Rebecca's Reason Part 3

(story continues from Rebecca's Reason Part 2)

Chapter 3

The house grew chilly as the night wore on. The furnace was computer controlled and tried to save a few bucks while everyone was supposed to be asleep. When it kicked back on, Ryan knew he had just a few hours and that his wife was probably at the airport already. He counted, estimating fifteen minutes.

"Unnn! Eeee! Oooo!" He began to thrash, arching his back and twisting his right shoulder. His whole right arm seemed to be in a spasm of some kind.

"What the fuck!" Ryan heard boots hit the floor. He continued to struggle. "Stop that. Dammit, knock it the fuck off, Ryan!"

"Eee! I Eeba! Eengl Ells! Eengl Ells!"

"Shit!" She popped the gag out of his mouth so fast he did not even feel the straps come loose.

"My elbow! It's my elbow. Oh! Oh, please! Oh shit!"

She touched his elbow and he screamed. It was a blood chilling sound that even made his own hair stand on end. She cut the zip tie holding the cuff's buckle and released his wrist. Gently, she pulled his arm away from his back and stretched it out on the bed.

"Thank you. Oh, I'd forgotten how bad that hurts. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"What the hell did you do?" For a moment, Holly forgot her authority.

"It's my elbow. I was in an accident a few years ago. Well, more than a few, now. They had to do surgery to put everything back, but it didn't quite fit. I can't remember what I'm supposed to do. Damn. What the hell?"

"Ice?"

"Yeah, that's it. Ice, elevation, and drugs. Can you put a pillow under my arm? Just get it up higher than my back. Ah, thanks. Sorry. Thank you, Mistress."

"Why does it hurt so much?"

"Pins. They had to pin it back together. Told me I would be back to normal in four months. Assholes. That was before we ever met. Before you moved into the neighborhood." He rolled his weight away from the injured arm. "I'm sorry, Mistress. Would you get an ice pack out of the freezer for me? Or, let me go get it. Whichever way you want to do this. I really am sorry. This getting old thing is starting to suck."

She pulled the blindfold off and bent down. "This isn't a trick?"

"I've had problems with that arm for years. Call Rebecca and ask if you like. I need the prescription bottle that's down there in the cabinet above the toaster." There was a long pause. "I promise not to trouble you again for the rest of the night, or until Rebecca dismisses you."

Holly reached down and grabbed his wrist and bicep, immobilizing his arm. She studied the elbow. Three small scars adorned it, forming a triangle around the joint.

"Okay." She left the room. Ryan waited, certain she stood just outside the door. Her boots should be audible on the hardwood floors, even through the rugs. He heard the squeak of the fifth stair but not the first. She had to know about them to have gotten into the house so quietly. When he heard the telltale squeal of the freezer door, he made his move.

He whipped his right arm behind him and grabbed the empty cuff. Zip ties were strong, but brittle in certain directions, he knew. He thought. He hoped. He twisted the empty cuff and broke the zip tie holding his wrist to his ankles. The rings on the cuff clinked. A cabinet slammed downstairs and Ryan knew he was out of time. He pushed off the bed and landed, teetering on the heels. Footfalls thundered up the stairs. He jumped toward the bathroom, unconcerned about any breakage that might occur, as long as he cleared the door. He thudded hard to his knees just over the threshold, slamming the bathroom door shut just as Holly ran into the bedroom, fury in her eyes. She didn't even bother with the knob. Her shoulder hit the door so hard the frame creaked.

"You son of a bitch!" The door jumped again. Ryan braced his back against the door and felt along the vanity for anything that might cut the ropes still binding his legs. The room was quiet for a moment. Then the door was struck so hard it had to have broken a bone somewhere in the furious domme.

"Holly! Stop that before you hurt yourself!"

"You bastard! I trusted you, you lying son of a bitch!"

His fingers discovered a nail file. He uttered a prayer of thanks. "I didn't lie. You asked me if it was a trick and I told you I've had problems with that arm for years, which is true. I promised not to trouble you again, which I absolutely meant. I think we may have slightly different definitions of trouble, though." The door rattled as she grabbed the knob and twisted, shaking the door as she did. Holly battered the old wooden door, but it held, with the help of Ryan's bracing. He heard a heavy thud from the bedroom.

“Shit,” Holly said, audible through the door.

"What?”

“This whole mess. I'm not lying. Rebecca was really looking forward to this. I told her at dinner that she should just come home with all her new clothes and toys and talk to you. But she wanted to do it this way.”

Ryan continued sawing at the zip tie cinching the coil above his knees.

“How about this,” Holly said. “You let me in and I'll go easier on you than any sensible domme would. I'll let you take your shoes off, and I'll put you in a very comfy spread-eagle on top of the bed. No gag if you will be quiet.”

“No thanks.” A long silence followed before Holly spoke.

“Now what?”

"You go home. Or to the mall. Or maybe a ballgame. I think there's a home game today."

"Its 5:30 in the morning."

"Oh, yeah. I guess you're stuck out there until I'm squared away. Unless you want to call a cab. There you go. Call a cab and get a suite at the Hilton. I told you I'd spring for it."

"How are you getting your legs loose? I used zip ties to cinch when I redid them."

"I've got a nail file."

"Is that a joke?" There was a long pause in which he did not answer. "Here." The cutters slid under the door, followed by the steak knife that had been his escape plan all along.

"Thanks."

"Yeah."

"Holly?"

"Yeah."

"Are you going to try something when I open the door?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Like a stun gun or pepper spray. Or tackling me?"

"No. I'm going to go fix some scrambled eggs and call your wife."

"Okay." Ryan listened to her footsteps recede. He attacked the zip ties and the ropes with renewed ferocity. In a few minutes, he was free. He peeled out of the layers of lingerie faster than he ever had, and shoved the clothing, shoes, and the leather cuffs into a plastic bag from under the sink. When he was ready, he opened the door. The smell of cooking eggs filled the house. He moved to the closet and grabbed yesterday's jeans out of the laundry basket, pulling them on even as he reached for a shirt. He slid his feet into the first pair of sneakers he found. Feeling less vulnerable, Ryan emerged from the closet and picked up his wallet, keys, and cell phone. Now he was ready, come what may.

In the kitchen, Holly was as good as her word. A huge bowl of eggs was on the table, as well as toast. And he could smell bacon cooking in the microwave.

"Hey. It's garbage day and I didn't take the bin to the road last night. I'll be right back."

"Yeah," she said around a mouthful of breakfast.

He grabbed the bag from the kitchen can and walked out.

"You came back?" Holly asked as he re-entered the kitchen.

"Well, it is my house for just a little while longer. Actually, it's half my house until the pre-nup is enforced. Then it's adios."

"That's not going to happen. She was serious about wanting to do this. I'll take the blame for you being difficult."

"Oh, shit. That reminds me." Ryan raced out of the room and thudded up the stairs. He thought he heard a cell phone ring, but it wasn't his, so he didn't worry about it. In the master bedroom, he began to search for hidden cameras. He found two and was stunned by how tiny they were. Rebecca had embedded them in the walls of their room. Wires ran from them into the wall and down to the baseboard.

Holly walked in, cell phone held to her ear. "Yes, ma'am. He's here." Ryan could hear his wife's voice on the other end. "Uh, right now he's tearing the walls apart and pulling out wires and the like." Holly held the phone out to him, "She wants you."

“Stop right there and toss me the phone,” he said. Holly did as he asked.

"Hello."

"Ryan? What am I going to do with you? Pins in your elbow?"

"It worked," Ryan said. His eyes were on Holly, who had not left the room yet.

"Poor Holly was crushed, I think. She's used to working with a more willing clientele. I think she feels like she blew an audition or something."

"That's not my problem."

"Be nice. I'll need her help."

"What are you doing, Rebecca? None of this makes sense. Did you really think I wouldn't freak out at getting caught? That I'd let some total stranger wreck whatever is left of my marriage? What the hell made you think I'd go along with a plan that I had no input to?"

"I will explain everything shortly, sweetie. As to the rest, I thought you'd like it. Don't jump to so many conclusions, Ryan. I'm not upset at you. All the things I've read suggested you'd like it. I'm sorry if I made a mistake. Oh, there's my boarding call. Love you."

"I love you too," he said, but the phone was already dead. He tossed it back to Holly.

"Are you sticking around?" He looked at her with narrowed eyes. He had not forgotten the ugly things she had called him.

"Yeah. Rebecca made me swear that I'd wait for her. I'm also supposed to see if you need help. And, I'm not supposed to attempt to recapture you. She was very specific about that."

"And you promised?"

"Yeah."

"Lot of that going around these days. Don't be offended that I don't believe a word of it and I'd rather you go watch some TV or something. Anything but stand there and stare at me like that."

"Okay." She turned to leave the room, then stopped. "Can I ask you something first? Are there really pins in your elbow? Did you really have an injury there?"

