Being Amber by Sylvia Ryan

good, seemed to release tension she hadn’t realized she carried. As Xander started a third pass down her back, his strokes became harder and the bite of the leather stung. “Ow,” she yelled and moved her arms to lift herself from the bed. “I’m not sure hitting me is going to help anything.”
    “Shh. Lie down.” Xander flattened his hand on the middle of her back, pressing her into the mattress. “You promised to trust me, sweetie,” he rumbled.
    Jaci lowered herself back onto her stomach and raised her arms above her head again. “That was before I knew you would be hitting me,” she muttered.
    His body depressed the bed between her legs as featherlight fingertips met her core. “I know what I’m doing,” he whispered, parting her labia and spreading her moisture with his fingers. He swept his touch softly up, in between the cheeks of her ass, and then back to her pussy. It was a slow, seeking investigation. “This will help you. Now tell me it’s okay to begin again.”
    “Oh, God.”
    She groaned as he leaned over her, his chest covering her back, his lips mere inches from her ear. “Tell me.” He waited for her consent, occupying himself with the taste of her skin. He took his time, moving over her shoulders and back, kissing and biting. All the while his fingers roamed, barely glancing over the parts of her that begged for his touch.
    “Okay.” The word escaped in the softest of whispers, dripping with fear, need and quiet resolve. She took a deep breath and consciously relaxed her muscles, allowing her mind to let go.
    Disappointment rose within her as he retreated from the bed, leaving her absent of his touch once more. And then without warning, he began a series of steady, precise crisscross strikes. This time the contact of the leather strips and the tiny weights attached to the end of each one stung. Her skin sizzled under the blitz of leather blows.
    As he worked his way down her back and bottom, she seemed to be sinking into the mattress, as if it were a sponge sucking her in like water.
    After another perfect series of strikes to her ass, she was startled by the moan that released itself from her mouth. And then another escaped with the next strike. He added a smooth glide of his fingertips through her pussy without missing a beat, delivering the painfully beautiful marks he painted on her body.
    Oh God it felt good. Her body and mind let go of the last remnants of lucidity as time slowed. She was submerged into a warm, hazy sense of being. She melted. The world around her faded away. All that was left was the blackness behind her eyelids, the blood pumping in her ears and the licks of pain and pleasure. Her long, evenly spaced moans made an intricate pattern of sounds when combined with the clap of Xander’s leather against her skin. It lulled her even more. They were making music.
    As the song played on, her desire grew. She’d never felt a build up of need like this before. She was a balloon ready to pop.
    “Oh God. Oh God. Oh God,” The mindless pleading rose out of her. This was torment and rapture combined. He drove her toward orgasm. The way he touched her, slowly building her need, stretching her limits. She was too far gone to focus on anything but the headspace she was in and the impending orgasm. Xander was brutal and unrelenting with his strikes to her back. He commanded her body. It was his.
    The sound of her own wails barely reached her ears as her orgasm over took her. It assaulted her. Every cell in her body exploded. The exquisite release had an intensity that shook her to her soul.
    And then she floated.
    In a place of utter surrender.
    He continued to stroke her, penetrating her with dexterity and expertise until waves of sensation loomed again. She cried out, but barely heard the sound. She shuddered and spasmed again, losing all control as he created a perfect ecstasy for her.
    The air was a warm cocoon comforting her and carrying her effortlessly. The briefest of