Chapter 11: Their first tiff

After the shoe-shop episode they went back to his apartment. There was no more sex that night — whatever dark desires she'd needed him for had been well and truly sated by the performance he'd put on for her and the sales lady Susan.

Janelle had a typically manlike tendency to just roll over and go to sleep as soon as her sexual needs had been fulfilled. Tonight was no different. She smooched his cheek, whispered "Thanks!" and next moment was away in the Land of Nod.

He stared at the ceiling for quite a while. He'd have liked to talk things over. He felt miffed at being abandoned by her to a state of fully-conscious solitude, and he envied her blissful slumber.

He wondered how on earth he'd landed himself in this situation. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine he'd ever do anything like what he'd done tonight. Suffer humiliation. Get down before a total stranger and lick their footwear. Wank himself to orgasm while they watched. Normally he wasn't even comfortable doing that in private!

What shocked him most was that he wasn't shocked. Not any more. If Janelle wanted it, then Janelle got it. He'd willingly make sure of that.

Of course, he'd had a lot of difficulty with the bootlicking idea at the moment she'd first sprung it on him. But it was seeing the look she had in her eye that made him give it serious consideration. Although she'd looked intimidating, he hadn't acted out of fear of her. She had no hold on him really, other than to never see him again. He suspected that such would be as hard on her as it would be on him, though he didn't doubt that she meant it.

No, he'd definitely volunteered for this latest mission. The look in her eye that'd spurred him on most had not been the one of dread. It was the underlying look of lust. He'd seen in her face how turned on she was getting - first by his resistance, and then his acquiescence.

He liked being able to turn her on. Lets face it, so far she'd been the one with all the ideas. So far, they'd all been good ideas. At least, with the benefit of hindsight.

He supposed he was coming to trust her judgement. Though he did wonder how far she could push him — indeed, how far she'd want to push him - before he cried "Enough!" That'd be a tricky question, and one with big consequences. He didn't think he could continue to respect her, if she made him lose respect for himself.

He glanced across at her sleeping form in the dim light, her dark face at peace, long lashes curving upward, her big round breasts rising and falling with steady breathing.

This line of thought was giving him an inkling of just how difficult a position she must be in. The delicate balancing act she had to go through, to get what she wanted without pushing him over the brink.

And why exactly would he even want to give her what she wanted? Ask him about it two months ago, and he'd have said "Go to hell" - he'd never have had the patience for such mind-games. Now, though, it was different. It gladdened him that he had the ability to please her.

This did not give the complete picture, though - his motives were not simply altruistic. Firstly and most importantly, she utterly turned him on. Why argue with a hard-on?

But he had another reason for wanting to play along with her. Because far from being complicated mind-games, his dealings with Janelle were simplicity itself when compared with his ex-wife. Talk about wheels within wheels! He never knew from one day to the next which agenda she was following this time. She expected him to be a mind-reader, but each time he thought he was on target she'd go and move the goalposts. Sure Janelle was capable of springing surprises, but she never left him in any doubt as to what it was she wanted.

He wondered whether, in her thoughts, she subjected their situation to the kind of analysis he was trying to bring to bear? Was she following some carefully-worked out strategy here? Or was she just making things up as she went along?

He finally lapsed into unconsciousness, dimly aware of having uncovered more questions than answers. And with a nagging feeling that he wouldn't feel completely at ease about what'd happened, until he could talk some of it through with her.

On awakening next day she also found herself feeling vulnerable, just as he had done earlier before falling asleep. Not normally a "morning person" in the physical sense, she nevertheless snuggled up to him and held him close. One big soft boob overflowed onto his upper arm.

His eyes flickered open to the sight of a dark nipple at fairly close range, her breath gently fanning his cheek. He was aware of her brown eyes gazing dreamily at his face.

"You okay, hon?" she enquired gently.

"Sure. Never better. Why?"

"Just checking you're okay. About last night."

"Why?"

"I didn't stop to consider your feelings."

"Yes you did. For all of 5 milliseconds."

"And then I just charged ahead, huh?"

"You were pretty unstoppable."

"You upset by that?"

"Nah. Not now, anyway."

"But at the time... ?"

"Hey, by the finish I was glad to do it. Your getting a thrill always gives me a thrill."

"Thanks, hon. You're the best."

"I know."

He felt reassured by this sign that she valued his pride-denting efforts on her behalf. But again he felt awkward about receiving compliments. He swiftly changed the subject.

"Hey, you really going to give that lady a call?"

"Yeah, sure."

"What will you tell her?"

"Dunno yet. I'm not sure what she wants. And I'm not sure I can give it to her."

"Why not?"

"I don't know if you've noticed, but when it comes to domme psychology I'm more into practical than theory."

"Wait! Don't tell me! You're from the BDSM School of Hard Knocks?"

She found this hugely funny.

"Yeah, you got it!" she chortled.

"So what will you tell her?"

"Tell her to surf the Net, like you did."

"You didn't like me surfing the Net, remember?"

"You were unsupervised. That's like a child playing with a loaded gun."

"You're the one that's the bomb. And last night you went off, right in her store!"

"It was a night to remember, huh?"

"Fuck, it was intense."

"Just thinking about it makes me horny."