Subterfudge

by Normandie Alleman

  “Is it ready to carve?”

  “Yes, Sir. It’s all ready. I’ve been waiting for you.”

  “How wonderful.” He tucked a stray strand of her hair back behind her ear. “Let me wash up and I’ll do that.”

  A few minutes later, Roger was in the kitchen with a carving knife and a huge fork cutting up the meat. Ashley fixed them some drinks.

  “Ashley, dear. Come here.”

  She joined him at his side with their cocktails.

  “Feel this meat.”

  “What?”

  “Put your finger here. Inside the turkey.” He pointed to the middle of the bird where he had made the incision with the carving knife.

  Confused, Ashley did as she was told.

  To her horror, the meat was ice cold.

  “I-I don’t understand.”

  “It’s not cooked. It will have to go back in the oven.” He sighed and put the turkey back into the roasting pan. “Probably for another hour at least.”

  “But then everything else will get cold!” Ashley wailed.

  Roger frowned, his forehead wrinkled. “Well, we’ll keep it warm in the oven…”

  He began to put the other dishes into the bottom of the double oven on a lower temperature. He shot her a sidelong glance.

  “You didn’t check to see if it was done?”

  “Well, I thought it was…I pulled it out when it said it would be done!” She was incredulous.

  “When what said it would be done?”

  Was he patronising her now? Sheepishly, she answered, “The Internet.”

  “The Internet? Really?”

  With a grimace, she nodded.

  “What happened to the class?”

  “Oh, um, I think that lady has cats, and it’s at her house. Sir, you know how allergic I am. I couldn’t possibly have gone there.” She gave him her most pitiful look, and batted her big brown eyes at him, hoping to stay out of trouble.

  “Well, regardless of the cats and not taking the class, darling, you have to check the meat yourself. You can’t just read instructions or listen to the Internet. Do you understand?”

  She felt the heat rise on her face. “Yes, Sir.”

  “Go kneel on your blocks for ten minutes.”

  Her shoulders drooped. Not the blocks! But she nodded and did as she’d been told.

  One of the punishments she hated the most was the blocks. They were children’s ‘ABC’ blocks, with a letter from the alphabet embossed on each individual block. She set them out, all in a square then knelt on top of them. Her weight made it uncomfortable. Not exactly painful, but certainly it was something she didn’t like to do.

  It was the kind of punishment that worked well as a correction, and Roger knew it. He often sat in the same room watching television or reading where he could observe her on the blocks. He had a touch of a sadistic side to him, just a touch. Real pain wasn’t a big part of their play, but he got his needs met in other ways.

  While she knelt on the blocks, Ashley’s mind wandered to how they had got to this point in their relationship. Every couple had to find their way, whether it was a Master/sub type relationship or a ‘regular’ one. Heck, all relationships were tough. Just living with another person had compromises you had to work through.

  Once, at the beginning of their relationship, Roger had tried to give her a punishment and she had set her foot down. Okay, that was putting it mildly. She’d gone ballistic on him. She bit her lip to keep herself from laughing thinking about it.

  Ashley had been up for a big job and she hadn’t got it. In hindsight, she probably hadn’t been aggressive enough, hadn’t pulled out all the stops. She might have got the assignment if she’d been bolder about her interest. When she’d told Roger about it, he’d wanted to punish her for not getting the job!

  Ashley had been outraged, her feelings had been hurt. She’d cried, ranted and raved at him for his insensitivity. Roger had been stupefied. He hadn’t understood. In his mind, a Master was always supposed to punish or correct his sub when she made mistakes. It had taken some educating on Ashley’s part to help him understand that sometimes a sub needed love and understanding more than discipline.

  When Roger had come around, he’d felt like a perfect ass. As the blocks’ raised areas began to dig into her flesh, she grimaced. Men need training, even when they are your Master. Roger does love me. And he knows what is best for me. But there are times… Now was not one of them. Even though she didn’t like the blocks, she knew they would help her remember to check the meat next time.

