“Okay, so how do we start?”
I grin at her eagerness and kiss her nose gently, before I start my usual pre-scene routine – which is dishearteningly boring, as Bella will soon find out. I show her the whole emergency kit – scissors for cutting ropes that need to come off, a knife for everything the scissors won't cut, the first aid kit, trauma blanket, fire extinguisher, the cooling pads I just got from the freezer. Her enthusiasm doesn't curb, but I can tell that she's never considered in detail what can go wrong.
After we're done with that, I fetch the things I intend to use today and meticulously check everything twice. There are no knots or weak parts in the hemp ropes, the lube bottle is half full, the latex of the butt plug is smooth and has no tears, and the padded bench is clean after the last time we've used it. I then show Bella the stocks and how they are fixed to the bench – and I can see her anxiety peek through the excitement for the first time.
“Any second thoughts?”
She shakes her head immediately, but she's also gnawing on her bottom lip.
“No, of course not, I trust you.”
“I didn't question your trust in me, but if you're too apprehensive, now's the time to speak up.”
Bella nods but remains silent. To myself I can admit that I'm relieved that she's still a little hesitant. I believe that she really trusts me, and I hope I've earned that by now, but it's good that she also thinks for herself what she does or doesn’t want to get into.
“Great. Anything else you wanna know or add to our planning? Because if not, I'm done with all the preparations.”
A few moments pass before she shakes her head, and ditching her fluffy robe by the door, she kneels down on her cushion, assuming her waiting position. I remain standing by the bench for a while, and just take her in, feeling my own excitement slowly catch up with me.
Two days since our little romp on the table, and by now the marks I left have pretty much faded for good. Only a few mottled spots remain on her waist where I'd been gripping her pretty hard are still visible as such. I love being rough with her, and it's good that she doesn't bruise too easily.
All of a sudden I'm obsessed with the idea of leaving some mark or other on her that I can think of later tonight, when we're out meeting with the others. Nothing as severe as spanking her until she can't sit down, but I want her to carry something of me around that reminds us both of what we've been up to.
I wander over to her and lean down so that my lips are right next to her ear, watching with a smile how goose bumps break out all over her skin. My voice is low when I speak, and I try to sound as seductive as possible.
“Just how far are you willing to go today?”
Her breath hitches for a moment, before she relaxes again.
“As far as you want to take me, Master.”
“I want you to pick one of the impact toys that you like, and then tell me how many times you think you can stand being hit with it.” I can't really spank her as long as she's in the stocks as I need her to keep relatively still, so I want to use something that doesn't make her react too much. A crop would be ideal, but I want her to choose, as that always leaves a more lasting mental impression.
Bella hesitates, and I wonder what she's considering. Almost anything she picks can be used to either tease or really torment her. When she finally answers, her voice is husky but strong.
“The soft leather flogger, with the blue and black handle, please? And I'm sure I can take thirty hard hits, Sir.”
I don't even try to hide a grin as I place a gentle kiss onto her neck before I get up. A really good choice, and one that fits perfectly into my plan. We got the flogger together, and Bella has grown rather fond of it. I know how much she loves to feel the light sting on her ass, or just the sensation of the soft strands running over her body. I wonder how much she will hate me when I turn one of her favorite toys against her, but she'll likely forgive me at some point between the second and third time I make her come.
I take the flogger from its place on the wall and lay it down next to my other things, before I turn back to Bella. She hasn't moved, but when I snap my fingers and point at the bench she's quick to get up and onto the padded table. From up close it's evident that she's shaking slightly, and I run my hands over her naked back a few times to soothe her. A calm look appears on her face as she savors my touch and relaxes for a moment.
Of course I have to take the opening for what it is, and Bella gasps loudly when my hand comes down hard on her ass.
“Time to lock you up. Place your wrists and neck in the stocks.” She hesitates, and this time I don't let that go unpunished. I slap her ass again with more force, and Bella lurches forward, grasping onto the wooden frame with her hands. Four more spanks before I stop to admire the deep red patches that are now on her otherwise light skin, then I stalk over to her head.
Bella immediately averts her gaze when she sees me glare at her, and before I can admonish her, she leans forward and assumes the ordered position. She's trembling slightly, but as her breathing calms down so does the shaking.
“Don't make me punish you again,” I tell her in a stern voice, and I see the muscles in her throat move as she swallows. It hasn't happened often, but there have been a few incidents when she called down a little more on herself than she bargained for. I don't really mind disciplining her, and I kind of like her playful, somewhat bratty character, but there's a time and place for that, and today is definitely neither. I know some Doms would cane that behavior right out of her, but that's not my style. Though even I have my limits of what I will tolerate, and today she's pushing back in the wrong places. We're doing something new, so I need to be careful with her, and can't risk that things take on a dynamic of their own.