Melissa looked up for what felt like the hundredth time as the coffee shop door swung open. Her face lit up as she saw that it was Serena walking in from the bright heat outside.
Melissa stood up, accidentally jostling the table as she did. Her glass of iced mocha-chino teetered on the brink of overturning, but she was able to grab it in time. About a third of its contents, however, sloshed across her hand and onto the table.
Serena walked over to her as Melissa snatched up a paper napkin and hurriedly wiped her hand. As she set her purse down on one of the chairs, Serena joked, “Can’t take you anywhere.”
Melissa was too preoccupied with holding back her own confusing chaos of feelings to acknowledge Serena’s joke. After a moment’s pause, Serena recognized Melissa’s fragile state and held out her arms to give her a hug. Melissa wrapped her arms around Serena, holding on tightly. She lay her cheek against Serena’s forehead and breathed quietly for awhile, gathering strength from the close contact.
Finally, Melissa lifted her head and stepped back a little. Serena took Melissa’s hands in her own and squeezed them. Nodding to the chairs, Serena said, “Sit down and tell me all about it.”
With a deep breath, Melissa sat down. Serena moved her purse and sat opposite, reaching out to hold Melissa’s hands again.
After a moment, Melissa said, “I was doing fine. I saw a new OB/GYN this morning, had a great lunch with Malcolm, then I went to my old apartment, and I totally lost it.”
“What happened?”
“I don’t know. I was cleaning out the refrigerator. It had started to smell and grow stuff. When I left, I didn’t think I was really going to be gone all summer… Then I was clumping down the back stairs in these stupid fucking heels to dump the garbage. I had parked the Aston Martin in the alley near the dumpster. When I saw it there… I mean, those things cost, like over a hundred thousand when they’re brand new, and I’m all dressed in linen, and silk, and five hundred dollar Italian stilettos, but it’s the same goddamn alley where I’ve dumped my same goddamn trash all year, and I don’t know who the fuck I am anymore.”
“So… meltdown, huh?”
“Fucking A.”
“I’ve had a few of those.”
Melissa looked at her questioningly.
“The first time I ever got paid for having sex – I got back to my shitty little apartment, which I was about to lose because I was two months late on rent, and I spread the cash out on this stupid little folding table that I’d found out on the sidewalk, in someone’s trash. I just sat there looking at the money. I mean, it wasn’t enough to catch up on all my back rent, but it was a shit load for one night’s work – more than I’d make in a couple weeks of waitressing. It was one of those tipping points, you know. Go down this path? Is this somebody I want to be? Or don’t take money for sex and be homeless. It’s hard to be noble when you’re living on the street. Sometimes, life just sucks. But I really, really didn’t want to be a whore. My mom did tricks, sometimes. And my parents had rented me out as a kid. Guys who like fucking little girls – they’re really creepy dirtbags. They may be successful in business and everything, but they’re dirtbags. And the guy I had just fucked the night before, he didn’t seem that different. He was some bond trader hot shot – total dirtbag.”
Serena shook her head. “You know, like I could hear Darth Vader holding out his hand, saying, ‘It is your destiny.’” She laughed, “Fucking Erik, now I’m quoting Star Wars. Anyway, so you can guess that turning tricks wasn’t my top career choice. But hey, it was about all I had. And the escort gig was definitely higher class – way higher pay – no pimps, nice clothes. Then, when I stumbled into the high-end BDSM thing, the clients got a lot better, well, mostly. I mean, the creepy factor at the fringe got scarier, but I’d learned how to be careful. Even when I was doing the escort thing, I found a private detective, who used to be a bouncer, and put him on retainer. He’s not nearly in the same league as Mike, but Joe did save my ass once, so I figure he’s good insurance.”
Serena shook her head again. “Sorry, I’m wandering here – I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’ve definitely had moments where my whole world turned upside down. I didn’t know which way was up, or what to do about it. So I made some choices. Maybe they weren’t the best choices, but I eventually figured out how to make a pretty good life for myself.” She shrugged, “I don’t have some crystal clear twenty-year plan, but I’m okay with that, for now at least. The bottom line, I guess, is I trust you to get to a good place to, no matter what you decide. I mean, you’re a shitload smarter than I am and you’ve got a real college education. More than that, you’re an awesome person. And hey, you’re cute as hell. So whether you go vanilla, or kink, or whatever, I know you’re going to make wherever you wind up into something that’s right for you.”
