~*~
Liam gripped the bar and pulled himself up again. He had a nice burn going in his arms and upper back. Just another ten and he would hit the shower.
He heard the doorbell ring, the three short jabs and one long that told him who was at the door. “Come in. It’s open,” he called, not that he needed to. Matt Wilson had a key and would let himself in if Liam didn’t appear within a minute or so.
Liam continued to lift and lower himself on the bar in his small home gym as he heard his front door open and then close. “Hey, it’s me. Where are you?”
“Back here in the gym. I’m almost done with my workout. Come on back.”
Liam could hear Matt making his way through the living room. He grabbed his towel and wiped the sweat from his face and neck.
“Hey there.” Matt stuck his head in the doorway. “Did you forget about the movie?”
“Sorry, I didn’t realize it was so late.” Liam glanced at the wall clock.
“No problem. The movie’s not for another hour, and they always have all those previews.”
“Okay. I need to shower and I’ll be ready.”
“Take your time. I know where the beer is.”
When Liam entered his living room, Matt was seated on the couch, doing something on his phone. He looked up as Liam came into the room and pointed toward Liam’s desk. “Okay, out with it. Who is that gorgeous babe on your laptop? Did you forget to close out the porn film you were jacking off to or is there something I need to know?”
“What are you talking about?” Even as he asked the question, Liam’s face heated. He moved toward the laptop and shut the lid. “What are you doing snooping around on my laptop anyway?”
“Not snooping. She was right there, smiling at me like a dimpled angel. Not my fault you don’t use a screen saver, bro. Now out with it. Who is she? The fact that you’re blushing tells me that’s more than some random picture you stumbled across during a masturbatory expedition. Oh! Did you meet her on that S&M singles site you signed up for?”
“Yeah,” Liam admitted. Why didn’t he tell Matt all about it? He would. Of course he would. Just not yet. It was still too new, too special, to talk about it with anyone. He wasn’t ready. Eager to change the subject, he said, “Did you already get the movie tickets online?”
Matt grinned. “Okay, okay. We can talk about it—about her—later. I’m glad you’re starting to get back into the game, my friend. It’s been long enough. It’s time to move forward.”
Not comfortable with the direction of the conversation, Liam again steered it to their night out. “Assigned seats?” he queried.
“Yep. I know you like the aisle in the row closest to the exit door. It’s all taken care of.”
Liam smiled and relaxed. “Thanks, buddy. What would I do without you?”
“What indeed?” Matt retorted with a wry grin. “I often ask myself that very question.”
After the movie, over pizza and beer at Pinky’s, Matt said, “So, now that you’ve had time to regroup, tell me more about the babe in the bikini on the beach. Is she an actual sub, or some wannabe who read Fifty Shades with her book club?”
Liam laughed in spite of himself. “Allie seems like the real thing. But you know”—he looked down at his beer mug, afraid his face might give away the sudden, powerful rush just saying her name caused—”it’s not like I’m actually looking to meet someone in person. Going on these sites, it’s something to do. Something to pass the time.”
Matt shook his head, a wry smile on his face. “Oh, yeah? Is that why you’re turning beet red and mumbling down into your beer like a teenager?”
Liam lifted his head. “What? I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he lied. “We exchanged a few emails and I’ve talked to her a few times on the phone, that’s all. Shit, she lives across the country. It’s not like I plan to hook up with her or anything. I mean, hell”—his indignation was real now, though it wasn’t directed at Matt—”why would a girl like that want to hook up with a guy like me?”
Matt placed his hand on Liam’s arm, his voice gentle. “Why wouldn’t she, Liam? Any sub would be incredibly lucky to have you as a Master. Just ask Bonnie. She talked about the scene you did with us last year for like a month afterward. I had to threaten to gag her if she didn’t shut up about it already.” He barked a laugh. “Shit, if I weren’t completely secure as her Dom, and if you weren’t my best friend, I might have even been a little jealous.”
Liam offered a wan smile. “Bonnie is different. And anyway, like you said, that was last year. Before”—he waved toward his legs beneath the table, a scowl moving over his face—“before this.”
