Unexpected Top (Ball & Chain) (3 page)

“What did you make for side dishes?”

“Shit! I totally forgot.”

“Never mind, I’ll do them. I need to change…” Cissy’s voice trailed off and Len felt like a clueless idiot again. He’d only done what he’d normally do if they were having something grilled for dinner without even a thought there was more to the meal. Cissy always did everything else.

“I’ll do it. You go change.”

“Are you sure?”

“Go.” Len took the steak inside and rooted around for some sides that wouldn’t take long to cook. He found the makings for a green salad and decided that would be enough, since the steak was large. Just as he was setting everything out on the table, Cissy came down the stairs. They sat and began to eat, but she soon made a face.

“Did you wash the stuff for the salad?”

“I thought you did that when you bought it.”

“It goes bad quicker if you do. You have to wash it right before you use it. The lettuce tastes funny.” She dumped the entire contents of her salad in the trash and then grabbed his. When he protested, she told him, “You can’t eat it. There are probably still pesticides all over everything, which would account for the chemical taste. I use a special veggie washing formula.”

“If vegetables are so full of pesticides, why the fuck are we supposed to be eating so many?” Cissy narrowed her eyes at him. “What?”

“That’s the second time you’ve sworn just since I got home not a half hour ago.”

“Oh, so now I get nothing?” Len wasn’t sure why he was so angry. And it wasn’t even really at her, he just felt as if he couldn’t do anything right.

“I told you. You swear twice and any reward you’ve earned is null and void.”

“Fantastic,” he deadpanned.

“You knew the rules.” Reaching into the freezer, Cissy grabbed a bag of frozen vegetables. “These will take a couple of minutes. Eat your steak.”

“You’re not my goddamn mother.”

She turned to him, and a look he’d never seen in her eyes silenced him. “No, I’m not,” she said quietly. “If I was I would’ve spanked you for your language.”

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Spanked me?” A strange sensation stole through him.

“Yes. Sometimes I think you’d be a lot better off if someone disciplined you properly.”

“Disciplined me properly? What the fuck?” He knew he was in trouble as soon as the words came out of his mouth and he found himself wondering if she would make good on her threat to spank him. Would he let her? Could he?

Cissy threw the bag of veggies into the microwave and started it. Stalking to the corner of the room and the small stool she kept her purse on, she said, “I’m tired of listening to you swear at me. I’m going out.”

Len watched, speechless, as Cissy flew out of the room, her steak untouched. A little while later he heard her car start. Had she really just left?

When the microwave dinged Len got up and grabbed the steamer bag, wincing when the hot plastic burned his fingertips. Grabbing a hot pad, he brought the vegetables over to the table and gingerly cut open the bag before dumping about a third of it onto his plate. A small pool of water leached into the sauce for his steak and he felt his blood pressure rise.

How fucking incompetent am I that I can’t even make and eat a simple dinner?

He wolfed down his food and then did the dishes before getting a beer out and slumping in front of a ball game, his mood dark. Len hated being treated like a child, and sometimes that’s how Cissy made him feel, but he could admit sometimes he gave her good reason to. His mother had been a traditional stay-at-home type. She’d taken care of him and his brother until they’d gone away to college, and even then she’d done their laundry and cooked for them when they came home on breaks. Len hadn’t learned how to use a washing machine or the stove until he and Cissy had married.

His wife finally arrived home at nearly ten, and went upstairs without a word to him, which was fine since most likely all they’d do was fight. Len debated sleeping on the couch like he sometimes did when he fell asleep in front of the TV but decided the bed was as much his as it was Cissy’s. If she wanted to be pissy she could do it on her own side.

* * * * *

After a few days of stony silence on the part of his wife, Len couldn’t take it anymore. It was Friday night and he wanted to do something. He’d called a few buddies, trying to get a card game going, but everybody was busy. It was about time Cissy talked to him, and he cornered her in the bedroom.

“Wanna go out tonight?”

Her face betrayed surprise mixed with annoyance. “Where?”

“To dinner?” He figured he should start with something easy and work his way up.

“Why?”

Len sighed to himself. “Because I want to. Honey, this is ridiculous. We’re married. We live in the same house. We need to talk to each other.”

“I know,” Cissy replied. She turned away and Len heard her sniffle.

“Oh baby, come here.”

Pivoting, she slid her arms around his waist. “I’m just so tired, Len. Tired of fighting, tired of having to tell you—usually more than once—what chores need doing, what appointments you have, what errands should be run. I’m tired of feeling like your maid and your secretary. I’m your wife.”

