by Mina Vaughn
I picked my head up. That piqued my interest.
I slyly glanced over at Aston, who seemed to have softened. “She’s amazing, yeah. Just tell the others I’m fine. I . . . appreciate you calling.”
He paused and swallowed hard. “I know, but I can’t talk to Ma like this.”
I looked to my phone and began to busy myself with some apps.
“Don’t worry about that, we’ve already got some advice. Please tell them not to get involved. It’s not going to be a—”
Aston gripped the wheel, knuckles white. I tried so hard to tune out, but at this point, I knew what was going on.
“Listen, Gi, I appreciate it, but I’m fine. We’re fine. I’ll call you once we’re settled but yes, I’m relocating for a bit.” Another pause. “Yeah. Kiss those babies and tell them Uncle A misses them.”
He breathed in and out, anger cooling. “I know. Love you, too.”
After that exchange, Aston hung up the phone and placed it back on the charger. “I’m sorry,” he apologized.
“For what?” I asked.
He gave me a knowing look. “My family was asking about you. Gianna’s always looking out for me, but the others aren’t so considerate.”
I swallowed hard. “Aston, how do they know about me?”
His face heated. “That lawyer contacted my family, too.”
My head dropped into my hands. “Oh Aston, I’m so sorry. I wish I’d never—”
His head pivoted toward me as if on a swivel. “You wish what?”
“That I didn’t get you mixed up in my problems,” I said.
Aston’s jaw tightened, the way it did when he was on the phone with his sister. “If that’s the case, then we wouldn’t be in this car together. Is that what you want?” he asked, voice high and strangled.
“No, I—”
“This isn’t an ideal situation for either of us, Veronika, but we made our choices. I, for one, am happy with mine.”
“That’s not what I . . .” I said, then trailed off. I watched him put on the blinker. “What are you doing?”
He looked at me, eyes mystical and unreadable. “We’re taking one more excursion before Vegas.”
I clamped my mouth shut and let him drive. Aston was upset—upset about his family, conflicted about me and possibly our future—so I just let him drive. I was a Domme, but I was also sympathetic toward what he must be going through. To think about being estranged from your family must be hard, but to have them asking questions about a new relationship on top of it, that must be unbearable.
Aston began to fumble around with something, then finally grunted and pulled down an empty street off the main highway.
“Everything okay?” I asked. “Johnny sounds like he’s running okay but if you need me to look under the hood . . .”
Aston shook his head and got out of the car. “Hold tight,” he said, then closed the door. I sat in silence with my iced tea for a moment and he came back shortly, holding something.
“Remember how I said that you were going to have to trust me about your talent?” he asked.
I nodded.
“Well, you’re going to have to trust me about today, too,” he said, then held up his hand. He was holding the blindfold I’d grabbed from Sarah’s.
I looked at him questioningly, but not speaking.
“I want to surprise you. I want you to feel good and I want you to let yourself go for me. Can you do that, Mistress?”
My mouth worked, wanting to fumble for some sort of answer. I had no idea what he was talking about, so instead I just nodded. Could this be what Sarah meant by letting him take the reins?
“Good. I need to show you what you’ve done for me. Now here, let me,” he said, then softly tied the satin across my eyes.
I felt the soft darkness of the smooth fabric embrace me. It was a new sensation.
“That okay?” he asked.
Again, I nodded.
“Good,” his voice said, caressing my ear. I heard him shift back into his seat as I waited, anticipation growing. Part of me was nervous to have him in control like this—would he like it so much that we could never go back? I was snapped back to reality with a noise. It sounded like he had taken my tea, because I heard the ice rattle.
Soon I felt his soft, firm hands on my thighs. I let out a low moan.
“Just relax,” he said, soft and velvety. “I want you to enjoy. May I ease your seat back?”
I nodded, not wanting to break the spell with my voice. I felt Aston reach between my legs to the seat’s lever, which was by my foot. I parted my legs farther, allowing him access on several levels. The seat moved backward and I reclined. Fingers brushing up my legs startled me, and my desire for Aston built inside me. It was amazing what he could do to me with just the touch of his fingers. They slid slowly up my inner thighs, which were spread wide for him.
