 Episode Nineteen: Holding Out on MeOnce again, I was left alone early in the morning so that Bella could prepare for the show that evening. I felt a little tired and sore from all of our fun, so I was happy to have the time to sleep in. I took some aspirin when I got up. We had spent most of the night fucking in the most obscene ways, and my shoulders and back hated me for it. It was worth it. So, instead of going out to purchase clothing, I bought it online and had it delivered to the hotel. It was incredible how quickly they could get stuff to me. Money was such a helpful thing. Jasper sent a few messages asking about the day. I texted that it was amazing and to call me when he had a chance. I smiled when it rang just a moment later. “Amazing? That’s all I get, you wordy bastard?” I laughed. “Honestly, it was better than that. I don’t know how many details you want.” “All of them. What did you do?” “Well, we waked and baked and had mimosas and breakfast in bed. Then we ran to a sex shop where I went bonkers. Just nuts,” I chuckled. “I spent so much. Bella was trying to get me to open up, and I don’t think she was prepared for it when I did.” He snorted. “What did you get?” “Clothes, shoes, lube, bondage gear, and a half a dozen vibrators. Tons of random shit. I think I embarrassed the hell out of her, but she humored me.” Jasper hummed loudly, then laughed. “Bondage? I hate to inform you that blindfolds don’t qualify.” “Hey!” I grunted. “Actually, we bought a kit. And clamps. And she picked out a riding crop and a collar.” I cleared my throat as I blushed. “Cuffs, too. She really liked those.” “So did you just spend all day smoking weed, eating, and fucking?” “Yup, pretty much.” He sighed softly. “Oh, you lucky cunt,” he mumbled in annoyance. “I need to get laid.” “I thought you got laid the other day!” “But it wasn’t all day birthday sex.” I scoffed. “That’s true.” “What are you doing today?” Jasper questioned, changing the subject. “Bella is performing at that charity show, and I’m going to support her. Then we’re going to a club afterward to the afterparty. This is one I’m looking forward to. It’ll probably be a lot of fun.” “Aw!” He responded cheerfully. “Well, that’s nice, darling.” “Oh!” I remembered something. “I have stuff to tell you.” He was quiet for a long minute. “Oh?” “Bella’s coming to Sydney with me! You’ll get to meet her! I’m so fucking excited. She agreed last night.” I chuckled happily. “I was talking to my Grandpa Alistar over Facetime, and that shifty old bastard flirted with her, brought it up, and then abandoned me when he realized I hadn’t asked her yet. But it worked out.” “Oh! Cool!” He remarked. “In February?” “Yup! So, what are you doing right now? I don’t suppose you want to help me plan this extra-special romantic trip for Bella before then? Since you’re so good at it.” He had helped me with pretty much everything at least a little. He always had such wonderful ideas. “I want to take her on a quick snow holiday around Christmas.” He laughed quietly at my sucking up, then cleared his throat. “Um, I’m off right now.” There was a pause. “So, sure. Yeah. I’ll help, mate. What do you need?” I hummed for a moment. “Where the fuck do I take her?” We worked until I got too hungry. I let him go to get ready, going to a pizza shop not too far from the hotel in my new layers. Beside it was a florist. They delivered, so I sent two roses with a handwritten message to tell the ladies to break a leg. Bella was pretending she wasn’t nervous, but I could tell. They were just a little something to encourage her before. I also purchased a beautiful rainbow bouquet in a variety of colors to give her afterward. When I arrived at the theater, Riley, Demetri’s partner, found me. He waved me over to his group of seats. “Oh! She will love those!” He said as he placed his hand on his heart. “I hope so!” He pointed to a seat. “This is yours.” Rosalie was already sitting down with her husband. “Hi, man! Welcome! Join us!” Emmett greeted me loudly, shaking my hand. “Thank you!” I took my spot beside the gorgeous blond, putting the flowers on my lap. “So good to see you again.” “Did you have a fun birthday?” She questioned, lightly touching my arm. Her smile was pleasant and slightly knowing. I chuckled softly. “It was splendid, thank you. I got to spend it with Bella.” “Aw,” she grinned then pouted out her full lips. “That’s sweet. She was so happy on Thanksgiving! It was nice.” “Yeah, it was nice to see,” Riley agreed as he sat in the seat beside me. He shook his head. “She was walking on air. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen her this happy, to be honest.” Rosalie cocked her head to the side then shrugged. “There were points with Aiden, but I think she’s more stable and healthy now, so it makes a difference. Her anxiety is better than it was. She’s slowing down and relaxing.” “As much as she can,” Emmett chuckled. He leaned over to look at me. “I used to think she had ADHD. She still might, she’s just better at handling it.” “No, it’s the anxiety,” Rosalie mumbled to him in a whisper. “And what her grandmother did to her.” “What do you mean?” I questioned. Bella didn’t talk about the woman who raised her often, but it was always loving. I think they forgot I was there, and I didn’t know all the stories they did. The blond licked her lips then glanced over at me, considering everything she wanted to tell me. Then she huffed. “That bitch straight-up abused her. She was what I guess you’d call a helicopter grandparent. They would wake up every day at four in the morning and from then to the moment they went to sleep at ten that night, she had her work. She studied, read the bible, practiced her music, cooked, and cleaned. That witch treated her like a slave and would beat the crap out of her if it wasn’t perfect. Did you know her mom started her in gymnastics when she was a toddler, and she was so good at it she got scholarships? Won tons of shit. After she died, that cow rode her so hard to keep it up that it was making Bella a wreck. When she quit, she hit her with a belt until she bled and grounded her for