Page 14

Ethan

It was a solemn procession that walked to the firepit where the first annual Firelight Ritual was being held.

Clutched in Lena’s hand was the pale blue ribbon, the last remnant of her time with Daniel.

I walked on one side of her, a silent sentinel watching over her, while her new friend and temporary roommate, Carrie, walked on her other, and to Carrie’s left, Andy, her fiancé held her hand in his

Andy and I knew of each other as our businesses ran in similar circles. They were leaving the Ranch the next day, to live their happily-ever-after. I was praying that mine and Lena’s outcome would be the same.

The sky glowed in bands of deep orange and violet in the evening dusk.

Before and behind us, Dom’s, switches, subs, and staff marched to the open-air ceremony where together we would release tokens from our pasts.

Releasing what no longer served us into the flames.

There was no drama, shouting or spectacle, just silence interrupted by the quiet rustle of flames.

Lena had chosen to walk barefoot in the cool grass. She wore a pale green dress, and her shoulders were wrapped in a soft shawl against the evening chill. The silk ribbon was crumpled in her hand, its frayed edges hung loose in her grasp. A relic of someone she no longer recognized.

Last night had ended differently than I had originally thought, but better than I’d hoped.

While the relic she carried no longer represented her, Lena did remember the girl who wore it.

I’d watched in awe as her metamorphosis took place last night.

After our scene and much aftercare, she’d agreed to spend the night with me.

We’d stayed up late talking about the changes taking place inside her and her emotions during our session.

She had shared her thoughts on submission and that it had always meant being perfect.

Being useful. Being small enough to love safely.

It had never dawned on her that it could mean being seen.

I had assured her that I wanted her real.

She admitted that my voice, the rope, and the blindfold had broken her open.

When I’d said even messy I want you it had not only turned her on but had cracked open her heart.

Seeing her now, here, ready to let go of the one last thing tethering her to an old life made me so proud.

She smiled and took my hand in her free one. “I let go last night. Not because I had to, but because I could. That was everything.”

I held her close doing gentle sweeps up and down her back. “I know, Lena, and I’m so very proud of you.”

She pulled back, unshed tears making her eyes luminescent in the light being cast by the fire. “Thank you,” she said simply.

Sam Denten and his wife, Catherine, were a team of therapists/psychologists who lived on Rawhide Ridge and worked with residents of the Ranch. Sam gave an eloquent, heartfelt speech about bravery and how taking steps to let go was the beginning of a new life.

There were many sniffles, and eyes being dabbed. I felt a gratefulness I wasn’t familiar with moving through me. Its cousin, victory, had a very different feeling that I was far too familiar with and came with a win, obviously.

In the business world I’d given myself over to the game of going in for the kill.

Skilled control in action. Being at Rawhide had allowed me to let go of the control and see where I needed balance.

It had become a mindfulness practice for me in my time here, and one I planned on continuing once I was home.

One by one, people stepped forward and placed their tokens in the fire–old collars, journal pages, letters, photographs. Each offering was quiet, sacred.

When Lena’s turn came, she looked down at the ribbon curled tight in her fist. She raised it to her lips, an act of forgiveness for the girl who wore it.

“You were how I survived,” she whispered, “but I don’t need you anymore.” She tossed the ribbon into the flames. It sizzled for a brief moment, then disappeared into orange light.

I waited patiently while Lena gazed into the flames, seeing what I didn’t know. She wasn’t crying and held herself still.

I had stepped a few steps back to give her space and leaned against a tree watching, waiting.

When she finally turned around, her gaze found mine and she was in my embrace in seconds.

I could feel her heart hammering in her chest. It had been a difficult process, but I was here to support her and help her through the flames.

“You let me choose.” Her words are slightly muffled by her mouth pressing into my chest, but I heard her.

“Always,” I murmured back.

“I want more, Ethan, with you.”

These were the words I’d been wanting to hear.