"No and yes."

"Was it too easy to get away? Could you have gotten loose any time you wanted?"

"No and no. That was my last ditch plan."

"If I had gotten to the room in time, how hard would you have fought?"

Ryan stared at her.

"Please, Ryan. I'd really like to know."

"With both arms free and just a few ropes between me and escape? Do you really want to know?" She nodded. "I'd have done whatever it took. But I'm glad you weren't in time."

“What happened?”

Ryan pondered that question, uncertain how she actually meant it. He took his time deciding on an answer. “I guess I'm not as submissive as I thought I was.”

“Maybe.” She paused, thinking. “Maybe not.” Holly smiled and arched an eyebrow at Ryan before leaving.

He listened to her footsteps recede down the staircase, then turned back to the task of following the wires. It took longer than he thought it would. The wires led to his own home office. There, they connected to a computer he did not recognize. The room was full of computers and peripherals, so the extra one had gone unnoticed. He disconnected it and carried it downstairs. Holly was sitting at the kitchen table, reading the paper. He passed her without comment and trotted down the stairs into the basement. Thirty minutes later he returned to the kitchen.

"What was all that hammering about?" Holly asked.

"Evidence. Speaking of which, did you take any pictures of me last night or early this morning?"

"No."

Ryan's planned follow-up questions were interrupted by Rebecca's car pulling into the driveway.

"Here we go," he said as he headed to the door to help with her bags.

Within minutes, the Stone's and Holly returned to the kitchen.

"This is starting to feel familiar," Holly said. She was sitting at the kitchen table along with Ryan and Rebecca. The relative position of their seats hinted at the tension in the room. Rebecca had seated herself directly across the round table from Holly, forcing Ryan to sit within arms reach of both women. He did this, and pretended not to feel threatened by it.

"That's good, Holly," Rebecca said. She was holding up well given several hours of early morning air travel.

"Rebecca, what can you possibly say that will make sense of all this," Ryan asked. Rebecca stirred her herbal tea and played with a lock of hair that had escaped the elaborate braid. Finally, she looked up.

"I'm pregnant."

Chapter 4: Trying to be a poly family

Ryan stared, mouth open. Holly jumped slightly, also caught off guard by the announcement.

"But...but...how?" was all Ryan could get out of his mouth.

"In the usual way, sweetie. I think it was after the Ferguson's party. We walked home holding hands, talking about how nice the weather was and how we could see so many stars. Jog any memories?"

He turned red and licked his lips. Rebecca turned to Holly. "He's so sweet when he does that. Did he blush for you too?"

"Yes, ma'am. If you don't mind me asking, I thought you couldn't have children?"

"Call me Rebecca, please. That ma'am and Mistress stuff isn't for the breakfast table, I think. To answer your question, I couldn't get pregnant and none of the many expensive doctors we consulted could explain it. So, Ryan and I decided to just go for one consult a year, in case something changed, and otherwise not worry about it."

"Have you been to the doctor yet?" Ryan asked.

"Yes. Everything is fine. I'm about eight weeks along."

He got up and started pacing around the kitchen. "This is just... I mean, amazing. Just... I don't know what else to say." He stopped. "Yes I do. I love you, Rebecca." He took two steps and folded her into a hug before she could even get out of the chair.

"I love you too."

Ryan returned to his seat. "Okay. Some of this is starting to make sense, in that weird 'the world is upside down' sort of way. Go ahead and explain the rest of it."

"I owe you both an apology, I think. Considering my occupation, I really should have done a better job with this. I honestly was expecting the worst, Ryan. I was so glad to find out that you were just acting out fantasies you've kept suppressed all these years. I was pressed for time to plan and then I ran into Holly...

"And Holly. I meant everything I said back in D.C. and now you know why. And I'm sorry that I left out the underlying reason for my actions."

"Okay," Ryan started. "I'm still confused. Honey, we should be interviewing domestic help, not dominatrices."

"I want both. I want more than both," Rebecca said.

"Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. What the hell?" Holly looked back and forth between the couple.

"Holly, we'll need help. Ryan's parents are dead and he's an only child. My dad is dead and my mom doesn't know who I am anymore. I'm also an only child. Ryan works from home and my job sometimes requires overtime, though I expect that will change. Plus, I've got eight years of catching up to do in the bedroom and precious little time to even get started. Then once the baby is here?

"When I ran into you in that little shop, it just seemed so obvious."

"What seemed so obvious?" Holly asked, still not processing the torrent of words coming from Rebecca.

"That you become part of our little family! I like you. He likes you. You know things I want to learn. We can help you launch a career. It's a perfect match."

Holly and Ryan looked at each other, identical expressions of incredulity on their faces.

"You what?" Ryan said.

"And I'm supposed to be what? Number two wife or something?" Holly said.

"I wasn't sure if you'd want to think of it as a marriage," Rebecca said. "Though I don't have any problem with adding you to our - "

"Rebecca," Ryan interrupted. "When did you become bi?"

She sighed, and took a moment to collect her thoughts. "Ryan, I'm not bi. This is not about threesomes, or you starting a harem, or me and Holly turning you into our little sex toy, or anything so simple. It's about way more than those things. It's about making a connection." Rebecca looked from Ryan to Holly and then back. "You're not getting what I'm saying, are you?"

"You aren't making any sense," Ryan answered. Holly just shook her head.

"Okay. Let me try again. There's two or three separate issues merged together here. At least that's the way I look at it. One, I'm having a baby and I don't think that two parents and a lot of rented help are the right way to raise a child. Two, I suddenly discover that there's a whole facet of my husband and our relationship that has not been explored. And I make this discovery at a very inopportune moment. Three, Holly's out of a job and is without family support of her own.

"I think we should combine our skills and resources, and yes, our love, into a new kind of family. There aren't even words yet for what I'm envisioning. I know this is sudden and I know that you might need time to think about what this all could mean for us. Does that make better sense."

"Yeah," Ryan started.

"You know I'm bi, right?" Holly said.

"Yes, Holly. I saw that on your website,” Rebecca answered.

"Oh." She chewed her lip for a second. "I need some space to work some of this out."

"You can borrow my car, if you like," Rebecca said.

"I'm going to go out too, just for coffee and some pancakes or something."

"I can't talk you into changing back for me?" Rebecca asked.

"Change back?"

"Into your little submissive persona. Does she have a name?"

"I don't know what you are talking about, dear. What you see is what you get."

"What did you do with all your little toys and goodies?"

Ryan did not answer right away. The county's garbage truck had just stopped at the end of their driveway.

"Oh you did not!" Rebecca said as she strode to the window. The truck was already two houses away.

"The bin was really full today."

"So that's it? You can just turn it off like that?" Holly asked.

"Turn what off?" He looked askance at Holly as he answered the question. Rebecca opened her mouth, and Ryan could tell he was in for a barrage of words. He cut her off first. "I spent a quiet evening at home with the game on the radio. Then one of your old friends came by and since I knew you were almost home, I invited her in."

"Wait a minute," Holly started, but Rebecca jumped in.

"It's okay, Holly. I told you he has control issues. He thinks he invented plausible deniability.”

“But you were streaming video?”

“Was I?” Rebecca turned to look at her husband. “Or has there been a cascade of technical malfunctions in the last few hours.”

“I'll be back in a little bit,” Ryan said without answering the question.

Ryan drove, needing to get away from his house and all it contained now. He could not help but continue turning over Rebecca's ideas in his head. Trying to reconcile two opposing trains of thought was giving him a colossal headache.

In her own radical universe, Rebecca was right. It made sense. A lot of things that were wrong made sense at first blush, he thought. What would Holly be? Some sort of second wife? Or some combination of babysitter and bondage mentor for Rebecca?

And what would happen to him? As he had just experienced, his capacity for actual surrender was much less in real life than in his fantasy world. If they wanted to, they could probably do anything with him. Sooner or later, he had to trust them. His mind ran in circles, searching for the easy path. He turned for home, not even sure where he had gone. A small cafe in an unfamiliar part of town came into view. On a whim, he stopped.

Over the frothy cup of heavily sweetened brew, Ryan watched an attractive young woman enter the cafe. Her ankle length skirt was light and voluminous, contrasting sharply with her tight, bright blue tank top. She was within three steps of his table before he realized it was Holly.

“Hi. We need to talk,” she said. After standing for another few seconds, she asked, “Are you going to invite me to sit down or what?”

Ryan motioned to the seat opposite and Holly sat. She leaned forward and began to speak in a low voice, not wanting to be overheard. All her thoughts and feelings on the past day poured out. Ryan listened and encouraged, but offered none of his own thoughts.

“Wow. It's past lunchtime,” Holly said, looking at the clock over the barista's station. “I feel better about this. I'm still not sure, but I feel better.”