Melissa squeezed Serena’s hands back. “Thank you. Wow. That kind of puts my bullshit into a different perspective.”
Serena said, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…”
“No, no,” Melissa interrupted, “you didn’t. I really needed to hear what you said, because I’ve just been wallowing in all this fear, and self-pity, and bullshit. But the truth is, I’ve got stuff pretty damn good right now. I mean, sure, life’s a little weird, but how can I not explore this part of me? I mean, I can’t figure out who I am, what I want, until I… hell, I don’t know… except I know I have to find out what this part of me is.”
Melissa looked down in embarrassment, “And when I hear what you went through, God, I feel like such a whiny, self-centered, cry baby.”
“I’m sorry; that wasn’t what I was trying to say.”
“I know, I know. And that’s why you’re so fucking awesome. You’re so sane, and you’ve been through all that insanity.”
“School of hard knocks, you know.”
“Yeah, but most people would have just rolled over and died.”
“Naw, people survive. Move on. Try to build a better life.”
“Maybe… but trust me on this one, you’re special.”
Serena smiled, “Yeah, well you are too.” She paused, her smile turning for mischievous. “So, we going fuck each other’s brains out now?”
Melissa laughed, “Sounds good to me, but I’ve got to finish what’s left of my coffee thing.”
“You’re going to take an iced coffee drink over tearing off your clothes and having sex with me?”
“No, I’m going to enjoy a few more minutes of sitting here, talking with my friend, before I fuck her brains out.”
“Oh, well, I guess that’s okay. So… anything other than the car in the alley tip you over the edge? I mean, that was a pretty deep dive from a shallow board.”
“Huh. I don’t know. I mean, it’s like having a day off, and not having Erik around as much anyway, everything sort of caught up with me.”
“Don’t you have this whole upcoming weekend off? You going to freak out again?”
“Oh shit! I promised my mom that I’d come by the house for dinner on Saturday. Oh my fucking God, I don’t know what I’m going to do. What the hell am I going to wear? I mean, she’s going to take one look at me, and it’s totally, ‘Whore of Babylon’ time.”
“You could wear a bra.”
Melissa rolled her eyes, “Well, duh.” She paused to put together her words. “It’s not that. It’s this aura thing that you and Erik keep telling me I have.”
“You mean you believe us now?”
“Well, maybe, kind of. I mean, I see how people react to me now, out on the street or in a store. It’s… it’s different.”
“Yeah, I’d believe that.”
“My mom’s going to freak!”
“That any part of why you flipped out this afternoon?”
Melissa froze, stunned by the possibility. Slowly, she said, “Malcolm and I were joking around about my visiting my folks this weekend, and their reaction. We were just being silly – he’s like that – but yeah, it must have been part of what caught up with me.”
“All that Catholic schoolgirl stuff collides with ‘Melissa, the notorious sex slave’? I could pay to watch that train wreck.”
“Fuck you very much.”
“As soon as you’re done with the coffee. Come on, drink up.”
“You are incorrigible.”
“Takes one to know one.”
“Yeah, that’s what I’m worried about.” Melissa lifted up her glass to take a swallow.
Serena casually commented, “You know one of my clients in a Catholic bishop, right?”
Melissa choked, then sprayed out her drink all across the table. Serena’s t-shirt also got hit by quite a few droplets. In between coughs, Melissa teased, “You’re going to burn in hell for that.”
“Well, he is, I’m sure. But the thing is, he’s a perfectly wonderful, loving priest and bishop. He just loves having his fanny whacked by someone dressed up like a nun. And then being sucked off.”
“You are a bad, bad person.”
“Does that mean you’re not going to fuck my brains out?”
“I didn’t say that…”
“Good. So the thing is, he really is a nice guy. And for a long time, he really was all torn up about his kink needs. But he’s gotten to this place now, where he knows that he’s a good person, and he’s a good administrator, and he has this kink thing. I mean, it’s not like he’s fucking choir boys. His kink is harmless. It doesn’t make him a bad person.”