I smiled against her hair. “So do I.” I thought of the soft leather in my pocket, engravings burnt into the leather.

A deer and a wolf on the front, at the back where the clasp was located, once closed, formed the shape of a heart.

I wanted to put it on her and ask her to be mine forever, but not here.

“We still have last night's food and dessert; would you like to come home with me and we can discuss what the more shall look like?”

She smiled up at me. “Yes, please, Sir.”

“Ethan, sweet girl. We don’t need protocol between us when we are just being together, but don’t you worry. I have all kinds of things planned for you where Sir, or Master, will be absolutely required.”

Andy and Carrie stepped through a cluster of people, hand in hand. “We’re heading out early tomorrow and I wanted to say goodbye.” The ladies embraced, while Andy and I shook hands. “I hope you’ll come visit me at my new home in Seattle.”

“Broadmore, specifically,” Andy added.

I grinned. “Madison Park, we’re practically neighbors. I’m sure we’ll see you soon. Lena and I still have a few things to work out.”

Lena blushed. We said our farewells and walked silently back to my cabin, each of us lost in our own thoughts. I’d been holding Lena’s hand and now I pulled her into a hug. “I’ve got something I can’t wait another minute to do.”

“Oh?” She smiled. “And what is that?”

I claimed her mouth with mine, flicking the seam of her pillowy lips with the tip of my tongue.

She opened, allowing me entry. For the very first time, I explored her mouth fully without fear of setting her off.

Lena groaned in my mouth which sent a shockwave down to my cock which instantly sprang to life.

“Lena,” I growled, “I need to be inside of you.”

“I need that too,” she said breathlessly.

I scooped her into my arms. Once inside, I set her on her feet, gently fisting her curly mop in my grasp.

“Ethan, I’ve been afraid to admit my feelings for you, to let you know how turned on you make me.”

“Music to my ears. I’ve been holding back claiming you until you showed me you were ready and fully here with me. Now that you are, I want to bury my face in that sweet pussy.”

Her pupils dilated, her rapid heartbeat and erratic breath told me she wanted me as much as I wanted her. But there was something I needed to do first. “Lena, you know I’m a man who likes to dot his i’s and cross his t’s, so before we go any further, I need to ask you something.”

“What is it, Ethan?” her gaze searched mine for answers.

I dropped down onto one knee and pulled the soft leather collar from my pocket. “Lena, would you be mine, as a submissive and in life. Would you wear my collar?”

Lena gasped, and cried what I hoped were happy tears. They tracked down her pale cheeks, quickly pooling in the little divot between her clavicle bones. “Yes, Ethan, I would love for you to be my partner and Master.”

I rose and held out the collar for her to see and feel. “It’s beautiful. How did you know that the deer was my spirit animal?” she asked in wonder.

“I didn’t, but I had this made a long time ago and have been waiting for the woman of my dreams to wear it. I’m so glad it's you.” I placed it around her throat and loved how it fit like a glove without tightening or pinching. “I can have it altered if it doesn’t feel right.”

“No need.” Her hand moved to her throat to feel the soft leather encasing her slender neck. “It feels so natural that without touching it, I wouldn’t know it was there.”

I tugged her back to me. “Now that you’re mine, it's time for me to live up to that threat and eat that sweet pussy until you’re wrung out.” I scooped her back up, carried her to my room and kicked the door shut.

I was caught between wanting to control the scene and caving to my baser need to have her.

Once she climbed on my bed and parted her lovely silky thighs, my decision was made.

I crawled between her legs, kissing the soft skin.

She wore a tiny pair of silk panties that I tugged down and tossed on the floor.

Her essence was honey and peaches and I lapped at her entrance like a starving man. Lena arched her back, her fingers tangling in my hair. I liked that she didn’t hold back, that she was chasing her pleasure.

