by Leia Shaw
Malachi chuckled. “You’re asking for it.” He threw the pillow on the floor in front of Scarlet, and Reece squeezed around to kneel on it.
Behind Scarlet, Malachi walked away, fiddled with something, then returned. He kicked her feet apart and she suddenly felt very exposed. Between her legs, Reece leaned in and placed a kiss on her labia. Tied up like this, she couldn’t stop her girlfriend from doing whatever she wanted.
“Eye bolts on the walls, down near the floor here would be good, too,” Malachi said. “Wouldn’t need a spreader bar and you could keep Reece horny as hell for hours.”
Reece’s tongue swept up between her swollen folds. Unerringly, she found her clit and started flicking it daintily with her little tongue. Between what Reece was doing and the visual Malachi had given her, she had to suck in deep lungfuls of air to calm down.
“What’s the matter, Scarlet? I haven’t even started yet.” His deep voice made her shiver.
The feather duster that Reece kept in with their kink equipment touched her back, tickling her, dragging over her shoulders, her neck, then beelining for her ass. He brushed the softness over her bottom then down each leg to torture the backs of her knees. By then she was breathing hard and trying to shove against Reece’s mouth, but the girl kept ducking backward and keeping her tongue’s contact light. They were making her crazy.
When he stopped, she twisted her neck to watch him grab a coil of thin rope off of the table. He couldn’t do much with rope, right? When had he stripped off his shirt?
He whisked it against her back, giving her skin prickles. His steady pace made her mind haze over. Then, as if trying to bring her back, he’d whip her hard enough to make it wrap around her ribs like licks of barbed wire. Reece’s tongue and fingers kept part of her attention on her pussy – sometimes frustrating, sometimes satisfying when she bit her thighs.
Malachi switched to the flogger after a few minutes, then started playing with various implements, either too short of attention to follow a logical escalation, or deliberately working to keep her off balance. The thud of the flogger and the slap of the crop mixed with the pinch of clothespins and tickle of the feather duster. She cringed and squealed, then moaned loudly when he found the most interesting combinations.
“Permission to touch you?” Malachi asked after a while. “This isn’t enough stimulation for you. You can take more than I thought.”
Not enough stimulation? She already felt overloaded. “Okay, but not...uh...down there.”
“I want to put nipple clamps on you. Are you okay with that?”
She thought for a moment, but decided not to chicken out now. “I guess.”
Reece’s light teasing became harder for a moment and she groaned loudly.
He slid his hands up her ribs then engulfed her small breasts. A man was touching her. The knowledge that she was crossing a line she thought she’d never cross weighed heavily on her.
For a man, he definitely knew his way around a woman’s breasts. Every stroke and pinch made her clit throb harder. She looked down and stifled a laugh. She’d never thought about how playing with a man might make her feel even less well endowed than she was. Being skinny with small tits wasn’t attractive – even her ex-girlfriend thought so. She was lucky Reece was willing to see past her imperfections.
Strong fingers continued to pluck at her responsive nipples and she instinctively pressed her sex against Reece’s mouth. Reece moaned, the vibration making her now hypersensitive clit itch and almost hurt. Too much oral.
Mal affixed the first clamp, its cruel little teeth biting at her. It was too tight to be comfortable and she whimpered. It settled into a hard burn and she gasped for breath.
“Is it okay?”
“Yes,” she said with difficulty.
He chuckled then clamped on the other one. It was loose. She was so relieved she smiled, but he saw it. He rubbed his thumb over the tightening wheel and a moment later she was gasping like a fish at the bottom of a boat.
Her hips jerked and Reece wrapped her arms around her thighs to keep her in place. Ow, fuck, her nipples...
Things started to seem fuzzy and far off. A blaze of pain whipped across the backs of her legs and her ass then bisected her back. She hung from the ropes and they chewed into her wrists, combining with the flaming stripes being painted on her flesh. Something sliced across her, more painful – her eyes were dark, blind. Sharpness where her neck and shoulder met. Her nipples were agony. Teeth below.