Matt nodded. “Yeah, I know.” He took a swallow of beer and set down his mug. “Listen, Liam, I think it’s great you’re going online. It’s a good start, and I’m proud of you. Look, I’ve known you a long time. Now, I may be off-base, but I’m getting the sense this girl, this Allie, is something more than a sex chat buddy, however much you’re trying to downplay it. Am I right?”
Liam shook his head, though he couldn’t help the smile that edged its way onto his lips. He should have known better than to think he could hide anything from Matt. “I think she might be, at that,” he finally admitted. “Her name is Allie. Allie Swift.” Just saying her name made him happy. “She actually reminds me a little of Bonnie, if you want to know the truth,” he added. “She’s smart and funny, with just the right amount of sass. She’s independent and strong-willed. More important, she’s genuine. I think that’s what really drew me to her. “
“Sounds fantastic,” Matt enthused approvingly. “And she’s gorgeous, to boot. That doesn’t hurt, huh?” He grinned.
Liam grinned back, though in fact it did hurt, at least when he faced the reality that they’d probably never really get together. He shook away the feeling, suddenly eager to tell his friend more about this amazing woman.
“She says she isn’t interested in a 24/7 Master-slave kind of thing. You know, the way Lila thought she was, but she really wasn’t, and the way I tried to give her what she asked for, but I really couldn’t.”
Matt nodded and laughed. “I remember. You had definite reservations about the whole full-immersion slave thing, but you wanted to please her. I don’t know too many folks in the scene who can sustain that kind of intense relationship for more than a day or two. It takes a very particular kind of hardwiring to handle complete abdication of all self-will by one of the partners—being told when you can pee, when you can sleep, what you can wear, who you can talk to, that kind of thing. It’s definitely not for most people, even if they think at first it might be.”
“Yeah,” Liam agreed. “Allie isn’t seeking a slave experience, but she’s definitely a sub, no question in my mind. She’s deeply masochistic and longing to explore the kind of intensity of experience that would push past all her current boundaries. She wants to find out what she can handle—how far she can go with the right man—the right Master.”
Liam looked down again, suddenly embarrassed at how much he was divulging. Saying all this aloud, even just saying her name to another person, made it suddenly more real. Still, he couldn’t resist adding, “We talked about our shared desire for an erotic exchange of power; a consensual but boundary-pushing D/s relationship.”
Liam paused, longing as sharp as a knife in his gut. “I need that, Matt.” His voice cracked. He blew out a breath, forcing himself to regain control. “I want what you and Bonnie have. I want that for myself.”
“And you deserve it, Liam. If anyone does, you do.” Matt raised his beer mug in a salute. “So, good for you, buddy.” He flashed a grin. “Now the question is, what are you going to do about it?”
~*~
Allie sat in front of her laptop, trying not to fidget as she waited for the FaceTime call. Liam had told her to dress as she normally would. He would direct her once they connected. The whole idea of an online video scene made her stomach clench, but when Liam had suggested it, s
he’d instantly agreed.
Allie had never gone in for online sex chatting or even phone sex. Admittedly, a face-to-face video scene was more personal and real than interacting with a disembodied voice. And, while Liam had sent her a few more pictures of himself over the past week that they’d been talking, she couldn’t wait to see him on the screen, live and in person. Well, sort of in person, or as close as possible at this point.
At the stroke of ten, their agreed upon call time, the little FaceTime box appeared in the corner of Allie’s screen. Blowing out a breath, she accepted the video call.
Oh god, he was real. And even better looking than his photos. His hair was a little shorter, his skin a little paler, but it was him, no question. He had mentioned he’d been in a serious car accident about a year before, but she couldn’t see any sign of it. He looked pretty damn hot from where she was sitting, with a strong, sexy neck and broad shoulders. He was wearing a white, button-down shirt open at the throat to reveal a few dark curls of chest hair. She wanted to see more, more, more. He looked good enough to eat with a spoon. No, forget the spoon, she didn’t need it. How could this hunk possibly be single?
