A ll right, then. Three strikes. Unless I like it and decide to do more.

He pressed his forehead to the wall again, nodding, and she saw that delicious tremor run through his body. She didnt have to understand why he craved it to be aroused by his response, and that too, was a new and exciting revelation. Hed told her that by giving her pleasure, it would give him pleasure. She hadnt considered how much the reverse could hold true.

Moving away from him, she did a couple practice swings against the lamp, watching how much the rubber gave. The lamp vibrated with the impact when she put a little more strength against it. Nodding to herself, she came back to him.

Im not sure the lamp post did anything to deserve that, the way I have.

She suppressed a smile, and trailed the hoop down his back again, teasing it over the brand. Keep it up, and Ill make it much worse.

Keeping it up isnt a problem. Not watching you walk with your breasts out like that, and glimpses of your pussy through the strips of the skirt. I want to put my mouth on the boots, bite through it to your ankle. Work my way up to the top, and slide my tongue around the edge, behind your knees. Kiss your beautiful, perfect ass. God, please do it, Chloe. Youre making me crazy.

The plea and demand made her put aside rational thought and go for intuition. She swung. The rubber hit with a sharp slap noise in the middle of his back. Shed put some strength behind it, and a curved crescent appeared on his flesh, pain and pleasure both shuddering through him. She did it again, harder, just below it, earning a muffled grunt, his shoulders bunching. Once more made a triangular trinity of intersected crescent marks, radiating heat and pain. She did it twice more, high and low, then once more, in the center, over the original three. The power of his stillness, of his submitting to her torment, of his hunger to serve her, washed over her like a drug. Goddess, shed had a taste of this the night of the carnival, but this was so, so different.

Because this was about their pleasure, not just her dark cravings. She was soaking wet, and it was as much from his response as her own. He stayed against the wall, his hands flat, but the sense of restrained power there was pure lust, waiting to be unleashed at her command.

Even so, as she watched the welts rise on his skin, she felt sympathetic pangs in her own flesh. Setting the hoop aside, she moved in, and placed her palms over them. Heat, as shed sensed, and he drew in a breath at the abrasion of that mere light touch. Reaching around to slide her fingertips down his abdomen, she arrowed into the open trousers to find his cock hardening again. It jumped spasmodically against her touch.

Leaning in, she pressed her lips to the first welt. Then the second. Kissed every one of them, again and again, as his trembling increased beneath the kneading, slow rhythm of her touch on his cock, her caresses to his back with her moist lips.

Im sorry, Brendan.

For what? he rasped.

For not liking to hurt you.

Im going to turn around now. I want to hold you. Is that okay?

Its way more than okay.

He turned then, a blink of time, and had his arms around her, holding her close. They leaned against the wall, her palms folded over his back, keeping the rough texture of the wall from scraping those welts. Please say those two words, he murmured against her hair. Im going to go crazy if you dont.

She closed her eyes, drew a breath and tipped her head back, because she wanted those forest-like eyes so close, his mouth so touchable she had to trace it with her fingertips.

Youre mine, Brendan, she said. Fully, in every way. Whatever you need or want, its here. Well figure it out. I believe that, down to my Passionate Pink painted toenails.

His smile blinded her, or maybe it was the easy tears that spilled from her eyes at his reaction, so heartfelt and giving. He kissed every one.

When she put her fingers on his mouth, they passed the next few moments in a silent game of him nipping and nuzzling at her fingers, catching and holding one then letting it go, until they were both smiling.

Youre gentle, Chloe, he said at last. I love that about you. I love everything about you. Taking a breath, telling her that he was working at what shed started, he spoke. Ive been with Mistresses who shared me, and I had no claim or demand on who they had in their life, but that was part of who we were to one another. If I thought you were the type of personmaybe I could give you that, but I dont think you are. I know you arent, he added hastily, at the warning glint in her eye.

With the raw emotion she heard enter his voice, he captured her heart even more. Ive never wanted something as much as I want you, Chloe.

Ive never had someone I wasnt prepared to let go. Someone I wanted to keep, more than anything else. I was fine with that, until I met you that night at the wedding. I wanted to call you a hundred times, but I didnt, because I told myself it had to be about what you wanted, not what I wanted.

Idiot, she decided. We could have been fucking like minks months ago.

He choked on a laugh. Im sorry for that, but also because, by doing that, I made you go through it alone all those months. I could have helped.

She shook her head. I think things happen at certain times, for certain reasons. You know what I mean?

Yeah, but it doesnt make me wish any less that I could have been there for you.

