Knowing Better: A Marked Woman Ch. 01

The door opened and there he was. He was dressed a little more casually, his shirt hanging over his trousers, but that relaxed look only brought out the intensity of his features even more. He smiled, and beckoned her in silently. She stepped over the threshold, and as the door shut behind her she found herself standing in a gloomy hallway, alone for the first time with a man who could do exactly as he pleased with her. She felt a sudden surge of adrenaline, the hairs on her neck standing up, waiting for him to make a move. He stood in front of her, making her aware of the difference in height and build.

"So," he began, running a finger through her hair, and Linda stood unconsciously on tiptoe, like a soldier standing to attention. "You got here all right, then?"

"Um, yeah. Fine." She felt his arms glide across her shoulders and realised that he was helping her off with her coat. He hung it on a peg behind her, then turned round and gave her another once-over, less blatant than he had in the cafe but still very noticeable. She tried to break the silence. "I didn't know you lived in such a swish part of town."

"Yeah, it's a nice neighbourhood. I'm doing my best to lower its tone, though. You, er, have something for me..."

"Oh yes, sorry. It's in my coat." Linda reached into its pockets and after a lot of nervous fumbling produced a small white envelope. Stuart took it from her and glanced briefly inside before placing it on the hall table.

"Don't worry, I trust you. Follow me." He headed down the hall to the first door on the right and opened it. Despite what he had told her, Linda braced herself for a room full of implements and apparatus and God knew what else. She stepped through the doorway and was confronted with a sofa that was fraying a little at the edges, but otherwise unthreatening. "Sit down." Linda did so and immediately sank into the fabric; it was one of those sofas that would be difficult to get up from again. "You want a cup of tea?"

"Um, yes. Thank you." Stuart headed off to the kitchen, and Linda glanced round the room. There was a chest of drawers, a small table with a vase on, a fireplace with a landscape picture above it. Nothing stood out to make it different from any of the rooms in other houses on this street; and she wondered if that effect was deliberate, not to relax her but to keep him at a distance, slightly unknowable. She'd certainly expected to get more of an idea of him as a person from his surroundings.

Stuart quickly returned, mug in hand, and passed it to her. He sat at the other end of the sofa to her left, far enough away to leave a space between them. "You feeling all right? Had any last minute nerves this morning?"

"A few, yeah," Linda admitted. "But I suppose it'd be a bit worrying if I didn't have any nerves."

"Very true, Linda. This is not exactly your normal Saturday morning. And thank heaven for that, eh?" He settled back on the sofa and watched her finish her drink. She drained it slowly, knowing she was now at the point of no return. He held out his hand, she gave him the mug and set it down on the table to his left.

"So," Linda breathed, her arms folded primly over her knee.

"So," he echoed. He looked at her for a moment, eyes dancing in amusement. "You're still nervous, aren't you? Expecting me to go to town on you, is that it?"

Linda shrugged helplessly. "I don't know what to expect, honestly! I mean, is there a procedure, is there a ritual...?"

"Only the ones I feel like. If I wanted to I could get you down on your knees cleaning the floor with a feather duster between your teeth, but I like to keep things simple. So for the moment, I'd be very happy if you stayed right where you are."

Linda took a deep breath as he reached out with his right hand and placed it firmly on her left breast. He let it stay there for some time, probing it, squeezing it, exploring its shape. When he was satisfied he moved on to the other one and did the same. At first Linda was frozen to the spot, her arms pinned rigidly by her sides. Then as she got used to his touch she slowly relaxed, and without thinking she pushed her chest forward into his fingers. Stuart smiled at her. He circled her nipple gently, then prodded it like he was pushing a start-up button. "I never did get the time to appreciate these back at the cafe."

"You were appreciating everything else," she commented wryly, her body opening up to him as he continued fondling her tits.

"Yes, but what you were wearing didn't really emphasise these. Whereas funnily enough, these ordinary clothes of yours..." He admired her nipples as they bulged through the fabric of her woolly jumper. "They show them off perfectly. You see what dressing down can do for you?"

