Bound

Carly sipped on the thin straw that rose from the icy drink she held. The paper coaster had stuck to the bottom of the glass, a personal pet peeve of hers, but for once she didn’t notice its presence.

Her plush executive office chair didn’t give the slightest protest when she started rocking absently.

Before her a row of monitors showed her new obsession. He was working out. The machine was the resistance-type so that no free weights were necessary. Just change a peg and the weight increased. The peg was in the lowest hole and he’d been doing sets of ten reps in a shoulder press fashion for a half an hour.

God, but he was beautiful. She sipped her drink, eyes glued to his every movement. The exercise had exaggerated the definition of his shoulders, chest, and arms. His muscles strained as if trying to break free of the slick skin that held them in. His teeth gritted as he pumped the weight upward, showing the first signs of exertion.

He’d contained to this room for three days. She had not wanted to force him again, but each time she went to him he refused her. She sighed, hating that she had to get on with it. Maybe she’d have him tied to her bed for another go before she really got down to it.

Never before had she shown such reluctance. She knew her delaying made her look ineffectual. Normally that very perception would have spurred her to move things along, to not show her vulnerability. Act decisively, act now. She wouldn’t deny herself that in this case she just didn’t want to act. She wanted him. But pain and humiliation were the only motivators at her disposal. Hurting him was intolerable, and shaming him was abhorrent.

She’d taken away her only weapons, by her own unwillingness to harm him. Rolling her eyes at her own foolishness, she set her drink aside and stood. As soon as she was vertical she had to adjust her dress. The clinging material had a will of its own, which was to expose as much of her butt as it could. A wiggle and a tug and she’d forced it back down. There was fine line between impiety and decorum, and only one inch of fabric.

Dinner was being served. She moved through the mansion inattentively, knowing the way in the dark. As if speaking to no one she gave orders, completely expecting them to be heard and carried out.

Guests to entertain made the hassle of eating last even longer. Carly never ate much, and pretending to for the sake of associates left her feeling nauseated. There was also the matter of her distraction. She was normally an attentive hostess, but she found herself tuning out their tedious conversation in favor of fantasizing about her new bauble.

Farewells weren’t exchanged soon enough, and as the door closed she knew she’d have to contact each of them to make amends. But now was the time for more exciting recreations.

Carly moved through the marbled halls as quickly as she could without looking hasty. Her heels clicked sharply, filling the normally silent residence with her echoing passage.

Finally she stood before the door that she’d been thinking of all evening. She adjusted her skirt, smoothing her hands over the bunched material. Her anxiety amused her. Not normally one to be nervous over something so trivial as seeing a man, she nevertheless enjoyed the feeling. A deep breath, and she nodded for the door to be opened.

Entering the room, she paused to take in her surroundings. A pool was lit with as few lights as made it safe. Greenery surrounded it, along the walls in giant pots or hanging in baskets from the numerous posts. A hot tub was embedded at the far side, and behind it was a wall of dark glass looking out onto the gardens. The ceiling was vaulted with skylights that would let in the sun, but now showed only black sky. All this beauty designed by her, but the only thing was interested in the pool.

She moved slowly to keep her heels from sounding out, and circled the pool slowly, her eyes never leaving him.

He’d been freed. No chains, no cuffs. He’d been given the freedom of this room. Just a few men could easily guard the one exit to see that he stayed put.

He was doing laps, swimming full out to one end and then switching directions. She paused in the shadows to watch him. His back and shoulders were on magnificent display. The wetness of his skin made her wish to slide her hands over him. It was a painful urge that had her feeling her body flush and her breath quicken.

Only a minute passed when he veered suddenly to the side and came up at the edge wiping water from his face. He was looking directly at her.

“Hiding?”

She smiled, “Admiring.”

His lips thinned. She expected him to push off away from her, but his thick arms crossed on the ledge instead. She took a step forward, feeling like he was a wild animal she had to keep from spooking.

“Do I have you to thank for this?” He continued to look at her, a first. Up till now he’d appeared to look at her as little as possible.

She nodded slowly. She could say more, and almost did. He had her to thank for not being in a four by four cell with only water and darkness, but now wasn’t the time to point that out.

“Did you expect me to?”

She smiled, “No. You’ve been consistently ungrateful. I expected no more.”

He nodded and glanced away. Shame? Was she finally getting through to him? Since she hadn’t been able to make her point by forcing her will, perhaps this was the key. Show him what she could do for him. Spoil him.

“Do you enjoy swimming?” she asked, hoping to at least keep him talking.

