. Quickly.”
My fingers trembled as I hurried to unbutton my pants. I gave a shake of my leg to remove them completely and stumbled. Nathaniel’s sure hands caught me and held me steady.
“Careful now. A trip to the ER wasn’t how I saw this ending.”
I shook my head. “It’s okay. I’m good now.”
“Oh, Abby.” He pushed me against the wall and hooked my right leg around his waist. “You’re more than good.” He slowly pressed his cock inside me. “You’re fucking fantastic.”
“Just wait until Delaware,” I teased. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”
“No, my lovely.” He pushed his hips and moved so deep within me I clawed at his back. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”
I decided to push him a bit. After all, I didn’t want to become predictable. “Really? You have new moves or are you going to be using the same ones you always do?”
“Are you seriously questioning my moves?” He rotated his pelvis against me and I moaned at the sensation of how he felt inside me. “I think you are. You want me to show you moves?”
“I just questioned if you had any new ones, Sir. A verbal reply is fine—you don’t have to show me.”
“Like hell.” He pulled out of me and spun me to face the wall. Grabbing my hands and pinning them above my head, he growled out, “Keep them here. Move an inch and I redden your ass and not in the way you enjoy. Understand?”
“Yes, Sir.” My heart pounded wildly. Fuck. I loved it when he took control of me like that. He roughly kicked my feet apart, so I had to bend at the waist.
He pressed against me, his cock teasing my entrance. The clock in the hallway chimed. Nap time was almost over.
“The kids will be up soon,” I warned.
“They’ll be fine. I’m so hard, this won’t take long.”
With that, he pushed into me and thrust so deep, I had to bite the inside of my cheek so I wouldn’t cry out. His hands came over mine as he withdrew and entered again.
“Love fucking you against a wall,” he panted. “I get so deep. You feel so good.”
He could keep it up for hours, too, while keeping me on the edge. It wasn’t impossible for me to come without it, but by holding my hands against the wall, there was no way for me to touch my clit.
I wiggled my hips, but his only response was to thrust harder. He rocked against me, pushing my lower body forward. I whimpered. I was so close, but unable to reach it without my hands.
“Please,” I begged.
“I know what you want,” he said. “I’m just not ready to give it to you yet. Enjoying this too much.”
“I need,” I panted.
“You don’t need. You want.” He picked up his pace. “There’s a difference.”
“So close.”
“I know.” He went faster and harder. “I know.”
I kept quiet then. Sometimes begging worked. This wasn’t one of those times. I closed my eyes and lost myself in the feel of him, the strength, the drive, and the power. If he just touched me, I’d come so fast. But his hands remained where they were.
His hips shifted and he hit a different spot within me, making my eyes widen in surprise. “Oh my God!”
“Come,” he said with a hint of smugness.
Though it happened for me so rarely I thought it nearly impossible, with one more thrust inside me he made me come simply by being inside me. I shuddered around him, my climax sending tremors through my body.
“Shit,” I managed to mumble. “How’d you do that?”
He didn’t say anything, but stiffened behind me as he reached his own release. He was still breathing heavy when he withdrew and pressed a kiss to my back. “Just wanted to show you my moves.”
“I’m thinking about calling Linda back,” I said.
“Oh?” He took my hands and I stood up.
“I may not survive a week in your collar.”
* * *
“Incoming!” Jackson picked up one of his three-year-old twin sons and flew him like an airplane around the living room. The child he held airborne was either Levi or Luis. From my angle on the couch it was difficult to see the tiny birthmark above Levi’s eyebrow that made it possible to differentiate the two identical twins.
Felicia sat on the couch across from me. Her feet were propped on a stool and she rubbed her pregnant belly. “I’d tell him to watch out because he’ll break something, but he won’t listen to me when the boys want to play airplane.”
The other twin stood in the doorway, bouncing up and down. “My turn! My turn! My turn, Daddy!”
Jackson swept across the room again, making a whoosh sound as he turned the corner where Elizabeth and Lucy, their five-year-old daughter, sat playing with dolls.