“I can't make up my mind,” Ryan said. “I can't shake the nagging doubts about this idea. But, I trust Rebecca more now than I think I ever have, despite her mistakes in judgment recently.”

“Yeah. About that. I'm not a big fan of apologies, so I'll just say that was all part of the act, okay? I'm usually asked to be that way. So, are we settled?”

“No, but we're decided. Let's go talk to Rebecca.”

Once back at the house, the conversation was much shorter.

“I'm glad you both came back. I was getting worried,” Rebecca said. “We're all very tired, I think. Perhaps we should sleep before making any big decisions?”

“I agree, but I want to say I accept your proposal, if Ryan doesn't mind,” Holly said. She exhaled with relief. Both of them looked at Ryan.

“There's a lot of details to work out that we should not attempt today. I'm beat.” He started to stand.

Rebecca reached for Ryan's hand. “Wait. There will always be details, Ryan. This is uncharted territory for all of us. Can you tell me, yes or no?”

A familiar sensation of vertigo gripped him. His eyes closed. Jump or don't jump. That was really what Rebecca was asking. Surrender, perhaps? Holly's words, 'Maybe. Maybe not.' came back to him.

He felt the warmth of his wife's hand, and pictured the new life they would bring into the world, together. Her hold was firm, but not crushing, loose enough to let him go if he pulled away. That was enough for him. He opened his eyes.

“Yes.”

Rebecca squealed, a girlish sound Ryan had not heard in years. She jumped up and hugged him. He opened his mouth, but she stopped him with a kiss. When she pulled back, she laid one finger across his lips.

“I know there are details. And limits. And all the things you worry about. It's okay.”

He smiled and remained silent. She continued, “Holly. The guest room is yours tonight if you wish. Or, there are a number of decent hotels we could put you up in, if you'd rather. Tomorrow, we will start working on the particulars.”

“Your extra room is fine, and all my bags are already in your house. I'm ready for a long nap.”

The three made their way up the stairs. Holly closed her door and fell across the bed, barely taking the time to kick her shoes off. Across the hall, Rebecca cornered her husband against the wall.

“Since we know how much you hate surprises, I'll tell you now. I have something I want you to do tomorrow. I think you'll like it. You've already told me as much.” Laughing, she pulled him toward the bed. He made a brief show of resisting before giving in, then turned the tables by lifting her off the floor and plopping her down on the bed. As they undressed each other, she kept up a steady, quiet, monologue of her plans for the next day.

Chapter 5

Ryan woke up before Rebecca or Holly, and was showered and about to head out the door when his wife caught him.

“You haven't forgotten?” she asked. Ryan almost did a double-take. She was wearing a nightgown nearly identical to the one he had escaped from just a day ago.

“I have some things to pick up. I should be back after lunch. Eat, but don't eat too much.” He kissed her, running his hands up and down her back and backside.

He did have some shopping to do, but he really wanted to build some suspense for Rebecca. There was another, deeper plan, one that he was working out on the fly. He pulled into the cafe he had found the previous day, spotting Rebecca's Audi. When he entered the shop, Holly raised her cup in greeting.

“I'm shopping for some things to make your guest room into my room.”

“The guest room? I thought you would want the basement. It has a nice dungeony air to it.”

She stuck out her tongue in reply. Ryan continued.

“Seriously. We're going to need to add on to the house or move.”

Holly looked at him, her own expression turning to business. “No ifs, ands, or buts in that statement. No conditions or caveats. When you make up your mind, you really make it up.”

“Very funny. I said I was in and I'm in. Now the question becomes is today too soon? Rebecca wants to play this afternoon. Would you be willing to make some sort of appearance?”

“Appearance?”

“I don't know what else to call it. Do you want to tutor this afternoon? Is that a better way of putting it?”

Holly sipped her tea. “Who am I tutoring?”

“That's a surprise.”

She cocked her head and narrowed her eyes. “What the hell are you up to?”

“Nothing worse than what you two did to me, I promise. Not even close.”

“I don't switch. You know that, right?”

“That's fine. Though if she tried, I'll bet Rebecca could talk you into it.” He gave her a challenging look, daring her to disagree.

“Maybe I would for her, but you'll never see it.”

“Ouch! Feel the burn,” he said, drawing back his hand as though he had touched a hot pan. “The signal is a bell. Just a little hand bell like this.” He reached down and pulled a small brass bell out of the bag. “And, it may not come. If it doesn't, you'll know something you didn't know before.” He stood up to leave. “The fun starts around 1:00. I don't think you'll hear anything before 2:30 or 3:00.”

“I hope you know what you are doing.”

Ryan left without answering.

He returned home just before noon to find Rebecca nibbling at a fruit salad while studying something on her laptop.

“Hey,” he said. “Any of that left?”

She nodded at the counter. “What happened to my computer?”

“I believe it's called a 'cascade of technical malfunctions.' Are you missing any work files?”

“No. And it looks like my drive has been defragged and condensed. And all the junk that accumulates on these Windows machines has been cleaned up. And I think my registry has even been tweaked.”

“I think you'll also find that all the empty space on your hard drive is really empty. Department of Defense empty, in fact.”

“That was some malfunction.”

He changed the subject. “So are you still feeling frisky or are you going to be mad at me?”

“Why should I be mad at you?” Rebecca said with complete innocence. “You had no reason to tamper with my laptop. I want to finish my brunch and take a shower.”

“Let me help you with that,” he said. He spoon fed her a plump strawberry, which she slowly drew into her mouth with pursed lips. He shifted on the chair to make room in his jeans for his swelling cock.

“Oh. Are you going to make it until then?” She opened her mouth for another spoonful, which she engulfed with a faint smacking sound.

“We'll see,” he said. When the last of the fruit vanished, Rebecca got up to take her shower.

“Don't get up on my account.” She looked pleased with herself. “You might want to put some ice on that.”

“That's a wonderful idea. I think I'll bring a bowl of ice upstairs to help you cool off after your shower.” Rebecca pretended to be unconcerned. Ryan waited until the shower was running before following her.

Steam flooded the bedroom when Rebecca opened the door. She was still toweling her hair. The bedroom was lit by at least a dozen candles, and decorated with several small arrangements of roses, white and red intermingled. Ryan sat in the armchair, studying the contents of the briefcase his wife had told him would be needed for the evening.

“Ryan! This is so beautiful!”

In the soft light, Ryan thought his wife's eyes looked a little damp. “I'm glad you like it. You deserve it. This and so much more.” He tried to put a tiny hint of menace in his voice, but not too much. It worked. Rebecca shivered slightly and bit her lower lip. He placed the briefcase on the bed and pulled the covers down, exposing the cool white sheet below. Patting the bed, he motioned her forward. The towel fell to the floor as she complied.

Ryan took in the sight of her naked body. She preferred nudity to lingerie, a fact he had never quite reconciled with his image of femininity. Over the years, she had dutifully worn whatever little filmy bit of fabric he asked her to, but she was quicker to slip out of negligees and stockings than he would have liked. But now, her nudity seemed just right, the perfect presentation of her vulnerability.

He ran his fingers over her, lightly touching every part of her body. Of course her breasts and bottom received special attention, as did the light fluff of hair between her legs and the tender places nearby. His hands circled her wrists and pushed them behind her back as he pressed a kiss on her lips.

“But...I want...” She started to speak, but he quieted her with another kiss, long and deep. When their lips parted, he spoke.

“I know what you want, love. No topping from the bottom.” A fleeting hint of concern crossed her face. She drew a deep breath and let it out. “There. That's my good girl. What? Was that indignation? No one has called you a good girl in a long time, have they?” He led her to the bed, still holding her wrists behind her back. The hardness of her nipples showed him that she was not too offended.

“Up you go.” He reached down and lifted her onto the bed, seating her on the edge of the mattress with her legs hanging off.

“Wha!” She gulped. “That always surprises me when you do something like that. I'm almost as tall as you are and I wouldn't even think of trying to lift you.”

“Shh.” He pulled an expensive leather wrist cuff from the collection in the briefcase and buckled it around her wrist. The process was repeated on her other wrist. The scent of the leather tickled his nose, and he recalled what Holly had said the night before. This prompted him to lift Rebecca's now linked wrists up to her face.

“Take a deep breath through your nose.” He inhaled as well, and smelled the new leather mixed with a trace of Rebecca's perfume, the scent of roses, and something he could not quite put his finger on. “Since you asked me to do this, I guess I can leave your hands right there?”

“Aren't you going to get undressed?”

“You don't like my dom outfit?” He asked this over his shoulder as he sorted through Rebecca's case. All he wore was a pair of black jogging shorts and a black sleeveless undershirt. In the candlelight, his blonde hair practically shined.

“I like you better...oh!” Her sentence went unfinished as he pushed her back onto the bed, lowering her by her cuffed wrists. In his hand was a nylon strap with clips on each end.