She screamed as she came, her body seizing up then twisting at the end of the rope. Something slid up inside her, pumping in and out. Her body clenched on it and another orgasm wracked her until it spat her out, floating.
Her comforter was under her face, its freshly washed scent clearing the cotton from her head. Muzzy. She grunted and tried to lever herself up, but she was trapped. Reece nuzzled her face.
“You’re back!” She smiled. Her eyes were so close she almost looked like a cyclops.
“Yeah. How did I get into bed?”
“Malachi carried you. You were pretty out of it.”
Scarlet searched her memory but it was blurred. “How long was I...out for?”
“I don’t know. Five, ten minutes?”
“It was about ten,” Mal rumbled from behind her, almost in her ear.
Scarlet shivered. There was a dick in their bed. A man was pressed up against her back.
Her body tensed and he stroked a hand along the bare skin of her side.
“I know you don’t want me like that, Scarlet, but part of a top’s job is to make sure the bottom is okay after a session.”
“I told him to lay on your other side,” Reece said, defending him. “I was worried cause you looked...kind of stoned.”
Scarlet shifted her ass away from the part of him that was prodding there. He rolled his hips away from her. His jeans felt rough against her nakedness.
His rumbling laugh, so close to her ear, made her heart race. “Sorry. The old guy won’t listen to reason.”
Reece peeked over Scarlet’s shoulder at him. “You have an old penis?”
“It just feels old because it doesn’t get out much.”
Lethargy stole over Scarlet again, making her feel like she was sinking into the mattress. Half-asleep she mumbled, “You two should just have sex and get it over with.”
“What?” Reece squeaked.
Scarlet cracked open an eyelid. “Seriously. You haven’t had cock in a couple of years, Reece. Don’t you miss it?”
“You’re not thinking clearly right now, Scarlet.” Malachi hugged her from behind. “This is something you two should talk about with clear heads.”
“I have been thinking about it. I think that as long as I’m there I’d be okay with it. Just no sneakiness, okay?” It was inevitable. It was going to happen and it was better that she be involved than have them go off without her. She’d never get Reece back that way. Denying the attraction between them and hanging on tighter wouldn’t do anything other than make Reece fight for her freedom. Maybe she’d get him out of her system and things would go back to the way it was before. Besides, she couldn’t get out of her head how fucking hot it would be to watch.
“Just because you think I should have sex with him doesn’t mean that either of us are interested,” Reece said neutrally.
Mal cleared his throat. “Let me just state, for the record, that I’d have sex with either or both of you. And Reece, you know I’ve wanted you for years.”
She frowned over Scarlet’s shoulder at him. “I refuse to be a knothole in a fence for you, Malachi Johansson.”
“Clarence.”
“What?”
“It’s my middle name. Cross is the only other friend I’ve even told that to. Now you can use three names when you tell me off.”
Reece rolled her eyes. “Dorky. It suits you.”
“I tell you something that personal and your response is to call me a dork? Harsh.” He settled his scratchy chin on Scarlet’
s arm so he could look directly at Reece. “That reminds me. Don’t you have a punishment coming to you?”
“Nooo. Not right now. I’m all tired and snuggly.”
Scarlet wedged a hand between Reece’s legs. The girl’s damp underwear belied her words. “So you’re saying you’re not horny?”
“Maybe I’m horny. A little. But I’m not in the mood for a clothespin.”
“If I have to get up to get it, you’ll be sorry.”
“Oh, blah blah blah. Now you two are on the same team. Okay! I’ll get it.” Reece rolled off the bed and walked out of the room with a dignified air. Both Scarlet and Mal craned their necks, watching her go.
“It’s really unfair that she’s so hot,” Malachi mused.
“Yeah. I walk around with a permanent hard-on because of it.”
He glanced pointedly down at her nude body.
“It’s a figurative hard on. It’s a lot more uncomfortable, trust me.”
“Speaking of uncomfortable, how’s your back and ass? I striped you up pretty hard.”
Scarlet stretched, the sting and soreness impossible to ignore. It was a good hurt.
