BDSM Checklist: A, B, C

Chapter 42

Xavier tugged the gag from her mouth. Mae’s only response was to snuggle tighter against him. He was trying to figure out how to move her so he could undo the breast binding when James dropped down onto the couch beside him.

“Need help?”

“If I shift her can you undo the strap?”

James nodded. Still cradling her in his arms, Xavier twisted Mae’s upper body so James could undo the buckle. There were hard red lines along her breasts where the edges of the binding had cut in. Xavier repositioned Mae, then rubbed the marks. Even in her sleep her nipples pebbled at his touch.

“Xavier, you need to be careful.” The other man looked troubled.

“Thank you for your opinion.” He made sure his tone conveyed that he in fact did not give a shit what the other man thought.

James’s jaw clenched. “You’re playing a dangerous game with her.”

“Exactly, I’m playing the game.”

“No, you’re opening her up, and I’m worried about her. About what will happen when you leave. She may have been a player in the lifestyle for years, but no one has ever gotten to the core of her, not the way you have.”

“And that’s on you.” Though Xavier liked James, he was battling a sense of contempt that James and others had dominated Mae without seeing what she really was.

“You’re not understanding what’s really happening here. I heard about the beginning of the scene.”

“What about it?”

“She admitted she would rather be tortured with orgasm denial than to have anyone but you make her come. Don’t you get it? That’s something a sub does for their Master. Their Master. I didn’t figure out that Mae needed harder play, because I couldn’t. She would never have done that—” James motioned to the far side of the room and the barrel “—for me.”

“A good Dom—”

“Don’t insult me by finishing that sentence. You know that the chemistry between two people can completely change a dynamic. You two have something.”

Xavier stared at the empty fireplace. There was some truth in James’s words. His connection with Mae, the way she responded to him and the way she made him respond to her, was unlike anything he’d ever felt before.

“I’ll make sure she understands.”

“Understands what?” James sounded exasperated.

“Understands that she doesn’t want someone like me. Yes, she needs someone who’s into more than just spankings. She needs pain play, and more extreme domination. But she doesn’t want what I am, what I’d do to her.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“No, but I am sure that if she’s going to explore this she needs a regular play partner—a commitment.”

James shook his head. “It’s a shame; the two of you have something.”

Xavier wouldn’t insult what he felt for Mae, or what she’d gone through, by denying it. “Mae deserves to be collared and bound. I can’t do that.” Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

James looked at Xavier’s masked face. “I know, and I’m sorry that’s the case. For you as much as for her.”

When James left, Xavier pulled Mae closer. Giving in to impulse, he kissed each eyelid, her cheeks, and the corners of her mouth. He’d never seen anything as beautiful as Mae writhing in pleasure, never felt anything as powerful as knowing that though there were more hands on her than his, each bit of pleasure she felt was by his will.

It was time to change the plan, to skip ahead a few steps. The sooner he started to put emotional distance between them the better.

But that could wait a few hours. Right now he needed to hold her.

* * *

The kiss woke her. Mae kept her eyes closed as awareness returned slowly. Her body was still heavy with exhaustion, but she was vaguely aware that she was lying on something soft.

Warm lips slid along her jaw to her neck.

“Mae.” Her name was a plea.

“Master.” She reached into the darkness, found his strong shoulders. “Xavier.”

The heavy weight of a male body settled over her. Mae, eyes still closed, moaned as her nipples brushed against his bare chest. She trailed her palms down his naked sides to his hips.

“Touch me.”

Her questing fingers found the hard length of his cock. He was long and thick, his balls already drawn up tight to his body. She should open her eyes, look at what she held, but she was too tired, and this was only a dream anyway.

Mae toyed with the tip of his cock, rubbing the wetness she found there down the shaft.

Then he was pushing her thighs open. She winced slightly as her sore muscles protested, but then his cock was at the entrance to her body. Mae whimpered when he entered her.

“Are you too sore?” Kisses rained down along her cheek and temple.

“Go slow,” she replied.

Inch by inch he pressed into her, opening her wide and filling her—not just her body, but filling the well of need deep inside.

When he was fully seated, Mae wrapped her arms and legs around him, clinging to him as he thrust into her. She shivered in pleasure that wasn’t quite an orgasm, but was enough to have her moaning.

“Mae, yes.” His face pressed against hers, and she was sad to realize that even in her dreams he wore the mask. Then he was slamming into her, groaning as he came.

When he was done and pulled out of her, Mae curled up on her side.

“Go back to sleep.” A final kiss to her brow was the last thing Mae remembered of the strange, sweet dream.