Bound by Consent

by Dalia Craig

  “Oh, Cassie.” Her chest rose and fell, her breathing rapid.

  My name on her lips, accompanied by a soft moan, sounded so good.

  With two hands I swept the shirt from her shoulders and down her arms until it fell to the floor. Then I reached for the zipper on her pencil skirt; the teeth parted smoothly allowing the garment to slither down her thighs and pool around her feet. Bryana remained passive, standing before me, her gaze lowered submissively, allowing me to dictate both the sequence and speed of events.

  God, the breath caught in my throat. She was so beautiful, so fragile, so incredibly sexy wearing just lace underwear and sheer, barely black, stockings. Just perfect for... I was tempted to fetch the length of rope from my bag, to bind her slender wrists together and haul them up above her head, but that would be going a step too far at this point in time. Although my head immediately filled with images of the white silk cord twisted into intricate knots across her body, binding her securely, and I could almost hear her voice begging me for relief. I dismissed temptation and reached out to lower the straps of her bra which acted like mild constraints in keeping her arms by her side. As the shallow cups dropped down, her breasts spilled from their confines bobbing slightly as they adjusted to freedom. Her nipples stood proud and erect from dark aureoles proclaiming her heightened state.

  With the tip of my index finger I traced a line from her throat through the valley between her breasts and down to the diamond stud in her navel. My finger nail left a faint dark line, a momentary blemish on her perfect skin that sent spikes of desire racing through my body to escape as throbbing heat between my thighs. I repeated the process, this time pressing just that bit harder, leaving a second line beside the first which was already fading. Bryana shuddered, her fingers scrabbled against the wall. Her lips parted to expel a soft gasp which I took to be of pleasure. At least I hoped it meant that, since I wanted to pleasure her so badly.

  I dropped to my knees and pressed my face to her midriff, dipping my tongue into her navel, before tentatively moving lower to put my mouth over the scrap of black lace that covered her mound.

  She was so ready. I could feel her heat, her individual aroma filled my senses and lifted my desire to a new level. My tongue probed the moist fabric of the g-string.

  Moment of truth time.

  Would Bryana relax enough to let her orgasm build to a climax or would she freeze and slam the door on the relief she so badly needed at the last moment? My fingers spanned her thighs and I used my thumbs to massage the soft flesh close to the apex. She reacted by widening her stance and pushing her pelvis toward me. My tongue slipped past the narrow strip of fabric to probe her slit.

  She tasted so sweet. My head swam, the gathering pace of desire driving me on. I slid my tongue across velvety flesh seeking her pleasure point. When my tongue made contact with her clit, Bryana jerked violently and her legs began to tremble. I probed the hardened peak, teasing it gently then building up both speed and pressure.

  “Cassie!”

  Bryana shouted out my name. I felt the orgasmic force sweep through her body like a tsunami before developing into a series of convulsions that seemed to ripple endlessly. When the tide slowed I stood, scooped her up in my arms and carried her to my bed.

  “Oh! Cassie...” Bryana dissolved into tears.

  “Don’t try to talk.” I sealed her lips with a kiss then spooned my body against Bryana’s, holding her close until her sobs faded and she drifted off to sleep.

  ****

  Just before seven o’clock, I escorted Bryana across the lobby of a smart hotel on the Nieuwe Doelenstraat for her working dinner. She turned a lot of heads. The raspberry-red outfit accentuated her curves and her coloring. Toning peep-toe patent pumps, impeccable make-up, matching nail lacquer, and upswept hair completed the picture. I felt so proud having her walk by my side and found it hard to believe that she’d achieved such perfection in barely half an hour. I left her at reception awaiting directions to the meeting room. From her expression when I suggested she call me to collect her at the end of the evening I doubted she would bother.

  For my part I explored the immediate area, finding few changes since my last visit. Then I found a quiet place to eat smoked eel, steak with a salad, and indulge my sweet tooth with a delicious chocolate confection.

  I returned to our hotel room just before nine o’clock and found a note had been slipped under the door. I opened the folded sheet, realized immediately it was intended for Bryana, and unashamedly read on.

