by Sophie Stern
I’m there in this moment.
“Tell me you like this, Alice.”
“Yes.”
He slides a finger inside of me.
“You’re so tight, baby, and wet.”
“I know,” I groan. My eyes are closed again. I’m just feeling what he’s doing. I’m letting every touch of his slide over me, melting into my brain. It feels good, incredible. I want more of him inside of me. I want all of him in me.
It’s not a good idea for me to have sex on this stage tonight. My goal is to be a little brave and get out of my comfort zone. I think I’m doing a good job of that. I don’t want to completely lose control and just fuck Ben right here, though. There’s still a part of me that wants that to be just the two of us, at least for now. I want to take my time exploring him just as he’s exploring me now.
“You got so wet from your spanking, Alice.” He seems a little surprised.
“You thought I’d be too scared to,” I whisper.
“I think you’re fucking magical,” he says.
“More,” I whisper.
I’m not sure what I’m asking for right now.
More touching.
More words.
More of him in me.
He gives me another finger, sliding in and out of me as I force my eyes open and look at the crowd gathered around. They’re watching me with open eyes, carefully looking at me. There are more people than there were before. Joanna is there now, too. While many of the crowd members are watching other girls, I can tell exactly who’s watching me.
And I can tell they like it.
That in itself turns me on even more.
It’s so fucking wrong. I shouldn’t be delighted to be showcased like some prize showgirl, yet I am. I love the way the crowd is staring at me like I’m good enough to fucking eat. I love seeing those cocks straining against their pants. I love the women who look like they want to touch me. I love all of it.
Maybe this is where I truly belong.
“That’s right, Alice. They’re all looking at you because you’re so fucking pretty, baby. You know that, don’t you? You’re fucking gorgeous. Beautiful. Every girl here wants to be you and every man wants to fuck you.”
“Ben…”
He’s stroking me faster now, and my eyes close of their own volition. He’s sliding in and out of me, then touching my clit, and then repeating it over and over and over. Soon he’s just rubbing his hand against me, and that’s when it hits me.
That’s when I start to soar.
I open my mouth as the orgasm comes, but no sound comes out. It’s just waves and waves of pleasure washing over me in this moment, and then an invisible blanket of comfort and happiness wraps around me.
And then an actual blanket wraps around me.
And then Ben lifts me up, carrying me away.
And I am safe.
Chapter Twelve
Ben
When I walk into work on Monday, I feel like I’m on top of the world. Alice and I had a lovely time together on Saturday night. On Sunday, we met with Joanna for brunch. We haven’t slept together, but it was perfect. Wonderful. Getting to know her has been really, really fun.
It’s been just about magical.
And I wonder how I ever managed to survive without her in my life.
Now it’s back to reality, back to paperwork and sassy comments from the employees who think I’ve somehow wronged them.
It’s not that I meant to.
I never meant to hurt anyone.
We all have things in our past we aren’t proud of, and Hannah is mine.
What started out as innocent workplace flirting escalated into her feeling scorned when I didn’t want a relationship. I never asked her out. Never told her I wanted something more. Nothing. Still, when I began dating someone else after what I considered to be playful flirting, Hannah viewed it as me scorning her.
Then the rumors started.
I learned about them after they had already spread through the marketing department. I don’t know who else has heard them. It’s likely that most of Blossom Falls has. Although it’s a large company, the truth is that gossip travels fast. Everyone likes a good story.
I just don’t want those stories to be the reason things don’t progress with me and Alice.
Chances are she’s already heard a tale or two. Maybe she’s noticed that women in the office seem to be nervous around me based on those rumors. I’ve had more than my fair share of negative and rude comments thrown at me. The worst part is that I can’t even defend myself.
Who would believe that I was the victim of a rumor?
It’s easier to blame the guy, especially in a world where sexual harassment is on everyone’s mind. It’s harder to admit that sometimes, both parties are in the wrong. Miscommunication can lead to a plethora of problems. It’s one of the reasons I love BDSM. There’s such a focus on communication. It’s all about understanding what each person wants and needs. Sometimes, those needs are bigger than what you can offer. Sometimes, you have to ask for help.
In the world of domination, it’s okay to ask for help.
Now, as I sit at my desk, I wonder how I’m going to bring this up to Alice. It’s going to be best if I’m just blunt with her and up front. Honest. I need to be honest. It’s what I want from her, as my sub, and it’s what she expects from me, as her Dom.
Her Dom.
I don’t know if I’ve officially earned that title yet, but I sure do look forward to the day when Alice and I make that agreement, if our relationship comes to that.
I like her.
A lot.
More than I ought to.
“Knock knock.”
“You don’t have to say it,” I look up. It’s Rex. “You can just knock, you know.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” He asks, leaning against the doorway.
“What can I do for you?” I ignore his playfulness.
“Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed,” Rex cocks his head to the side. “Lady troubles?”
“Not at all.”
“Ah,” he comes in, closing the door behind him. “What’s wrong, buddy?”