months.” “No,” I breathed. “Bella would call it tough love,” Emmett remarked as he shook his head. She scrunched up her face in disgust. “She wouldn’t want to speak ill of the dead. But I will. I despised that woman. I hated her so much. So did Alice. She used to give our mom shit for being divorced, too.” I felt sick to my stomach. “Did she really beat her?” Looking down at her hands, she nodded. “Her back and thighs used to be covered in tiny scars. Mama took her to a lot of spa treatments to get rid of them. She hid the worst with tattoos.” I realized then that Alice and Rosalie were both honest and blunt women who would tell anyone the truth if they felt they needed to hear it. No matter how brutal. Slowly, I wiped my hand over my mouth. “No wonder everyone is so worried about me giving her new scars. She’s already had a lifetime of them,” I said to myself before I shook my head. “She’s really gone through a lot, hasn’t she? I feel like I’m just now starting to understand how much. She is so damn strong.” “She’s been to hell at least three times,” she told me in a serious voice. “The next time she’s there, it better be because her fine ass is there to take over, not because someone else dragged her through it.” I laughed at her words. “No worries. I’d protect her with my life if I had to. Bella is such a kind-hearted and strong-willed woman. I would never do anything to harm her. Every day I am just blown away by her goodness. Like this.” I pointed my hand towards the stage. “I love this. This is exactly something I would do. I admire her dedication to her charity work.” “She’s always wanted to make the world a better place.” “Me too.” Her husband leaned over again. “I think besides Alice, Bella has probably put in more hours than any person I know,” Emmett added into the conversation. “She used to do twelve-hour days in the office when Al was starting up. She was the first one I met when I started at CFA, actually,” he chuckled. She looked disgusted again. “He hit on her. She was bent over cleaning, and he complimented her ass.” “Am I never going to live that down?” He questioned his wife, pouting at being called out. I snickered at him. I couldn’t blame him for liking it. It was a fine one to be sure. “You said, ‘Hey mama, nice ass!’” Riley looked at him and snorted. “Who thinks that’s a good idea? Ugh, straight people. You were doing charity work!” “Uh, a horny twenty-something?” He answered, then shrugged. “Hey! She thought it was funny!” Rosalie rolled her eyes, ignoring him. I chuckled. “I have to admit, there is something about her charity work that does things to me. So, I don’t blame you. Also, her ass is legendary.” He winked at me. “She is dedicated,” Riley mused. “You know that Al considers CFA as much Bella’s as it is hers? She put up so much of the money to start it and has worked more than any other leader. Alice told me she’s over ten thousand hours logged, but you know it’s more than that.” “Damn,” Emmett breathed. "It’s because she does all the long trips.” “It’s incredible that she just gives her time away like that.” He quickly nodded in agreement. “Well, as a volunteer, you get twelve fifty an hour. So, she gets a little something,” she countered. Her husband leaned over to continue the conversation. “Not in the beginning, though. It was only after Aiden died that she started accepting it. Usually, she just gave it back.” “She put everything on hold to help her, too.” Rosalie shook her head, frowning. “I think her career would be in a different place if she hadn’t. I know she doesn’t regret it, but I think it upsets Al. She feels guilty when she watches her struggle financially. She’s still paying off the bills Aiden left her with.” I wasn’t in the least bit surprised at anything they said. The lights chose that moment to dim. Just a second later, Demetri came out onto the stage wearing a bright bubblegum pink princess style ball gown. “Wow!” I declared in surprise. Riley looked over at me in a smirk. “That is pink.” “It’s his color,” he replied. “It looks good on him.” He smiled and nodded happily in agreement. I chuckled quietly. I didn’t know what Bella was doing in the show besides the ending. She would dance, but other than that, she hadn’t given me many details. So with every act, I became a little more excited, hoping to see her beautiful face from just a few rows back. I hadn’t ever seen a girlfriend in a thing like this before. I was usually the dramatic one. Something like a tune from a music box played after Demetri came out in his third outfit. This one was a tux. The area was dark behind him. “Dance is where I fell in love with the stage,” he announced to the audience. “Just like so many other kids out there. But I knew that I was different. Just a bit of a rebel.” He passed off the mic before the lights turned up. Bella was dressed as a ballerina with her leg bent back behind her. Demetri held his hand out to her, and she seized it so he could pull her off the platform. The song changed to one I recognized but didn’t know the name of. It fit his speech perfectly. My girlfriend had told me she took ballet as a teenager and that once she came to New York City, she continued to take classes to help her try to get roles. She downplayed it, though. She acted as if she was terrible, and that was part of the reason she quit. I had never seen anyone move like that so close up. It was like she was telling a story with her body. Every motion was clean and perfect, sharp, and to the point. She worked amazingly with her partner as he spun her around the stage until he ripped off her dress to reveal a black one underneath. Demetri threw her around like she was a feather. I could see her gymnastic training in the way she landed in a proper split after one of his flips. When the song ended, she twirled her way back to the platform. The whole packed audience cheered wildly for her. I clapped and stood to my feet, as did everyone else. There were wolf-whistles and catcalls all around us. “That was incredible!” I breathed in wonder. Rosalie leaned in. “Bella wanted to take ballet when we were kids, but her