Safe Word (6 page)

“Why can’t you?” she challenged him, unwilling to give up as easily as he had seemed to.  “What if I want it?”

“You don’t,” he said flatly.

“How do you know?” Melody shot back. 

Though she wasn’t about to tell Zane, she had often thought about his admission that he was into kinky sex.  She had spent many a night alone in her bed wondering what sort of things he was into, imagining it and envisioning herself giving him everything and anything he’d ever wanted. 

Her thoughts about it – and about Zane – were hot.  They were, in fact, x-rated.  She was more than ready to find out if reality lived up to her fantasies.

To say she was curious was an understatement.  For all he had shared with her, Melody knew he held a lot back.  Zane was that mysterious lone wolf, a puzzle just waiting to be solved.  He was unattainable, the candy she longed for but couldn’t have. 

Or at least he had been.  Now she wasn’t so sure.

Zane looked conflicted.

Melody, on the other hand, knew exactly what she wanted.  The real question was whether she would ever be able to have it.  But she wouldn’t know if she didn’t try.  Melody’s years spent in academia vying for acceptance into a prestigious program, had taught her how to go after what she wanted.  Sometimes you had to be aggressive.  Sometimes you had to
make
things happen.  Seize the day, right?

Taking a deep breath, she reminded Zane, “I made a deal with you when I moved in here.  I agreed to spend one night a week with you and in return, you said I got to choose how we spent that time.  Do you remember that?”

“Yes, of course I do.”

“Here’s the deal,” Melody told him, summoning every ounce of boldness and courage she had.  “I will cancel my plans tonight on one condition.  That condition is that you have to teach me.  Tell me what you want. 
Show
me what you want.  That’s the only way we’ll ever know if we’re compatible, right?”

“Are you talking about what I think you are?”

“Sex,” she nodded.  “That’s the difference between friendship and a relationship, right?  Well, that and romance.  But anyway, don’t you think we owe it to ourselves to see if we can make a relationship work?  Don’t you think we owe it to ourselves to see if we can make
sex
work?”

“The guy who gets you will be the luckiest bastard in the world,” Zane marveled, looking as though he could hardly believe what Melody was proposing.  “But it can’t be me.  Don’t get me wrong – I want you.  God, do I want you.  But I can’t risk losing you.  I can’t risk hurting you.  We shouldn’t be together...not like that.”

“Zane,” Melody pointed out with exaggerated patience, “I’m practically already dating you.  Think about it.  We’re both single.  You’re the only man in my life and I think I’m the only woman in yours.  We live together and we hang out together.  We’re basically in a sexless marriage, no?”

“Yeah, I guess we kind of are,” he agreed.

“So what’s better than a sexless marriage?” she coached.

“One with sex?” he guessed.

“Exactly!” she exclaimed.  “So do it.  Teach me.  Maybe our sexless non-marriage can turn into something more.  I don’t know about you but I’d much rather try having, uh...
unusual
sex with you than let some drunk stranger at a bar shove his tongue down my throat.”

Zane’s face darkened.  He was definitely jealous.  “Yeah, don’t do that.”

“So?” she pressed.  “Are you in?”

He hesitated.  “Melody, I’m completely crazy about you but I can’t do that to you.  I won’t.  It would be selfish of me to expose you to the stuff I’m obsessed with.”

“Then I’m leaving,” she told him, putting the pressure on.  She picked up her clutch and turned back toward the door.  She had no intention of leaving, of course, but Zane didn’t need to know that.  The only way to reach boiling point was to turn up the heat.

“Wait.”

She paused and made herself silently count to five.  Then she turned to look at him.  “What?”

He ran his hand through his hair and swallowed hard, his eyes hungry – and worried – as they took her in.  “You really want to do this?” he asked as though he could barely believe his good fortune.  “Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“If we do this,” Zane said, giving his first indication that he was actually considering it, “then we are going to take it slow.  Sometimes you might think it’s too slow, but I am going to set the pace and you will just have to learn to accept that.” 

“Fine by me,” she replied confidently even though her heart was pounding. 

Zane’s tone was already taking on an authoritative edge, and he was standing up a little straighter and taller than usual.  He looked the same but was conducting himself differently.  Even his voice sounded different.

In recent months he had become her friend – technically her best friend – but now it was almost as though he had morphed into another person.  He had become a man she barely recognized and maybe even feared a little.

It was thrilling and concerning all at once.