His eyes came back to her and she felt that scandalous heat pass through her body again. It was delicious.

“More than walking,” was his short response, but it said more than he could’ve. She’d unintentionally given him something that he loved. Score, Carly! Her senses heightened as she thought of the possibilities having such leverage could bring. Though she did consider that he was lying, to make her believe just such a thing. Her instincts told her he wasn’t.

“I can let you come here every day,” she whispered, her husky voice carrying perfectly in the quiet room. She stepped forward again, but now started pacing, slowly in front of him. His eyes followed her as if commanded. High heels, shapely legs, short skirt, clinging dress left nothing for the imagination, low neckline, breasts nearly bursting. She was a temptation, and she’d use it to her advantage.

“At what price?” He spoke just as quietly, though the low drawl of his voice outdid hers. Hers was velvet, his was sandpaper. She nearly moaned.

“You know what I require.” She held his gaze for this, wanting him to see how intent she was. She needed him.

He was silent, eyes still following her, but now seeming distant as he considered. “Can I go unbound?”

She stopped, frowning. She hadn’t expected this. Complete freedom was the only demand she’d anticipated. He was saying he’d stay if he could go unfettered?

“You weren’t secured to keep you compliant, but so your keepers were safe. I know what you’re capable of. Killing a few men to be free would be easy for you.” She shook her head, “No, I’m sorry, but it just isn’t a possibility. This isn’t some dungeon. This is my home. I just couldn’t give you free rein.”

She saw that he truly looked disappointed. Was he testing her? Pushing her? Or did he actually think she would trust him enough to wander around?

“It would be possible to give you a portion of the house.” She was more thinking aloud than granting his request. “Certain doors would have to be sealed, and the guard tripled.” She looked at him, saw what looked like hopefulness and resolved to do it instantly. “There would be conditions,” she warned, feeling like both a fool and a guardian. “If you hurt someone, or refuse orders it ends immediately. I’ll toss you in the vault in a second. Screw not wishing you harm. If you betray me I’ll personally start the bleeding.”

He nodded slowly. She was certain he didn’t understand the significance of her warning, and she hoped that he never would.

He was silent before her, expectant. She wondered if he realized the amount of reparation she would demand of him. Putting on more guards, adjusting the staff, making changes to her house. It wouldn’t be cheap, or easy.

With purpose in her stride she moved to the door and tapped lightly. As trained, one guard opened the door while the other covered him, preparing for it to not be her. She gave them instructions and then closed the door.

She looked back at the pool to see that he’d started swimming again. Now when he reached the end closest to her he swam backwards, keeping his eyes on her.

Only a minute passed before the door opened. She explained to her P.A. what would need to be done. She left the details to him, but suggested a few things.

“How soon?” he asked, quickly jotting notes while also keeping a watchful eye on the man in the pool.

“Immediately. I’ll be in the red room. Contact me when it’s complete. Don’t overlook anything.”

He nodded, the gravity of the caution obvious. If they overlooked something it would be their job, not to mention that someone could be killed because of their negligence.

As he left she nodded to the guards. Alone again, she turned toward the pool. Her shoes were strapless and kicked off easily. The dress was tight, but stretchy. It gave enough for her to pull it over her head. She was naked beneath. A half step at the edge and she dove cleanly into the water.

When she emerged she looked for him first. He’d pulled himself out of the water along the side, legs still dangling in the water.

“How can you trust me?” His low voice carried easily over the water.

“I don’t.” As if refuting her own words she swam to him, treading water to stay directly in front of him.

“So how soon does our bargain start?”

She lifted one hand to his knee and pulled herself to him, having to tilt her head even further to look at him. “It has already begun. You won’t return to your rooms. The red room is the bedroom we were first in. You can stay there tonight.”

“And now I’m to jump for you when ever you say.” The resentment was thick in his voice, his face darkening at just the idea.

“You speak as if I’ve given you nothing. Can you say you didn’t enjoy my visit?”

His lips thinned, his memory obviously making a lie of anything else. As if to additionally refute anything he might claim the prominent bulge twitched in his shorts.

Carly smiled, loving that no matter how he might detest it he was still a man, with needs that wouldn’t go ignored. “I give as much as I take.” Her fingers massaged him through the wet material. “I promise.”

His eyelids drooped at her ministrations. She found the length of him, feeling him harden more with each passing second. His trunks facilitated her fondling, the slick material aiding her by molding to him and offering no resistance at all.

“May I suck you off?”