Nibbling at her chin again I kiss a quick line up to her ear, delighting in the way her breath hitches although she tries to stay all calm and collected.

"No, I haven't forgotten, and you have no idea just how much I look forward to that."

Bella laughs and kisses me, her teeth in turn nibbling on my lower lip, before she sighs contently and closes her eyes, still smiling. I watch her for a moment before my own lids droop shut, and I'm nearly asleep when she speaks up again.

"Just what did Jazz or Charlie say to make you change your mind like that?"

I'm too tired to open my eyes again, but the answer's easy enough to give.

"Jazz said that for whatever reason we're not on the best of terms right now, he knows that if he's ever in need of a real friend, he knows he can come to me and trusts me to help him."

I can feel her stiffen beside me so I pry my eyes open, finding her unwavering gaze studying me as if she's trying to read the truth behind that statement from my face.

"And is that the case?"

I let my breath escape me noisily while I try to find the right words.

"Nothing has changed from what I told you last week, as far as being friends with him, I'll be very glad to keep any interaction to a minimum. If I never have to talk to him I won't be heartbroken. But if you want to remain friends with him, and if he shows up on our doorstep needing us, of course I'll help him. Not for his sake, but for yours, and a little for my own, too."

Her eyes are still so full of questions that I sigh and go on.

"Bella, I've spent half of my life wondering what is wrong with me. And ever since I fucked up, that's turned into something very close to real self loathing. But I don't want this to break me, to eat me up and keep hurting you this way, and I know it will if I don't ease up on myself. And for whatever reason, hearing him say to Charlie that when it comes to the worst, he still trusts me, I don't know, that made something inside me click.

I know it should have been your love and your forgiveness that makes me feel worthy in your eyes, but we both know that when it comes to the subject of me, you're utterly biased. But I don't think that there's anyone out there who hates me as much as Jazz does, and when he can move on, well, so should I, don't you think?"

She nods slowly, then kisses me again before she settles back down onto my shoulder.

"Thank you for telling me. And yes, you should."

I'm weirdly glad that I told her, even a little proud, but as I drift off to sleep I realize that I probably told her a few things she really didn't have to know.

Anyone but her would probably have ignored them, but she's not anyone, and I know that I just dug the foundation for our next talk some day in the future. I don't really know if I should be apprehensive of that, or happy. I guess that's a part of loving someone, too.

Chapter 13

There is nothing better in the world than waking up next to a beautiful woman.

Except maybe finding her fingers wrapped tightly around my cock while her tongue hungrily explores my mouth. No way this can get any better - until I open my eyes and see Bella grin down at me with a look on her face that can only be described as nasty. I love having her kneel at my feet, a picture of elegant submissiveness, but seeing her take control, well, that's a huge turn-on in itself, particularly as she doesn't show that side of her very often.

And of all days I didn't expect her to get playful now.

It's Sunday morning, two days after Bella's birthday party. Yesterday, after a marathon shopping trip with Renee, she has been too tired for anything except cuddling once I got home from the hospital, but today her energy seems replenished.

I wonder for a moment if this is her way of taking my mind off having lunch with Charlie later today, but then she squeezed my cock hard to get my attention, and all thoughts about her father leave my mind.

"Finally awake?" she teases me, but before I can reply she muffles my answer with another passionate kiss. I nibble on her jaw even after she turns her head away, but she moves farther back before my lips can reach her neck. Her eyes are sparkling with lust and mischief, and when she whispers into my ear, her voice is low and throaty.

"You have twenty minutes to clean yourself, then I expect you kneeling in the playroom, naked. And you will call me Mistress, as for the next few hours that's what I am, your Mistress."

I feel myself nod while I try to swallow around the lump in my throat, but before I can answer she's off the bed and out of the room, leaving a trail of her clean scent with a note of perfume. I'm still not really awake, contrary to my cock, but once her words register fully I scrub my eyes to clear my head, and glance at the alarm clock. It's 8:10, about an hour before what Bella usually regards as acceptable wake-up time on weekends. She really must be quite excited about this or else she wouldn't have gotten up so early. And who am I to protest?