He was looking at her as though he wanted to rip her clothes off and take her right there against the door.  It was like he had been holding himself back all this time, his desire for her kept locked away in a cage.  But the very frank conversation they had just had – not to mention the hot, steamy kiss – had freed it.  Now that the beast had been unleashed, there was no chaining it back up ever again.

“So, uh, what do we do now?” Melody asked uncertainly.

“First, text your friends and tell them you aren’t coming,” Zane instructed, his words calm and measured.  “Then meet me in my bedroom,” he told her before leaving the room, his words sending a chill of anticipation up her spine. 

Obediently, Melody let her friends know she wouldn’t be meeting up with them for singles night at the bar after all.  Of course, they wanted to know why.  She wasn’t quite sure how to respond to that.  She couldn’t really say she had met someone, because she had already known Zane for ages.  Could she say she was in a relationship?  That, too, was unclear. 

With trembling fingers, she hastily responded, “Something has come up.”  Then she tossed her phone onto the kitchen counter and looked in the direction of Zane’s bedroom nervously.  He was in there waiting for her.  It was about to begin.  Was she ready for this?

Her body was still tingling from the kiss they had shared.  She wanted him so bad!  This had been such a long time coming, her feelings for Zane growing stronger and stronger over time despite her best efforts to view him as just a friend.  She ached for him.

But he was right.  She had no idea what was in store for her.  She had agreed to partake in kinky sex because she was curious, sure, but mostly it was because she wanted him at any cost.  At least she thought she did.

Would her position change once she got a taste of what he was into?  Melody had no idea.  She was simply going to have to blindly trust him and hope that doing so wasn’t a mistake.  She could do that, couldn’t she? 

“I can do it,” she whispered under her breath, giving herself a pep talk.  Then, on shaking legs, she slowly walked down the hallway to the master bedroom.  She paused, unsure of whether she should barge right in or what.  After some brief deliberation, she rapped lightly on the partially shut door.

“Come in,” Zane called.

She walked in and saw that while she had been preoccupied with her phone, he had gathered up an assortment of items.  They were laid out on the nightstand beside his king sized bed.  She saw rope a scarf, a hairbrush, a belt and even a candle and matches. 

Melody hadn’t been born yesterday.  Even though she’d never incorporated them in her less than stellar sex life, she had a vague idea of what those items might be used for.  But she nonetheless looked at Zane questioningly. 

She was beginning to realize how vanilla and, well,
boring
her own limited sexual experiences had been.  She had a feeling all that was about to change.

“You look gorgeous tonight,” Zane said, his eyes traveling the length of Melody’s body appreciatively.  “That dress looks amazing on you.  It clings in all the right places.”

She blushed, not used to Zane complimenting her appearance in such an overtly sexual way.  “Thanks,” she mumbled bashfully, averting her eyes and staring at the floor.  Melody didn’t usually consider herself to be a shy person, but suddenly she felt timid.  Even though Zane’s observation had gotten her flustered, it had also caused her heart to race and her body to tingle.

“Take it off.”

Melody’s head snapped up.  She stared at him as though she didn’t quite understand. 

“Take off my dress?” she asked in confusion, as though it wasn’t obvious.

“Yes.”

“Right here, right now?” she asked, suddenly feeling very self-conscious. 

She was the type who typically disappeared into the bathroom and emerged wearing lingerie that was sexy yet tasteful.  She liked to be at least a bit covered up, even during intimate moments, as it made her feel more comfortable.  And sex usually happened in semi-darkness, or at least under the sheets.

This was very different than what she was used to and it had her rattled.  Was Zane really asking her to just strip right down to her birthday suit in the middle of his bedroom while he stood there and watched?  The thought was mortifying – and yet Melody was incredibly aroused by the way Zane was giving her orders.

There was something liberating about having all autonomy stripped away.  She was no longer responsible for making decisions; that was up to Zane.  He called the shots now.  All she had to do was listen to him.  All she had to do was obey. 

With trembling fingers, Melody reached back and began to unzip her dress.  But in her flustered state, she managed to get the zipper stuck.  It figured – she was trying her damnedest to look sexy and instead she wasn’t even capable of getting out of her dress on her own.  Wonderful!

“The zipper is stuck,” she told Zane, who was standing in front of her watching.  “I’m sorry.”

Wordlessly, he walked around behind her.  She could tell he was standing close – so close that she could feel the heat from his body.  He slowly unzipped the dress the rest of the way until the smooth, unblemished flesh of her back was exposed.  Melody braced herself, waiting on pins and needles for him to strip her naked.