"Uh-hmm." She shared a taut smile with him while they sat together silently, joined at her breast. Stuart fingered it a little more before he finally managed to drag his eyes away. "I could really get used to this position, but we've got so many more to get through. Are you good with your hands?"

"Um... yes?" she said in confusion, wondering if that was an invitation for her to unzip him and wank him off.

"OK. I want you to take hold of my left hand, the one that's all by itself here" -- he waved it randomly in the air -- "and place it on your right breast. My right hand which I have on the other breast, I want you to place on your hair, gently."

Linda couldn't help but be reminded of those guides to sexual consent that used to be around at university. Mystified, she took hold of his left hand and wrapped it round her breast, transferring the other one to her hair. Stuart entwined his fingers in her thick curls, getting a firm hold. The fingers of his other hand splayed out over her breast, kneading her flesh. He surveyed her calmly, like she was now officially his property, and she could feel those eyes going straight through her.

"In a moment we're going to go through to my study. You'll get used to that room, because every girl starts there, and finishes there. It's just through the hallway. And while we're walking, you're going to make sure both my hands stay on you, as they are now. Do you think you can manage that?"

"I'll try. Sir."

"Glad to hear it. After you then." He nodded towards the door, and Linda rose slowly and awkwardly to her feet, her body bent double to try and keep his hands in position. Just as the strain was beginning to show, Stuart suddenly sprang up and she had to leap after him to retain his grip. He smiled at her efforts. "You give it your all Linda, I like that about you. But what are you going to do now, hmm? You need to turn around."

Linda took a deep breath, carefully planning her next move. She was so close to Stuart now that she could see the small razor cuts near the bottom of his neck, but the only way to stay in touch with him was to get even closer. Pressing her body against his, she shuffled a step to her right and slid his left hand from one breast to the other, as seamlessly as possible. Then she slowly made her turn, letting her hair glide through his fingertips so that he was still clinging to it once she was facing away from him. She sank back against his body, sighing in relief.

"Good girl," he whispered in her ear. He pressed forward, and suddenly there was a long bulge prodding between her buttocks. "It didn't take much effort to produce that, did it?"

"No sir," she whispered back, her heart pounding. She wondered if he was going to take her now, like this; then she realised she wasn't wondering, she was wishing. It was the first time she had felt ready to put her fantasies into action. But Stuart was going to make her wait for that moment. He gave her ankle a nudge and they set off, walking carefully out of the room. Linda moved slowly, making sure she didn't get too far ahead. With the gentlest of motions he guided her towards a doorway at the far end of the hall. Once they had reached it, she turned the handle and led them both in.

The study was smaller than the living room, but appeared larger because of its Spartan appearance. There was a bookshelf lining the right-hand wall, and two cupboards tucked in the left-hand corner, but otherwise the only features were the two chairs on either side of the desk. It stood in front of the windows, framed by the morning sunlight. It was solidly built, and looked a lot more expensive and antique than anything else in the house. Linda noticed an ink blotter with a feather quill perched in it, and wondered if he wrote out his slave contracts on parchment like some Dickensian clerk. Perhaps he got some girls to sign in their blood, like a secret society. Or maybe her mind was just going off on a tangent.

Stuart guided her forward to the middle of the room, then relaxed his grip on her. "Very good girl." He gave her the briefest of kisses on her neck and Linda's body shuddered, betraying her feelings. She quickly composed herself, standing up straight as he brushed past her. He walked round the desk to his chair and sat down slowly, looking her over from head to toe. The light made it difficult to see him clearly, and at the same time put her very much on the spot. Finally, without saying anything he gestured to the empty chair in front of the desk and Linda sat down. It felt like being in the headmaster's office, right down to the squeak of the chair leg on the battered wooden floor. Automatically she placed her hands on her knees, a shy self-conscious gesture.

"How are you feeling now, Linda?"

"Good," she nodded. "I think I'm ready." The little squirm she gave undermined her confidence slightly, but she felt better prepared than she had been.

"That chair you're in, it's not very comfortable I know. But when you're in here you won't be spending much time on it, not unless you need a good talking-to. This is not a room for sitting on your backside, you understand?"

"Yes sir."

