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Chapter Seven
Thousands of butterflies filled the air, their fluttering wings beating against anything and everything. Darcy wondered how so many could fit into such a tiny room. The butterfly house at Michigan State was not impressive from the outside. Accessed by walking the length of a stifling greenhouse, the little room hid near the end of the hall like an afterthought. A narrow path led around the perimeter and cut through the center. Plants and trees sprouted from beds between the stepping-stones.
Along one wall, three laminated pieces of paper showed the eight varieties of butterflies in the room. So many insects weaved drunken paths through the air that she couldn't quite make out any of the pictures.
A glance back at Theo showed a man thoroughly enjoying the show. He stuck out his hand and held it up. After a minute, a butterfly landed on his palm. It stayed a short time, but others replaced it. Entranced, Darcy did the same thing.
Immediately two butterflies landed on the back of her hand. Their feet tickled even though their tiny weight was impossible to discern. Something slowly slid out of the front of one. Before she could scream and shake it off—who knew whether or not they were genetically spliced mutants?—a man's deep voice arrested her intended action.
“He must sense some moisture on your skin.” He pointed at the lengthening projection. “That's like a straw. It's how he drinks.”
Focused on the butterfly about to take a chunk out of her hand, she eyed the thing warily. “Will he bite me?”
The man chuckled just as a tickling sensation crawled across her skin. Darcy jerked her hand, and the butterfly flew away. With that close call in the past, she lifted her gaze to find a very handsome man smiling down at her.
Green eyes perused her face with a startling boldness. He wore his light brown hair cropped close to his head, and he was dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved cotton tee graced with Bruce Springsteen's face.
He snagged her hand with a confident grip and turned it so her palm faced up. Darcy glanced around for Theo, but he wasn't paying attention. The man didn't set off any warning bells, and she could handle him. Of course, when it came down to it, she preferred for her Dom to handle other men who tried to hit on her.
“Hold still. You'll like this.” He produced a dropper in his other hand and squeezed a few drips of a clear liquid into her hand.
“Water?” She didn't want to sniff it, and the feel of it told her nothing except that it was room temperature.
“Sweetened water. They're sugar junkies.”
Another butterfly landed on her hand. His internal straw extended to the sweetened water cupped in her palm. In less than thirty seconds, he'd sucked down everything. He moved his straw around looking for more. When he found nothing, he flexed his wings and took off.
She looked back up at the man. Butterflies landed on his shoulders, arms, legs, and head. It was an odd juxtaposition with the distinctly masculine air emanating from him. He must be affiliated with the university, though she couldn't tell if he was a grad student or a professor. “That was really cool. Thank you. Do you work here?”
“I volunteer. Is this your first time?”
Dropping her hand, she absently wiped the sticky residue on her skirt. “Yes. I've never had a butterfly land on me.” They swirled around her head and fluttered against her body.
He lifted his chin and gestured to her shoulder. “Don't freak out, but you have them all over you.”
Moving just her eyes, she verified his statement. Butterflies landed and alighted so delicately she could barely feel them. What she thought was the feeling of them flying around her body turned out to be the sensation of them checking her out. “Well, that's definitely the last time I can say I've never had a butterfly land on me. Now I can say I've had them eating out of my hand.”
Crinkles around his eyes showed his amusement. “I bet you have more than just butterflies eating from your hand.”
She blinked and severed eye contact, hoping he hadn't read anything into her direct gaze. It had been a long time since anyone had attempted flirting or banter with her. Even Theo used the direct approach.
A possessive hand landed on her lower back, and she leaned into the comfort of Theo's body. “A beautiful woman like this definitely has more than butterflies eating from her hand.” He brushed a kiss over her temple. “I see you made a friend.”
That cue meant he expected an introduction. Well, she didn't know the volunteer's name. She flashed a smile at Theo. “He put sugar water in my hand, and I got to see a butterfly drink it. I didn't know they did that. I mean, it makes sense that they'd need to eat and drink, I just didn't know how they accomplished it.”
