Tessa's Escape to Athena's Ground (16 page)

-34-

“Sexual role game? I could never do that,” Tessa said.

Russell raised his eyebrows and the vibrator control. “A higher speed or off, it’s your choice.” His eyes sparkled and Tessa got the feeling he enjoyed his control over her building arousal.

“Tell me again why we do it? It sounds kind of silly.”

“Would you eat every meal with only salt and pepper? Never any garlic or oregano. Heaven forbid the cumin or cinnamon. Of course not. And if sex is a meal, toys—and a little role-playing—is the spice that keeps mealtime tasty. And fun.”

“Hmm. Tell me about our game.”

“First we’ll finish playing with the items on your buffet table. Then I’ll go out for a fresh bottle of wine while you get yourself together.”

“You’re awfully confident I’ll need time to recuperate from your buffet, aren’t you?” Her eyes twinkled.

Russell clicked the vibrator control to the next higher level, which was still pretty calm, but Tessa jumped, and Russell smiled. “Yes, I am confident. But getting back to our fantasy scene. I won’t be gone long, but time enough for you to freshen up. I need you to leave this outfit on, with one small adaptation.”

Now it was Tessa’s turn to raise her eyebrows.

“That bit of lace covering your nipples. It’s removable, with a firm tug. While I’m gone, I want you to rip it off, so I can see your beautiful pink circles and big, lusty nipples. I also want you to put some bright red lipstick on. I put a tube in the bathroom for you.”

“How thoughtful,” Tessa said, a blend of sarcasm and excitement. The vibe inside her was slowly fueling her arousal and she wondered how long it would take before spontaneous combustion.

“When I return, I’ll knock on the door and say your first name. That way you’ll know it’s me and not Room Service, though I’ll have the Do Not Disturb sign on the door so they wouldn’t knock anyway. When you hear the knock and your name, you’ll answer the door. But not as Tessa.”

“Not as me? What do you mean?”

“What would you never, ever do in real life? Be a hooker? Be a spy who uses sex to steal national secrets? Be a nymphomaniac who craves sex like cocaine? The fantasy is more than silly role-playing. It’s a chance to walk on the wild side, safely and with someone you trust. So what is Tessa’s wild side?” He leaned back and waited while Tessa thought.

Tessa thought about Kent the night he raped her. He took complete, non-consensual control of her. She would never do such an unspeakable thing to another human being, but she had to admit, in a fantasy game it might feel good to be on the giving side. She took a deep breath, a little ashamed.

“I would never force sex on an unwilling person. But for the fantasy…” she shrugged her shoulders.

“We can make that happen. A good way to start is with those dirty words you hate. Even before you open the door, start telling me what you’re going to make me do to you, whether I like it or not.” Russell smiled. “When you open the door all the way and see me, I’ll be quaking and fearful and completely under your command.”

“Who knew I could control the male world simply by talking dirty to them. In my business, that’s good to know.”

Russell laughed. “Sorry. It only works in sex role games.”

“And American politics.” Tessa thought about being able to command Russell to do anything she liked, well, almost anything. “Can we forget the other stuff on the buffet and go straight to game night?”

Russell wagged his finger. “And miss out on the wonderful toys I’ve brought you? Such wonderful lessons, lost because you can’t wait to order me around.” His eyes crinkled with amusement. “The night is young. We have time for it all.”

***

“How does that feel?” Russell asked.

Tessa was sprawled on her back, legs flung apart. “It’s cool, but…” she started wiggling. “It’s starting to heat up. Tingle.”

“That’s what stimulating gel does. A little dab rubbed on your clit will light a fire under your arousal.” He handed the little bottle to Tessa. “The peppermint and menthol make the tingle. The gel wakes up the nerves and increases the blood flow to your clit. Bumps up the sensitivity and helps amp up your arousal. Do you like it?”

“Yeah. It’s not overpowering, but it just feels like a friendly little goose, if you know what I mean.”

“Keep this by your bed. If your lover needs a little help getting your fire lit, have him apply it. Just a little, though. Once it’s on there you can’t rinse it off.”

“What’s next?” Tessa was beginning to feel like a five-year-old on Christmas morning. And between the light pulsation of the vibe buried inside and her tingling clit, she needed to unwrap some presents soon.

“Roll over and stick your ass in the air.”

Tessa hesitated.

“You’ve already met this guy,” he said, lubing up Tessa’s butt plug.

Russell took his time. He massaged her hole and nibbled her earlobe until her muscles relaxed and he was able to fully insert the little plug with no discomfort. “Don’t ever let your lover rush you on this,” he whispered into her ear. “It should never hurt, and if it does, it’s not being done right or you’re not in the mood for it.”