“Okay… I’m not sure the church would agree, but I see your point. Except, what does it have to do with me, you know, Miss ‘Whore of Babylon,’ slut, and all-around deviant?”
“It’s the same thing.”
Melissa gave her a shocked look.
Serena elaborated, “You’re a good person. Your kink doesn’t make you bad, or evil, or anything else. It’s just part of you, and it’s not the most important part. Not by a long shot, even if it seems like it’s your whole life right now. It’s not. So you just go in your parent’s home, the same Melissa as you’ve always been. This kink has always been there, inside of you. You just know more about it now. But it doesn’t change who you are.”
“Um, wow. I guess. That’s going to be fun to pull off.”
“Want me to come along for moral support?”
“Oh sure, ‘Hi mom, this is my lesbian lover. She likes to tie me up, and then she whips me and makes me diddle her ass with my tongue. You’re going to love her!’ Yeah, sure, that’ll go over awesomely well.”
“Hey, you could tie me up today.”
“Thanks, that helps.”
Serena leaned forward, asking in a sultry voice, “Done with your drink?”
Melissa looked down at her half-full glass and the wet table. “Yeah, fuck it.”
“Oh goody.”
* * *
As soon as the door shut, Melissa collapsed against it in giggles. Serena looked at her, amused, and a little perplexed. Finally, Melissa caught her breath and said, “I’ve never done that before.”
“Checked into a hotel for an afternoon quickie?”
“Yeah. And with a woman, to boot. Did you see the look that the woman who checked us in gave us when you said we didn’t have any luggage?”
“Alouette? She was only trying to figure out if she could join us.”
“You know her name?’
“It was on her name tag.”
“Oh. Then you’re just joking about her wanting to join us?”
Serena cocked an eyebrow at her.
“What?” Melissa looked incredulous, “You’re shitting me!”
“Nope. Didn’t you feel the BDSM, lesbo vibe going on?”
“Ah, not with her… no.”
“We gotta work on your radar.”
“I think you’re just making it up.”
In response, Serena walked over a room phone and dialed. “Hello, reception please… Yes, hello? Is Alouette there? Thank you… Hello, Alouette? Yes, you just checked us into 518. We really need another room key. Would it be too much of a bother for you to run another one up here to us… Oh great! Thank you so much. See you in a minute.”
As soon as Serena hung up, Melissa shrieked, “Oh my God! I can’t believe you just did that!”
Serena only smiled back as she strode into the bathroom and pushed the door mostly closed.
Melissa called after her, “Where are you going? You can’t leave me to face her by myself.”
“Hey, you’re the one she was eyeing,” came the muffled reply.
Then Serena walked briskly back into the room, holding two terrycloth belts she had taken from the robes hanging in the bathroom. She halted in the middle of the suite, looking around intently. Then she walked over to an oversized leather ottoman that was in front of the sofa. She dragged it to line up between the corner of the couch and a dresser.
Throwing the belts to Melissa, Serena pulled off her t-shirt as she told Melissa, “Tie the ends around the leg of the couch and the foot of that dresser.”
Melissa stood frozen while Serena unfastened her bra. Serena snapped her fingers, “Hurry up! She’ll be here soon.”
Startled into action, Melissa knelt down and looped one belt end around the short, blocky leg of the couch. In the meantime, Serena had kicked off her shoes, slid off her jeans, and pulled her leather belt out from the jean’s waistband. As Melissa fumbled with making a knot, Serena balled up her clothes and shoes, then threw them behind the opposite corner of the couch, where they’d be hidden. Melissa idly noted that Serena hadn’t been wearing panties.
Serena knelt down beside Melissa, saying, “Here, let me help you.” She quickly tied a strong knot around the couch leg. Grabbing the other terrycloth belt, she tied one end around the foot of the dresser and the other end around her own ankles. Laying facedown across the leather ottoman, she snatched up her leather belt, which she had set aside. She gave it to Melissa, instructing her, “Whip my ass hard enough to leave some red stripes.” Then Serena grabbed the loose end of the terrycloth belt connected to the couch and started deftly wrapping it around her outstretched wrists. “Hurry up.”