grandmother wouldn’t pay for it. So, Alice convinced our mom we all wanted to, and that we needed her to do it with us. Isn’t she great? I always loved watching her.” I did something I shouldn’t have, but I couldn’t help myself. I pulled my phone out and sent a message to Bella. “You have been seriously holding out on me,” I informed her, adding a bunch of stupid emojis to go with it. I felt giddy from just watching her, my heart beating a million miles an hour. “I told you I was a dancer. Thanks, but I’m not that good.” I rolled my eyes and shook my head. “But, like... You’re a legit dancer. Like you have real moves. Ballet moves.” I didn’t know how to word my feelings. They were overwhelming me. “You are so so so sweet and biased. I stopped dancing seriously a decade ago, and I’m rusty as fuck. I’m so sore. I might be dying right now, actually. Like legit. My chest.” She sent a funny gif of a man grabbing his breast like he was having a heart attack. “lol You did great though,” I promised, grinning to myself. I sent a whole rainbow of hearts. An hour later, the show was wrapping up. Demetri came to the stage again in his tux. Bella was standing behind him in her own suit, but it was very feminine. It was fitted to her body and so sexy. Something in my brain just misfired and kind of shut down when I watched her. I didn’t even hear what her friend was monologuing about. Watching her expertly play while looking like that made me melt in my seat. And then she sang. “Wow,” I whispered to myself. I saw Rose nod in agreement. “Why isn’t she on Broadway?” “She’s not as confident as she pretends to be,” she replied. “That’s why you have to encourage her every step of the way.” I just nodded in understanding. It took forever to get to my girl. There were so many people trying to get her attention. When she finally saw me through the sea of bodies, she threw herself at me. I caught her easily, lifting her feet off the ground. She giggled cheerfully as she kissed my cheek. I put her down, appreciating the view close up. “You look incredible.” “Yeah, this queer groomsman’s look ticks so many boxes for me,” her blond friend agreed, giving Bella a tight hug too. She looked pleased with herself, slipping both of her hands in her pant’s pockets as she averted her eyes to the floor. “Oh, I should skip the dress next wedding then? Demetri has such good taste.” “Those shoes are everything,” his husband added, looking at her feet. I hadn’t even really noticed how high her heels were. They made her almost four inches taller. “I bet you can’t dance in those.” Glancing down, she shrugged. “I used to be able to. But it’s been a while. So, I guess we’ll find out, won’t we?” Thanks to Gina for proofreading this episode!I'm taking a vacation! The next episode of Perfect Snapshots will be on March 11th! See you then! 😘💛 Episode Forty-four: PicturesWarning: this episode contains graphic sexual descriptions. Reader discretion is advised. Intended for a mature audience only. (18+)I thought my smile would split my face in half. “Yeah?” She nodded in answer, her grin so bright. “I’ll prepare everything. I’ll make it perfect. I promise.” “I can’t wait,” she replied before she stood up from the bed. Coolly, she arranged her camera and brought it back to me. “This one will be good to start with. I like it for indoor lighting. It doesn’t zoom, so if you’d like to do that, I can switch it to another. I also have another that’s better for close up detail. I have all my lens with me and filters if you want to experiment.” “You are so casual.” I slowly took it from her. I was actually nervous. She didn’t seem bothered at all. Bella smirked at me seductively. “I’m excited to be honest.” “I don’t know where to start. I don’t know how I want you to pose,” I admitted, looking down at the device. She shrugged. “The best pictures aren’t posed. Just take the camera and take a picture when you’re ready. When you see something you like or want more of, tell me,” she explained, turning to go over to the table covered with all our fun purchases. She searched for a moment before she found the shoebox. Bella didn’t look behind her as she took off her robe and tossed it carelessly onto a chair. Everything about her was perfect. The corset made her waist narrow, her body a flawless hourglass. Her ass was just… “Damn.” She turned, shimmying so that it jiggled her breasts before glancing down at the tempting mounds. “If I looked down, I’d get my nose stuck.” It was too cute not to take a photo. She giggled, shocked. Her hand flew to her mouth, her cheeks full with her grin. She was even more adorable than she was sexy. I laughed and swiftly took another. She was glowing in it. “Okay, I like that one.” She said nothing as she unwrapped the box. I decided I wanted some from a different point of view. I sank down onto my knees, quickly taking more. It still wasn’t the right angle, so I sat back and tried once more. Bella noticed my displeasure with how it was going. She leaned down and flicked something on it so that the viewfinder popped up. “That will put the picture on the screen, and you can turn it so you can see it from other directions. And you can press the screen to take a picture as well.” Using her instructions, I placed it on the ground so that the shot went right up her legs. It was exactly what I wanted. She was a great teacher. “Yes, that helps. Thank you,” I said lightly. Spinning around, she shook her ass again so that it wiggled almost in my face. She flirtatiously gazed over her shoulder at me. I snapped shots as swiftly as I could. These looked like something out of a fashion shoot. “I love your bow tattoos,” I mused as I touched them. Kissing each, I let my lips linger there on her delicate flesh. I no doubt needed a close-up of them and her ass. She looked so good, I wanted to take a bite out of her. When she felt my teeth against her skin, she eeked and giggled. I quickly took a photo of her smile. She was having fun, too. “Shall I put the shoes on now?” “Mm, yes, please.” I continued the entire time she put them on. She did it in such a way that it was unmistakably a