Amply Rewarded (14 page)

“That’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen,” Timothy said, and wiped a tear from his eye. “You two are the best. You really are, you know. The best. I mean it.”

I couldn’t help but cry a little as well, and suddenly we were all hugging, the three of us swaying back and forth in the warm summer air. It was perfect.

I did something that Hal probably wasn’t expecting. I turned to him, with the two of them holding each other’s hands around my back, and I kissed him. He kissed me back. It was really something. I had never had a best friend to kiss before. It wasn’t the same between Kelly and me, but I imagined that this was what it felt like for any friends. It was a simple and dear expression, something we could do and then stop. It wasn’t the kind of kiss that would lead to something tremendously arousing, but a kind of familiarising with the already familiar.

Then I turned from Hal and kissed Timothy, which made him tense up. It was the tension of arousal. My body reciprocated. My panties moistened immediately as I felt Timothy’s hardness against my leg, and I savoured the sweet feeling of different kinds of love at the same time.

“Okay. Now you two,” I ordered, and before the words had even left my mouth, they had locked lips with each other. It was so formidable how comfortable we were with each other.

We sat back down and Hal pulled the tiny box from his shirt pocket.

“It seems more appropriate if you put it on yourself,” he said, as he slid it across the polished dark wood table. I took it in my palm and held it for a moment before opening the box. I had been expecting a diamond ring but, instead, he had bought me a massive ruby in a square shape.

“It’s more royal,” he explained. “I was thinking about it. Diamonds, to me, are for princesses. And you aren’t that. I think of you more as a queen. Maybe not
my
queen, but a queen nonetheless…”

“Your own queen,” Timothy added.

“Will you be my royal subjects?” I asked them.

“We’d have it no other way, m’lady,” Timothy said.

I smiled at my ring. It really was regal looking. I had never thought about what kind of gemstone I was compatible with. It had not occurred to me to consider such things until recently and, even then, I think that kind of pondering is something one grows up with. I certainly hadn’t. My mother’s wedding ring had belonged to my dad’s mother, and her mother before her. It had been a very convenient item exchanging hands for signification. That was all. It never would have occurred to my mother to question whether things could have been different. A gold band was a gold band, plain and simple.

I loved my ruby. I had always thought that jewellery was worth nothing more than its own net worth. I had been wrong. I was sure the ring had been expensive, but that was hardly the point. The point was that, to me, it had a value so much greater than its worth. It was representative. It meant that Hal and I honoured each other, trusted each other and would try to build a meaningful union together.

“It’s beautiful, Hal. Absolutely stunning.”

“Timothy helped pick it out,” he said. He was always so humble about his gestures. He didn’t seem to make a big deal about anything. He had really touched me. They both had.

“How perfect,” I said. “Thank you both, then.”

“I love it on you,” Timothy said. “When’s the big date?”

“I hadn’t thought of that,” I said. “I guess this means we’re really doing it.”

“Come to Virginia first. We’ll have a formal courtship. You’ll love it there. You can take it easy for the rest of the summer. We’ll plan it for the fall,” Hal said.

I excused myself early that evening. In my bed, I touched the ring on my finger. It felt as though the ring possessed magic powers. I turned it around, placing the ruby against my palm, and rubbed it with my thumb until I fell asleep.

* * * *

Early the next morning, I woke up, placed my ring in its box and left it under my pillow. I scurried to the kitchen. I wanted to be there before Sam to make a good impression with my punctuality.

Of course, she was already there, waiting for me.

“You just can’t show up on time, can you?” was the first thing she asked as I walked through the door and saw her sipping her morning coffee. She was seated on the kitchen counter.

“I’m early.”

“Not by my calculations.”

“Sorry.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Sorry, sir.”

She sipped at her coffee mug and watched me change into my uniform—again, naked underneath a newer, cleaner white apron. This time, I was less aroused, having lost faith in my ability to attract her.

“What would you like me to do this morning, sir?”

My question was met by a long, intense stare. I found it unnerving how she could make me feel as if I was in her way, when I had worked so hard to satisfy her.

“I’ve turned you into a good worker,” she said. “In fact, you’ve become an excellent assistant.”