Bemused, Melissa stood up and stepped around to Serena’s naked rear. A little uncertainly, she swung the belt, so it flopped across Serena’s buttocks.
“Lots harder,” Serena encouraged her. “It’s got to leave red stripes.”
With a deep breath to steady her, Melissa swung again. This time, the belt made a loud “thwap” against Serena’s skin. Melissa flinched harder than Serena did.
Serena told her, “That’s better. Just a little harder, and try to go criss-cross a little. You know, different angles and spacing.”
Rolling her eyes, Melissa complied, delivering several strokes. Serena asked, “How’s it looking?”
“Ah, I think they’re coming up red.”
“Yeah, it feels right; now just about three more.”
Melissa swung the belt more confidently for another three stripes. When she finished, Serena wiggled back and forth a little on the cushioned leather surface. “Yowser! Those definitely left a mark.”
Abashed, Melissa said, “Oh, I’m so sorry.”
“No that was great. It’s just that a girl usually has to work up to that level of impact play. You know, start with a nice thuddy flogger first? But we’re doing street theater here, so sacrifices must be made.”
“Is this, like, what you do? How you make a scene?”
“Sure. Now quick, jog in place. Get sweaty and out of breath, like you’ve been beating me hard. Then, when Alouette gets here, open the door so she sees me and ask her if she could help you out. Tell her I’ve been a very bad girl and you’re all worn out punishing me.”
Shaking her head at Serena’s unfolding plan, Melissa scooped up her breasts in her hands and held them tight to her chest as she jogged in place as best as she could in her heels. She was just about to ask Serena if she could take off her shoes when they both heard the elevator down the hall make a “bing.”
Melissa stopped jogging. Serena flashed her a quick smile, “It’s showtime! Do I look okay?”
Melissa stepped back to survey the scene and was suddenly hit by the eroticism of how Serena was tied across the oversized ottoman. The red stripes across her buttocks had become much more vivid and sharply defined. “Wow. You’re gorgeous.”
There was a knock at the door, and Melissa’s head whipped around. Serena whispered, “Remember, you’re out of breath.”
Serena nodded as she walked to the door, panting to get in character. She shifted Serena’s thin leather belt into her left hand, then, before reaching out to open the door, she reached up and fumbled a button open on her silk blouse, so it exposed some cleavage. Looking down, she quickly undid another button, so her blouse draped open a little past her bust line.
Slowing her panting into deep breathing she opened the door. In a brief moment of panic, she wondered whether Alouette had given the key to a bellman for delivery, but as the door swung open, Melissa saw the same dark haired, attractive, twenty-something woman who had checked them in. She was wearing a uniform dark gray pantsuit with a high collared jacket and a pin that read, ‘Alouette Duchaine, Montreal, Canada.’ With a demure smile, she held out a card key, “Mam.”
Still breathing hard, Melissa wasn’t sure what to say. From inside the room, Serena moaned, which reminded Melissa to open the door wider and step out of the way, so Alouette could see inside.
Melissa could see the receptionist’s eyes widen and her nostrils flare slightly as she took in a deep breath. Remembering her role, Melissa said, “She’s been a very naughty girl. I’m just exhausted from disciplining her.”
Melissa turned to look back at Serena, who had adopted the expression and posture of an insolently defiant teenager.
Melissa complained to Alouette, “She’s simply hopeless. I don’t know what to do with her. Can you help me?”
“Uh, I really can’t be gone long.”
“Oh, it won’t take but a moment. You look like you’re in great shape.” Melissa caressed her arm through her uniform jacket. “I’m sure you could set her straight in no time. It would be such a big help to me.”
“Um…”
Melissa took Alouette’s hand in her own, intertwining their fingers and bringing it up to kiss her hand pleadingly, while also slowly drawing her into the room. “Please.” She kissed her hand again, “It would be such a big help.”
“Well…”
“Oh thank you!” Melissa thrust the belt into the other woman’s free hand. Behind them, the door swung shut, closing with a click.
Alouette protested, “I’m not sure what to do.”
Melissa nodded thoughtfully, “I see. You’re usually on the other end of these?”
Alouette’s gaze dropped to the carpet in embarrassment.
Melissa whispered, “Me too. We… sort of switched things up today. I’m kind of just making it up as I go along.” She gave Alouette a conspiratorial smile, which the other woman coyly returned.