“Since you asked so nicely.” He tugged the shirt and shorts off and tossed them to the floor. He pulled her wrists toward the headboard.

“I can't quite reach. This is such a big bed.” Before Rebecca could offer a suggestion, he straddled her chest, careful not to rest his full weight on her. “That's much better,” he said as he leaned forward to fasten her cuffed wrists to the lower crosspiece of the headboard. His cock, now quite stiff, dangled just over her mouth. Ryan took his time adjusting the strap and the clips, stealing glances at his wife to gauge her reaction. Her eyes followed his movements, lips parted. When he straightened up, she pouted.

“Well if you feel that strongly about it,” he said, sliding his knees toward her shoulders. “Don't mind if I do.” By now, he was so excited that his erection pointed nearly straight up. He leaned his torso toward the headboard and pushed his cock down with his free hand. She lifted her head up to meet him part way, pulling him down with her teeth.

“Easy, girl. We have all day.”

Rebecca replied by mumbling something as her head bobbed forward. The sensation nearly brought Ryan off right there. He straightened up and his cock left her mouth with an audible pop.

“You're going to come,” she said. Laughing, she added, “I always meant to try that, but I think I was supposed to hum, not talk.”

“If you weren't so good at that, I'd have already gagged you.”

“Shame there's no gag in my collection.”

“Guess again,” he said, pulling Holly's red bit gag out of the case. Her eyes widened, and she licked her lips.

“I see I have your full attention now. I wonder how much that would bother you, having my dick waving in your face while your mouth was full of this?”

“Your loss,” she said, trying to sound flippant.

“You like it almost as much as I do. You like the control it gives you.” He tossed the gag and it landed two feet from her head with a jingle of of the harness. “Enough philosophy,” he said, pulling the matching ankle cuffs from the briefcase. Rebecca was not paying attention; she still stared at the gag.

After buckling the cuffs around her ankles, Ryan grasped her legs and pulled toward the foot of the bed, stretching his wife's tan body over the crisp white sheets. Then he spread her legs as wide as the footboard and secured her ankles to the corners of the bed with the same kind of straps that held her wrists. He worked on the straps for some time, taking out the slack from each side until Rebecca was tautly spread.

When he looked up from his work, he caught her staring at him. She looked worried.

“Having second thoughts?”

“I can't decide if this feels amazing or terrifying. And I keep wondering what I have got myself into.”

“Let me try to answer that for you.” Instead of further talking, he pulled a large metal bowl from under the bed. “You said I'd need some ice. I believe I agreed.”

“Ryan! No! Oh, come on, Ryan. You don't have to....Oh that is cold!” Her voice rose higher as cold drops of water landed on her nipples. Ryan held several ice cubes over her with one hand, while the other rubbed the water into her skin. She bucked as another dozen drops rained onto her breasts.

“No, Ryan. Not there! No...eeeeeeh!” This time the freezing water found her pussy.

“Would you prefer something warmer? We have no shortage of candles.” He started toward the candle laden dresser.

“No. No. No. Ice is fine. Please, Ryan. I'm not ready for that!”

“Okay. Yes, I am that easy.” He stroked her leg. “You know. I think this would be much more effective if it was a little closer.” He popped the ice into his mouth and lowered his face to her right thigh. Tracing his tongue on her warm skin, he blew a stream of cold air into the cropped tuft of brown hair above her pussy lips.

“Ohhhhh.” The moan turned into a squeal as his chilled tongue flicked against the hot skin of her pussy. Warm wetness began to meet his questing tongue, which now slid between her lips and began to rise, finally lapping slowly across her clit. Rebecca's back arched as Ryan drew his icy tongue across her skin. He waited, counting slowly to three, then returned his mouth to her clit, teasing it out with each stroke. Every few licks, he added more ice to his mouth.

Rebecca lost all semblance of control, bucking and arching, trying to avoid the chill of his mouth and at the same time prolong each contact.

“Oh. Oh Ryan. Please. Please don't stop. Nooooo...” she whimpered as once again he lifted his tongue from her sopping wet pussy. Straps and cuffs creaked, adding their own soft sounds of urgency to Rebecca's pleas. Ryan dipped his head again. This time he slid his tongue across her swollen button a little faster, and then flicked it in the opposite direction instead of breaking contact. The effect was immediate. Rebecca's plaintive cries turned back to moans, then grunts as she tried to thrust her hips. The tight straps frustrated her attempts, but Ryan was now cooperating with her desire to come. His tongue rubbed back and forth, until one last spasm wracked her body.

“Unnh! UHH!” Her back dropped against the mattress and her arms and legs relaxed. Wetness spread out on the sheets, a mixture of ice water, drool, and pussy.

“Oh, Ryan...” She did not finish the sentence as she continued to gasp.

He slid off the end of the bed and then climbed back on, kneeling back on his haunches by her face. Her eyes lowered to his cock.

“Look at you. I guess I know what you want. Aren't you even a little tired?” He fingered her crotch, spreading the still flowing wetness over her thighs and belly. “I think you are ready for another visit.” He stretched out beside her, but in the opposite alignment with his feet near the headboard and his head moving back between her legs.

Still trying to catch her breath, Rebecca whispered, “I thought you were supposed to be punishing me?”

“Just warming up, baby,” he said as his mouth found her still swollen clit. He teased her with his tongue and with his teeth, pinching and pulling with his lips. When he thought she was completely distracted, he rolled his hips over her face and pushed the tip of his cock against her lips.

Rebecca opened her mouth and pulled him in without hesitation. Her tongue swirled and flicked as if she was trying to give back all the pleasure and torment she had just received. Ryan could feel the orgasm building and knew he had run out of time. What started as a tingle along the length of his cock quickly turned to an electric jolt as he passed the edge. Every muscle in his body seemed to contract at once, with his cock and balls being the last to get the message. He tried to pull back, but Rebecca would not relent, sucking him in as deeply as she could.

With a shudder that clenched his entire body to a motionless stop, his orgasm overwhelmed him. For a moment, all he could feel was the bobbing of Rebecca's swallowing throat. Her head dropped back to the mattress, though her mouth still held him. Remembering where he was, Ryan returned to the treatment of his wife's intimate places. In just a few seconds he struck a rhythm that had Rebecca moaning around his softening cock. The vibrations of her growing excitement aroused him again, but this time it was Rebecca whose orgasm was imminent and inevitable.

Just as before, Rebecca pulled hard against her bonds as her orgasm washed over her. Spindles and straps creaked, but held. After a few deep breaths, she relaxed again. Ryan moved quickly, turning around and kneeling between her legs. He placed his hands on either side of her chest, and looked directly down into her eyes. His twitching erection pointed directly at her sodden pussy.

“You are so amazing. So beautiful,” he said.

“I love you too,” she answered before dropping her gaze. She smiled when she looked back at his eyes. “Please. Don't make me wait any longer.” He eased his hips down and forward. “Oh!” Her breath went in and out in a series of short gasps, each accompanied by a low moan. She pulled against the straps holding her wrists, causing the bed and the bonds to creak again.

The sound of his wife's vulnerability turned him on nearly as much as the sight of it. He met her eyes again, and between gasps, she gave him a look so smoldering and wanton that it pushed him right past the edge. He folded his arms, bringing his chest down to hers, and searched for her mouth, which he kissed as soon as his lips found it.

“That was awesome,” he whispered. He laid beside her for a few minutes, petting and stroking while their hearts returned to a more normal rate.

“Oh, here,” he said, sliding off the bed. He let some of the tension out of the straps connecting her cuffed ankles to the bed. She let out a low moan.

“Oh, that's heavenly,” she said, wiggling her fingers and toes. “Amazing the difference a half inch can make, isn't it?”

Ryan returned to the side of the bed, holding the briefcase which still contained a wealth of toys and restraints. Just looking at the collection was bringing his cock back to attention. After moving the clock and lamp, he placed the case on the nightstand.

“You're kidding!” Rebecca had turned her head and noticed Ryan's rising interest.

“I don't think we made much of a dent in your list today. There's still a lot of stuff in here.” He pulled out a small hand bell and placed it on the bed, careful to muffle it.

“What's that? I didn't put that in there!”

“Ooh, clothespins. I wonder what these are for? And this? This looks ominous.” He held up a tawse, flicking his wrist to make the split leather spring. “I don't even know the official word for this.”

“What's the bell for, Ryan?”

“You sound worried, love.”

“I'm not exactly worried, and there's not much I can do about it now anyway,” she said, wiggling her restrained hands for emphasis. “But you are up to something.”

“It's a school bell, 'Becca,” he said, using a nickname that he knew would be associated with her teen years. “If I ring the bell, it means that class is in session, complete with a special tutor.”

“Ah. And this is my payback for sending Holly after you?”

“Not at all,” he fibbed just a little. “It just provides us a clearcut way of involving Holly. If we both wanted her involvement, and if she is home and agreeable.”