He couldn’t help pushing her away. “You haven’t acted like much of one lately. Besides that one reward, you haven’t initiated sex in God knows how long, and when we do have sex you just kind of lie there as if you’re waiting for it to be over.”

Cissy winced and Len felt like a bastard. What he’d said was true, but he knew he wasn’t always the most tactful person on the planet.

She shook her head, her mouth pulling down into a frown. “Did it ever occur to you I’d be more interested in sex if you bothered to learn what I like?” She pulled on a t-shirt and said, “I don’t really want to talk about this.”

“Oh no,” Len answered. “You can’t throw something like that out there and then clam up.”

She sighed and sank onto the side of the bed. “Do you pay attention when we’re having sex? I know that sounds harsh, but do you? Because if you did, you should’ve noticed I haven’t climaxed from penetration in years.”

“But you always look like you’re having a good time.”

Len knew going on the defensive wasn’t a good idea, but his very manhood, his virility was being attacked.

“Sure, sex feels good, but it’s not enough to make me have an orgasm on its own.”

“Then what the hell—” He caught himself and started again. “What the heck do you want?” Len felt stupid that he had no idea, but it wasn’t all his fault. Communication, as they said in those stupid corporate rah-rah speeches, was a two-way street.

“Well, there was a reason I bought those sex toys. I thought they might help both of us have more fun. You ignored them.”

“So you want to tie me up again?”

“Not necessarily. But the fact you completely disregarded it when I did make an effort to show you what I wanted made me feel like you didn’t care. It’s hard to feel sexy and aroused when your husband is more interested in his pleasure than making sure you have yours.”

“Why didn’t you just tell me you wanted to use them?”

“I suppose maybe I should have, but I felt like if they were sitting there next to us on the bed you should have been able to surmise I want to use them.”

“I’m not a mind reader.”

Cissy rubbed her temples. “I know.”

“Do you,” he motioned toward the bed, “you know, wanna try them now?”

“Not feeling too in-the-mood at the moment.”

“Then let’s go out to dinner. We’ll have some fun and then come back here and see if we can’t figure some of this stuff out. I do love you. I hope you know that.”

“I do.” She didn’t sound awfully certain. Cissy rose and went into the bathroom and Len lowered himself to the spot she’d just vacated. Was she right? Did he not pay attention? Did he not care about her pleasure? He loved Cissy. It was just so damn difficult to know what made her happy. Maybe he should suggest that next time she restrained him, she also told him what she wanted. A thought chilled him to the bone. If he didn’t try harder, if he didn’t figure it out, was he going to lose her?

Chapter Three

Cissy gave Len four sexual rewards of different types over the next three days as her husband worked like a demon around the house and watched his mouth. She wondered if he was feeling guilty about their fight last Friday night, but it seemed like this reward system was working. Len was helping out with chores a lot more, and even when she wasn’t giving him a reward he paid better attention to her.

His lack of a potty mouth was refreshing too. Everybody swore now and then, but Len had gotten to the point where he was replacing words in his speech with curses regularly and it had to stop. If he was like this at work he couldn’t be making a good impression on his bosses and coworkers.

It was time to implement phase two of her plan. Len had some other annoying and rude habits it was time to end, such as leaving his clothes strewn all over the bedroom, not putting away his clean laundry and dropping his wet towel on the comforter after showering. As a result, their bedroom often looked like a bomb had hit it.

To the bottom of The List, Cissy added an area for “things that get rewards taken away”. She was sure Len would bitch when he saw the new additions, but she wasn’t about to back down now. Besides, she planned to soften the blow with some time in bed that night. Over the weekend she’d cuffed Len again, even adding the blindfold. Just like the first time she’d restrained him, he came like a man possessed. After that he’d even taken the time to put his mouth on her and she had her first orgasm without the help of her vibrator in quite some time.

Sure enough, Len got home and came charging into the bedroom while she was changing out of her work clothes. “What the fuck is that on the fridge?” She supposed she shouldn’t have been surprised he’d abandoned his attempts to clean up his language given the recent event, but a surge of annoyance rose up anyway.

“I assume you’re talking about the additions to the list?”

“Yeah, more rules? Are you freaking kidding me? Now I have to clean up my room like I’m some naughty kid?”

“When you behave like a naughty kid I’ll treat you like one.”

“I’m your husband,” he retorted.

“Then act like it.” She stalked out of the room before he could say anything else, but he followed her.

“You can’t do this.”

“I’m the one who instituted the rewards, I’m the one who can take them away.” Once at the bottom of the stairs, she spun to face him. “Besides, why is it so much to expect you to keep our bedroom clean? Do you see my clothes all over the place? Did I leave my dresser drawers gaping open for so long all the tracks are broken? No. Because I’m an adult and I pick up after myself. Now I expect you to.” On her way to the kitchen, she called back, “I’m starting dinner.”