In the bathroom I realize two things - Bella already got through her morning routine, as the utensils in the trash and the damp towel on the rack tell me -

and twenty minutes aren't really a lot of time. I also realize that we never got to actually talk about the scene, but from her behavior I guess that she has a plan, and knowing Bella that probably means she got herself some clues from Beth, even though I remember that she seemed reluctant to do that again before. I don't know why I'm even surprised - after all it was my

'fault' that she has been over at Beth's a lot over the last weeks, getting her birthday presents - the two corsets - fit, and it's unlike either one of them not to talk about anything kinky sooner or later.

While I mull this over in my mind I quickly go through what used to be my prep routine long enough to still stick to a point - shave, brush teeth, clean what needs to be cleaned for what I hope she'll do to me - not exactly in that order, with a quick, cold shower squeezed in between that does nothing to diminish my erection. With barely a minute to spare I hurry into the playroom across the hall and kneel down on the lonely cushion sitting in the middle of the otherwise empty floor, a little out of breath and with my pulse elevated.

As she's used from me - probably a little too used as I note to myself - Bella leaves me there to stew and wait for several minutes, alone with my racing thoughts and excitement. I force myself to take deep breaths as I lace my fingers behind my head and shuffle around on my knees until my thighs are sufficiently spread - and it's amazing how easily I slip into a submissive mindset even though I'm absolutely not used to see Bella as dominant over me. I also don't think I can do this often, but for today there's not a single fiber in me that feels like protesting against handing the proverbial leash over to her.

The telltale click of high heels makes me want to look up but I force my eyes to remain trained on the floor in front of me, but can't help tense up a bit in an effort to kneel straighter. Slowly she walks up to my back, then takes a tour around me, her stocking clad feet in the unfamiliarly high heeled shoes the only thing I see of Bella. After another slow round she stops right in front of me, and taps my shoulder once with a crop she must have brought in with her as I'm sure she didn't get near the toy rack on her way in.

A nudge on my chin makes me raise my head, and I swallow hard as my eyes drink her in. Bella looks sublime, and definitely in charge as she stands looming over me, a devious smile playing around the corners of her mouth. The stockings are stay-ups, the dark lace an enticing contrast to her creamy skin. She's also wearing a matching lace thong, from what I can see in the reflection in the mirrored walls from the corner of my eye, and a black leather corset, moderately laced up in the back, as tightly as I figure she could manage by herself and retain enough flexibility to move unhindered.

So much to Beth's claim that the second part of my birthday present for Bella will take another week or so to be finished. Not that I have much mental capacity left to complain inside my head right now. Not that I feel like complaining at all.

Bella gives me ample time to drink her in with my eyes, amusement lighting up her face while she flexes the crop in her hands. My cock is nearly uncomfortably hard by now, and I swallow thickly once more when she leans down towards me, her leather encased breasts right in front of my face, while she lets the tip of the crop slide over my cock.

"Edward," she purrs, and I can see that she loves being the one to use actual names in here for once.

"Mistress," I try to answer her in an even voice but the single word comes out rather pressed, which only furthers her glee.

"I see you're a good boy, happy to see your Mistress and ready to have her do with you whatever she pleases?"

She underlines her words by idly tapping the small paddle at the end of the crop repeatedly against my cock, barely hard enough to qualify as more than a caress. It's still more than enough to drive me wild. A violent shiver runs through me as I force myself to stay completely still, my eyes boring into hers.

"Yes, Mistress." I add a silent 'please' in my thoughts, and I'm sure she can read it from the probably besotted look on my face.

She acknowledges my answer with a curt nod and a smile, then straightens before she struts over to the supply cabinet. I lower my head again but can't keep myself from watching her barely covered ass sway below where the corset is forcing her already great curves into perfect shape. Normally I'd want to bend her over and swat her butt thoroughly, but today I'm entirely too happy where I am, kneeling, waiting for her to return.

