Mine

27. Salt

TWENTY-SEVEN

SALT

I carried Pepper through her front door and kicked it shut behind us, locking it quickly. She’d fallen asleep in the Uber and I was doing my best not to wake her, but I felt like I’d have to. She needed water and some food, and we both needed a shower. It was already two in the morning, but I knew if we went to sleep now, we wouldn’t feel good in the morning.

“Baby,” I whispered as I flipped on the lights. “We’re home. You need food and water.”

She lifted her head and blinked a few times. “Oh. How long did I fall asleep for?”

“A bit,” I said.

The sub drop hit her pretty hard. I also needed to take care of myself, but that would come after.

“I’m awake,” she said. “You can put me down.”

I let her feet hit the floor, and then chuckled as she stumbled against me, backing me against the wall. She leaned up and kissed me hard, surprising me.

“Thank you,” she said. “Thank you for tonight. And for getting me home. My whole body feels like it’s been hit with a truck.”

“Well,” I said, kissing her forehead. “We did a lot.”

She nodded, but then her hand settled over my heart. “Are you okay?”

My breath was soft but sharp. “I’m always worried after scenes that I did too much.”

Her hand was warm on my chest. “I loved every single thing you did to me tonight. I wanted it all, Salt. Every single part of it.”

I swallowed hard, holding her gaze. The shadows that danced over her beautiful face, the smudged mascara around her eyes from crying. I stroked her cheek with the back of my fingers.

“I can go home if you don’t want me to stay,” I whispered.

“I want you to stay,” she said. “I want you to sleep with me. In my bed. I want to wake up next to you. I want to dream next to you.”

Maybe that was what I needed to hear. All tension in my chest unraveled. I dragged her into another kiss. A soft one, a needy one. She knotted her fingers in my shirt, and pulled me forward, leading me to the kitchen.

Both of us were exhausted, but we were still going to take care of each other. It was filling something inside of me I hadn’t realized was missing until now.

I had a hard time being cared for.

An even harder time truly being vulnerable.

“What do you want to eat?” Pepper asked. “I can make us grilled cheese.”

My brows shot up. “Is that your choice of cuisine for aftercare?”

She grinned, her body language carefree and relaxed. “Grilled cheese and ice cream sounds pretty good right now. I may regret it tomorrow.”

“It sounds perfect to me,” I said. “I can cook it?—”

“I have a specific way I make them,” she said, wrinkling her nose at me. “Just relax. Or something.”

“I’m going to get us water, Ms. Boss.”

Her soft laugh warmed me. I opened up her cabinets, searching for glasses. I found two, and poured us each a cup with ice and water.

Pepper pulled out a lot of different cheeses. I shook my head as I spotted the price tag on a couple. “You can’t judge until you taste it,” she said. “I make the best grilled cheese.”

“Kraft Singles are known to do the trick,” I teased.

“So is this gruyere I’d sell my firstborn for.”

I barked out a laugh. “Okay, well, drink this before you start doing that. You need to hydrate.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Such a brat. She reached for the glass and took a tentative sip.

“All of it,” I said.

“I’ll drink it all,” she said. “Tell me about aftercare.”

“What about it?” I asked.

“Well, I’ve read about it. And I know we’ve done it?”

Damn, I needed to do a better job at Domming. Her hand settled on my chest, stopping the edge of the spiral I was nearing.

“That wasn’t a critique of you. I’m still learning. I’ve felt taken care of after we’ve been together. Well…”

“For the most part,” I said, thinking about the night at Russo’s. “I should have checked in on you.”

She shook her head. “We’re learning. I should have messaged you. It’s a two-way street. I just want to know what you like for aftercare.”

I took a long sip of water, holding her gaze until she sighed dramatically and followed suit. We downed our iced water together. The glass clinked against the marble topped counter as she put it down.

She bent over to open a cabinet and groaned, reaching back to rub her asscheek. “That’s gonna hurt.”

“Yeah, it will.”

She shot me a look over her shoulder. “I’ll be thinking of you all week.”

I chuckled. “That was the goal.”

She pulled out a pan for grilling. I hovered for a minute and then she pointed at the barstool. “Sit. Or if you want to shower, you can. You can use anything here you want.”

“Hmm…” A hot shower sounded nice. A hot shower with Pepper sounded nicer, but we could take one together in the morning. “I think I’ll take a quick shower and rinse off.”

Pepper nodded. “Do you remember where everything is?”

“Yes. The magic shower and all that.”

She snorted as pulled a loaf of fresh sourdough out of a bread box. She sliced off a few pieces, seemingly full of more energy than I’d expected.

“Are you sure you want to cook this late? I’m shocked you aren’t ready for bed,” I said.

“I passed out in the car. I don't even remember us getting here. I think that gave me energy for a second wave. I didn’t eat much over the weekend, and figure you didn’t either.”

“I didn’t,” I admitted. “You’re cute when you snore, by the way.”

“Well, you’d be the first to think so.”

I winked at her and then left the kitchen, winding my way through her apartment to the bathroom. It was dripping with luxury, but I didn’t feel as out of place as I had last time. I stripped out of my clothes and managed to get the hot water to turn on, stepping beneath the stream.

“Fuck,” I breathed out.

I stood there for a couple minutes just soaking in the heat. It seeped into my muscles, rinsing all my worries away. The scene tonight would live with me for the rest of my life, seeing how turned on she was by being watched and taken in front of a crowd. Knowing that she was mine. Out in the open, all mine.