Len snorted. “I’d do it, but since I’m not getting my cock sucked anyway, why bother?”

She ignored him. Cissy had read that many men didn’t take kindly to the control being increased, but with time most of them realized how much more harmonious their marriage was. Len wasn’t a bad man by any means, he’d just been allowed to take her for granted. And like Eleanor Roosevelt had famously said, no one can take advantage of you without your permission, and this wasn’t just Len’s fault. She’d allowed it to perpetuate. Now it was time to end it.

When dinner was ready she put it on the table. Len ate quickly, not making conversation, and then went outside. She heard what sounded like the hedge trimmer start and smiled to herself. Trimming the bushes was on the list, and it appeared Len wasn’t so angry he refused to do a chore that would get him a reward. And she didn’t plan to refuse him. She’d made those additional stipulations with the idea it would take him a few days to clean up the bedroom. If he trimmed the bushes, he’d get his reward.

After he’d finished, he came into the house. “I assume you want to inspect?”

Cissy put down the dusting cloth and followed him outside. He’d done a good job, both with the trimming and with cleaning up afterward. She leaned in to give him a kiss and he didn’t pull away, which, after their earlier spat, she took as progress. Taking Len in hand was both one of the most difficult but most rewarding things Cissy had ever done. The fact it was improving their marriage only made her more sure this was the route to take.

“Come inside.”

Len cocked his head. “Why?”

“To get your reward.”

“But I thought—”

“I’m willing to give you a couple of days to get your clothes and stuff in order. Trimming the bushes was a big job and you deserve a reward for it.”

His face lit up. “Really?” Cissy nodded, doing her best to hide a smile. “Lemme take a quick shower and I’m all yours.” Several moments later, he exited the shower with a towel wrapped around his waist. Cissy looked up and started at his expression, which could best be described as calculating. “So…”

“Yes?”

“If I clean up some of these clothes can I upgrade my reward?”

Cissy barked out a laugh. “Upgrade?”

He grinned. “I don’t know what you were planning, but yeah.”

“Sure.”

“Suuu-weet!” Pulling off the towel and folding it on the rack in the bathroom, which alone almost caused her to weep with joy, Len then ran around the room naked, picking up clothes and depositing them in piles, some in the hamper and others on the bed.

She eyed the pile on the bed. “What’s this one for?”

“Those aren’t dirty. I need to either hang them up or throw them in the dryer to get out some wrinkles.”

“And you’re going to do that right now, correct?”

“Slave driver.”

A little while later, Cissy cuffed Len again and spent a long time teasing him with her lips, tongue and teeth before finally swallowing his cock to the root. His back bowed and he bit his lip, most likely to hold in the swear word fighting to break free. He was trying, and she was proud of him. When he began to thrash again, she stopped, coming to a quick decision.

“I’m going to tie your legs down too.”

She didn’t need to see his eyes behind the blindfold to know they were wide as saucers. “What? Why?”

“Because if I hadn’t moved so quickly you would’ve just clocked me in the head.”

She grabbed two of her long scarves and tied each of his ankles to a corner of the bedframe. Her husband was now spread like her personal buffet, and she found herself licking her lips. Even though he’d initially reacted negatively to the idea of being completely tied down, the pre-cum leaking freely from the head of his cock told her he was enjoying the experience.

Leaning down, she sucked it into her mouth again and he threw his head back, rattling the cuffs and banging the headboard against the wall. His jaw was tight and she knew he must be trying hard to keep his mouth shut, afraid if he swore she’d stop. Cissy wasn’t that cruel, but he didn’t need to know that.

Len spoke through clenched teeth. “Please, baby, make me come.” She tightened around him and bobbed her head, taking him all the way inside. He cried out and she worked her tongue over the bulbous head, flicking it to catch more pre-cum. “So. Good.”

Cissy continued to work him, until with a roar that seemed to come from deep within him, Len came and she swallowed everything he gave her. Still spread out by his restraints, his body slackened and he gave a contented sigh. She took the opportunity to admire her husband—his long, lean body slick with sweat.

There was no doubt she loved this man. He was the only man she’d ever loved, in fact. There were so many good things about him, and she hoped he would recognize how much his recent behavior had hurt her and their marriage. Much of it came down to common courtesy—something he could fix if he paid attention to detail.

She untied him and went to take a shower. Stepping underneath the hot spray, Cissy let the pounding water soothe her sore muscles. Prowling over her husband was certainly fun, but it did result in some twinges in her injured neck. Never in a million years would she complain though.