  Yes, her friends would have thought she was nuts to submit to kneeling on blocks, but to Ashley, submitting to her Master’s punishments was sexy. And in truth, she herself was wildly undisciplined. Having him discipline her occasionally worked for her.

  After the ten minutes were up, Roger called her to him. He beckoned her to sit on his lap. Ashley curled into him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

  “I’m sorry I wasn’t more careful with the food. It won’t happen again, Sir.”

  “I know you are. Everyone makes mistakes, love. It’s okay.” He kissed her. Nothing felt better than when they came back together. She knew that her punishments were a bit of a game. He didn’t mean her any harm.

  Holding each other close and snuggling, they made out like teenagers on the couch until the turkey was ready—the second time.

  Roger helped Ashley get all the food out of the oven. He carved the turkey, and this time it was too dry. Gosh, I can’t catch a break! Not cooked enough, then cooked too much, Ashley thought. But they heaped their plates high and ate more than their fill that evening anyway.

  When they crawled into bed that night, they were so stuffed they fell sound asleep right away, their arms around each other, legs intertwined.

  Chapter Three

  Ashley strolled down the baking aisle at the grocery store. She reached for the box of brownies with the best picture on the front.

  Even though her first attempt at cooking had been a horrific bust, she was not going down without a fight. Ashley wanted to create something yummy today. She was determined.

  Reading the back of the box, she thought, Brownies don’t look that complicated. She looked at the list of ingredients and added everything from it to her cart.

  On the way home, Ashley checked a voice message Roger had left saying he would be home late. Good, plenty of time to bake the brownies.

  At home, Ashley set the groceries out on the counter then cleaned up. She read the box’s instructions, and turned on the oven to preheat. After finding a bowl and a big spoon, she got to work mixing the ingredients. Only a few bits of eggshell fell into the batter. Pretty sure I fished out most of them.

  She coated the pan with cooking spray.

  I’m starting to feel like a real chef! She grinned.

  After pouring the batter into the pan, she popped it in the oven. I’m making brownies. All by myself. She bopped around the kitchen, humming as she danced about.

  While the brownies baked, Ashley went into the bedroom to check her emails.

  Click, click went the mouse. She cleared spam from her inbox. The apartment filled with the powerful aroma of chocolate. Ashley smiled to herself. When Roger came home he would be so proud of her. He loved sweets. He would be so thrilled that she was taking care of his gastronomical needs, he would take her into his arms, kiss her and want to spend the entire evening pleasuring her. Her mind wandered.

  Wait! What is that smell?

  Her nostrils were assaulted by a crisp, burning odour.

  Burning… Oh no!

  What about the timer? Oh crap! She’d forgotten to set a timer!

  Ashley sprinted to the kitchen and threw open the oven door. Damn! Those brownies were way too dark for their own good.

  She had to get them out. Fast.

  She touched the pan with her fingers. Y-y-ouch!

  Plunging her scalded finger into her mouth, she tried to think.

  Oh, double
crap! She had forgotten to buy oven mitts again today. Ugh! I am so stupid. Where are the towels I used last night? Think, think, think.

  She ran around until she found them.

  With the towels wrapped around her hands, she reached in and grabbed the pan of scorched brownies then set them down. The hot pan sizzled and hissed at her as it hit the sink’s wet surface.

  “Damn!” Tears of frustration rolled down her cheeks.

  She grabbed some air freshener out of the pantry. Spppptttt! Sppppptttt! Spppppttttt! The smell of cinnamon apple over burnt chocolate left an odd bouquet in her wake. Setting down the aerosol can, Ashley wiped her eyes. She quickly snatched her coat and purse off the couch, and headed out of the door.

  * * * *

  An hour later, Ashley fumbled with the key to her mailbox in the basement of the apartment building. She balanced a box from the bakery with one hand as she attempted to retrieve her mail with the other.

  “Hey, girl! What are you up to?” The voice belonged to her eternally effervescent neighbour, Lance.

  “Not much. Just picking up my mail…” She tucked a stack of envelopes and catalogues under her left arm, clutching the newly purchased baked goods in her right.