After my shower, I dried off and pulled the towel around my waist. The scent of bread and butter made my mouth water as I went back to the kitchen, finding that Pepper had set us out plates, each with a gooey grilled cheese.

“Oh yeah,” I said. “Those do look amazing.”

“They are,” she said, pulling out her barstool. She winced as she slowly sat down, wiggling her butt as she adjusted to the pain from being spanked. Her gaze raked over me, dipping down to the towel.

I took the other stool and drained another glass of water. Pepper picked up her grilled cheese, the bread crunching as she took a bite. Her eyes fluttered and she moaned.

My stomach grumbled. I picked mine up and took a huge bite. And damn, it was great. She smirked as she chewed, all too satisfied by my expression.

“Okay,” I said after swallowing. “This is pretty fucking good.”

The two of us inhaled our grilled cheese sandwiches and drank more water. Once we’d polished our plates, I piled them together and took them to the sink.

“Just put them in the dishwasher,” she said.

I looked around and then frowned. “What dishwasher?”

She pointed at a large cabinet that definitely did not look like the front of a dishwasher. I grabbed the handle and tugged it down. It was, in fact, a dishwasher.

“I’m going to rinse off real quick,” she said. “Want to eat ice cream and watch me shower?”

“The answer will always be yes to that question.”

Pepper rummaged through her freezer before pulling out a pint of chocolate ice cream. I loaded the dishes and then slid behind her, gently grabbing her hips. She leaned back against me as she held up the ice cream.

“I don't even know if you like chocolate,” she said.

“Who doesn't like chocolate?”

She turned around in my arms, making a face.

“Oh my god,” I said. “Don't tell me Jeff didn't like chocolate.”

“Hated it,” she chuckled. “It's far more common than you think.”

“And a tragedy,” I teased.

Armed with ice cream and a spoon, I followed her back to the bathroom. She pulled out a small chair in front of a vanity and settled down, my eyes glued to her as I opened the pint and dug the spoon in.

Pepper turned to face me and slowly stripped her dress off. I took a bite of ice cream and felt a wave of comfort roll through me.

Honestly, there probably wasn’t a greater form of aftercare than eating chocolate ice cream while watching my girlfriend strip.

Girlfriend.

The word didn’t quite fit. Not because we hadn’t established that yet, but because Pepper felt like more than just a girlfriend.

“You never told me about aftercare,” she said. “Talk.”

I licked my lips. “I like it when you try to boss me around.”

She turned, her ass facing me as she continued to strip. Bruises already spotted her skin, my handprint very clearly sprawling over her ass.

Fuck.

That was hot.

“Aftercare is important,” I said. “I always practice aftercare for my subs, but I never take any for myself. This is making me realize that maybe I've been doing myself a disservice all along.”

“What is it like?” she asked.

“What is what like?”

“How do you feel after a scene? I feel like I'm floating on cloud nine. And I feel very vulnerable. But I also feel really good.”

She flipped on the water, steam swirling around the bathroom. And thank god for the glass walls. I dragged my chair closer and took another bite of ice cream, appreciating every part of her.

“I worry after scenes,” I said. “I worry I went too hard or did too much or that I shouldn’t have done anything to begin with. Words or reassurance help.”

“I really, really loved what you did to me tonight,” Pepper said as she stepped under the water.

My cock perked up as it streamed down her body. Her nipples were soft, her hair darkening as it dampened. Her eyes closed and she let out a soft moan, rolling her neck.

“Are you hurting anywhere?” I asked.

She nodded. “Yes, but I like the hurt. It’s a reminder of everything we did together. What was your favorite part?”

I breathed out. “It’s hard to pick. There was a moment when I had you in the pillory and knew everyone was watching us that I’ll remember forever. I loved knowing you belonged to me completely in that moment.”

“I loved knowing I was only yours. I was scared someone might recognize us, but then I let that go. It’s hard to let everything go.”

“I know,” I whispered, drinking her in.

She was beautiful. Heat clung to me, contrasting with the chill of the ice cream. I took another bite.

“I think I like being humiliated,” she said. “Just a little. I don’t know. I like being praised too.”

“It’s okay to like both,” I said. “We can explore doing more with both.”

“I want to try being tied up. Do you know how to do that?”

“Yes.” I breathed in deep, inhaling the scent of her soap as she washed herself off. “Shibari is one of my favorite things to do.”

And I had a thousand ideas of all we could try while she was tied up, but I was too tired to formulate any of them.

Pepper flipped off the water and stepped out, wrapping herself in a fluffy towel. I sat back as she stepped up to me, straddling my thighs. I scooped out a bite of ice cream and held it to her lips. She ate it, and then licked any remnants from the spoon.

“Good girl,” I whispered. “You’re unbelievably hot, Pepper. I’m lucky to be with you.”

“I feel lucky to be with you.”

She covered her mouth and yawned, which in turn made me yawn. Which made both of us smile like idiots.

“I think it’s time for sleep,” I said. “I’m fading.”

“Me too.”

We each took a few minutes to finish bedtime routines, turn off lights, put away the ice cream, and get more water. Finally, I collapsed beneath the blankets next to her in the dark.

She snuggled against me.

When was the last time I’d slept in the same bed as someone?

I wasn’t sure.

“Simon?” she whispered.

Simon. Hearing her say my first name made my heart skip a beat. “Yes, baby?”

“I…”

I swallowed hard. I love you. It was way too soon to say that, right?

But she didn’t finish her sentence.

And I couldn’t help but think she’d almost said it.

“Me too, Pepper,” I whispered.

She completely relaxed against me, her breaths evening out as she fell asleep.

I love you too.