one night with me and she's making vows (she's making vows) - ForeverWillLast (2024)

Chapter 1

Chapter Text

1 New Message

Cady stares at her phone, tapping her fingers on the edge of the kitchen table. The words are burned into her skull, but she can't look away, and she can't get herself to open it.

“Caddy, you've been staring at your phone for fifteen minutes,” Janis sighs, sitting down in her usual seat on the other side of the table with a bowl of cereal. “What's going on?”

“I got a message.”

Janis makes a face. “What?”

“That stupid app you signed me up for last week,” Cady sighs.

Janis sits up straight. “The sugar baby app?”

“Yes,” Cady hisses.

“The what now? ” Damian drops his bagel on his plate.

Cady sighs again. “Last week, when we went out for drinks, I was complaining about my stipend and Janis got the bright idea that I should become a sugar baby.”

“I mean, it could work! ” Janis exclaims, gesturing wildly. “There was this one girl I went to college with who got two whole years of her tuition paid for by a sugar daddy.”

“Did something happen with your funding?” Damian asks, sounding mildly concerned.

Cady shakes her head. “No, I'm not, like, in a dire situation. This stipend just sucks. I don't really make enough to live beyond just basic survival, you know?”

Damian laughs. “Don't have to tell me twice, honey. I've lived in New Haven my whole damn life. I know what it's like here.”

“Same.” Janis points her spoon at Cady. “You go to Yale. Give it a few years, and you'll be on the other side of that app.”

Cady makes a face. “College professors don't make that much.”

“More than a middle school art teacher and a theater technician!”

“Alright, alright,” Cady sighs. “I get it. Look, I was just drunk and complaining. Janis is the one who put this app on my phone and made an account.”

“And you finally got a message!”

Cady gives Janis a look. “I got a bunch last weekend until I switched it to women only.”

Janis winces. Cady had shown her the slew of DMs from men that may or may not have been bots that all were either one, extremely sexual from the jump, two, started with “hello beautiful” or something similar (despite there being no pictures of Cady on her profile), or, three, were extremely clear scams trying to get her to click a link that would definitely steal her credit card info. Not that there was even much to steal, but...

“Yeah, I should have done that from the start,” Janis admits. “I just figured there were more likely to be lonely rich men on the app than lonely rich women!”

“Well, clearly, there's at least one,” Damian says. “What does the message say?”

“I don't know. I haven't opened it.”

“Caddy, open the damn message!” Janis half-yells in frustration.

Cady takes a deep breath and clicks on the notification. It brings her to her DMs in the app, which now only has one conversation (after deleting all the weird men).

Regina

Hello

Cady clicks the message preview, and, yeah, that's the whole message. “It literally just says hello.”

Damian scoffs, picking his bagel back up and spreading cream cheese on it. “All that buildup for that. Girl, let me know if anything actually interesting happens.”

Cady clicks on the profile, and gets a closer look. Much like many of the users of this app, there's no pictures of this Regina anywhere. Her profile picture is actually of a pair of hot pink heels, but not of anyone wearing them. Cady makes a mental note that this person probably has a foot fetish or something. She feels a little bad assuming, but frankly, she's been on other dating apps before. She's seen a very interesting mix of people online. A profile picture of shoes is a pretty clear sign of a foot fetishist.

The rest of the profile is pretty bare bones. This Regina person works in insurance, looking for companionship, willing to offer a financial arrangement. Her location is listed as Hartford and her interests include fashion and travel. Her profile says she’s 39, which is way younger than Cady was expecting for an app like this. Either this is a total catfish, or Cady's managed to find the one rich person on this app below the age of fifty. Well, it looks like she managed to find Cady , but still.

Not a ton to go off of, but it's worth a shot.

Cady

Hi!

Cady looks at her own profile again, the one Janis made her. She’d taken another look when they were both sober, but she didn't end up changing anything.

Cady’s profile has her listed as a 24 year old PhD student in New Haven, all of which is true. She's looking for a financial arrangement and willing to offer companionship, and her interests are listed as science, animals, and travel.

(Cady tried to tell Janis she hasn't ever really traveled, at least, not as an adult,but Janis insisted that growing up in Kenya counted as traveling. Janis had even insisted that someone was bound to find it interesting, so Cady had left it there.)

Cady’s profile picture is of a chalkboard filled with an immense physics problem she’d been working on last semester in one of her classes. Really, not a ton to go off of for her profile either, but even in her drunken state, she was adamant the profile not get traced back to her. The last thing she needed was someone finding her on a sugar baby app and it somehow getting her in trouble with Yale. Lord knows her advisor, who already kind of hates her on the grounds that she's not a man, doesn't need any more fuel added to his fire.

Yet, she can't imagine she was the first Yale student to use the app, nor would she be the last. She's also willing to bet that there's a number of Yale alumni on the other end of the app. Maybe, if she's lucky, this Regina lady is an alumnus and feels some sort of connection or obligation to help Cady out.

God, when did she start thinking like this? The stress of this damn program must really be starting to get to her.

Cady’s about to close the app when another message pops up.

Regina

I'll admit, I've never really done this before and I'm not really sure how a person starts a conversation on an app like this.

Cady grins. Okay, now that's something to work with. She's never done anything like this before either, but she did try quite a bit of online dating in undergrad, and has a good grasp on dragging out a conversation a bit. Besides, she's always had better luck getting women to actually engage in conversation on dating apps than men, so half the battle is already won.

Cady

It's my first time using an app like this too, so you aren't alone there haha!

Cady

I'm curious what drew you to my profile and made you decide to send a message.

Regina

I suppose that's a good place to start. Honestly? You just seem like a really normal person. Which doesn't really sound that great, but I don't know how much you’ve looked at profiles on here, but a lot of them are either very clearly bots or people who are very clearly delusional about what something like this is for.

Cady

Well, I would consider myself to be a pretty normal person, so I'm glad that came across 😊

Cady

I haven't done much digging around on other profiles, but I'll take your word for it. I've looked at some profiles of people who are offering financial arrangements but I’ve been too nervous to send any messages.

Regina

I get that. I've had this app for over a month and you're the first person I've actually reached out to.

Cady

Really? I'm flattered 😊

Regina

Really. So, PhD student. What're you studying?

Cady

Physics! Particle physics, to be exact!

Regina

Wow, smarty-pants, huh?

Cady

Haha, it's definitely challenging but I really enjoy it!

Regina

Am I allowed to ask which school you go to?

Cady drums her fingers on the edge of the table. There's a few different schools in the area, the most famous of which is obviously Yale. There's also Southern Connecticut State University, the University of New Haven (which, ironically enough, isn't even actually in New Haven at all), Albertus Magnus College, and a community college. She’d wanted to be vague about where she went to school, but at the same time… of course the lady on the sugar baby app would want to know if she’s a Yalie.

She wants to trust her, but she needs to be at least a little cautious.

Cady

I don't know, are you going to show up unannounced or something? None of the universities here have big enough post graduate physics programs that I can really be anonymous if I answer that.

Regina

I'm not a creep, just curious. But I get why you're hesitant.

Regina

If it helps, I work for a pretty major insurance company in Hartford. I'll tell you which if it helps.

Cady

That would help, actually. I want to trust you. I just don't really know you.

Regina

Listen, I get it. I never really got into online dating but I’ve heard the horror stories.

Regina

Not that this is that or has to be that or anything.

Cady

I know what you mean.

Cady

So, where do you work?

Regina

I work at The George.

Regina

Where do you go to school?

Cady

Yale.

Regina

Oh, a really smart smarty-pants, got it.

Cady

Haha, thanks. Can’t say I’ve ever heard of The George, to be honest.

Regina

It’s an insurance company based in Hartford, as so many are. We do auto, home, business, life, stuff like that.

Cady

So, basically everything then.

Regina

Not everything. I wouldn’t touch medical insurance with a hundred foot pole.

Cady

Can’t blame you there. I remember my roommates telling me something about Hartford and insurance companies.

Regina

I take it you aren’t from Connecticut then?

Cady

No, I moved here for my PhD last year. Before that, I was in Illinois for a while, but really, I was raised in Kenya.

Regina

Kenya?

Cady

Yeah, my parents are both zoologists. I was technically born in Florida, but I don’t have any memories of it. They got a research grant when I was three, and we lived in Kenya until I was sixteen. Then it was Illinois, and now, New Haven.

Regina

Wow, that’s really cool. I’ve lived in Connecticut my whole life, and while I’ve traveled some… I don’t know. I’ve always wanted to see what it’s like to live somewhere else.

Cady

It was definitely a big culture shock coming back to the United States. Everything’s so different here.

Regina

Do you miss it?

Cady

Sometimes. There’s some things I really prefer about living here, like living in a house instead of a research tent, but I miss the outdoors and the animals.

Regina

In a tent?

Cady

Like I said, culture shock 😛

Cady

What about you? Where did you grow up? I know you said Connecticut, but still.

Regina

I was born and raised in Fairfield. I’m actually living in Glastonbury now. It’s a lot closer to work, which is nice.

“Where’s Glastonbury?” Cady asks aloud to the table. Janis and Damian are still there, eating breakfast. Cady’s cereal has long since been forgotten, as she’s been completely distracted by the conversation with Regina.

“Just outside of Hartford,” Damian tells her. “Very rich.”

“I mean, that's expected from that app,” Janis says.

“She was born and raised in Fairfield. That's, um, East of here?”

“West,” Janis corrects. “Closer to New York. Very rich.”

“If this works, let me know if she's got any gay guy friends,” Damian chimes in. “Or, honestly, maybe I should download that app too.”

“Good luck,” Cady laughs, before diving back into her text conversation.

Cady

Oh, cool!

Regina

You don't know where those are, do you?

Cady

Well, now I do. I just asked my roommates 😅

Regina

What’d they have to say about it?

Cady

Well, that both Fairfield and Glastonbury are very rich. And the general vicinity of each of them, in relation to places I actually know.

Regina

Yeah, outside of the major cities, it can be hard to remember what's where. All the names of places are from England and stuff, so they're all kind of stupidly named too.

Cady

I learned recently that there's actually a New Hartford and it’s nothing like Hartford.

Regina

Oh, yeah. New Hartford’s in Litchfield County which is about as hick as it gets in this state. I once had an employee who commuted from there and I couldn't believe the stories he’d tell. A whole other world from the Connecticut I know.

Cady

Wait, an employee?

Cady

Are you, like, a boss?

Regina

CEO of the company, actually.

Regina

I didn't really plan on admitting that so soon, but, well, you told me what program you're in at Yale, so it's only fair, I think.

Cady

Alright, pause. Not that I don't trust you, because I do want to trust you. But I've been catfished on dating apps before and I know this is different, but that's a big claim.

Cady

I need you to send me a selfie, one you just took.

Regina

I would, but you can't send pictures in the chats on this app. I can give you my number? But I'll expect the same in return.

Cady

That's a fair trade. Mine is 847-xxx-xxx.

Cady takes a deep breath, standing up from her chair. Her cereal is soggy and forgotten, which she makes a face at. She picks it up, heading to dump it down the sink and clean up after herself.

“How's it going with the sugar mommy?” Janis asks.

“She just claimed to be a CEO, so I'm trying to make sure I'm not getting catfished.”

Damian lets out a low whistle. “Of what company?”

“Uh,” Cady checks her messages again. She doesn't have a text yet. “The George.”

Damian pulls out his own phone and immediately begins googling. “Damn, girl. That’s a big one. Even I know that one. Let’s see here… The CEO of The George is a woman by the name of Regina George.”

“Well, her name is listed as Regina,” Cady shrugs, sliding her bowl into the dishwasher. “I asked for a selfie. But we can't send pictures in the app, so she's gonna text me.”

Janis’s jaw drops. “You've been talking to her for all of thirty minutes, and you already have her number?”

“In theory,” Cady shrugs. “We’ll see.”

Cady leaves the kitchen, heading back to her bedroom. She and her roommates live in a multi-family home, with the top floor being their apartment. There are two more apartments downstairs, but Cady’s never really talked to her neighbors. The two families that live in the other apartments exclusively speak Spanish. Damian and Janis know enough to make small talk with them, but Cady’s got nothing. She can speak fluent French, but hardly a lick of Spanish.

Cady opens the door to her little bedroom. She's got a full sized bed shoved into the corner on a relatively simple frame, a closet, a little dresser, and a small desk. She doesn't really do a ton of work at her desk (she has a whole “office” on campus, which is admittedly little more than a glorified broom closet), but it's where she keeps her school materials when she's at home, as well as her stash of “for-fun” books.

Cady grabs the book she's planning to read today with her free time, and heads back out to the living room. She’ll read curled up on the couch with her book, given that her roommates aren't looking to use the TV. She thinks she heard them talking about going to see some friends earlier while she was texting with Regina, so she thinks she's in the clear for a quiet Saturday afternoon in the living room.

Speaking of Regina, it's been a suspiciously long time since Regina got her number. Was she actually a catfish? That would be a bummer.

Cady pulls out her phone to check, and to her surprise, has a text from a few minutes ago that she didn't feel go off in her pocket.

New Message from 203-xxx-xxxx

Had to put on a shirt first, but this is me right now, drinking my coffee on a Saturday morning.

Cady saves the number in her phone as Regina?. She quickly searches the name on Google, and, yeah, that's her alright. Every public photo of her has her dressed up and in immaculate makeup. This photo she sent is of her in a hoodie, looking exhausted, with minimal to no makeup on. That feels like something genuine, not something a catfish would have found online. Still, Cady knows she should run a reverse-image search.

Her train of thought is cut off by a new notification at the top of the screen.

Regina?

I hope this is the right number. Otherwise, I'm very sorry, please ignore this.

Cady

No, this is the right number. Sorry. I was walking around my apartment and didn't feel my phone go off in my pocket. One second.

Cady takes a moment to pose with the book she just grabbed, before texting it to Regina.

Cady

Was grabbing this from my room. I don't get a ton of time to read for fun these days, but I try to get through at least one book a month. Saturdays are usually the only days I can set aside a couple hours for reading books like this.

After Cady sends the picture, she scrolls back up to save the one that Regina sent. She pauses for a moment, before sending one more quick text.

Cady

You're really gorgeous, by the way. And you don't look 39 at all. I hope that's not weird to say.

Cady switches to her browser app, running a reverse image search on the picture. No results. It seems that this is a genuinely taken recent selfie.

Which means Cady is actually talking to the CEO of a life insurance company.

Cady searches up The George again, trying to find some more information, but everything is layered in financial mumbo jumbo that goes straight over her head. Cady can read a dense academic article on chaos theory in particle physics, but the second words like mutual funds or indemnification or subrogation get thrown around, she's lost. Far, far too lost.

Another new message comes in, and she's pulled away from her research again.

Regina?

Not weird at all. I was about to say the same for you. Well, the gorgeous part, not the 39 part, although obviously, you don't look 39 either.

Regina?

I really mean it, though. You're really beautiful. I'm not sure what it says about me that I was expecting everyone on that app to look a lot worse, but I guess I just really picked correctly.

Cady quickly edits Regina's contact name to take out the question mark, having been convinced that this was really Regina George.

Cady

Thank you, that's really sweet 😊

Cady

Honestly, same. Especially after some of the men's profiles I saw last week.

Regina

Men's profiles?

Cady

Oh, right. Well, the whole reason I even have the app is because last week I was complaining about the stipend I get for being a TA being really crappy and barely enough to live while me and my roommate were out getting drinks. My roommate had the brilliant idea of me getting the app and meeting someone, because apparently someone she went to college with had a lot of success with it. She set up my profile and everything while we were drunk, and then the next day I changed some stuff. I wanted it to show me to only women, cause, like, I'm a lesbian, and frankly, the idea of having some sort of an arrangement with a man skeeved me out, but my roommate was all like, “There are way more rich men on that app than rich women, you gotta cast a wide net!” Idk, it was kinda weird. I like my roommate, but she's got some wild ideas. But yeah, I changed it after just like, two days, because I got flooded with either scam messages or really gross compliments from men who haven't ever even seen my face? So yeah, that's how I ended up here.

Cady

Sorry, that was way longer of a message than I was expecting lol

Regina

Don't apologize, I don't mind long messages.

Regina

Let me guess, your roommate is a straight woman?

Cady

No, actually. Janis is also a lesbian. I also have a second roommate, Damian, and he describes himself as “almost too gay to function”, so take that for what you will.

Regina

Ha, I like that. Though, I’m a bit surprised another lesbian would have you set it to men.

Cady

Like I said, she's got some wild ideas haha

Cady

How about you? What led you to the app?

Regina

Loneliness, I suppose.

Regina

My two best friends moved away a few months back. I don't really have any other friends, in all honesty.

Regina

My professional peers tend to be men who are way older than me and live very different lives than I do. They also tend to be very condescending and dismissive of me, even in professional settings. The George is a family company. My father was the last CEO and retired to Florida a few years back. He made me CEO as his last act before retirement, and there are a lot of people in the industry who feel a certain type of way about that.

Regina

Which is crazy, because nepotism is the backbone of insurance, but I digress.

Cady

I mean, I'm way younger than you and live a very different life than you do too.

Regina

Yeah, but you aren’t condescending nor a sexist old man.

Cady

I don't know, they say Ivy League students can be pretty condescending 😜

Regina

It takes one to know one 😛

Cady

Wait, you went to Yale?

Regina

No, Harvard Business School, for both my BBA and my MBA. So just about as insufferable, if not more, than Yalies 😛

Cady

Got me there, haha

Cady

Honestly, for the most part, the other PhD students are pretty chill. There's a couple who have the Boys’ Club mindset, but most of them are cool. The undergrads are pretty insufferable, and so are most of the faculty, if I'm being honest.

Regina

I can only imagine. HBS was at least large enough to have some women’s groups and stuff. I don't imagine that's the case for the physics PhD program at Yale.

Cady

No, there's only seven of us in my year. I'm the only woman. There's a couple in the years above me, but we don't interact super frequently.

Cady

Plus, as far as I know, I'm the only gay woman, so…

Regina

Yeah, there definitely wasn't much for that when I was at Harvard. There were wider gay student groups and stuff but there wasn't anything specific to the business school. Well, that, and I didn't really have it figured out until after college.

Cady

Wait, you're also gay?

Regina

Yes, I'm gay.

Regina

I thought me calling you gorgeous would have been a bit of a hint.

Cady

It should have been, but I tend to be kind of oblivious sometimes lol

Cady

I've been told that quite a bit 😅

Regina

It's alright, it's hard to get a point across over text sometimes anyways.

Regina

But yeah, I'm also gay. Took me until my late twenties to figure it out.

Cady

Hey, better late than never!

Regina

I wouldn't really consider that late, but I'll let it slide.

Regina

When did you come out?

Cady

After I came to America when I was 16, I realized I liked girls. I had this crush on this girl at school, but I didn't realize it was a crush until like, almost the end of my senior year. Turns out she liked me too, but thought I was straight. We had a brief fling that summer, but we went our separate ways for college. It's what made the most sense.

Cady

I thought I was bisexual for a while and dated a couple of guys in college but it just wasn't the same. I dated another woman and realized, yeah, I'm a lesbian. And now here I am 😅

Regina

Mine was somewhat similar. I didn't have any long-term relationships with men because I always found a reason to dislike them after a couple of dates. Then I met this woman in my late 20s that completely changed my life. We didn't last long either, but that was mostly because I wasn't ready for something public yet, and by the time I was, she'd long since moved on.

Regina

I've had a few decent relationships since, but not much in the last few years. Ever since I took over the company, I haven't really gotten out much. And especially not since my friends moved.

Cady

That's a bummer that your friends left, by the way. Did they both go to the same place?

Regina

Yeah, they’ve been together for, like, ever. Gretchen and Karen. I’ve been a third wheel since before they even knew they were both gay, lol

Regina

Gretchen’s dad invented toaster strudel and he moved the headquarters of the company somewhere cheaper last year. They were able to stick around for a few more months to help with the transition, but, well, Gretchen’s in line to take over the company when he retires, so they left to follow the company.

Cady

I'm really sorry, it sucks losing friends like that.

Regina

Thanks. We still keep in touch and stuff. It's just not the same.

Cady

No, it never is.

Regina

I imagine you must have gone through something similar, leaving Kenya.

Cady

Not when it comes to friends. There weren't really any other kids my age in the research camp, and the local village kids would, like, play football with us and stuff, but that was about it.

Cady

Soccer, sorry.

Regina

Cute.

Cady

😅

Cady

I miss some of the friends I made in high school and college. I don't think they were like, super deep friendships, and we're connected on social media and stuff, but I don't know. I was the new kid for all of high school and then college, I lived at home for most of it and only had a couple friends, so…

Regina

Where'd you go for undergrad?

Cady

Northwestern. Both my parents got hired to teach there after we left Kenya. It's the whole reason we left Kenya, actually.

Cady

It was nice, because I ended up getting free tuition after my first two years. I had to live on campus my first year, but I lived at home with them for the other three. Saving money and all that.

Regina

Yeah, that can definitely stifle the college social life.

Regina

I lived on campus all four years of undergrad, but Harvard does their housing stuff a little differently from most colleges.

Cady

I get the impression that Yale’s is kind of like that too, but I've only been a TA for intro level classes, so I’ve mostly interacted with first and second year students.

