Chapter 16

Ten days after Caroline's visit I turned twenty-one. There was no big party, or anything; Richard took me out for a drink, so I could show the waiter my ID and have my first legal beer. Then he took me home to see how close he could get me to twenty-one orgasms. Not all that close, really; I passed out around number twelve or thirteen, and was late for work the next day. It was a lot of fun trying, though. Definitely beats spankings. Though those can be fun, too.

Arlene and Jack had promised me a celebration at their place, but conflicting schedules meant that this took place a few days after my birthday, on the following Friday night. I was looking forward to it, but at the last moment got the disappointing news that Richard couldn't go.

"Sorry, Susie," he told me, stroking my hair. "I've got some work that needs finishing up by Monday. I'll make it up to you."

I hugged him tightly. Before, I'd never been clingy. Now... "Master, we could call Jack and Arlene and ask them to reschedule."

"Don't be silly," he said, giving me a quick kiss. "It's only a couple of hours away; much too late to call it off. And you've been looking forward to it. You should go."

So I ended up going by myself, a situation that was now unfamiliar. In a way, it was strange. After all, Arlene and Jack were really my friends; why shouldn't I see them without Richard? But I hated going anywhere without him. A slave without a master is a kind of useless thing.

Arlene and Jack took Richard's absence in stride. They welcomed me in, took my jacket -- the evening was cool -- and seated me in the living room with a glass of wine and a plate of cookies to nibble. I kicked off my shoes and curled up on their couch while they sat facing me. Arlene had hung up a banner that said "Happy 21st, Susie!" I wondered if her use of my slave name was unconscious or deliberate.

I had hardly been over at their place all summer, so I looked around with some interest. It was a furnished two-bedroom place (since it had originally been intended for me and Arlene); one room was basically unused, with a bed but nothing much else. Like Richard's place, there was a little kitchenette, separated from the living room by a counter, but they had a little dining room area as well. I recognized posters on the walls from Arlene's room back at the dorm, and the random bits of clutter were no doubt hers as well; Jack's dorm room had always looked surgically clean.

We drank wine and chatted a bit. Arlene was louder than usual, and knocked back a couple of glasses of wine in quick succession. I wondered what she was nervous about. Maybe she was still uneasy about my new status with Richard. Jack seemed unaffected, asking me about my job and what classes I planned to take in the new school year.

"OK!" Arlene broke in brightly in the middle of one of Jack's sentences. "Time for presents!"

Jack shot her a look, but he got up and went into the empty bedroom, returning with a small stack of wrapped packages.

"Wow!" I laughed as he set them down in front of me. "You shouldn't have. These are too much."

"Well, they're not very big," Arlene said deprecatingly. "Still, open them!"

I opened them. Arlene and Jack were both college students without a lot of disposable income, but they'd been very generous. Three cans of tennis balls, always useful. A lovely blank journal. A scarf that went well with my winter coat. A bottle of scented bubble-bath.

The last package was small, but heavy and oddly shaped. I shook it and was rewarded by a small, metallic rattling sound.

"Hmmm. Ball bearings?" I guessed.

"Well, I knew you didn't have any," Arlene said. "Open it!"

I ripped open the paper, and two small metal objects fell to the floor with a clank. I picked them up. It was a pair of metal handcuffs, padded inside, and a ring that had two keys on it.

"From me, as you might have guessed," Arlene said, grinning. "Be sure to put one of the keys somewhere safe. Nothing worse than losing the keys and having to call 911."

I glanced at her slyly. "Do you speak from experience?" I asked, turning the cuffs over in my hands.

"Perhaps," Arlene said loftily, then grinned again.

"Well, I'm sure Richard will be delighted with them," I said. "Thank you both, very much! This is all just great."

"Actually," Arlene said, sounding suddenly nervous again, "there is one more thing. It's in the spare room. C'mon, I'll show you."

I got up obligingly, the carpet springy under my bare feet, and followed her into the next room, saying "You already got me more than you should have. Those handcuffs were probably expensive."

"I get a volume discount," Arlene said. "Here we are."