“So,” Melissa continued in a bolder voice, “let’s get you out of that jacket, so you can properly swing your arm.” Letting go of Alouette’s hand, Melissa started unbuttoning her uniform jacket from the bottom up to the high neck. After a moment’s uncertainty, Alouette silently allowed Melissa to slip her jacket off, revealing a trim figure and modest bust. She wore no undershirt, only a delicate lace and satin bra with a front closure.
Unable to resist, Melissa unsnapped the bra and slid it off, deliberately brushing her hands across Alouette’s small, pert breasts. “There,” Melissa gave her a reassuring smile, “Now you have complete freedom.” She paused, as though uncertain, then continued, “Well, nearly complete,” as she allowed her hand to brush down Alouette’s torso until stopping abruptly with her fingers hooked in the other woman’s waistband.
Alouette’s reaction was a sharp intake of breath, lifting her breasts – and giving Melissa a sudden insight into why men seemed to like it when she did the same thing.
Taking Alouette’s quietly expressed excitement as permission, Melissa unsnapped the side closure of Alouette’s pants, then slowly pulled down the zipper. Her pants gapped away from her narrow hips, so Melissa slipped her hands down along Alouette’s flanks, casually sliding her fingernails underneath the waistband of Alouette’s lace panties, then easing both pants and panties downward until they fell to the floor.
Melissa surreptitiously noted that Alouette had groomed her pubic hair in a narrow vertical stripe, starting just above her clean-shaven labia. Looking back up, Melissa saw that Alouette’s expression was still a strange mixture of eagerness and passivity.
Since Alouette had not moved, Melissa crouched down and tapped one of Alouette’s legs, prompting her to lift it while helping her slip her foot out of the black mid-rise pump she had been wearing. Then Melissa helped her to free her other foot.
Reaching underneath the pants, Melissa drew out the shoes and had Alouette slip them back on. Melissa smiled to herself, realizing that Erik’s preferences were wearing off on her. In this setting, a naked woman who wasn’t wearing heels seemed wrong to her.
Straightening back up, Melissa saw that Alouette was standing calmly, holding Serena’s thin leather belt without any apparent sense of trepidation, although she still made no move.
After a moment’s consideration, Melissa led Alouette over to the back of an armchair near Serena. Taking the belt from Alouette, Melissa bent her forward over the chair. Folding the belt back on itself, Melissa drew the looped end lightly down the length of Alouette’s back, eliciting a shiver of excitement.
“Here is how you need to punish her,” Melissa instructed, as she drew back her arm. Alouette braced herself and Melissa swung carefully, trying to deliver enough power to sting, but not so much as to be painful or overwhelming.
Alouette’s head lifted sharply, and she gasped. Shifting her legs a little, she let her head drop back down with a barely audible, but clearly satisfied groan.
Encouraged by this reaction, Melissa delivered several more strokes, explaining, “You need to start off lightly, so you ease her body into accepting your discipline, but then increase your force.” Melissa demonstrated by slowly ratcheting the intensity of her strokes upwards. “You have to make certain that she knows the error of her ways, but you should always hold back from the level of real pain.” As she finished speaking, Melissa stopped lashing Alouette, then reached down and softly caressed Alouette’s reddened buttocks. At first, Alouette flinched away, but then she returned to her pose with a needful whimper.
Emboldened, Melissa slid her thumb between Alouette’s labia. Mimicking Erik’s technique, which she had come to enjoy so much herself, Melissa trapped Alouette’s G-spot and clitoris between her thumb and forefinger. Then she squeezed.
Alouette began to breathe in short, panting gasps. Awkwardly using her left hand, Melissa tried to bring the belt up to resume punishment, but to her complete frustration and embarrassment, the belt slipped out of her hand, tumbling to the floor. She looked at the belt, trying to figure out how to retrieve it. After a moment, Melissa realized that Alouette’s panting had slowed. Melissa chastised herself for getting distracted and letting Alouette’s arousal start to subside.
Squeezing Alouette’s sex more vigorously with her right hand, Melissa told herself, “This is why I don’t like being a dom.”