“And if it has all been set up beforehand? You are an evil, sneaky, man, Ryan Stone.”

“I'll tell you again. I won't ring the bell unless we both agree. Although, I'm tempted to ring just so I can find out what the hell some of this stuff is.”

“What if I told you I won't make that same promise?”

Ryan was taken aback by her bluntness. “I would say that is a pretty rash statement for the naked, bound, lady to be making. Especially considering that you know my feelings on the subject quite well.”

“You forgot 'thoroughly fucked' in your description,” she said. The wanton look had returned to her eyes.

“And you say I'm insatiable.” He returned to the earlier topic. “Okay. The bell is for my sole convenience. You are bound by whatever your conscience tells you to do, but I do have limits, Rebecca. And issues, if that's what you want to call them. Push them at your own risk.”

Rebecca stared at her husband for a minute. “You are full of surprises, Ryan. I think that's the closest you've ever come to telling me off.”

“Just the facts, ma'am. You can't go into this with blinders on.”

She continued staring, letting her eyes roam over his body before resting her gaze on his face. “Okay. You have made your point and I accept it.”

“Thank you.”

The excitement of the afternoon was dashed by the few minutes of seriousness. Ryan set the case on the floor and reached for the clips connected to Rebecca's wrist cuffs.

“Ryan? About that bell.”

“Yeah? Something wrong?”

“Ring it.”

Chapter 6

The echo of the bell still hung in the room, accompanied by a new sound. Sharp, distinct steps could be heard coming from the hallway. Ryan imagined what Holly might be wearing. Most of his mental images now involved large boots with stacked heels and lots of leather. The door opened.

Holly stepped around the corner and began without preamble. “Class! Come to order.”

The bell slipped from Ryan's fingers and clattered to the floor. Holly stopped at the disturbance, skewering him with her glance. He could not have been more wrong about her appearance. Instead of a leather clad hyper-domme, a fantasy school teacher of the strictest kind stood in the doorway. Holly's hair was pulled back into a severe bun. Her makeup added a few years to her age, accentuating her cheeks and thinning her full lips. She wore a crisp white blouse and a straight gray skirt hemmed just below the knees. Black nylon covered her legs and she wore black pumps with a high, blocky heel.

She moved further into the room. A lacy black bra showed through the white blouse, adding a touch of naughtiness to Holly's teacher persona. In her right hand she held an old-fashioned wooden ruler.

“I am Ms. Taylor. I will be handling your class today. I do not know how your regular instructor does things, but you will find I have a low tolerance for dallying, sloth, poor attention to detail, or simple stupidity. I have no tolerance at all for disobedience, insolence, or inattention to safety. I believe that pain is an excellent teacher and tends to make an otherwise valuable lesson unforgettable. Am I understood?” The ruler cracked against her thigh for emphasis.

“Yes, ma'am.” The Stones answered at nearly the same time.

“Tsk. I see you started without supervision. This is not an advanced class, or am I mistaken?” Her tone left little room for allegations of error on her part.

“No, ma'am.” Ryan's returning excitement began to make itself known as he watched Holly's performance.

She approached him with a few quick steps, holding the ruler out in front of her. Ryan yelped when she rapped his growing erection with the ruler, more from surprise than actual pain.

“That is considered insolence, young man. I know several cures for inappropriate penis behavior, and each is more unpleasant than the last.”

“Yes, ma'am.” Ryan struggled to think of something that would defuse his still hard cock, but no mental image, no matter how cold, disgusting, or funny, had an effect. However, Ms. Taylor's attention was now on her ruler instead of him.

“This is wet. This is wet!” She turned to Rebecca's bound body. Rebecca's eyes were far wider at Holly's demonstration of dominance than at anything Ryan had done to her. They became wider still as Holly plunged two fingers into her wet pussy. She withdrew them in the same clinical fashion, then leaned forward, bringing her face almost nose to nose with Rebecca's.

“And your breath smells of cum. Then I guess you won't mind cleaning this mess up,” she said as she thrust her wet fingers at Rebecca's mouth. Rebecca complied, though Holly left little room to do otherwise. “Not bad. You certainly display an aptitude for using your mouth. What about him, I wonder?”

She stepped back to Ryan and pushed his still hard dick against his thigh with her ruler while she examined his face.

“Yes, you did at least attempt to use your mouth,” she said, holding his lower jaw clamped in one hand. “Spent quite a bit of time there, judging from the state of your face. That, at least, is promising. Did he perform to your satisfaction, young Ms. Stone?”

“Yes, ma'am.” Rebecca nodded and smiled. She opened her mouth to add further detail, but Holly cut her off.

“No need to gush, girl. I can see that a regular two person orgy was conducted in here. In fact...” Her face turned even colder. “Mr. Stone. Your male-ness is touching my leg. In fact, it is being quite insistent. I thought my position on such matters was crystal clear.”

Ryan's hand darted toward his offending member, but she smacked it away with the ruler.

“It is far too late for such ineffectual gestures. Put your hands behind your head, and lace your fingers together.” As he complied, she turned to examine the contents of the still open briefcase, which remained open on the nightstand. She snatched a coil of black cord from the case and turned her head back to meet Ryan's eyes. Again, there was no warning when she moved, gripping his cock with her hand.

“If it's going to be hard, we should give it a reason to be hard, don't you agree, young Ryan? I imagine this feels rather nice after all the hard work your little friend has been doing today, doesn't it?” She tightened her grip.

Ryan groaned, both from the pressure of her hand and in anticipation of providing the wrong answer to the question which had no right answers.

“Yes, ma'am.”

“Really? I had no idea you had such a high tolerance, Mr. Stone. In my experience, this is usually enough to give any boy second thoughts about pointing his dickie at me. I see we'll have to go to the next level.” The entire exchange had occurred without either of them breaking eye contact. “Open your mouth.”

When he obeyed, she placed the ruler between his teeth and admonished him against leaving any teethmarks on her possession. Then, and while still staring into his eyes with cold amusement, she tightly bound his cock and balls.

“You see I have some practice in this. Plus, I have enough left over to use as a leash. If it insists on remaining aroused, at least now I have control of it. You do recall your safeword?”

“Safeword?” He tried to retain at least some shred of control in a situation rapidly spiraling out of control.

“Ah, yes. We wouldn't want to accuse you of some extracurricular impropriety now, would we. Especially in light of the complete vanishment of any proof. 'Jingle Bells' is your safeword, Mr. Stone. Spoken or hummed, depending on the state of your mouth at the time. And what safeword did you give your victim?”

The bottom dropped out of Ryan's guts. “I. Uh. We...”

“Didn't have a safeword,” Holly finished the sentence for him. “So, the person you treasure most in the whole wide world is at your mercy, doing something you've never done together before, and when she screams 'No. Please stop.' You have to ask yourself if she means it, or is she just getting into the game.”

He said nothing. He could not even meet her eyes.

“I think you are lucky I came along when I did. Who knows what might have happened here.” She tugged the cord, leading him to the dresser, where she picked up one of the still burning candles. Returning to the bed, she held it out over Rebecca's still form. A whimper escaped Rebecca's otherwise closed mouth.

“See? Is that anticipation she's expressing? An eagerness to feel the splatter of hot wax on her delicate skin. The brief moment of discomfort when the mind imagines a searing heat that isn't really there. Or is she scared out of her wits? Let's find out, shall we?” She began to tip the candle over. Ryan, heedless of the leash still in her hand jumped to put his own body between the candle and his wife.

“And they say chivalry is dead,” Holly said as she let three drops of wax fall to Ryan's chest. His breath whistled through his teeth. The sensation was exactly as she had described. Holly took a step toward the foot of the bed, still holding the candle at an angle. Again, Ryan moved. This time, Holly had taken most of the slack out of the leash. The black cord pulled hard against his tightly bound cock and balls. The wax that would have landed just above Rebecca's little patch of hair instead landed in a diagonal pattern ending on his left nipple. His whistling breath ended with a grunt this time.

“I'd say you felt that last one. Nipples are such fun to play with. Here, let me show you.” She took two steps back toward the head of the bed, holding the candle nearly sideways the whole time. A steady stream of wax dripped onto Ryan's skin as he continued to shield his wife. A pattern of white dots decorated his skin from his collarbone almost to his waist.

“Hold still then,” she said, moving the candle to a spot over his right nipple. “I don't think they are even.” A steady patter of droplets splashed against his nipple, each one bringing a wince or gasp with it. “Damn! Now the left side needs more.” She moved accordingly. “Much better!”

She looked at Rebecca, whose stunned expression spoke volumes. “Are you certain, my dear? Your gallant man has weathered the experience nicely, as you can see. Just a few drops?”

“No. Please no!” Genuine tears gathered in the corners of her eyes.

