He closed his hands over her wrists and used the swing to pull her forward onto his long, thick shaft. “Christ,” he breathed, his eyes closing. “You’re perfect.”
If only that were true.
Chapter 5
Allie opened her eyes. Weak sunlight filtered through the half-open slats of the blinds, washing the room in oyster-shell pink. Her cheek was nestled against Liam’s warm chest, his arm flung loosely around her shoulders. His heartbeat was slow and steady beneath her ear, his breathing deep.
Stealthily, she slipped from beneath his arm. As she moved, he turned his head and sighed. Allie froze, waiting to see if she had awakened him, but he remained still. Quietly, she lifted herself on an elbow and regarded his face, which rested in profile on the pillow. He had a slight bump on the bridge of his nose. His eyelashes were long and dark against his pale skin, his brows thick and straight. She liked the way the stubble shadowed his strong jaw and square chin. She resisted the urge to stroke her finger along the line of his bones.
After the incredible session in the dungeon, Allie, who had been too nervous to eat much over the course of the day, had been ravenous. Liam didn’t have that much in his refrigerator, but he did have a large and very satisfactory supply of ice cream, as well as some bananas. Dressed in one of Liam’s soft, faded T-shirts and nothing else, Allie had sat on a barstool, watching him slice the overripe bananas and pile them high with scoops of French vanilla ice cream, hot fudge he’d heated in the microwave and a healthy squirt of whipped cream. Allie didn’t usually go in for such sweet, messy concoctions, but each gooey bite had tasted more delicious than the last, and before she knew it she had finished the entire bowl.
Exhausted from the long day and amazing night, she hadn’t protested when Liam suggested they go to bed. They didn’t go straight to sleep however, and Allie smiled now as she recalled Liam’s gentle, tender lovemaking in the dark, a perfect counterpoint to the very intense experience in the dungeon.
Now the blanket was bunched at the end of the bed, the sheet covering Liam to the waist. Allie gripped the edge of the sheet and carefully began to draw it downward, eager to see his naked body in the daylight. She was both wildly curious and half afraid of what she might see.
Allie jerked her hand away as Liam sat up abruptly, his eyes flying open. He furrowed his brows as he stared at her, as if he didn’t know who she was, or how she had appeared in his bed.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.” A wash of heat moved over her cheeks.
Liam’s scowl softened at once into an apologetic smile. “Sorry. I must have been dreaming.” The smile broadened into a happy grin as he held out his arms. “Come here, you.”
Allie snuggled once more against him. “I hope it was a good dream. I’ve been having dreams of my own, very explicit ones that involve you.” She giggled as she placed her palm lightly over the sheet that covered Liam’s erection.
“Oh, you were, were you?” In a sudden movement, Liam gripped Allie’s wrist and flipped her onto her back. Grabbing her other wrist, he stretched her arms over her head, pressing them into the mattress as he rolled over and covered her body with his.
Allie parted her lips eagerly for his kiss. She could feel his hard cock nudging at her thigh. She tried to shift beneath him, spreading her legs and angling her body to receive him. He pulled away from her with a laugh. “Oh, no you don’t. You don’t call the shots here, young lady. Last night was free time. Starting today, you have to earn my cock.”
“But—” Allie began to protest, her cunt wet and throbbing. She tried to pull her arms free but he held tight.
“No buts,” he interrupted. “Last night you said you wanted to submit to me. This morning we will discuss precisely what that submission entails.” He let her go and lifted himself from her. Turning away, he swung his legs over his side of the bed. To her chagrin, Allie saw that he was wearing pajama pants, though she was pleased to see evidence of his erection still tenting the material.
Perhaps in an effort to soften his words, he added, “Last night was fabulous, and I’m so glad you’re here.” He flashed a heartbreakingly sweet smile at her, and Allie smiled back, her heart squeezing in her chest. “But this morning we need to discuss some ground rules. It’s one thing to connect online and in video chats. Real life can be quite different. I believe you want a genuine and intense submissive experience, but we need to make sure we are on the same page as to what that means for each of us individually, and as Master and sub.”
