by Ellie Norton
"I'm sorry, Rachel," Emma said quietly.
I sighed, "It's ok, Em."
"No, it's not. I don't like what happened today. I don't like what I did to you. You were defending me, that shouldn't be punished." She said, her voice full of the uncertainty and worry that I knew she was feeling.
I slowly sat up, trying not to wince too much as my weight fell on the bruises. I looked at Emma, but she avoided looking into my eyes. "It's alright."
"It shouldn't have happened, Rachel. I promised you that you wouldn't be touched, and then you were, and I didn't put that bitch in her place, and you had to step in. I'm sorry. I failed you in every way possible today." She said as a tear fell from her lashes and trailed down her cheek.
I reached out and gently brushed the tear off her cheek. "You didn't fail me, Em. We're still trying to figure this out."
"How is it that you don't hate me for this?" She asked, pulling away from my touch.
"When you lifted that paddle today, were you trying to discipline your slave for acting inappropriately in public? Or were you trying to beat your girlfriend?"
She flinched. "I was trying to discipline my sub."
"I know," I said gently. "That's why I don't hate you. Is my ass going to hurt for a while? Yes. Do I wish that you'd chosen another form of discipline? Yes. Do I wish I hadn't hit that butch? Not in the slightest, and if I had to do it all over, I'd still hit the bitch." I waited while that sunk in, and then added, "But that's just your girlfriend talking. If you ask your pet, then the answers are mostly different. As your sub, I still don't regret hitting that butch. But I also loved your response, and I'm thoroughly enjoying the pain in my ass, because it reminds me of your claim on me."
"Really?" She asked, her voice hesitant as though she didn't believe me.
I smiled softly, "Yeah." Seeing that she still didn't believe me I crawled over to kneel, straddling her thighs. I ignored the surprised look in her green eyes as I leaned in to whisper in her ear. "You have no idea what it does to me when you claim me." I felt the shudder run through her and flicked my tongue out to tease her ear.
"Rachel, wait," she said, breathlessly.
I sat back, groaning when my weight fell on my butt. "What, Em? Why are you beating yourself up over this? If I had said our safeword would you have stopped?"
She paused, closing her mouth on the arguments she had been about to say. She thought about it and relaxed. "Yes, I would have stopped."
"Did I say the word?" I asked patiently.
"No."
"No, I didn't. Was that more pain than pleasure? Yes. But I knew you needed to do it. I knew as soon as the butch hit the floor that I wasn't going to enjoy what happened. I could have stopped it then, but I didn't. Because you needed it. You needed to re-establish your claim over me after seeing her hand on me. And you needed to protect your professional identity. If that hadn't happened in such a public forum, you would have responded differently."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because, Emma. I know what you need, too," I explained, smiling.
"How did I get so lucky?" She asked, wonder in her voice and I knew that she was starting to forgive herself.
"Again, do I need to remind you of the elaborate setup you did at the party, then the stealing of my car, and the tying me up?" I said with a smirk.
"I didn't steal your car. You were in it with me." She huffed out a half laugh.
"That's true."
She sobered. "I'm still sorry, Rachel. I don't ever want to hurt you."
I took her face gently in my hands and met her gaze, wanting her to see the truth in my eyes. "Then you should stop offering me the collar. I enjoy a little pain, Em."
Understanding blazed in her eyes. "Fine, I don't ever want to harm you. I don't want this to ever be anything but mutual enjoyment."
"That's what I wanted to hear, Emma. I promise, I'll use the safeword if things ever get even remotely close to the line between hurting and harming."
She nodded, "Alright, I can live with that. On a scale of 1 to 10, what was today?"
"With 10 being too close to that line?" I asked, and when she nodded I said, "A 7. It hurt, but I'm not remotely harmed by it."
She finally relaxed as she pulled me in for a hug. "I love you, Rachel," she whispered as she kissed my temple.
"I love you too, Em." I said and kissed her deeply, trying to put all of the love I felt for her into the kiss. She met the kiss with enough passion to have me rocking back on her lap. I couldn't stop the whimper that fell from my lips as the bruises flared to life.