  “What’s in the box?” Lance pointed to it, eyebrows raised.

  “Oh, brownies. Roger wants me to learn to cook, and today I burnt some brownies. So I bought these…hoping he won’t know the difference.” She shrugged.

  “Is that what I smelt earlier?”

  She nodded grimly.

  “How did you do that?”

  A sense of gloom crept into her bones. “I don’t know. I guess I forgot about them.”

  “Don’t you have a timer?”

  “Yeah, I do. Guess I didn’t hear it or something. I got busy in the other room and the next thing I knew I smelt something awful.”

  Lance shook his head. “You poor thing. Maybe you should try something in a slow cooker. Those things are almost fool proof.”

  “That’s a good idea, thanks.” She smiled at him.

  “You’re welcome. And let me know if you need help. I know my way around the kitchen.”

  Lance was an apprentice chef at one of the city’s most touted restaurants. Ashley made a mental note to remember that Lance might be a good resource for her. She waved to him as she walked up the stairs.

  Back in the apartment, Ashley arranged the store-bought brownies on a plate and covered them with plastic wrap to keep them fresh. She broke down the telltale bakery box and hid it at the bottom of the kitchen trashcan.

  Exhausted, she put on her nightgown and crawled into bed. After reading only a few pages of the latest bestseller, she fell asleep.

  “Mmm.” Hands on her. A warm body clutched hers, moulding itself to her, rousing Ashley from her slumber.

  Opening her eyes, she realised it was still dark. It must be night time.

  As consciousness flooded back, she became aware of Roger’s hard body pressed up against hers. Nice.

  She scooched her ass backwards into him, feeling his erection lodged up next to her.

  “I’m sorry to wake you, baby. But you were just too tempting.” His lips touched her neck, nibbling, kissing the spot she loved the most.

  “Are you kidding?” she murmured. “You can wake me up like this anytime.”

  He reached his arm around her body and hiked up her nightgown. Searching between her legs he found her wet little cunt and inserted his fingers deep inside her aching hole.

  “Mmm. You’re ready for me.”

  “Always.”

  He pressed his thumb into her clit and fucked her with his fingers. He caressed her sweet, swollen bud with his thumb. She groaned, arching her pelvis towards his hand, meeting him stroke for stroke.

  “Sir! You have the most amazing hands.”

  He chuckled softly.

  She held her breath and focused on her orgasm. Her muscles clamped down around his fingers and she shuddered all over. When he loved on her, everything was right with the world.

  “Are you ready for a good fucking now?” He growled.

  She nodded, then realised he couldn’t see her in the dark. Plus, a sub needed to answer her Master properly. “Yes, Sir. I would like a good fucking, please.” Sometimes passion made her forget the rules.

  Lying on her belly, she inched her nightgown up all the way above her breasts and lifted her ass in the air. An invitation.

  “Oh my,” he gasped. “You are a tempting little sub, aren’t you?”

  She giggled. “All for you, Sir.”

  He entered her slowly, and it was her turn to gasp. Anticipation made her heart race and his teasing aroused her all the more. She wanted him to hurry and fill her.

  Roger held her hips in his hands as he crushed into her. She rose up onto her elbows so that her nipples scraped the bed sheets with every thrust. Each trip, more pleasurable than the last, brought her closer to that highest peak. She clutched the sheets tightly.

  Loud cracking sounds echoed through the room as Roger slapped her bottom. The first strike surprised her. Ashley tensed her muscles, bracing for more spanks. As the blows became more rhythmic, she relaxed and let the pain wash over her.

  He grabbed her hair up into a ponytail and pulled her head back. Wielding her locks as reins, he rode her as though he were breaking a wild mare. Aflame with a torrid lust, her body exhilarated at being the instrument of Roger’s pleasure. When the slick thrusts of his hard cock pounded against her cervix, her heart thumped in unison, sending her mind into orbit. Giving up control and letting Roger enjoy her body and use it how he saw fit sent tight spasms of orgasm through her. Her cunt twitched as she came again, dripping her juices all over his cock.