“Umm, it’s making the vibe inside feel bigger. More powerful.”

“That’s the plan. And when I turn up the speed…” Russell moved the vibrator to mid-strength with pulse.

“Ooh.” Tessa touched her mound, in search of her clit, which was still tingling from the gel. “I need to go.”

“To the bathroom?”

“No. Here!” She tapped the top of her mound. “Help me.”

Russell chuckled. “Not so fast. You’ve got to give what you can to your lover.” Russell pulled Tessa’s hand off her mound and placed it on his throbbing penis. He reached for the tube of lubricant and squirted some in Tessa’s hand. “Rub me. I’ll tell you how fast by changing the speed of your vibe. Let’s see who comes first.”

Russell lowered the vibe speed and Tessa groaned, but matched her hand speed to the vibrator’s. “Firmer grip,” he said, and when Tessa complied he turned her vibe one setting higher. They matched each other; as Russell became more excited he excited Tessa by cranking up her vibrator. When they got to the vibrator’s highest setting, Tessa was begging for relief. The vibe and gel had stimulated her, but her clit needed direct pressure.

Just as Tessa was sure she would die of frustration, Russell took her swollen clit in his fingers. He worked it faster and firmer while Tessa did the same with Russell’s shaft. When Tessa screamed and jerked, Russell squirted his seed onto her mound. He caught his breath, dipped his finger into the milky liquid on her pubic mound, and massaged her slit with his semen.

“I’m finished, for the moment, but you’re not,” he said.

Russell pulled the vibrator out and inserted one, two and then three of his fingers inside. With the butt plug and three of Russell’s fingers in her, Tessa felt full. She was still twitching from her orgasm, but Russell refused to let her wiggle out of his grasp.

“There’s no reason you can’t come again. As long as you’re wet, or lubed, have your lover insert as many fingers as comfortable and curl them up like he’s scratching an itch up here.” He pressed a spot inside Tessa and she felt sparks. “That’s your G Spot. It’s not mythical. And if you talk dirty to me, I’ll make you come again.” He scratched her itch again, and Tessa moaned.

“Since when is a moan a dirty word? Come on, give what you can to get what you need. I want to hear some dirty bedroom talk. It excites me.”

Tessa wanted another orgasm more than she wanted a clean mouth. The problem was, she had a pretty limited, and boring, vocabulary. She gave it a try.

Russell moved his fingers in and out, teasing the G Spot without providing enough stimulation to bring Tessa to climax. He said, “Really? ‘Please fuck me’ is the best dirty talk you’ve got?” He found her spot and began to work it again, watched as she neared another orgasm, and then moved his fingers from the target. “Try again, Tessa.”

“If I still had your dick in my hand I’d strangle it! Make me come or I’ll find it and show you I mean it.”

Russell beamed. He found Tessa’s G Spot and was still smiling when she came so hard she ejaculated.

-35-

“I thought that was a myth,” Tessa said a minute later, embarrassed by the clear fluid that spurted from her vagina.

“Most women live their life without coming hard enough to squirt. How’d it feel?”

“Like a tsunami. No control. Didn’t want any either.”

Russell gathered Tessa in his arms and placed a kiss on her forehead. “Congratulations. That’s quite an accomplishment.”

“Your accomplishment,” Tessa said, “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“I’ve a fabulous skill set, if I say so myself.” He grinned. “Work with your man. With practice, he’ll be able to do the same.”

Russell got up. “I’m going to clean myself up a little, then I’m going to go get some fresh wine.” He winked. “Freshen yourself up while I’m gone. Remember to rip off that lace. I want to see those nipples like headlights on a ’57 Chevy.”

“Yes sir.”

“And don’t forget to put the lipstick on. I’m looking forward to seeing it on my big, hard cock.”

“I’ll be ready.”

Russell put the Do Not Disturb sign on the door and left. Tessa heard him whistling as he headed to the elevator.

She wasn’t sure she’d have time for a shower, so Tessa washed between her legs with a warm, wet washcloth. Russell had removed her butt plug earlier and walked her through the proper way to clean and sanitize it. Now, Tessa washed her anus. It wasn’t sore at all, and she smiled with the memory of such fullness, thanks to her little plug with training wheels. Who’d have guessed?

Initially, Tessa thought sexual role games, fantasy play, scenarios--whatever you wanted to call them, were silly. But the idea grew on her as Russell explained them. One of the biggest problems she and Mark had was a sex life so bland it had no life, hence his need to enjoy more flavorful sex with other women. Tessa was determined not to make that same mistake again, and not just for her guy, but for herself as well. If role playing added flavor to a relationship, she sure as hell was going to learn how to sprinkle on some spice.