Regina

Yeah, I think most of the Ivies have their own little programs related to housing that aren't typical at other colleges.

Cady

Yeah, I think so too.

Regina

I'm sure being there as a graduate student is very different from being there for undergrad.

Cady

Oh, definitely. I mean, obviously, I didn't go here for undergrad, but I've heard the way most of these kids talk, lol

Regina

Kids, huh? 😛

Cady

I know I'm not that much older than the seniors, but I feel ancient compared to some of the freshmen. 18 year olds are kids, as far as I’m concerned.

Regina

Okay, that's fair. I probably felt the same at your age.

Cady

You saying you don't feel the same now?

Regina

Oh, no, I definitely do.

Regina

Wait, if you're 24, does that mean you went straight to a PhD program from undergrad?

Cady

Yep, sure did! I'm in my second year now.

Regina

Of how many years?

Cady

Oh, now that's a tricky question 😅

Cady

It sort of depends on how long it takes me to do my dissertation. In theory, I could be completely done with the program in anywhere between four to seven total years.

Regina

Wow, that's a huge discrepancy.

Cady

There are a lot of factors. Um, right now, I have full scholarship and grant funding for the first four years of my program, meaning if I can manage to stay full time and everything goes right with my research and dissertation, I can be done in four years. If it takes me longer than that, I lose some of said funding, and would certainly have to switch to part time and work an extra job to finish up my program. And again, it entirely depends on if there's any problems with my research or not.

Regina

You know, I’d love to hear more about your research, but I think I'd like to hear it even more over dinner tonight.

Regina

If you're free, of course. No worries if you aren't. It's pretty last minute.

Cady

No, I am! I’d love to 😊

Regina

Do you have any allergies or types of food you hate?

Cady

No allergies, and I'll try just about anything.

Regina

How about Italian?

Cady

Sounds great! 😊

Regina

There's this place in Middletown I really like, Luce. I figured that's as central to both of us as it'll get, which I think is fair for a first meeting?

Cady quickly opens up the browser app on her phone and searches up the restaurant. Google has it rated at four dollar signs, and a quick glance at the prices on the menu confirms that, yeah, this is more expensive than anywhere Cady’s eaten since moving to Connecticut. Possibly her entire life, but she wasn’t always paying as close attention when her parents were paying for things. Still, she probably would have remembered somewhere this expensive.

She switches back to the texting app, a little nervous.

Cady

I just looked it up and it looks great, but I'll be honest, I don't know that I have anything to wear that's fancy enough for a place like that.

Regina

If I sent you some money, would you have time to go shopping this afternoon?

Cady’s heart skips a beat. Okay, this is what she signed up for, she supposes, but this seems… sudden? It makes her nervous in a way she can't quite articulate, but she also doesn't want to fumble quite possibly the easiest bag of her life.

Cady

Yeah, I have plenty of time!

Regina

Great, what's your Venmo?

Cady

@Cady-Heron

A few moments later, a text with a screenshot of her Venmo account comes through.

Regina

Just checking, this one, right?

Cady

Yep, that's me!

Regina

The picture of you with the lion cub is cute, by the way.

Cady

Thanks! My parents do some work with the zoo in Chicago as a part of their research and I got to meet an orphaned lion cub the zoo took in a couple years ago. Haven't been able to play with a cub since I was a kid.

Regina

You played with lion cubs as a kid???

Just then, a notification comes through.

Venmo - Regina George has sent you $500. You now have $502.36 in your Venmo account.

Cady just about chokes when she sees the number.

Cady

$500???

Cady

Are you sure?

Regina

I'm sure. Whatever you don't spend on an outfit, you can certainly keep.

Cady

And not saying I think it won't or whatever, but if we meet tonight and we don't think it's going to work out?

Regina

I won't ask for the money back. Don't worry about it.

Regina

You seem like a good person. I like talking to you. I think it'll go well, but if it doesn't, that's alright. If we realize we're better suited as a texting friendship, that's alright too. I'm not going to pressure you into anything you don't want to do, and I don't want you to feel like you absolutely have to do anything to get the financial part of the arrangement.

Regina

I also think it might not be a bad idea to discuss exactly what we want the arrangement to be over dinner tonight.

Cady

That sounds like a good idea.

Cady

Well, thank you 😊 It appears I have some shopping I need to go do, so I'll talk to you later!

Regina

Good luck! Can't wait to see whatever you pick out later! 😊

Cady closes the texting app on her phone, and opens up Venmo. She checks out Regina's profile, double checking to make sure it's not some sort of scam. It looks like a legitimate profile. There aren’t a ton of publicly available transactions, but that in itself doesn't bother Cady. Her own profile is locked down so all of her transactions are private.

She stares at the $502.36 in her account. Most of her Venmo transactions have been her and her roommates paying each other back and forth for stuff like food and utilities, as well as paying her landlord rent. She typically doesn't bother to take money out of the account, since it'll likely just get sent back to either Janis or Damian for something else.

But $500? Holy sh*t.

“Why do you look like you've seen a ghost?” Janis asks, plopping down in the recliner in the living room.

“I have a um… dinner, tonight, with Regina,” Cady says, as calmly as she can. “And she just sent me $500 to buy a nice outfit for it.”

Janis’s jaw drops. “What? ”

“Yeah,” Cady laughs nervously. “Yeah. I don't even… I don't know where I should even go .”

“Okay, hold up. Damian! Get in here!”

Damian pops his head around the corner. “What's up?”

“Caddy’s sugar mommy just sent her $500 to buy a nice outfit for their dinner tonight.”

Damian stares at her in shock. “Girl… Are we sure this isn't a scam? Or a catfish?”

“I asked for a selfie,” Cady says. “It's clearly her. I looked her up online and ran a reverse image search. Nothing. And, um, the phone number. It's a 203 area code. That tracks for Glastonbury, right?”

Janis shakes her head. “Glastonbury is part of 860.”

“Wait, she grew up in, um,” Cady scrolls back in their conversation. “Fairfield! Does that track?”

Damian nods. “Fairfield’s in the 203. Technically speaking. I can't imagine a more different world from the 203 I know.”

Cady keeps staring blankly at her phone. “Where do I even go to get a nice outfit?”

“Where's the dinner?” Damian asks.

“Uh,” Cady reads the texts again. “Luce in Middletown? It's a fancy Italian place.”

The other two do some quick research as Cady starts to think.

“Is there anything at the mall that could work?”

“For a place like this? Absolutely not ,” Damian insists. “Not the Milford mall, anyways.”

“That’s the one you took me to before, right?” Cady asks.

Janis nods. “It’s where we usually go. Cheapest mall around here. Damian’s right. We need something better.” She looks at Damian. “Trumbull mall?”

Damian shakes his head. “No, that’s like… only a single step above. We gotta climb a staircase.”

Cady stares at him. “Literally what does that mean?”

Damian ponders this for a moment. “The Milford mall… the Milford mall is like going to Olive Garden. It’s still a sit-down restaurant, but it’s cheap, and not very good . The Trumbull mall is like going to the Cheesecake Factory. There’s this illusion of sophistication, but it’s still a chain restaurant at the end of the day, and they’re still serving you mostly frozen food.”

Cady looks at him for a moment. “Okay… I guess I’m following.”

“What we need… what we need is a five-star restaurant. Somewhere that isn’t a chain, so it doesn’t come to mind right away. Something that has actual sophistication, not just an illusion.”

Janis snaps her fingers and points at Damian, stopping his rambling. “Those outlets in Clinton!”

Damian lights up. “Oooh, Jay, you’re a genius!”

“ Clinton? Where the hell is that?”

“Down I-95, about, eh, what, thirty minutes from here?” Damian shrugs at Janis.

“Give or take,” Janis shrugs back. “You ready for a little road trip, Caddy?”

“I’d hardly call a thirty minute drive a road trip,” Cady remarks. “But yeah, I’m down.”

Damian laughs. “This state is tiny. Thirty minutes is a journey .”

“Give me fifteen and I’ll be ready,” Janis says, hopping up from the chair.

Cady rubs her temples. “I’m really doing this, aren’t I?”

Damian smirks at her. “You tell me, girly. You want to do this?”

“The $500 in my Venmo is really promising,” Cady sighs. “And the selfie in my texts. She’s gorgeous , Damian. I’m so f*cking gay.”

Damian laughs. “You and me both. Come on, let’s get you a hot outfit for your hot date.”

“It’s not a date, it’s a dinner.”

“Uh huh, sure, Cads.”

The Clinton outlets are way more overwhelming than the Milford mall. For one, all the entrances to the stores are outdoors, not inside a big building. Secondly, there are quite a few more mid-end and high-end stores than Cady remembers at the Milford mall.

They go to a couple different mid-end stores first, but don’t really end up finding anything that works. Cady wants to avoid the super high end stores (they pass by the Armani outlet without a second thought) because while $500 is way more than she’s ever spent on an outfit, she knows some of the designer brands can easily get up into the thousands.

Eventually, Damian ends up convincing Cady to at least try Saks Off 5th , since the outlets tend to have things at a discount anyways. Cady’s a bit overwhelmed in the store, but when they’re approached by an overly friendly saleswoman, and Damian overshares a bit too much about Cady’s predicament, the saleswoman is dead set on finding Cady a hot outfit under $500 that’s sure to make an impression.

Janis and Damian wait outside the dressing rooms, as the saleswoman gives Cady a few different options to try. When Cady’s found a set she really likes, she finally comes out, and shows it all off to her friends.

Cady has on a black co*cktail dress that ends just below her knees. It has a high neckline, no sleeves, and a slit on the left leg, showing the front of her left thigh. There’s extra fabric cascading away from the slit, pinned up on her left hip. The dress is matched with a pair of black, open-toed, three-inch heeled leather sandals. The heels are pretty blocky, so walking in them isn’t too difficult. On her right wrist, to offset the slit, is a gold plated molten chain bracelet, with wide, classy links. In her left hand is a black leather quilted wristlet clutch.

“What do we think?” Cady asks.

Janis’s jaw drops open. “Holy sh*t , Caddy.”

“Girl,” Damian grins, “you are getting that sugar momma.”

Cady fidgets with the edge of her dress. She’s just parked her car on a side street near the restaurant, a good fifteen minutes before the reservation time that Regina had texted her.

“Heron, you have got this ,” she tells herself, trying to both calm her anxiety and give herself a confidence boost. “You’re just getting dinner with her. You already hit it off earlier. She wants to hear about your research and get to know you more. You’re smart, you’re fun, and honestly,” she looks at herself in the mirror in the sun visor, doing one quick check of her makeup, “you’re really hot in this dress. You are incredible , Heron. You’re going to eat some ridiculously expensive Italian food and make a rich lady laugh and feel less lonely and everything’s going to go great .”

Cady’s little pep talk is interrupted by the buzzing of her phone. It makes her jump slightly. There’s a text from Regina.

Regina

I got here a little early, just left my car with the valet. How far out are you? Should I wait for you or go in?

Cady

Oh, I didn’t realize there was a valet! I parked one street over, so I’ll be there in just a couple minutes.

Regina

Great, I’ll wait in the lobby. See you soon! 😊

Cady feels a giddy rush. She gets out of her car, straightens out her dress. She’s hot. She’s smart. She’s charming. She’s funny. She’s got this .

It’s a quick walk over to the restaurant. Sure enough, there’s a sign for valet parking. Perhaps she should have actually driven by the place before looking for parking. Oh well.

Cady gives a small nod to the valet attendant and heads into the restaurant. There’s a few people sitting, waiting for tables, and a hostess behind the stand.

And then, standing there, smiling at Cady, is the most beautiful woman Cady’s ever seen.

Oh my God . That’s the only thing running through Cady’s mind. The picture, that selfie from earlier, doesn't do her any sort of justice. None of the photos she saw earlier when she Googled Regina did her justice. She radiates beauty in a way Cady’s never seen before; in a way she never thought possible.

She’s wearing a long, dark red long-sleeved dress that comes down to her mid-shins. It has a low, deep cut on the neckline, drawing plenty of attention to Regina’s cleavage. Just beneath her chest is a small black corset, which makes Cady’s eyes linger for even longer. That’s not even mentioning the jewelry; oh my God , the jewelry.

Regina has a beautiful golden necklace on, which leaves a beautiful diamond R resting just below the middle of her collarbones. Even further beneath that, however, is a gold body chain underneath the dress. A single chain is draped behind her neck, wrapping down and forward, meeting with double chains underneath each breast. The chains all meet in the middle of her chest in an X, connected by a single pearl.

Her makeup is flawless . She’s wearing a deep red lipstick that matches her dress. Even her fingers (oh my God , her fingers - don’t even get Cady started on the rings on Regina’s hands. She never thought rings could be hot before, but Jesus, she’s learning a lot today) match, with her perfectly manicured nails being the same deep red. She’s holding a small black leather clutch, even smaller than Cady’s. There are golden Gs on the top of the clutch, which Cady vaguely recognizes as the Gucci logo. Tucked behind the clutch is Regina’s cell phone, too large for the clutch itself. The phone is in a shiny gold case, sleek and metallic. Everything matches the theme: black, red, and gold. Even her shoes do - tall, black pumps with a red sole that can be seen as Regina takes a tentative step forward.

“Cady?” Regina asks, and Cady’s mouth suddenly feels dry. Cady’s name has never sounded better in her life. Oh, God, this was unfair.

“Hi, Regina,” Cady says with a bright smile. “You look incredible . Wow.”

Regina smiles back. “So do you. You pulled this together today? I’m impressed.”

“I did. Well, really, the saleswoman at Saks Off 5th did, but I’ll take the credit if you’re willing to give it.”

Regina laughs, offering her arm. Cady takes it, stepping up to Regina’s side.

“Shall we?” Regina asks.

“After you,” Cady replies with a smile.

Regina leads them to the hostess stand, which is admittedly only a few feet away. Regina gives her name for the reservation, and the hostess leads them over to a table. Cady only lets go of Regina’s arm when they get to the table, and only after Regina pulls out the chair for her.

Cady smiles as she sits. “Thank you.”

Regina takes her own seat, and Cady feels like she’s living in a dream. There’s no way the woman sitting in front of her can be real. It doesn’t feel real. None of this feels real.

The hostess informs them their server will be with them soon, and points out the wine menu as well. As soon as the hostess is gone, Regina picks up the wine menu.

“Do you like wine?”

“I haven't tried much of it,” Cady admits. “I probably wouldn't have more than one glass, though. I still have to drive home and all.”

“Of course,” Regina nods. She scans the wine list. “If you'd like, depending on what you decide on for food, I can pick a good wine to pair with it for you.”

“Sure,” Cady smiles. She looks down at the menu in front of her. The prices listed are even more expensive than what she saw online, but she tries to let the hammering in her chest go away. She's not the one paying $18 for some appetizers. “You've been here before, right?”

Regina nods. “A couple of times. I used to come here with Gretchen and Karen sometimes for ladies’ nights. They'd make an effort to not be too couple-y at those so I wasn't third wheeling for once. The rest of the time,” Regina rolls her eyes, but she's still smiling, “ God , they were all over each other.”

Cady laughs, and she notices the way Regina’s smile brightens at the sound. Oh, that definitely fluffs up her ego. “Oh, I'm sure.” She glances back down at the menu. “Do you know what you’re getting?”

“Oh, that's easy. The veal scaloppini. It's so delicious.”

Cady’s eyes filter through the entrées section, reading the description, since she certainly had no idea what the hell scaloppini was. She thought it might have scallops, but no, just a similar word.

“Sounds delicious,” Cady says, after having read the description.

“Do you know what you're thinking about getting?”

Cady hums, continuing to look at the entrée list. “The mushroom ravioli looks good.”

“Oh, the exotic porcini mushroom ravioli. I've heard that's pretty good.”

“Yeah, that.” Cady feels a bit odd saying it's full name. It feels kind of pretentious, but isn't that the kind of place they're at?

Cady’s eyes drift back up off the menu to Regina, who's looking at her. Regina honest-to-God blushes when Cady catches her looking.

Regina looks back down at the menu. “Sorry. I don't mean to stare. You're just really stunning.”

Cady smiles. “Don’t be sorry. Stare away.”

Regina glances back up, a small smile on her lips. “I…” the smile vanishes. “I just don't want to…”

The waiter approaches with two glasses and a classy bottle of water, ready to take their drink orders. Regina straightens up a bit, orders some wine for them both, after asking Cady if she's going with the meal she said before, so she could make sure it would pair well. The waiter takes their dinner orders as well, and before Cady knows it, he’s whisked away again.

Cady pours them both some water. “What is it that you don't want to do?” she asks, picking up from where they'd been interrupted.

“I haven't done… something like this before,” Regina says, blushing again.

“Neither of us have,” Cady reminds her. “We already established that.”

“I know. I just don't know… where the boundaries lie, I guess?”

“I would think that would be up to us, no?”

“Yes, but, I…” Regina’s voice falters.

“Just say it,” Cady tells her. “Whatever it is, just say it. I won't be offended or anything.”

“I, um, I'm… I don't want to pressure you into anything you aren't comfortable with. And I know there’s a power imbalance here, by the sheer nature of the arrangement.”

Cady nods. “Right.”

The wine arrives, and they toast. Cady finds the wine to taste strong, but not bad . Just not something she’s used to. She decides to leave the rest of it for the meal, which, after a few sips, Regina seems to be doing the same.

Regina fidgets with her rings, which Cady notices. She’s making Regina nervous. What is happening? Cady does her best to squash down the gay panic and let the confidence be what shows through. She takes a sip of her water, watching Regina carefully as she continues to fidget under Cady’s gaze.

“I just don't want you to feel obligated or like you have to do things if you don't want to or anything like that and I don't want to come across too strong and make you uncomfortable or-.”

Cady reaches over and takes Regina’s hand. The touch catches Regina off guard, cutting her off mid-sentence as her breath catches in her throat.

“Regina,” Cady says as calmly and confidently as she can manage, “I know I can back out at any time. I know I don’t have to do things I don't want to. You don't make me uncomfortable.”

Regina blinks. She's still got a bit of a shocked look on her face. Cady decides to keep going.

“Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think what you're trying to tell me with all this rambling,” Cady smiles softly, trying to make it clear that she's only teasing Regina slightly about that, “is that you're potentially interested in this going beyond a traditional arrangement .”

Regina nods, and Cady squeezes Regina’s hand. “I am… very attracted to you,” Regina admits. “And I don't know where it'll go, and I fully intended to come here to lay down some boundaries for us, but I laid my eyes on you and I just… Now I'm worried about going too far on my end and that not being what you’re looking for with this and I-.”

Cady squeezes again, cutting her off again. “Regina, I thought I was being pretty clear, but I'm also very attracted to you . Honestly, it's a miracle I haven't spent this entire conversation staring at your chest.” Cady smiles wide, hoping the joke lands. Praying the joke lands, and it doesn't seem weird.

Regina laughs, and relief rushes through Cady’s body. Not only did it land, but Regina’s laugh is easily one of the most beautiful sounds she's ever heard. She’d do anything to hear it again.

“In hindsight, maybe the body chain was a bit much for what tonight was supposed to be,” Regina says with a grin.

“No, it's perfect,” Cady tells her. “I’m very glad you wore it. I've never actually seen one in person before and it's…” She nods a few times as she unabashedly stares. “It's achieving its goal.”

Regina laughs again, and Cady looks up, a big smile on her face. Cady squeezes Regina’s hand again, still smiling.

“I think we should see how tonight goes,” Cady begins. “And then we just figure it out from there. Whatever this is for us, whatever it means, we’ll figure it out.”

Regina nods. “I, uh, I was going to write you a check for coming out tonight. I'll still do that, and it'll still be the same amount I planned.”

Cady smiles. “Sounds good to me.”

“I just meant, like, I’m not going to give you less if you decide you don’t want to do anything or whatever and I’m not saying that like it has to end with like-.”

“Regina,” Cady cuts her off again. “It’s okay. I know what you’re trying to get across.” She squeezes Regina’s hand lightly. “I promise, I’ll tell you if I’m uncomfortable, okay?”

Regina nods. “Thank you. Sorry, I’m usually not this…”

“Nervous?” Cady asks, to which Regina nods. Cady adjusts her hand on Regina’s rubbing the back of her hand gently. It’s soft, very soft. “I make you nervous?”

“A bit,” Regina admits, blushing again. Cady’s feeling a bit like she must be dreaming. The most beautiful woman she’s ever seen in her life is sitting in front of her, and Cady is making her nervous.

“I’ll be honest, I’m a bit confused as to why,” Cady tells her. “You’re… you’re this gorgeous, rich, powerful woman. I’m just… I’m just me.”

“When I saw PhD student, and saw that long math problem for your profile picture… God , this is going to sound so shallow and stuck up.”

Cady gives another little squeeze. “Just go for it.”

“I thought you would be… a lot less attractive.”

“Such is the stereotype,” Cady laughs. “I’ve gotten that before.”

“Does it bother you?”

Cady shrugs. “When it’s phrased like that, no. When people assume that I can’t be as smart as I am because I’m also pretty.” She flips some of her hair over her shoulder. “It took me until part way through college to really start to get the second part of it.”

