BRIAN (The Callahans Book 1) (103 page)

She watched him leave the room before sliding the coffee table out of the way and tossing her coat and underwear over the back of a leather armchair. She dropped to her knees and sat back on her feet just as Mason returned.

He was still fully clothed, and he returned with what looked like a black silk laundry bag. Squatting in front of her, he caressed her face and kissed her gently. He pulled back and looked over her face with concern. “Are you ready to do this?” He didn’t want to attempt anything she didn’t want to.

“You have no idea how ready I am.”

“If you start to get overwhelmed just tell me to stop and I will, okay?”

Laura nodded. “I trust you.”

Mason fingered the gold ring dangling from her collar. “I’ve been looking forward to this. You look gorgeous in the collar.” He turned and pulled a long silk ribbon of fabric out of the bag. It was about two inches wide and several feet long.

He threaded the fabric through the gold ring and wrapped each end around her wrists. To her surprise, he drew her arms behind her tied the remaining lengths around her ankles. The silky fabric was thin and soft, but surprisingly strong. The position he had her in thrust out her chest, effectively drawing attention to her breasts.

Laura was nervous because of her inexperience, but the idea that she was fully disarmed and at the mercy of whatever Mason wanted to do thrilled her. Her body hummed with excitement as he drew her hair behind her back. The long, blonde tendrils tickled over the skin of her back, the sensation only heightening her already aware senses.

Nuzzling his nose to her neck, Mason closed his eyes and inhaled. The oil he’d given her had warmed into her skin and mingled with her natural perfume. “Good girl. You listened.” He glanced over her shoulder. “And the tits look amazing like that, but I feel like they’re missing something.” He pulled his bag closer and fished out his next toy.

While still behind her, he held what looked like a necklace of layered, delicate gold chains with a tiny gold mouth on either end. “The sensation may be a little strong, so let me know if it’s too much.”

Shifting around to the front of her, he cupped each breast and drew her nipple into his mouth, first one, then the other. Laura sighed as he gently sucked and licked her; he took his time teasing out the sensation until Laura was panting with excitement.

Mason fastened one of the little gold mouths to the left side. The tiny teeth bit into her sensitized flesh. The pressure slowly increased as Mason tightened the clamps. “That’s enough.” Laura’s words came out breathy and ragged. The pain was intense, but still immensely pleasurable at the same time. The weight of the dangling chains pulled on her red and aching nipples, only amplifying the pleasure. She was already wet and ready to go, and he hadn’t touched her yet.

“You look so fucking exquisite.” He bent and licked the straining flesh.

“Fuck.” It was almost too much. His tongue was a little over the top. “What do you want me to do now?”

“Nothing.” And suddenly his mouth was on hers, ravishing, claiming. He stroked his tongue over hers, tangling his hands in her hair as he pulled closer so their bodies touched. The worn fabric of his t-shirt was like brushing against sandpaper to her aching nipples.

She melted into him. Her hands tugged her restraints; she wanted so badly to touch him, to really press herself against him. She was wet and aching, and not entirely sure she would make it.

Laura gasped into Mason’s mouth as his fingers slipped between her legs and parted her. He teased his fingers around her throbbing clit, culling small sounds of pleasure from her as he kissed her.

He trailed his mouth around her jawline and found the sweet spot on her neck. He nibbled and fed as he fingered her. Laura thought she would go mad from too much sensation. It came from so many different directions – his mouth, his hands, the clamps – that her attention was being pulled to too many places. “Oh God, Mason. I’m going to come.”

He turned his mouth to her ear. “I want you to come in my hand.” He slipped two fingers inside her. “I’m going to make you come until you beg me to stop.”

His words were so hot. The orgasm came as commanded, hard and fast. Laura collapsed against Mason’s chest. Her knees could hardly support her weight as she went completely boneless.

Mason sat her back on her heels and stuck his fingers in her mouth. “Suck on them. I want you to enjoy how good you taste.”

Laura locked eyes with him as she drew his fingers into her mouth. She sucked deeply and curled her tongue around his fingertips, fully simulating fellatio.

“Oh, you are so going to get it.” Mason moved around to untie her ankles. Laura’s shoulders heaved a sigh of relief. She hadn’t realized just how tight the binding had pulled her chest and shoulder muscles back. She rubbed the feeling back into her wrists. The bindings hadn’t been tied too tight, but she had pulled against her restraints a lot harder than she thought.

“What are we doing now?” Laura had just floated back down to earth, and already her body had started to ramp back up with anticipation.