“Hey there.” Liam smiled broadly, laugh lines appearing at the corners of his very green eyes, which somehow seemed sad beneath the joy. “It’s nice to see you face-to-face, Allie.”
“Hi,” Allie replied, at once happy and shy.
Liam sobered, his eyes boring into hers from the screen. “Are you ready to submit to me this evening?”
A zing of excited, nervous anticipation shot through Allie’s core. She swallowed and nodded.
“Allie, for the duration of this chat, you will always answer any direct question. And you will address me as Sir. Is that clear?”
“Ooooh.” The word was pulled from her like a breath of air whooshing from her soul. Yes. Yes, yes, yes, this is what I was missing. What I need. “Yes, uh, yes, Sir. It’s clear. I think I’m ready to submit, Sir.”
“You think?” Liam cocked an eyebrow.
Allie’s face grew hot. She glanced at the small preview screen of herself in the corner of the app. Sure enough, she was blushing. Shit.
“I’m sorry,” she said, focusing again on Liam’s face. “I mean that I want to do this. I want to connect with you in a scene, but this whole setup, this FaceTime thing instead of real life…” She glanced again at herself and back at Liam. “It’s”—she hunched her shoulders as she tried to formulate her thoughts—”I don’t know, artificial.”
Liam nodded. “Yeah, it is limited. But for right now it’s what we’ve got.” He regarded her a moment. “Here’s what I want you to do. Turn off your preview screen so you can focus solely on me. All right?”
“Yes, Sir.” Allie closed the preview screen, glad not to have to see herself.
“Good.” Liam leaned back a little in his chair, allowing her a view of the lower half of his body. He was wearing faded jeans and the bulge between his legs was most alluring. Allie actually salivated at the thought of seeing his cock, and she swallowed quickly. She attempted to look serene and properly submissive, hoping the lust wasn’t too obvious on her face.
“Let’s review the guidelines we discussed last night,” Liam continued, apparently mercifully unaware of where her eyes had been lingering. “Do you have the toys I asked you to assemble?”
Allie glanced at the tray of BDSM toys next to her laptop. “Yes, Sir.”
“Show me each item and tell me its purpose.”
Though Allie was no stranger to BDSM play, once again her face heated. What was it about this guy that left her slightly off kilter?
She picked up the first item and held it toward the screen. “These are the clover clamps, Sir.”
“And their purpose?”
“To use on my nipples, Sir.” Her nipples stiffened at her words.
Liam nodded. “That’s correct. And not only your nipples, sub Allie. We might also use them on your cunt, if not this evening, one day soon.”
“Oooh,” Allie sighed, the word once more drawn from her without her permission or intention.
“Next item,” Liam directed.
Allie picked up her much-loved leather wrist cuffs, the metal clips already attached. “These are my cuffs, Sir. For binding my wrists together.”
“Excellent, sub Allie.” Liam’s eyes glittered. “Next item.”
Allie picked up the ball gag, not her favorite toy, a gift from her last boyfriend. She held it up. “This is a ball gag, Sir. For keeping me quiet if that pleases you.”
“You don’t like ball gags.” It was a statement. Was she that obvious?
“No, Sir. Not really.”
“Why not?”
In the week they’d been talking, Allie had come to trust Liam. Though she hadn’t shared everything, she had strived to be honest when talking about her feelings and desires in the scene. “I don’t like the taste of the rubber ball, Sir. And I don’t like the drool. And I don’t like not being able to speak—to communicate if I need to say something. You know, like my safeword.”
Liam nodded slowly. “I understand. Unfortunately, or fortunately, I suppose, depending on your perspective, as a submissive and slave, what you like or don’t like isn’t my first concern, though of course I will take it into consideration when deciding what is best for you, and what best serves me. You do understand that, don’t you, sub Allie?”
“Yes, Sir,” Allie whispered, something clicking into place inside her soul. He gets it. “Thank you, Sir.”