“Thank you.”

“And you know what happens to excellent assistants?” she asked.

“No.”

“They are rewarded for their hard work.”

With that, she got up from her seat and walked slowly and confidently towards me. “I love the way you look in that apron,” she said.

“Thank you.”

“And I loved watching you clean the mushrooms and scrub the floor yesterday.”

“Thank you.”

“Did you know I was watching you the whole time?”

“No.”

“Well, I was,” she whispered, mere centimetres from my ear.

“I’m glad I could please you, sir.”

“Well, you haven’t exactly pleased me yet, my kitchen tart.”

“I haven’t?” I pouted.

“No. But you will.” She grabbed my hips in her firm grip and pulled me against her. My back was flush against her chest, just like the day before when she’d approached me from behind while I’d been cleaning the mushrooms. She moved her forefingers and thumbs slowly up my naked body to my awaiting nipples, and I felt simultaneous squeezes that sent shivers through me.

I moaned and leaned my head back into the nook between her neck and right shoulder. “How can I please you, sir? Anything.”

She twirled me around. “When I first met you, I thought you were a high and mighty princess, but you’re just a tart, aren’t you?”

“For you? Yes.” I didn’t tell her that I was also Hal and Timothy’s queen. That didn’t matter.

She kissed me. It was firm and gentle, not like Kelly and not like Timothy or Hal. It was provocative and promising and made me want to melt into her. I was instantly weak, as if I needed to sit down. She must have sensed it, because she lifted me up onto the counter. It felt cold against my naked ass, and she seemed amused, watching me struggle to find comfort.

Sam’s embrace was strong and deliberate. She held onto me with the kind of smoothness that made me trust her and want to surrender to her. She kissed my neck deeply and licked my collarbone, across my shoulders and finally took one of my nipples into her mouth, the way I had been fantasising about since the beginning. Her mouth felt so good against my flesh and the sensations from my nipples sent me into a frenzy. Wetness oozed out of me as I wrapped my legs around her waist and pulled her towards the counter. She, in turn, pulled me against her and started to rub her denim-covered crotch against my naked one. I was sure I would soak her jeans right through if we stayed like this for much longer, but we didn’t.

She pushed me back against the counter and undid the knot of my apron behind my back. After a quick tug, the white fabric messily hung at my back and she had buried her face between my legs. She found my clitoris instantly with her tongue, and she moaned with glee.

“Your pussy is so sweet,” she mumbled. Then, she returned to lapping at my desperate moisture.

I moaned and pulled her face closer and closer, wrapping my legs around her head. I neared orgasm quickly as she became more and more intent on stroking my clit with her tongue. She stopped quite suddenly, though, and pulled back. She stood up to meet my lips again. Tasting myself was another sweet reward.

She was panting and flushed and I was hot, my whole body twisting in desperate desire to feel more of her. She grabbed my hair with her left hand and held me in place as she kissed me, thrusting her tongue deep inside my mouth. With her right hand, she pushed her index finger inside me. Then she added her middle finger, opening my pussy up with her other hand, as if she owned me. The feeling of her fucking my pussy with her dextrous fingers was an immense turn-on. I was in heaven, completely oblivious to my surroundings, my travelling companions, anything. All I cared about was pleasing her, and she seemed pretty pleased with me.

I sat up and tried to unbutton her chef’s shirt, but she pushed my hand away.

“Not yet,” she said.

She shoved me back down onto the counter and, keeping her fingers deeply inserted inside me, she crouched down and licked my clit again, pressing firmly on me with her tongue. I couldn’t hold back anymore. I started trembling and felt myself losing control. She held my legs in place over her shoulders as she pinned me down. She was in complete control the whole time. I would come when she wanted it—I knew that. I accepted it. And once I’d accepted it, it was easy.

She gently sucked at my clitoris, nibbling slightly at the sensitive skin, and thrust against me deep inside, in a way a cock never could. I felt an unfamiliar sensation come over me as her hand and mouth caused me to moan like I had never moaned before. She was consistent and thorough, moving rhythmically as I approached climax.

