21. Wendy
It had been a long day at work, and with each passing second, my body, mind, and heart all wanted to go home and see Vincent. It was a strange comfort I was growing to embrace, and I had to admit…I loved it.
When I pulled into the driveway around seven and opened the door, I spotted Vincent plating our dinners, and instantly, my mouth watered. Vincent spun around the instant my keys hit the circular table tucked next to the door, and he flashed me a perfect white-toothed smile and motioned me over to the table to begin our small feast.
“It looks like Zachary and Blair are coming to visit,” said Vincent from across our small, rectangular dining room table. The steam rising from our heaping bowls of spaghetti and meatballs fogged Vincent’s thick-framed black glasses, causing me to giggle. Vincent frowned at his obstructed vision as he fanned his napkin. He removed the spectacles and rubbed the lenses until clear before popping the frames back onto his face. I couldn’t deny I loved how he looked wearing his new glasses, even though he viewed them as a reminder of his age catching up with him. I found Vincent utterly sexy with the face accessory. He caught my gaze, and his lips quirked up into a smile, the faint lines at the corners of his eyes crinkling.
“I'm glad you find my senior citizen status amusing, babe,” he teased, tapping my hand playfully with his finger across the table. His touch was electric and vibrant—a familiar warmth triggering a spark. The half-buttoned sky blue business shirt that exposed Vincent’s chiseled torso with the perfect amount of black hair sprinkled across didn’t help wipe this charged image from my mind.
“So, Blair and Zach are finally coming down?” I asked, attempting to steer the conversation back on track.
“They're coming for a weekend.” He twirled a forkful of spaghetti elegantly around his fork before lifting it to his mouth. Vincent chewed thoughtfully, looking at me from across the table with an expectant gaze. “I think they’re bringing Sadie too. Amanda will be at a friend’s, so it’ll be just the three of them.”
“We can probably have them stay here if they’re okay with it.”
“We’ll see.” Vincent shrugged as if he didn’t care either way. Lately, that had been his attitude, and his indifference was unnerving, like I was being set up for something unknown.
And I hated it.
The tension was palpable now, cutting through the homey aroma of marinara sauce and the comfortable silence that usually accompanied our dinners.
“Is there something bothering you, Vincent?” I finally asked, my voice cutting through the quiet of our dining room.
Vincent flinched slightly as though he had been lost in thought. Surprise flickered across his features, and he looked at me before composing himself quickly.
“No, not at all,” he replied quickly. Way too quickly for my tastes. His lips quirked up into a smile that didn’t reach his bottomless blue eyes.
I rolled another forkful of spaghetti into my mouth before swallowing it. Staring at him now, with so many possible things hidden behind those spectacles and inside his heart, it was hard not to worry. Finally, unable to stomach another bite, I discarded my fork with a heavy clank against the white porcelain plate.
“Seriously, Vincent. What’s going on?”
Vincent shifted uncomfortably in his chair, dark eyes avoiding mine as he swirled his wine glass idly, watching the deep red liquid spin. “You really want to know?”
Was he fucking kidding right now? “Um, yes.”
He placed the wine glass down, frowning, and wiped his mouth with a napkin. “This has been weighing on me lately. It’s not a bad thing, though.” Vincent’s eyes dropped to his half-eaten plate. “At least, I don’t think.” He took a deep breath, still avoiding my gaze. His hands were wrung together tightly, knuckles white. A small sigh escaped from his lips, and he finally looked up, his dark eyes locking onto mine. A sense of seriousness washed over his features as he started to speak. “It’s funny because I don’t want to scare or overwhelm you. But I feel like I can’t wait anymore.”
“Oh my God, Vincent. You are driving me insane. I don’t even know what you’re saying.” I massaged my temples, placing both elbows on the table. “You need to just come clean before I lose my mind.” I exhaled. “Are you going to ask me to move somewhere with you? Do you not like Newport anymore? Do you want to leave?”
A fleeting smile skipped across Vincent’s sharp features before he shook it off. “Leave you? N-no, Wendy. It’s just the opposite. Hold on.” He held up a finger, standing from the table. “I’ll be right back.” And then he left the room.
I hated that phrase. I’ll be right back. I knew it shouldn’t affect me the way it did, but I realized some things were harder to shake. And this was one of them.
Vincent returned a minute later, holding a small, navy velvet box. My heart shot to my throat as I realized what was happening. He didn’t want to leave me.
“Wendy,” he started, sitting down. He took my hands into his; they were surprisingly cold, and I instinctively tightened my grasp around them, trying to warm them up. “I can’t imagine my life without you.”