show. With her ass in my face, she bent over to slip one on, and then she kicked her foot up to put on the other. When she straightened up, she glanced over her shoulder at me before walking over to the glass door. “So, do I look silly?” Not even close. My girl looked like a model. “I think you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Lean against the door,” I requested quietly. The frost was making a halo around her, and the colors of the city were perfect on her skin. The way she looked at me was so sensual, her thumb between her teeth. Her hips raised off of it, her breast pushed out towards me. “Turn your head to the side.” She did what she was told, and a streak of blue light fell over her red lips. Her blue eye reflected it, shining brightly. Her eyelashes fluttered against her cheeks, her expression sultry. I wanted her so badly. Everything about her was so luscious. Cool and collected, Bella pushed off the door and turned on music for us to listen to. She had liked my instructions earlier, so I continued. “Sit in the chair.” With her eyes on mine, she sat down gracefully. As if she was about to have tea with me, she placed her hands on the arms and tucked her feet underneath like a princess. But she was more than that, I realized. Pecking her knuckles, I held her gaze still. “My queen.” Laughing, her cheeks turned pink as she looked away from me for a moment. “What are you trying to do to my ego?” She said mockingly in my accent, mimicking my action from the Zucker’s kitchen with her hands. “I worship you,” I told her honestly. With her eyes on mine, she pushed the tip of her shoe into my chest and shoved me back gently. I grabbed it, kissing the very top of her ankle. I rearranged her legs, knowing exactly how I wanted to take the next pictures. Spreading them, I hung the other over the arm. She knew precisely what I was doing, adjusting in her seat. Teasing me, her fingertips slid from the inside of her knee almost to her panties. “Is this what you want?” She really had no idea. “Yes.” Kissing her thigh, I pushed them further until I could see that she was visibly slick. I took dozens of pictures, moving her around in different poses for more. She did everything I wanted eagerly. “Go to the bed.” Her body swayed temptingly as she went to sit on the very edge of the mattress. She rested on her palms, her warm eyes inviting me over. Standing, I continued to take photos as I drew closer. Bella smirked as she pulled my shirt from my trousers. “Lay back.” Stretching out, I rested on my knees over her so I could capture her expression. She allowed me to change her position in whatever way I pleased again. I touched her stomach, feeling the rough material under my fingers. “You are perfection.” Resting her black heel on my shoulder, it gave me the perfect shot of her leg. Going back to the end of the bed, I grabbed her by the ankle and yanked her towards me. She went to her knees on the floor in front of me. With a wicked little giggle, she peered up at me hungrily. Bella undid my trousers, but I knew the night would go faster once they were off, and I was still having too much fun. Grabbing her jaw, I made her look up at me before taking a photo. She pecked at it, holding my gaze. I was getting too tempted and needed to pull back. Going across the room, I looked through her kit. “Which one is the one with the zoom?” “The two longer ones at the very end of the bag. Get the shorter of the two.” After the exchange, I went to the chair she had sat in before. “Take off the corset. Slowly.” I didn’t like strip clubs, but this show was something else. And so much hotter. Without her eyes leaving mine, she freed each hook one at a time after she stood up. She let it drop to the floor, her hands smoothing over her stomach and breasts afterward. “Turn around. Shake your hair loose,” I directed. She did so, knowing exactly what I meant. “Perfect. Look back at me.” Bella peered over her shoulder, her lips parted slightly with desire. “Now your panties.” Hooking her thumbs into them, she pushed them down her thighs before throwing them aside. My girlfriend then turned and came towards me. I knew if I touched her, I would lose my cool, and I wasn’t done yet. I needed just a little more. “Lean against the glass again.” She did everything I asked so smoothly. Resting against the door, her head rolled back for a moment as her fingers moved between her legs. I could see her wet fingertips sliding over her skin. She was so turned on and was just as ready for this as I was. I put the camera away. “Come here.” Bella did quickly, and I pulled her to me so I could lavish her breasts with attention. She played with my hair, tugging on it gently. It reminded me of how she did when I tasted her. I realized I needed to eat her like this. Carefully with my hand on the back of her ankle, I put her foot on the arm. It opened her up to me completely. With only her heels and stockings, it was the sexiest thing I had ever seen. I slid my fingers over her bare skin. “You’re always so wet for me.” I would never get enough of her flavor. She was the most delicious woman in the world. Whimpering, she held on to my hair just like I wanted her to. Bella shook with my touch, calling out as I brought her over the edge for the first time for the night. First, but not last. When I finally stopped, I looked up at her with a proud grin. She was slightly flushed, but her face was totally relaxed. She put her leg down before picking up her camera and walking smoothly over to her bag once again. I didn’t know how she could be so calm after. Changing her lens, she didn’t look back at me. “Unbutton your shirt.” I grasped then what she was doing. It was only fair she got to snap her pictures, too. Bella said she wanted some as well the day before. Watching her, I undid each one slowly. She had given me a show. Hopefully, she would like mine too. Her head tilted to the side slightly. “Stand up and take off your pants.” My jeans caught on my big feet, and I almost fell over while pulling them off. I felt my face turn red as I hurried to free myself from them. She was still