Which she does a minute later, where she drops a full set of black leather cuffs right in front of me.

"Put those on. I don't see why I should stoop so low and get on my knees for you," she jibes, still smiling. I hurry to obey, buckling the padded cuffs around my ankles and wrists. I'm a little surprised to realize that they are indeed my old leather cuffs that I store, mostly for sentimental value, in a box under the bed, the well used leather holding a lot of happy memories.

The realization that she has remembered me keeping them there leads to the conclusion that she definitely put a lot of through to this, letting me slide faster into the right mindset with small gestures like that. I know she has my list of limits, not that I think she could easily breach any of them with her very limited experience as Domme, but I trust her that she knows what she's doing. With the realization that I can fully relax into being her sub for this scene without having to worry - for her, not for me - about things going wrong, I feel the last of my reservations flee, not that there were many to start with. I trust her, and I trust her to do things the right way, as she always does.

Once I'm done I look up at her again, and feel like grinning stupidly when I see that she's still holding another item - a thick padded leather collar, matching the cuffs.

"Hands on your thighs," she commands, and I quickly obey, taking a deep breath when I feel the leather close around my throat. Bella makes sure the collar is sitting snugly but doesn't restrict my breathing even when she yanks hard on the D-ring at the back. My cock feels like bursting, and I silently laugh at my boyish impatience.

The collar now firmly in place I feel myself kneeling even straighter, and I love the still familiar restriction around my neck. At a poke from her I look up again, and Bella nods at the back part of the room.

"Set up the post and put one of the benches, knee high, with the long side towards the post up there. And don't dawdle, we don't have all day."

"Yes, Mistress!"

It's definitely the sensible decision to let me do the heavy lifting – not just because I'm stronger than she is, I know Bella can pull her weight – but the heels she is wearing are not made for such activities, and I have to admit, I get a certain kick out of having her watch me set things up. When I'm done I return to kneel before her again, and only belatedly notice her make-up.

What can I say, I'm like any other guy, I tend to look at the juicy, fleshy bits first. But she has put a lot of effort into it today, making her even more stunning. Normally Bella only uses make-up sparely, but today the effect is rather dramatic. Dark eyes and lush, red lips, the same color as her nails –

if I'd ever had a doubt that she can be sex incarnate, they would have been destroyed today.

She looks down at me for another moment that seems endless to me, before she walks to the post and bench.

"Come over here and kneel on the bench, facing the room."

I quickly follow her order, and feel my pulse pick up when she steps around me, then takes first one of my arms, then the other, to attach the cuffs to the back of the post so that I have to stretch a little and keep a rather upright posture. She does the same to my ankle cuffs but in a way that leaves my legs more or less relaxed, but makes it impossible for me to change my position. I'm helpless now, at her mercy, and loving every second of it.

Once she is done securing me in place Bella wanders over to the toy rack, and after what looks a lot like playful consideration, she picks up one of the heavy leather floggers. I have to admit, I feel a spike of apprehension well up in me, but I know that she knows how that particular thing feels – with or without warmup. I also know that she is aware that I'm more into pain play than she is, and it occurs to me that maybe I should take this a little more serious than I've initially thought.

Stopping again in front of me Bella lets the strands of the flogger run over my spread thighs, and her grin brightens when she sees me shiver with anticipation. Her eyes light up further when she picks up the strands in her free hand, then lightly brings the flogger down on my left thigh, no more than stinging me lightly but still making me jump. She repeats the motion, and I have to admit, she knows how to do the slow, precise swings well.

Soon both of my thighs are warm and red from her not too tender administrations, but she still surprises me when she next hits my stomach, harder than my legs before. I groan involuntarily, and feel my cock twitch when there's no hint of mercy in her eyes.

"Oh, did that hurt my poor, little boy?" she taunts, then adds two similar strokes that make the flesh of my abs heat up fast.

"No, Mistress."

Bella purses her lips, the red lipstick glistening in the overhead lights.

"No? Then I definitely have to hit harder."