I looked around the room. I didn't see another present; there was nothing in the room except a double bed and a dresser.

"Is it in the dresser? Or the closet?" I asked.

"Not exactly," Arlene answered. She cleared her throat. "It's time for Susie's birthday surprise."

I was about to ask her what the hell she was talking about, when I discovered that I couldn't speak. I couldn't move. A strange lassitude, heavy as a coat of lead, descended on me. I swayed a bit on my feet, but was able to remain standing. In what was left of my thoughts, I realized that it was all a set-up: Richard had only pretended he couldn't go; he'd no doubt put this post-hypnotic suggestion in my subconscious long before...

"Susie," Arlene was saying. It was strange to hear that name from her lips. "Can you hear me?"

"Yes," I answered dreamily. Of course I could hear her.

"Richard said that you'd be willing... to do what we asked. That you wanted to. Is that right?"

The question revolved in my sluggish brain. "Yes," I answered again. Richard was clearly OK with this. That was all that mattered.

I sensed suddenly that Jack was in the doorway behind me, but it was too much work to turn and look.

"I'll get it set up," he said to Arlene, while I swayed there, oblivious. "Just give me a minute."

"Right," she said, looking at me. She licked her lips.

There was a brief pause -- I don't know how long -- while things happened around me. Then Arlene spoke to me.

"You were naked in front of us before. Would you do that again?"

It was more of a question than a command, but I obeyed anyway. My hands rose slowly to my blouse and began undoing buttons one by one. It's amazing what your body can do without your conscious will. My blouse fell open along the front. I tugged it out of the waistband of my skirt and let it slither off of my shoulders and arms to the floor. Next came the button and zipper on the side of my skirt, and that slipped away as well, easy as a dream.

"Have her turn this way," came Jack's voice behind me.

"Susie," Arlene said. "Turn around. Face towards Jack."

I obeyed without thought. I could see, but not really pay attention to what was around me. Jack was still near the door, making adjustments to some object standing there; my mind slid over it without interest. Instead, I found the front clasp of my bra and opened it, letting the bra fall to the floor. My breasts hung free. I started reaching for my panties.

"Hold it for a minute, Susie," Arlene said. She had circled around to remain in front of me. I obediently paused. "You have such beautiful tits. Can you hold them for us?"

My hands rose to cup my tits. I felt the warmth, distantly. It felt good. My nipples were starting to tighten against my palms.

"That's nice. Now, knead them gently. Stroke them for us."

My hands began to lightly squeeze and release. I extended my fingers and delicately drew them over my erect nipples, then around the aureoles. This feeling wasn't distant. It felt damned good. Warmth began spreading outward, and my pussy began to moisten. My mind might be out to lunch, but my body was definitely getting turned on.

"Can you reach your nipple with your tongue?"

I raised my breasts and tilted my head down, extending my tongue. I could just manage to flick the tip of a nipple, sending another jolt of pleasure through me. I licked at it for a few seconds, then worked on the other one. Tingles were radiating from my chest, merging with the warmth spreading from between my legs. I heard a low moan, then realized it was myself.

"OK," Arlene said after a bit. "Now, finish undressing."

I released my tits and slid my fingers into the waistband of my panties. The crotch was already damp with my arousal. I tugged them down over my hips, then off, stepping out of them unsteadily. My head felt light, like it was floating. What little of my mind was left could do nothing but observe, dreamily. I was helpless; but it was not an unpleasant sensation.

"You're so beautiful," Arlene whispered.

I just stood there, accepting.

"Look at me," Arlene commanded. I focussed my eyes on her. Sometime when I hadn't been paying attention she had removed her own clothing. I had seen her body before many times, in the years we had roomed together; but I'd never really looked at it. She was short and slight; her long black hair was tied back from her face, and her dark eyes bored into mine as if to devour me. Her breasts were small but perfect little cones, tipped with dark brown nipples; her slim waist flared into subtly-curved hips. The hair between her legs was sparse and dark. I could see the glistening redness of her pussy. She was aroused, too. Aroused by watching me.