by Jane Henry
“Oh, it is, honey,” he whispered, running one hand along the curve of her bottom and squeezing. She squealed.
“Get back on your back and come to the edge of the bed,” he whispered. She obeyed eagerly as he knelt in front of her, placing her legs over his shoulders and teasing her with a lazy stroke of his tongue.
“You ready, baby?” he whispered.
“Yes, sir,” she responded.
He chuckled, lowering his mouth to her skin, his own heady arousal consuming him as he took her to new heights. The control he had over her, her eagerness to obey and the way her body responded to every stroke of the flogger or his tongue… it was the sexiest damn thing he’d ever witnessed.
“I love you,” she whispered.
“And I love you,” he responded. “Such a good girl. And all mine.”
He sighed, fully prepared to take her to climax and leave his mark on her. It had been a long day, but the night had just begun.
Chapter Four
“Are you out of your mind?” Meredith said as Kirstin stood and held the skin-tight, leopard-print number out.
“Mer, it’s ten bucks,” Kirstin said with a roll of her eyes. “What do you have to lose?”
“Besides my dignity?” Meredith said, shaking her head slowly. “No way.”
Kirstin sighed and came up behind Meredith, and pushing her in front of a mirror, she wrapped her arms around her and lifting the negligee in front of her.
“Look. The color is perfect with your blonde curls. Perfect. The front dips down and there’s a push-up bra here, and the little furry hem hits the top of your gorgeous thighs. Girl, this is sex on a hanger. What are you waiting for?”
“Tarzan to come and swoop me up,” Meredith muttered, frowning, as she gingerly reached a finger out and touched the strap.
“Mer, you’re married to a chest-beating Tarzan,” Kirstin said. “Which means he’s going to freakin’ love this thing.”
Meredith shook her head. “I don’t know,” she mumbled. “It’s just…” she finally shrugged. “It’s not what I’m used to. Good point about Tarzan, though,” she mumbled.
Kirstin laughed, tossing it into her own basket. “Then fine. I’m buying it for you and I’ll make you take it home, and then some day when you’re good and drunk or something, you can wear it.”
“Kirstin, you really don’t need to—”
Kirstin pointed a finger at Meredith. “For a girl who does as she’s told, you’re awfully argumentative.”
She pushed the leopard-print number to the bottom of her basket and made her way to the front of the store, where there was a large quantity of garters and thigh-highs. She’d managed to convince Meredith to travel the next town over to visit “The Spice Rack,” a naughty store specializing in inexpensive and fun accessories, among other things. It was a discount store, and Meredith’s first time visiting. Paolo knew vaguely where she’d been planning on going, and she was hoping to surprise him. But the sheer quantity and selection were overwhelming.
Meredith shook her head at Kirstin.
“I don’t do what everyone tells me,” she muttered. “Just one person.”
Though she wasn’t upset, it was a sticky point for her. Early on when she’d joined the forum online, several had passed comments regarding submissive women and how they were submissive in nature as a rule of thumb. Meredith did not find that to be the case for her. She was fairly independent at work, and often took on tasks that others couldn’t handle. She spoke her mind with ease, and did not cower when faced with opinionated people. She was often asked to lead meetings, and didn’t think twice of standing up in the face of injustice or when something needed to be done. When her son was in grade school, she’d chaired the Parent-Teacher Association, and lobbied on behalf of the town, garnering more funds when they were in danger of severe budget cuts.
Kirstin managed to steer her toward a part of the store they hadn’t visited yet.
“Suuure,” Kirstin said, snagging something off a rack Meredith couldn’t see. “What you really need is one of these suckers. Maybe if I had one of these you’ll listen.”
Meredith squealed as Kirstin gave her a teasing swat with a hot pink riding crop.
“Kirstin!” she hissed, as they caught the attention of several other shoppers.
Kirstin snickered. “These are lovely, Mer. And don’t tell me you don’t go all weak in the knees with the thought of Paolo taking a riding crop to your ass?”
Meredith shrugged and flushed as she eyed the other items on the rack. Her voice dropped to a whisper as she flipped through the rack marked fetish.