Theo grinned at her cautious enthusiasm and stuck his hand out toward the volunteer. “I'm Theo. This is Darcy.”
The man grabbed Theo's hand in an obviously firm handshake. “Keith. Nice to meet you, Theo.” He released Theo's hand and lifted Darcy's to his lips. He brushed a kiss across the back of her fingers. “Darcy, it's been a pleasure. If you ever dump this one, you come back and ask for me.”
Stunned at Keith's audacity, Darcy tugged her hand until he let go. Keith winked and moved away. She watched as he bent to introduce a group of kids to the wonders of hand-feeding a butterfly.
Lifting her gaze to Theo, she drew her brows together. “What is it about being out with you that makes men hit on me?”
Theo blinked and lifted a brow. “I don't see what I have to do with it. You're a very beautiful woman. You mean to tell me this doesn't happen when I'm not around?”
“It doesn't.”
He slid his arms around her waist and chuckled. “I bet you just don't notice.”
Automatically she lifted her arms and parked her palms on his biceps. “That's entirely possible. I guess I find the idea of hitting on anyone who is so obviously on a date to be completely shocking.”
He leaned down to kiss her, but a butterfly landed on his cheek and he froze.
“See? Even he wants to get in on the action.”
Amusement glittered from Theo's warm brown eyes, and his chest rumbled with a deep laugh. “I can't say I blame him. However, you're mine, and I don't share.”
Warmth pooled in her belly at his possessive declaration. She closed her eyes and welcomed the light kiss he brushed across her lips.
Later, after a slow walk through the botanical gardens, he led her back to the parking lot. She waited next to the passenger door while he rooted around in the trunk.
At last he opened the door for her and spread a towel on the leather seat. He pressed a kiss to her cheek and smoothed his thumb over her brow and lip. “When you get in, I want you to remove your panties and put them in the glove compartment. Lift the back of your skirt out of the way so it doesn't get wet.”
Her pussy tingled at the instruction. “Yes, Sir.”
She sat down, and he closed the door. The tinted windows on the side and the lushness of the trees in front of the car afforded some privacy. Reaching under her skirt, she eased her thong down her legs. She didn't normally wear such provocative underwear, but she had expected him to have discovered it hours before now.
His door opened and closed. He slid the key in the ignition and started the motor. Air hissed through the vents, and the suffocating closeness of a car that had been sitting began to dissipate. He'd set something on his lap, and she craned her neck to see what it was.
He tugged at the top of the clear bag, and she recognized the object he extracted. A butterfly. A short vibrator stuck into the air, and the textured pad that would stimulate her clit stretched out in front of it. Wetness rushed to her pussy. She loved wearing one of these while being spanked. Given the logistics of the situation, she didn't expect a spanking or a whipping until after they arrived back at her place.
“Take off your shoes.”
He dribbled lube over the dildo and the pad while she complied with his command. Together they ma
neuvered the straps of the device over her feet and up her legs. She lifted her hips and held her skirt out of the way as he parted her slit and slid the dildo into her waiting pussy.
She shifted the butterfly and her bottom until she was comfortable with the position and the fit. Tilting the seat back a little helped. Theo watched until she settled down. Then he gripped her chin and turned her face toward his to claim her in a searing kiss.
His teeth nipped her lower lip, reminding her that only he was allowed to bite it. Then he thrust his tongue into her mouth and staked his claim that way. She melted into the heat of his kiss, and the low moan in the back of her throat turned to a high-pitched squeak as he hit the button on the remote to start the vibrations. He held her there until she couldn't stop the sounds of pleasure from escaping into his mouth.
She settled back against the seat and ground her pelvis down onto the toy, but the vibrations had ceased.
“Give me your wrists.”