  YOU WILL NOT TURN YOUR BACK AND JUST WALK AWAY FROM ME.

  REMEMBER OUT OF BOUNDS?

  NEXT TIME YOU WON’T ESCAPE.

  DON’T EXPECT CASSIE STUART TO PROTECT YOU.

  THE STUPID BITCH WILL RUN A MILE RATHER THAN HAVE HER PRECIOUS SECRETS EXPOSED.

  I’M WATCHING AND WAITING.

  YOU WILL OBEY ME OR SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES.

  My blood ran cold. Somebody clearly meant business. There was no signature but I couldn’t imagine the author as anybody other than Esmée Vincent. No mystery that she’d found us, since I’d discovered earlier in the day that this was Bryana’s usual hotel. I cursed myself for not realizing the possibility of something like this and taking preventative action. Although how she’d got the hotel to give out our room number left me speechless with fury.

  I stuffed the note into my pocket and tried Bryana’s phone but it was switched off. Frustrated, I left a voice message that I was on my way to collect her and, no arguments, she must wait until I got there. It would take me no more than fifteen minutes, quicker if I jogged. I made it in a little over ten and sent a text to announce my arrival while I got my breath back. Then I asked at reception for directions to the room where Célestin Reynaud was holding her meeting – at this hotel I had to plead a family emergency to get them to divulge the information.

  Thankfully the meeting was still in progress. I eased the door open a crack, just enough to satisfy myself that Bryana was there and safe, then I parked my butt on a sofa right outside to wait.

  “What are you doing here?” Bryana displayed her anger with venomous glare. “You don’t need to check up on me.”

  “I’m not checking up on you.” I kissed her on unresponsive lips and tried to hug her but she resisted me. “I just missed you, and wanted us to spend a little time together.”

  Clearly unconvinced, Bryana’s body language repelled further intimacy although she did introduce me to Célestin.

  “Enchanté.” Célestin kissed me on both cheeks before she stepped back to give my body keen scrutiny. Célestin’s tongue snaked across her lips as she turned back to Bryana. “Chérie, pourquoi n'avez-vous pas me dire votre nouvel ami était si sexy?”

  A delicate flush infused Bryana’s face. She flicked a very brief glance at me then turned back to Célestin. “Vraiment! Je n'avais pas remarqué.”

  I intervened to stop the exchange becoming embarrassing. “Now you’ve hurt my feelings, Bryana, I thought you might have noticed what was right under your nose.” My exaggerated huff drew a glare from Bryana and a laugh from Célestin.

  “Bryana, take this gorgeous woman away before I forget my manners and hit on her myself.” Célestin’s heavily accented English added a certain je ne sais quoi to the remark.

  “You wouldn’t dare.” Bryana fired back a challenge, her eyes sparkling like highly polished sapphires.

  “Try me, chérie.”

  “Come on.” I reached for Bryana’s arm but she batted my hand away.

  “Leave me alone!” Her angry hiss was loud enough to reach my ears but not be audible to those around us.

  I ignored her rejection and tried again. “How about a stroll and a quiet drink before we go back to the hotel?”

  “Perfect!” Célestin leaned in to kiss Bryana on both cheeks before she turned to me and repeated the process, taking the opportunity to whisper, “Make her rest a little before we start work tomorrow.”

  “I’ll try,” I replied, smiling
at the idea of making Bryana do anything she didn’t want to do.

  We left the hotel in silence and had walked several hundred yards before Bryana relaxed her stiff body. “What were you whispering about with Célestin?”

  “Nothing important.” I took Bryana’s arm to steer her around a crowd of revelers spilling out from a bar onto the narrow street leading away from the canal. “Célestin cares about you, as I do. We both want to protect you and keep you safe.”

  “I don’t need your protection.” Bryana tried to pull away and stumbled, her high heels precarious on the uneven pavers.

  I tightened my grip to stop her from falling.

  Yes you do, my sweet, you just don’t know how much.