Emma immediately pulled back from the kiss, her eyes wide. "I'm so sorry. Shit, I didn't—"
I put a finger to her lips to stop her apology. "It's ok, Em. But if you want, you can make it up to me." I said the last in a purr that caused a shiver to run through the blonde. I felt heat race through me at the hungry look that came into Emma's eyes.
She smirked, "Oh, really?"
I just smirked and shifted so I could grind my hot center against her thigh. I moaned at the contact and continued to rock against her. I was watching her and saw the moment when she decided to give into my lewd behavior. I laughed when her hands started fumbling with the zipper on my pants.
Later, as I drove Emma back to her house, before heading over to Harold's I noticed her shifting in her seat. "What's up?" I asked.
She sighed, keeping her eyes focused out the window. "I still feel bad about earlier."
"Em, I think you more than made up for it this afternoon. Or have you forgotten all the times you made me scream your name?" I asked lightly.
She glanced at me with a small smile. "I remember, but I—". She broke off and looked back out the window.
"You what?" I asked and when she didn't say anything, I added, "Please, Emma. What's going on?"
She took a deep breath and said, "That was me apologizing to my girlfriend for causing her pain. I'd also like to make it up to my pet. Will you come over tonight whenever you're done at Harold's?"
I smiled. "Of course."
"Thank you," she said letting the tension drain out of her.
"Did you honestly think I was going to say 'no'?" I asked.
"I worried. Today was…intense, and I wasn't sure you'd be willing to submit to me again." She answered softly.
"Em, I'm yours. Yes, today was intense, but that doesn't change the fact that I love putting myself at your mercy. I want all of you." I told her honestly.
"I want all of you too. So much that it sometimes scares me," she said.
"Emma, if you hadn't asked me to come over tonight, I was going to invite myself. We both need some time together as mistress and slave, to find our balance again."
"Really?"
"Yeah, really," I said with a smile. "Plus, it'll give me a really good excuse for getting out of watching some stupid movie with Harold."
She smirked, "Are you planning on telling him that you can't stay to watch a movie because you have plans to let me tie you up and fuck your brains out?"
My hands jerked on the wheel as heat shot through me. Her throaty chuckle didn't help and I had to struggle to calm my suddenly pounding heart while I focused on not driving us off the road. After a minute, I said, "No, not in those words."
She just laughed. A few minutes later, I pulled into her driveway. I put the car into park and pulled Emma in for a hard kiss, pouring all my raging desire for her into the kiss. She moaned and I shuddered against her in response. When I pulled back, her eyes were a little glassy with desire and I smirked. "I'll see you in a few hours," I said sweetly.
Her eyes narrowed, but she just replied, "Will you text me when you're on your way?"
"Sure."
"Ok, see you later, Rachel," she said before climbing out of the car and gathering the bags from our purchases. I watched until she was inside her house before putting the car in reverse and heading to pick up the pizza and beer.
By the time I found myself knocking on Harold's door,
I still hadn't decided what I was going to tell him about my relationship with Emma. I indulged in two deep breaths to calm my nerves as I waited for Harold to open the door.
He was grinning as he pulled the door open. "Hey, you actually made it."
I rolled my eyes, "You're such a nerd." I handed him the beer as I moved into his apartment. I sat on his couch and dropped the pizza onto the coffee table.
Harold put the 6-pack in the fridge, grabbing two of the bottles and heading over to sit next to me on the couch. "So, Emma, huh?" He asked, opening the beer with the bottle opener he kept on the coffee table.
I took a long sip from the bottle he handed me. "Yeah." I finally answered.
"Oh, come on. You've got to give me more than that. Yesterday you said you had a crazy weekend. What happened?" He whined.
I sighed. "Well, on Saturday, I had a gig. I was DJing a masked…costume party and Emma was one of the guests. I didn't recognize her at first, but she totally caught my eye." I paused to smile as the image of Emma in the leather she'd worn to the party flashed into my mind.
Harold noticed, and had to ask. "What was she wearing?"