“But how?” she said out loud, as she tugged the black peek-a-boo lace from the top of her bra. With the lace off, her nipples were completely exposed. “Like headlights on a ’57 Chevy,” she said, thinking of Russell. Her bra, her exposed nipples, and the black garter and stockings were a start. But something was missing.

“My fuck-me shoes!” Tessa said, trotting to the bed where the shiny red high heels lay abandoned. She put them on, and slipped around inside them. As long as she didn’t walk fast, they were steady enough.

The first time Mark had talked dirty to her was on her honeymoon night. It terrified her. He tried again, now and then, during their first year of marriage but he stopped when dirty words turned Tessa even colder. “I’m going to change that,” she said to her reflection in the mirror. “Give what you can and get what you need.”

Still looking in the mirror, she tried on a few phrases.

“I want your dick!”

It reminded her of the old recruitment slogan, even if she wasn’t Uncle Sam, and it had the added benefit of sounding moronic.

She put her hands on her hips, in what she hoped was a provocative pose, and said, “Fuck my pussy.”

On rare occasions, usually when something went very wrong with her business, she used the word fuck. Except as a young child, and only when referring to furry little felines, she’d never used the word pussy. It felt ridiculous to do so now, especially since she was hardly referring to a four-legged creature. She felt utterly bizarre and that rubbed off on her delivery. Both syllables of the word came out muffled and ashamed.

“Pussy needs a little work.”

Tessa freshened her hair and makeup, laid on a heavy coat of Russell’s red lipstick, and loosened the see-through kimono so it gapped open at the top, allowing her ‘headlights’ complete visibility. “At least I can get that right,” she said, smiling. “Oops.” She’d smeared red lipstick on her front tooth and had to tissue it off. If the lipstick transferred from her lips that easily and with such indirect contact, she could only imagine what Russell would look like once she took him into her mouth. She blushed.

“When are you going to grow up and stop blushing every time you have a sexy thought?” she asked the reflection.

The reflection turned a deeper shade of pink.

“It’s hopeless!” she screamed.

A knock on the door interrupted her outbreak. “Tessa?”

Russell was here and she wasn’t sexed up enough. The outside, yes. The stuff that required her spirit and her mind, not so much. Tessa took a deep breath and willed her introvert into silence.

“Yes,” she called through the door. “Russell, you better be ready for me.” She reached for the door knob. “With a bottle of red wine in one hand.” She pulled on the door and it opened two inches. “And a big, juicy cock in the other.” She yanked the heavy door all the way open, jutted her hips like the stripper had taught her, and thrust her nearly naked boobs front and center.

It was not red wine in his hand; it was a bouquet of red roses.

And it was not Russell holding them.

-36-

The man behind the roses stared at Tessa. His eyes started at her bright red lips, moved to her breasts and traveled down to her crotch, clearly without underwear and only subtly covered by the black see-through kimono. His face turned as red as Tessa’s shiny high heels and the roses he carried.

“David?” Tessa said, mouth open in horror.

“Tessa?” he said, eyes wide as if he was watching a nightmare come to life.

Tessa pulled the kimono over her breasts and said the first thing her frozen brain came up with. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

“Clearly not.”

Tessa winced. “What are you doing here?” Her voice began to quiver.

“I thought I was welcome. Your email…I heard you shout, something about being hopeless. I was afraid…” The redness in his cheeks began to fade, replaced by angry dark sparks in his blue eyes. “Obviously I needn’t have worried.”

“It’s not what you think,” Tessa said. “Let me put a robe on and we can talk.” She motioned for David to come inside.

He shook his head and didn’t move. “I obviously made a mistake with you. You’re not who I thought you were.” He handed Tessa the flowers. “I don’t know who Russell is, but maybe he can tell you you’re not hopeless. Me? I’m not so sure.”

David turned and headed for the elevator. He walked as if there was a fire at his back and the flames were about to engulf him.

“Wait!” Tessa screamed, following him. She only made three steps before her right foot slipped out of the high heel and she fell to the carpet. By the time she recovered, David was in the elevator and on his way down to the lobby.

Tessa pulled her shoes off and ran to the elevator. She realized she couldn’t appear in the lobby half naked, and when she got back to her room, she realized she was locked out.

“Fuck!” she wailed. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”

***

“What’s this?” Russell said, the smile evaporating when he saw Tessa huddled on the floor in front of the door.

She looked up. Black tracks of mascara-laden tears were hardened on her cheeks. Her eyes were red. Her face was pale.

“What happened?”

Russell jammed his key card into the lock, pushed open the door and lifted Tessa to her feet. He sat her in a chair, grabbed a fluffy bathrobe and placed it over her. “Are you hurt?”