I looked at him—truly looked at him. His eyes held a vulnerability that wasn’t there when we had first met all those years ago. But there he was, the man I loved despite everything between us. My heart pounded loudly, threatening to chatter the bones encasing it, and my hands shook.
“In the time we’ve been apart,” Vincent continued, pulling me out of my thoughts, “I realized how much I need you…how much I love you.” His voice held an earnestness that touched my core. “This is me committing to you. Showing you that you are the one I need to spend the rest of my life with.”
He opened the box, revealing a stunning pink diamond ring, glowing in the dimmed light and nestled within its velvet bed. My breath caught at the sight of it. It was beautiful, but as right as this moment should have felt, something felt…off. I deserved to be loved, cherished, and treated like a queen. And I knew my forever was meant to be with Vincent, except the way we reached this point almost felt tainted. If I accepted this proposal, something deep within me told me I needed some sort of punishment. All the bad that had happened to me, only to lead me to this point, exuded a slight corniness. I had somehow become that girl living through her second-chance romance, and I kept asking if we would last. Or would there be a new event to throw us off course?
I took a deep breath, pushing aside my swirling doubts. He was here, offering me a love I knew I wouldn't find anywhere else.
“I've waited so long for this moment, Wendy.” His fingers traced the back of my hand where it lay sandwiched between his. “Believe in me because I know what you’re thinking.” His voice almost broke under the weight of his emotions. “My past will always be a part of me, but it does not define who I am now. Who I am...is yours.”
I swallowed hard at his words. It was so powerful, so raw and honest that, for a moment, I forgot how to breathe.
“Do you trust me?”
I could tell that this question was more for him than for me. He needed reassurance just as much as I did.
“Yes,” I answered immediately without giving it another thought. The word felt right coming from my lips because, despite everything we had been through, I knew I did trust him deep down. I trusted him enough to know what I wanted to do.
He removed the ring from the velvet box and held it inches from my eyes. The pink diamond shimmered under the lights, mirroring the hope and anticipation in his eyes. “Wendy,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “Will you marry me?”
I gazed into his wide eyes, seeing a future in them. A future where we made mistakes and fought but also one where we loved and forgave each other. It was a future I wanted. “Yes, Vincent.” My voice quivered. “Yes, I will marry you.”
His face broke into a wide, jubilant smile as he slipped the ring onto my finger. The joy in his eyes was immeasurable, and it was like all our troubles had melted away. He pulled me into his arms, holding me as if he never wanted to let go. And I didn’t want to let go ever again. The warmth from Vincent’s body seeped through my skin, heating my heart right down to the core of my soul. But, there was something more I wanted to solidify this moment, and I could almost guarantee Vincent did not see this coming.
“I’m so happy,” he murmured against my hair. Vincent pulled away, holding me at arm's length, kneeling before me. “Should we finish our cold dinner?”
“I have a better idea.” I half laughed as involuntary goosebumps erupted along my skin. Heat flooded my face as I geared up to make one final request for the evening. “I’ve been thinking about what we haven’t done in the bedroom.”
Vincent’s eyes morphed to a midnight blue as the corner of his mouth lifted. “Tell me, angel. You know how I love it when you use your words.”
Heat rushed straight to my sex, readying myself to release the words I hadn’t dared utter. “I want to be punished.” My eyes shifted to the glistening pink rock on my finger, suddenly the weight of it holding my hand down against my thigh.
“Punished?” Vincent cocked an eyebrow and released a growl. He rose to his full height, looking down at me with a new, tantalizing glint in his eyes. “And why do you think you deserve to be punished?” His voice dipped an octave that sent shivers down my spine.
“I've been a very...distracted girl,” I muttered, my cheeks growing hotter under his intense gaze.
“Distracted, how?”
“With thoughts of you,” I confessed, growing bolder by the second. “With thoughts of...what we started that last night together before our time apart.” I swallowed. “And how I wish we had taken it further. How I wish you would have gone harder on me.”
Vincent's eyes darkened even more, his gaze never wavering from me. He reached out, tracing my jaw with his fingers, the touch so light it was almost a whisper. “Go to the bedroom and wait there for me.”
“What should I do in the bedroom?” I ran my nails along my bottom lip, trying not to tremble.
“You know what to do. You’re a smart girl, right?” Vincent’s head tilted slightly as he stepped away, granting me enough room to stand.