taking my photo, though, but I really couldn’t understand why. I was so awkward and uncomfortable in my own skin that I wasn’t sure what she could like so much. “Turn around,” she ordered in a firm voice. I did, my cheeks flaming hotter. “Take them off now.” After I did so, I mindlessly touched myself. It was so hard that I was aching, and the pressure was exactly what I needed. All I wanted to do was pump furiously, but I would finish in a matter of moments if I did. Bella put her camera down before striding confidently over to the table so she could look at our purchases. Arranging them, she pulled things from the bag. Finally, I came up behind her so I could lightly kiss her neck and shoulders. “Hm, what shall I use on you first?” She said nothing, a naughty smile on her face. I let my fingertips move down her shoulder before I reached for the handcuffs. Bella allowed me to bind her, her grin turning into a small smirk on her pretty lips. I held her waist so that my erection dug into her ass, tasting her soft skin from behind. Next, I picked up the blindfold. I took her to the bed and had her climb onto it so that she was sitting on her calves. There she waited, bound and helpless while nude with a giant smile on her perfect scarlet lips. They were parted slightly as she panted, her chest heaving. She was having as much fun as I was. Quickly, I grabbed her face and kissed her delicious mouth. Before, I didn’t want to mess up her makeup, but it was exactly what I needed. I could feel the red smearing between us and spreading across my skin. When I pulled away from her, it was smudged slightly around the edges. It just made her sexier. Gazing at her, I knew I needed to put a ball gag in her exquisite mouth before the end of the night and see if I could make her scream around it with the aid of as many as toys as I could. I wanted to see how many I could get her off with before she couldn’t take anymore. The answer was three, which was more than I was expecting. We still had two more to try. It was, without a doubt, the most incredible birthday ever. The things she allowed me to do to her were like something out of a porno. It was the greatest gift I have ever been given. Taking those pictures were… I let my mind wander while getting dressed after. It felt as if I was floating on air. When she came out of the bathroom after cleaning up, Bella was wearing one of my shirts, and it went to her shins. Her wild curls rested on the top of her head, piled up in a haphazard bun. Her skin was clean, and her lips pink and slightly swollen from being kissed so much. Startlingly, her eyes got huge. “I just realized I haven’t given you your gift yet.” “That wasn’t it?” I jokingly asked. I knew she had a present, but nothing would beat naked photos. She giggled softly, rolling her pretty eyes. “No. Of course not.” Scampering to her suitcase, Bella retrieved a bag. She hurried back over to me, a grin on her eager face. She plopped it onto my lap heavily before leaning in to kiss me. “Thank you,” I breathed against her lips. She grinned as she leaned into me, her temple resting against my shoulder. She looked so small, almost young, this way. “Happy birthday, honey.” My girl looked up at me, her mismatched eyes glowing. “Are you having a good day so far?” “The best, obviously,” I answered right away. I couldn’t wait a moment longer before opening the gift. It was heavy on my thighs, and I had no idea what my girlfriend would get me. The very first thing on the top was little snack cakes. “Oh, I remember you talking about these,” I chuckled. It wasn’t was I was expecting. “For a video, of course,” she said with a nod of her head, playing with the ends of the long sleeves of the shirt she was wearing. Her fingers were barely peeking out, most of it pushed up to her elbows. Bella had pulled her legs into it, and her toes were hardly showing. “Oh, nice! Maybe this can be our dessert?” I offered. She looked at me in surprise. “Do you want to make a video tonight?” “I think that’s a pretty awesome backdrop for a video, don’t you? I mean, if you want to,” I added the last part quickly. I wanted to create one to remember the night by, and it seemed like a perfect excuse. Grinning, she inclined in and pressed her lips to my cheek. “Of course. Sounds fun.” I continued to take things out. She had it packed. “Let’s see what else is in here. Oo, wine. Yes. Very nice. We should put these in the fridge for later.” “They should pair very well with our Drake’s,” Bella joked slyly, wrinkling her nose. “Maybe we’ll order some milk to have with them,” I replied, knowing how much she loved it with sweets. The next was an old-fashioned shaving kit. It had soap, a brush, cup, aftercare lotion, aftershave, and a heavy silver razor with several replacement blades. “That’s more a gift for me,” she cooed as she kissed my cheek again while her little fingers danced across my jaw lightly. “I love how smooth your skin is.” “Oi, very fancy,” I replied before I pulled out an object that was very well wrapped. “Let’s see what we’ve got here. It’s something all bundled up.” It took a few moments to unearth. “Oh, it’s a Plexie clock! How fun. I’ve not seen this one before.” I had most of the toys for him. People were always sending me pictures of them, too. She looked so proud of herself. “That’s because it was handmade by someone local. I found it at a comic book shop not too far from here. They had all kinds of good stuff. There is one more thing in there,” she finished before pointing to the gift. Carefully, I put it down to the side and pulled out the item that was at the very bottom. It was heavy as hell and felt as if it was made from metal. When I unwrapped it, I discovered it was a large Plexie statue. It was at least eight inches tall and was a perfect replica of my character in its standard armor. It was all scuffed up as if it was battle-worn. There were even little bullet holes. “Yo, it’s so detailed!” “You can pose it,” she explained as she moved the statue’s metal arm up and down. Its front panel popped open just like in the game. He was basically a sarcastic mule. “I know