This made sense to Allie, and she nodded as she, too, climbed out of the bed. Liam grabbed his walking cane and moved toward the bathroom. Allie watched him go, noting that he barely limped when using the cane. Her mind veered back to the night before when he’d carried her in his arms, his mouth compressed in a thin line of determined concentration, the pain stark in his face.
He glanced back at her now, and Allie quickly averted her gaze, not wanting to make him self-conscious. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s get washed up and have some coffee. I can’t think until I’ve had my coffee.”
Allie, so nervous and excited when she’d planned her arrival at his doorstep the night before, hadn’t even brought so much as a toothbrush with her from the hotel. Liam, fortunately, had a spare. As she was brushing her teeth, he came up behind her. She saw him regarding her in the mirror, his head tilted in appraisal.
He reached out and lightly drew a finger over her left butt cheek. “You have some nice bruises there, sub girl. You took quite a spanking last night.”
“Oh, let me see!” A jolt of excitement shot through Allie as she pivoted and twisted her head back to regard herself in the mirror. There were several small bruises on either cheek, one rather large one on the left side. She bit her lip as she gazed at her mottled butt cheeks. A tiny part of her brain protested in outrage that she had allowed herself to be hit like this, but the overwhelming majority of her cerebral committee gave her a standing ovation.
“They’re beautiful, aren’t they?” Liam said, wonderment moving over his features. He shook his head slowly. “I’m so impressed with the courage of a true submissive,” he added as pride suffused its way through Allie’s being like pure, life-giving sunshine.
Liam met her eye in the mirror and winked at her as he gave her a light pat on the bottom.
“Okay, then,” he said. “I’ll have a shower and shave after breakfast. Why don’t you jump in the shower while I make the coffee? We can figure out about getting your stuff from the hotel later. Meanwhile I think I’d like to keep you naked.” He moved his eyes appraisingly over Allie’s body, and her nipples stiffened beneath his gaze.
As Allie showered, she toyed briefly with the idea of touching herself, nearly certain she’d be able to come with her own fingers, as aroused as she was. But she decided against it, not wanting to keep Liam waiting.
When she walked into the kitchen, she was surprised but pleased to find a plate of scrambled eggs and buttered toast waiting on the table for her, along with a large mug of dark strong coffee, to which she promptly added plenty of cream and sugar. It was a little odd to sit naked at breakfast, but at the same time it was exciting. She was there not only as Liam’s new lover, but as his submissive, with all that entailed.
Lifting a forkful of buttery eggs to her mouth, Allie chewed and swallowed, her stomach grateful for the protein after last night’s sugar and fat fest. “I don’t usually even eat breakfast, but this is really good.”
“Glad you approve,” Liam said with a laugh.
It had begun to rain, the sky slate gray outside the kitchen window. Liam, following her gaze, said, “Welcome to Oregon,” with an apologetic shrug that segued into an evil smile. “Not that I’m planning to let you out of the house anytime soon. Speaking of which, how long are you going to be able to stay? A day, a week, a year?”
Allie grinned. “My return ticket is open-ended. I’ve definitely cleared the schedule for a week’s absence back home. I fulfilled all the ou
tstanding commitments I had to get done before I left. I have a part-time assistant who will be able to handle any online orders for me until I get back. She’s got the bulk of the inventory, and she’ll let me know if there are any problems or anything.”
“Excellent,” Liam said. “A week is a good length of time for you to determine if the kind of D/s experience I can offer you is what you really want. I do ask that you wait until the end of that period to decide. What I mean is, some of this is going to be hard for you, or at the very least new for you, and I want you to give it a chance. We have the added advantage of already having forged a genuine connection in the weeks we’ve known each other, but actually being together, actually living this lifestyle 24/7, will take some adjustment.”
“24/7?” Allie said, her voice coming out as a squeak as her stomach executed a loop-de-loop of nervous excitement.