Her heart felt like it had been smashed by a runaway bus. Did that qualify?

“I thought it was you at the door.”

“Did someone hurt you?” Russell’s face tightened and his hand gently lifted Tessa’s robe. He was clearly looking for signs of sexual assault.

“Yes. But not the way you think. And it was my fault.”

“Tessa, look at me.” Russell kneeled down in front of her and looked into her eyes. “Did someone touch you?”

She shook her head, no.

Russell took a deep breath. “Okay. Tell me what happened.”

“I just lost David.” She burst into tears, deep racking sobs that threatened to choke her.

Russell got her a glass of water and coaxed her to calm down until she was under control. “David is the guy you met online. The one you hoped to meet in a month or two.”

Tessa nodded her head.

“He was here?”

Tessa told Russell about the email she had sent when she was feeling lonely. “I guess I sounded kind of bad, and I said something like, I wish you were here. He knew about the problem with my husband. And the rape. And the attempted suicide.” Tessa took the tissue Russell handed her and blew her nose. “He got worried about me, so he hopped on a plane.”

“He flew to Australia for a woman he’d never actually met. Because she sounded a little depressed and he was worried for her?”

“Yes.”

“Shit. Sounds like a good man with bad timing.”

Tessa started to cry again.

“Did you explain…” Russell had a momentary loss of words.

“Did I explain why I opened the door to someone named Russell wearing fuck-me clothes while ordering him to give me his big, juicy cock?” Tessa wiped another tear from her eye. “No. I’m not sure I could have, but I didn’t get the chance. He ran like his ass was on fire.”

“Well, then we’ll have to find him. Even if the explanation doesn’t fix things you owe it to yourself and him to try.”

“I could call him.”

Tessa fished out her phone and dialed. David’s phone rang, unanswered.  Her expression went from scared-hopeful to just plain scared. “I don’t know where he went or how to get in touch with him.”

“Maybe the staff downstairs put him in a cab. Maybe someone knows where he’s staying.” Russell patted her hand. “Are you okay while I go downstairs and see what I can find out?”

Tessa nodded and Russell practically ran out the door. Ten minutes later, he returned. “Had some luck,” he said, sitting in the chair next to Tessa. “David was really upset when he got to the lobby desk.”

“And you call that luck?” Tessa felt like poking him with the stiletto heel that tripped her.

“Of sorts. He told the desk clerk that he had intended to book a room here, but that his plans had changed. The clerk knew David had come to see a lady guest, because he asked for your room number when he first arrived, and he was carrying roses.”

Tessa’s lip began to quiver and the only way to stop from crying again was to bite it.

“The clerk didn’t give out your room number; instead he had staff deliver the flowers. But it would have been easy for David to follow the roses to your door. Anyway, when David left, the clerk felt bad for him. Gave David a recommendation, even called the other hotel to confirm they had rooms available.”

“Where’s David?”

“The Randal. A boutique hotel about ten minutes from here.”

Tessa stood up. “So take me there.”

“Tessa, it’s your call. I’ll drive you to the Randal whenever you like. But I suggest you think this through. It’s,” he looked at his watch, “nine o’clock. David’s spent hours in an airplane, probably hasn’t eaten a proper meal, and just had a huge, unpleasant shock. He’s not going anywhere tonight, especially if he doesn’t suspect you’ll come looking for him. Let him lick his wounds tonight, eh? While he’s doing that, you figure out how to explain what he saw in a way that he’ll understand, and maybe forgive. Then tomorrow morning, before he’s up and out, I’ll drive you over to the Randal. You can wait in the lobby and catch him when he leaves his room.”

“What if he won’t listen to me?”

“He might not. You need to be prepared for that.”

“I know not every guy would react the same, but if it were you, what would work best?”

“You’re right, not every guy’s the same. What might work with me might not do a damn thing for David.”

“Tell me anyway.”

Russell thought a moment. “I’m not sure a night of licking my wounds would give me enough emotional distance; to be able to constructively talk with a woman I cared about who’d disappointed me in the way David was disappointed, that would take a little time.  I’d probably be more receptive to an initial communication that was less threatening, less intimate.”

“He’s not taking calls. A note?”

Russell nodded. “Maybe. A note or an email could be read in private. Slowly and without any need to control emotions.”

Tessa thought emails were too easy to delete without reading, and too impersonal. “I like the idea of a handwritten note. I’ll figure out what to say tonight and you can drop me at the Randal tomorrow morning. I just hope he doesn’t run the minute he sees me.”

“You won’t be wearing five inch heels tomorrow. You’d catch him.” Russell ruffled her hair. “Whatever happens, you’ll survive this Tessa. Believe that.”

Oh how she wanted to.