But he didn’t.

Instead, Melody felt Zane’s hands on her bare shoulders, strong and powerful.  They grasped her lightly, kneading at her tense muscles.  He leaned in closer and she could feel his hot breath on the back of her neck. 

“Relax,” he murmured.

She took a deep, shuddering breath and tried to do as he said.  It was easier said than done.  But his hands massaging her shoulders felt wonderful and his close physical proximity made her feel secure.  Before long, she was far more aware of the heat that was building between her thighs than her fear.

Perhaps Zane sensed the change in Melody because the next thing she knew, he had stopped.  Then, with one swift movement, he pulled her dress down to her waist, exposing her lace bra.  Before she could even react, he gave one more tug and the slinky, sexy garment slid past her hips and fell in a heap at her feet.

One moment Melody had the security of clothing covering her body, regardless of how skimpy it was.  The next, she was practically naked, wearing only her bra and a matching thong in front of the man she had been lusting after forever.  The fact that Zane was still fully clothed only added to the dynamic, making Melody feel that much more submissive and off balance.

She stood there shivering even though the master bedroom wasn’t cold. 

Slowly, Zane walked around her.  She could feel his eyes burning into her, admiring her, inspecting her.  She felt so vulnerable, and yet it also felt like he had lit her on fire.  She was burning up from the inside out, her passions ignited and her thirst insatiable.  She couldn’t wait to find out what he had planned for her.

And she didn’t have to wait long to find out.

“Get on the bed,” Zane ordered abruptly.  “Face up.”

Melody was surprised he hadn’t stripped her out of her lingerie. 

Zane had been so eager to get her out of her dress that she had assumed her bra and thong wouldn’t be far behind.  But he had made no move to free her from the last of her clothing, nor had he done it himself.  Instead, he had merely admired the view.

Taking a deep breath, Melody did as Zane commanded and climbed onto his bed.  She lay back on the pillows and stared up at him, waiting for his next instruction.  Instead of saying anything, he sat on the edge of the bed beside her.  Then he picked up the rope that was on the nightstand.

“You’ve never experimented with BDSM before, I take it?” he asked softly, his fingers idly stroking the rope.  She stared at them lustfully, those fingers she had imagined doing obscene things to her naked body on numerous occasions.  She wished they would stroke
her
instead!

“No, never,” she replied.  “I...don’t know a whole lot about it, to be honest.”

“Normally at this point I would ask you about your limits, but I suppose you don’t really know,” he surmised as he gazed down at her.  “So this is going to play out a bit differently than I’m used to, and your safe word is going to be extra important.”

“My...safe word?” she repeated uncertainly. 

“Yes.  It’s going to be...let’s see,” he said, pausing to think about it.  “It’s going to be raspberry,” Zane told her in what Melody was certain was a reference to the raspberry cheesecake ice cream they had shared at the riverside months earlier.  “If you ever feel uncomfortable and want to stop what we’re doing, say your safe word.  Got it?”

“Yes.”

Zane took her hand in his, his fingertips tracing delicately over Melody’s soft skin.  Then he wrapped a piece of rope around her wrist.  He quickly secured the end of the rope to the headboard, tying the knots with ease.  It was clear this wasn’t his first rodeo.

In no time, Zane had both of Melody’s wrists bound to the headboard.  Her arms were raised above her head, her elbows on either side of her ears.  She tested her bonds tentatively and found they held tight. 

There was no getting loose until Zane let her go.  The thought was both exciting and frightening.

“How does it feel?” Zane asked, inspecting the rope where it encircled her wrists.  “Is it too tight?” he asked as his fingertips slid over her inner arm and down to her wrist to check.  “I don’t want it cutting off your circulation.”

“It’s not too tight,” she assured him.

“Good.  What’s your safe word?” he asked, testing her.

“It’s raspberry.”

“Very good,” he murmured, his praise making her face warm.  “And when do you use it?”

“I use my safe word when I want you to stop,” she told him, reciting what he had explained.

“Yes, that’s right.  You’re a quick learner.  I like that.  Alright, that’s enough talk...it’s time to put what I just told you into practice.  Let’s give it a go,” he said.  “I want to make sure you understand.”  Then he reached out and suddenly began to tickle her sides.

Fortunately for Zane – and unfortunately for her – Melody just so happened to be very ticklish.  She let out a shriek and began to struggle against her bonds, but of course it was no use.  The rope held firm and limited her movement, meaning she was unable to do much more than squirm and squeal.