how much you like your shelf, so I thought I’d get you something for it that is one of a kind.” I loved it so much and would cherish it for the rest of my life. It was so cool to receive something that was custom. I kind of wanted to cry, but I held it in. She couldn’t know how special she had made my entire day. I kissed her to show my gratitude because I didn’t have adequate words to do so. “Thank you. I was expecting more lingerie.” Bella impishly grinned. “Oh, you’ll get to see those soon enough. But it’s like an advent calendar. You get a new one every day,” she teased against my mouth. “That sure as hell beats lollies.” Then my girlfriend sang like an angel with a devilish grin on her face. “On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a pair of crotchless panties and a teddy. On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a bra-sized thirty-two triple D!” Honestly, Jasper was just going to love her, too. She was quick, though. He would have trouble keeping up with her. “You are so weird, and I adore you,” I chuckled as I promptly hugged her to me. “I love everything you got me. It’s been the best birthday. I’ve never been so happy,” I confessed. “Thank you.” “You’re welcome, handsome,” she answered. “Now, are you ready for dinner? I am starving.” “Me too,” I agreed, hopping up to arrange my gifts neatly, so they were safely off the bed. As I did, I passed my girl the weed and my phone. “Get hungrier, I’ll fetch us a drink. Pick out some options for us.” Thanks to Gina for proofreading this episode! Episode Forty-three: YOLOGlancing around the shop, I leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Those shoes are perfect. How can you walk in them?” Bella looked up at me, her eyebrows raised as she smirked. “Practice.” She paused for a moment, looking me over. “I intended not to wear those for very long, either.” Best. Birthday. Ever. As we walked back to the clothing, I had to keep myself from grabbing her ass. She wouldn’t have minded, but I didn’t need to get us kicked out of the fun shop before we made our purchases. Searching through the corsets again, she went for the most Christmas-like colors first. She skimmed through the reds and whites before coming to a selection of green. I stood behind her, looking too. Then one caught my eye. It was deep emerald and had silver details sewn into the thick fabric. The buttons were little paste diamonds. It reminded me of her engagement ring. “I like this one. Do they have your size?” I questioned softly, biting my lip. One day, I wanted to see her in this and my ring with maybe the heels and nothing else. “Mmhmm.” She grabbed the correct one from the rack. It had matching panties attached too. “I love these colors.” Smiling, she trailed her fingers over the silver looping. “The green reminds me of your eyes.” Quickly, I leaned down to steal a quick kiss. It was innocent and sweet, just a peek. She brought her hand up and pulled me down for another one, brushing her nose against mine when she drew away. She tugged away and flicked her little finger towards a display with different Santa themed items. “Are you sure you don’t want a hat?” Her smile was impish and playful. “Perhaps a bow,” I joked. If she was going to be my present, she needed it. We made our way towards another wall. This one had a selection of BDSM type toys. There were probably twenty different styles of collars. Bella took one from the hook that was a deep satiny red. “Or, that.” The idea made me flush a color to match. She put it with the shoes and corset as she gazed into my eyes. I couldn’t look away. “I know you enjoyed spanking me. Are you into BDSM?” That was a good question. I liked certain ideas though I hadn’t done many of them. I more than enjoyed spanking her. That evening had become one of my favorite fantasies to think about when I was alone. “I’m not really experienced.” Gazing at me knowingly, she smirked. “That’s not what I asked.” Bella looked away from me and glanced at the other toys. “Have you tried anything else?” “Tying up and blindfolding. I realize it’s not really hardcore,” I barely breathed out. It felt as if the words got caught in my throat. “Not everything about BDSM is hardcore. It’s not like I’d expect you to have hogtied and hung someone in a gimp suit from the ceiling while hitting them with a cane and calling them dirty names.” I wasn’t sure if she was just throwing random phrases together to create a situation or if she was remembering an event. “That is so specific it’s concerning,” I jested, hoping it wasn’t real. She smirked again at my expression, shaking her head so that her hair fell around her face. “I’ve never hung anyone from the ceiling or even seen a gimp suit in person. I’ve definitely done some hitting and name-calling, though,” she explained as she reached for one of the toys. It was a riding crop. She twirled it in her fingers for a moment before tightening her grip around it. Then she popped her palm with it twice while looking me straight in the eyes. My brain went ‘OoOooOoo, Yes, Mistress’ right away. I grabbed it from her hand and went to add it to our loot, but she stopped me with a laugh. “Ah. No. Not that one. It has a rubber end. You don’t start with that,” she said as she retrieved a better one. She really was more experienced than me because I had no idea there was even a difference. Then Bella picked up a pink one with a star that looked like a wand. “I’m the BDSM fairy, and I’m here to fuck you up right,” she teased in a sexy voice, wiggling her eyebrows and tapping the star onto her palm again. I laughed too loudly. “Kinky Godmother,” I quipped. Wriggling her shoulders, she timed her taps to her words. “Bip-di bop-pi-di bondage, baby.” I realized then that Bella would be the perfect teacher for me. She was as patient as she was funny. And she was enjoying herself too. There were several beginner’s BDSM kits. I picked out the most expensive one, figuring that would be the best quality. It wouldn’t do if the handcuffs broke the first time I tried to cuff her to a chair. Then I turned to see the shelf with lube on them. I had