“Bondage bed sheets? Liquid latex? And oh my God,” she said, as she gingerly pointed to a severe-looking leather whip. “That thing looks like it’s suitable for bull taming, not in bed.”
Kirstin giggled. “The bed sheets are new to me,” she murmured. “The things you can do with Velcro…”
“I am curious about riding crops,” Meredith admitted, as she looked at the assortment. “But some of these are silly. Paolo would not be into using a furry one, or a heart-shaped one, or one of the hot pink deals.”
“Well, honey, most of those are meant for you to pursue your inner dominatrix, not really for guys like Paolo,” Kirstin explained and Meredith’s eyes widened as a faint flush crept to her cheeks.
“Ohhhh,” she said, suddenly feeling really silly. “I hadn’t even though about that.”
Kirstin snickered. “Of course you haven’t,” she said. “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out Paolo isn’t the type to dig that.”
Meredith sobered as she tried to casually look through the other spanking implements. She cringed at an acrylic cane, quickly pushing it back on the shelf, frowned at a small red leather strap, and fingered the edge of a small, stout riding crop. She hadn’t really looked at any kinky items online in a while. She had been looking at the assortment of custom collars that were to be had, but she’d finally given that up. He had told her to be patient, and he would know when the time was right. So she’d stopped looking altogether. There were many items in the fetish section she suspected were more accessories than anything, and some of the paddles looked like they wouldn’t withstand more than one sharp swat. Though the crop looked tamer than the rest, it looked like it would still produce a satisfying spank.
She took it off the shelf.
Kirstin nodded. “That looks nice, chica,” she said. “Sturdy enough to really pack a sting, but not severe enough that you’d regret buying it the next time you mouth off to him.”
Meredith giggled and bit her lip. She wondered how much Kirstin really knew.
“Have you tried a riding crop?” she asked. Kirstin nodded.
“Sure. We’ve tried lots of things. Caleb’s more into using his hand than anything, though,” she said. “And he likes a lot kinkier things than just spanking. He’s really into bondage and toys.”
Meredith nodded. She and Paolo hadn’t ventured much further into the many offerings the BDSM lifestyle afforded, and she wasn’t quite sure she wanted to. She preferred allowing Paolo to lead her wherever he wanted, and she trusted that he wouldn’t do more than she could handle.
“What about you?” Kirstin asked.
“We’re still sort of new to all this,” Meredith said softly, as she took the black riding crop down from the shelf and swung it at her hand. She had to see what it felt like. It was flexible and thin, with a braided handle and sturdy leather loop at the very end. A few swats and she could tell it would be sensual without being severe.
“You really can’t go wrong with a nice crop,” Kirstin said. “The length is fun because you can do a lot of teasing, and this one’s short enough to go over the knee but long enough you don’t have to.”
“Oh I definitely want to,” Meredith said before she could stop herself.
Kirstin giggled. “No doubt,” she said. “So when did you all start this, anyway?”
Meredith shook her head as she put the cr
op in her basket, looking around the store for something big and bulky that would cover it up. Kirstin shook her head, taking the crop into her own basket.
“Chill, babe,” she said. “It’s hardly like you just snagged a riding crop in the middle of a kitchen supply store. This is a naughty shop. We’re in the fetish section. Riding crop is about as tame as you’re going to get.”
Still, Meredith was pleased the incriminating evidence was no longer in her basket.
“Haven’t been at it long enough,” Meredith said. “We’re still figuring things out.”
“You’ll get there,” Kirstin said, eyeing a small leather paddle. “Caleb is a lot more experienced at these things than I am, and we’ve been doing this for a few years. I think we’ve still barely scratched the surface. But it’s fun trying new things together.”
“And that’s part of the appeal, isn’t it?” Meredith murmured, giggling as she stroked the silky feathers of a duster. She couldn’t quite imagine taking Paolo seriously with a hot pink feather trailing along her skin.
“It is,” Kirstin said. “Definitely part of the appeal.” Her stomach growled. “Hey, you ready to grab something to eat? I’m starving.”