“It was pretty awesome, actually.” Not turning to look at him was impolite, but lying on her back while she was naked wasn’t a comfortable idea.
“Me being a guy wasn’t too awkward?”
Scarlet held in an impish laugh. “Nah. You have delicate features and dainty hands. It was easy to pretend you were a girl.”
“With a goatee? I really need to see pictures of your ex-girlfriends.”
“Would you prefer traditional pics or erotic ones?”
There was a snicker from the doorway. “Wow. What did I miss?”
“He wants to see pictures of my exes.”
She strolled to the bed. “That won’t take long. There were two, and only one counts if you ask me. Intense, non-sexual relationships aren’t really the same.”
“Whoa,” Malachi jumped in. “Hold up there, kitten. Let’s start this punishment out the right way. Go back to the door and crawl to your Domme.”
Her mouth fell open and her fingers went white around the clothespin she held. “No! Absolutely not.”
Malachi was out of bed and at Reece’s side before Scarlet even thought of sitting up. “Do you have knee issues or are you safewording?”
She bit her lip. “Well, neither but –”
“Then I expect you to do it. Now.” He looked so large and intimidating next to her – the hardness of his body a counterpoint to her softness and curves.
Scarlet sat up. This was getting good. “Do what you’re told, Reece.”
“Ugh. But Scarlet, you’d never make me do this. Why have him train me to do stuff you wouldn’t do? It’s not our style.”
“I let a man touch me to please you and you’re complaining about crawling halfway across a room?” Scarlet moved to the edge of the king-sized bed and stood elbow to elbow with Malachi.
Reece looked terribly guilty for a moment, and Scarlet had to stop herself from taking her words back. She had a habit of rescuing her whenever she looked uncomfortable, but Malachi seemed to know what he was doing. United front and all that.
“Oh, fine!” She handed the clothespin to Malachi then walked back to the doorway. The sway of her hips made Scarlet’s libido sit up and take notice.
Reece was so subconsciously seductive it was an ongoing source of distraction, but she still saw herself as an ugly duckling. A brief glance at Malachi’s face proved that she wasn’t the only one who saw Reece that way.
When she got onto her hands and knees, her breasts threatened to spill out of her low-cut top. She crawled forward a few paces and huffed dramatically because her knees kept pinning down the hem of her top as she moved forward. She knelt up and drew the garment off over her head. Her breasts got caught up in the fabric then bounced free.
“Lord have mercy,” Malachi whispered next to her, his eyes riveted on her girlfriend.
“I know, right? And she really doesn’t see it,” she whispered back.
“I’m going to have to start wearing a bib around you two. In my pants.”
“Dude. TMI.”
By then Reece had reached their feet. She knelt back on her heels and waited.
“Mmm. Very pretty,” Malachi said, his words thick with approval. Reece’s cheeks bloomed pink.
Scarlet stroked Reece’s hair and Malachi traced a finger along her bottom lip. The kneeling girl’s large brown eyes were luminous and her gaze shifted back and forth between their faces.
“Stick out your tongue,” Malachi urged.
“Why?” Her chest heaved.
“You were a very bad girl, little miss Reece. You need a punishment to help you remember to watch that sexy mouth of yours.” Damn, he was good. He was like a spider sweet-talking a fly. Brilliant. “Tongue. Now.”
Like he’d cast a spell on her, she obeyed. Before she could bolt, he grabbed her chin, opened the clothespin with his free hand, and gently let it close on her tongue.
“Ow!” Her brows drew together and her forehead wrinkled, but she didn’t try to get away.
“You should play with her nipples, Scarlet. She could probably use a hand to forget how much this hurts.”
Not needing any more encouragement than that, Scarlet crouched and rolled the tips of Reece’s breasts between her fingers. She panted around the clothespin and squirmed on her knees.
Finally, he removed it. Reece didn’t stop frowning, but reeled her tongue gingerly back into her mouth. Scarlet stood up and stretched her legs. Malachi was checking her out – why hadn’t she put on some damned pants?
His gaze was on Reece again. “Was sassing us worth it?”