forgotten to pack any. I wasn’t sure exactly what we would do, but having that just in case was never a terrible idea. She picked up a tube, bringing it close to her eyes. It was bright yellow and looked like chapstick. “What’s that?” “It’s supposed to make your nipples tingly in a fun way.” I reached over and took it from her, making her giggle. “Do you even like pineapple flavors?” “Yes,” I smiled innocently. Beside them were some warming massage lotions and oils. I loved the idea of dripping it all over her body and rubbing her from head to toe. I grabbed two of those too. She bit her lip as she watched, and I realized she liked it as well. When we got to the dildos and vibrators, I felt her stiffen up beside me, and her face was flushed. It was kind of cute to see her almost nervous about something. She hummed, walking to a box and pointing at it. “I’ve heard good things about this kind.” I instantly put it in with the rest of the haul. “Seriously, stop just grabbing,” she laughed, amused as her blush brightened. I smiled wickedly. “Why not? It’s my birthday, and I can buy whatever I want,” I stated like a bratty child. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. Leaning in, she whispered. “Though that is true, you’re just having fun picking out all the dirty things now. Look how much junk we have.” I pick out a single thing that was only for her, and suddenly it was too much. No, I meant it when I told her I would buy her a bunch to try. “I fail to see a problem here. We said we’d test them out tonight and see what you like best. We can’t do that if we don’t have a wide selection. You need choices.” Bella giggled as she looked away from me, her arms wrapped around her stomach nervously. “I was joking about that part.” I leaned down to kiss her ear before whispering in return. “Well, I’m not.” Looking up at me with her wide innocent eyes, I saw her arousal and surprise. It was delicious and made me feel more confident. As I looked around, I caught one sales lady's attention. She hurried over, smiling brightly. “Hi. Can I help you with anything?” Clearing my throat, I smiled in return. I could pretend to be an adult not made nervous by women’s sexual aids. “Actually, yes. What are your best-selling toys for women’s pleasure? Top five.” My girlfriend’s eyes got as big as saucers as even her ears turned neon. She slowly brought her hand up to her forehead, facepalming at my stupidity. The pink-haired girl didn’t notice, though, and smiled. “Well, if you’re interested in this style, I would recommend this brand right here. It’s a little bit cheaper, and it also has a spot for regular batteries, and it’s USB rechargeable. It’s one of our top-selling,” she helpfully explained. I grabbed her selection. “Are you just looking for this style?” “No, looking for new, fun things to try.” She walked over to a shelf. “So, these suction ones are really popular. They are… very fun, um,” she giggled. “All the girls at the shop have a favorite. This one is the best-selling overall.” I grabbed it, too, following her to the next section. “Also, the rabbits are always popular.” Bella’s horror was hilarious in a way I couldn’t describe. She would let me do whatever I wanted, and I kept picking things out until the pink-haired woman took my basket behind the counter. I still brought more stuff in my hands. “I’m going to look at the shoes again,” my girl grumbled when I went to pay, making me chuckle. There was a display of candles that turned into massage oil after you burned them. They were even edible. I got one of each flavor. “The cherry is delicious,” the lady commented to me. “Oh, I like cherry,” I agreed, pulling out another just in case I really liked it. “Okay, wow. Well, your total today is $2335.98. I believe that is the most I have rung up. I mean, there is more expensive stuff in the store, but we rarely sell it,” she explained in a rush. I laughed at her expression, some of my confidence coming down from the high of shopping. “Um, yeah. Might have overdone it. It’s my birthday, though.” She beamed. “Happy birthday! Yolo, right?” I nodded, signing the receipt. “How old are you?” “Twenty-five.” “Nice! I’d tell you to have fun tonight, but that won’t be a problem as long as you don’t forget the batteries.” We walked together hand in hand down the very crowded Manhattan streets. It was just as bitingly cold as before, but I tried to ignore it. “Um, we need to stop to get batteries,” I commented through my chattering teeth. “Oh, there’s a Duane Reade right by the hotel. We’ll stop there. Is there anything else we need?” Apparently, what we required was candy, chips, cookies, and booze. Bella also picked out a little bow choker from a Christmas display. I smiled to myself. I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket as I unlocked the door with the keycard. It was one of my grandparents, but I wasn’t sure which. Hurrying, I put the bags on the table before I pulled out my mobile. My grandmother was requesting some Facetime. “Oh, it’s my Gran,” I informed my girlfriend. She smiled and nodded. “I’m going to get freshened up,” Bella replied as she went searching through our loot. She took out several things before turning to go to the bathroom. Finally, I answered. I put on my biggest smile. “Hello there, you gorgeous woman!” “There is my beautiful baby on his birthday!” She cooed happily when I came onto the screen. Her eyes were too close, and I could see up her nose. “Happy birthday to you,” she sang, and I felt like my chest would burst. I put my hand on my heart, feeling the emotions stinging my nose. I missed my grandmother so much. “Thank you so much!” “Have you spoken to everyone today?” Bella stood and watched, leaning against the bathroom door as I chatted happily. “Mum called. The girls sent me lovely messages. And I talked to Nana last night, but you were the only one to sing me a happy birthday. They all tried, and I told them no. Only Grandma Jane can do it right, I told them all,” I joked, making her laugh. When I looked up again, my girl was shutting the door behind her. She leaned back in the frame. “Are you having