I blushed. "Um, she was wearing a black leather cat-suit."
His eyebrows shot up and I knew he was trying to picture it. "Wow, that's—strangely hot to imagine."
I laughed. "Harold, you have no idea." He just looked at me and I nodded, feeling a little smug.
"Wow."
"Anyway, we ended up going back to her place after the party, and I kinda stayed until Monday morning." I admitted a little sheepishly.
"Holy, shit! Really?" He asked incredulously.
I couldn't blame him for his surprise. I haven't really made it a habit to even stay the night after hooking up with a girl. I shrugged, "Yeah, it's…different with Emma."
"Wow. Well I'm happy for you, Rachel. I still can't believe it's with Emma Parker, the blonde dictator you bitched about so much in college, but I guess it's cool. You seem really happy." He said, reaching for a slice of the pizza.
"Thanks. It's strange, cause it's kinda sudden, but she makes me happy." I said, blushing.
He smirked, "Yeah happy enough to blow me off last night."
I smacked his arm. "It wasn't like that. We were celebrating," I explained, being deliberately vague.
He took the bait, but couldn't resist teasing me. "Celebrating what? That you guys managed to not kill each other after two days?"
I laughed. "No, we were celebrating the fact that I got a job with Atlantic Records," I answered dryly.
"Wait, what?" He asked, his pizza stopping halfway to his mouth.
I grinned. "You heard me."
"Rach, that's amazing. Tell me everything." Harold said with an excited grin.
"Well, the party that I was working on Saturday was for one of the record label's execs and he was impressed. Yesterday, he offered me a job DJing in a new club and working with one of their artists. I start next week," I explained proudly.
"Really?" He asked and I nodded. "How did you manage to get that gig? That's just incredible." He said and I could hear the wonder in his voice.
"Actually, Emma suggested he hire me for the party." I smirked.
"What? How does Emma know a record label executive? And why would she ask for you to be hired to DJ a party?"
"Because I'm awesome," I deadpanned.
Harold rolled his eyes. "Seriously?"
I smiled. "She wanted a way to flirt with me and see if I was interested before I realized who she was, because we both had to wear masks." I intentionally ignored Harold's question about how Emma knew Darrin. I hoped he'd drop it, I was already feeling guilty enough for stretching the truth about the party.
Harold looked impressed. "Wow, seems like she really went to a lot of trouble to get in your pants." I smacked him lightly on the arm. "Ow! Alright, I'll stop," he said rubbing his arm.
I smiled, and finally reached for a slice of the pizza, figuring that we'd gotten past the hardest part of the conversation. I was so wrong.
Harold watched me reach of the pizza and just as I was about to take a bite, he asked, "So, is she as controlling in bed as she was when she was in charge of your sorority?"
I froze. I stared at him for a moment, panic flooding through me. I forced myself to relax and dropped the hand holding the pizza. "I'm so not answering that." I managed to say, looking anywhere but at Harold.
He gasped, "That means yes. Oh my God, Rachel! Really?"
I could feel my cheeks heat and I continued to stare at the floor. "I'm not talking about my sex life with you, Harold."
He was quiet for a long time and I shifted awkwardly on the couch, which instantly put pressure on the tender skin of my ass. I bit back the groan that wanted to escape my lips, but I couldn't stop the blush from spreading across my face. I wanted to just run out the door, but I didn't because I knew that I'd eventually have to sit through this conversation with Harold, and it would only get harder the longer I avoided it. When the silence continued, I risked a glance at Harold. He was staring at me, a look of complete shock on his face. My glance apparently gave him permission to speak because he asked, "Do you really like that stuff?"
I sighed, my cheeks still feeling like they were on fire from the heat of my blush. "Yeah Harold, I do."
"And does Emma? I mean does she want—? How did that even come up?" He stuttered.
I smiled at his awkwardness. "Emma is amazing. It came up the night of the party, and I'm seriously not going to tell you anything else. It's all pretty new to me, and I'm still figuring it out for myself."
