Chapter 23
23
I don’t normally give a safeword. A lot of dominants use them, but it never felt necessary. At least not until tonight. I control my scenes with my clients. If I need to stop, I stop. If they need me to do something different, they tell me. It’s simple.
Nothing with Grace is simple. What was meant to be an offer to teach her the basics of kink and work through her anxiety has turned into her wanting sex and my bite. When I look at her, her hot pink dress a vibrant beacon in the dim playroom, every inch of her body calling out to me, my thoughts and emotions are the most complex they’ve ever been during a scene.
I have countless hours of experience, yet this is more thrilling than the first time I tried my hand at domination.
I shouldn’t smile back at her when she appreciates the humor in my choice of safeword, but there are too many cracks in the veneer to hide the way she makes me so damn happy.
I walk in a slow circle around Grace, giving myself a chance to appreciate how fucking stunning she is without her being able to witness the fierce desire that’s already brewing inside me. When I return to face her, I’ve gotten control of my expression.
“Take your dress off,” I command, though there’s no bite to my tone.
Grace flushes and nods, her hand going to one strap of her dress. She pushes it off her shoulder and gives me a nervous smile. “I’m, uh, just to warn you, I didn’t wear any underwear. It doesn’t look right with the dress.”
“I noticed,” I say evenly, my eyes watching the strap of her dress as if I can will it to slip further down her arm and bare more of her to me.
“R-right. Okay. Wanted to make sure.” Her eyes hold mine as she pulls the other strap down and slides her arms out. With nothing to hold it up, the top of her dress falls down, and god, her breasts are perfect. Full and rounded, far too big for me to hold in one hand, but that won’t stop me from trying, with tight pinkish brown nipples that beg for me to suck them until she gasps my name. I could spend an eternity teasing and worshiping those breasts alone.
Grace’s tongue darts out to wet her lips, drawing my eyes back up to her face. Her pupils are blown wide when my eyes meet hers and I wonder if she feels the tension and need between us half as much as I do. And if she does, if it’s because of the kinky situation or if part of that excitement is because she’s with me.
I don’t care that she sees me staring brazenly at her tits as her hands return to her dress. She’s mine tonight. I can look however much I like. After all, this might be my only chance to do so if the monster inside me fucks this up.
She hesitates for a second, eyes darting to my face, then back to the floor. She smiles softly, something passing through her mind that must reassure her, and then pushes the fabric down over her hips in a slow drag, bringing her eyes back up to meet mine.
I wish I could say that I hold her gaze for more than a moment, but I can’t resist looking down to watch as she reveals the rest of her body to me. Every inch of her bare skin she exposes stokes the heat flaring inside me. Every part of Grace’s body is tempting in its sumptuous curves. The flare of her hips and strong, thick thighs that I want to sink my fingers into as I feast between them. The way her stomach creases at her belly button then fills back out into a soft low belly that might be my new favorite part of her. Though, god, all of her… fuck, it’s too much.
Seeing all of Grace reminds me of the secret, confusing thoughts I had as a kid when I saw a pretty woman on TV. The tingles I felt when my friend kissed my cheek on a dare. The feelings I prayed to God about every night my entire childhood. I thought I was praying for them to go away, but I realize the truth now. I was praying for her.
Grace’s hands glide back up her bare thighs and hips in a light caress after she releases the fabric to let it fall to the floor.
I swallow hard, fighting to keep my expression from broadcasting the goddamn awe I feel right now. She’s the one who’s meant to serve me tonight, but all I want to do right now is fall to my knees and worship her.
Neither one of us says anything, and I realize a little too late that the usual confidence in her posture has wilted.
That won’t do. “Stand up straight. Arms at your sides. Don’t hide from me. ”
Grace startles like she didn’t even realize she was shrinking in on herself, then unwraps her arms from her waist and rolls her shoulders back.
“Much better,” I say, taking a step to close some of the gap between us. I purposefully rake my gaze down her body and then back up to lock eyes with her. Her breath hitches slightly when I smile to reveal my fangs, which emerged the second I got closer and couldn’t resist dragging her scent into my lungs. “Perfection.”
“Thank you, Mistress,” she whispers, her eyes never leaving mine. They shine with vulnerability and a hint of doubt.
“You know that, don’t you? You came here tonight wearing that skintight scrap of a dress because you wanted everyone to see how perfect every inch of you is.”
Grace shakes her head. “N-no. I didn’t wear it for them.”
Pleasure sizzles inside me. “Then who did you wear it for, Grace?”
“You,” she says, her cheeks pinking again.
“What did you hope I’d do when I saw you in it?” I ask, taking another step toward her. She’s close enough now that I could reach out and touch her. I’ll wait a bit longer before I do. I want to linger in the tension between us until we can barely stand it.
“I…” Grace’s eyes fall to the floor as she hesitates, but I give her the space to decide what she wants to say. I’m worried if I push her right away, she’ll give the answer she thinks I want to hear, not the truth.
Her eyes slowly rise back to mine and she chews her lower lip for a second before giving me a sheepish smile. “Don’t laugh, but I kept envisioning you seeing me across the room and immediately dragging me away because you needed to get me alone. I knew you wouldn’t because you’re far too good a friend to ignore Mona like that. ”
She told me not to laugh, but I can’t stop from at least smiling at her assessment. “I think she would’ve understood if I hadn’t controlled myself. I don’t think anyone would’ve blamed me if I spread your legs and tasted you right then and there. The only reason I didn’t was because I know you wouldn’t enjoy that.”