a good birthday so far?” “Yes. It’s been great. Relaxing… except for talking to Mum.” “Poor babe,” she teased. No one was a huge fan of my mother in my family. “What have you done?” “Well,” I chuckled awkwardly. “Um, I got up early and spoke to Jasper. He made me a lovely picture.” She nodded her head. “Such a talented boy. How is he?” I frowned, shaking my head. “I know you miss him, darling. It’s okay.” “Today, especially,” I admitted. “I know he’s unhappy. Why won’t he let me help him?” “Because men are stubborn and have to do it their own way. Anyway, tell me what else you’ve done? It should be mid-afternoon there if I planned it right. I didn’t want to bother you too early or late.” “It doesn’t matter when you call. I’ll talk to you anytime.” “I know, darling,” she cooed. “So, what plans do you have?” I laughed at her persistence. “This morning we had room service with lots of champagne, and we just got back from doing a little shopping. Today is a big shopping holiday in America.” “They must have known it was your birthday,” she teased gently, making me laugh. “They sure did,” I agreed. I kicked off my boots and threw off my jacket to get more comfortable. “We just went to a couple of stores though because it’s bloody cold. I’m going to go tomorrow when I have some free time to get some better winter wear. I packed terribly. Perhaps I’ll order it and have it shipped to the hotel.” She nodded her head. “Packing was never something I’ve done well either. I always forget something.” “Me too. Thank God I’ve got the money to indulge the way I do. Bella doesn’t particularly like it, but I enjoy spoiling her.” My grandmother smiled brightly. “Bella is such a lovely name. Is she there with right now?” “Yeah,” I grinned. “She’s getting ready for tonight.” “Going out?” “Yeah,” I lied, smirking a little. “You know me, a real party animal.” She laughed. “So, you’ll eat too much and be in bed by nine?” I acted as if it offended me. “Gran, I am a twenty-five-year-old man, and you shouldn’t call me out like that. Jeez, I know that I’m boring.” She snorted, shaking her head as she rolled her eyes. “You’re giving me too much credit.” “This is why I never worried about you,” she continued to shake her head before she perked up. “Alistair! Darling! I’ve got Anthony on the telephone. Come say hello,” she encouraged. “Oh, good! I thought it was about time to call him,” I heard him mumble as he came over. The mobile switched hands, and I was staring at my Grandpa. “Happy birthday!” “Thanks, old man. How are you doing?” “Good, good. So, what’s this I hear about a new girlfriend? Hm?” I laughed at his interest. “Um, yeah. I met my dream girl.” He rolled his eyes at my dramatics, but he was smiling. “Your dream girl, huh? Is she an American?” I nodded. “She’s a sweet little southern bell, but she might smack me if she heard me say that,” I said in a fake country accent that was terrible. “She’s from Houston, Texas.” “Oh, got yourself a cowgirl?” He joked, trying to do an accent too. His was worse. “Actually, I know her guardian as a teenager owns a ranch. She’s told me how she rode with her best friends sometimes,” I explained in a chuckle. “But she’s not wearing cowboy hats and boots,” I smirked as I wrinkled my nose. Bella came out of the bathroom, wrapped in a robe. I could see only the choker and stockings. Her gorgeous makeup was green and red, her lips calling to me. “So, what does she look like?” He asked, pulling my attention away from her. I couldn’t help but grin. “Well, she’s very petite. A tiny thing and right fit. Very fit,” I explained. That didn’t cover how stunning she was. “She’s got the longest, curliest, black hair that goes all the way to her bum. And her eyes are the most amazing thing. She’s got one blue eye and one brown. It’s bewitching,” I continued as she held my gaze. Bella looked away, blushing as she pulled the robe to her tighter. “She does sound enchanting. I can’t wait to meet her. She getting ready for your hot date?” He asked playfully as he wiggled his eyebrows at me. I laughed and nodded. “She is. She’s just got out the ladies, in fact.” Slowly, my girl walked over to the bed and sat down beside me, so she could talk to my grandfather too. She held the robe so tightly in place her knuckles were white. She smiled widely, nervously. “Hi!” His mouth opened in surprise, looking between us. “Would you look at that! Your eyes really are different colors. Your bird is quite the looker!” He smirked. “How are you doing, dollface?” “Oi, old man. Don’t flirt with my lady.” I tried to copy his accent badly and laughed somewhere in the middle. “When I have your grandmother? Never.” “I love you. I can’t wait to see you again in February,” I told him honestly, having a pang of longing for my family. It had been too long since we had been together. “I love you too, darling boy. Is she coming?” He asked as he nodded his big head towards her. I instantly grimaced. I decided to play it off as a joke. “Shh... I’ve not asked her yet,” I said in a fake whisper. “I was going to ask her at Christmas. I was going to ply her with presents before I asked her to go visit the insane asylum with us.” Actually, I was going to confess my love to her first before I tested that by introducing her to my crone of a mother. Grandpa pursed his lips for a moment, looking around. “Oops, oh, dear. Would you look at the time? I have nothing to do. Your aunts send their love. Have a good birthday!” And then he hung up. That fucking trouble maker. This is where I got my attitude problems. I shook my head, my jaw to my chest for a second. “You bastard,” I laughed in annoyance. That cat was out of the bag, and there was no putting it back. I threw my mobile onto the table beside us. Taking a deep breath, I looked at Bella. “Okay. Well, then. Would you like to go with me to Australia?” She didn’t hesitate at all. “Yes, I would.” I chuckled happily. “Yeah?” Finally loosening her grip on her robe, she nodded her head as she gazed up at me. Her smile was so pretty, curved ever slightly to one side. “I’d love to.” Thank you to Gina for proofreading this episode! |