I nodded, biting my lower lip as I rose from the chair. I was a smart girl, and I knew exactly what he meant. I walked past him, my heart pounding like a drum in a parade. I could feel his gaze on my back, burning through my clothes and setting my skin on fire. Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I opened the bedroom door and stepped inside. Moonlight streamed through the open windows, bathing the room in an ethereal glow. My reflection stared back at me from the large mirror by our bed, my face flushed with anticipation.
I shed each layer of clothing, discarding it on the floor like a lost dream. I studied myself in front of the mirror in just my black lace thong. My curves were smoother and fuller than before he had left. My eyes hinted at a deeper desperation, a longing to be fulfilled. I peered at the ring on my finger, its glimmer only intensifying the wild flutter in my stomach. Vincent’s proposal had been a surprise, and so had his reaction to my unexpected request. But as I stood there, biting my lip, I realized I didn’t want anything else.
Suddenly, the door creaked open, and my heart leaped into a frenzied dance. Even in the semi-darkness, I could see Vincent standing in the doorway. My eyes dropped to the two items gripped loosely in his right hand: a red blindfold and a black leather paddle.
Vincent closed the door behind him, the latch clicking into place with a soft thud that echoed through the room. The subtle scrape of his footsteps against the wood was the only sound disrupting the otherwise silent night. It was this sound that made my body tingle, sending a pool of arousal straight to my pussy, the fabric sticking to my slick folds.
“You want to be punished,” he stated more than asked, his voice just a notch above a whisper as he moved closer. His shadow stretched long and lean across the room, merging with mine on the floor.
“I do,” I murmured, my eyes tracking his every move in the dim light. “I need to be.”
“Because you’ve been thinking about this for so long and haven’t been honest with me. Is that why?” He twirled the paddle next to his hip, the blindfold winding around his fingers as he closed the distance between us.
Was that why?
“Yes.” My eyes fluttered shut as his hand brushed a loose strand of hair away from my face. “I’ve always wanted to.”
He looked at me for an eternity, his gaze piercing as if reading my soul. Then, without breaking eye contact, he raised the red blindfold against my eyes. My heart pounded as a rush of adrenaline flooded through me as darkness enveloped my vision. The cool silk against my eyelids—the scent of Vincent’s musk mingling with the faint smell of leather—the sound of his steady breathing beside me. It was enough to make me break.
“You look so fucking perfect like this. If only you could see yourself,” Vincent whispered, his breath warm against my ear as his fingers deftly tied the blindfold behind my head. “And remember, if you want to stop, you know what to say.”
“I do.” My voice was barely audible.
He traced a finger down my cheek, his touch light yet firm. “Good. Because tonight, I'm going to make you beg.”
A shiver ran down my spine at his words, my panties now soaked. The leather paddle tapped lightly against my hip, drawing a short gasp from me.
“Not yet,” he chided gently. “Be patient.” Vincent’s fingers trailed down from my face to my exposed breasts, outlining the curve before teasing a hardened nipple. The sensation elicited a soft moan from me as he continued his lazy exploration of my body.
He stepped away from me without warning, and I could hear him move around the room. The lack of his touch left me feeling cold and exposed, and I squirmed slightly, aching for him to return.
I heard the soft rustle of fabric and realized that he was undressing. My heart pounded harder as I imagined him standing there naked with his strong muscular torso gleaming in the moonlight streaming through the windows.
Suddenly, strong hands gripped my hips from behind, pulling me toward him and spinning me around, pushing me down until my face was flush against the mattress. I gasped as his bare body pressed against mine. His stiff cock brushed teasingly against my ass as he leaned in to whisper in my ear, “Are you ready?”
“Yes.” My voice broke on the single word.
The first swat of the paddle against my ass took me by surprise, and I cried out, more in surprise than pain. But before I could react further, Vincent’s hand moved down to cup my drenched pussy, his fingers slipping easily through the slick folds. “That’s my girl,” he murmured approvingly. “So wet for me.”
He continued his merciless teasing, alternating between delivering sharp stinging blows with the paddle and plunging his fingers into my soaking wet pussy. Each swat pierced the room’s quiet while mingling with my gasps and moans.
Vincent’s pace quickened, his fingers thrusting harder and deeper inside me. I felt an orgasm building when he abruptly stopped his ministrations. I protested, but he only chuckled lowly. “Not yet.”
With a final swat of the paddle just below my tailbone, making me arch my back in surprise, Vincent spun me around to face him. Even though I couldn’t see him, I sensed his intense gaze.
“Now beg.” His voice was low and commanding as he gripped my hips tightly, pushing until I was on my back, on the mattress.
“Please,” I whispered, barely recognizing my voice's desperation. I reached out blindly, my fingers grazing over his heated skin, tracing the muscular contours of his stomach.