  The note was burning a hole on my pocket. Anger welled up, and my throat tightened but I managed to grind out a response. “You are fooling yourself if you think you’re invincible.”

  Bryana huffed. “I can take care of myself.”

  “Like you did at Out of Bounds?”

  Bryana stiffened visibly. “You sure know how to hit below the belt.”

  Concern for her safety had forced the accusation from my mouth before my brain engaged. I knew full well bringing up the trauma that was so fresh in her mind wasn’t the way to win her over.

  If I wanted Bryana to take me seriously I was going to have to tell her about the note but not here in the street. The bar I had earmarked earlier came into view. I ignored the outside tables as too public and guided her into the dimly lit interior.

  Soft music mingled with voices in a variety of different languages as we threaded our way between the occupied tables toward the rear where several vacant booths offered both comfortable seating and an element of privacy. I ordered champagne, it was expensive but who cared? Cost was irrelevant when I needed to make a good impression, let’s face it, the way things were right now any impression would be a start. A tense silence hung in the air between us. Gone was the relaxed mood that prevailed in the aftermath of our lovemaking this afternoon. Bryana fiddled with a coaster, twisting it between her fingers, looking anywhere but at me. While I cursed my loose tongue, assuming that she was still brooding over my unfortunate remark about Out of Bounds. What a fool I was to spoil things.

  The arrival of the Taittinger Nocturne along with a dish of nibbles proved a welcome distraction from my thoughts. The server opened the champagne with deft movements and poured two glasses then left us the bottle in a wine chiller.

  “Have you brought me here for a purpose?” Bryana regarded me suspiciously over the rim of her glass.

  “Not really.” I evaded the question, wanting to bide my time until a right moment presented itself – if there ever was a right moment to spring something like the note onto her. The tension had eased slightly with the advent of the wine, making me loath to introduce another inflammatory topic. “I just thought we deserved a little quiet time to wind down the busy day. How was your dinner?”

  “Nice… Different.” Bryana seemed happy to talk trivialities. “First we had a tray of mixed canapé, all sorts of delicious little savories, beautifully presented on a bed of banana leaves, followed by a tagine of lamb with a couscous salad and lemon mousse. How about you? Did you eat?” She sipped her wine appearing at ease.

  “Steak and a large chocolate dessert.”

  “That figures.” Bryana gave me a quizzical glance. “How you keep your figure I’ll never know.”

  “Mostly with hard work.” I grinned. “Keeping the estate running smoothly, and exercising the horses. Remember Tavish?”

  “Only too well.” Bryana shuddered and pulled a face. “Not one of my favorite memories.”

  “Tavish would be hurt to hear you say that.” I shook my head in dismay. “He really enjoyed the experience. Although, he suggested that next time you might wear something more suitable.”

  “There isn’t going to be a next time, not in this life.”

  “Oh dear, that’s such a shame.” I couldn’t resist baiting her some more. “Especially after I sort of promised Tavish you’d come by and ride him again.”

  “In your dreams.”

  That’s my problem in a nutshell. I can’t stop dreaming about what we could have if Bryana... No, I mustn’t go there yet. Enough that we have today, tonight, I can’t look any further until we lay to rest the ghosts of the past.

  “I’ll tell him that you can’t wait to come and see him.”

  “You’d do that to the poor animal?” Bryana grinned, playing along with my teasing.

  “No.” I reassured her. “Tavish is very special to me. I wouldn’t want to hurt his feelings like that.”

  “Good.” Bryana picked up a handful of rice crackers and nibbled on them.

  Now she had relaxed a little more this seemed the ideal moment to raise the subject of the note. I hated to risk changing the mood or creating more problems for our fragile relationship but I had to warn Bryana. I couldn’t take the chance of Esmée carrying out her threat and maybe doing something really dangerous, something neither of us were prepared for or could anticipate.

  I took a deep breath. “Um… After dinner I went back to the hotel and found this pushed under our door.” I fished the sheet of paper out of my pocket and passed it across the table.

  “What?” Bryana unfolded the note, and scanned the writing for far longer than it would have taken her to read a couple of hundred lines before she raised her head her gaze troubled. “How did she know?”