Reece pouted. “No. That hurt!”
“That was the point.” He tangled his hand in her hair and tipped her head back so that she was looking at him. “No more sassing, understood?”
“Yes, sir,” she said quietly.
“I’d better go before I come in my pants.” He laughed in self-derision. “I don’t want to lose all my Dom street cred with you two. Where the hell did I leave my t-shirt?” He strode out of the room, muttering to himself.
They looked at each other and giggled.
Then Scarlet caught sight of the ruffled panties again. “On the bed. Take those off.”
Reece’s laughter ended abruptly. Would she obey her like she did Malachi? Scarlet held her breath and waited.
Eyes cast downward, she squeaked out a, “Yes, Scarlet.”
Satisfaction surged through her and she couldn’t stop a small smile.
Reece rose gracefully to her feet then pressed against Scarlet for a quick kiss. She slid her underwear down her long legs and stepped out of them then climbed onto the bed. “But what if Malachi comes back in?”
“If he makes a mess, I’ll lend him some sweat pants.”
***
The coffee in her mother’s cup steamed like a gateway to another dimension. The youngish, hip-looking woman shoved a plate of cookies in her direction.
“Eat, baby. You’re so skinny.”
“You know eating isn’t going to change that, Mom. It’s genetic.”
“I know, but I feel like people think I’m a terrible mother and never feed you.”
“I haven’t lived with you in five years. My dietary habits are no longer your responsibility.”
Jorah Graydon laughed, smoothed her long blonde hair and settled back in her chair. “How’s the new job going? Is your new boss being good to you?”
“Jude’s been great. The hours are better, he treats me like the other guys, and none of them seem annoyed that I’m a girl. He pays better, too.”
“That’s great! I knew you’d find a good company sooner or later. That last guy was a jerk. So how’s Reece? I haven’t seen the two of you in a week. It’s weird that you’re here without her. Although she must be busy with sewing right about now?”
Scarlet stirred her hot chocolate then grabbed a cookie.
She tried to dunk it but her cup was too narrow. Breaking it in half worked like a charm. “Yeah, she’s sewing. My eyes were getting buggy so I told her I was going to come visit for a while. Malachi’s there to make sure she doesn’t faceplant on her machine. She’s barely slept in days. I can’t keep up.”
“Is that boy still hanging around? If he was gay I wouldn’t even bat an eyelash. No straight man would hang around with you two this much if he wasn’t seriously interested.” Her mother frowned.
“He’s a nice guy, Mom. It’s not a big deal. He’s just lonely. He had a bad breakup a while back and he never really got over it. His two best friends are busy with work and wives, and they don’t have time to see him much.” Scarlet cringed. She’d made him sound slightly pathetic. It wasn’t really like that, but how was she supposed to explain what his role with them was to her mother? She’d never hesitated about telling her mother she was bisexual when she was fourteen, but this…this was different.
“Well he should go out and get himself a girlfriend if he’s that lonely. If you’re not careful he’s going to steal Reece away and you’ll have no one to blame but yourself. You’re too trusting, string bean.”
Shit. She knew where this conversation was heading. “Mom, don’t even bring up Teressa. It’s not the same thing at all.”
“I wasn’t going to bring her up. She got bored and wandered off. You know I don’t blame you for that. It was sad for both you and me, though. I thought she was a keeper.” Her mother’s eyes filled with sympathy. “But then, if she hadn’t taken up with bitch-face what’s-her-name you never would have met Reece. There’s no comparison there. Teressa was around longer, but Reece has a much gentler soul. If you get past her business persona.”
Scarlet blew on her hot chocolate and sipped it. Ouch! Had her mother made it with lava? It scalded the roof of her mouth but if she complained, she’d have an ice cube floating in it in a second.
She gave her mother a half-smile. “You’re afraid she’ll leave me for Mal, and you’ll have to get used to someone else.”
Her mom shook her head. “I’m afraid she’ll go temporarily insane and leave the best thing that’s ever happened to her. I’m just looking out for her best interests.”