Liam shook his head. “I don’t mean 24/7 slave Master stuff. We’ve already agreed that’s not the lifestyle either of us is seeking. I mean, though our exchange of power will be primarily erotic, there will always be the underlying dynamic of Dom and sub between us. While I don’t expect you to be at my beck and call every second of the day, I do expect you to submit to me when it pleases me and how it pleases me. If I give you certain parameters under which I expect you to function, you will observe those parameters at all times, even if we’re not together at a particular moment.”
“Like what do you mean?” Allie asked, confused.
“For example”—a hint of smile curved Liam’s sensual mouth—”for the duration of this week, you will not touch yourself sexually without my express permission or command. In other words, for as long as you belong to me, you are never to masturbate when you are alone, unless I have expressly directed you to do so.”
“Oh,” Allie said softly, her clit instantly hard, a sudden, perverse desire to touch herself making her fingers tingle. To distract herself, she lifted her coffee mug to her lips and took a sip.
“We’ll talk more after breakfast,” Liam said. “I’m having a second cup. Would you like one?”
“No, I’m good, thanks,” Allie replied. Too excited and agitated to eat any more, she continued to sip at her coffee while Liam plowed through a large mound of eggs and half a dozen pieces of bacon.
Finally he set his fork on his empty plate and pushed back from the table. “Hey, you barely ate. I’m sorry, I should have asked if you wanted something different.” He scratched his head as if thinking and offered, “I think there’s one more banana. Would you rather have that?”
“No, no. I’m fine, really,” Allie said quickly. “I don’t usually eat that much breakfast.”
“Okay, if you’re sure.”
Allie nodded that she was.
Reaching for his cane, Liam pushed himself upright. “If you don’t mind,” he said, “could you load the dishwasher and put things away while I take a quick shower? Then we’ll talk about our expectations and intentions going forward.”
Allie, looked down at herself and then back up at Liam with a grin. “Uh, you got an apron or something? I don’t want to mess up my outfit.”
Liam grinned back. “It’s on a hook on the inside of the pantry door.” He nodded in that direction. “When you’re done, you can wait for me in the living room. There are floor cushions under the large sofa. Pull one out and kneel up at attention.”
“Yes, Sir,” Allie replied softly.
As she washed up, she thought about what her expectations and intentions actually were. Truth to tell, beyond rather vague fantasies of intense dungeon scenes, she hadn’t gotten much past arriving on his doorstep and offering herself to him. She had been so caught up in the passion and excitement of the night before she hadn’t considered what would happen next.
Allie was just rehanging the apron on its hook when she heard guitar chords, accompanied by the unmistakable sound of a cell phone vibrating against wood. Grabbing a dishtowel, she approached the table, not sure what to do.
Liam appeared at that moment, shirtless in a pair of faded jeans, rubbing the back of his head with a towel. “There you are,” he said, apparently addressing his phone. He grabbed it and, after a brief glance at the screen, took the call.
“How am I? Let’s see, is this question for before or after I kill you?” Liam laughed. “It’s Matt,” he mouthed silently in Allie’s direction, as the person on the other end spoke into his ear. “Yeah, sure, okay, yes, you can stop by, but don’t overstay your welcome, if you know what I mean.” He winked at Allie, still grinning.
He listened a while longer and then, placing his hand over the phone, he said to Allie, “Matt and Bonnie want to swing by, just to say hi. They want to know if they should stop by the hotel and pick up your things. Apparently the room was made in Matt’s name, so it shouldn’t be a problem.” He lifted his eyebrows in question.
“Yes, that would be good,” Allie replied, suddenly pleased at the thought of meeting Bonnie Wilson, the woman who had put this whole amazing trip together.
When he’d hung up, she asked, “Uh, what about what I’m wearing, or rather not wearing? Should I go get my raincoat?”
“Maybe I’ll present you just as you are,” Liam said with a sly grin, his eyes moving hungrily over her naked form. Allie started to open her mouth in protest, but before she could speak, Liam added, “I think not. Not yet. I’m not ready to share you in that way, not even with Matt and Bonnie.”