And she does, lashing my abs and pecs in quick succession, less precise now but with a lot more effect. I quickly push my head back to keep any stray strands from hitting my face, but none of them land above my clavicles. My whole chest is aching when she stops, and I have to bite the inside of my cheek to keep any sounds of pain in.

"Now did that hurt?" she asks again, and this time I opt for the true answer.

"Yes, Mistress."

"Good," she purrs, then puts the flogger down on the bench next to my legs and walks back to her supplies. When she returns she is carrying something small and black in her hand, and I swallow hard when I see that it's a role of bondage tape.

"Hips forward as much as you can, and spread those pretty legs of yours,"

she directs in a playful tone. I follow suit as much as I'm able to, and hold my breath when I feel the back of her hand rub against my cock and balls.

Then she grabs my sac and squeezes, hard, making me yelp which she answers with a light laugh.

"Oh shut up, or shall I call you my little sissy boy from now on?"

I shake my head but it's hard to keep silent when I feel her wrap the black tape around the base of my cock and scrotum, with surprisingly precise motions. As if reading my mind she stops for a moment and smiles at me before she goes back to watching what she's doing.

"You are one lucky bastard, you know that? Beth had me practice this on her strap-on for like thirty minutes, and I swear, she was itching to add a real demo for teaching purposes. Thankfully Gerard was out of town on a conference that week. You'd get more than just your hide tanned if she'd made me tie his junk up."

That sounds exactly like Beth, and while I'm glad Bella got some hands-on practice, I can't help getting even more horny at the thought of that demonstration. I can see it right in my mind, Beth with her strap-on, probably over her jeans, yapping at Bella, kneeling in front of her, trying to get the tie right. And as much as I would have loved to be present in the room during that, I certainly appreciate the surprise.

A minute later she is done, and after making sure with a few hard tugs that everything is in place, she steps away from me again, leaving my dick and balls aching, and expertly restrained. I know that with the blood flow now restricted, my genitals will hurt, probably a lot, very soon, and reaching orgasm will be hard if not completely impossible, but I certainly don't feel like protesting.

After admiring her handiwork Bella picks up the flogger again and resumes whipping me, returning to a slower, more measured pace as she brings it down on my thighs, stomach and pecs. At first I'm a little worried that she might hit my bound cock, which is standing up obscenely hard, but none of her strokes stray from her intended target, and after a minute or two I relax.

As much as I can with the whole front of my body alight with light pain from the flogging, and my junk screaming for release.

Bella is quickly working up a sweat, as am I, and when she stops she's panting slightly. I have to grin when I see her huff and brush sweat off her brow with her arm, knowing all too well just how much work a good whipping is. Just my luck that she notices the expression before I can wipe it off my face. Her eyes narrow and she steps closer, sneering at me.

"So you find this funny?"

"No, Mistress."

"Then why are you grinning like a fool?"

Before I can answer she grabs my hair roughly and forces my head back, her face now right in front of mine.

"Or are you laughing at me?"

"No, Mistress, I'd never do that," I try to defend myself but my words don't pacify her.

"Maybe I have to teach you a lesson?" she suggests, then her eyes leave mine when she looks down between our bodies. My bound and straining dick grabs her attention, and I swallow hard when she lets go of me again.

The leather of the flogger strands is warm against my skin when she drags them slowly over my crotch, making my throat go tight with real dread, but it's actually her open palm that slaps my cock, not the impact toy. It still hurts like hell and I grunt loudly, then gasp when she slaps me again, harder now. I see her eyes flit over my face quickly, trying to assess how much of the pain is pleasure and how much actual discomfort, and I force myself to give her a miniscule nod to silently tell her to go ahead. A hint of a smile breaks through her scowl for a moment, but then she's back to looking severe, and smacks my cock around some more. As much as it hurts, I'm suddenly glad for the tape biting into my flesh, as I don't think I could have kept myself from coming otherwise. But fuck, that hurts.

Finally relenting Bella straightens again, her breathing even now.