Except for a couple times at the carnival, and even then it feltsort of wrong, you havent called me Mistress.

Nor have you demanded it. He cocked his head, seeming to consider what he was going to say next, how she would take it. She tightened her grip on him, drawing his attention.

Tell me anything, Brendan. Dont hold back.

He nodded. Margueriteshes my Mistress. Clear cut. What you and I are is less definable to me. Meeting youit opened a room Id kept closed, for a very long time. In fact, Im not sure Ive ever opened it. What I want isnt exactly different, but the form is. Youre who and what I want, in all ways.

If Im being fair, Id have to say youre both to thank for that.

Moving her hands down to the brand, she touched it, watched his eyes darken, felt the combined weight of two womens hold on him, and didnt feel threatened by it anymore. I agree, she said softly.

He tilted her chin up, and now his mouth was so close it made her dizzy. The night I called you Beloved, that seemed to come closest to it, you know?

She nodded, too full of happiness to speak. Just as hed opened himself up to her to embrace the possible treasure of love between them, this past month shed been doing the same, rediscovering the treasure of herself, something she would never take for granted again. Brendan was the best possible reward for it.

She cupped her hand around his neck, guided him in backward steps toward that pallet again, and when she leaned back against his arms, he understood, taking them down until he was laying full on top of her, and the tears and joy and desire were all there. She pushed at the skirt, and he helped, closing his hands gently on hers to take them out of his way, telling her he would take care of her.

His cock slid in, long and deep, coming to rest in a well of her soul that embraced him with every emotion spinning there. She closed her legs over his back, her heels on his buttocks, feeling the loosened trousers beneath them.

I want to do this again later tonight, she whispered. A t home, with no clothes on either of us, just bare skin to bare skin. I want to fall asleep with you inside me, Brendan.

He held her gaze, setting fire to her body with slow movements. Her clit tightened against the rub of his body, telling her that she would be climaxing in his arms in a matter of minutes. We can do that. Id like that. His voice fell to that sexy murmur that made her even hotter. Taking care of the woman I love, who belongs to me as much as I belong to her, is what matters most to me.

Good to know, she managed. A nd as much as I like having my own personal groomsman in a London alleyway to ravish, after thisI want to go home. She bit down on a groan, a near whimper, and exulted in the fire that flared in his gaze. His cock was as hard as if he hadnt just come, and she knew shed bring him to climax inside her again. She wouldnt go over alone. You asked me to move in with you, Brendan. I dont want that.

Before he could wonder, she added, on a gasp, What I want is for you to move in with me. I want you to moveyour bed there Oh Goddess. I want to always remember the first night. When you laid on that ocean-like spread of yours and put your hands on yourself, bringing yourself to climax for me.

Bring yourself to climax for me now. His voice was rough, urgent, and his hips started moving faster, his hands gripping her body. Let me come inside you.

Now, she agreed, her breath catching in her throat. Let me feel you.

It was fire, sweeping from that joining point, melting their bodies together, making them twist and arch, struggle and move in a dance of inches, that took them far out into a part of the universe carved just for them. He swallowed her scream in his mouth, kissed her with all the need and ownership that she gave right back to him, telling him that whatever else happened here, whatever journey they traveled, she knew she wanted this to be forever. She believed in forever. Thanks to Brendan.

When their carousel at last eased to a stop, their bodies trembling, slick, his arms were banded tight around her. A s her fingers curled into his chest, he pressed his forehead to hers.

Ill move in with you. Ill bring my bed. Ill do and be whatever you want, Chloe. A lways.

She pressed her hands to his temples, letting more tears come, ease them both. A nything that makes us both happy, she said. Thats all I could ever want.

* * * * *

They did resolve to go to his home that night, since the hour was late. They slept on his bed there, with plans to move it the next day. He made love to her as shed requested, his body stretched out on hers, breast to chest, hip to hip, legs and feet tangling. A s his body moved inside her, slow and easy, as if they were on the ocean in truth, they came to a crest together. His hands framed her face as they both reached the pinnacle, and then they held each other close, content to say nothing, be nothing in the darkness but everything to one another. It was then she remembered something else Marguerite had told her. What if I have days I want him to just hold me, make love to me without permission and the D/s thing?

Marguerite had run a reassuring touch down her arm. Chloe, we all have our needs, but there are no rules when it comes to love. I have no doubt that whatever you each need, youll be that for each other. Because whatever God or Goddess is, love is Their greatest gift. Nothing gives Them more joy than to see it embraced, with every ounce of our souls.