Authors note: Hello everyone. Thank you everyone for the positive feedback and comments they mean the world to me and have brightened my days. I hope you enjoy this series despite its differences to the original story. Thank you once again to Paul who continues to be my second set of eyes. ~ellie.
*****
Cat looked up from where she sat with the box on her lap as Matteo re-entered the white room. She hadn't wanted to explore the room without him; she was simultaneously excited, aroused and fearful of what she might find. Her curiosity about what was in the box was overwhelming, and she held it on her lap wanting not only what was in it but this new facet of their relationship. He looked gorgeous as he stood in the doorway watching her. He was shirtless and wore soft looking loose pants that she could imagine being used by a man doing martial arts rather than what they were about to do. Or at least what she hoped they were about to do.
"I want this," she said quietly, and ran her hands over the top of the box. "I didn't look or explore in the cupboards, those are your things and equipment, but this is mine," she said looking up at Matteo, her eyes bright and showing her mixed emotions.
"Then open it," he encouraged and walked slowly toward her, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Wait," he stopped her and took the box from her lap and placed it back on the bed before pulling her to her feet. "No dresses in here, underwear only," he instructed and helped her remove the dress, his hands stroking over her exposed breasts. "Now you may open the box," he instructed and took the dress to the end panel, opening it and tossing it into a basket there.
Cat sat back on the bed and carefully removed the paper finding a white leather covered box with a stylised silver cat embossed on the surface with her name in cursive script below it. She looked up and tilted her head at him. Had he been optimistic again? Had he known she would say yes to this?
"I want this," he admitted. "As much as you claim that you want this. I never wanted to assume or take advantage of you, which was why I tried to talk to you without the influence of my needs. I was cautiously optimistic, however, because of your continued curiosity," he explained and lifted the lid for Cat to see the contents.
"I'm not an octopus!" she exclaimed after seeing the fur-lined white leather collar and eight cuffs.
"No, you are not," he agreed with a chuckle. "Let me demonstrate," he offered. He took the cuffs one by one and encircled her wrists and then just above her elbows with the soft leather cuffs. He then opened a small section between the rows of cuffs and took out a short chain of three links and beckoned her to stand, moving behind her. He pulled her arms behind her back and attached the short chain to the cuffs above her elbows making her pull her shoulders back and thrust out her breasts.
"You see why there are eight now?" he murmured in her ear before moving around to face her and admire the lift and bold thrust of her breasts.
"I do," she breathed, feeling the rise and fall of her chest even more keenly above the tight corset.
"You look amazing like this," he murmured in a low voice, his dark eyes following his fingers as they trailed down her cheek and over her shoulder to her breast where his fingers found her nipple, pinching it gently between his thumb and forefinger and rolling the swollen nub. He cleared his throat before picking up the collar, wrapping it around her neck and fitting it snuggly. Then he let her sit as he placed soft kisses on her thighs and drew her panties down her long slim legs. His hands massaged her legs as he wrapped the cuffs around her ankles and just above her knees.
"Perfect," he murmured, pulling her once again to her feet and pulling her into his arms, her breasts pushing against his ribcage. "You are so beautiful," he breathed in a voice that seemed almost awestruck as his hands ran down her back to her ass and squeezed, pulling her impossibly closer against him. He kissed her then deeply and possessively, "Mine," he murmured in almost a growl as the kiss ended.
Cat smiled and looked up at him, moving her shoulders slightly and enjoying the feel of her breasts against the hard muscles of his lower chest.
"It's adorable watching you try to retain some sense of control in here with me," he placed his hands on her shoulders to stop her movements. "The moment you opened that box you surrendered all control of what happens here to me. I will listen to your needs and even your wants, but nothing will happen here without my desiring it." He moved away from her, and she wondered if she had upset him.
"I am not known for my patience," he counselled her, "But neither do I want to get too carried away with your first experience of submission in here," he said as he opened a cupboard.
Cat watched him as he seemed to be slowing himself down with the distraction of retrieving equipment rather than rebuking her actions. She said nothing as she watched him take out two shallow glass bowls and two candles, placing them on a waist-high shelf beside the bed and lighting them. Almost immediately the room began to fill with a subtle sweet smell. She continued to watch him as he went to a different panel and took several items from the cupboard before approaching her again.
"I have quite a few Valentine's day presents for you," he said in a soft voice. "This, for want of a better word, is my weapon of choice," he held a long flexible length of leather that looked like a flexible ruler she had in her studio. "I know the things you have read have possibly talked about crops, whips or even canes, but I find I have far more control with straps like this." He let her inspect it, then lay it over her shoulder as he undid the elbow cuffs so she could hold it and feel it. He took a deep breath as if restraining himself as she held it.
"History tells us that slaves of the past were driven by whips, but when punishment was due leather straps were used because, while painful, they were far less likely to do any lasting damage or break the skin. The edges were polished like this to ensure that," he ran his thumb over the obviously polished curved edge of the strap as she held it. It seemed an intimate action as they stood so close together. "There are many other toys and equipment within the panels, but this is my preferred weapon, so to speak."
"Weapon sounds so sinister," she whispered.
"All of the equipment in here can be treated as such. They are created to cause pain, but they can also be used for pleasure," he explained. "I am not going to sugar-coat anything that can and will happen in here for you," he said seriously, "which is why I gave you time to explore and think about what you were asking of me."
"I didn't look," she admitted. "I trust you and wanted to learn about it all with you, not by guesswork as I rifle through the cupboards."
"I see. That wasn't my instruction, though, was it?" he took the strap from her hand and flicked it at her breast making her jump and look at him wide-eyed.