They’d left early, before Paolo had even woken up, and traveled to the store before traffic picked up in the city. Meredith sent a quick text to Paolo, nodding as Kirstin headed to the checkout. Meredith took a few discreet pictures with her phone. She might leave the store with an empty basket, but she’d gotten plenty of ideas. The whole anonymous point-and-click online option was much more suited to her taste. She’d be doing more shopping later.
***
Meredith sat across from Kirstin at the coffee shop. Kirstin had a sugar-topped blueberry muffin in her hand, but she was speaking so animatedly, she hadn’t yet taken a bite. Meredith’s stomach growled.
“Are you going to eat that, or what?” Meredith asked with a frown. Kirstin smiled.
“You hungry or something, Mer?”
Meredith groaned. She was starving out of her mind, but Paolo had told her she had to ask permission for sweets. The muffins, bedazzled in ribbons of sparkling sugar, begged to be eaten, chased by a steaming hot cup of coffee. She’d dutifully ordered her coffee but had waited on ordering food, as Paolo still hadn’t answered her text.
She’d begun to realize that too much sugar made her feel queasy, and after a particularly unfortunate event involving a sugar hangover and chocolate cake, Paolo waded in and forbade the carb-laden treats unless he meted them out. Meredith wanted that damn muffin. But she did not want to go home and end up over his lap over a stupid muffin, and over his lap she inevitably would end up.
She’d ended up over his lap every single day for the past week, but she hadn’t been punished. No. He’d been true-to-his word. He’d initiated a daily routine of making her repeat her rules, reminding her he was in charge, and making sure she wasn’t feeling tempted to push back or act bratty, by fulfilling her need to be dommed. It had taken her some time to understand why she needed this from him, but the fruit of their new routine was immediately evident. Uncertainty was put to rest. She was reminded of his expectations, and the rules he had for her. Every day, she had a dose of feeling cherished, cared for, and understood, and when she shifted on her seat at work and felt the twinge on her bottom, she felt thankful he’d left his mark on her. His expectations for her made him ever-present in her mind, and she loved that even when they were apart, their commitment to one another was a constant thought.
She gave one despairing look at her phone as the waitress came back to their table. She sighed. “Egg sandwich with cheese and bacon,” she said to the waitress. She plunked her menu down, and the waitress swept it up and walked away to fill her order.
Kirstin smirked. “Took you long enough,” she said.
“I was debating the sugar bomb, but had to make the grown-up decision,” Meredith said with a teasing look of disapproval at Kirstin’s muffin. Kirstin grinned, slathered a dollop of butter on a generous portion and popped it wholly in her mouth. Meredith shook her head.
“I’m tempted to say something outrageously funny or tickle you, so you spray muffin crumbs everywhere,” Meredith muttered. Kirstin grinned devilishly around her stuffed mouth, and swallowed hard.
“What’s so wrong with a muffin?” she asked. She picked up her coffee and took a long swig.
“The sugar makes me sick,” Meredith said mournfully. “Straight carbs kill my stomach. So I have to the refined stuff. I do still like it a lot, though.” She sighed.
“And yet you waited to order, and have been staring at your phone.” Kirstin gave Meredith a calculating look. She grinned. “Don’t want to get spanked?”
Meredith looked sharply at Kirstin, who was still grinning and popping another gargantuan piece in her mouth. “Stop playing so innocent, babe. I’m not blind or stupid,” Kirstin mumbled over muffin crumbs. Her eyes were twinkling, so whatever she’d picked up on, she was cool with it. Still, Meredith calculated her response. How much did Kirstin know? Since Kirsten dabbled in the BDSM scene, she was familiar with at least playing around with the power exchange. How would she feel about the fact that Paolo didn’t just play with bedroom or sexual submission, but that he was in real authority over her? And that Meredith was subject to be disciplined if she disobeyed him?
Meredith gave a nervous laugh, but twisted her napkin in her hands on the table. “Maybe later,” she said.
