Amanda, CIA Agent Ch. 05

After an awkward silence, Emma and Megan slowly came forward, urged on by their friends, and stood at the extreme far end of the open space. Amanda tossed her bouquet high, but neither woman made much effort to catch it, and it fell to the floor. After another awkward moment, Megan stepped forward and picked it up.

Cherie clapped her hands, then guided Amanda to a tall stool and waved Jason over. "Jason will now retrieve the garter."

Amanda protested and rose from the stool, but when Percy shot her a look, she sat back down. Jason made a show of removing his jacket and stretching his arms before he knelt at her feet. The other guests gathered behind him, and Amanda noticed there were many more men she didn't recognize than she'd realized.

Amanda had long despised the ritual removal of the bride's garter; in fact, it was her least favorite part of the traditional wedding ceremony. She felt it objectified and humiliated the bride for the entertainment of the male guests, and she saw it as an only slightly modernized version of the barbaric ancient custom of allowing other men to join in taking the bride's virginity. She'd resolved long ago that the garter removal would never be a part of her own wedding.

Yet somehow, she was getting married today, in a way that bore no resemblance to her own wishes. Somehow, in this exploitative, morally repugnant nightmare wedding -- itself a perversion of an already chauvinistic tradition - the portion she most abhorred had become the centerpiece.

No doubt, Percy and his band -- professors in his post-graduate course for sex offenders, as she thought of them -- had found some way to make the ritual even more humiliating. She grimaced and looked at Percy, her eyes shining, her chin raised in anger.

She felt cool air on her legs, and realized Jason had lifted the hem of her skirt. Now he carefully folded the opaque, beaded lower portion over onto her thighs. He ran his hands up her calf, then propped her foot atop his shoulder, drawing a catcall. Instinctively, she pressed her thighs together and put her hands in her lap, noticing again how much of her body was already visible through the transparent fabric.

Jason folded over another section of her skirt, leaving her bare to mid-thigh, and pushed at her knee, opening her legs. She immediately brought her thighs together again.

He wagged his finger at her and spoke in a low voice. "If you do that again, I'll punish you, right here, in front of everybody."

His threat was credible. He'd already shown little regard for her welfare, despite his veneer of gentility. His choice of punishment was likely to be unpleasant. And he wasn't likely to give up until he'd fully exposed her. There was little to be gained by dragging it out.

She sighed and let her legs go slack.

"Good girl." He bunched her skirt around her hips, baring her to the tops of her legs, then ran his hand up the inside of her thigh. When he reached her garter, he slipped a finger underneath the elastic, letting it pop against her skin a couple of times, but didn't remove it.

Grasping her by the knees, he opened her legs, exposing her entire vulva to those standing behind him. Unwilling to see the expressions of her co-workers, and those of the strangers watching, she closed her eyes and tilted her head back. She heard their appreciative murmurs amid her own shaky exhalation.

Seconds later, his fingers spread her labia and penetrated her. This was too much. She grabbed his wrist and brought her knees together. "Just take off the damn garter." Her nostrils flared.

He forced out a chuckle. This time, when he hooked his finger into her garter, he drew it down her leg and off. His smile was unconvincing as he stood and launched the garter over his shoulder. As one of the strangers caught it, Amanda stood and pulled her skirt down, laughing bitterly at the futility of it.

While Cherie and Malcolm served cake and coffee, Amanda slipped out to change into her traveling clothes as she tried to recenter herself. She was surprised to find she actually liked the stylish white lace lingerie set. Even if the traditional garter belt and stockings were a nuisance, she understood their appeal, and she appreciated the way the set displayed her assets to best advantage -- even if it seemed anticlimactic after her revealing gown.

Regardless, it was a relief to put on a bra and panties. And the navy boatneck minidress was sexy but dignified. She took an extra moment to repair her mascara and freshen her lipstick.

While she transferred her wallet and essentials from her everyday handbag to her matching designer clutch, it finally hit her. She was really married. To Jason Carruthers.

She surprised herself by smiling. Despite everything, he was still hot. In fact, he could make her wet with astonishing speed. And he was fun, when he wasn't pissing her off with his traditional views on gender roles.

The biggest problems were his penchant for public groping and his other twisted sexual demands. She hoped he wasn't going to bring them up again that evening. She also hoped a more leisurely lovemaking session would provide him time to fully satisfy her.

She realized she was being rude to her guests. She hurried to the staircase, but slowed to take each stair carefully in her four inch Manolos. When she spotted Jason among the guests, her newfound enthusiasm deflated. He didn't look happy.

"Don't ever keep me waiting." He popped her on the bottom, hard, and she squeaked and watched heads turn. When he swung at her again, she dodged, and she saw fury in his eyes as he gripped her arm and landed a harder smack on the back of her upper thigh. The sting made her hop, and she felt tears form at the corners of her eyes.

"Honeymoon's over," said Percy to Wilson with a laugh. Jason pulled Amanda toward the black town car waiting outside the door, but Percy stopped them, poking Amanda in the chest with his finger. "Don't forget, you have a briefing on Wednesday."

He leaned closer and gave her butt his own customary patty-pat. "And remember. The customer is always right." He nodded toward Jason.

His last comment made her frown. She didn't appreciate his reminder of the transactional aspect of her relationship with her new husband.

And when did it become socially acceptable for men to handle her bottom in public?

She was pleased, though, and excited, about the briefing for her new mission. At least she'd achieved that objective. Hopefully she'd find an hour alone during her honeymoon to read her new orders.

But right now, it was time to be on their way. A few of the guests cheered and threw rice at her as she came out of the gallery. Then the driver held the car door open for her, and she hitched up her skirt, stepped in, and slid over to make room for Jason. As the car pulled away, a string of tin cans scraped along the pavement behind them.

Thirty miles into their trip, the noisy cans had long since fallen away. Jason took a call on his phone, and Amanda was left alone with her thoughts.

What have I done? she asked herself. Her father would be so ashamed of her brazen performance, not to mention her appalling lack of judgement. It was lucky he wasn't alive to see it.

However, what's done is done, she told herself. As this point, she may as well see the little honeymoon trip through to its conclusion. Jason was still a very attractive man, despite his other shortcomings. If their relationship was to be short-lived, she may as well enjoy herself. When she was back in the office, she'd sit down with Percy and make him put things right.

Jason's call was ending, and he hung up. Turning to face her, he laced his fingers through her hair and gave her a long kiss, waiting until she closed her eyes to reach inside the front of her dress to squeeze her breast.

Her eyes popped open, and she saw the limo driver watching in the rearview mirror as Jason fondled her. But this time, she chose not to object. Pick your battles, she told herself. She closed her eyes again and smiled as she gave in to her own arousal.