Rex and I aren’t super close, but he’s a good man. I like him. He’s kind and he’s a Dom, too, so he understands having those needs. He gets what it’s like to need to Dominate a woman, to feel her come apart beneath his hands.
“It’s Alice,” I say.
“The new kid in marketing? She’s cute. She seems kind of sweet, though. What’s this about? She break your heart already?” Rex comes in and takes a seat. He doesn’t ask. He just does. It’s one of the things I like about him. We have a comfortable workplace friendship that sometimes extends beyond these walls. Sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes it’s just nice to have a friend.
“We played together on Saturday.”
“At Anchored? Wow. Go Alice. I wouldn’t have guessed she had it in her.”
“Yeah, well, she was great.”
“So what’s the problem?”
“She was too great.”
“And you’re…what? Scared of getting your heart broken? That doesn’t seem like you,” Rex comments.
“It’s not that,” I say slowly, trying to figure out how to word this. “It’s about the rumors.”
“Dude, everyone knows Hannah is full of it.”
“Not everyone.”
“She told everyone you cheated on her, man. You two never even dated. Who comes up with a story like that?”
“I don’t know.” I apologized to her if I led her on in any way, but I’m certain I didn’t. The two of us never even exchanged phone numbers, let alone had a date. How could I possibly have cheated on her if we weren’t in any sort of relationship? The rumor myth never made sense to me, but then, I suppose it didn’t have to. What matters is that Hannah feels cheated and now other women will see me as this sort of womanizer.
That’s not who I am.
I’ve never wanted to be that guy.
“Look, if you want to know what I think,” Rex starts.
“I didn’t ask, man.”
“Well, if you want to know what I think,” he repeats. “Just tell Alice the truth. She seems like a cool girl. Understanding. She’ll believe you and she’ll trust you. More importantly, she’ll respect you for being honest with her.”
“And what if she doesn’t, Rex? What then?”
He stands and turns to leave.
“Then she’s not right for you, buddy.”
He nods, and then Rex vanishes, leaving me alone. It’s almost time to meet Alice for lunch, so I grab my jacket and get up, heading out of the office. He’s right, I know. He’s right. I think Alice will believe me, and I think she’ll trust me, and I think she won’t get all worked up over something this silly and minute.
We had an incredible time together on Saturday night.
Surely I didn’t misread her.
Surely everything is going to be okay.
Chapter Thirteen
Alice
The diner across from Blossom Falls probably shouldn’t be there. It’s a worn-down place in the center of a bustling downtown area full of high-rise buildings and professional offices. Still, it’s there, and it’s the perfect place for Ben and I to spend an hour shooting the shit and just hanging out.
“How was your marketing meeting?” He asks once we’ve ordered.
“About as well as can be expected,” I tell him. The marketing meets at Blossom Falls are interesting enough, but today’s meeting was all about a baby shower that’s supposed to be held later in the week. One of the women, Hannah or Heather-something, I can’t quite remember, is having a baby, and everyone wants to pitch in and buy her a cake and some gifts. The mother-to-be wasn’t there today, so it gave everyone a good chance to plan the surprise party.
I don’t mind having office parties at all, but I’m still so new at my job that I was hoping to use this morning’s meeting to actually accomplish some things related to work.
Oh well.
I reach for my coffee and add some sugar. Then I open one of the little creamers and dump it in, too.
“How was your morning?” I ask Ben.
“About the same. To be honest,” he lowers his voice conspiratorially. “I had a hard time concentrating.
“Oh? And why is that?” I cock my head to the side. “Good weekend?” I ask him playfully. He chuckles and reaches for my hands, running his fingers over mine.
“You know it was good.”
“Too good,” I agree.
I’m a little sad to be back at work. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to afford an Anchored membership, but I will admit that going was an incredible experience. I’ve thanked Joanna about a million and nine times. After my scene with Ben, I kind of went a little crazy watching all the other performers. There were so many incredible things I didn’t even know were kinks. Part of me feels like my mind has been completely opened to a world of new possibilities.
“In light of that good weekend,” Ben says carefully. “There’s something I need to talk with you about.”
Oh fuck.
My heart sinks at his words.
This is it.
I should have known this entire thing was too good to be true. This is the part where he tells me he’s engaged to someone who lives abroad. This is where he says he’s got a girlfriend he just can’t break up with. This is where he says I was nice to play with, but he’s just not interested in.
“What just went through your head? You turned white. Alice, are you okay?”
“Fine,” I gulp. “Just say it. Whatever it is, just get it over with.”
“What do you think I’m going to tell you, love?” He looks genuinely confused, and when I don’t say anything, he steels his face. “Oh, is that how we’re going to play?” He looks around, and then Ben leans in close. “Don’t think that just because we’re not at the club that I’m not willing to paddle that pretty little bottom of yours, Miss Cherry.”
My body clenches.
And I’m instantly wet at his words.
A vision of Ben calling me into his office, pushing me over the desk, and lifting my skirt flashes through my head, but I shake my head, pushing the thought away.
“You’re going to break up with me,” I whisper.