“You see? Well, let's get the full measure and make the lesson indelible. She tilted the candle again and wax rained down on Ryan's chest. Then she started away from the bed, and the trail of wax crossed his chest and belly. She showed no sign of stopping as the wax hit the line of hair below his waist.

“Jingle Bells! Oh fuck, Jingle Bells!” Ryan screamed. He didn't care who heard, whether the police were called, or how he was going to explain all the wax stuck to the fine blonde hair of his chest. The last drop fell and Holly deftly twitched the cord, pulling his cock out of the way and forcing him to shift his weight just a bit. The wax landed on his inner thigh. He inhaled sharply, drawing breath for a scream that did not come.

“I hope I have impressed the importance of proper procedure on the two of you. And, Mr. Stone, you need not use such language in front of me. I'm afraid I'll have to be less than gentle with you in a moment, to serve as a reminder of that rule.”

“Yes, ma'am.” Ryan had no idea what she meant, but he doubted it would be pleasant.

“Well, then. Let's forge ahead. No, let's finish punishing that errant cock of yours, Mr. Stone. Then perhaps your wife will find some tender way to thank you for your efforts on her behalf.” She led Ryan to the head of the bed and placed the end of the cock leash in Rebecca's hand. “Keep up with that for me, dear. If you need to get your husband's attention, a short, quick tug should be sufficient. Even with your wrists immobilized, you should be able to manage.” She stood up and offered Ryan the most frightening smile he had ever seen a woman give.

“Why don't you show me your technique, Ms. Stone. Hands back behind your head, Mr. Stone. We want an unobstructed view.”

Ryan winced as Rebecca obeyed their new mentor. A series of sharp tugs pulled his throbbing dick straight out and also tugged sharply on his tender balls. He gulped and looked down. All parts were still attached. He caught Rebecca's eye and she mouthed the word 'sorry.'

Holly busied herself at the foot of the bed, loosening and unclipping straps. Rebecca sighed.

“Don't get too excited. I'm not done with you yet. In fact, class is just getting started.” She rearranged Rebecca's legs, leaving the cuffs buckled on, but attaching them in a new way. Her left ankle was securely fastened to the sturdy horizontal post on the footboard, but her right ankle was simply clipped to her left. Nor was her body stretched as tightly as it had been before. She felt the muscles in her chest below her arms relax and she wiggled her hands. Ryan's sharp grunt froze her again.

“Sorry!”

“No need for that. He'll remember those little tugs quite fondly in a moment. But first, one more adjustment.” Holly moved to the head of the bed and rearranged Rebecca's wrists. Ryan noted that she used the same technique on his wife that she had used on him during their other, unacknowledged, session. She was careful to minimize the freedom of her subject, and to maintain complete control at every turn. When she was done, Rebecca laid on her side, nearly at the edge of the bed. Holly strode back between them, heels managing to clatter despite the rug on the floor.

“I was looking for this?” She held the bit gag in her hand. “I don't suppose there is a logical explanation for how my possession ended up in this room?” She looked from husband to wife and back. “Since this doesn't look used, I will assume there has been an innocent mistake. Do not expect such leniency again. And now, for our next educational moment. Can you see Mr. Stone's private parts clearly, Ms. Stone? Do you need glasses? Should I reposition him in some way?”

“No, Ms. Taylor. I can see him just fine.”

“Very well. Mr. Stone. Your hands had better remain behind your head. And you are welcome to shout or cry out as needed, but your language must remain inoffensive.”

“What are you going to do?” The question popped out of his mouth before he could stop it. “Ms. Taylor,” he added in a rush.

“I'm just going to remove this bit of cord from your delicates. Considering how swollen and venous red things are turning, I think it's just about time.” With no other warning, she pulled down on the free end of the black cord.

A whole new experience of pain washed over Ryan as his cock was nearly spun off of his body. The cord unwound from around him, flopping his parts back and forth. That was painful by itself, but the restoration of unimpeded blood flow yielded an even sharper pain. The twirling cord seemed to go on forever. When it stopped at last, Ryan looked down, expecting permanent damage of some sort. To his amazement, his erection had become even harder than before, and a shiny drop of liquid appeared at its very tip.

“My. I think he's about to come again. What will that be, Mr. Stone? Four times today?” She turned to Rebecca. “Do remember this when you have him at a disadvantage. Mr. Stone appears to be something of a pain slut. I wonder how many strokes it would take with the tawse in your little case before he shoots his load right on your face? You have such a thing for cum, after all. I'd put his cock in your mouth first, but he's so close to the edge I don't think I'd even get the first blow in, if you get my meaning.”

She considered her two students. Both of them were somewhere in sub-space. Rebecca stared at her husband's twitching cock. Ryan's eyes were on his wife, but they were focused somewhere distant. Rebecca broke the spell.

“Please, Ms. Taylor. Not yet.”

“Very well. We'll save it for now. Ms. Stone, have you done anything this afternoon besides suck cock and get fucked? Oh, and have your pussy eaten?”

Rebecca started, surprised by Holly's choice of words.

“Oh, dear. I get to use those words, especially when I'm describing the slutty behavior of my wards. They are universally understood and in this case, very accurate. So, I must ask again, which I hate doing. Mr. Stone bound you and used you for his pleasure, but did he expand your horizons at all?”

“He used ice on me, Ms. Taylor. And, I've never actually been tied up like this, so that's new as well.”

“Ice? Do you really have some phobia about being burned, Ms. Stone?”

She nodded, adding, “Yes, ma'am,” as an afterthought.

“Did that wax burn you at all, Mr. Stone?”

“I don't think so, Ms. Taylor.”

“That's hardly the sort of certitude that your wife needs. Take a close look and tell me what you see.”

“My skin under the wax is a little tingly and pink, but that's it.”

“You see, Ms. Stone? I will give you time to contemplate the idea. In the meantime, let's have your husband exercise his arm and aim a little bit.” Holly strode to the closet and returned with a pair of Rebecca's dress shoes. They were simple black pumps with a four inch heel, well made and fairly comfortable. She slipped them onto Rebecca's feet, then began to rearrange her bonds.

“Let's get some work out of you,” she said to Ryan. “Hold Ms. Stone's upper body steady while I reposition her legs.”

Ryan obeyed with alacrity, wrapping his arms around his wife in a firm hug. He mouthed 'I love you' to her and she responded in kind.

“Yes, yes. Enough of that. Let me have her now. Undo the straps there,” she said, pointing at the headboard. “Pass them too me. Quickly!” When Holly was done, Rebecca was bent over the bed with her feet spread about shoulder width, one bound to each bedpost on that side. Her arms extended over her head and the straps connected to her wrist cuffs vanished beneath the bed. Ryan wanted to look, but Holly tolerated no distractions.

“Stand here. Hold this,” she said, handing him the tawse. “This was one of the favored tools of discipline in English schools. Sad that it has fallen from favor. Now, just touch her with it. Yes, on the backside, Mr. Stone. Don't be so obtuse. Let her know it's there and that you are planning to use it, but you may let the suspense build. Delicious feeling, isn't it, Ms. Stone?”

“Yes, ma'am.” Ryan noticed the quaver in her voice.

“Very well. You will rarely need to use your whole arm when conducting corporal punishment like this, Mr. Stone. I find that most men have no real idea of just how strong they really are. I know that is hardly the sort of admission you would expect from me, but we can't ignore certain biological facts. For now, you are to limit yourself to a light reddening of the skin. And for that, a flick of the wrist and the natural springiness of the tool, and perhaps just a little movement of the forearm, should be sufficient.”

“Yes, ma'am.”

“Then administer a light tap on each cheek.”

Rebecca barely jumped as the split leather slapper rapped twice on her ass.

“Erring on the side of caution, Mr. Stone. Very commendable. Again, a little more forcefully.” The tawse popped against Rebecca with a pair of audible smacks. This time, her head came up off the mattress with a yelp.

“Much better. Now, five more on each side, alternating. And don't hit the same spot twice. Your victim's skin should be faintly pink and warm to the touch when you're done.” She held up a hand, signaling him to wait. “Ms. Stone? Be a dear and count the strokes for us. Aloud, if you would.”

She dropped her hand and Ryan began. The smack of the leather on bare skin sounded very loud in the room, especially compared to Rebecca's counting.

“One.” Smack. “Two.” Smack. Yelp. “Three.”

“A little louder, please. And don't sound so terrified.”

Ryan continued as ordered. By the time his wife sounded the tenth smack, her ass was just a little pink. Her voice had cracked on ten, and he judged from the trickle of wetness on the inside of her thigh, it was not from pain.

“Dear heavens. Not another one,” Ms. Taylor said. “Obviously, you didn't find that too difficult then, Ms. Stone. And your partner is in much the same shape as you. Let's wrap this up then, shall we?”

“Whoa!” Ryan yelled as she grabbed him by his cock. Her free hand pulled several coils of black rope from the briefcase. His hands fluttered at his side, one still holding the tawse.