  Drops of sweat fell on her back. His breathing changed and she heard a catch in his throat when he stilled inside her. They both collapsed onto the bed. Ashley snuggled up under his arm and shifted her body against his.

  “I love you,” she said, catching her breath.

  He sighed. “I love you, too. And by the way, those brownies were delicious.”

  “Oh? Thanks.” She smiled to herself in the dark and hugged him close. A pang of guilt nudged at her gut, but she willed it away. Score one for the subbie. With that thought, she drifted off to sleep.

  Chapter Four

  With her laptop opened to Pinterest, enticing images screamed, Pin me, pin me from the screen. Ashley shook her head and tried not to get distracted from her mission. While sipping her coffee, a steamy picture of a hot couple caught her eye—a man with a chiselled physique bent over a doe-eyed beauty, his hand was wrapped in her long tresses, he was grabbing her and… Oh my! Ashley clicked ‘like’ so she could show the image to Roger later. She loved giving him ideas about what turned her on.

  No more of that. She heaved a sigh. I can’t get sidetracked. Must focus.

  She typed the word ‘crockpot’ into the Pinterest search engine and pressed ‘Enter’. Her reward was an endless page of recipes for slow cookers. All with images of scrumptious-looking meals.

  After looking up half a dozen recipes, she decided on a pizza casserole. Roger and I love pizza, and this looks easy. The instructions said she basically had to throw a bunch of things into the crockpot and turn it on. Lance was right. This was the way to go.

  In the late morning, Ashley ran some errands. She visited the dry cleaners to pick up Roger’s suits and the local superstore where she bought all the ingredients she needed for her dish, as well as the invaluable crockpot.

  Back at home, she pulled up the recipe on the computer then dumped the ingredients into the slow cooker. Pursing her lips together, she vowed, No way I’m burning this. Hands on her hips, she stared down the new appliance. Ashley set her phone to sound an alarm when the food was done, and took it with her into the bedroom.

  Engrossed in her design work, she didn’t hear Roger come in. All of a sudden, his warm hands were on her shoulders, massaging them gently. He bowed his head and whispered in her ear, “It
smells like an Italian restaurant in here, my love. What are you making?” He left behind a trail of kisses on her neck before he stood and loosened his tie.

  “Pizza casserole.” She glowed. His compliments made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

  “You made the meal, how about I serve us? Ready to eat? I’m starved.”

  His helpfulness was endearing. I’m so lucky to have him.

  “Sure, that would be nice.” Looking at the app on her phone, she said, “The timer says it’s done.”

  Ashley joined Roger at the kitchen table. He poured them both a glass of merlot and heaped their plates with the contents from the slow cooker.

  “Ashley, I appreciate the effort you’re making.” He smiled at her.

  Ashley returned his smile as she lifted a forkful into her mouth. Hmm. Still hot and the flavour was delightful, full of tomato, basil and garlic. She chewed and swallowed. Pride filled her head with grand visions of her preparing delectable dishes, friends and relatives fawning all over her…

  Her thoughts were interrupted by Roger sputtering. His face screwed up and his jaw made crunching noises.

  Oh dear. She hadn’t accidentally poisoned him with her cooking, had she?

  Roger’s eyes grew large. He reached for his glass and took a big gulp of his wine.

  “What is it? Are you okay?” Ashley asked, alarmed.

  He cleared his throat before taking another swig of his drink. Once he’d regained his composure, he said, “The noodles. Try the noodles.”

  After that display she was afraid to. “Why? What’s wrong with them?” She eyed him suspiciously.

  “Just try them.”

  Knowing it was always better to do what her Master asked, Ashley tentatively took a small bite of mostly noodles. They crunched between her teeth.

  Uh-oh. That is not good.

  After she had finished her bite, she glanced nervously at him. “They’re crunchy.”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m sorry. I’m not sure how that happened…I read the instructions. I did it all just like they said…I don’t get it…”

  Roger picked through his plate and continued eating. “It’s good if you don’t eat the noodles.”