Stuart smiled, glancing down at the desktop. "I'm not sure you do, quite yet. But I think you'll be a quick learner." He raised his finger. "Come to me." Linda stood up and walked towards the desk, arms once more locked at her sides, her head swimming with excitement. When she was standing in front of him she wondered what he was going to do next; all he did was beckon her forward again. "I said, come here, to me. Over this desk."

She obeyed, bending over the desk until she was virtually in his face. She was acutely aware of her hands digging clumsily into the wood either side of her, and so too was Stuart. "Arms behind your back."

"Sorry sir." She folded her arms behind her. As she stood there in front of him, readily accessible, he reached out and gently encircled her throat.

"You know by now Linda, that I am here to support you." He kissed her on the lips, a brief introductory kiss, but there was still such power in it that she trembled. She felt his brow rest on hers, and when she opened her eyes he was staring coolly into them, making her aware of her helpless position. With a display of lust that surprised her she kissed him back, reaching desperately for his lips as he slowly withdrew them. She was left hanging, her mouth gaping and her body hung over the table like a slab of meat. "Not so easy. In here all girls earn their pleasures. It's high time you started." With his hand still fixed round her throat he stood up, simultaneously lowering her onto the desk. "There you go. You stay there and relax while I see what material I have to work with."

Linda rested her cheek against the wood, her heart pounding again, while he moved round behind her. He took hold of her jumper and slid it up until it was poised just above her cleavage. The feeling of the cold desk on her bare abdomen was a potent symbol for her, a message that there was no going back. Stuart pressed his legs against hers, then reached out and sank his fingers into her arse. This time he wasn't exploring her body, he was indulging in it. He grabbed and squeezed her cheeks, admiring their denim-clad curve. "This is going to be so much fun to play with. So much fun. Undo your jeans."

She reached down and fiddled anxiously with the button, taking an age to prise it loose. Once it was free she slid down the zip, but Stuart stopped her going any further. "I'll take it from here." He returned her hands firmly to the small of her back. He grabbed the waistband of her jeans and peeled them slowly down, finding it harder work than he was expecting. "My God, they design these things like wetsuits for you girls." Linda smiled, and said nothing. "Fortunately they're not going far." He slid them down to her lower thighs, then stopped to admire the view for a moment. "Up on your feet, and face me."

Remembering to keep her hands clasped behind her, Linda heaved herself off the desk and shuffled round, legs locked together at the knee. She knew exactly what he was doing: exposing only the intimate parts of her, and no more. She could pull herself down and zip herself up and be a respectable woman again quite easily, but right now, in this state of half-undress, it was obvious what she was here for. Stuart's gaze lingered on her huge expanse of bare flesh, from the stomach to the knee, and on the thin layer of underwear protecting her modesty. The white fabric stood out amid the rich brown hue of her waist and thighs. "You have such beautiful skin, Linda," he said in admiration.

"Thank you, sir."

"What's your secret? You get to go off on plenty of holidays in the sun?"

"Not on what the uni pays," she said regretfully. "No, I try to go somewhere every year, but I also go to the beach in the summer, and I get a fake tan sometimes. It makes me feel better." Stuart nodded approvingly.

"I like giving girls tans too, trust me. This should work out well for both of us." Linda smiled. "Come here and kiss me." She stepped forward, tense in anticipation. "Like a lady, Linda. A polite, well-mannered lady."

Taking heed of his advice, she strained upwards on tiptoe, digging into the front of her heels. She wrapped her lips delicately around his and kissed him with her mouth alone, the rest of her body standing compliantly in front of him. He needed no further invitation, and after a moment resting his hand on her stomach he slid it down her knickers. Linda let out a gasp, but did not stop kissing him, nor did she relax her upright posture. She carried on making love to him as he fingered her, adding to the wet patch in her knickers that he had felt the moment he stuck his hand in.

There was sudden quiet in the small, oppressive room, punctured by only two sounds: the scrabbling of Stuart's knuckles against lace and the muffled moans of Linda as he started to find the perfect rhythm on her clit. She wondered how she was going to concentrate on her task, but then realised he was playing a game with her. He would wait until she had launched into a full-on kiss before applying firm pressure on her clit. Every time she sped up, so would he, but he wasn't going to do anything until she had taken the lead. Once she had worked out the rules, she was more than happy to play. She embraced him with her mouth, reaching down into his throat with her tongue, twisting her head from side to side. The smell of him was so exciting; she inhaled his warm breath and the musk of his aftershave, soaking them up with childlike enthusiasm.