“I have your attention now, don't I? I imagine you'll obey my every whim,” she said as she tightened her grip forcing Ryan onto his toes. “Those hands aren't contemplating something rash, are they? Good,” she said without waiting for his reply. “Drop that, put them behind your back, and follow me.” She pulled him to the other side of the bed, placing them both in view of Rebecca.

“We had a lesson for the boy, so now one for the girl. Well, two, but I think you already know that you can almost always lead a man by his dick.” She looked from wife to husband. “Generally. Some are more difficult than others. Lesson two. Watch carefully, Ms. Stone, because I'm not turning you loose to practice.”

Rebecca lifted her head and watched as Holly bound Ryan's wrists behind his back with a coil and cinch.

“See how easy that is? I'm sure this will come in handy. And not being able to touch is no reason to leave his elbows free. You can use the same basic technique to restrain them, and as a bonus, you'll help him develop flexibility.”

Ryan tried to push his arms apart, but there was no give at all. Holly smiled at him.

“How to end this. Do you have any thoughts on the matter, dear?” Holly leaned toward Rebecca, who squirmed and blushed under the attention of the stern teacher.

“What, Rebecca? I didn't catch that.” Rebecca mumbled something and lowered her head. Holly straightened up and looked at Ryan.

“I believe she said 'Fuck me in the ass with a strap-on while I try to choke down Ryan's cock.'”

Rebecca's head jerked up fast at this statement. “No! No! No!”

“No? That's what it sounded like. Why so shy now?”

“I said,” and then she turned red again. “Please let him make love to me while he's still tied like that.”

“How sweet. Come on then, Mr. Stone. You have some more work to do.” She guided him by the elbow rope, leaving his cock alone. Back on the other side of the bed, she moved him into position.

“Difficult without the use of your hands, isn't it. I will provide what encouragement I can, of course,” she said, brandishing the wooden ruler. “Lean forward.”

When he hesitated, she smacked him hard on the lower part of his ass, sending him smartly forward. Rebecca gasped and yelped as the length of his cock was buried inside her. Ryan hesitated again, realizing belatedly that he had never had an audience for sex before.

“Are you waiting for an invitation, Mr. Stone? She's practically begging you!” The ruler smacked against the upper part of his thigh and Ryan began to rock his hips, sliding in and out of Rebecca's soaked pussy. A steady rain of sharp swats landed on his thigh and butt, imparting stinging pain and contradictory reactions. The pain and attention were exciting, but also served as a constant reminder of the extra presence in the room. But the danger of getting lost in the process of overthinking the situation vanished as Rebecca moaned, climbing the scales as she did. Her cries intensified as her own orgasm gripped her.

Ryan lasted two strokes beyond that, stopping with his cock fully within her as his own orgasm shook his body.

“That was a lovely show. I certainly hope that I will see you in class again. Ms. Stone. Mr. Stone. Have a wonderful evening.” She strode around the bed again and unfastened one of Rebecca's wrist cuffs. “I'll leave you two the pleasure of extricating each other,” Holly said, and then she left the room.

Ryan staggered around the bed, waiting for his wife to free her other hand and then, hopefully, untie him.

“Wow.”

“Yeah. Wow.” Rebecca attacked the knots binding Ryan's wrists.

Chapter 7

They showered together, though with less work to do on his hair, Ryan left first. He heard shouting from downstairs, which made him open the door to their room despite having nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist.

“What?”

“I said I'm calling for take out if you guys are interested,” Holly said as she walked up the stairs.

“That sounds wonderful,” Rebecca answered from behind Ryan. She wore two towels. One around her hair and one around her body.

Holly climbed the rest of the way up the stairs and Ryan chuckled. She was wearing gray sweatpants and a blue t-shirt with some foreign beer logo on it. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail with a red scrunchie.

“That was quick,” Ryan said.

“What?”

“Your change. That was quick.”

“What are you talking about?”

From behind him, Ryan heard Rebecca laugh. “Give it up, Ryan. I think you are getting a taste of your own medicine.”

“What are you talking about, Rebecca? And, takeout sounds great, Holly. Do you remember Chu's? They deliver out here.” He shut the door and turned to his wife, still staying in character. “What the hell are you laughing at?”

Despite the obvious marks around wrists, ankles, and elbows, and the less obvious marks in other, choice areas, dinner conversation stuck to topics like house renovations and baseball. After dinner, Holly volunteered to clean up the small mass of boxes, bags, containers, and utensils while Rebecca picked out a movie from their on-demand cable TV.

The Stone's were leaned against each other on the couch, fighting back sleep. Holly came in from the kitchen and sat next to Ryan without a pause. One of Rebecca's hands rested on his thigh, and Holly covered that hand with one of her own. Twenty minutes after the movie started, both women were asleep.

Ryan's eyes drooped as well, but his brain was still boggling at this turn of events. The sight of Holly and Rebecca's hands together stirred thoughts and emotions that he did not want to face just yet. Sleep won.

Around 2:00 in the morning, Ryan awoke. The women had not moved, as far as he could tell. He let his mind wander. The depths of the night encouraged thinking. Just 48 hours ago, he had been in near panic, afraid of the damage the revelation of his secret might do to his marriage. Rebecca's reaction had only confused and frightened him further. Life was spiraling out of control. Life was still spiraling out of control, he thought.

“Some two days, hunh?” Holly asked. Ryan thought his heart had stopped.

“Stop scaring the crap out of me.” He tried to whisper without success. Holly laughed, also trying to be quiet.

“That's what you were thinking about, wasn't it? Two nights ago?”

“Yes.”

“I don't guess now is the time to get that behind us, is it?”

“I don't know,” Rebecca answered from the other shoulder. “Since we're all awake and together. I mean, I don't want to intrude on what would probably be a coffee shop discussion, but it is of interest to me.”

“Damn it. Were either of you actually asleep? Do you both read minds?” Ryan fell silent for a moment. “And how did you know about the coffee shop? Are you still bugging me?”

Rebecca sat up. “Easy there. I don't read minds. I'm not bugging you. I'm not divorcing you. I'm not plotting to do something awful to you. Cross my heart,” she said, making the appropriate gesture.

“I told her about the cafe, Ryan. I had a feeling that you would talk easier there than here, but I told Rebecca so there would be no jumping to conclusions.”

“Okay.” He settled back into his seat, not even realizing he had been on the verge of jumping up. “What now?”

“We just clear the air a little bit. I had a very nice time today. I wish we had been a little more honest and forthright with each other when we were dating,” she said. “And, I wish I hadn't been so reactive when I discovered your secret desires. I didn't mean to frighten you. I just felt so relieved, but at the same time so mad that I had missed all the opportunities to be a part of that part of you.” Her words tumbled out.

“I'm sorry, too, babe. I was afraid of losing you then, and I was afraid of losing you now. I didn't want my kink problem to be an issue with us, but at the same time, I couldn't entirely give it up or get rid of it.”

“Problem?” Holly asked. Ryan heard an edge of emotion in her voice.

“It's been a problem for me. It screwed up two relationships before I met Rebecca.” Ryan's answer contained its own emotional force.

“Easy. Both of you. We've all had very different experiences with, well, with this.” She held up her arm, showing the mark on her wrist. “This is not then. It is now.”

“I'll try to remember that,” Ryan said. “And, I also had a nice, if terrifying, time today.”

Holly burst into laughter, pressing her face into Ryan's shoulder. When she regained control of herself, she looked up. Her eyes were wet.

“What is it?” Rebecca asked, beating Ryan to the question.

“I'm just so glad we all found each other. I was so scared and alone.” She continued to laugh even as tears flowed freely from her eyes.

Ryan leaned back into the soft cushions of the sofa, relaxing at last. At no time in his life, real or fantasy, had he envisioned being where he was at the moment. Rebecca and Holly were still talking about something, but sleep stole up on him and soon he was oblivious.

Chapter 8

A week had passed since they had all fallen asleep together on the couch. Regular work schedules returned. Ryan had several projects to work on for various customers, and Holly had gone looking for a part time job to keep her busy until Rebecca needed her at the house all the time.

Details had been decided upon. Ideas for just how this new relationship would work had been talked to death. Ryan did not see how they could plan for the strange vagaries of the human spirit, and he said as much.

“Wow,” Rebecca said. “From control freak to 'take it one day at a time' in just a week. Who would have thought?”

“One day at a time is the only way to maintain a semblance of control. I haven't really changed all that much,” Ryan said.

Holly looked at them both, but declined to join the conversation. She could see where they were both changing, and she assumed they could see through her as well. She turned back to the sheaf of drawings. The family had decided to renovate rather than move. Professional contractors would be adding three rooms and two bathrooms to the house, while the amateur builders would make certain improvements to the basement, making it more friendly to their expected scenes.