Regina tilts her head slightly. “For people to start doubting you?”

“To realize I’m pretty.” Cady blinks, and then laughs. “Wow, that sounded self-absorbed.”

“No,” Regina shakes her head, smiling. “It sounded confident.”

Cady smiles back. “Thanks. But, yeah, once I started really leaning into that, I started getting sh*t from my peers about it.” Her face sours slightly. “It’s gotten a lot worse since coming to Yale.”

“Ivy league students are the worst for that.” Regina rolls her eyes. “I got my BBA and MBA back-to-back at Harvard. Undergrad was something like 40% women, I think, but my MBA class was only 30%, I think. And God , the boys were almost all sexist pigs.”

Cady laughs and nods. “I think I mentioned it before, but of the seven of us that started in the program last year, I’m the only woman. They don’t say a lot to me directly about it, but the undergrads are another story.”

“I bet.”

The food arrives and Cady lets go of Regina’s hand. They’re quiet for a few minutes as they dig into their meals.

“This is delicious,” Cady says after swallowing a few bites.

“I'm glad,” Regina smiles. “So is mine. You should try the wine with the food."

Cady takes another sip, and she doesn't really get it, but she goes with it. Maybe it’s an acquired taste thing. It does taste less jarring now that she's had the flavors of the food on her tongue.

“So,” Regina says, cutting a piece of her veal, “I would still love to hear about your research.”

Cady’s eyes light up. “Oh, right! Well, my research is on the link between active matter and chaos.”

“Chaos?” Regina tilts her head slightly.

“In physics, and, well, in the world , I guess, you can pretty much divide everything up into two categories: deterministic and chaos,” Cady begins to explain. “Actually, have you ever heard of the butterfly effect?”

“Like, that movie?”

Cady shakes her head. “No, no. That’s actually a pretty poor representation of it. To make a very long story short, it was mostly based on the work of this meteorologist who basically theorized that a butterfly flapping its wings on another continent could inadvertently have an effect on the time or path of a tornado in America several weeks later because of how complex and delicate weather systems are.”

“ Oh .” Regina frowns slightly. “Yeah, that sounds nothing like the movie.”

Cady laughs. “Definitely not.”

“So you're studying… the butterfly effect?”

“Not quite! The butterfly effect is one of many parts of chaos theory. It's also something that tends to be a bit easier to wrap your mind around as an example of chaos if you don't really know much about this stuff.”

Regina grins. “I definitely don't.”

Cady smiles back. “I figured. Backing up, though, every system in the world can be divided into deterministic and chaos. Deterministic systems are things like the basic laws of physics and simple cause and effect.” She holds up her fork. “If I let go of my fork, gravity will bring it back down to Earth until it hits something, for example,” she gestures to the plate with her other hand, “my food on the table. Now, I'm not gonna do that, because I don't want to spray food everywhere, but you get the idea.”

“Right,” Regina nods, taking a bite of her food.

“Gravity, at a basic level, is deterministic. But other systems, like the ways in which molecules in gas move, they're considered to be random. Chaotic , if you will. Are you following?”

Regina swallows and nods again.

“Chaos theory, in a way, is trying to find ways to understand chaotic systems in a deterministic way,” Cady continues. “Things like the butterfly effect. Or, actually, a pinball machine!”

Regina raises an eyebrow. “A pinball machine?”

Cady nods eagerly. “We understand all the basic systems that make a pinball machine work. Gravitational rolling and elastic collisions, to be exact. Yet, there’s a million different hyper-specific things that occur within a pinball machine that change the path of the ball every time. If it was the exact same every single time, it would be tremendously boring.”

“Right, but aren't some people really good at pinball machines?”

Cady smiles and points her finger at Regina. “ Precisely . There are people who have learned and understand the hyper-specific elements of pinball machines and can manipulate them skillfully to get a higher score. My dissertation, and, ideally, in the long run, deeper research, is applying that same concept to actively moving particles.”

“What would that… do, exactly?”

“That's the thing. It's mostly theoretical at this point. But, theoretically, if we could understand and manipulate chaotic systems on a molecular level, we could do things like control the precise path of a gas, have greater precision in chemical reactions, or even apply it to plasma physics. I mean, honestly, the possibilities are endless . Chaos theory, in the grand scheme of things, is relatively new , especially in the realm of particle physics, but it absolutely fascinates me.”

“It definitely sounds complicated,” Regina says. “I'm honestly so impressed. I know that had to be a really dumbed-down explanation.”

Cady smiles softly. “I’d call it simplified, but sure.”

Regina smiles back. “I’m pretty sure you're one of the smartest people I've ever met.”

Cady blushes. “I’m sure that's not true.”

“No, seriously. Look, there's a lot of people who are very intelligent and understand extremely complicated concepts and ideas, but they can't make someone else understand it.”

“That describes a good amount of STEM professors at research institutions,” Cady jokes.

Regina laughs. “Oh, I'm sure. To me, the ability to do that is the sign of extremely high intelligence. You got me to understand an admittedly simplified version of what I'm sure is an extremely advanced area of particle physics.”

Cady’s blush deepens. “Well, thank you. I just find it all really fascinating.”

“Don't sell yourself short, Cady. You're absolutely brilliant.” Regina gives her a very genuine smile. “I’m honored to be able to get to know you and see what incredible things you'll do from here.”

Cady beams back at her. “Thank you! I'm excited to get to know you more too, you know. I can't say I really know anything about insurance or business or anything like that. I'm sure you'll be able to teach me a lot too.”

Regina waves her hand. “Business is boring. It's all just budgets and stakeholders and quarterly deadlines and stuff. I find the whole thing dreadful, honestly.”

Cady raises an eyebrow. “You do?” she asks, before taking another bite.

“Maybe it's just the company specifically,” Regina shrugs. “I’d probably like it more if it was something I built up myself, you know? Like, I'm pretty good at what I do, but I find life insurance… dull, I suppose. At least, from the business end of it all. It's an industry with little room for innovation or change. There's a set way of doing things, and people are resistant to change. Most people expect me to run the company the same way my father did, and any time I try to make meaningful changes… Well, there's resistance every step of the way.”

Cady swallows and frowns. “I’m sorry. That sucks.”

Regina waves her hand. “I shouldn't complain, and I know that. It's easy money. Painfully easy, in my opinion, and I know I'm very lucky and all of that. It's just not very fulfilling, I guess?”

“Well, there's lots of other ways to find fulfillment outside of work,” Cady says. “We just gotta find whatever that is for you.”

Regina smiles. “We?”

Cady grins back. “Yeah, we. I've decided I like you, which means you're stuck with me.”

“Is that so?” Regina teases, the smile still on her face.

“Oh, yes. I've been told I'm very hard to get rid of.” Cady takes another sip of her wine (she's not even thinking about how she's not sure about the taste anymore). “I believe I was once referred to as a really annoying mosquito.”

“You gonna suck my blood?” Regina asks.

Cady looks at her carefully for a moment, taking another sip of wine and letting the red liquid stain her lips again. “I might not be able to actually do that,” her eyes drift from Regina’s face down to her neck, and then further down, following the line of the body chain again, before drifting back up to Regina’s face, “but I'll sink my teeth into any part you'll let me.”

She's not sure if it's too much or too far and for a half a second, Cady’s worried she's been a bit too direct, but then she catches the way Regina’s eyes widen and she swallows . Cady smirks slightly, cutting into another piece of her ravioli.

“What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?” Cady teases, before taking another bite of her ravioli.

“You, um, you mean that?” Regina stutters.

She's not sure if it's the wine, or the confidence she's been trying to cling to all night, or maybe both, but Cady does everything in her power to not let her voice falter.

“Baby,” Cady says, watching the way Regina’s breath hitches at the word, “I don't make promises I can't keep.”

Regina’s pupils are blown out as she swallows again. Cady’s on a bold streak, so she stretches out a leg under the table, letting the bare skin of her shin touch Regina’s. Cady’s pretty sure Regina stops breathing for just a moment, but Cady just takes another bite of her dinner, acting as if she hadn't just somehow broken the brain of the hottest woman she’s ever seen with a little flirting.

If Regina reacts like this every time, Cady's pretty sure she’s going to develop the world’s biggest ego. But then again, looking at Regina, Cady’s pretty sure if this continues, she’ll have earned an inflated ego.

“You said you parked your car on the street, correct?” Regina asks, finally finding words.

Cady swallows her food and nods. “Yes, on a side street.”

“Were there any signs about overnight parking?”

Cady grins. “There were not. It's just a residential street off of this one.”

Regina places her fork down. “I don't want you to feel like you have to say yes, but, um, I’d like to invite you to come home with me tonight. If you want. I don't want to pre-.”

“ Baby ,” Cady cuts her off, reaching over and taking Regina’s hand again. Between the contact and the pet name, Regina looks like a deer caught in headlights. “Stop worrying yourself. I would love to do that.”

Regina just stares at Cady for a few moments, wide eyed.

“Earth to Regina,” Cady says softly, squeezing her hand gently.

Regina blinks and shakes her head slightly, snapping out of it. “Sorry, um…”

“Am I doing too much?” Cady asks quietly. “I know that was a lot back-to-back, I'm sorry.”

“ Don't be sorry,” Regina insists. “It's been a long time since I've been this… Well, I don't want to say it, because I think I would be genuinely insane if I did, but I haven't felt like this in a long time.”

Cady tilts her head slightly. “Felt like what?”

Regina lowers her gaze and shakes her head slightly. “Don't worry about it. It's a good thing, I promise. I like the flirting. I really, really like the flirting.”

Cady squeezes Regina’s hand again and grins, before letting go to resume eating her food. “Well, I'm glad. I'm having a lot of fun doing it.”

“I don't know how you've managed to stay single for so long,” Regina tells her. “You're super smart, incredibly funny, ridiculously hot, super confident…”

“You know,” Cady says, stabbing her fork into another piece of ravioli, “I’m really not usually this confident.”

“That's… genuinely surprising,” Regina replies. She cuts into more of her food again, as Cady eats more of her meal. “You radiate confidence. It's really hot.”

Cady swallows and grins. “It's something about you. I'm not quite sure what.”

“Maybe it's the wine,” Regina shrugs. Her own glass is nearly empty, and Cady’s has maybe a quarter left.

“I mean, I'm not usually a wine person, but I can handle some alcohol. I don't think one glass would do that.”

Regina shrugs. “Maybe. Maybe not.” She tilts her head slightly at Cady. “What's your go-to for alcohol?”

“Tequila. Preferably as a marg, but I'll drink it straight, too.”

Regina chuckles. “Ah, to be 24 and still be able to drink straight tequila .”

Cady grins and rolls her eyes playfully. “I'm sure it'll catch up to me eventually.”

“Oh, it will. I used to be a tequila girl myself, until my 29th birthday.” Regina shudders. “I haven't touched it since.”

“Not even in a margarita?”

Regina hums. “Well, I had a marg in Cabo a couple summers ago. But not anywhere near here.”

“Ooh, Cabo. Sounds fun.”

Regina nods. “I try to travel a few times a year. I remember your profile said you liked traveling too.”

“I do, I just haven't done it much lately.” Cady considers it for a second, and then admits, “Okay, really, at all, since coming to the US. Janis insisted that growing up in Kenya counted. I did do some traveling as a kid, though. My parents would get invited to give one-off lectures on their research at various universities around the world.”

“Well that definitely counts,” Regina says. “What types of places?”

“Shockingly, they always said no if it was in the United States,” Cady admits. “I think they wanted to see other parts of the world, and me to see it too. We went to a couple different places in Europe, Australia, India a few times, once even Thailand. But we also did a lot of traveling within Africa itself. A few trips to South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia…”

“Yeah, that definitely counts,” Regina laughs. “You've been to a ton of places, and from the sound of it, you actually went into communities and stuff. Correct me if I'm wrong.”

“No, no. You're right. We did. Quite often.”

“Exactly. I've been to plenty of places in Europe and around the Caribbean, but pretty much exclusively resorts and other touristy things.”

“Those are fun too, honestly,” Cady shrugs. “Obviously, it was cool to go to those places and see things and meet people, but it was always short, strictly business trips. We didn't get to do a lot of sightseeing. Always had to get back to the animals.”

“What kinds of animals did your parents work with?”

“Oh, all kinds of land mammals. Giraffes, elephants, rhinos, cheetahs, hyenas… and my personal favorite, lions. There was this pair of orphaned cubs the researchers helped take care of until they were old enough to be transported to a proper sanctuary and I used to sneak off to play with them all the time.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Regina says, waving a hand. “You used to play with lion cubs .”

Cady nods. “I was, um, six? Maybe seven? It was always perfectly safe. Well, uh, except for the time one of them bit my upper thigh. Nearly missed an artery. I've got a cool scar there, though.”

Regina has to close her eyes for a second and process all of this. “Did your parents… let you do this?”

“Oh, God no. I was always a runner. Which can be kind of dangerous on the savannah. They had to import one of those child leash things, but I was old enough to creatively get out of it whenever they weren't looking.”

“There's something poetic about your parents going all the way to Kenya to study animals in their natural habitat, yet, needing to keep their child on a literal leash.”

Cady laughs. “Yeah, that's true. I never really thought about it like that. I hated the stupid leash. Once the cubs were moved to the sanctuary, which was kind of far from us, I didn't really need it anymore.” Cady swirls the wine around in her glass longingly. “I do miss it, though.”

“The cubs?”

“No. Well, yes, but that's not what I'm talking about. I miss the feeling of being truly free, you know? And I know I'm still young, I know, I know, but I've yet to feel the same sort of freedom in my adult life that I did as a child, running through the open savannah, wind in my face, Earth beneath my feet.” A small, sad (yet nostalgic) smile crosses her lips. “ That's what I miss about Kenya the most.”

“Well,” Regina says, reaching her hand across and taking Cady’s hand this time, “we’ll find a way to get that feeling back for you.”

Cady’s smile brightens at the touch and at Regina’s words. “Yeah, we will.”

As they finish their meals, the waiter comes back around to check on them. Regina orders them a tiramisu to split, which is very delicious. Regina double checks with Cady that she still genuinely wants to come over, and Cady insists that she does.

Regina pays the check, and they head out front to wait for the valet to return Regina’s car. Cady attaches herself to Regina’s arm again while they wait, both idling on their phones. Cady sends a text to her group chat with her roommates.

Home of hom*osexuals

Cady

Just a heads up, I won’t be home tonight.

Damian

GIRL

Janis

??? CADDY

Damian

GET IT

Janis

I thought this was just supposed to be dinner???

Damian

Jan let her HAVE HER MOMENT

Damian

And her sugar mommy GODDAMN

Cady

See you guys tomorrow 😘

Janis

CADDY HERON

Janis

YOU GO GIRL

Cady chuckles to herself before muting the group chat, determined not to let them interrupt anything tonight. As she's muting the chat, a notification pops up at the top of her screen.

Venmo - Regina George has sent you $1000.00. You now have $1000.00 in your Venmo account.

Cady jerks her head up and looks at Regina, who's smiling softly. “You - that's so much!”

Regina waves her phone hand, her other arm occupied with Cady. “Not for me. Don’t worry about it. I'm very happy you came out to dinner with me tonight.”

Cady stares in disbelief for a few minutes longer. “I met you today and you've given me $1,500.”

Regina gives Cady a once over. “I’d argue the first $500 was very well spent.”

“I…” Cady stammers.

Regina smiles softly at Cady, gently patting her arm. “I think you'll understand a little better when we get to my place.”

As if on cue, the valet attendant pulls up with Regina’s car, which is a sleek black BMW.

“Thank you,” Regina says, taking the keys from the attendant. She fishes a fat $50 bill out of her clutch, handing it to the attendant, before looking back to Cady. “You ready?”

“Uh, yeah,” Cady replies, snapping back to Earth. She's still a little in the clouds thinking about how this woman gave her $1,500 in a single day , which is nearly how much she makes off that damn stipend in an entire month.

Regina opens the passenger side door for her, and Cady slips into the comfortable car. The interior is spotless and more luxurious than any car she's ever been in. She straightens out her dress as Regina comes around to the other side, slipping into the driver’s seat.

“We’re about thirty minutes away,” Regina tells her as she starts up the car. It's electric, apparently, because it's dead silent. Cady supposes she would have noticed this when it pulled up if she hadn't been so stunned by the Venmo transaction.

“Cool,” Cady replies. “It took me a little over a half hour to get here too.”

Regina nods. “Good to know. You live in New Haven, right?”

“Yeah, in Edgewood.”

“I'll be honest, that doesn't mean much to me. I'm not super familiar with New Haven like I am Hartford.”

“Ah, well. It's one of the residential neighborhoods. It's close to the big park.”

“Decent neighborhood, at least?”

Cady nods. “It's one of the safer ones, to my understanding. I haven't felt unsafe there in the last year or so I've lived there, so, you know.”

“Good, that's good,” Regina says with a nod of her own. “You like living in New Haven?”

Cady shrugs and nods. “It's convenient to be really close to school.”

“I'm sensing a but coming.”

Cady shrugs again, shifting in her seat. “I'm still getting used to being away from my parents, I guess? Like, I really enjoy the freedom and stuff. I really do. But aside from one year of living on campus, which, like, my parents worked on campus and I saw them all the time, I never really lived away from them until I came here. I’ve had a tough time making friends outside of my roommates, and like, they're cool and all, but… they live very different lives than I do. And it's hard for us to relate to each other sometimes.”

“What do you mean?”

Cady hums. “I don't want to seem like I'm complaining. They're good people.”

“Even good people can be annoying sometimes,” Regina counters. “Hit me with it. I won't judge.”

“They're both locals,” Cady begins. “And they make sure I know it at every opportunity. Janis, she's an art teacher at one of the middle schools in New Haven. And Damian, he works as a theater tech at the Shubert. We get along 99% of the time, but whenever I have, like, a complaint about school or work or money or anything like that, they're there reminding me that I'm at Yale and when I'm done I'm gonna make way more money than either of them ever will.”

Regina frowns. “That doesn't mean your issues don't matter.”

“I appreciate that. I don't think that it's quite that, but it feels like it sometimes.” Cady sighs. “I do really like them. They've been great to me and super patient as I navigate living with other people for the first time.”

“Everybody has their moments,” Regina says. “And everybody’s got stuff going on. Just because you’re set up for something more lucrative in the long run doesn't mean you aren't currently having problems.”

“Right, exactly.” Cady runs a nervous hand through her hair, chuckling lightly. “Although, at the rate this is going, I won't really be having those problems anymore.”

They pull up to a stoplight, and Regina reaches over, putting a hand on Cady's knee. “Good. I don't want you to have to worry about that stuff anymore.”

Cady blushes, feeling the sparks of Regina’s hand on her. “Thank you, Regina. That's very kind of you.”

“I mean it.” The light turns green, and she takes her hand away, putting it back on the wheel. “Now, you don't have to answer this right now if you don't want to, but I'm curious about the specifics of your financial situation.”

“I don't mind,” Cady nods. “Um, well, I’m a full time PhD student, but because I TA two classes a semester, I get free tuition and a monthly stipend to help cover living expenses.”

“How much is the stipend?”

“A little over $2k a month.”

“That's it? ”

“Yeah,” Cady laughs nervously. “Most of it goes to rent and stuff. Um, that's about $633 a month, plus utilities typically brings it to around $750 a month, although that fluctuates with the seasons. My car payment is $500. I pay around $275 for car insurance, and then I have a credit card I used to cover moving fees that I have to pay into every month, plus my regular credit card, so that ends up being, like, another $200 a month… So, um, that usually leaves me with around $400 a month for groceries and gas and anything else I need, but it changes a bit month to month. Oh, yeah, and we have to pay for our own oil in the apartment, so it ends up being a couple extra hundred every few months to fill it up. I've got some savings from working while in undergrad that I'm also chipping away at when I need to, and some months my parents cover the partial car payment if I need extra help, but, um, yeah. That about covers it.”

“Well, that simply won't do,” Regina says. “Chipping away at your savings and all. Not anymore, anyways. Also, $275 a month for car insurance? That’s ridiculously high. Have you been in a bunch of accidents or something?”

“No, but my parents have, and I’m on their insurance.”

“We’ll fix that too. Trust me, I can get you a fantastic deal.”

Cady fidgets with the edge of her dress. “I, um… thank you. Really.”

Regina reaches over again, putting a hand on top of Cady's and squeezing lightly. “I’ve got you, honey. Need you to focus on solving chaos instead of worrying about money.”

Cady laughs lightly, her heart swelling at the pet name. “That's a big part of the worry, you know. If I can't finish my research in four years, the discounted tuition and stipend run out. Then I have to switch to part-time and work on the side doing God knows what and take out an obscene amount of loans to cover the rest of it.”

“Absolutely not,” Regina insists. “What’s your student loan situation looking like?”

Cady nods sheepishly. “It’s more than is ideal, really. Um, even though my parents work at Northwestern, they had to work there for four years before I qualified for free tuition. Which meant my first two years, I had to take out loans. And of course, because my first year I was forced to live on campus, it was the most expensive of all four years.”

“And at Yale?”

Cady shakes her head. “Free tuition, for four years, at least. I’ll get a discount if it takes longer than four years, but it won’t be full, and it won’t include the stipend. Which is why I really need to finish this in four years.”