"Wow," was all he could manage. He actually looked kinda impressed and I relaxed. Seeing as he wasn't going to kick me out or get all judgmental or anything, I decided to finally start eating. Eventually, Harold took a long drink from his beer and started to eat again. After a few minutes, Harold asked, "So, how does Emma know the guy who threw the party?"
I laughed, and feeling more comfortable, I told Harold the truth. "They met at a BDSM club a while ago."
"Really? So, Emma's been into all this for a while?" He asked.
"Yeah, but if you want to know more, you'll have to ask her," I told him and laughed when a look of terrified horror flashed across his face.
"Um, no. That's alright," he managed.
"What's wrong Harold? Don't want to ask Emma about her sexual escapades?" I teased.
"No."
I grinned. "Good plan." When he didn't respond, I grabbed another slice of pizza. While I ate, I sat and watched Harold process everything I'd just admitted. Eventually, Harold started to eat again and I waited until he took a bite before dryly asking, "You done thinking about Emma tying me up and spanking me?"
He choked and started coughing. I helpfully slapped his back until he waved me off. He swallowed his bite of pizza before grumbling, "Are you trying to kill me? I really didn't want to be thinking about that, but now I am. Gross."
I chuckled, "You're welcome."
"I hate you," he said and I grinned. We went back to eating and Harold launched into a discussion about an acting gig he was auditioning for some independent movie.
An hour and a half later, I finally managed to evade Harold's attempts to get me to watch a movie with him. I called Em when I got in my car, using the blue tooth headset so I could talk and drive. I grinned when she picked it up before the second ring.
"Hey, I thought you were going to text. Are you still coming over?" She asked and I could hear the worry in her voice.
"Yeah, sorry. I just left Harold's so I'll be over there soon," I reassured her.
"Great. How'd it go?" She asked, and I knew she was smiling.
"It was fine. I told him," I told her.
"Really?" She asked, surprised.
"Yeah, I mean not all of it, but enough to explain why I was having a hard time sitting on his couch," I said.
"What'd he say?"
"Not much, he was really surprised, but when I suggested he ask you for more deta
ils, he decided he didn't need to know more," I said, chuckling at the memory of the look of horror on his face.
Emma laughed. "Fair enough. Do you think he'll get up the nerve to ask?"
"I honestly don't know. I mean maybe if you guys get along when we all hang out together, but maybe not."
"You want us to hang out together?" Emma asked, her voice soft enough that I couldn't figure out what she was feeling.
"Yeah, of course. He's my best friend and you're my girlfriend. Isn't it in the rules or something that you guys have to hang out?"
She chuckled, "I suppose so. But seriously, thanks, Rachel. It means a lot."
I rolled my eyes, knowing she wouldn't see it. "Em, this is all still new, but I'm in this for the long haul. I want you to be a part of my life. And not just the part of it I spend in the bedroom."
"Thank you."
"I love you, Em."
"I love you too, Rachel."
My usual collar was waiting for me when Emma let me into her house. I smiled and gave her a quick kiss before moving over and buckling the collar on. I let out a happy sigh as it settled around my neck. Emma watched me while I put it on and she smiled when she saw the tension drain out of my body.
"God Rachel, you're beautiful," she said reaching out to caress my cheek.
I smiled, "Thank you, Mistress."
"Go on to the playroom, I'll be right there," she said and I hurried down the hall.
I moved into the room and knelt in the middle of the floor. My eyes fell to the carpet in front of me as I settled into position. As I waited, I felt myself grow wet in anticipation of what my mistress would ask of me that night. I sat back slightly more heavily on my feet, making my heels dig into the bruises on my ass and causing them to throb. The dull pain just excited me further as it reminded me of Emma's claim over me. I felt my nipples harden as heat raced through me. A few minutes later, Emma came into the room, closing the door behind her. I waited patiently as she moved to stand in front of me. It wasn't until her bare feet and legs came into view that I realized she'd changed, and my eyes traveled up her naked skin until they reached the short hem of the sheer robe she had put on. I unconsciously licked my lips. Her throaty chuckle drew my eyes up to her face.