Grace’s breath hitches at my words. “Besides, this is for me,” I murmur, finally reaching out to touch her, a light graze of my fingertips along the side of her arm. My predator’s senses sharpen at the feel of her, and my fangs ache to pierce her delicate skin as fine hairs on her arm skin raise in the wake of my touch.
Not yet.
My voice is thick when I speak again. “Come with me.” I take her hand in mine, leading her over to the St. Andrew’s cross. She follows willingly, and the way she squeezes my hand makes my chest ache. I resist the urge to use my free hand to reach up and rub at the sensation.
I guide Grace to turn around and get my first view of the back of her. A smile spreads across my face when I see the familiar heart-shaped birthmark right on the center of her left ass cheek. I first noticed it when she was practicing her burlesque routine for the class we took with Mona, and I’ve wanted to trace it with my tongue ever since. It’s adorable and somehow makes her even sexier.
Sensing my eyes on her ass, Grace looks over her shoulder with a slight frown. “I know, I know. My ass is as flat as a pancake. I’d hoped that when I gained weight I’d get a bigger butt, but no.”
“I wasn’t thinking that,” I say sharply as I lift one of her wrists and secure the padded pink cuff around it, testing to make sure it’s not too tight.
“O-oh.” I can tell she wants to ask what I was thinking, but senses that the time for nervous chatter and worrying is quickly passing.
I move to her other side, skimming my hand across her back and playing with the ends of her silky blonde tresses. I’ve wondered since I met her if it was her natural color or not, and now that I can see the thatch of blonde pubic hair peeking out between her pressed together thighs, I have my answer. I love that she didn’t remove it, because it’s fucking sexy.
I lift her other arm and secure it with a cuff as well, which positions her body to press against the cross. Her spine is still fairly straight, so I’m hopeful it won’t cause an issue.
“Are you okay? Can you hold this position for a few minutes?” I ask, unable to resist stroking a hand through the ends of her hair again. It’s so damn soft. As tempting as it is to see the golden locks wrapped around my fist, that’s a no-go for someone with her neck issues.
“Yes, Mistress,” Grace answers breathily. She’s sinking into the scene now. Her pulse speeds up to a rapid flutter as I run my palm down the center of her back, then glide further down across her ass, where I circle the adorable birthmark there with a fingernail.
“This is what I was thinking about. How this cute little birthmark is going to look against your skin when it’s red from my flogger,” I say, palming her ass cheek before removing my hand and moving over to pick up said flogger.
I test it a few times, idly hitting it against my palm to draw Grace’s attention. I love this part. The space before impact play begins, where the submissive anticipates what’s to come. Their muscles tense. Their breathing speeds up. It calls to the bloodthirsty predator in me, reveling in the sensation of knowing I’ve caught my prey and there’s nothing they can do but submit.
I smile when the muscles in Grace’s back tense as I step behind her and trail the ends of the flogger up and down her back. I wait for her to relax into the sensation before moving on.
“Spread your feet wider apart and relax your chest forward onto the cross,” I order.
She’s eager to obey, widening her stance to a more stable one and presenting her ass to me for my strikes. God, I can see how the curls between her thighs are already glistening with arousal. She’s turned on and we’ve barely done anything. I can’t wait to see how worked up she’ll be soon. I want her wetness dripping down her thighs so that when I finally bite her there, the heady tang of her desire will mix with the taste of her blood.
I move the flogger down to stroke across her butt, avoiding getting too close to her inner thighs, which has her squirming. “Don’t move,” I say, putting a small amount of bite into my tone.
“S-sorry, Mistress,” Grace murmurs, going stock still.
“Good girl.” I stroke her hip with my free hand, using the touch and praise as a distraction as I ready my first hit. I remove my touch once she’s relaxed again, and then bring the flogger down lightly on her right ass cheek in a soft thud.
“Oh!” Grace gasps, more out of surprise than from anything else.
I pull back and gently strike her other cheek, aiming for the birthmark. She gasps again, the sound making me grin. Oh yes, this is going to be so much fun.
I build her up, adding in an occasional hit with more force before backing away to tease the tails of the flogger across the red blotches blooming across her ass. I learn what elicits shocked inhales and what makes her let out soft hums of pleasure-pain. I could play with her like this for ages, but the scene isn’t over yet and I don’t want to keep her in one position for too long for fear of hurting her neck. I put the most force I’ve allowed myself into my final strike, and Grace moans .
“Mmm, looks like you enjoy some forms of pain,” I murmur, bringing my free hand down to rake my nails across her sensitive skin.
Grace whimpers and nods slightly. “Yes…fuck, it feels good, Mistress.”
My clit throbs at her words, my body aching with the need for release.
I give her ass a light slap before backing away. “That’s enough for tonight. We’ll experiment with that more another time,” I say as I undo the cuffs.
Grace rolls her shoulders and turns around to face me. Her eyes are shining with arousal and she gives me a slight frown. “We-we’re done for tonight?” she asks, disappointment clear in her tone.
A wicked grin curves my lips. “Not at all, sunshine. We’re just getting started.”