“Get on all fours.” Mason peeled off his t-shirt and tossed it to the side. He made quick work of his pants and boxer briefs as well. He was at the ready, fully erect and rock hard. Laura’s reaction to him always seemed to have him ready to go at a moment’s notice.

Mason maneuvered behind her and played with her aching clit and opening from behind. “I’m going to take you fast, love,” he warned. Laura licked her lips and grinned like a Cheshire cat; that’s exactly what she had hoped for.

Laura awoke the next morning in a tangle of beige Egyptian cotton and Mason’s limbs. At some point in the night they had made it to the bedroom, and he had wrapped himself around her and held on like a koala bear. She didn’t want to get up, but she had to pee in the worst way.

Carefully, she pried herself out of Mason’s death grip and shuffled to the bathroom. She was sore in all the right places, each step towards the master bath serving as a reminder that she was well and thoroughly ravished.

Being new to the whole submissive thing, she found the role wasn’t as difficult or intimidating as she had thought it would be. She was rather surprised to find that not only did she like it, but she was also quite good at it and comfortably slipped into her part.

Clicking on the light was a shock. In the mirror staring back at her was a woman who had been well fucked and totally claimed.

Tiny bruises decorated her neck and behind her ears, and her nipples were still swollen as well. She brushed her hand over them to test how they were holding up after the experiment with the clamps. They still stung and were hyper sensitized. “I hope those calm down, or it’s no top for me.” She whispered to herself.

After emptying her bladder she slid back into bed and nestled up against her man. She was surprised to find him half awake and at full attention. “Good morning, sleepy head.”

“Mmm,” he groaned as he snuggled her closer, his erection pressing into her hip. “What do you say to a little morning exercise?” He rocked his hips against her as pressure to say yes.

“Are you humping my leg right now?”

“Maybe. I’d rather it not be your leg though.” He leaned in to kiss her neck as he continued to rub up against her.

Laura laughed at that. “Sure, but be gentle then. You really took it to me last night, and my hips are a little sore.” Even as the words came out of her mouth she was being stirred up and knew she could totally go another round.

Mason nibbled her earlobe and fingered her, drawing little noises of pleasure and approval from her. “We are so not getting anything done today, are we?” she asked.

“I doubt it.”

              Laura’s week flew by, and Friday came up really fast. Her weekend with Mason had been the most amazing time she had had in ages. They had explored the city, took in a movie, and went shopping, as he had promised. She had also spent a lot of time underneath him in incredibly uncompromising positions, which was probably her favorite part.

The office since she’d returned on Monday had been a little out of sorts. The news about her and “the British billionaire” had spread like wildfire. It was strange to walk into the break room one day and be hardly noticed unless she greeted somebody, to walk in the next and have someone follow her around and want to ask her a million questions.

She was finding it difficult to walk up to women her age. The college interns would just stare with a look of admiration and, strangely, a modicum of respect showing on their faces, but the older, professional women had changed completely. Laura couldn’t even bump into them in the bathroom without feeling like they were just talking about her. Three times already that week she’d entered a room and all conversation would stop. It was bizarre and a little upsetting.

That night was her first official outing as a couple with Mason, and Laura could not wait. Daniel had been lovely enough to let her leave at lunch to go get pampered, but she suspected it was because he wanted her to rub elbows with the moguls who might show up so the magazine could either land an investor or a major story. She didn’t care. She was in desperate need of a haircut and had been for a couple of months, so she would agree to anything to just be able to get one.

Laura was shutting down her computer and gathering her things to leave when Tammy peeped her head in the door. “Miss Ross, are you busy?”

“Not at all, Tammy, I’m just getting ready to leave for the day. Come on in.”

Tammy strode across the grey Berber carpet and handed Laura a plain white envelope. “This just arrived for you by courier.”

Laura grinned in excitement. Mason was becoming so regular with the little gifts and messages, she was sure the sweetness would give her a cavity before long. “Thanks, Tammy. I appreciate you dropping this off.”

Tammy lingered a bit by the desk, hoping to see if the letter was from Mason. She loved everything romantic and was one of the few women in the office not struck down by jealousy yet.

“Thanks, Tammy. I’ve got to finish getting ready to go now.” Laura smiled and shook her head. Tammy was an amazing receptionist and was always prompt and pleasant with every person she encountered in person and on the phone. She was only a year removed from college, and her bright-eyed outlook and romantic sensibility hadn’t been completely destroyed by life in the city yet. Laura thought she was just the cutest thing.

She turned the envelope over in her hands. There was no return address, only the address to the office building. In one smooth slice she dragged her letter opener under the seam and withdrew a yellowed page with one ragged edge, a page torn out of a book.