Her eyes flew open. She hadn't heard the glove box open or close. When she regarded him, he held wide, black leather cuffs in his hand. She swallowed against the pointy seeds of trepidation stabbing her throat. They would be more comfortable than the metal handcuffs, but he hadn't been topping her then. And the metal cuffs had quick-release buttons.
He'd said bondage was important to him. With every fiber of her being, she wanted to fight him. Since they were technically in public, a struggle between them wouldn't look good to any passersby. She offered her wrists. Her hands trembled as he secured a cuff around each wrist.
“I know this is difficult for you, Darcy. I'm very proud of your courage and the strength of your determination.”
The low timbre of his praise washed over her and chased away the worst of her anxiety. He produced a four-inch-long length of chain and fastened each end to a cuff.
She practiced breathing.
“Darcy, sweetheart, tell me your color.”
That question required a bit of thought. Though these cuffs had no quick release, the short chain meant she could maneuver her hands to undo them if the need arose. Once again she appreciated this slow introduction to bondage. “Green, Sir.”
He kissed her again. As his contagious passion spread to her core, she wondered if he meant the kiss as a reward or if he couldn't help himself. Subtle nuances were beginning to show through his expressionless mask, but she didn't feel confident in her read of him. Yet.
The butterfly between her legs came back to life, vibrating intimately on a very low setting. Theo broke the kiss. “Let's make this interesting. In the backpack I left at your house, I brought my favorite instruments of torture. I also threw in a few canes and a single tail. If you can manage three orgasms before we make it to your house, I'll let you choose two to use tonight.”
Three orgasms in an hour would be a challenge even if her wrists weren't bound. He sure knew how to throw out a difficult test. She swallowed. “If I fail?”
He shrugged as if his answer didn't mean much. “Then you get no say.”
Darcy sat back in her seat. The rate of vibration increased, causing her hips to jerk in surprise. She glanced over to find Theo's thumb on the remote. He'd switched it to medium speed. “I've never experienced a single tail.” Scott hadn't been comfortable enough with his ability to use one. He'd still been in the early practicing stages with that particular implement, and he hadn't arrived at the point where he felt comfortable using it on her skin.
Theo's brows lifted, disappearing under the fringe of bang that fell over his forehead. “Then I guess you're really motivated to succeed.”
She'd seen it used once. The submissive had screamed and writhed, but her bonds had held her in place. Darcy had ignored the bondage aspect and concentrated on the sweet sound of the whip. Just the sight and sound of the single tail slicing the air and landing with that thunderous crack had made her pussy burn with need.
It burned now, an ache aided by the steady hum of the butterfly against her clit and in her vagina. She rotated her pelvis and pressed into the molded silicone piece.
“Beautiful, Darcy. Since I can't really watch you, I want to hear you. Don't temper your volume, sweetheart. And don't forget to ask to come.”
Fields, marked by signs and small buildings that proclaimed things like TURFGRASS TEACHING AND RESEARCH, flew past. “Yes, Sir.”
She rocked into the device, fucking it with a steady rhythm to build up the sensations. Heat coiled, and she knew it was just a matter of time before she'd be asking for permission to come. The fields disappeared as they came into a built-up area of Okemos that catered to the MSU crowd entering and leaving the freeway. Completely not an exhibitionist of any kind, she groaned as her impending orgasm receded.
Frustration didn't bring out the best in Darcy. She struggled to avoid swearing or saying something that would earn a punishment. Theo would no doubt take the whole question of the single tail off the table if she did that.
He changed the radio station and found a Springsteen song. Darcy had never been partial to The Boss. The song didn't help restore her vanishing chance at orgasm. Theo turned onto the entrance ramp to the freeway. She concentrated and redoubled her efforts.
It took forever to build the pleasurable sensations toward climax. Theo played with the speeds, cranking it up to the maximum and then decreasing the speed when she squirmed and moaned her enjoyment. Vibrators gave her very large orgasms that radiated deep and long, but they took a lot more time to attain. If she could use her fingers or if he would spank her, then she wouldn't have a problem achieving three.