“Okay, I have my list. I'll see you two in a few hours,” Ryan said. He grabbed an umbrella out of the closet. The overcast sky had threatened rain all day.

“I wouldn't count on that, sweetie. Holly and I have some other shopping to do. Girl stuff. So we'll be running a little later.” Rebecca kissed him on the mouth and grabbed his butt as she did, leaving Ryan wondering what 'girl stuff' might include. No one had mentioned kink, bondage, or tutoring since last Saturday, but Rebecca had started dropping hints.

“Then I guess I'll grab something to eat while I'm out. Drive safe.” Ryan left, half hoping to be called back before he reached the car. He was not, and so his errands proceeded apace. In a few hours, he had picked up, or ordered for delivery, all the materials on his list. Fantasy and reality were beginning to converge, though he wondered what bumps in their journey were going to be found the hard way.

He pulled into the parking lot at the now familiar cafe. The store lights came on just as he shut his car door. He noticed, for the first time, the actual name of the place. 'Newhouse' flickered in red neon surrounded by circles of white.

He got coffee and a sandwich from the counter and looked for a seat. A woman in a gray hoodie motioned him to her table. It took him a moment to recognize Holly.

“I like the new haircut,” he said as he sat down. Her dark hair had been arranged in an elaborate braid.

“It's not a cut. It's a style. I'm actually trying to grow it longer.”

“You got extensions?”

“Well, yeah. They aren't just for actresses now. And I can see how it will look before going through the hassle.”

“Well. It's very pretty,” he said.

“Damned with faint praise.” Ryan looked up sharply at the tone in Holly's voice. She pulled the zipper tab on her hoodie, making the motion last several breaths. Her pale skin gleamed, but what caught Ryan's eye was the leather bustier pushing her breasts up.

He gulped.

“Ah. Very, very, eye catching.”

“Try again. Rebecca has a matching one of these. She hopes you'll see it soon.”

“You know you're both beautiful,” he said.

“But it turns us on to hear you say it. And it turns us on to see you melt into a puddle at the thought of us. And it turns us on when you give us your trust, and place yourself at our mercy.”

“I've been meaning...”

“That's in the past,” she said before he could finish. “This is now. Future decisions need not be informed by past experiences, yes?” She leaned forward as she spoke. Something tickled his nose. The memory coalesced like a shoreline in the fog. Holly's scent was very subtle, but very distinct. He had been smelling it for a week now without realizing. It had been the smell he could not quite identify last Saturday as he buckled cuffs around Rebecca's wrists.

Holly leaned all the way across the table and kissed him on the lips, the first time she had done so. “I'll see you soon.” She left the shop.

Ryan wondered what he was getting into. Old habits tried to create worries in his frenzied mind, but he refused to rise to the bait. He ate and drank in silent solitude, wondering.

He arrived home before the women and unloaded the remodeling supplies he had purchased. Returning to the house, he headed to the kitchen for a cold drink to take with him downstairs. He planned to do as much preliminary work as he could. When he reached the kitchen, all thoughts of further work left. A dusty black gym bag occupied the table.

A stab of the old fear lanced through him. He took a deep breath and rolled his eyes. Would fear and suspicion always be his first reaction to the unknown? He looked closer at the bag. A single red thread looped through the zipper tab and D-ring for the shoulder strap. The bag could not be opened without breaking the thread. Obviously, he was supposed to know what this meant.

And he did.

He lifted the bag. It was about the right weight. He carried the bag upstairs to his room, where his instinct proved correct. At least thirty unlit candles decorated all available surfaces. Red and white rose petals covered the floor and bed. Ryan inhaled and the fragrance tickled his nose pleasantly. Putting the bag on the bed, he pulled the tab and broke the thread.

He noticed one difference immediately. The bag was packed with a series of boxes, except for a rolled up piece of canvas on top. The canvas was tied with a red ribbon and a tag reading 'Unroll first!'

Ryan followed the instructions and found two knives, a small photo of Rebecca and Holly, and a note. The handwriting alternated between the two women.

You won't need the knives, but put them out anyway. Like a safeword. Open the boxes in order and take the appropriate action with each item. Don't forget to take your clothes off first.
Or, go back downstairs and watch TV, if this is freaking you out. I really did want to see you last week, but this will be even better. Jump in with both feet and eyes wide open. We promise you will not be sorry. I love you. Me too.

Two sets of lipstick prints adorned the end of the note. Ryan took it to his dresser and cached it in one of the drawers. He stripped and folded his clothes neatly, leaving them in the bathroom. Then, he started on the bag.

The first box, which was marked with a number one, just in case he got lost, yielded a lacy white garter belt with eight garters. He fastened it around his waist and pulled out the next box, which contained a pair of lacy white stockings. Taking a breath, he rolled them onto his legs and fastened the garters. They felt incredible. He had expected the pattern to make the stockings scratchy.

“There's no way these'll fit,” he said as he held the panties from box number three up. It was a pair of lace pattern thong panties, and like the stockings and garter belt, the fabric was smooth and soothing. He stepped into them. The front was just big enough to hide his stiffening erection and the back slid between his cheeks like oil. He shivered at the sensation.

A pair of white Mary Jane heels emerged next. The heel was a narrow four inches and the single strap buckled over his instep. They fit perfectly. Ryan could not resist the urge to take a few steps. He recalled his brief fantasy from the last time he had acted out this fantasy. He had dreamed of white, or perhaps pink. He felt a moment of distress. Was he so predictable? What were they up to? Again, he forced the feelings aside, trusting Rebecca and Holly.

He was not surprised to find a long white gown in the next box. This included a note which read:

New word, sweetie. This is a peignoir. I want one of my own as soon as you can pick one out.

Ryan licked his lips before slipping the satiny garment over his head and letting it envelop his body. When the fabric rubbed over his nipples, he thought he was going to explode. He dared not move. Instead, he breathed deeply, trying to let the tension drain out of him. If he strolled around the room now, he knew he would look like a ghost.

Two boxes remained in the gym bag. One was small and one was large. He could guess what the large box held, but not the small. Once he opened it though, the item was pretty obvious. There was a long lighter. He waited though, wanting to see first what was in the box that he suspected would contain ropes and restraints.

He was not disappointed. Opening the final box, he found three coils of soft, slippery rope, plus cords to cinch them with. There was an odd set of wrist cuffs and an even odder attachment for them. He studied them for some time. The cuffs were heavy leather, with a small square block of metal and plastic on each one. The strap that buckled ran beneath the unusual addition.

Ryan tried one on. It could have been custom made for his wrist; the fit was so perfect. He grasped the function of the extra features as soon as he saw the cuff on his wrist. The two blocks fit together, and locked with retractable pins. They were perfect for self-bondage. Perfect, he thought, for getting into bondage, at least. Ryan was not sure he could free himself if it came to it. The extra attachment functioned as the self-tightening device. It snapped onto the joined cuffs and held a loop of rope. The loop could be tightened easily, but loosening it would be nearly impossible.

His resolve began to flag. A familiar tug of war began in the pit of his stomach. Since he was at the point of no return, he lit the candles, buying time for his mind to settle. Then a trip to the bathroom, as he continued to stall. Not deciding was almost as good as saying yes, because he just stayed on auto-pilot. Without dwelling on what he was doing, he returned to the floor, sat down, and began to bind his legs. He considered the tensioning device for a moment before looping the cord through the ankle coil and passing it into the little block.

The moment of truth had arrived. Jitters swarmed over him, causing his hands to shake and his insides to twist. Now he had to decide. He forged ahead, ignoring the oppressive doubts. Fastening the cuffs together was deceptively easy. A small click and he was stuck. He twisted his arms and wrists, feeling with his fingers. He thought he could touch every spot required to spring the cuffs apart, but he was not certain.

“Ring it,” he said aloud, imitating Rebecca's plunge from the other day. He fastened the last link and sank fully to the floor. After another deep breath, Ryan began to pull the tightening rope, drawing his ankles toward his backside. He tried pulling the other way, but there was no give in the rope. Too late to panic now, he thought as he finished tightening the last bond.

The phone rang, and immediately rolled over to the machine.

“Hi, Ryan. No. There are no hidden cameras in our room, so don't worry your pretty little head. I just thought this would be a nice touch. Holly and I did not stray far. We couldn't have you trussed up with thirty candles burning at the same time, could we? Not without being very near.

“I'll bet you are lovely in your new costume.”

The floor creaked just outside the room. Ryan was facing the bathroom instead of the room's door. He started to twist, trying to see.

“Hello, lover,” two voices spoke almost in unison. A brief moment of laughter followed. The laughter soothed him with its innocence. Two friends, sharing a joke, waiting for a third to catch a clue.

Ryan closed his eyes and did the one thing he had longed to do for years. He exhaled, and relaxed, finally letting go.

 

23.08.10