As oftentimes the too resplendent sun

   Hurries the pallid and reluctant moon

Back to her sombre cave, ere she hath won

   A single ballad from the nightingale,

So doth thy Beauty make my lips to fail,

   And all my sweetest singing out of tune.

And as at dawn across the level mead

   On wings impetuous some wind will come,

And with its too harsh kisses break the reed

   Which was its only instrument of song,

So my too stormy passions work me wrong,

   And for excess of Love my Love is dumb.

But surely unto Thee mine eyes did show

   Why I am silent, and my lute unstrung;

Else it were better we should part, and go,

   Thou to some lips of sweeter melody,

And I to nurse the barren memory

   Of unkissed kisses, and songs never sung.

***

“Huh. Oscar Wilde?” She thought the choice was rather interesting, since she had Mason had long since made up. “Maybe he was feeling wistful?” she told herself, and shrugged. She tossed the poem in her top drawer. Her appointment was in half an hour, and if she didn’t leave immediately she would be late.

***

              She dashed out of the elevator, her heels clicking on the beige terrazzo floor of the lobby. Being so wrapped up in her own thoughts, she didn’t notice the man eyeing her on her way out.

              “I’m so nervous!” Laura kept tugging on the belt of her sheer Elie Saab gown. The fabric was layers of whisper thin satin and tulle. The top layer was fully studded with gold metal flowers and patterned with hand-sewn embroidery in shades of blue and silver. The color of the gown beautifully enhanced the color of her eyes and made her pale blond hair look nearly white next to it. The halter collar echoed the pearl-studded one that Mason had given to her before their play date, which may have been the selling feature. She looked like walking moonlight.

Now in the car, Laura suddenly felt naked; the layers of sheer fabric, no matter how decorated, still made her feel like she was bare. She had her hairdresser curl and pin her hair up into a messy twist with loose tendrils escaping, creating a much more playful mood than she was feeling in that moment. “This is really our first date, and it’s the biggest event I’ve ever been to.”

As the minutes ticked down, the butterflies in her stomach ramped up. In that moment she was glad she was too anxious to eat anything. She was sure she would have vomited.

“Relax, Laura. You look radiant tonight, and we’re going to have fun.” He reached out and curled a tendril around his finger. “We can stay as long as you’re comfortable. I do this every year, so it’s old hat for me.” He kissed her on the cheek. “Just say the word and we’ll leave.”

Laura nodded and downed the last of her bottled water, but was looking forward to some booze to calm her nerves.

“Mason, this was all too much. The dress, the shoes, and the fact that you somehow managed to strong-arm my hairstylist into fitting me in for a last minute appointment –
which was super impressive, by the way. What did you do?”

“You deserve all of this. It’s no trouble at all, except I’m not so sure I want you out in public in that dress anymore,” he chuckled. “You’re making it damn hard to look anywhere else. As for your stylist, that was actually easy. I offered him courtside Knicks tickets for the rest of the season. Thanks to me, he will fit you in whenever you want for the next six months.”

Laura snorted. “That’s an awful big bribe for only an hour of his time, but thank you. Now maybe I won’t wait so long to get a haircut.”

The car eased up to the curb. There were a ton of people rubbernecking over a velvet rope to get a glimpse of the next attendee. Mason’s driver opened their door, and Laura climbed out first.

The flashbulbs nearly blinded her. Every photographer and paparazzo in New York had to have been lined up along either side of the red carpet. She went deer in the headlights as Mason got out of the car behind her.

“What’s the matter?” he whispered in her ear.

“You didn’t tell me we were going to THE Met event. Thanks for downplaying the pomp of this thing.” She managed a strained smile as a few of the paps yelled questions about who Mason was with and if she was his girlfriend, and all of the usual prying questions.

The Acquisitions Fund Benefit was put on annually to raise money for new exhibits, to give members a sneak peak of how they put their collections together, and to showcase the research involved in choosing each exhibit. It was a swanky event for a girl who was happy with a warm beer at a Red Sox game.

“Come on. The longer you stand here the worse you’ll feel. Let’s get inside.” He rested his hand on her lower back and gave a gentle nudge. It took a moment, but finally, Laura remembered how to walk again.

Mason hurried her inside, away from the circus on the sidewalk.

As the doors closed behind them, Laura let out the breath she had been holding. She was more than a little peeved that Mason hadn’t told her all of the details. “Why didn’t you tell me exactly what this was? I feel like I was just fed to the lions!” she chided. “Thanks a lot, Mase!”