She wanted to yank that remote from his hand, but the thought flew from her head as she crossed the line from general enjoyment to impending orgasm. “Sir, please let me come.”
“Yes. Scream for me.”
The climax took her hard. She rocked into the butterfly, drawing it out for as long as she could. The vibrations decreased, but they didn't disappear. She shot Theo a grateful look. He caressed her bare thigh, sneaking his hand under her skirt as he navigated the interchange that would take them from Brighton to Ann Arbor.
“Halfway home.” He slid a finger between the butterfly and her clit. The little nub retreated to hide from the overstimulation, but he chased it and massaged her swollen tissues, coaxing it back to the party.
Evidently satisfied with her progress, he withdrew his finger and turned up the rate of vibration. Darcy worked her hips back and forth, but this freeway had more traffic and fewer fields. Cars traveling with them distracted her. She shifted her position and wished for a blindfold to block out the extra stimulation. The links in the chain chimed with small pings every time she moved, further distracting from her goal. She rested her head against the seat and whimpered.
“Stage fright?”
She nodded. “I do better in public after a spanking or a whipping, but you already know that.”
His fingertips traced a path down her thigh to her knee. “We'll get you over these hang-ups sooner or later, sweetheart.”
Perhaps if she weren't so sexually frustrated right after having had an orgasm, she would have been able to appreciate his noble endeavor. The promise of experiencing a single tail for the first time backed just out of reach. She didn't bother with an answer.
The speed of the vibrator picked up again, wringing a gasp from between her lips. She closed her eyes and concentrated. She conjured the image and the feel of Theo's hand slapping the bare flesh of her ass as her pussy ground against his thigh.
A blessed climax loomed just ahead. “Sir, may I come?”
“Yes.”
This one broke, smaller and fleeting, just as they passed under the sign that signaled the freeway split that meant home was seven minutes away. Without pausing to enjoy any aftershocks, she ground her pussy against the butterfly, thrusting with everything she had.
“I love the sight of you working so hard to please me. You're a beautiful, sensual woman, and you deserve to have another orgasm. Come for me, my sweet Darc
y.”
She loved the way he said her name. His low, breathy praise screamed sex and made promises that warmed her insides.
The car came to a stop in her driveway. Hidden between the vinyl siding of her house and her neighbor's wooden privacy fence, she groaned her frustration and slumped forward. Her forehead banged into her knees. Nasty words rolled from her tongue as she vented.
MALCOLM FELT HIS brow lift as he gazed at the woman folded in half on the passenger seat of his car. He'd seen her on the verge of frustration once before, and her language had been foul then. Of course, that had nothing on the raunchy quality of the muffled curses filling the interior of his car. He cut power to the vibrator.
“Three. Motherfucker. Three. In an hour. With a vibrator. In public. What kind of fucking idiot does something like that?”
He pressed his lips together. He had zero problem with hearing her swear. She was welcome to vent her anger however she wanted. He did, however, have a distinct problem with being called names. Settling back, he waited patiently for her to finish her journey to a place where a modicum of calm existed.
After several minutes, she sat up. Her gaze locked on the small chain linking one cuff to the other. He wondered whether she blamed the cuffs, the presence of traffic, or herself more. As a Dom, he'd decided to help her conquer the fear of public scrutiny. She might be submissive, but he questioned whether she had actually ever admitted she couldn't control everything.
It would take time, but he would earn her complete and total submission.
At long last, she turned those tear-bright baby blues on him.
“Are you finished?”
She nodded. “Yes, Sir.”
“I'm pleased you feel comfortable enough to lose your composure in front of me. However you have earned a punishment. I don't take kindly to being called an idiot or a motherfucker.”
Color drained from her face, and her gaze turned introspective. He realized she hadn't been completely aware of what she'd said. “I'm sorry, Sir.”
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