Cissy jumped when the shower door opened and Len stepped inside. She couldn’t recall the last time they’d showered together. He looked at her and she saw uncertainty in his eyes. Did her husband think she would reject him? A pang of profound sadness hit her like a bullet to the chest.

“Is this okay?”

“Of course, honey.”

“I can wash your back.”

Giggling, she handed him her body wash. “Is that code?”

He waggled his eyebrows. “Maybe. Turn around or I’ll wash your front, not that it would be a hardship.”

She pivoted and Len ran his soapy hands up and down her back, occasionally reaching around to her belly or her breasts. Sticking his hands under the spray, he then directed her under it and after she was rinsed grabbed one of her legs, propping it up on the small shower seat. He dropped to his knees and she watched him, mute.

Len’s tongue speared into her folds and her hands flew out to the sides, gripping the wet tiles as best she could as he used his wicked tongue to slowly drive her crazy the way she’d been craving for years. Cissy wanted to watch the show, but it was too much effort, so she closed her eyes, leaning her head back on the wall of the shower. Len continued his ministrations, adding a finger and then two inside her, curling them until he found the small bundle of nerves that made her breath quicken.

“Come for me.”

Her pussy clenched at his tone, but she knew she wasn’t close enough yet. Whimpering, she pushed closer to his face. Len licked and sucked her, but still it wasn’t quite enough. He removed his face from between her legs and she had to stifle a scream of frustration.

“Why’d you stop?”

“Hang on.” Rising, Len left the shower, returning shortly with her vibrator. She was sure he’d left a dripping trail all the way to her nightstand, but couldn’t bring herself to care as he turned the device on and used it on her clit in conjunction with his tongue and fingers in her pussy. Soon Cissy was writhing, panting out a release as stars formed in front of her eyes. When she’d come back to earth, she opened her eyes to Len’s rueful grin. “I figured if your vibrator was what’s been giving you orgasms I could use it to help. Next time I’ll do better and we won’t need that thing, but that will require some time and communication.” Pulling her to him, he then moved them both back until she bumped up against the tiles behind her. “I wanna fuck you.”

“Here?”

“Let’s get out. I’m not as young as I used to be and my knees are killing me.”

Cissy chuckled. “I hear you on that.”

They got out and dried off in record time. Cissy slid onto the bed on her back, but Len rolled her over. Spreading her, he pushed inside quickly and immediately began to thrust. She wasn’t feeling the high from before, and debated whether or not to tell him, but when he grabbed her hips and pushed even farther inside before freezing and coming, it wasn’t worth it. He withdrew and went back to the bathroom, and Cissy sat up to braid her still-wet hair. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes. She’d hoped Len would be a more caring lover, and in some ways he was, but that coupling had been anything but caring. That had been him getting off, just like he had before she’d tried this control stuff. Maybe she wasn’t getting as far as she’d thought or hoped.

Stifling tears, she curled up in bed and pulled the covers over her, feigning sleep when Len came back to the bedroom. This one step forward, two steps back pattern was killing her.

* * * * *

Len was driving to work the next morning and couldn’t shake a vague feeling of unease. He and Cissy had ended up having a great evening, but he couldn’t help but feel as if he was missing something important.

He thought back to how she’d tied down both his hands and his feet, and his cock twitched inside his khakis. Len had never considered that he’d like to have his wife dominate him in bed, but he did. In fact, he now craved it. What did that say about him? Weren’t men supposed to be the dominant ones? If his friends found out he liked having Cissy restrain him during sex, would they think he was less of a man?

The feeling lasted through the morning, and when he went out to lunch with his buddies, he tried to picture what they’d say, how they’d react if he told them his wife was taking charge during sex. Besides last night in the shower, everything that had happened sexually between the two of them in the past couple of weeks had been controlled completely by Cissy.

While they were waiting for their food, one of his friends told a story about a porno film he’d watched the night before. Apparently the woman had been getting gang-banged, and though Len thought it sounded hot, he found his mind wandering back to his own problems. He perked up, though, when the guy mentioned they’d also taken turns spanking her. What would
that
be like? He began to imagine the scenario, but found himself as the one being bent over, his pants around his ankles as a bunch of women went to town on his ass. Shaking his head, he tried to clear it.

What the fuck? I don’t want that.

His dick jumped.

Or maybe you do,
the treacherous little beast taunted.

Shifting in his chair, Len tried to discreetly adjust himself as his friend continued to talk, describing how the woman’s ass had gotten redder and redder as the men had taken their turns with her, using both their belts and their cocks to drive her wild. His traitorous cock wasn’t cooperating, though, and all he could think about was Cissy standing over him with a belt just like the one his friend said the guys were using in the video.