I circled her hardened clit and chomped down on her the sensitive swollen nub. “Ethan!” she screamed, falling apart, holding my face captive at her entrance. I lapped up Lena’s sweetness. Her inner walls spasmed and I inserted a finger to give her something to grip.

She thrashed as another orgasm overcame her. I added another digit and pumped inside her tight walls and when I clamped down on her swollen nub for a second time, a deep keening followed by wave after wave of her essence came crashing over her. I lapped up everything she gave me.

When her body melted into the bed, satiated, I stood to remove my clothing. Lena watched me with lidded eyes and a small smile on her lips. With her legs splayed open, her moss green dress hiked up around her hips and her golden curls wild on the pillow, she looked like a goddess.

“Be a good girl and take off that dress, I want to tease those pretty nipples of yours.” Lena smiled broadly and rolled up to her knees, removing her dress and tossing it my way like a challenge.

Oh, sweet hotness! Then she did something I had not expected from her.

She turned around on all fours and waggled her sexy ass at me.

I felt a low growl in my chest and when I spoke my voice was husky with desire. “Oh, honey, if you keep that up, I’m going to spank that succulent ass of yours until you come.”

Lena’s eyes rounded then her pupils dilated. She wanted me to take her like this. Hell ya, I was game for whatever empowered her. I stepped out of my pants and boxer briefs and curled my finger at her.

She turned on the bed and crawled to me, her hand-sized breasts swaying like ripe fruit. God this woman… had she always been capable of such deep need? I sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her over my lap. As this wasn’t punishment, I had her spread her legs.

“Lena, have you ever had a pleasure spanking?”

“Once, at the club.”

“Did you like it?”

“I loved it, but I know I’m going to really love it with you, Ethan.”

Her trust, once given, was complete and I fully planned on honoring it. “That’s my girl, still, you control the intensity, Lena. You say harder or softer, understand?”

“Yes.”

I rubbed her pale globes and ran my nails gently over the skin.

From her position of head down I barely heard the light moans and mewls coming from her.

I tapped her ass, loving the sound, and waited.

She wiggled impatiently and it was hard not to laugh.

Yep, when she made up her mind, she was fully on board.

I tapped her other cheek a little harder.

She spread her legs as wide as she could and arched her back, offering me her tantalizing backside.

I set up a steady rhythm, and when she was nice and pink, I ran my finger along her slit. She was soaked. “I see my sweet girl likes good girl spankings. Would you like more?”

“Yes, harder please.”

So far, I’d remained on the meatier part of her sexy bottom, but now it was time to go lower and see how she did.

I added a few harder spanks to the fleshiest part and then moved to the bottom of her cheeks.

The heat created here would affect her pussy and drive her toward another orgasm.

I ran her juices up her crack to her tight little button.

A gasp and then a wiggle from Lena. “Has anyone ever taken you here?”

“No, but I’d like you to be the first.”

This woman was full of surprises. Who knew when I set out to liberate Lena this passionate side was hiding behind the shame and fear.

“I will be the first, but not today. Before I fill you with my cock, I’m going to make you spill on my fingers while I worship the sexiest ass I’ve ever seen.” I loved the blush that imbued her entire body.

I squeezed and kneaded her cheeks with one hand while the other played with her clit.

She wiggled and moaned and when I knew she couldn’t take any more teasing, I spanked her hard enough to startle her.

I inserted two fingers and pumped them as I delivered a few stinging swats to her sexy derriere.

Her body trembled, and that sweet pussy spasmed.

She screamed my name, legs straightening like a diver about to springboard and hurtle to the water below.

Her entire body tensed as her orgasm took flight within her.

“That’s my good girl. Give me all of it, Lena.” I continued to pump my fingers and spank her reddening backside, riding the wave with her until she slumped over my legs, completely spent.

I rubbed her back for a few minutes and then lifted her onto the bed. But as soon as she was there, she rolled onto her hands and knees. “Please, Ethan, I need to feel you inside of me.”

That was all the invitation I needed.