“What?”
“The ashes. Everything in the house was tossed, but that box of ashes was left lying in the middle of my bed, untouched, and unopened. If someone was thoroughly searching my house, why wouldn’t they open a sealed box?”
Quinten retrieved the box from the kitchen counter and said, “It’s clearly labeled ‘cremated remains.’ That might’ve deterred them.”
“A squeamish burglar?” Ben gently shook the box. The ashes must’ve been wrapped in some sort of packing material because the contents didn’t rattle. “Sugar, who knew you had your mom’s ashes?”
“I never showed that to anyone.”
“Who knew your mom was cremated?”
“My dad, Charlotta, and Brandon. It’s probably nothing. It just struck me as odd.” She sank back down in the bubbles with a sigh.
Quinten noticed shadows under her eyes, and as they left her to her hot soak in the tub, he said, “She’s looked tired all week.”
“I’ve noticed. I think we’ll hold off until the weekend to finish the move. There’s not that much left, anyway. She needs to rest tonight.”
Quinten nodded as they undressed for bed.
Never would he have thought that he’d be comfortable doing something like that, but it seemed natural as could be. They climbed naked in the bed and left the spot in the middle for her when she was done with her bath. He ignored his cock, willing it into submission with football statistics, knowing she needed the rest. His resolve evaporated when Camilla came out of the bathroom clad in a lacy white robe which reached mid-thigh. She left the sash untied so that her breasts and her mound were mostly visible.
She was so beautiful it made his eyes hurt, as she glided around the room lighting candles. Once that was done, she went to one of the special cabinets they’d had made for her and opened the doors. She slid the trays out and Quinten chuckled. “Have you added to your collection recently?”
Camilla smiled up at him and nodded. “After I discovered what you’d intended for this cabinet to be used for, I decided to indulge in a little shopping spree at Discretion. Some of the things like the floggers and paddle I’ve had for a while, but I wanted some new things…for you to play with. I did save a few of my old favorites.” She pointed at one rather stubby vibrator. “This one has a high-speed vibration. Less than a minute and I am there.”
“Really?” Quinten asked, eyeing the blindfold hanging from the hook on the inside of the cabinet door. “What others are your favorites?”
She slid her fingers over the tray, pausing here and there, before stopping on a thicker, longer cock-shaped vibrator. “This one has a powerful, deep vibration. I use it on its lowest setting and I still come so hard I scream and see stars. It’s big so I don’t use it very often.”
“Have to be in the mood?” His cock throbbed almost painfully as he envisioned her sinking down on it, a sexy moan coming from her throat.
She nodded with a smile. “Yes, but I’m in the mood for something else right now.” Quinten’s desire shifted into overdrive, lust filling his heart when he saw what she lifted from one of the deeper drawers in the special cabinet. She’d done a little unpacking that afternoon without them knowing about it.
* * * *
A sense of rightness flared in Ben as he watched her lift the flogger in her upturned palms, the gesture almost seeming symbolic, with her on her knees and them standing before her. She met his eyes and smiled at him without hesitation.
He recognized the flogger from her closet at her house earlier that day. “This is my favorite flogger. I love the way it feels on my skin. It has a nice impact, and it warms me up quick. If you would like to try it out tonight, I wouldn’t mind.”
She trusts me.
The flogger had long gray suede fringe. Taking it from her, he tested the weight and balance of the handle. He swung it once, gently, and liked the way it felt in his hand. She smiled and bit her lip when he didn’t hand it back to her.
While Quinten got a tube of lubricant from the cabinet, Ben squatted down so he was at eye level. “We don’t have a formal Dom-sub relationship, so you don’t need a safe word. If you show signs of fatigue or discomfort, I’ll stop. Do not try to hide those signs from me. Is that a problem?”
She looked at him with pure trust in her beautiful green eyes. “No. I promise, I’ll let you know if I become uncomfortable.”
He had a feeling things would heat up quickly that evening. His cock was already hard as a rock and would be difficult to control, introducing these new elements and watching out for her as well was a challenge he hoped he was up for. It seemed important to her and he didn’t want to let her down.