He rested his hands on her shoulders. Tears glistened in her eyes as she stared. “I am so sorry. I figured you knew. It was in all the papers last week.” Suddenly it dawned on him that she had been in a bubble with her own publication the entire week before. “I’m a twat. Forgive me.” He pulled her in for a hug. He hated seeing her cry.

“I’ll be okay. I think the nerves just have me all strung out right now. I’ll be fine in a few minutes.” In fact, just being inside made her feel calmer.

Mason held out his elbow for her and led her through the lobby into the giant function room. Laura’s jaw dropped. The room was lit by hundreds of electric candles. Shades of red and gold played with the light in the space, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of old Chinese opium dens. Round tables for ten stretched out across the dark hardwood floor in every direction. There was space set for hundreds of people; she had never seen a function room for so many.

A server stopped to offer them both a flute of champagne, which Laura gladly accepted and downed in one gulp. Liquid courage it was for the evening.

“Let’s pace ourselves on the refreshments, hmmm?” Mason remarked after Laura swallowed a second glass.

“Sorry. I’m trying to settle my nerves.”

“Sit down. I’ll get you something to eat before you go too crazy. The champagne here is expensive. I’d hate to see it wasted.” He held out a chair at the nearest table. Laura sat, but felt a little petulant about it. She wasn’t appreciating being told what to do in this type of setting.

“So the menu for tonight is a contrived six course affair provided by an up and coming fusion chef whose name I can’t pronounce. I’m pretty sure I recognized the words chicken and some kind of mixture made from pomegranates?”

Laura giggled. The champagne bubbles had reached her head, yes, but the thing she loved most about Mason was that, despite the money and notoriety, he was still the same bloke from Western Massachusetts she knew who would go cow tipping with his buddies and hike the Berkshires with her. Money hadn’t changed him at all.

“I love you,” she blurted out.

Mason smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “I’ll believe you when you tell me without being liquored up first.” They had never discussed her slip on Skype from the week before. He decided to just let her think he didn’t hear her and let her say the words again on her own terms. Champagne not included.

“Can we go back to my apartment tonight? You haven’t seen my sweet pad in Brooklyn yet.”

The appetizers arrived. It looked like some kind of pate smeared on a water cracker with a chive on top. “I’d love to.” He turned up his nose, “So this is what forty-five hundred bucks gets you. I hope the entrée is a little more substantial.” Mason shook his head. He came every year because he was a member and loved the museum, but the absurdities always got to him.

“If not, there’s always one of the umpteen pizza parlors open late to grab a slice and beer.” Laura bit into one of the hors d’ouerves. The flavor was a little flat, but she was starving and hated being drunk, so she inhaled every bite on her plate and Mason’s like a goddamn lady.

“Do you want to dance, my little garbage disposal?”

“I’d love to. Turd.”

She accepted his outstretched hand. This was her Eliza Doolittle moment, an average, no frills girl having her time to hob nob with the upper crust. It was something she’d never thought she’d even get a glimpse of, let alone experience firsthand.

The band picked up the tempo, and she let Mason lead. She really had no idea what she was doing, but he made her feel light as a feather. The fabric of her gown fluttered and billowed as they circled around the dance floor. “I feel like Cinderella.”

“You should, except you won’t change back after midnight.” He dipped his head to tenderly kiss her. She closed her eyes as his lips coaxed hers apart. She held onto his hand and waist for dear life as her legs became useless beneath her.

Mason slowly ended the kiss as the music ended. Laura’s eyelids were heavy as she opened them. Mason was only a few inches from her with an emotional look on his face.

“What?” she asked. His stare was making her self-conscious.

“Nothing. I just wanted to tell you that I love you too.”

Just like that, Laura had the most romantic moment of her entire life, of anybody’s life, really. The glow of the candlelight, the chamber music, the fact that she was in a stunning gown made every fairy tale with a prince and a princess she had ever read come to life in that very moment.

Mason reached up to cup her face and touch his forehead to hers. “I’ve never stopped loving you, Laura. I never married in the hopes that one day you would come back to me. Now that you have, I never want to let you go.”

The flash of a camera as a paparazzo ran by and the rumble of Laura’s stomach completely shattered the mood. Both she and Mason had a good belly laugh at the awkwardness.

“We should probably go get that pizza now. Do you think anyone will mind if I show up in a couture gown?”

“Only if they won’t mind my ordering in this monkey suit. Let’s get out of here. They only really needed the donation anyway.” He planted one more quick peck on her lips and led her out of the room. Laura’s boss would be so disappointed if he found out she hadn’t stayed long or talked to anybody.