In return he rubbed and circled her clit as though he knew it backwards, his clenched fist soaking up her juices. Linda's legs buckled, her heels clicking on the wooden floor. Her whole body was yielding to him, faster than she had thought possible. She gave a little mewl of pleasure and slumped forward, her breasts straining against their confines. Stuart's hand went limp and she looked at him questioningly. One glance into his sardonic eyes told her exactly why he had stopped, and she plunged back frantically onto his mouth, squealing as he fingered her again. He handled her like an expert, pushing her closer to her climax. Linda devoured him, snorting air through her nostrils as she waited eagerly for her reward.

Then right at the critical moment, he whipped his hand out of her pants and yanked her head back. Linda gasped in shock, her thighs quivering as they reached for an orgasm that wasn't there. She felt her skin glow red, blood pounding through her veins. Her body didn't want to face up to the truth, but once it had sunk in she let out an enormous sigh, her head drooping towards the floor. Quick as a flash, Stuart's hand was clamped round her throat. He brought her up to face him, and her eyes bulged outwards.

"So, like any good pet, you understand the concept of rewards. When was the last time you rewarded yourself, hmm?"

Linda took a moment to figure out what he meant. "Um, a few days ago... the morning I met you."

That seemed to please him no end. "Oh really? Just before you met me?"

"Yes sir. I was a bit nervous about seeing you. It helped me relax."

"Good." A thought suddenly occurred to him. "I hope that doesn't mean you've been put off the idea of masturbating since you've met me."

Linda stared back at him, a smile creeping over her face. "No sir." She felt her skin go red again, but this time it was a very satisfying feeling. Stuart patted her on the neck and walked over to the desk. Without needing to be told she turned to face him, hands folded neatly behind her.

"I'm glad you still have a taste for it, because from now on it might not always have the happy ending you're used to. Now, get your arse over here." Linda shuffled obediently over to him, her clothes still in disarray. Stuart reached out for her nipples underneath her bra and pulled them forward, ever so slightly. She winced, standing at attention for him. "I think it's high time we discussed exactly what we want to achieve here."

"Yes sir."

"Now we can hardly do that with both of us standing here, pretending that we're equals. We need a more honest position to negotiate from." He eased his way round her and sat down on the small wooden chair that faced the desk, little more than a stool with a back to it. "Come here, and take your rightful place." Linda knew exactly where he meant. She took a deep breath and edged over to his side, staring at his lap. She wanted to slide down onto it gracefully, sexily; instead she sprawled heavily across his knee, trying to find her balance. It took a few seconds' fidgeting before she managed to touch the floor with both fingertips and toenails.

With her entire rear exposed to him, Stuart wasted no time pulling her knickers down to join her jeans. He squeezed her buttocks, leaving little red marks in her flesh. "So, since you became single you've been letting plenty of men get their hands on this, right?"

"Um... a few, yes sir."

"I'm not asking for a figure, Linda. The point is, you're not a beginner. You don't need reminding of your sexuality, just some help guiding it in the right direction. Or to put it in terms that you might understand..." He reached down and grabbed her by the hair, forcing her to look up at him. "We don't need to make you a bigger slut. Just a better one. Fair comment?"

"Fair comment, sir," she murmured, her eyes transfixed. He let go of her hair and pointed back at the floor.

"Keep your attention down there." She obeyed, and he carried on playing with her bum, poking and prodding at her cheeks. "How to make you a better slut... If you could give only one answer to that question, Linda, what would your suggestion be?"

"I, uh... I think..." Linda felt his hand drop to her pussy, probing it open, and her powers of reasoning grew harder to summon. "I think that to be a better slut, I need to be able to please any man I get involved with."

"You mean any man who fucks you, in other words?"

"Any man who fucks me, sir, yes."

"Has pleasing your partner always been important to you?"