That day I had so much more than a mere orgasm. In fact, that morning with Sam opened my eyes to a whole different kind of ecstasy. The build-up was longer and the release was so much more intense. I let out a huge cry as blood rushed through my skin and I felt the waves of excitement settle in my nipples and my entire body. I wanted nothing more than to let her control me, and my cunt felt as if it were releasing a massive sigh, an exhalation. But it wasn’t an exhalation—it was a giant stream of cum-like fluid that shot out of me and onto her face in a glorious moment of sheer abandon.

I had never seen anything like it. I panted and gasped for air. She wiped her face on her sleeve. I apologised. We both laughed. She poured us each a glass of water and I drank mine quickly, as though I had completed a marathon—which, in a way, I had.

“That was incredible. You’re incredible.” It was difficult to string words together after what had happened.

“What can I say?” she shrugged.

“You’re so hot,” I said, aware that I had not only lost my cool, but I had lost all composure and intelligence as well.

“You think so? You’re not so bad yourself, helper tart.”

“What
was
that?”

“What?”

“What you did to me.”

“You did it yourself.” She smiled, casually, as though this was the most normal thing in the world for her. I had never experienced anything like it. She had opened up a Pandora’s box of sexual mystique and all she could offer was this? She was undeniably one of the most frustratingly stoical people I’d ever had the pleasure of meeting.

She sipped at her water, managing, yet again, to appear unfazed by what had transpired between us.

“Well, where did you learn all that?” I knew the question was dumb and I didn’t care.

“Learn what?”

“Come on, Sam. That was the best fuck I’ve ever had.”

“Really?” She raised her eyebrows sarcastically.

I nodded, patting down my tousled hair and trying to collect the pieces of my regular self. She tried not to look flattered, but I could tell that she was.

I went over to where she was standing and tried to get her to hold me. Instead, she tied my apron behind my back. I was confused. I brushed up against her, trying to feel for her nipples underneath her shirt. I felt clumsy and awkward—I didn’t know what to do to repay her for the best sex I’d ever had. She looked unmoved by my advances. I tried to think rationally, but I was flustered and felt like crawling into bed. I wanted to feel her body against mine. I wanted to rest against her, but I also wanted more of her.

“Take me to your room,” I insisted.

“What for?”

“More.”

“Can’t. Breakfast.”

“Oh, fuck it, I’ll take some coffee up to the boys myself and tell them that, if they want anything else, they can drag their lazy asses down here and get it themselves.”

“But…”

“But what? I’ve had enough of this. I’m meeting you in your room in five minutes, and you better be there. Do you understand?”

“I thought you were the tart,” she said.

“Think again, sir.”

Chapter Ten

I whisked upstairs in a fury, carrying a tray with a coffee carafe, two mugs, cream and sugar. My wetness ran down my leg. In any other circumstances, this might have been embarrassing but I was far beyond that now. I didn’t care what it took—I was going to feel Sam’s skin against mine.

Hal and Timothy were still sleeping when I knocked on Timothy’s door. I put the tray down and hurried down to Sam’s room. It was much tinier than mine and Hal’s, but it looked like home. It felt like her place once she shut the door.

“Where were we?” I started. “Oh, yes. That’s right. I was going to take your shirt off and then your pants and then I was going to explore you with my mouth.”

She sat on her bed, looking hesitant.

I sat beside her, tossed the ridiculous apron onto her floor and grabbed at her thigh with my hand. This time, I pushed her back. She landed on her mattress and I quickly straddled her. I wasn’t expecting this to feel the way it did.

When I’d thought about touching Kelly, I wouldn’t have done it like this. Sam brought something out in me. I wanted to be with her as though she were a man—to sit on her and ride her—but it was different than that, too.

Sam, I trusted, would guide me to what she wanted and, more than ever, I was determined to give her everything she wanted and more. I was eager to please her in a way that I had never been eager to please anyone. She took my nipples alternately into her mouth again, and I felt the longing inside me take over. It was as though the whole encounter was dictated by my immense desire to feel that same sense of release, but I also wanted to provide it. She had confessed that she had been watching me and I felt that what she meant was that she wanted me. A solitary life was one thing. Bodies breathing and sweating in close proximity was quite another.