“Mistress, may I touch you?”
Again, a nod.
Aston’s skilled fingers hooked themselves under my panties and he dragged them slowly down my legs, teasing me with the softness of the fabric. I felt the cool air on my hot skin and squirmed. The juxtaposing temperatures made my body hypersensitive.
“This new feeling, do you like it? How does it feel to be blindfolded?” he asked. His voice was alarmingly low, stunning in its depth. It matched his eyes—rich, dark, consuming.
“Yes, I definitely like it,” I said, voice hoarse. “I mean, I don’t know what to expect, but I don’t want it to stop.”
Aston leaned in—I could sense his smell and warmth closer to me—and he brought his mouth to my ear. His breath tickled my skin, slinked up and down my neck, swirled inside the shell of my ear. My body felt electrified.
“This was how it was for me, Mistress,” he said, then suddenly I felt a cold shock between my legs and yelped at the pleasurable surprise of it. A jolt of euphoria shot through my core, shocking me with its erotic but freezing sensation. “I was entranced, but in the dark. I wanted more, but didn’t know what I’d get.” A startlingly cold finger slid up my slit and I felt a surge of wetness—it was ice, not a finger, I realized after a moment. He began to swirl the melting ice in circles around my clit. I bucked my hips, desperate for more of the sensation. The fire in my belly bloomed, spreading its luxurious warmth straight to my pussy.
Aston spoke again, his voice like chocolate. “And then, when I got it, it was a shock, like falling into an ice-cold lake. When you dominated me, I was immersed. But it was so good, it was so what my body needed, that I could never go back.” Now, he’d brought his other hand in, and while the ice rubbed me, his finger penetrated me. I groaned, engulfing him in my wetness. I clenched against it, wanting to feel his real thickness instead, but so lost in the moment that I didn’t care what was where. I just wanted him.
“Each time we were together was like the first time for me. You made my body feel things it’s never felt before.” On that word, Aston put his warm, wet pinky finger to my other hole, giving it a swirl, then penetrated slowly. The raw, taboo pleasure of it almost made me come on the spot. As he worked it in and out, I wanted to scream his name, lost in the reckless abandon of the twin feelings of him inside me. “You’ve made everything new, Veronika.” His fingers pumped faster, and the ice both numbed and thrilled me. I was lost in the pleasure, adrift in the sensations he was creating in me. Aston’s expert touch was taking me to places I’d never been, feeling things I’d never felt, and I could barely hold on to the orgasm that was building inside me. I bucked and thrashed, enthralled by his words and his manipulations of the most sensitive parts of my body.
And then, without warning or pretense, the ice was replaced with his hot, sucking mouth. The change of hard and cold to hot and soft overthrew all the self-control I had. I came hard, feeling a trifecta of pleasure on my clit, my G-spot, and my ass. I rode the tide out until just ripples
remained, a trickling of pleasure as he pulled out of me, one finger at a time. His lips trailed down my thighs and then, a moment later, the blindfold was removed from my eyes.
Then there was nothing but light and Aston. A hazy halo surrounded his beautiful face, which regarded me with such reverence I couldn’t keep my love for him inside. It was like an awakening. Like I’d never used my body before, like I was taking my first steps or opening my eyes after a long, dark night. Everything was new, wondrous, and fresh.
“Oh, Aston,” I said, throwing my arms around him. “That’s what it was like for you?”
He nodded. “You’ve changed me, remade my body, made me your own. I had to show you a fraction of what it was like.”
I nuzzled my head into his chest. “I’m glad you did.”
He pulled away, cupped my face in his hands, and regarded me with a smile. “I promise to give the reins back now. The blindfold, the ice teasing, it’s yours again. I just wanted to illustrate my point.”
“Oh, your point was well-taken,” I said, placing a soft kiss on his lips, still wet from my body. “And while it was hard for me to not be in control, I do admit it was fun.”