Kirstin snorted. “Now you’re talking. Seriously, babe, I get it.” She leaned across the table and lowered her voice. “Ever get texts when you’re at work, giving you a time frame for how long you have to take your clothes off when you get home?”
Meredith’s eyes widened. “Not yet,” she whispered. She couldn’t help but smile.
“Been on a control date yet?”
Meredith shook her head. “What the hell’s that?” she whispered.
Kirstin leaned back and grinned. “He tells you what to wear. Orders for you. You do nothing unless you have permission.”
Meredith’s eyes narrowed playfully. “I could get into that.”
Kirstin nodded. “So could Paolo. Trust me.” She took a sip of her coffee, as the waitress brought Meredith’s sandwich over. Kirstin tore off a corner of her muffin and offered it to Meredith. “You sure you don’t want a bite?”
Meredith shook her head. “No. I’m good, thanks,” she said.
Kirstin nodded, and nibbled on the piece herself. “You guys are for real,” she said quietly, almost as if to herself. Meredith looked at her. What did she mean? Did Kirstin know that if Meredith disobeyed him, he would punish her? Or did she think it was all a game? Meredith took a shaky breath and bit into her sandwich before she replied. She was so very tempted to spill all.
I read this forum online.
I agreed to obey this guy.
It was Paolo all along.
It’s been so hard, learning why I feel this way and how to obey him.
I love that he gives this to me.
I would never go back.
She was surprised by even her own thoughts. She would never go back? No. No, she wouldn’t. It was hard and it was confusing at times, but she’d never been happier, or more satisfied. But Kirstin had made a comment, and Meredith wanted to respond.
She swallowed her sandwich and took a sip of coffee. She’d play it safe.
“What do you mean?” Meredith asked.
“You do what he says,” Kirstin said with a shrug. “I get that. Same here with Caleb, though I don’t think he’s quite as bossy as Paolo, and maybe Caleb is more into the bedroom stuff.” She giggled. “Caleb is really into the bedroom stuff. But it’s fun. To him, it’s more about play. He likes me to make my own decisions, too, you know? I have my own bank account. And he likes me to be a little feisty.” Kirstin sipped her coffee again. “But it seems more serious with you two.” She paused. “Is it?”
Meredith looked into her friend’s honest eyes, and she trusted her.<
br />
“It is,” she said, and in that one sentence, she knew she was taking a leap. A leap of faith. Trusting her friend with something so personal, at first she couldn’t imagine telling anyone she knew, but now she had. And as she did, as Kirstin nodded with an encouraging wink, and Meredith felt an enormous sense of relief. She felt validated. Kirstin got it. She might never know the details, and that was okay. She didn’t have to. She knew and she understood.
“Whatever you’re doing, keep it up,” Kirstin said, her eyes sobering as she placed her hands on the table in front of her and folded them. “He adores you, Mer. The way he looks at you would make any girl jealous. For real. And you seem so happy. You keep doing what you’re doing, if it’s working for you. And if shit comes up that you find hard to deal with, you can talk to me. I want you to know that.” She paused, as if she were looking for the words, as she sat back in her chair. She inhaled. “People play in the BDSM scene. It sounds like a walk in the park at times. It seems sexy, and fun, and exciting. And it is. But really, it can get scary sometimes.”
Kirstin paused again, as if trying to find the right words. Her eyes came back to Meredith. “It’s when you push past that scary that you really start reaping the benefit of it all. You need to trust the person you’re with. And then you have to reach deep down into yourself, you extend that trust, do your own part. That’s when shit becomes real, and when it becomes amazing. And I know Paolo. He would never hurt you.” Kirstin’s eyes twinkled. “Well, nothing you couldn’t handle. Enjoy the ride, babe.”
Meredith nodded, mulling over what Kirstin was saying.
“And Mer? If you get to a place where you’re not sure if this is for you? Give me a call. I’ll listen. Everyone needs a place where she can let her hair down.”
Meredith nodded. “Thanks, honey.”
Kirstin winked and popped the rest of her muffin in her mouth, and Meredith shook her head at her.
Reach deep into yourself, you extend that trust, do your part.
That’s what she was doing.