  I didn’t need to ask who she was. “I imagine she guessed, or put two and two together based on your previous visits here.”

  “Yes, I suppose so. I am rather predictable.” Bryana sighed. “Esmée would have known exactly where to find me. No wonder you made such a fuss about meeting me and you didn’t say a word even when I gave you a hard time.”

  “There wasn’t any point in making things a whole lot worse than they already were. You needed to come to terms with me hanging around like a guard dog.”

  Bryana nodded. “You have a point. I’ll have to think about changing my routine in the future. From now, on wherever I go, I’ll choose a different hotel to the one I’ve always favored and maybe even vary the airline I use to travel as well.”

  “Or you could let me take care of you… permanently.” Again the words escaped my mouth before my thought process came to the rescue.

  Shit! It was too soon to ask Bryana for that sort of commitment.

  Even though in my own mind I was certain of my feelings, there were a number of stumbling blocks to overcome before...

  “What are you saying?” Bryana gave me an incredulous look. “Are you asking me to...? No…” She shook her head.

  I couldn’t help but laugh at the look of horror on her face. “It’s not such a bad idea. Think about it. We are good together in so many ways.”

  “No!”

  “Why not?” To give myself something to do I topped up our glasses with the remaining champagne. My hand shook. The enormity of losing Bryana stared me in the face.

  “Because…” Bryana ground to a halt and stared into her wine like it was the center of her universe.

  “Bryana, honey, look at me.” I waited while her head slowly lifted and her gaze met mine. “Do you trust me?”

  She frowned. “I suppose I do...”

  It was a heart stopping moment. She didn’t sound very sure. I rested my hand on hers.

  “Oh, honey,” I held her gaze. “I know you’re scared, but you have no reason to fear me. I won’t let you down, ever, and we have a lot of talking still to do before anything else happens.”

  Bryana’s lips parted, and her eyes widened questioningly, but she didn’t speak. Maybe she didn’t know what to say, or how to frame the questions uppermost in her mind. If that was the case I would need to fill in the blanks and help her make some sense of the situation.

  “This isn’t a five minute fix, we have a long way to go, we’d hardly scratched the surface before Esmée stepped in and ruined everything. Righ
t now our main priority must be to rebuild what we already had, only then can we begin to move forward one step at a time. Please be assured, I will never ask for more than you can or want to give. We can move at your pace and stop any time you feel uncomfortable.”

  “You make it sound so easy...”

  Optimist that I am, I read the shake of Bryana’s head as uncertainty rather that outright rejection. “It will be.” My tone was deliberately positive to counter any negativity on her part. “I know you’ll come up with all sorts of arguments against a permanent relationship, like your career and our places of residence but these are things that can be overcome with a little thought. You have to remember Scotland isn’t at the end of the world, London is only a couple of hours away by air.” I didn’t dare let on that getting to the airport was a marathon that often took far longer than the flight itself. “You can also fly direct to just about anywhere in the world from Scotland. Also, I’m totally flexible these days, I can’t see any obstacle that would prevent us from dividing our time between the two places as your job dictates.”

  Bryana took a sip of champagne before responding. “You really think we stand a chance of making this work?”

  “Yes.” I nodded emphatically. “We have nothing to lose by trying. And, with me around to keep an eye on you, Esmée and Marisa had better watch their step.”

  “That sounds good to me.” Bryana smiled. “I would hate to get on the wrong side of you. You scared the hell out of me, a few times, in the beginning.”

  “I scared you?” Shit! No wonder Bryana had wanted to keep me at arm’s length. I couldn’t believe she hadn’t said something before. “When? How?”

  “When you turned up on my doorstep throwing your weight around as if you owned me. Then later... later you made me feel like a slut, a whore, who deserved no better than to be used.

  “I am so sorry, honey.” This was a terrible indictment. “I never meant for you to feel that way. Misconceptions on both sides led to a few issues, for sure, but we’ve got those sorted now. We can start over, as of tonight. No baggage. No past. A clean slate. Do you agree?”