“I prefer being the teased, not the teaser,” he chuckled, rolling his shoulders. He must have been cramped leaning across the seats like that.
I picked up what was left of my iced tea and took a long sip, thinking. “So, does that mean you don’t want an on-the-road hand job and maybe some ice on your balls?”
Aston’s eyes flew open and he bit his lip. “That’s one way to keep cool in this heat,” he said, eyeing the cup. “And no sane man would ever say no to that.”
I jiggled the cup and reached over to his fly. His erection was pressing hard against his jeans, and I was happy to unbutton them and let his cock free. It sprung out, happy to see me, and I placed my warm hand around it.
“Drive.”
In-N-Out.
In-N-Out.
In-N-Out.
It was all Aston could freaking talk about in the hours leading up to seeing Vegas’s lights. The boy prattled on and on, waxing poetic about the greatest burger chain in the country.
“Seriously, forget the bikini situation and just let me order,” he said, wiping stray drool from his lips.
“Aston, we’re not even within the city limits yet,” I laughed. “My god, you have a two-track mind.”
We could see a hazy cluster of lights in the distance, signaling how close we were. Vegas, the place where we were about to make our dreams come true.
And for Aston, that dream started with a burger.
“I thought you had a much more sophisticated palate than that,” I said, eyeing him suspiciously. “I mean, you’re all Mister Gourmand and the first food you want to have in Vegas is from a freaking chain?”
Aston glared at me. “It’s not just a chain. It’s fucking In-N-Out.”
“So what separates this place from, say, Burger King?”
He gasped, clutching his hand to his heart comically. “In-N-Out is legendary. They only have chains out west because they never freeze their meat, which they have specially bred for their burgers. They cut their potatoes seconds before frying them. It’s the freshest, tastiest, and goddamned manliest burger you’ll have in your life. I won’t have you besmirch their name again.”
I arched an eyebrow at him. “Oh really? You’d piss off your Mistress by barking orders at her, all over a manly burger?”
Hand still over his heart, he hung his head and glanced over at me from the driver’s seat. “You have never tasted one, clearly.”
I giggled in spite of myself. “Fine, I’ll have a half. I could use some protein.”
“I’ve got some protein right here.”
I smacked him. The colors of the lights on the horizon intensified, and soon, we were seeing the twinkle of the Strip itself.
“We’re here!” I yelped, overcome with excitement. Vegas is a city where anything can happen, and despite all the drama Aston and I had gone through on this trip, it was about to pay off. He’d have his meeting with the restaurant guy, and I’d have my pageant. Asshole family and ex-boyfriends be damned. We were in Vegas, baby.
Aston pulled the car over to put the top down. It was night, finally, and while the air was still hot, it had lost that oppressive feeling. The air was fresh and filled with the promise of new opportunities. This was it, what I’d wanted for so long. Freedom. The open road, a new man, then a glittering city. Not a bad start!
We drove toward the lights, and they pulled us in like a million tractor beams. I didn’t know what I wanted to do first—hit up a casino, grab a drink, find a hotel.
“There she is,” Aston whispered. “Beautiful.”
Right. Apparently burgers were first.
When we parked, Aston nearly skipped into the building. I’d never seen him so excited. The line was long, despite the fact that it was past midnight, but he didn’t seem to care. The menu was really straightforward—fries, shakes, burgers. No frills. It didn’t seem to bother anyone, since the throngs of people there seemed hell-bent on getting their food and snarfing it as fast as humanly possible. It was debauchery, but not the type I really expected from Vegas.
After a moment in line, Aston was next.
“What can I get for you?” the small girl behind the counter asked.
“Neapolitan shake, Animal-Style fries, a grilled cheese, and a three-by-three.”
I looked at him like he was insane. None of that was on the menu.
The woman, however, just plugged his order into the computer and asked him for his money. He paid gleefully and we stood off to the side.
“What the hell was that?” I asked.