“Is that what you think? We’ve only just started spending time together, Alice. Do you really think I’d get bored of someone as wonderful as you so very quickly?”
I shrug.
“I don’t know,” I whisper. “What else could it be?”
“Actually, I wanted to share a little bit of office gossip with you.”
“What? But that doesn’t make sense.”
The waitress chooses that moment to bring our food. We thank her politely and the smell of my burger and fries wafts to my nose. I’m torn between wanting to hear Ben’s story and wanting to eat, but curiosity about his secret wins, and I place my hands in my lap.
He can tell me.
Then I’ll eat.
“There’s a rumor going around Blossom Falls that I’ve done my share of cheating,” he says carefully. He watches me, waiting to see what my reaction is going to be. I try not to chuckle because I’ve heard the rumor. It’s pretty fucking ridiculous. Obviously, it’s a totally embellished story that was started by a jilted lover. It was by baby-shower girl, if I’m not mistaken.
The rumor is that Ben started dating her and crafted this super-romantic life for them together. They went on dates, went to movies, fancy dinners: the works. Then, all of a sudden, he started acting really weird. She couldn’t figure out what was wrong, but then she realized it was that he was cheating on her! He was seeing another woman.
The entire gossip mill filled me in my first day on the job, but I don’t give a shit because it’s obviously super fake.
After talking to Ben just a few times, I realized it was a crock of lies.
Yeah, Ben likes to flirt, but he’s also very loyal. I don’t think this guy is capable of lying, much less cheating on someone.
“I’ve heard the rumor,” I tell him.
Now Ben is the one who turns white.
“You want me to know it’s not true,” I say, filling the silence.
“It’s not true,” he agrees.
“No shit, Ben.”
I reach for my burger and take a big bite. Is that all he wanted to tell me? For fuck’s sake. Talk about a drama queen. Maybe we all really do fit in well at Blossom Falls. That’s what had him so worried? He thought I was going to hear the story and stop wanting to spend time with him?
This thing with Ben might be a little complicated. We haven’t had sex yet. We haven’t even officially kissed yet. Not really. We had an incredible time together at the club and brunch yesterday with Joanna was great. Now we’re having lunch. Hopefully it will be the first of many.
I’m fine taking things slow with Ben. I don’t need there to be this big, huge dramatic thing. I don’t need him to sweep me off my feet and bring me to some fancy restaurant. I’m happy with the burger. I’m happy splitting the check.
“You believe me?”
“Of course I believe you.”
“But you didn’t ask me about the stories.”
“Why would I? They’re obviously not true.”
“How can you be so sure?” Ben seems genuinely baffled. “Everyone else at Blossom Falls believes it. The entire marketing department does, for sure.”
“The entire marketing department is filled with has-beens and wannabes,” I point out. “You really want to get your life advice from them?”
I like my job, but I’m not one to trust office gossip. There’s a reason rumors exist and it’s usually because people are bored and don’t have enough interesting things happening in their own life.
“Come on, Ben. Cheating isn’t your style. You’re very forthright. I get the feeling that I you were in a relationship and wanted to sleep with another person, you’d just say it.
There wouldn’t be any dilly-dallying around it. You wouldn’t need to make up stories. You wouldn’t need to be crazy or lie to get what you wanted. You, I imagine, can be quite persuasive.”
“Well, yeah, I guess,” he says. He still seems shocked and surprised.
“Look,” I set my food down and wipe my hands on a napkin. This place is greasy. Then I reach for his hands. His own food remains untouched. “I think you’re really great. You’re interesting and funny and you’re thoughtful. I had so much fun on Saturday,” I add, lowering my voice. “And I can’t wait to try something like that again with you. I don’t care what other people think. Do you?”
“I’m worried you won’t think I’m good enough for you,” he says.
“I worry about that, too,” I admit. “But we can’t spend our whole lives feeling afraid, now can we? Isn’t that what Saturday was all about? Bravery and boldness and all that?”
“Yeah,” he says, nodding. “I agree.” Then he smiles and motions toward his food. “Can I interest you in a pancake? They’ve got peanut butter syrup.”
“No thanks. I’m actually allergic to peanuts,” I tell him.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Ben looks around anxiously. “I didn’t know. I can send them back.”
“You’re fine,” I wave him off. “I’m only affected if I actually eat them. I haven’t had a problem with eating something with peanuts in it in years, but I always carry my Epi, just in case.”
“My sister used to carry one,” he tells me.
“A fellow peanut allergy sufferer?”
“Nah. Shellfish,” he says, cutting his pancakes. “We found out because we spent a week at Nag’s Head one year.”
“Oh, it’s so beautiful there. I went once as a kid. There are so many freaking jellyfish there, though.” I got stung more than once. It wasn’t a fun experience.
“Well, there are a ton of seafood restaurants. We decided to try one, being on vacation and all that, and my sister swelled up like a balloon. Luckily, there was a doctor in the building who realized what was happening and treated her. We had to be careful after that.”
“What’s your sister do now?”