“I promise you,” Regina squeezes Cady's hand again, still driving with only one hand, “that's not a worry anymore, okay?”

Cady nods sheepishly. “Okay. Thank you, seriously.”

“Of course, honey.”

Cady’s heart pounds in her chest. Every time Regina calls her honey , she feels like she might die. She does her best to relax into her seat as they get closer and closer to Glastonbury.

“Woah,” Cady murmurs as they pass by some very nice houses. “These are beautiful.”

“Oh, honey, you haven't seen anything yet.”

Turns out, Regina’s absolutely correct. In fact, Cady can't even describe Regina's home as a house.

It's a mansion .

They head down a private drive with only two mansions at the end, situated atop a massive hill. The exterior walls are white, with a black roof covered in solar panels, and black glass windows. The driveway pulls up to the rear of the house, but there's a beautifully laid brick walkway around the house up to the front door, lit with path lights. As they pull up to the driveway, Regina reaches up and presses a garage door opener on her visor, and one of the three garage doors open. A light flicks on above the garage doors, and suddenly, the whole driveway is illuminated.

As they pull into the garage, internal lights turn on. Cady’s jaw drops when she sees the other two vehicles in the massive garage - a matte black G Wagon and a light pink convertible Porsche.

“The garage technically can fit six cars,” Regina tells her as she puts the car in park. “This is the one I use the most often. I don’t take the G Wagon into the city and I only use the Porsche in the summers, when it's warm enough to have the top down.”

“Makes sense,” Cady replies with a nod, as if having a seasonal car was the most normal thing in the world.

“I'll give you the grand tour,” Regina smiles, stepping out of the car, “and we’ll go from there?”

Cady gets out of the car and nods. “Sure.”

Regina has to disarm a security system before entering through the door attached to the garage. As soon as they're through the door, Regina takes Cady’s hand and leads her up a marble staircase to the main living area.

The first level is an open floor plan, with a living room, dining area, and kitchen all in one space, separated only by furniture. There are two massive sliding glass doors on the front of the house that lead to the front patio, looking out over the hill. The living room has a floating electric fireplace, an absolutely massive television, and a sectional that looks so comfortable, Cady’s pretty sure that if she sat on it, she’d be unable to get up.

There's a few other chairs in the living room space, but they look mostly decorative. The huge TV is mounted on the floating fireplace. A massive coffee table rests between the sectional and the fireplace.

The dining area looks more formal, with very fancy looking chairs and a spotless glass table. The island counter that separates the dining area and the kitchen looks more used, although it's still nicely polished. The kitchen has two ovens, two stove tops, and two fridges built into the wooden cabinets, so neatly hidden that for a moment, Cady isn't sure that Regina even has a fridge until Regina points them out.

Regina shows Cady the cabinet with the cups and how to get filtered water from one of the fridges, should she need any.

Regina briefly shows Cady part of her wine collection in the dining area (there's a whole room dedicated to Regina’s wine collection downstairs, adjacent to the garage, because of course there is) before showing her the massive pantry attached to the kitchen. It's fairly empty, because as Regina admits, she doesn't really cook that often. She's not a particularly good cook.

Cady takes the admission in jest, and promises to make Regina a good, home cooked meal sometime, and with the way Regina’s eyes light up at the offer, Cady has to wonder when the last time Regina actually had a home cooked meal was.

There’s a half bathroom off of the living room that Cady sees, as well as two more massive glass doors that lead to the back patio. This patio has some outdoor tables and chairs, and leads to a currently covered in-ground pool. Off to the side of the patio is a covered hot tub, but that one is above ground.

“I keep the pool open from May until September. The exact open and close depends on the availability of my pool guy. The hot tub is year round, though. We can get it running whenever.”

Cady's eyes light up. “If I had a bathing suit, that'd be lovely .”

“Maybe next weekend,” Regina smiles. “Or, I mean, we could go without bathing suits, if you wanted…”

Cady grins back. “Maybe another time. I don't think I want to be wet our first time. Well, not that kind of wet, anyway.”

Regina blushes. “Yeah, that, um, that makes sense.”

Regina leads Cady back inside, bringing her upstairs to finish off the tour. All four bedrooms are on the second floor, with two of them being converted into other spaces. One is Regina’s home office, which she admits she rarely uses, but is nice to have as an option. The other is a home gym, which is full of state-of-the-art equipment. The third bedroom is the only proper guest bedroom in the house, which Regina tells her has only really been used by Gretchen and Karen on nights where they got too drunk to drive home. Each of the bedrooms has a connected ensuite bathroom, each complete with a shower and a tub.

The final room Regina shows Cady is the master bedroom. It's huge, taking up a solid third of the entire top floor in itself. Regina’s huge bed sits in the middle of the room on a raised platform, with perfectly made plush pink sheets and a mountain of pillows. She's got a massive ensuite bathroom, a huge walk-in closet that looks like the outlet Cady went to earlier on steroids, and an attached balcony that overlooks the hill. Regina takes Cady out onto the balcony, which has an absolutely gorgeous view.

“Wow,” Cady says, standing next to Regina and looking out over the hill. In the distance, there's a city, sparkling in the night sky. “Is that Hartford?”

“Sure is,” Regina nods. “See that building there?” She lifts up her arm, pointing at a specific high rise.

“Um, I'm not sure which one you’re pointing at, honestly.”

“Here.” Regina steps behind Cady, pressing their bodies together. Cady’s breath catches in her throat as Regina runs her arm down Cady’s, slowly lifting up Cady’s arm and pointing at the building together. “That one,” Regina says, placing her chin on Cady’s shoulder.

“Y-yeah,” Cady stammers, trying to quickly regain her composure. “I see it.”

“That whole building belongs to my company.”

“Wow,” Cady replies. “That's… that's a big building.”

“They don't call Hartford the Insurance Capital for nothing.”

“This view is absolutely breathtaking,” Cady says quietly. She tilts her head slightly, catching a glimpse of Regina, who's looking straight at her.

“It really is.”

Cady turns around to face Regina, body fueled with the warmth and electricity of having Regina pressed up against her. “As beautiful as this view is, there's something else I'd rather be staring at all night.”

Regina raises an eyebrow and smirks. “Oh yeah? What's that?”

Cady takes a step forward, getting herself as close as she can to Regina. Arms wrap around her waist without a second thought. Cady reaches up, cupping one of Regina’s cheeks, as she searches Regina's eyes for any signs of hesitation.

When Cady finds none, she closes her eyes and leans in for a kiss.

Their lips meet, and the first thought that passes through Cady’s mind is how unbelievably soft Regina’s lips are.

It shouldn't be that surprising, but it is. Every touch they've had so far has been incredibly soft; why should this be any different? Still, it catches Cady off guard for just a moment. Regina’s lips are the softest she’s ever kissed.

The arms around her waist pull her in closer, and Cady’s second hand slips up to grab the back of Regina’s head. The kiss picks up into something more heated, more electric. Cady takes a chance and bites softly at Regina's lower lip, to which Regina moans into her mouth.

Cady grins into the kiss, pushing Regina’s head from behind. She's getting greedier now, hungrier. She takes a step forward, pushing Regina up against the balcony door behind them.

Regina gasps, pulling her head back slightly. She meets some resistance from Cady’s hand at first, but Cady quickly lets up, just cupping the back of Regina’s head instead of pushing it.

“We should go inside,” Regina says between deep breaths, her eyes searching Cady’s.

Cady nods, running the hand that was holding Regina’s cheek through her hair instead. “Yeah. We should.”

“You’re, um, kinda pinning me to the door.”

“Oh, right. Sorry.”

Cady steps back, blushing slightly. Regina smiles at her and takes her hand, leading her back into the bedroom and closing the door to the balcony behind her.

Once the door is shut, Regina turns to face Cady again. “There's, um, there's something you should know, before we go any further.”

Cady tilts her head slightly, still holding Regina’s hand. “What's that?”

“I, um…” Regina takes a deep breath, straightening out her posture. “I was in an accident when I was a teenager and I have a massive scar on my back. It's really ugly and it's caught people off guard before and took them out of the mood and I just wanted to warn you before we went any further so you didn't get like freaked out or anything by the big ugly scar on my-”

Cady leans forward, cutting Regina off with a kiss. Regina squeaks, not expecting it, but relaxing into it anyways.

“Baby,” Cady says softly when she pulls back slightly, running a hand through Regina's hair again, “first, thank you for telling me. Second, I'm sorry people have been so sh*tty about it.”

Regina shrugs. “It’s really ugly. I get it.”

Cady shakes her head. “Don’t say that. Nothing about you could be ugly.”

“You haven't seen it yet.”

Cady brings her arms up to Regina’s upper back, finding her zipper. “May I?”

Regina nods, biting her lip. She turns around, lifting her hair away with a hand and looking down at the ground, not wanting to see any reflection in the door in front of her.

Cady unzips the dress, steadily and carefully. Sure enough, just barely below the zipper, is the start of a long, thin, raised scar. Cady is careful not to touch it at first, slowly unzipping the dress and keeping her hands on the fabric. At a certain point, Regina lets go of her hair and slips her arms out of the sleeves, letting the dress fall away to the floor as Cady unzips the last of it.

“See, it’s-” Regina starts to turn around, but Cady stops her, putting two firm hands on Regina’s hips. She presses a gentle kiss to the top of the scar, which causes Regina to gasp and look up at the door again.

Cady keeps going, gently kissing the whole way down the scar, stopping only when she reaches the bottom in Regina's lower back. She stands up straight again, wrapping her arms around Regina’s torso and pressing up against her from behind. She looks at Regina’s shocked face in the reflection of the glass door and presses a gentle kiss to Regina’s shoulder. “Not ugly,” Cady says softly.

“I… you…” Regina stammers. She reaches up, cupping the side of Cady’s head with a hand, looking at her through the reflection. “No one's ever done anything like that before.”

“Their loss.” Cady presses her cheek against Regina’s hand and smiles. “You’re the most gorgeous person I've ever met. I'll cover every square inch of your body with kisses if you'll let me.”

Regina turns to face Cady, stepping out and kicking the dress away, her shoes long since discarded. Cady just looks at her and smiles as Regina reaches behind Cady for her zipper, to which Cady nods and lifts away her own hair.

When Regina peels away Cady’s dress, instead of being bare chested like Regina (thanks to the corset attached to the front of her dress, which had come off easily as Cady unzipped the back), Regina finds Cady wearing a lacy black bra. The dress falls to Cady’s ankles, and Regina trails her fingers along Cady's spine, stopping at the clasp on Cady's bra. Regina hesitates for a moment, waiting for a confirmation nod from Cady, before unclipping the bra, leaving both girls standing in nothing but their jewelry and their underwear.

Regina then reaches behind her own neck, going to take off the body chain, but a hand from Cady stops her.

“If it's not too uncomfortable, I'd like you to keep that on,” Cady tells her. “It’s really hot.”

Regina grins. “I can do that.”

“Good girl,” Cady says, grabbing the front of the body chain and tugging Regina closer. Regina gasps, her whole body flushing bright red. Cady smirks, keeping a grip on the chain while her other hand finds a spot on Regina’s hip. “You like that, huh?”

Regina nods sheepishly, still blushing. “I, um, I do.”

“Which of those things got you more excited?” Cady asks. “Me yanking on the chain or calling you a good girl?”

Regina blushes deep red. “Um, b-both, but the chain a bit more…”

“I can work with that,” Cady smirks. She briefly lets go of the chain, cupping one of Regina’s cheeks instead. “If anything is too much or too intense, tell me right away and I'll stop, okay?”

Regina nods meekly. “Okay.”

“Good girl,” Cady repeats, and she watches Regina squirm slightly. She smirks, slipping one hand around the part of the chain that dips between Regina’s boobs and tugs her forward, getting a sharp gasp out of Regina. Cady grabs Regina’s hair with her other hand and brings her in for another intense kiss, feeling the way Regina melts like putty beneath her.

Cady steps forward, slowly pushing Regina closer and closer to the bed. When they get to the raised platform around the bed, Cady pulls her head back. “Watch your step,” she says, not taking her hands off Regina, but making her carefully step up onto the platform backwards.

“Jesus Christ, Cady,” Regina murmurs. “I didn't know you had this in you.”

Cady smirks, tightening her grip on Regina’s hair and the body chain as she steps up onto the platform. “I can spot a bottom from a mile away.”

Regina blinks. “How did you-?”

“Your nails,” Cady tells her with a shrug. “Only a bottom would have nails that long.”

Regina looks down at her hands. Yeah, her manicure is pretty long. “It’s, um, it's been a while since I've had to worry about that.”

“Don't you worry about a thing, princess,” Cady tells her, releasing Regina’s hair and pushing her onto the bed. “I’ve got you.”

Regina scrambles back onto the bed, trying to situate herself in the middle of it. Cady gets on all fours on the bed, crawling towards her as Regina scrambles back on her butt.

“You're going to have to get creative, though,” Cady warns her. “You're not putting those claws in me.”

Regina nods and swallows. “I, um, I can eat you out, if you want.”

Cady smiles and situates herself to straddle Regina’s hips. She strokes Regina’s face gently. “You’re nervous,” she comments, tilting her head slightly.

“There's a ridiculously hot girl on top of me calling me princess and yanking me around by this chain. Of course I'm nervous.”

Cady grins. “Relax, princess.” She puts both of her hands on Regina’s bare breasts, and begins massaging them with her fingers. Regina lets out a moan, tilting her head back and closing her eyes.

“That's it,” Cady praises, “good girl. Let me take care of you, princess. Let me make you feel good.”

“ Please ,” Regina murmurs, before being cut off by another kiss. It doesn't last very long, as Cady begins trailing kisses down Regina’s neck and collarbone while continuing to grope Regina’s tit*. Once Cady gets her mouth close enough to Regina’s chest, she pulls her hands away, using one arm to hold herself up while she licks and nips at one of Regina’s boobs and nipples. The entire time, she teases Regina’s other nipple between her fingers, rubbing teasingly and torturously.

Regina is completely melted beneath her. She's moaning and crying out Cady’s name, along with a series of pleas. Cady pays her no mind, continuing to work her mouth all over Regina’s boob and nipple. Without warning, she shifts, changing the attention of her mouth to the other breast and playing with the other nipple with her fingers instead, leaning on the other arm now.

“ Cady ,” Regina gasps, clawing at Cady’s back. “Holy f*ck . Jesus Christ. Oh my God .”

Cady sucks hard on the nipple, getting a strangled yelp out of Regina. She pulls her mouth off with a pop , before soothingly circling it with her tongue. Regina pants heavily, desperate to catch her breath as Cady continues to tease her nipples.

Cady sits up suddenly, flipping her hair over one of her shoulders and taking a deep breath. Regina looks up at her with half lidded eyes, still trying to catch her breath.

“What are you doing?” Regina asks.

“Waiting for you to catch your breath.”

“Why?”

“So you’ve got full lungs when I sit on your face.”

Regina’s whole body turns bright red. Cady smiles at her, stroking her hair gently.

“It’s alright, princess. Don’t be nervous. Just relax.”

“I, um, I’ve never…” Regina takes another deep breath. “I’ve eaten people out, but I’ve never been sat on before.”

Cady raises an eyebrow. “That’s a surprise.”

“It is?”

“Baby, I’ve been getting you all flustered all night. Your bottom energy is unmatched .”

Regina blushes again. “I don’t tend to bottom that often, actually.”

Cady gives her a look. “You don’t? ”

“I have trust issues?” Regina offers in a small, meek voice. Cady’s eyes soften, and she cups Regina’s cheek, stroking it gently with her thumb.

“But you trust me.”

Regina gives a tiny nod. “I do.”

Cady’s eyes search Regina’s. “Why? We barely know each other.”

Regina shrugs and leans her face into Cady’s hand. “I don’t know. I just do. It sounds stupid, but I guess I just feel, like, drawn to you or something. And everything you’ve done tonight has made me trust you more.”

“Well, thank you,” Cady says softly, continuing to rub Regina’s cheek with her thumb. “I won’t break that trust.”

“I know you won’t,” Regina smiles, nuzzling further into Cady’s hand.

“God, you’re so cute,” Cady murmurs.

Regina looks up at her with big, soft eyes, and Cady can’t help but feel her heart swell. She decides to try something, testing the waters a big more. Slowly, she moves her thumb over from Regina’s cheek to her lips, brushing them gently and pressing lightly, seeking entrance. Regina opens her mouth and takes the thumb, obediently sucking on it and swirling around it with her tongue.

Cady moans lightly, feeling heat rush to her core. She looks down at Regina with hunger in her eyes, tilting her head slightly. “You aren’t just a bottom. You’re a sub, aren’t you?”

Regina’s whole face flushes bright red, but she nods, still sucking on Cady’s thumb. Cady grins, grabbing Regina’s face with her other hand, watching the way Regina’s breath catches in her throat.

“Oh, princess, we are going to have so much fun together.”

Regina shudders, and Cady lets go of her face and pulls her thumb out of Regina’s mouth with a pop! She wipes the saliva on Regina’s flushed cheeks as Regina looks up at her with blown out pupils.

“Scoot down a little for me, princess,” Cady tells her, climbing off Regina for a moment and removing her underwear. “I need more room around your head.”

Regina swallows and shimmies herself down in bed, stopping when Cady puts a hand on her chest. Cady grabs one of the pillows and slips it underneath Regina’s head, getting her a wide-eyed look from Regina.

“Don’t want you to be uncomfortable, princess,” Cady tells her, petting Regina’s hair for a moment. She climbs back on top of Regina, locking her legs over Regina’s shoulders, pinning her upper body to the bed. She hovers above Regina’s face, gripping onto the headboard in front of her. “Can you grab onto my ankles from here?”

Regina has to bend her arms in a bit of a weird angle, but it’s not uncomfortable. She grabs onto each of Cady’s ankles, steadying Cady’s lower body and effectively pinning herself more against the bed.

“Good girl,” Cady praises, reaching down with one hand and stroking Regina’s hair. “Now, if you can’t breathe and need me to lift myself off, tap me three times, okay?”

Regina nods. “I can do that.”

“Good girl. Can you do it now for me, so I can see what it feels like?”

Regina taps her hand against Cady’s ankle three times, and Cady smiles at her. “ Good girl . You ready?”

Regina nods, extending her tongue out of her mouth, as Cady lowers herself onto Regina’s face. She feels Regina’s tongue enter her, careful and exploratory, and Cady lets out a guttural moan. She grips tightly onto the headboard, her thighs instinctively closing around Regina’s head. She feels Regina pick up the pace, with skilled, determined strokes, and Cady’s thighs begin to quiver.

Regina’s grip on Cady’s ankles stays firm, steadying her shaking a bit. Cady does her best to steady herself against the headboard, but Regina’s tongue is no match for Cady’s best attempts.

“ God , Regina,” Cady moans. “ f*ck .”

Cady feels Regina’s nails dig into her ankles, and Cady feels Regina grin against her. She has no time to react before she feels Regina’s tongue flatten out against Cady, inviting Cady to grind.

Cady’s hips move instinctively, chasing friction, and God , is this hot. She looks down at Regina, who’s staring up at her, face half buried beneath Cady’s body. “ f*ck , princess. That’s… Jesus .”

Regina hums happily beneath Cady, and after a few more grinding motions, Regina adjusts again, this time, giving special attention to Cady’s cl*t.

Cady gasps, clinging tightly to the headboard and clamping her thighs on either side of Regina’s head. She’s pretty sure at this point, she’s completely cut off Regina’s ears, and she doubts she can hear much of anything other than the sound of her own heartbeat right now. Cady throws her head back and moans as Regina sucks on her cl*t, pleasure building rapidly inside of her. She grinds on Regina’s face again as Regina continues to suck and lick, unable to stop herself from seeking more . More friction, more sucking, more Regina .

Cady’s hips jerk and her body convulses, Regina quickly slipping her tongue back inside and lapping up Cady’s cum as it spills out of her. Cady gasps and yells out Regina’s name, her eyes screwed shut as she hangs onto the headboard for dear life. Regina’s nose brushes against her sensitive cl*t as Regina continues to eat Cady out, and before Cady knows it, she’s cumming for a second time in a row.

As she comes down from the second org*sm, Regina laps up the rest of the cum on Cady’s puss*, trying carefully to avoid her overly sensitive cl*t. Cady starts to lift herself off, but for a moment, Regina’s hands stay firm on her ankles.

“Let go, princess,” Cady tells her, and instantly, Regina drops her hands. Cady lifts herself off of Regina and collapses next to her, breathing heavily.

Regina turns her head to look at Cady. The lower half of her face is covered in Cady’s cum and wetness. She lifts up a hand to wipe it away, but Cady intercepts, grabbing Regina’s wrist.

“Ah ah,” Cady tuts, still trying to catch her breath. “You look so beautiful with my cum on your face, princess. I think it should stay there for a little while longer.”

Regina whimpers , which sounds like music to Cady’s ears. “Yes, Ma’am,” she says quietly.

“Oh, I like that,” Cady purrs, positioning herself closer to Regina, stroking her hair. “Give me just a minute to catch my breath, princess, and then I'll take good care of you.”