“You’re welcome. Now. It’s time. I remember your safeword is diamond, but you won’t have need of it today. This is just an exploration, really. A test of your obedience and sexual responsiveness.” Allie’s mouth went suddenly dry, her pussy instantly wet. “First, push your chair back from the screen and stand up so I can see your entire body.”
Allie did as she was told.
Liam regarded her intently, his eyes sweeping her form as if he could already see her naked beneath her top and jeans. Her nipples jutted against the lace of her bra and the silk of her tank top. Her heart thudded against her ribcage.
“Take off your jeans.”
Allie kicked off her sandals and unzipped her jeans. She was glad she hadn’t chosen the skin-tight ones, which she had to do a kind of chicken dance to get out of. These, while form fitting, were loose enough to let slide gracefully down her legs. She stood tall once more, now just in panties and her top, struggling to remain calm and composed.
“Now your top and your bra.”
Okay, no big deal. She’d stripped at the play clubs in front of strangers, though in that kind of atmosphere, nudity was more the norm than the exception. She had a decent body, even if her breasts weren’t quite as large as she’d like, her butt a little bigger than she’d wish. She could totally do this. Piece of cake.
“Now the panties.”
Okay. No problem. The Brazilian wax she’d had two days ago, which had hurt like a motherfucker and not in the good way, had been worth it. She was smooth as a baby. She tugged at the bit of silk that covered her mons and kicked away the panties. Resolutely, heart pounding, she faced the screen.
“Lift your arms and lace your fingers behind your neck. Spread your legs to shoulder-width apart and remain silent and at attention until I tell you to move.”
Biting her lip, Allie assumed the standard at-attention pose. Judging by the bulge that had grown substantially in his jeans, Sir Liam liked what he saw. She shifted her gaze to his face. His eyes were hooded with lust, his tongue moving sensually over his lower lip. “Turn around slowly,” he said softly. “I want to see your ass.”
Allie turned, feeling especially vulnerable with her backside to the screen, naked and alone in her small apartment. After several beats, Sir Liam said, “You may turn around again.” Once she had done so, he said, “You please me, sub Allie. Are you ready to continue?”
“Yes, Sir Liam,” Allie said in a low voice.
“I like that. Sir Liam.”
He smiled. Allie ached to kiss that lush, sensual mouth. “You may lower your arms now. I want you to stimulate your nipples until they are fully erect.”
Allie dropped her arms and reached for her breasts. Her nipples were already hard as little stones, but she obediently rolled them between forefingers and thumbs.
“Good. Now, put the clover clamps in place, one on each nipple. Make sure to go all the way back to the base of the nipple.”
Allie knew very well how to apply the clamps for maximum hold, but she wasn’t about to lecture her new Dom. She quietly reached for the clamps. Pulling her right nipple taut with one hand, she opened the clamp with the other and let it close over the nipple.
She blew out an audible breath as the pain registered along her nerve endings and ricocheted through her brain. Reaching for the second nipple, she clamped it in the same fashion, blowing out another breath as she focused on harnessing and assimilating the erotic pain now throbbing at both nipples.
Beautiful,” Sir Liam breathed from the screen. He had leaned forward, his gaze fixed on her with a fierce intensity. “Sit down on the chair and spread your legs. Show me your cunt.”
Allie, whose legs had grown a little wobbly during the nipple clamping, was glad to sit down, but not thrilled at Sir Liam’s latest directive. She had never been comfortable exposing herself in this way, and hated direct scrutiny of her private parts. Still, she didn’t want to blow it now, not her first time in a scene with this impossibly sexy Dom. Scooting slightly forward on the chair, she forced her legs to part.
“Wider. Show me your cunt.” The command in his voice made it somehow easier to obey. Allie tried not to focus on the tingling, painful throb of her nipples. She spread her legs wider and tilted her pelvis slightly to offer Sir Liam a better view. She closed her eyes as the heat once more washed over her face and neck.
“Jesus, you’re lovely,” he whispered with sweet, aching conviction. Allie opened her eyes, confused to see the longing and pain in his face. But as quickly as it was there, it was gone, the masterful Sir Liam once more in full control.
BDSM Connections - The Complete 4 Novel Series Page 3