His hands pinned mine above my head, our bodies pressed together in a tight embrace that left no room for escape. His hard length rubbed teasingly against my wet folds, eliciting a sharp gasp from me as I struggled to contain the desperate need coursing through my veins.
“Please...Vincent.” My voice cracked under the strain of desire as I fought against the urge to grind against him. “I need to feel your cock in me.”
“Where do you want my cock?” Vincent’s finger traced my bottom lip before sinking the digit slowly into my mouth, pumping a few times.
“I want your cock...in my pussy,” I managed to gasp out around his digit, my tongue swirling around it eagerly.
Vincent removed his finger from my mouth, replacing it with his lips as he kissed me deeply. Our tongues tangled and danced, the taste of him all-consuming. His hard dick, oozing with pre-cum, rubbed against my slick folds once more, the teasing contact driving me wild. And then he removed the blindfold in one swift move, but my eyes remained closed. Vincent broke our kiss, his deep-set orbs gazing at me as I opened my eyes.
“I thought you wanted to be punished?” Vincent asked, his body looming over mine.
“I do.” My voice shook with anticipation. “But I need you more.”
A predatory grin spread across his face as he leaned down, nipping at my earlobe before whispering, “Then beg me again.”
I moaned in response, my hips arching up in desperate need of him. “Please... Sir.”
Vincent’s face stayed straight, but a glimmer of light flashed across his eyes as he rolled me onto my stomach. His fingers traced from the top of my spine, down its middle, between my ass, and stopped at the wet entrance to my trembling pussy. Vincent’s body leaned to the side as I felt him reach for something.
“You asked to be punished, so now you’re going to be punished.”
And then I realized he reached for the paddle.
“We’ll start with a set of eight,” Vincent warned, suspending the paddle in the air as my body trembled in response. “You’ll count out loud.”
“Wait, but we just did eight.” My voice cracked.
“We can always stop. Just say the word,” Vincent reassured, smoothing the slightly puckered skin from the earlier paddling.
“I’m ready,” I replied, my voice mundane. I pressed my face into the pillow, bracing myself for the first swat.
Vincent lowered his hand, the paddle hitting my ass with a sharp smack that pierced the room. A strangled gasp escaped me as the stinging pain spread. “One,” I managed to say. The paddle came down again, harder this time.
“Two,” I whimpered. Each number counted like a plea for mercy and a demand for more in the same breath. Opening my eyes, I focused on my left hand and the pink rock glistening on my finger as I fisted the sheets. The third hit came slower, more deliberate. The smooth wood of the paddle bit into my skin, leaving a lingering sting and an almost intoxicating warmth. “Three.”
Vincent ran his hands over my ass, soothing the sting before he struck again. This time, I could barely get out the count. “F-four.”
The fifth was close to the edge of my tolerance, but this was what I wanted, what I had asked for. Vincent's touch was demanding but not unkind, setting a rhythm of pain and pleasure that was impossible to resist. “Five.”
I could hardly breathe by the time he got to six and seven. My whimpers of pain were melting into husky groans of pleasure as my body became increasingly sensitive to his touch.
“Eight,” I finally breathed out when the last stroke of the paddle connected with my already throbbing ass. Vincent tossed aside the paddle and pulled me into his arms, his bare chest warm against my back, his hands roaming over my body in slow caresses that eased away some of the pain. The pads of his fingers traced lazy circles around my clit as pleasure flowed throughout every inch of my body, leaving my knees trembling. Vincent continued to assault my clit until the familiar tightening of my stomach signaled my orgasm was near.
“You’re so fucking beautiful like this. My beautiful, good girl. Mine forever.” His other hand reached for my breast, finding a tight nipple and twisting it.
And then my orgasm crashed over me, sending me into a delicious spiral as a rush of juices left my pussy, coming all over Vincent’s fingers as I rode his hand, wave after rippling wave of ecstasy. The moment my body began to relax, Vincent's fingers sped up. My breath hitched as he continued to pump into me, chasing my orgasm with a second one until I was crying out his name, my voice echoing against the walls of the room.
“Vincent!” I screamed, my body tensing as I spilled over his hand once again. This time, when the convulsion ended, Vincent left me to recover, gently withdrawing his fingers from inside me and pressing a trail of light kisses down my spine.
I let out a shuddered breath, feeling heat spreading across my cheeks when he whispered against my skin, “Are you okay?”
As I smiled into the open air before me, what Vincent didn’t know was how better I was than just okay.
I was perfect.