To her relief, Serena called out, “Please Mistress, I promise to be better.” Looking over, Melissa saw that Serena had undone the terrycloth belt from her wrists and repositioned herself to lie face-up on the ottoman, with her head resting near the edge. “Bring her over here Mistress. I’ll hold her down while you finish demonstrating the proper technique.”
Grateful for Serena’s rescue, Melissa slid her right hand out of Alouette. The dark haired woman didn’t move, so Melissa carefully slid her hand into the woman’s hair and lifted her head up.
Startled, Alouette looked at Melissa questioningly. Nodding toward Serena, Melissa said, “Get over there and lie on top of her.”
Alouette ducked her head submissively, moving to comply, although she seemed uncertain about how to arrange herself on top of Serena. Melissa guided her with a few light slaps, maneuvering her to spread her knees on either side of Serena’s head, and lower her sex down against Serena’s mouth, then to bend forward and bring her face down to Serena’s sex.
As Serena’s tongue explored Alouette’s inner reaches with what sounded like noisy enthusiasm, Melissa picked the leather belt up from the floor and once again started plying it on Alouette’s rear.
Now having regained control, Melissa studied the intertwined bodies in front of her and realized that Alouette was simply resting her head on Serena’s pelvis, rather than returning any of the attention that Serena was so vigorously giving her.
Melissa gave Alouette a noticeably harder whack with the belt, “What are you doing you lazy thing? Bury your tongue in her pussy. I want to see you lapping up her juices.”
Slowly, Alouette obeyed. Melissa found Alouette’s passivity frustrating, although she excused some of Alouette’s slowness to the possible distraction of a building orgasm. Indeed, after several more minutes of build-up, Alouette suddenly writhed in orgiastic spasms that became increasingly violent as she flinched and thrashed back and forth, seeming to completely lose control of her body.
Eventually, she collapsed in an exhausted heap on top of Serena. From underneath Alouette’s splayed limbs came Serena’s voice, “Don’t thworry about me. I didn’t thneed all of my thongue anyway. I’m fine, only a couple of thribs are cracked.”
Melissa giggled, then asked, “Do you need help?”
“When thshe recovers, if you could dump her assth on the floor?”
By that point, Alouette’s head raised up a little. She looked around groggily, then clumsily tried to climb off Serena and the ottoman. Serena responded, “uhh, ooph, argh,” to each of Alouette’s jerky movements.
Finally, Alouette slid off, slumping to the floor. From where she lay, she apologized, “I so sorry. I never have an orgasm, not a real one I mean. I’m so embarrassed. I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
Serena reassured her, “No, I’m fine. That was high energy, but pretty amazing. So what the fuck do you mean, you ‘never’ have an orgasm?”
“I… I just don’t. With my boyfriend, I always make believe.”
“Okayyy. What about when you’re with other women?”
“Oh, I never have been – with a woman before.”
“Okayy. And being spanked?”
“Oh no, only in my imagination.”
Serena was dumbfounded, and then suggested, “Well, maybe you’ve been going about this the wrong way…”
A loud beeping noise started to come from Alouette’s discarded jacket. She exclaimed, “Merde! My break is over. I must get back.”
She levered herself up to her hands and knees, then awkwardly gathered her clothes from the floor. Fumbling her phone from her jacket pocket, she silenced the beeping. Then she unsteadily stood up and began to dress.
Melissa asked, “Um, don’t you want to stay for a moment and talk? This all sounds like it’s kind of new for you. I know that can be sort of overwhelming…”
“No, no. I must get back downstairs before I get in trouble.”
“Well, maybe afterward?”
Alouette shrugged on her jacket and started heading toward the door, “I couldn’t. I have to go cook dinner for my boyfriend. I am so sorry.” With that, she was out the door.
Melissa looked at Serena wide-eyed, who returned her look with equal disbelief. Melissa sputtered, “But, but you said that she was into all this…”
Serena held a finger to her lips, then whispered, “She must have a very active imagination. She gave off all the right signals, and she sure as hell didn’t protest too much about joining us in playtime.”
Out in the hall, they heard the elevator ‘bing’ and the doors open. After a moment, the doors closed again. Melissa asked, “What the hell do we do now?”
Serena gave her a lopsided grin, “Slip out the back.”