Regina beams at her. “Take your time.”

“Was that good for you?” Cady asks softly, her voice gentler than it has been.

Regina nods. “That was really hot.”

“Good,” Cady says with a grin. She keeps stroking Regina's hair, steadying herself with deep breaths. “So, just how kinky are you, princess?”

Regina blushes, her whole body turning bright red. “Oh, um, I… I've dabbled with other people, but I've never…” her voice trails off.

“Submitted to someone?” Cady asks, to which Regina nods, still bright red. “That’s alright.”

“Have you ever, um, you know…?”

“Dominated someone? I have. Quite a few times, actually. I haven't done anything kinky since undergrad, though. A bit harder to break into the scene in a new place, especially with everything else I've got going on.”

Regina nods. “You seem, um, very knowledgeable.”

Cady smirks. “I'm no expert, but I know a thing or two.” She tilts her head slightly, continuing to stroke Regina’s hair. “What can I do to make you more comfortable, baby? I can tell you're very nervous.”

Regina swallows. “I am. Because, I, um, I want… I want to ask you to… do something, but I…” Her voice trails off, lost in her thoughts.

“It's alright, baby. I'm not going to judge. And I'll only do stuff that you want me to do.”

“Um…” Regina takes a deep breath, closing her eyes. “In the bedside table on my side here, in the second drawer… there's some stuff that I use on myself sometimes.”

“You have some gear?”

Regina nods, her eyes still closed. “I do. I've never used them with someone else before, but I… I want to. And I trust you.”

Cady leans down, catching Regina slightly off guard with a very gentle kiss. Regina leans into it, returning it with as much softness and care as Cady gives. “Thank you, baby. I'll take good care of you, okay?”

“Okay,” Regina agrees with a little sheepish nod, looking up at the gorgeous woman hovering above her.

Cady climbs over Regina and crawls to the nightstand on the edge of the huge bed. “If there's anything that's too much, you just tell me, and we’ll stop immediately, okay?”

“Well, that's the thing…” Regina trails off as Cady opens up the second drawer.

“ Oh ,” Cady says as her eyes land on the contents inside: a pair of leather cuffs, a chain to connect them, a pair of nipple clamps, and a big, bright red ball gag with a leather strap. There's a few small locks and keys loose in the drawer too, basic cheap ones that all use the same exact key.

Cady pulls out the ball gag first, holding it up and inspecting it. She can see Regina squirming out of the corner of her eye, which is partially the goal. “Good quality,” Cady says aloud, which she really wasn't expecting anything less from Regina, but it's clear to her that Regina likes a little humiliation.

The ball gag, along with the cuffs, have little circles in their buckles that would allow for them to be locked on with the little locks. Cady looks at Regina, eyeing her carefully.

Regina’s whole body is flushed red, the same shade as the ball gag.

“You use this stuff on yourself?” Cady asks, raising an eyebrow. It's not at all unusual for someone to engage in a little self bondage while masturbating, but she wants to hear Regina describe it. She wants to know exactly what Regina wants her to do.

Regina nods sheepishly. “I, um, lock the cuffs on my hands and the gag in my mouth. The chain doesn't really lock, so I can take it off easily.”

“And these?” Cady asks, holding up the nipple clamps.

Regina squirms slightly. “Yeah. I, um, use them on myself too.”

“I shouldn't be surprised,” Cady replies. “Your nipples were so sensitive earlier.”

Regina whimpers lightly. “They, um, they are.”

“What do you do with your hands when you’ve chained them up?” Cady puts the gag and the nipple clamps on the edge of the bed, before grabbing the cuffs, chain, and locks and keys from the drawer.

“Um, it depends. Sometimes I… I finger myself with cuffed hands.”

Cady gives no facial expression, but gestures for her to continue.

“Sometimes, um, I put a vibrator inside me, and then I, um, put my hands up there.” Regina points to the headboard, which is mostly plush, save for a thin wooden rod closer to the pillows.

“You loop the chain behind the rod?”

Regina nods nervously. “I don't do that one as often, though. It can be a bit tricky to undo the chain myself with the rod in the way.”

Cady smirks. “Good to know.” She moves all the gear next to Regina, laying it all out in a line. “Just to be clear, you want me to use all of these on you, right?”

Regina nods again.

“No, no, princess, I need to hear you say it, okay?” Cady says softly, running a hand through Regina’s hair again. “In detail. I don’t want to do anything you don’t want me to do.”

Regina swallows. “I, um, I want you to tie me up and gag me, and put the nipple clamps on me.”

“Do you want me to lock the stuff that can be locked?”

“Yes, please. Yes, Ma’am,” Regina corrects herself, which brings a smile to Cady’s face.

“Good girl,” she murmurs, scratching lightly at Regina’s scalp. Regina hums, leaning further into the touch. As Regina’s eyes flutter shut, Cady speaks again. “What do you want me to do after I’ve tied you down and locked everything on, princess?”

Regina’s eyes shoot back open, looking at Cady. “I… I want you to do whatever you want with me.”

Cady’s heart skips a beat. She kneels with one leg between Regina’s legs, pressing hard against Regina’s crotch. Regina gasps, as Cady bends down and wraps her fingers in Regina’s hair with one hand, grabbing onto Regina’s face with the other.

“You sure about that, princess?”

Regina struggles to nod with the way Cady is holding her head, before remembering to use her words. “Yes, Ma’am. I want you to do whatever you want with me.”

Cady leans in for a passionate kiss, biting at Regina’s lower lip. Regina moans, grabbing onto Cady again, letting her fingernails graze down Cady’s back. Cady’s spine arches, and she pulls back quickly, grabbing Regina’s wrists and pinning them next to her head.

Regina gasps, putting up a little bit of a struggle. Cady holds firm, watching her carefully.

“You like to struggle?”

“I do,” Regina nods. “At least, I think I do. Not much to struggle against by myself.”

Cady grins. “You would be a bit of a brat, wouldn’t you?”

Regina blushes again. “Um, yeah. I think so.”

“Adorable,” Cady sighs. She lets go of Regina’s wrists, climbing off of her again. “Scoot back up, get yourself comfortable by the headboard. When you’re ready, sit up for me.”

Regina scrambles back, grabbing the pillow and putting it back near the headboard. Cady pretends not to be watching her as she fiddles with the gear again, wanting to give Regina some degree of control in the situation. If all went well, there would be plenty of opportunities for a struggle to turn into domination, but that’s not what Cady wants tonight. She doesn’t want that for Regina’s first real bondage experience.

Out of the corner of her eye, Cady sees Regina sit up and settle down. She hears Regina take a deep breath. “Okay, I'm ready.”

Cady turns and situates herself in front of Regina for a moment, a soft smile on her face. “Hi, baby.”

“Hi,” Regina replies, soft and cautious.

“I just wanna make sure you want to do this and feel comfortable doing it,” Cady says. She takes one of Regina’s hands and squeezes it gently. “I know you're nervous, and I know it's a big leap to do this if you haven’t done it with another person before. Even if it's all the same gear you're used to, it can be really mentally intense.”

Regina nods. “I’m sure. I trust you.”

Cady smiles gently at her, raising Regina’s hand to her lips and lightly kissing her knuckles. “I’m so glad. I'm gonna check in with you lots this first time, okay?”

Regina nods again and smiles back. “Thank you.”

“Of course, baby,” Cady says softly. “Kink is about what feels good for you . I want you to remember that, okay?”

“Okay,” Regina gives another nod.

“Okay, so, here's what we’re gonna do. I’m gonna gag you first, since I think it's going to be easier if you're able to hold your own hair out of the way while I buckle it on. Then, I’m gonna lock the cuffs on you and tie you to the bed. I’ll check in lots throughout the whole process to make sure everything’s comfortable, okay?”

“How am I gonna tell you if it's comfortable or not if I'm already gagged?”

“Remember the tapping from earlier, while I was sitting on your face?”

Regina blushes. “Y-yeah.”

“That's actually part of a wider system I like to use,” Cady explains. “The vocal version is pretty common in most kink spaces. Have you ever heard of the stoplight system?”

“Um, vaguely.”

“You know what a safe word is, right?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Good, good. So, the stoplight system, it's a version of that. When I check in with you, you're either gonna say green, yellow, or red. Green means you're good and want to keep going. Yellow means you either need to slow down or adjust something. You're getting close to a limit, or something’s uncomfortable with the bondage, or literally any reason that you might need to pause or slow down.”

“And red is stop,” Regina fills in, earning her a big smile from Cady.

“Yes, exactly. If you ever say red, tonight or any other time, I'll immediately stop and untie you or take out the gag or whatever else is going on in the scene. I will never, ever be mad or upset with you for needing to stop, okay?”

Regina nods again. “Okay. But, um, if I'm gagged…”

“That's where the tapping comes in,” Cady continues. “One tap is green, two taps are yellow, and three are red. Ideally , you’d be able to tap me directly so I can feel it, but obviously, not every position or scene is going to be able to do that. Which is why, any time I put you in bondage, I'm going to have you do all three versions of the taps on whatever we’ll be using for it, so I know what it sounds like. In this case,” Cady points to the wooden bar on the headboard, “it’s probably going to be easiest to use that tonight.”

“That makes sense,” Regina says. “Thank you for being so patient with me and everything. I know it's probably kind of weird that I'm so inexperienced with this and-.”

Cady holds up a finger to Regina’s lips. “Shh,” she says, cutting her off. A tongue pokes out, lightly grazing Cady’s finger. Cady grins lightly, offering two fingers to Regina, who immediately begins sucking on them. “God, you're such a sub. It's adorable.”

Regina whimpers, but keeps sucking on Cady’s fingers.

“For the record,” Cady tells her, cupping Regina’s cheek with the other hand, “it's not weird, it's not annoying, and I am more than happy to take all the time you need to talk through stuff and make sure you're comfortable. If you're not having fun, I'm not having fun. And I know you're nervous, and that's okay. We’re gonna take it one step at a time, and before you know it, all this anxiety is going to be washed away, okay?”

Regina nods slightly, moving Cady's fingers up and down with her. Cady chuckles lightly, pumping her fingers in Regina’s mouth a bit. Regina moans around them, bringing a smile to Cady’s lips.

“See? Instead of anxiously rambling and overthinking it, you're sucking on my fingers like a good -” Cady pauses for a moment, pulling her fingers out. “How do you feel about being called a slu*t? Like, if I'd finished that sentence with, sucking on my fingers like a good little slu*t , how does that feel?”

Regina’s eyes go wide. “Um, I, I like that. I like that a lot.” Her face flushes bright red. “Just, um, not outside the bedroom. Or a scene. Or whatever.”

“Good to know,” Cady says, pushing her fingers back in. Regina resumes, her wide eyes staring at Cady. “Although, I caught that. You're already thinking of places elsewhere in this house where I could f*ck you, aren't you?”

Regina blushes and nods again, getting a big grin from Cady.

“Such a good little slu*t indeed,” Cady purrs, which sends a shiver down Regina’s spine. “Let’s get you gagged and tied up, princess. I have a lot planned for you tonight, and I know you'll love every second of it.”

Cady pulls her fingers out, wiping the saliva on Regina’s cheeks. Cady makes a mental note to make sure to use a washcloth on Regina’s face as part of aftercare. She's still got Cady’s cum on her, and that's not coming off without some extra help.

Cady picks up the gag, holding it in front of Regina’s face. “Open wide, princess.”

Regina obeys, and the gag is pushed into her mouth. She moans into it immediately, which sends heat rushing to Cady’s core.

“Pull your hair up, like you’re about to put it into a ponytail,” Cady tells her, and Regina does exactly that. “Don't want to catch any baby hairs when I buckle this on you.”

Cady moves around to Regina’s back, kneeling behind her as she fastens the gag around the back of her head. When the buckle is closed, she moves back around to sit in front of Regina and takes one of Regina’s hands in hers. “Squeeze instead of tapping. Is this good?” One squeeze. “Not too tight?” One squeeze. “You can breathe alright?” One squeeze.

Cady smiles at her. “Good girl. You look so beautiful with your mouth stuffed for me.” A single line of drool begins to drip down Regina’s lower lips. Cady catches it with a finger, rubbing it all over Regina’s lips, framed around the gag. Her lipstick, or what's left of it, after all the intense kissing earlier, smudges a bit, which really adds to the effect.

“Oh, princess,” Cady murmurs. “God, you’re perfect.”

Regina blushes, her face turning as bright red as the ball gag in her mouth. Cady reaches over and grabs the leather cuffs. As soon as she picks them up, Regina holds out her hands, presenting them to Cady.

“ Good girl ,” Cady praises, a big smile on her face. She puts the cuffs on one by one, pausing to make sure they're comfortable and not too tight after buckling them both on.

Cady then grabs the small locks, the three she set aside, and begins to lock on the cuffs. A chill runs down Regina’s spine with the sound of each lock closing. She looks at Cady with wide eyes, drool dripping out of her mouth and down her chest.

“Poor princess, getting all messy,” Cady coos, smearing some of Regina’s drool on her chest. Regina’s face turns bright red again, and Cady knows she’s hit a sweet spot. “Lift your hair again for me, princess.”

Regina obeys, and Cady slips the lock through the hole in the buckle, locking the ball gag on Regina. Cady wiggles the straps a little bit, before pushing the ball more into Regina's mouth with her finger.

Regina sputters a bit, but holds strong, earning her a smile and some more praise from Cady. Cady picks up the chain for the cuffs and grabs onto the body chain still framing Regina’s chest.

“I’m gonna need to get you something sturdier than this,” Cady tells her as she shoves Regina down onto the bed. Regina lands with a thump and a garbled moan, which amuses Cady greatly. “A quality leather harness I can use to yank you around in. Then I don't have to worry about breaking such a dainty little chain when I get a little rough with you. Wouldn't that be nice, princess?”

Regina whimpers and nods as Cady moves to straddle her stomach, pinning her down onto the bed.

Cady grabs one wrist and clips one end of the chain to the cuff, before bringing it up to the bar near the headboard. “Grab on with both hands, princess,” Cady orders, and Regina does exactly that. Cady curls the chain over the bar before clipping it to the other cuff, effectively tying Regina to the bed.

“Do the taps on the bar for me, princess,” Cady tells her. “One, then two, then three.”

Regina does as she’s told, and Cady finds that the wooden bar makes a bit of a hollow sound when it's tapped. Good to know. Cady cups Regina’s cheek, running her thumb along the edge of the leather strap.

“Checking in. Everything comfortable?”

Regina responds with a nod and a single tap on the bar.

“Good. You're doing so good for me already, princess.” Cady tucks a piece of Regina’s hair behind her ear, getting it out of the way of her face. “Now, I want you to struggle against your bonds, princess. I'm going to pin you down, and you're going to struggle against me, got it?”

Regina nods eagerly, tapping the bar once before beginning to struggle. She doesn't try to grab at the clip linking her cuffs together, but she struggles against the cuffs. Cady pushes down on Regina’s shoulders, flattening her against the bed in her struggle. Beneath Cady, Regina tries to buck her hips, but Cady shimmies down slightly, straddling Regina's hips instead of her stomach.

After she moves, something catches her eye. “Oh, princess. I almost forgot a crucial part.” Cady reaches over to the side, picking up the forgotten nipple clamps. Regina’s eyes go wide at the sight, and she lets out a pathetic little whimper. “Aww, are your nipples still sore from earlier?”

Regina whimpers again, giving a little nod.

“What a shame,” Cady sighs. “Too bad they're going to get chained up anyway.” Cady dips her head down, immediately taking one of Regina’s nipples in her mouth and swirling her tongue around it, getting it nice and hard. Regina lets out a muffled moan, followed by a series of unintelligible noises and pleas. Cady grins as she works on Regina’s nipple, grazing her teeth lightly over it and watching and feeling Regina’s back arch with a strangled gasp.

“Oh, princess,” Cady murmurs, lifting her head up and continuing to tease the same nipple with her fingers. “You have such sensitive nipples. They're going to be so much fun for me to play with.”

Regina moans into her gag, and Cady grins.

“You make such pretty noises with that gag stuffed in your mouth. Much better than listening to bratty whining.” Cady pinches the nipple, hard, and Regina yelps. “I’ll have to make sure we have a nice variety of gags to keep that pretty little mouth of yours nice and quiet for me, don't you think?” Regina whimpers again, and gives a tiny nod. “Oh, I'm so glad you agree, princess.”

Cady switches gears, putting the first clamp on the nipple she's been teasing. It's nice and hard, ready at her attention, and she adjusts the clamp with more and more pressure until Regina lets out an audible yelp.

“Too much?” Cady asks softly, and Regina shakes her head. “You sure?” A single tap on the bar. “Good girl.”

Cady drops her head back down, taking the other nipple in her mouth and getting to work. As she does so, she occasionally lightly tugs on the chain, pulling on the other nipple and getting such delightful little noises out of Regina.

She teases it with her fingers for a few extra seconds, twisting it and even giving a sharp little pull, before clamping that one too. She does another check-in after Regina yelps at the pressure, but Regina’s good.

“Look at you, princess,” Cady smirks. “You’re all tied up and chained up for me.” She picks up the chain between Regina’s nipples, tugging lightly on it. Regina moans into her gag, her back arching with the movement. “Oh, princess. You look so good, all locked up like this. At my mercy. Isn't that right? That's what you wanted. Me to do whatever I want with you, like the toy you are, right?”

Regina whimpers and nods, squirming beneath Cady.

Cady tugs on the chain in response, which makes Regina cry out and still her squirming. “Oh, this is a very effective tool. You really picked some good gear, princess.” She traces her fingers along the body chain, which is still framing Regina’s chest. “I meant what I said about a proper harness for you.” She tilts her head, a mischievous smile crossing her lips. “Oh, I just got a wonderful idea.”

Regina looks up at her with wide eyes. Cady leans down, her face right next to Regina’s. “I’m going to pick out a bunch of good gear for you. Things for me to tie you up and use on you. And you're gonna pay for every last penny of it. But you're not allowed to even open the packages, let alone use any of it on yourself. The only person allowed to touch any of the toys is me . And, by extension,” Cady runs a hand up into Regina’s hair, tugging it and forcing Regina to be eye to eye with her, “since you're a toy, the only person allowed to touch you is also me. That means you don't touch that pretty little puss* of yours without permission anymore. Understood?”

Regina whimpers and nods, her eyes wide and full of emotion. Cady releases her hair, cupping her cheek and patting it lightly. “Don’t you worry, princess. I take very good care of my toys.”

Cady sits up again, running her hands all over Regina’s collarbone and chest. Regina moans at the feeling, squirming a bit against her bonds as Cady’s hands run over the more sensitive spots.

“You like that, don't you?” Cady asks. “Being my toy. My princess.” When Regina nods rapidly, without any hesitation, Cady smiles brightly. “ My very good girl.”

Regina smiles around her gag, and Cady leans down, planting a kiss on Regina’s forehead. Regina blushes at the kiss, which makes Cady laugh.

“Really? Of all the things to blush over right now, the forehead kiss is what gets you?”

Regina’s blush deepens, and Cady continues to laugh.

“You’re such a sub. It's adorable. God, you're so much fun to tease.” She tugs lightly on the chain again, getting another moan out of Regina. “Physically, verbally… it doesn't matter. You'll take whatever I give you, won't you?”

Regina nods eagerly again, trying to buck her hips a little. Unfortunately for her, Cady’s still straddling her hips, so she doesn't really get very far.

“Oh, princess. If there's anything you're going to learn being with me, it's that I value patience ,” Cady warns her. “I’ll let it slide this time, because you didn't know, but trying to get me to give your pretty little puss* attention any sooner than when I decide it's time to give it attention will just make me ignore it for longer. Understood?”

Regina nods sheepishly.

“Good girl. I know you're trying very hard to be my good girl, aren't you?”

Regina nods again, this time, more eagerly.

Cady runs a hand through Regina’s hair, trailing her fingers down to her neck. Her fingers rest on Regina’s neck for a second, and she watches Regina's reaction carefully.

“Such a pretty little neck on a pretty little princess,” Cady says. She tilts her head slightly, watching Regina’s expression carefully as she splays her fingers out across Regina’s neck, covering more ground with it. She can feel Regina’s heartbeat pick up beneath her fingertips, and it makes her absolutely drunk with power.

Cady adjusts her hand’s position, wrapping it around Regina’s neck. At first, she applies no pressure at all, giving Regina plenty of opportunity to tap out of the situation. Regina does tap on the bar, but only once, and a grin spreads across Cady’s face.

“ Good girl ,” Cady purrs, and slowly begins applying pressure to Regina’s throat. Regina gasps, and her face slowly begins to pink, but she maintains eye contact with Cady, gripping tightly onto the bar, but not tapping it.

Cady watches very carefully as she continues to steadily cut off Regina’s air supply. After only about ten seconds of pressure, she lets up, keeping her hand on Regina’s neck, but letting her breathe. Regina breathes heavily around the gag, still looking up at Cady with wide eyes.

Right after a particularly deep breath, Cady applies pressure again, this time, counting internally to twenty, watching as Regina’s face gets pinker and pinker. Regina’s eyes widen, but she still doesn't tap out. She closes her eyes as she breathes heavily when Cady finally lets up on the pressure, Cady's hand still on her neck.