“Stop!” she cried out through her uncontrollable laughter, pleading with Zane for mercy.  She kicked her legs uselessly, and then suddenly stopped and clamped her thighs together.  “Oh my God, stop it, you’re going to make me pee myself!”

He ignored her and kept right on tickling her. 

It was downright sadistic, the way his very capable fingers explored her naked flesh, seeking out and finding the most sensitive spots so that he could torture them.  Poor Melody’s mind was racing as her brain was overloaded from the overwhelming sensations Zane was causing. 

Melody’s adrenaline was surging through her body and she felt totally out of control.  She couldn’t stop giggling even though she desperately wanted him to stop.  She didn’t know what to do and momentarily panicked.

Then she remembered Zane’s instructions.

“Raspberry!” she finally managed to sputter as her body thrashed helplessly atop the mattress.

No sooner than the words had left her lips, Zane stopped what he was doing.  He sat there gazing down at her as she recovered, and then wordlessly reached out to brush a lock of hair off her sweat-drenched forehead.

“I think you’ve got the hang of it,” he told her with approval.

She glared at him.  “That was so uncalled for!”

“Was it?” he replied, his tone suggesting he disagreed.  “Are you ready to move on?”

“Will there be any more tickling?” she asked him suspiciously.

He shrugged, unwilling to give a definitive answer.  “That’s for me to decide,” he reminded her.  “But for what it’s worth, I have other ideas for you.  Tickling isn’t really my thing, although judging by your reaction it might make a good punishment for you,” he teased.

“You’re going to punish me?” she asked incredulously.

“Only if you’re bad...or if the mood strikes me,” he replied.  “Now close your eyes.”

Melody shut her eyes and listened closely.  She heard the strike of a match and a moment later, she smelled the sweet, faintly cinnamon aroma of a candle burning.  Then she heard Zane’s footsteps on the hardwood as he walked out of the bedroom.  She thought she could hear him in the kitchen but she wasn’t certain.  She strained her ears for clues, but to no avail.

When Zane came back into the master bedroom, she couldn’t resist her curiosity a moment longer.  Almost without realizing she was doing it, Melody cracked an eye open and peeked to see what was going on.

She was startled to find that Zane was standing right above her not doing a thing – except starting at her.  And he didn’t look pleased.

“That was your first test,” he told her matter-of-factly.  “I told you to shut your eyes and you disobeyed.  You’ve earned one punishment for that, though since you’re new to this I will go easy on you...this time.  But don’t get used to it.  If I catch you disobeying again, you can be sure your punishment will be more severe.”

“Sorry,” Melody mumbled, feeling like a little kid being scolded for being naughty.  Then her eyes widened as Zane picked up the scarf and brought it up to her face.  “What are you going to do with that?!”

“You ask a lot of questions, don’t you?” he chuckled.  “You’ve proven I can’t trust you not to peek when your eyes are supposed to be shut.  So I’m going to blindfold you.”

Melody wasn’t quite sure what to make of that.  The prospect of having her sight taken away, even only temporarily, didn’t thrill her.  All of this was already so foreign to her, and she was already tied up so that her hands were of no use to her.  Not being able to see was going to make her that much more vulnerable, and she didn’t know how to feel about it.

But she didn’t have a choice in the matter.  Zane was in charge.

As Zane tied the scarf into place over her eyes, darkness set in.  Now all Melody had to rely on was her sense of hearing, along with a few other occasional clues as to what was happening.  She felt the mattress move and knew that Zane had sat down next to her again.  Then she felt his touch, feather light and gentle, as he stroked a fingertip across her bare belly.

“You asked me to teach you about what I’m into,” he said softly, his voice hoarse with desire.  “And believe me I can’t wait to teach you, to show you, to mold you.  Demonstrating is so much more effective than words,” he chuckled.  “I have a feeling you might be surprised about some of the things I’m interested in.  Maybe you will even be shocked.”

“Tell me,” she pleaded.  “Stop teasing!”

“Oh, but I love to tease,” Zane replied pleasantly.  “You’ll find out all about that soon enough.  But if you really want to know, then I suppose I can give you a hint or two about some of the many things I love to do.”

“Yes!” Melody was unable to conceal her eagerness.  “Please give me a hint!”

