Page 111 of Bound By Words

Kelly’s breathing was choppy as I shifted back on the mattress, gently taking the necklace from her outstretched palm. My fingers gathered her hair, and she reached back to hold it as I raised the pendant. I watched as the gold ring settled at the hollow of her throat, satisfaction rolling through me as I fastened the clasp at the back of her neck, kissing it lightly before I wrapped my arms around her waist from behind. “It looks perfect on you. Thank you for wearing it.”

“I don’t want to take it off,” she whispered as her fingers moved up to rub the charm.

“It’s yours,” I promised as I cupped my hand over the back of hers, enjoying the way she instinctively leaned her head back against my shoulder.

Now, she not only had my heart but also had my mark of commitment to this dynamic, and I found myself falling even more.

KELLY

Boston

My fingers toyed with the pendant at my throat, my thumb slowly rubbing over the smooth facet of the diamond in the center. When Nathan had surprised me with the collar last night, there hadn’t been any question that I would wear it. I knew I was ready for wherever things would take us. I may not have been prepared to tell him my feelings aloud, but I loved him. From what he’d explained to me, this was an entry-level collar as my training began, and we could potentially move toward more permanent collars as our relationship grew, but it was the most special gift I’d ever received.

“You ready to go?” Nathan asked as he wrapped his arm around my waist from behind, resting his chin on my shoulder.

His eyes met mine in the bathroom mirror, and as our gazes locked, I felt my nerves melt away. I was ready for this, and knowing that I was going there with him, claiming me fully in his life, cemented my desire to keep moving on this journey together.

“I’m ready.”

His answering smile was enough to make me want to show him what I’d been hiding under my dress and spend the night in the playroom instead, but I wanted to see how this relationship worked in the real world—in this community he wanted to share with me—and to do that, I had to trust him.

Instead of leaving his Bronco parked on the street overnight, we took an Uber to Emory’s photography studio, silently holding hands in the back seat. I still had a million unanswered questions running through my mind, but I didn’t want to make it weird for the stranger driving the car.

“You still with me, sunshine?” Nathan asked as the driver switched on their turn indicator, pulling into a parking spot in front of a brick building with a row of storefronts.

“Let’s go.” I nodded, taking his hand as he stepped out of the car. The rain from the previous week had finally faded away, but there was a chill in the air as he tucked me under his arm, and we made our way toward a darkened storefront.

“Do you want my jacket?” he whispered into my hair as I shivered, but I shook my head.

“I’d rather you kept me warm yourself.”

His answering chuckle was worth the cheeky response, and his gruff whisper of ‘behave’ in my ear sent a shiver down my spine that had nothing to do with the cold.

As we approached the door, he reached forward to quickly type a passcode into an electronic pad mounted next to it, and a soft click sounded before he pulled the door open, ushering me inside.

“They’re probably in the playroom. Let’s hope they’re not fucking,” Nathan chuckled as he glanced down at me, laughing harder at how my eyes widened. “I was joking, but it wouldn’t be the first time they made us late that way. Those two are insatiable sometimes.”

“Hmm,” I hummed nervously, but Nathan’s naughty grin told me he was on to me.

“Unless you’d like to watch, in which case I’m sure they’d be down for us to be tardy.”

“Are you trying to embarrass me again?” I squeaked, hiding my face against Nathan’s suit jacket material.

“No,” he whispered, his breath hot on my neck. “I’m telling you that if you want to watch them fuck before the play party, I can ask them. Chances are pretty good Talia would be into it.”

Looking up into his eyes, I shook my head. “I’m not ready for that.”

“But you’re ready for tonight?” The apprehension in his gaze belied his chuckle behind the words. I knew he was worried that what happened tonight would scare me or make me change my mind about it or him.

“I don’t know how to explain it. Seeing strangers doing something and seeing friends doing something are different for me. I’m not saying I’d never want to watch them…”

Suddenly feeling vulnerable, I averted my gaze, stepping toward the curtain leading to the studio’s back room. I didn’t know what was back there, but I knew moving forward wouldn’t make me feel as nervous as thinking further about that line of conversation.

“Wait.” I paused as Nathan tugged my hand and turned back to look at him. “I get it, Kelly. I see you. Don’t worry.” His lips grazed my knuckles as he pulled my hand to his lips. “Say ‘matrix’, and I’ll take you home tonight. Don’t forget that. If you want to go, we can go. No questions asked.”

Swallowing past the nerves in my throat, I nodded, following when he pulled me into his chest and kissed my forehead.

“Breathe, sunshine. I’ve got you.”

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