Cady gives Regina a solid minute to breathe. “Think you can do one more for me, princess? It'll be longer than the last two.”

Regina nods, opening her eyes again, filled with determination. Cady smiles at her, and begins applying pressure around her neck again. “Good girl,” Cady praises. “Letting me play with you however I want.” Regina squirms a bit, but Cady's hand stays firm. “It's so freeing, isn't it? Giving in?” She tightens her grip a little bit more, and Regina lets out a strangled gasp. “Being controlled? I can promise you, it's very fun from the other end.”

Cady keeps counting in her head, as Regina’s pink face begins to turn red. When she gets to thirty, she lets go entirely, and Regina gasps for air. Cady reaches down to Regina’s face, tugging out the gag for a moment.

“Good girl,” Cady praises. “You did so good. Breathe for me, baby. Just breathe.”

Regina nods, taking in deep breaths through her ungagged mouth. Her chest rises and falls dramatically, and Cady cups her cheek, rubbing it soothingly as she whispers continued praise to Regina.

“Thank you, Ma’am,” Regina finally says quietly, when her breathing calms down.

“For what, princess?”

“For ungagging me so I could breathe.”

“Oh, princess,” Cady murmurs, rubbing her thumb on Regina’s cheek. “I told you. I take very good care of my toys.”

Regina whimpers, but to her surprise, Cady’s suddenly in her face, meeting her with a gentle kiss. Regina leans into it, enjoying the brief moment of softness in the middle of an intense scene.

Cady pulls back, running a hand through Regina's hair. “You ready, princess?”

Regina nods. “Yes, Ma’am.”

Cady beams at her. “Oh, I like when you call me that. Too bad I have to gag you again.” She sighs dramatically, but slips the ball gag back into Regina’s mouth. Regina moans around the gag instantly, which does make Cady grin. “I love the noises you make for me, princess. I could study you for hours . Catalog all the little noises you make, exactly what makes you make them. Like this.” She tugs on the chain between the nipple clamps again, harsher than before, to which Regina lets out a strangled yelp. “See? So much fun, finding all your noises.”

Regina whimpers again as Cady holds the chain up, making Regina’s back arch in an attempt to seek relief for her aching nipples. Cady runs a hand down Regina's stomach, causing the girl to squirm.

“Oh, so sensitive here, huh?” Cady drops the chain, much to Regina’s relief. It's only temporary, however, as Cady begins using both hands to lightly caress Regina’s sides, causing her to squirm. Cady smirks. “Ticklish, are we?”

Regina shakes her head rapidly, but her body betrays her. Cady begins to tickle Regina’s exposed sides with both hands, and thanks to her bonds, Regina has no choice but to endure. She laughs around her gag, squirming and desperate to try and get away, to make it stop, but Cady is merciless when it comes to tickling. It's not until Cady grabs firmly onto both sides of Regina's stomach and pins her to the bed that Regina can finally catch her breath.

“I love making you squirm, princess,” Cady tells her. “I love watching your pathetic attempts to get away. Your muffled begging for me to stop tickling. Oh, it's music to my ears .” She digs her nails into Regina's flesh, and although there isn't much there in terms of nails, it gets a moan out of her. “And here's the really fun part. No matter how hard you beg, there's only one thing in the world that'll get me to stop.” Cady grins, squeezing tight onto Regina’s sides. Regina whimpers, and Cady leans down next to Regina's face, whispering directly in her ear. “You’re mine , princess. Don't you forget it.”

Regina nods rapidly, saying something unintelligible into her gag. Cady chuckles, nipping at Regina’s ear. Regina squeaks at first, but once Cady actually gets her teeth on Regina’s earlobe, Regina lets out a low moan.

“One thing you're going to learn about me very quickly,” Cady whispers into Regina’s ear, having let go of her earlobe, “is that I love to bite.”

Regina whimpers as Cady trails her teeth along Regina’s jawline, nipping occasionally. Oh, she has plans to bite, but she needs to get to the right spots first. She dips her face down into Regina’s neck and growls . A hand finds its way into Regina’s hair and tugs sharply, forcing Regina’s head back and giving Cady much more room to work with.

“Oh, princess,” Cady mutters, her voice low and predatory. “Such a beautiful blank canvas.” Her eyes flicker up to Regina, who is looking back down at her with a mixture of fear and anticipation in her eyes. “Don't worry, princess. I won't break skin.”

Regina moans, closing her eyes. Cady chuckles lightly. “Maybe that's what you want. I wouldn't know. What I do know is, you're mine to play with, and I'm going to mark you up until I'm satisfied with my work.” She nips at Regina’s neck, getting a squeak out of her. “God, you're so cute. So helpless. Isn't that right, princess?”

Regina nods, or at least tries to, given the grip Cady has on her hair.

Cady gently swirls her tongue around Regina’s pulse point, making Regina gasp and writhe beneath her. She suddenly sucks hard, making Regina cry out into her gag. The hickey Cady leaves behind is large and prominent, and she knows it’s going to be hard to cover up. She smirks, running soothing circles over the bruise with her tongue.

Regina writhes in her bonds, moaning. Cady smirks against her neck, moving slightly down, more towards Regina’s shoulder. It’s a bit of an awkward angle, with Regina’s hands tied above her head, but Cady finds a suitable spot on her shoulder, and without any warning, bites down, intending to leave a full bite mark instead of a hickey.

Regina yelps, but Cady pays her no mind. She pulls back, admiring the bite mark she’s left on Regina’s shoulder. She dips down lower, leaving a series of hickies on Regina’s collarbone, making Regina squirm and moan and writhe with each and every one.

When Cady gets close to Regina’s chest again, she’s reminded of the clamps on Regina. She tugs at the chain, getting a desperate little whimper out of Regina. “Good girl,” Cady purrs. “You’re lucky these are already chained up, princess. I could torture your perfect little nipples with my mouth all night.”

Regina moans, squirming slightly.

“Doesn’t that sound fun? Me teasing your tit* endlessly, until you’re nothing more than a puddle of desperation? Neglecting that perfect little puss* of yours for hours on end?”

Regina whines, shaking her head rapidly. Cady tightens her grip on Regina’s hair, tugging her head back again.

“Too bad, princess. At my mercy, remember? I’ll get to your neglected puss* when I feel like it.” She gives Regina a mischievous look. “Who knows when I’ll feel like it? Guess you’ll just have to keep being a good girl and take whatever attention I give you, won’t you?”

Regina whimpers and gives a tiny nod, to which Cady grins. “Good girl.” She tugs lightly on the chain again as she gets to work marking up the rest of Regina’s tit*, alternating between giving hickies and biting down into the soft, tender flesh. She’s careful not to get too close to Regina’s nipples, not wanting to completely overwhelm her, and she keeps her tugs light for the same reason.

Regina’s a mess beneath her. She’s writhing and squirming with every touch, moaning with every hickey, yelping with every bite. Cady can see it in her eyes, Regina’s slipped deep into subspace. Her eyes are distant, and her chest rises and falls dramatically with each breath. Cady lets go of Regina’s hair, cupping her cheek and stroking it gently with her thumb instead.

“Such a good girl,” Cady praises. Regina nuzzles her face into Cady’s hand, and Cady smiles. “So beautiful, all tied up and marked up for me. My gorgeous princess, at my mercy.”

Regina nuzzles into Cady’s hand further. Cady presses a series of gentle kisses on Regina’s abused tit*, before giving another gentle tug on the chain. Regina whimpers and whines, shutting her eyes tight.

“Princess, look at me,” Cady says, sitting up slightly, chain in one hand, cheek in the other. Regina’s eyes flutter open, searching Cady’s face. “I’m going to take the nipple clamps off now. It’s going to hurt a lot when they come off. I know you know that, but I think your nipples have been through a lot more than they’re used to. I want you to brace yourself, and scream and bite into the gag if you need to, okay?”

Regina nods, taking a deep breath. Her eyes are still a little distant, but she seems a bit more alert. Cady leans down near Regina’s head, planting a gentle kiss on Regina’s forehead.

“You’ve got this, princess.”

Regina whimpers and nods again. Cady tugs the chain gently, and Regina moans. Cady lets go of Regina’s face, and undoes both clamps at the same time, very suddenly.

Regina screams into her gag, the pain of the removal of the clamps coursing through her nipples and breasts. She squeezes her eyes shut tight, biting down hard on the ball gag. Cady drops the clamps next to Regina, and quickly moves to stroke Regina’s hair and cradle her head.

“Good girl,” Cady praises. “You did so good, baby. Breathe through it. The pain will be over soon, just breathe.”

Regina presses her head into Cady’s hands, seeking the comfort of the contact. Cady presses little kisses to Regina’s forehead, praising her over and over again. She waits until Regina’s breathing steadies out, holding her close.

“Princess,” Cady says softly, still stroking Regina’s hair. “You’ve been such a good girl for me tonight. You’re really, really close to your reward, but I want to check in first. You doing okay?”

Regina looks up at Cady with big eyes, pupils blown. She taps the wooden bar once, strong and determined. Cady smiles down at Regina, pressing another kiss to her forehead.

“That’s my good girl. Let’s get those panties off you, shall we? I’m willing to bet they’re completely soaked , hmm?”

Regina whimpers and blushes, and Cady grins. Her flustered little princess is back. Cady slips down to Regina’s hips, running her fingers tantalizingly along the hem of Regina’s underwear. “These are cute,” Cady says, genuinely admiring them. They’re clearly really nice underwear, which, she really shouldn’t be surprised. “Lift your butt,” she orders, and Regina obeys. Cady slips the underwear off Regina’s hips, pulling them off and inspecting them entirely.

“Oh, yeah. Completely soaked. What’s got you so worked up, princess?”

Regina shoots Cady a little glare, and Cady laughs. “You’re so fun to tease. I get to tease you all I want, and there’s nothing you can do about it.” Cady taps Regina on the nose, laughing lightly again. “You’re so cute, princess. Just like your soaked panties. I expect nothing less from such a little slu*t.” Cady tosses them to the side, running her fingers along Regina’s hips, making her squirm.

“Normally, when you’re such a good girl, like you’ve been tonight, I’ll let you pick how you get your reward,” Cady tells her. “But since this is our first time, I want to use my fingers on you, and take in every part of your body while I f*ck you into oblivion. How does that sound, princess?”

Regina stares at her with wide eyes. She nods, sputtering a bit and letting some drool slip out of her mouth.

“Aww, princess,” Cady coos. She reaches up, smearing the drool all over Regina’s lips. “There you go. Much better.”

Regina blushes, squirming slightly. Cady situates herself over Regina, straddling one leg and running her fingers tantalizingly along Regina’s inner thighs.

“Now, princess, I have only one rule for when I’m f*cking you,” Cady begins. “Your legs stay open . No closing them and hiding that perfect little puss* away. I can force them open if I need to, but I know you can be a good girl for me and do it yourself. Do you understand?”

Regina nods and taps the wooden bar once. Cady smiles. “ Very good girl.” She brings her fingers up to Regina’s entrance, giving featherlight touches on Regina’s lower lips. “Oh, princess. You’re so soaked and swollen. Your poor puss*’s so needy for my touch, isn’t it?”

Regina nods eagerly, writhing in her bonds.

“Actually, one more rule, princess. Eyes on me, as best you can, okay? Your eyes close or leave me, and I stop what I’m doing, got it?”

Regina nods again, pleading with her eyes for Cady to just get on with it already . Cady smirks, continuing to stroke up and down Regina’s puss* lips. She watches the way Regina’s breathing catches with each stroke, as she carefully avoids getting too close to Regina’s cl*t.

Cady slips a finger inside, and immediately, Regina gasps, and her back arches. She continues to give Cady pleading eyes, squirming against her bonds as Cady begins to pump her finger, slowly and methodically. She’s testing, with each and every stroke, seeing all the different ways Regina reacts to the positioning and the movements.

“So beautiful,” Cady murmurs, genuinely caught up in the divinity of Regina, splayed out beneath her, writhing with every touch and movement. Cady slips a second finger inside, and Regina lets out a deep moan, her eyes fluttering shut.

“Eyes on me, princess,” Cady reminds her, stilling her fingers immediately. Regina’s eyes shoot back open, as she tries to get out a garbled apology around her gag.

“Shh, it’s alright.” Cady resumes the pumping, and Regina immediately begins melting again. “You’re still my very good girl. You’re doing such a good job, princess.”

Regina moans when Cady hits a specific spot inside her, and Cady grins. “Oh, does that feel good, princess?” Regina nods eagerly, so Cady keeps going, stroking in that same spot over and over again. At the same time, she presses her palm against Regina’s entirely neglected cl*t, rubbing steadily as she pumps with her fingers.

Regina lets out a strangled noise, whimpering and whining all at once as all of the stimulation begins rapidly building inside of her. She’s blubbering and stammering into the gag, moaning and trying to talk around it. Cady’s pretty sure she hears what she thinks is her own name, which brings a smile to her face.

“That’s it, princess. You’re doing so good for me.” Cady leans down, continuing to pump as she gets her face close to Regina’s. She grabs Regina’s face, forcing her to stare directly at Cady, faces only inches apart, as Cady continues to f*ck her. “You close, princess?”

“Yeth, Maah,” Regina sputters around the gag, nodding, which makes Cady’s chest swell with pride.

“Cum for me, my good girl.” Cady keeps a firm grip on Regina’s face, as she increases the pace of her pumping and rubbing of Regina’s cl*t. She feels Regina’s walls spasm around her, and Regina’s back arch beneath her. Regina’s eyes flutter shut for a second, but she forces them open again, earning her another prideful “ Good girl ,” from Cady. Regina’s body twitches and spasms through the org*sm, but Cady doesn’t let up. She keeps pumping, hard and fast, hitting that sensitive spot over and over again with her fingers and keeping a steady rubbing sensation on Regina’s cl*t.

Regina doesn’t even seem to notice that she’s approaching a second org*sm until it’s happening, her eyes wide and wild, as Cady grins darkly at her.

“What a good girl,” Cady purrs. “Cumming for me over and over again. I wonder how many you’ve got in you?”

Regina whimpers, gasping and moaning as she jerks through the second org*sm.

“I’ve got a surprising amount of wrist strength,” Cady tells her. “I can keep going for a while . Can you , princess? Will you be able to hold out through all of this for me?”

Regina lets out a garbled moan as the third org*sm comes hard and fast. Her legs start to close instinctively, trying to force away the overstimulation. Cady tuts, only slowing to adjust herself so she can keep one leg pinned beneath her and the other pushed away with one of her own legs.

“Legs open, princess. You’re going to take everything I give you, remember?”

Regina only has a few moments to whimper and plead with her eyes before yet another org*sm takes over her body. Cady switches gears slightly, flicking at Regina’s cl*t with her thumb. Regina jerks and yells into her gag, thrashing against her bonds. Cady keeps a careful eye on the wooden bar, which Regina is grasping onto for dear life. She doesn’t tap the bar, even as she begins to convulse through the fifth org*sm in a row.

“Oh, princess. You’re taking this so well. Such a good girl. My good girl, cumming for me over and over again.”

The sixth org*sm begins to wrack her body, and Regina pleads with her eyes, but she still doesn’t tap out.

Cady switches back to rubbing, and Regina’s eyes slam shut, unable to keep them open anymore as her body twitches and convulses. The org*sms are getting shorter and shorter, with less and less time between them, and the seventh explodes through her body. Cady’s certain Regina’s lost count at this point, but Cady’s keeping a close and careful count. She doesn’t say anything about the eye contact, instead, staring at Regina’s hands on the bar as the eighth org*sm hits Regina like a bus.

Cady’s impressed, but isn’t sure what to do. She was intending to push Regina to her limit, f*cking her until she taps out, but she’s starting to worry that Regina isn’t going to, and is going to go past her limit instead. When she feels the ninth org*sm explode over her fingers, she slows her pumping, and stops touching Regina’s cl*t, ready to pull the plug herself.

Cady stares at Regina’s hands, but instead of tapping out, they let go of the bar . In fact, her wrists go slack against her cuffs.

“Princess?” Cady asks, but Regina’s eyes don’t open. Cady immediately feels panic welling in her chest. She pulls her fingers out and taps Regina’s cheek lightly with her other hand. She can feel the breath from Regina’s nose on her face, but Regina doesn’t stir.

Cady f*cked Regina so hard, she passed out.

Cady immediately reaches up, unhooking the cuffs and carefully bringing Regina’s arms down to her sides. She rubs Regina’s shoulders gently, knowing that amount of strain had to be hurting her. She quickly grabs the keys and lifts Regina’s head up, unlocking the gag as quickly as she can.

When she pulls the gag out of Regina’s mouth, Regina groans slightly, but she doesn’t come to. Cady tosses the gag aside and carefully rubs both sides of Regina’s jaw, hoping to provide any sort of relief. Regina melts into the touch in her sleep, making Cady feel like she’s succeeded, at least a little bit.

Cady unlocks the cuffs next, picking them up and tossing them to the side of the massive bed. She rubs each of Regina’s wrists carefully, seeing the slight indents the cuffs left on her wrists, probably from all her thrashing during her org*sms. Cady frowns slightly. She’d thought those cuffs were good quality, but they shouldn’t be leaving that deep of marks. She’ll have to find something better for Regina when she looks for new gear.

Cady looks over Regina’s sleeping form. She’s still wearing the damn body chain, but Cady’s got no idea how to get that off, nor does she think she can roll Regina over effectively enough to get it off of her. She decides to leave it on for now, instead focusing on finding some blankets for them both.

Of course, there’s blankets on the bed, but they’re laying on top of them. Cady’s absolutely certain that she’s not going to be able to move Regina on her own. Instead, she gathers up all the gear from the bed and puts it back into the drawer. She opens the top one by accident at first, and spots a bright pink vibrator. Well, that would have been helpful to know about earlier. She opens the second drawer instead, loading the gear in, before reopening the first drawer. She tries to turn the vibrator on for a moment, just to see how strong it is, but to her surprise, it doesn’t turn on.

It’s dead.

Cady chuckles to herself, grabbing a white charging cord from the top drawer and plugging it into the USB outlets built into the nightstand. A thought crosses her mind, and she spots their clutches on an ottoman on the other side of the bedroom. Cady walks over to it, grabbing their phones and bringing them back to the nightstand to plug in. Regina only has one phone charger here, but Cady’s certain she can find another elsewhere in the house.

Cady slips into the huge walk-in closet next, looking for spare blankets. She checks a few different drawers until she finds what she’s looking for, accidentally stumbling upon Regina’s underwear drawer along the way. She blushes, snapping that drawer shut immediately. She feels silly, considering everything they just did, but, well, Regina didn’t exactly give her permission to go snooping through her things.

It’s not snooping, Cady tells herself. She’s on a mission to get specific things so Regina will be comfortable when she wakes up. That’s completely reasonable, and frankly, her duty as a responsible Domme.

Cady finds the blanket drawer and grabs a couple, bringing them out and dropping them on the foot of the bed. She slips out of the bedroom, heading to the kitchen to get them some water and hopefully find an extra phone charger.

She gets lucky in the living room area, where she spots a phone charger plugged into a wall. She grabs it, before heading to the kitchen and filling two massive lidded cups with straws with water. She carries them all back to the bedroom, leaving one on the nightstand on what she’s dubbed Regina’s side, and putting the other on the nightstand on her side. She plugs her phone into the USB outlets, turns off the lights, and finally, climbs into bed next to Regina. She grabs the blankets, draping them over them both as best she can. She stacks a couple of blankets, since they’re kind of thin, but they’re wide enough to easily cover two people.

Cady curls up on Regina’s side, draping a careful arm across Regina’s stomach. Regina stirs in her sleep, and for a moment, Cady thinks she’s going to wake up. Instead, she rolls onto her side, her back facing Cady.

Cady snuggles up closer, hooking her arm snugly over Regina’s stomach. She slips her other arm into the space between Regina’s neck and the pillow, which Regina nuzzles into. Cady smiles softly, pressing a gentle kiss to the skin in front of her, which just so happens to be on Regina’s shoulder.

“Sweet dreams, princess,” Cady whispers softly.

When she gets no response, Cady closes her own eyes, letting her own exhaustion take over. She succumbs to the warm embrace of sleep, absorbing the feeling of Regina's body pressed up against her own.

Chapter 2

Chapter Text

Cady wakes up to the sensation of someone squirming in her arms. She's half asleep, and her first instinct is to just tighten her grip and hold the person closer. She feels smooth skin beneath one hand, and the other is gripping something small and thin, but she's not awake enough to process what it is.

“Cady,” a voice calls out. “Cady, I gotta pee.”

Cady’s eyes spring open. In her arms, pressed up against her, is Regina . They're laying on their sides in Regina’s massive bed, with Cady spooning Regina. Cady’s got one hand firm on Regina’s stomach, while the other arm (which Regina is using the bicep of as a pillow) holds tight onto the body chain Regina is still wearing.

The events of the previous night come rushing back to her, and Cady lets go immediately.

“I'm so sorry,” Cady says. “Are you okay?”

Regina rolls over, now free of Cady’s grasp, raising an eyebrow. “Am I okay? ”

“You literally passed out last night.”