“That’s dangerous, Uncle Jack,” Elizabeth said. “If you drop him, he might break his clapacal.”
“Clavicle,” said Maddox. He was approaching ten, in a bad position, really, being too old to play with the other children but too young to be interested in the adults’ conversation. He sat in a chair by himself, reading a book.
“That’s what I said,” Elizabeth explained patiently before turning her attention to Lucy. “Did you bring a bathing suit? Want to go swim? Mommy?”
I shook my head. “Too late tonight. We haven’t had dinner yet and you have school tomorrow.” Granted it was preschool, but bedtime was bedtime and we tried to keep it consistent. “We’ll have everyone over soon for a swim date.”
Laughter floated down the stairs, making it to the living room before Nathaniel and Todd. The two men entered, smiling. Nathaniel walked over to me and ran his arm along my shoulder before sitting down and talking to Maddox about what he was reading.
Elaina returned from where she’d been in the bathroom and sat beside Felicia. Though they’d tried repeatedly, she and Todd hadn’t been able to conceive since Maddox was born. They’d looked into adoption, but nothing had worked out.
I turned my attention to Nathaniel. Maddox was explaining something in the book. It sounded like a fantasy novel. Nathaniel must have read it or heard of it because Maddox became very animated over whatever it was he said.
A timer went off in the kitchen and since Linda was changing Henry, I motioned to Elaina and we went in together to take care of it. I took the roast out of the oven while Elaina grabbed the plates and silverware.
“This smells so good,” I said, putting it down to cool. “Want me to help you set the table?”
“That would be great.”
Linda’s dining room had changed over the years, the biggest addition being the small kiddie table she added for guests like the ones she had tonight. Sometimes the kids ate at the table with the adults, but they seemed to enjoy their own space, so tonight we were going to let them eat by themselves. Except for Maddox, who had insisted he was too old to eat at the kiddie table.
“We heard from the adoption agency,” Elaina whispered, looking over her shoulder.
“Oh?” I tried to be nonchalant, but I knew how important this was to them.
Her face broke out into a huge grin. “We’re picking our son up tomorrow.”
I dropped the silver and she scooped it up. “Really?” I choked out.
“Yes, but we’re not telling anyone until it’s a done deal. You never know. I had to tell someone though. It’s eating me trying to keep it a secret.”
“I thought
you and Todd looked different tonight.”
She nodded and placed the silver around the table at each setting. “It’s been a rough time. Infertility and then nothing with the adoption for so long. I feel like everything should happen right now, when I want it, and I’m learning patience is hard.”
I started putting out the napkins. “I understand. It’s tough when things happen you don’t have control over and can’t make fit your timetable.”
“Sounds like you’re speaking from experience.”
“The things we appreciate the most are the things we have to work for. Wait for. If it’s handed to us, we don’t value it as much.”
She cocked her head to the side. “Are you sure you aren’t a psychologist?”
We laughed while we finished setting the table and then called everyone in to grab a plate and get their food. As everyone sat, my advice to Elaina repeated in my head. It made sense, what I’d told her. Looking across the table to where Nathaniel sat, laughing and joking with Jackson, I was reminded that our own journey hadn’t been the easiest, but I liked to think we valued what we had as a result.
He looked up and caught me staring. “I love you,” he mouthed to me.
“Always,” I replied.
Chapter Eight
A few weeks later, we were in our private jet on our way to Wilmington, Delaware. I’d felt off the entire week before. The day we left, I knew I’d been a bit of a brat. Probably because of the week ahead of us. I wanted to try wearing Nathaniel’s collar for this extended period of time, but I was apprehensive as well. Plus, we’d be leaving the kids for longer than we ever had before.
I drummed my fingers in a disjointed staccato on the armrest. My legs were crossed and I swung my foot in time with the tap-tap-tap of my nails. Nathaniel reached out and put his hand over mine.
“Stop, please,” he said.
I stopped my fingers, but my leg kept swinging. “I don’t know why we’re taking the jet. Wilmington isn’t that far away—we could have driven.”
He raised an eyebrow. “We’re taking the jet because I want to.”