Allie closed her mouth, relieved. While she didn’t object in principle to appearing naked in front of others, and indeed had done it many times at the BDSM clubs, she wasn’t quite ready to do so in front of Liam’s friends, sight unseen.
Liam put his hands on her shoulders and leaned down to kiss her on the forehead. “Come into my bedroom. I’ll find something you can wear while they’re here. After they leave, we can pick up where we left off.”
“Is that a promise or a threat?” Allie quipped.
“Which do you want it to be?” Liam asked softly, his hand moving from her shoulder to her throat.
Allie forgot how to speak as his fingers tightened beneath her jaw. He dipped his head once more, this time kissing her hard on the mouth. When he finally let go, she managed breathlessly, “Both, please, Sir.”
~*~
Liam glanced at Allie when the doorbell rang. He smiled at her. She smiled back, though he could see she was a little nervous. She was dressed in one of his old college T-shirts and a pair of his gym shorts. Even in the over-large clothing, she looked sexy as hell, her pert nipples pressing against the much-washed cotton of the shirt, her long, pretty legs tucked beneath her on the couch.
“Come in,” he called toward the door. “It’s open.”
The door opened and shut. A moment later, Matt and Bonnie appeared from the foyer, both smiling widely. Bonnie held a bottle of champagne. Matt pulled a wheeled suitcase behind him, two plastic grocery bags over his arm. Liam stood, moving toward Matt. As they embraced, Matt murmured, “Hey, buddy. I hope it’s all good.”
“Better than good,” Liam affirmed. “Thank you for doing this.”
Allie stood as Bonnie approached her with a smile. “Allie, I’m so glad to meet you. I’m so glad you came!” Bonnie opened her arms and the two of them embraced as if they were long-lost sisters.
“Me, too,” Allie said, once they’d let each other go. “Liam is lucky to have such good friends.”
“And we’re lucky to have him,” Bonnie replied, turning to include Liam in the radiant warmth of her smile. “I hope you’re treating this lovely sub properly, Liam.”
“You’ll have to ask her,” Liam retorted with a grin, though his gut clenched in a moment of apprehension. He wouldn’t be able to hide his scars from Allie forever—at least not the physical ones, and then what?
“Very properly,” Allie affirmed, moving to stand beside Liam, who slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.
Liam nodded toward the bottle in Bonnie’s hand. “Isn’
t it a little early to start drinking?”
“Champagne to celebrate new beginnings,” Bonnie said. “We can always add orange juice if you like.”
“Hey, it’s five o’clock somewhere, right?” Matt interjected with a laugh. “I’ll get the glasses. I’ll put this stuff away, too. Bonnie bought you guys enough provisions so you won’t have to leave the house for a week, if you don’t want to.” Without waiting for a response, he headed off to the kitchen.
Bonnie handed Liam the champagne bottle. “He’s exaggerating. It’s just a few basics. I know how you stock, or rather, don’t stock your fridge, and you have a guest now, so…”
She trailed off, looking suddenly uncertain, which made Liam want to leap instantly to her defense. “That was really thoughtful of you, Bonnie,” he said sincerely. “Thank you, truly.” He glanced at Allie and turned back to Bonnie. “More than that, thank you for this chance—for doing what I couldn’t.”
Bonnie smiled and said softly, “You could have. I just speeded things up a bit.” In a louder voice, she added, “Don’t worry, we’re only going to stay long enough for a quick toast.” She glanced at Allie, still smiling. “Allie and I can catch up later, when she gives me a complete critique regarding your capabilities as a Dom.”
“Oh, no she won’t,” Liam joked. “That’s what gags are for.”
“Like that would stop me,” Allie retorted. “I’d just use sign language.”
When Matt returned with the glasses, Liam popped the cork on the champagne and poured everyone a small amount. Matt and Bonnie settled on the couch, Allie next to Liam on the adjacent loveseat, their thighs touching. Matt lifted his glass in a toast, and the other three did likewise. “To old friends and new discoveries,” he said. They clinked glasses.
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