Regina laughs. “Okay, I'm gonna go pee, and then we’re gonna talk about this, okay? And, God, I need water.”

“There's some on the nightstand,” Cady tells her. “I got some in case you woke up and needed it.”

Regina smiles softly at her. “Thank you, baby.” She sits up in bed. “I’ll be right back. Don't go anywhere.”

Cady chuckles. “Wasn't planning on it.”

Regina grabs the cup of water and heads towards the bathroom, sipping as she walks. Cady watches her carefully, the way her hips sway, the golden chain of the body chain still draped across her back…

Cady rolls over once Regina enters the bathroom. She has to crawl a bit to the edge of the bed, picking up her phone and checking the time. It's still the middle of the night, but they've slept for a few solid hours. She puts the phone back down, and then takes a few big sips of water from her cup. She crawls back towards the center of the bed, realizing that she can actually go under the covers now, and does exactly that.

It takes Regina a couple minutes to return, and when she does, Cady’s nearly dozed off again. Regina slips into bed, under the covers, which makes Cady wake up fully again.

“Sorry,” Regina says quietly, laying on her side, facing Cady. “Didn't mean to wake you.”

“No, it's okay,” Cady replies. She reaches out, gently cupping Regina’s cheek. “Are you okay?”

“I'm more than okay. That… Cady, that was the best sex I've ever had in my life .”

Cady gives a tiny smile, but it drops into a frown. “I didn't mean to make you literally pass out. I… I wanted to push you to your limit, get you to tap out. I wasn't… I didn't expect that.”

“Tapping out didn't even cross my mind,” Regina admits. “It was a lot, but it was still really f*cking good , you know?”

Cady laughs lightly, but her face falls to a serious expression again. She rubs Regina’s cheek gently. “It scared me a bit. I thought I'd hurt you.”

“Definitely not. I'm sorry I scared you.” Regina scoots in closer, pressing herself up against Cady. “I had a really good time. Honestly. I'm more than okay.”

“Alright.” Cady wraps an arm around Regina, rubbing her back gently. Her fingers trace over Regina’s scar absentmindedly, until they run into the body chain. “You’re still wearing the body chain.”

“Oh, uh, yeah. It was, um, really hot, waking up with you gripping onto it like that. Pinning me against you. If I hadn't needed to pee so bad, I could have stayed like that forever.”

Cady chuckles. “Good to know. You're such a sub.”

“You keep saying that.”

“Well, if the shoe fits…”

“Lace that bitch up and run?”

Cady blinks. “What?”

“It’s an old saying,” Regina explains with a little shrug. “Probably from before your time.”

“Oh, my time , huh?” Cady smirks. “Alright, grandma.”

“I’m not that old!”

Cady laughs. “No, you’re not. But I will tease you when you say stuff like that. That’s pretty much opening up the door for age jokes.”

Regina smiles back. “Alright, alright. Fair enough.”

“I know it’s a little different from how it would normally go, but is there anything specific you need in terms of aftercare?” Cady asks, shifting the conversation back to something more serious.

“I don’t really know, honestly,” Regina shrugs. “I haven’t really had kinky sex before. Well, not as the sub.”

“What about after vanilla sex?”

Regina shrugs again. “Usually just some cuddling, I guess.”

“Alright, we’ll start there,” Cady says, pulling Regina closer. “And we’ll figure out if there’s anything else you need as we go.”

“I think you did a good job, all things considered. Tucked me in, got me water, held me while I slept…”

Cady smiles softly. “I’m glad. You did so good. I wanted to make you as comfortable as I could.”

Regina smiles back. She leans in, catching Cady’s lips in a soft and gentle kiss. “You weren’t kidding. You take really good care of your toys.”

Cady laughs, running a hand through Regina’s hair. “I was worried I’d gone a bit too far with the possessiveness. I don’t usually declare people as mine within like, 12 hours of meeting them.”

“Was it really only 12 hours?” Regina asks, blinking.

“Give or take. You messaged me yesterday morning.” Cady laughs again. “We haven’t even hit the 24 hour mark yet.”

“Huh. Well, I mean, I don’t regret anything, if you’re worried about that.”

“I’m not,” Cady tells her. “And I don’t regret anything either. It’s pretty funny, though. We’re such stereotypical lesbians.”

Regina laughs, pressing her forehead into Cady’s shoulder. “Yeah, we totally are.”

Cady hums, running her fingers through Regina’s hair. “Didn’t expect you to be this cuddly.”

“You’re warm and soft and… Nevermind.”

“What?”

“No, it’s silly, forget about it.”

“Regina, you can tell me. It’s okay.”

Regina takes a deep breath. “When you touch me, it feels really… I don’t know. Safe? Reassuring? I don’t know, but it’s giving me a lot of thoughts that I probably shouldn’t be having less than twenty-four hours in.”

Cady flattens her palms against Regina’s back, pulling her in close. “I’m so glad, baby.” She feels Regina relax in her arms, and pride fills her chest. “I’ve been told I’m too clingy when it comes to physical touch and stuff, so I’m glad you like it.”

“Whoever told you that is a moron.”

Cady laughs loudly, her whole body shaking, shaking Regina's body along with it. “Thanks, baby. I'm glad you like my constant need for physical affection.”

“I don't know how anyone could dislike it,” Regina mutters. “I don't know. Maybe it's an age thing. You hit a certain point and people just… stop touching each other. It gets really lonely.”

“Oh, princess, are you touch starved?”

Regina blushes in Cady’s arms. “I didn't know that name was in bounds.”

Cady runs a hand through Regina’s hair. “Whether the context is kinky or not, you're still my princess.”

“ God ,” Regina moans, directly into Cady’s shoulder. “You're gonna kill me. I'm gonna die, in your arms, because you’re literally so sweet.”

Cady chuckles. “I should have known the woman with a pink Porsche has a flair for the dramatics.”

“I'm not being dramatic. You're gonna kill me.”

Cady brings her hand around, sliding it under Regina’s chin and tilting it up, so Regina has to look at her. Her face is bright red, but Cady just smiles softly at her.

“Good news for you, I've been told mouth-to-mouth works wonders.”

Regina smiles. “I don't know if I believe that.”

“I’ll just have to convince you with a demonstration, won't I?”

“Maybe, like, a whole bunch of demonstrations. I'm very tough to convince.”

Cady rolls her eyes and smiles, dipping her head down to meet Regina in a kiss. One hand stays firm on Regina’s back, but the one that was cupping Regina’s chin slips down Regina’s front, grabbing on tightly to the body chain and pulling her in close. Regina moans directly into Cady's mouth as her body is pulled forward.

“Good girl,” Cady murmurs into Regina’s mouth. Regina melts into her arms, the kisses picking up in passion.

Cady ends up being the one to pull back first, but she keeps a firm grip on the body chain. “As much as I would love to go for round two right now, I need to sleep more.”

“Yeah, me too,” Regina replies, a little breathy and dazed.

Cady smiles softly at her. “I don't know how you manage to be so hot and so cute at the same time.”

Regina blushes, which makes Cady smile wider.

“I can't believe me calling you cute makes you blush.”

“I don't know the last time someone called me cute or adorable,” Regina admits. “Hot, yeah, gorgeous, yeah, beautiful, yeah, but cute? Adorable?”

“How about precious?” Cady asks, pressing a kiss to Regina’s forehead.

Regina squeaks, shaking her head slightly. She closes her eyes, tucking her face into Cady's shoulder.

“It's true,” Cady murmurs into the side of Regina’s head. “I don't know why no one else sees it in you, but I do.”

“I don't really get this… vulnerable around people, I guess.” Regina sighs. “I don't even know why I'm telling you this. God, I'm pathetic.”

“Absolutely not,” Cady says sternly. “You are not pathetic, and I’m not letting you put yourself down. And, for the record, I'm honored that you're this open with me. It makes it really easy for me to be open back.”

“I feel like all I've done is whine to you about how pathetic my life is because I have no friends.”

“You've done so much more than that, and I'm not just talking about the sex,” Cady tells her. “You’re allowed to be lonely, baby. That's a ridiculously normal human experience. A far too common one, honestly.”

“Yeah, but it just sounds so stupid .” Regina waves a hand in the air. “Look at the house I live in. I'm the definition of nepotism and trust fund baby. I have more money than I'll ever know what to do with. But I can't make a human connection to save my life.”

Cady raises an eyebrow. “Well, that's not true. We’re here right now, aren't we.”

Regina closes her eyes and sighs. “We are. I’m sorry. It's late and I'm spiraling over stupid sh*t.”

“It's not stupid, but you're right in that it's late, which probably isn't helping things.” Cady rubs Regina's back again, holding her close. “I like talking to you, Regina. I like being with you and getting to know you. And I know what we've done here is a little unorthodox, but I wouldn't change any of it. And , I know I'm really looking forward to where we go from here.”

“Thank you,” Regina says softly. “I… I really appreciate it.”

Cady kisses her forehead again. “Of course, baby. Trust me when I say you're not alone. I get stuck in my own head and start spiraling sometimes too.”

“It's been happening a lot more lately,” Regina admits. “Ever since Gretchen and Karen left.”

“If it happens late at night and I'm not here, you can call me, okay?” Cady says softly.

Regina gives her a look. “But if it's late…”

Cady shakes her head. “I don't care. I'm here if you need someone to calm you down, okay? I know how much that sucks.”

Regina smiles softly, nuzzling into Cady’s shoulder. “Thank you. The same goes for you, you know.”

Cady presses a kiss to the top of Regina's head. “Thank you, baby. I hope neither of us have to do it, but I'm glad we have each other.”

“Me too,” Regina says quietly. She's quiet for a few more moments, before she says, “Is this too intense for less than 24 hours?”

Cady shrugs. “By some standards, probably. But I don't know. I feel good about it. Do you?”

“I do. I really do. Which is what's confusing me a bit, I guess.”

“Why's that?”

“I tend to be a very by-the-book person. I don't think I've ever slept with anyone on the first date before.”

“There's no reason to be sorry about that. Things seem to be working out pretty well. And if issues come up, we’ll address them, okay?” Cady presses another kiss to the top of Regina's head as she nods again. “You're overthinking again, princess. It's time to try and sleep.”

Regina blushes. “You're right. Um, can I ask something?”

“What's up?”

“Can, um, can you hold me like you were when I woke up? From behind?”

Cady smiles softly at her. “Sure thing, princess. However you want me to hold you, I got you.”

There’s a bit of shifting around, but not long after, Regina’s bare back is pressed up against Cady's front. Regina is using Cady's bicep as a pillow again, and Cady has both her arms wrapped around her. One hand presses flat against Regina’s stomach, pushing her further against Cady. The other, the one being used as a pillow, keeps a firm hold on the body chain, not giving Regina much wiggle room. This time, Cady also wraps a leg over both of Regina’s, hooking them and keeping them in place.

“How's this?” Cady asks.

“Perfect,” Regina murmurs, squirming a bit, but being held firmly. Regina hums as Cady presses one of her cheeks to the bare skin of Regina’s shoulder. “Never thought I'd like being held like this quite this much.”

“You’re such a sub,” Cady giggles. “It makes sense.” She lets out a yawn. “In the morning we’ll look into getting you some better gear. A proper harness and all that.”

“You really meant that last night?”

“Duh. I told you. I take good care of my toys.” Cady presses a gentle kiss to the bare skin she's pressed up against. “Only the very best for my princess.”

Regina squirms a bit, but Cady holds her firm.

“Shh,” Cady murmurs. “Get some rest, princess.”

“Well, now you've got me all worked up.”

“Patience, remember? Be a good girl and get some sleep, and I'll f*ck you real good in the morning.”

“Jesus Christ, Cady. I don't know how you jump into that so fast.”

The grip on the body chain tightens. “Let's try that again. Be a good girl, get some sleep, and I'll f*ck you real good in the morning.” Cady’s voice is lower this time, somehow a bit more threatening.

“Y-yes, Ma’am,” Regina stutters out, realizing what the correct response is.

“Good girl,” Cady murmurs, pressing another kiss against the bare flesh of Regina’s shoulder. “Goodnight, princess.”

“Goodnight, Ma’am.”

Cady drifts in and out of sleep a bit. The room is way too bright for her liking when the sun comes up, so she buries her face in Regina’s back. Regina tries to roll over in her sleep a few times, but each time, Cady wakes up just enough to tighten her grip and hold Regina firmly against her. The last time she wakes up, it's because she has to pee. Carefully, she disentangles herself from Regina, trying very hard not to wake her up, but this proves impossible, given she’s using Cady’s arm as a pillow.

Regina blinks, looking around, confused.

“Just going to the bathroom,” Cady promises, pressing a kiss to the top of Regina’s head. “Be right back.”

“Mkay,” Regina replies in a sleepy voice. She rolls onto her back as Cady leaves the room, heading for the massive bathroom.

Cady returns a few minutes later to find Regina half asleep in bed again. She looks so beautiful, splayed out on her back, tangled up in the sheets, the morning light framing her face perfectly. Cady crawls back into bed, which wakes Regina up.

“Hi, princess,” Cady says softly, tucking herself in on Regina’s side. She brings up a hand, cupping Regina’s face gently. “You sleep well?”

Regina smiles and nods. “Best I've slept in a long time, honestly.”

“Good.” Cady sighs, nuzzling against Regina’s shoulder.

“Did you sleep well?”

“I did. Really, really well.” Cady presses a kiss to the bare skin in front of her.

Regina rolls onto her side, facing Cady. “Good. I'm glad.”

“Do you know what time it is?”

Regina shakes her head. “Do you have to be anywhere by a certain time today?”

“No. Was just curious. Well, at some point, I have to go home and grade assignments, but I can do that tonight.”

Regina frowns, running a hand through Cady’s hair. “Boo. Work.”

Cady laughs. “Boo indeed.”

“Are they, like, physical copies of the assignment?”

Cady shakes her head. “No, they're online. The professor I TA for refuses to set up the assignments so they can be automatically graded. He insists it all has to be done by hand.”

“That’s stupid.”

Cady laughs again. “You're telling me.”

“Do you need your laptop to access them, or could it be any computer?”

“Any computer,” Cady replies.

“You could use mine, if you want. Get it done here,” Regina offers. “Maybe it's crazy and maybe I'm selfish or something but I want to spend as much time as I can with you today before we have to go back to our lives tomorrow.”

Cady smiles softly. “It’s not selfish, and does it matter if it's crazy if maybe we’re both a little crazy?”

Regina laughs. “I'll take that as a yes, then.”

“Oh, yes. Definitely.” Cady wraps an arm around Regina, who snuggles right into Cady’s chest. “Later, though. Cuddling for now.”

Regina hums. “Cuddling for now,” she echoes.

Cady adjusts both her arms so she's fully holding Regina again, although, this time, she's not hanging onto the chain, since it's a bit difficult to in this position. Regina tucks her head into the crook of Cady’s neck, hiding her face away. They tangle their legs together, completely enmeshed in one another.

They stay like that for a few minutes, just soaking up the affection and the physical touch. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Regina begins pressing little kisses to Cady's neck.

At first, they're very soft and gentle, but they quickly pick up in intensity. Regina sucks at one point, hard , leaving a big hickey planted in Cady’s neck.

“ Princess ,” Cady moans.

“Yes?” Regina quickly asks before soothing the spot with her tongue.

“Some… somebody's worked up,” Cady comments, still trying to catch her breath.

“I've been worked up since we last fell asleep,” Regina admits.

“Even while you were asleep?”

Regina nods sheepishly. “Yeah. Definitely.”

Cady spots a light blush spreading across Regina's cheeks. “Did you have a wet dream, princess?”

The blush deepens, and Regina’s face gets bright red.

“Use your words, baby.”

“Yes, Ma’am. I did.”

“Tell me about your sex dream,” Cady says, adjusting her grip on Regina to be a bit more possessive. She manages to find a way to grab onto the body chain, and keeps her other hand firmly pressing against Regina’s lower back. She hooks her leg in such a way that Regina can't really free her legs by herself.

“Um, sorry, but please don't press on my lower back like that,” Regina says quickly. “It’ll start to hurt pretty quick. I’ve got a rod down there.”

“Oh, sh*t, sorry.” Cady immediately moves that hand to Regina's upper back instead, between her shoulder blades. “Is that better?”

Regina nods. “Much better. Sorry.”

“Don't be sorry. I don't ever want you to be in pain, princess. At least, not that kind of pain.”

Regina raises an eyebrow. “But other kinds of pain?”

“The fun kind. You know, like what I did to your poor tit* last night.”

Regina blushes. “Oh, right. Yeah, um, I liked that a lot.”

Cady laughs, rubbing Regina’s back. “I know, princess. Trust me, I know. Now, tell me about this sex dream you had.”

Regina squirms a little, but Cady holds firm. She pulls Regina closer with the body chain, which gets a little gasp out of Regina.

“Go on, princess. You can tell me.”

Regina’s face is beet red. She hides her face in the crook of Cady’s neck, and finally begins to talk.

“A lot of it was stuff we did last night. Handcuffs, the gag, the clamps… but instead of being tied down to the bed, I had to follow you around the house and kneel at your feet whenever you stopped and were doing something.”

Cady hums, bringing the hand on Regina’s back up to stroke Regina’s hair. “Sounds like you were being a very good girl.”

“I was,” Regina replies, perhaps a little too quickly and a little too proudly. Cady can feel Regina’s skin heating up against her.

“There's nothing to be ashamed of, princess,” Cady assures her. “And while I will tease you about things, because that's fun, I'm never actually judging you for them, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Was there anything else?”

“Um, yeah. I don't know exactly how we got there but um, you were… spanking me.” By the end of the sentence, Regina’s words are so quiet, Cady can barely hear her.

“What was that?” Cady asks, a little to tease, a little because she wants to make sure she fully understands what Regina wants.

“You were spanking me,” Regina says a little bit louder, still buried in Cady's neck and hiding.

“Princess, I want you to look at me.”

Regina takes a slow, shaky breath, and pulls herself away from Cady’s neck. She looks up at her, and Cady can see clear anxiety in Regina's eyes.

“You're nervous,” Cady comments.

Regina nods. “I am.”

“Why?”

Regina shifts uncomfortably. “I… I like the idea, but it also makes me nervous. It's… exciting, but scary.”

“I'm not going to do anything you don't absolutely want to do,” Cady assures her. “And we can take our time on stuff that makes you nervous, okay?”

Regina nods again. “I do want to try it. It's… it's something I've fantasized about for a long time.”

“I have some experience with spanking,” Cady tells her. “I know the safe ways to do it and stuff, and what's good for aftercare, generally speaking. I’d like to know more about what you need in terms of aftercare first, so I can make sure I'm taking care of you the best I can.”

Regina melts a little at the words. “You're so thoughtful.”

“I'm a good Domme. We’re pretty hard to come by.”

“There's a joke in there somewhere, but I don't think this is the time for that.”

Cady laughs, pressing a kiss to Regina’s forehead. “You're adorable.”

Regina blushes again, squirming a bit.

“Okay, question,” Cady begins. “How do you feel about me smacking your ass? Not a full blown spanking by any means, but one or two hits in the middle of a scene.”

Regina swallows. “I’d like that. I'd like that a lot.”

Cady smirks. “Good to know. I think it'll help you get used to some of the aspects of spanking too.”

“Probably.”

Cady presses another kiss to Regina’s forehead. “You're adorable when you're all flustered.”

“I'm just not used to talking about this stuff with anybody, I guess.”

“Talking about it is sometimes more important than actually doing it. I always want as much detail as possible so I can make things as enjoyable for you as possible.”

Regina smiles softly. “Thank you. What about you, though? What are the things you like?”

“Well, a lot of it boils down to control,” Cady tells her, twirling some of Regina’s hair in her fingers. “I like being in charge. I get a rush from it, you know? Where I am right now, everywhere else in my life… I have almost no control. It's really nice to have it for once.”

“It's pretty much the exact opposite for me,” Regina admits. “I’m responsible for so much stuff at work. It's overwhelming sometimes. It's really, really nice to just let go and let someone else take control.”

Cady smiles, her eyes searching Regina’s. “I literally cannot believe the amount of luck that led us to each other.”

“Me neither,” Regina replies with a smile of her own. A thought crosses her mind, and she bursts into a fit of giggles.

“What?” Cady asks, and when Regina just keeps laughing, she repeats it again. “ What? ”

“You're a dominant sugar baby,” Regina manages to get out, which makes both of them burst out laughing.

“Okay, well, when you put it that way…”

“It's true! I met you on a goddamn sugar baby app and I'm here calling you Ma’am .”

Cady keeps laughing. “You aren't wrong . You like it, though.”

“Oh, I love it. It's just funny.”

“It really is.” Cady twirls Regina’s hair in her fingers again. “I meant what I said about wanting to buy you better gear today. Well, picking you out some better gear. You'll be buying it.”

Regina smiles. “That would be great. I did a little bit of research when I bought my stuff, but I know it's pretty basic.”

“Mmhmm,” Cady hums. “It's not bad , per se. Well, the cuffs leave a lot to be desired.”

“Really? I thought they weren't bad.”