His fingers were still stroking her naked flesh, tracing along her navel before moving down to the tender flesh of her inner thighs.  Melody was straining against her bonds again although this time it was for a completely different reason. 

She wished Zane would just hurry up and take her already!

“There’s something really addictive about playing with hot wax,” he told her as his fingers leisurely explored the area right beneath the cups of Melody’s bra.  “I love seeing the fear in my submissive’s eyes and then dragging it out, making her wait for it...heightening her anticipation.”

“Are you serious?” she demanded, wishing his fingers would slip beneath her undergarments.

“Oh yes, very serious,” Zane assured her.  “The buildup is fantastic.  Then, when I tip the candle ever so slightly and the hot wax falls, time seems to slow down.  It can sometimes take a moment for the pain to register, which only adds to the fun.”

“That doesn’t sound like fun.”

“You might be surprised.  In any event it’s fun for
me
.  I like colored candles,” he remarked conversationally.  “Like the cinnamon one I have here.  With colored candles, the wax looks pretty when it cools and hardens.  It’s almost like art.”

“Some art,” she huffed.

Ignoring her lack of enthusiasm, Zane kept talking.  “Sometimes I like to whip the wax off once it’s hardened.  Belts work surprisingly well if you don’t have an actual whip at your disposal, although you have to make sure the buckles don’t do any lasting damage.”

Melody gasped.  Was her best friend really that sadistic?  “You can’t be serious,” she said again, unwilling to believe it.  “You’re trying to freak me out,” she accused him, trying to beat him at his own game.  But the tremor in her voice made it perfectly clear that she wasn’t convinced she was right.

“Oops, the candle went out,” Zane noted, choosing not to acknowledge her accusation.  She heard him light another match.  “There,” he said after a moment.  “That’s better.  Now, where were we?  Ah yes, that’s right.  Let me help you with this thong of yours,” he said. 

Though she was blindfolded, Melody could feel Zane looking at her.

“Raise your hips up off the bed for me.  Yes, just like that.  Good girl.  You have a gorgeous ass, by the way.  I would have said so earlier but I was too distracted thinking of all the wonderful, mean things I want to do to it.”

Suddenly Melody felt Zane’s hands at her hips.  His fingers slid under the elastic waistband. 

With one swift motion, he yanked her thong down until it was right below her sex.  Zane let out a low whistle of appreciation and Melody found herself getting embarrassed.  Reflexively, she clenched her thighs together as best she could.  She knew without a doubt that he was staring right at her privates.

“Hey now, no need to hide from me,” he chastised gently, his hands pressing gently on the insides of her thighs until she relaxed them and allowed her legs to spread ever so slightly.  “You’re beautiful,” he told her.  “I knew you would be, but
damn
.  It’s going to be tough for me to take my time with you.  I want to take you right here, right now.”

“Then do it,” Melody replied, her mouth dry and her nipples like hard little pebbles.  She was so turned on that she could hardly stand it.  All she wanted was to feel Zane on top of her, inside her...oh, she needed it!  “Please, do me,” she pleaded.

“No.”

She whimpered.

His hand stroked her sex, teasing, not quite giving her the stimulation she so desperately wanted.  “Patience,” he chided her gently.  “Are you ready for your punishment?”

“Yes.  I think.” There was something so hot about letting Zane take control.  Why had she never thought to try this before?  The power dynamic between them only added to the excitement, and Melody found herself sopping wet, her hips gyrating as though they had a mind of their own. 

She heard some noises she couldn’t recognize.  She froze.  “What are you going to do to me?”

“That’s for me to know and you to find out.”

Melody wasn’t sure, but she thought the scent of cinnamon suddenly grew stronger.

“I’m having trouble deciding which part of you to target,” Zane admitted as his fingers grazed her belly button.  “Here is one possibility,” he told her as he toyed with her navel.  “But I bet these would make excellent targets...let’s see...”  He tugged her bra up until her breasts spilled out.  “Mmm yes, very nice indeed.  So many possibilities...it’s tough to choose.”

Zane’s hands moved away then.  Melody was very much aware that her private parts were on full display.  The fact that he hadn’t completely removed her lingerie, opting instead to pull it aside, made her feel even more naked and exposed. 

Suddenly he caressed her between the legs again.

She gasped and arched her back as much as the bondage would allow, begging to be touched.

“Oh you like that, do you?” he murmured as he swirled his fingers around and around in lazy circles, always careful to avoid the one spot where she most desperately wanted to be stroked.  “Tell me what you want.  Beg for it.”