Aston smiled. “It’s the not-so-secret menu of In-N-Out. Stuff only real fans know. Neapolitan is a chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry shake. Animal-Style fries are smothered in special sauce, cheese, the works. A three-by-three is three patties of meat and three slices of cheese.”
He was grinning like an idiot, vibrating with excitement. The food came, and Aston bolted to the counter like his feet were on fire. I found us a table and sipped a water. When he came back with the food, I eyed it. It did look good. Aston made eye contact with me, and it was a familiar expression: begging.
“Dig in,” I said, giving him permission to delve into his other love. The feeding frenzy was ridiculous—he’d eat a bite of burger, cram a fry in, then slurp down a gulp of Neapolitan all in the same breath.
“Try some,” he said.
“I would but I’m afraid I’d lose a finger,” I said. He smirked, sat back to wipe his sauced-up hands, and gave me access.
I tried an Animal-Style fry. It was good—fresh potato for sure and the sauce was nice. I took a bite of his tall burger. A bit too much meat for my taste, but at least it wasn’t nuts. Then finally I had a sip of the shake. Too many flavors. I cut the grilled cheese in half and took one.
“This is more my speed,” I said, enjoying the most reserved part of Aston’s order. I was proud of myself for not freaking out. Food is fuel and food is an experience, and this was both. Aston wanted me to enjoy, so I let myself. While it wasn’t the kind of stuff I’d want on a regular basis, it was definitely a nice treat.
We sat there for a while, happily noshing, people watching, taking in the sights. The city’s atmosphere was so different from home. There was so much anticipation here, so many hopes that you could smell them on the people.
No, that was just the animal sauce under my nose. I wiped the glob off with a napkin.
“I still like my idea of more interesting burgers,” I said offhandedly. “Like gourmet stuff. Or those Italian burgers we talked about.”
Aston paused midbite. “I remember. Seriously not a bad idea.”
“I mean, I’ve seen blue cheese burger and barbecue burger places, but not a specific bu
rger place that made wacky, funky burgers.” I took a sip of the shake to wash the rest of the grilled cheese down.
Aston wiped his mouth. “So, where should we crash tonight? I think we should probably get a hotel for the rest of the week while we get ready for the show. We can apartment hunt during the week, too.”
I nodded, feeling a blush come to my cheeks. We were going to move in together. I still couldn’t believe it.
Reclining in the hard plastic chair, I laced my hands behind my head and thought. “Well, staying on the Strip is pretty expensive.”
Aston shook his head. “Not everywhere. I still think we should be on-Strip because you’ll be hitting up the Bellagio in prep for the pageant, and I’ll be meeting with the guy from the Pandora Hotel. They’re building it down by Mandalay Bay.” He pointed in a vague direction.
I pulled out my phone. “Okay, so we want something cheap and in between the Bellagio and the Pandora,” I said, watching the app work its search engine magic. What it landed on made me chuckle.
“Oh, you’re never going to go for this,” I said, stifling my laugh with my hand. Aston Delano, playboy extraordinaire and spoiled rich boy. Oh, this was too funny to be true. It was the cheesiest, silliest, most touristy hotel on the Strip. I held the phone up to him, watching his face read the display.
“Excalibur?”
THE GRAND CASTLE loomed ahead of us as we laughed.
“Seriously,” he said, dazed, “we’re staying here for the rest of the week?”
The doorway acted like a drawbridge, allowing us into the casino fortress that was the cheesefest, Excalibur. It was so hokey it was almost pokey. The décor was unabashedly medieval kitsch—banners, armored knights, the works. They even had a joust on the premises.
An actual joust. I bounced in my heels but Aston rolled his eyes.
We strode in with our scant luggage, assaulted by the casino’s lights and sounds. Bells, whistles, loud crowds. It was absolute sensory overload. I loved it. Aston looked like he smelled shit.
He had a plastic half-smile the whole time we booked our room and went up the elevator. I tried holding his hand, but it was limp in my grasp. I was so annoyed that he wasn’t digging this kitschy, silly ambiance.