“You didn't see your wrists after I took them out last night. All that thrashing left deep indents on your skin. They're gone now, but that wasn't even that long of a scene. Definitely need something better for that. Plus,” Cady hesitates for a moment, “well, if this isn't something you're comfortable with, we won't get it, but I would like to get you some cuffs that I can actually lock together and not just clip them together.”

Regina swallows. “I’d like that, actually. I got the clipping kind because I only intended to use them solo, but…”

“Now you've got a Domme,” Cady smirks, but then it falters a bit. “We should also probably talk about whatever… this is, at some point.”

“Probably,” Regina sighs. “I also want to figure out a more exact plan for the sugar baby side of things.”

Cady nods. “We should definitely talk about that too. Ugh .” She cups Regina’s cheek. “So much talking to do, but all I want to do is to f*ck you until you can't even remember your own name.”

Regina’s whole face turns bright red. “We can, um, we can do that. We should do that. Definitely.”

Cady laughs, grinning from ear to ear. “It's so easy to get you all worked up. I love it.”

“You're stupid hot, and you say things that make me think with my puss*. What else am I to do?”

“Nothing, princess, nothing at all.” Cady’s quick, flipping Regina onto her back and laying on top of her. Regina squeaks, clinging to Cady for dear life. Cady lets go of the body chain, finding Regina’s wrists and pinning them down on the bed, on either side of Regina’s head.

“So,” Cady says, “this is how it's going to go. I’m going to get you geared up, and then, I’m going to do some things, and you're going to follow me around and wait on your knees while I'm doing stuff. Just like your dream.”

Regina swallows. “Can I have a pillow to kneel on, Ma’am?”

Cady smiles brightly. “Of course, princess. I was already planning to give you one.” She presses a kiss to Regina’s forehead, which makes her blush.

“Um, what kinds of things are you going to be doing, Ma’am?”

“Well, if you have food in the house, I'm going to make us some breakfast. Then I'm going to grade those papers and pick out that new gear for you. If the papers take too long, I might need to make us some lunch too. But if you're a good girl, and wait patiently, I'll make sure to give you something to entertain yourself with while you wait. How's that sound, princess?”

Regina squirms underneath Cady, who pushes down, pinning Regina further to the bed.

“I don't like repeating myself when I ask a question, princess.”

“I’ll do whatever you want me to, Ma’am,” Regina replies, eyes wide and heart pounding.

“ Good girl ,” Cady purrs, before leaning in for a passionate kiss. She keeps Regina pinned beneath her, pushing down hard when Regina squirms again. Regina continues to struggle through the kissing, only stopping when Cady catches Regina’s lower lip between her teeth and pulls on it sharply.

“ Ah! ” Regina cries out, and Cady’s tongue immediately begins soothing the lip. She didn't break skin, but it did hurt.

“Behave,” Cady mutters, her eyes searching Regina’s. Regina’s eyes are a bit distant now. She's starting to slip into subspace. Cady smirks, happy with her work so far. “You have five minutes to go get yourself ready. Use the bathroom, drink some water, brush your teeth, whatever you want. I'm setting a timer on my phone, and you better be back here, on your knees on the pillow on the ground when it goes off.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Regina replies immediately. Cady climbs off of her, and Regina scrambles off the bed, booking it to the bathroom.

Cady smirks as she grabs her phone off the nightstand, setting a five-minute timer. She checks her notifications. Mostly just notifications from stupid apps, a few emails, and a text from Janis checking to make sure Cady was still alive. Cady responds with a thumbs up and a warning that she probably wouldn't be back until late, but that she’d be back tonight.

She's certain that she’ll get grilled about her weekend later. She has all day to internally debate how much she’ll be willing to tell Janis and Damian about this weekend. Probably that they had lots of kinky sex, but maybe omitting the details. Hell, does she even mention that it's kinky? Maybe. She's not sure yet.

She ignores the emails for now, deciding to do that while she's on Regina’s laptop, with Regina kneeling at her feet. God , that idea has her on a bit of a power trip. She's already got a vision in her head of exactly how that's going to go.

A new thought crosses her mind, and she jumps out of bed. She heads over to the closet, grabbing an item off the back of the door she saw last night while looking for the blankets.

A black, silk robe, complete with a monogram of Regina’s initials in light pink over the left side of the chest. It's definitely big on Cady, with their height difference and all, but she ties it tightly around her waist, and aside from going a bit too close to her knees, it works just fine.

Cady returns to the bedroom, and lays out the supplies from the drawer. She slips the vibrator and the charger back inside, hoping that Regina hadn't spotted it on her way to the bathroom. It would make for a better surprise later if she hadn't.

With the gear laid out on the bed, Cady grabs one of the more comfortable looking decorative pillows off the bed (how the hell does Regina have so many of them? Cady’s never understood the purpose of having a million pillows), tests it with her hands, and then puts it on the floor in front of the edge of the bed. She crosses one leg over the other, and then waits.

Regina dashes out of the bathroom, kneeling down on the pillow as soon as the timer starts going off on Cady’s phone. Cady raises an eyebrow and turns off the alarm.

“Just in time. For the record,” she reaches down, grabbing Regina’s chin and tilting it up, forcing Regina to look directly at her. “I do not like to be kept waiting.”

“Yes, Ma’am. Sorry, Ma’am.”

“Don't be sorry. You made it in time. You're still a good girl.”

Regina beams at her, which makes Cady smile back. Regina’s smile is contagious, even when Cady's trying to be serious.

“Give me your wrists,” Cady says, and Regina presents them both immediately. Cady locks each cuff on, testing to make sure Regina has a bit more wiggle room than the night before and that they're still comfortable. “I'm leaving them a little looser in the hopes that they leave less dramatic of marks,” Cady explains as she locks them on. “If it becomes a problem, we’ll adjust.”

Regina nods. “Thank you, Ma’am.”

“Of course, princess.” Cady pats Regina’s cheek softly. She gets up for a moment, walking behind the kneeling Regina and crouching down. “Hands behind your back.”

Regina does exactly that, and Cady clips the cuffs together.

“Test them,” Cady orders, and Regina struggles against the cuffs a little bit. They're strong and steady, as expected. Cady just wanted to see Regina squirm a bit. “That's enough.”

Regina stops at once. Cady puts a hand on Regina’s face, holding it as she walks back around to Regina’s front and sits back down on the bed. Regina looks up at her with wide eyes, fully entranced by the woman in front of her. Her mouth is slightly parted open, which provides an opportunity that Cady takes.

She slips two fingers into Regina’s mouth, which Regina takes obediently. However, instead of allowing Regina to suck on them, Cady catches Regina’s tongue between her fingers and pulls it out of her mouth, getting an even wider-eyed expression from Regina.

Cady pulls Regina’s tongue out all the way, and then lets go. Regina keeps it out, looking up at Cady, watching in anticipation.

“Keep your tongue out, princess,” Cady orders. “Did you brush your teeth?”

Regina nods.

“Did you rinse out your mouth really well?”

Regina gives her a puzzled look, and nods hesitantly.

Cady sighs, acting a little impatient. “What I'm asking is, if I make you eat me out right now, are you going to get toothpaste in my puss*?”

Regina’s breathing catches in her throat, and she shakes her head vigorously. Cady smirks, placing a hand beneath Regina's chin and tilting her head up.

“You'd like that right now, wouldn't you? To have the honor of eating me out?”

Regina nods eagerly, her tongue still fully extended.

Cady smirks. Her eyes drift down a little bit lower, and she slips her hand down to Regina’s neck. She makes a loose grip with one hand, not really applying even remotely enough pressure to cut off Regina’s air flow. She can feel the way Regina’s pulse quickens beneath her fingertips, and that's more than enough for the moment.

“Alright, princess,” Cady says, letting go of Regina’s neck. She unloops the silk belt, leans back on her hands, and opens her legs wide. “Come eat.”

Regina eagerly scoots forward, dragging the pillow on the ground with her. She dives in headfirst, pushing past Cady’s lips with her still-out tongue. Cady moans at the sensation, keeping one arm back to hold her up, but quickly gripping Regina's hair with the other hand. She pushes Regina’s head gently against herself, and immediately, the pace of the tongue flicking inside her picks up.

“Oh, princess,” Cady moans. “ f*ck . That feels so good .”

Regina keeps up the pace, flicking and licking and bobbing her head a bit. With each bob, she taps Cady’s cl*t with her nose, which makes Cady twitch and moan every single time.

It doesn't take a terribly long time for Cady to throw her head back and cry out, her whole body twitching and shuddering through her org*sm. Her legs clamp down on either side of Regina’s head, and her hand pushes Regina completely against her core, until finally, it's too much and Cady yanks Regina away by her hair.

Cady lets go and Regina leans against one of Cady’s thighs, catching her breath. Cady collapses against the bed, staring up at the ceiling and taking deep breaths.

“Jesus f*ck , princess. I don't know how you're so damn good at that,” Cady finally says when she's got enough air in her lungs.

“There's an actual answer to that, Ma’am, if you want to hear it.”

Cady sits up a bit, leaning on her forearms, and looking down at Regina, who's still leaning against Cady's thigh. “What would that be?”

“I've been doing this for a lot longer than any of the other people you've been with,” Regina points out. “Assuming you haven't been with anyone other than other college students.”

Cady tilts her head and looks at the ceiling. “I guess I haven't. Well, they weren't all in college, but they were all college aged.”

“Ma’am?”

“Yes, princess?”

“Can I clean you up? I won't go near your cl*t.”

Cady smiles softly. “Yes, princess. Go ahead.” She spreads her legs wide again, and Regina shuffles forward a bit again.

Regina leans in, gently licking up the cum and juices from around Cady’s puss*. She’s very careful to avoid Cady’s cl*t, but the gentler stimulation has Cady moaning again. Eventually, she grabs Regina by the hair and pulls her away, letting her lean against her inner thigh again.

“Good girl,” Cady murmurs. She looks down at Regina with half lidded eyes. “You have cum all over your face, princess.”

Regina blushes, unsure of what to say to that, other than, “I do, Ma’am.”

“Let's get you cleaned up,” Cady says, starting to get up, tying the robe shut again. “We’ve got a long day ahead of us. I want to make sure you're taken care of every step of the way.”

Regina blushes deeper, shifting on her knees on the pillow. “Thank you, Ma’am.”

“Up,” Cady tells her as she stands. “Let’s get you to the bathroom.”

“Um, I don't think I can get up on my own without falling,” Regina admits. “My balance isn't the best in the world when I'm getting up. It's one of the many stupid things with my back.”

“I've got you, baby,” Cady says softly. She crouches down, sliding her arms under Regina’s armpits. “You ready?”

Regina nods, and Cady counts to three. They rise together on three, and Regina does stumble a little. Cady holds her steady, giving her a moment to feel stable again.

“Thank you,” Regina whispers.

“Of course, princess.” She pulls her arms away, putting a hand on Regina’s forearm and rubbing gently. “How are your knees and your shoulders?”

“Knees are alright. A little sore, but nothing terrible. Shoulders feel fine.”

“And your back?”

“My back’s fine. It's just when there's pressure on it and stuff that it really acts up. Well, it flares up on its own sometimes, but that's more of an all-day thing.”

Cady nods, running a hand through Regina’s hair. “I know the idea was you kneeling at my feet in different rooms and stuff, but you can sit on the pillow if kneeling gets too uncomfortable, okay?”

“Are you sure?”

Cady smiles softly. “Baby, I want you to be comfortable. Of course I'm sure. Now, if we like how today goes, and we want to do something like this again in the future, we’ll get you some sturdy knee pads, so you can kneel and be comfortable. But we’re working with limited gear, and I’m always going to prioritize making sure that the only discomfort is the kind that I’m purposefully giving you.”

Regina smiles back. “Okay. Thank you.”

“You don't have to thank me, princess,” Cady tells her. “I'm always going to make sure you're taken care of when we’re playing, okay?”

“Playing?”

“Playing, doing a scene… you know, kink stuff that isn't actively sex. There's a lot of different names for it.”

Regina nods. “Got it.”

“Let's get your face cleaned up, princess. Did you wash it since last night?”

Regina blushes and shakes her head. “I didn't think about that this morning. I was focused on getting back out here in time.”

“And you did a very good job of that.” Cady loops a single finger around the front of the body chain. “Come on, princess. Let's get you all cleaned up.”

Cady leads Regina to the bathroom, sitting her down on the closed toilet seat. Regina tells Cady where she keeps the washcloths and her facial wash, and Cady takes her time gently washing Regina’s face and wiping it clean.

Regina soaks up the attention, the dichotomy of her hands being tied behind her back while she’s receiving such soft and gentle affection not being lost on her. She so desperately wants to wrap her arms around Cady and hug her, but finds herself frustrated when she can't.

“Shh,” Cady murmurs when Regina begins to tug on her bonds a bit. “None of that, princess. Relax. Let me take care of you.”

Regina pouts. “I want to hug you.”

“That's very sweet, princess, but your arms have to stay behind your back unless it's an emergency, okay? I can give you a hug, if you'd like.”

Regina blushes and nods. Cady pulls her into an embrace, but she's still standing above Regina, who's still sitting on the closed toilet. Regina’s face ends up getting shoved into Cady’s body, just beneath her chest. The silk of the robe touches Regina’s face and front, and suddenly, she gets it. She feels vulnerable, small, with Cady towering over her and holding her close, her arms still stuck behind her back. Cady’s clothed, even in just the robe; Regina is completely naked. Cady’s allowed to use her arms; Regina is not.

The power dynamic becomes crystal clear, and she swallows.

“Everything okay, princess?” Cady asks softly, running a hand through her hair.

Regina nods. “I’m good. Better than good.”

“You sure?”

“Absolutely, Ma’am.”

Cady smiles softly. “Alright.” She lets go of the hug, pushing Regina back a bit so she's more center on the closed toilet seat. “Stay.”

Regina obeys, waiting patiently as Cady leaves the room and returns a few minutes later with a handful of items. Both of their phones are tucked into the robe pocket, but she's also holding the big water cup from Regina’s beside table, as well as the gag and the nipple clamps.

Cady puts the gag and clamps down on the counter, and holds the water cup up to Regina so the straw is in front of her lips. “Drink.”

Regina obeys, chugging some water through the straw. When she stops for air, Cady takes the cup away and puts it down on the counter.

“I'm going to hang onto your phone while we’re doing this,” Cady tells her. “Is there anyone who, if I see a notification pop up, I need to tell you?”

Regina shakes her head. “No, not really. I guess unless either my parents or Gretchen or Karen texted about an emergency, but I highly doubt that.”

Cady nods. “Alright. I'll keep it with me, just in case.” She runs a hand through Regina’s hair, before gripping it and tilting Regina’s head back. Regina stares up at Cady, wide eyed, mouth slightly open again. “Tongue out.”

Regina puts her entire tongue out, just like she did earlier. Cady stares at her for a long moment, taking in the full picture. She holds a single finger to Regina's tongue, and immediately, Regina begins to swirl around it.

“Good girl,” Cady murmurs. “So many fun things I want to do with that pretty little mouth of yours.” Her eyes flicker from Regina’s mouth to the gag on the counter. “You only own the one gag, correct?”

Regina nods, continuing to lick Cady’s finger.

“We’ll fix that today.” She grabs Regina’s tongue with two fingers, tugging on it for just a moment, holding it out as far as it will go, before shoving it back into Regina’s mouth. Regina sputters, but the two fingers are shoved in her mouth as well, and she immediately begins sucking on them. “For now, I'll gag you, but I'll leave it a little looser than yesterday. I'll be taking it in and out at several points throughout the day, but it'll still be locked behind your head. There are certain rules, even when it's just hanging around your neck.” Cady pulls back more on Regina’s hair, getting a strangled moan out of her.

Regina doesn't break eye contact, continuing to suck on Cady’s fingers as she explains the rules.

“You are not to touch the gag yourself, even if your hands are momentarily unclipped. You may only do so if it's an emergency or if I give you explicit permission, even if it's hanging around your neck and not shoved in your mouth. You are also not allowed to push it out with your tongue, unless it is an emergency, even though you will likely be able to with it so loose. Since you won't be laying down for most of this, there's going to be a lot of drool. You are not to try to touch or get rid of the drool in any way. Only I'm allowed to do that. Lastly, since we’re going to be doing a long scene today, if you need to communicate something, like something hurts, or you need to pee, or anything like that, you can tap twice and I'll ungag you right away and take it as more of a expressing-a-need thing as opposed to an approaching-a-limit thing. Of course, if that's happening, you can tell me that, and we’ll address it immediately. Is all of that understood?”

Regina nods, her fingers still in Cady's mouth.

“Additional rules for today,” Cady continues, “you'll be on the ground at my feet wherever I am. When I'm cooking, I'll probably have you in a specific spot in the kitchen, but otherwise, you will be at my feet. You may either kneel or sit on your pillow, but only on your pillow. You need explicit permission to leave it. I'll help you up when I want you to move, but I may momentarily leave a room and leave you there. You may lean against my leg unless told otherwise, but you may not distract me in any other way, unless you need to communicate something to me. It will be boring at times, but if you're a good girl and you're patient, you'll get something to entertain yourself with a little later on. If you're naughty, you’ll be stuck on the pillow for longer, and you won't be allowed to lean against me.” Her grip tightens slightly more, and she curls her fingers in Regina’s mouth a bit. “And, for the record, future punishments for being naughty will include spanking, should that eventually go well.”

A chill runs down Regina’s spine, and she smirks a bit. Cady smirks back.

“Brat. Still, I strongly recommend repressing that brattiness today. Your punishment will be very boring if you’re naughty today. Understood?”

Regina nods again.

“Good girl.” Cady removes her fingers from Regina's mouth, smearing the saliva on her cheeks. “It’s going to be easier if I put up your hair. Where do you keep your hairbrush and your hair ties?”

“Second drawer,” Regina replies after a moment, her eyes a little distant and hazy. She's deep in subspace now. Cady's words had the intended effect on her.

Cady finds the hairbrush and the hair ties, before having Regina turn and face a different direction on the closed toilet. Cady brushes out her hair, which seems to be something Regina also did this morning, but Regina still leans into it and soaks up the gentle affection. Cady gathers up Regina’s hair and puts it into a high-ish ponytail, keeping it out of the way of where the gag strap will go. She fastens the ponytail with the hair ties, making sure it's tight enough to stay up, but not so tight that it hurts Regina.

“Dragging you around by that is going to be so fun,” Cady comments, after having Regina turn back to face the original direction. “Open wide, princess.”

Regina obeys, and Cady pushes the gag into her mouth. True to her word, she fastens it so it’s slightly looser, testing it by pulling it out and putting it back in a few times before locking it on with one of the small locks. It's still certainly secure in her mouth, it's just easier to move around this time. Cady pats Regina’s cheek softly.

“There you go, princess. God, you look so pretty with your mouth stuffed up. I can't wait to get my hands on all different kinds of gags to fill that pretty little mouth of yours.”

Regina moans, and drool already begins to dribble from the ball. Cady smiles, letting it fall into Regina’s lap.

“There’s going to be so much more of that. Now, for the final step.” Cady picks up the clamps again, dangling them in front of Regina’s face. Regina moans, her face turning bright red. “You didn't think your tit* were getting away without being tortured today, did you? I had so much fun with these last night.”

Regina whimpers, and it’s music to Cady’s ears. Cady pushes Regina’s torso back a bit, making her lean back against the tank of the toilet. She gets to work, kneading Regina’s chest and rubbing her nipples between her fingers, brushing the cool metal of the chain against them occasionally to make Regina squirm.

Cady crouches down, sucking on each nipple for a few moments, grazing them with her teeth to make sure they're nice and erect. When she's satisfied with her work, she clamps the first nipple, and then the second, going ever so slightly lighter than she did last night. Regina moans and yelps throughout the process, but Cady soothes her and showers her with praise as she goes.

“There we go,” Cady purrs when it's all done. “You’re all ready for our day together.” She picks up the chain between her fingers, tugging ever so gently and getting a low moan out of Regina. “You know, since I don't have a collar and leash yet for that pretty little neck of yours, I think this is how I'm going to lead you around all day today.”

Regina’s eyes go wide as she whimpers again, Cady finding a bit of fear in them. Not too much, no. Just the right amount.

“Don't worry, princess. Both you and your tit* will survive being yanked around a bit today.” Cady drops the chain of the clamps, letting her fingers trail over the thin body chain instead. “If it gets to be too much, I'll use this instead, but it just seems too thin and flimsy for me to guide you around the house with, you know?” She picks back up the nipple chain. “This, however? Oh, you and I both know this one can take some pressure.” Cady flicks one of Regina’s nipples with her other hand, causing Regina to cry out into her gag. “And so can these.” She flicks the other nipple, making Regina cry out again. “Don't want this one feeling left out, you know?”

Regina gives her a pleading look, which Cady ignores.

“Alright, princess. Up.” Cady stands up, lightly tugging on the nipple chain. Regina yelps as she stands, taking a step away from the toilet with Cady. Cady gives it a moment, making sure Regina’s steady, before she starts to guide Regina out of the bathroom by the nipple chain. She doesn't tug too hard or go too fast, so that at most, there's a continuous light tugging sensation on her nipples, and by the noises Regina makes as she walks, Cady can tell she's hit the sweet spot of pain and pleasure.

Cady grabs the water cup on the way out, and briefly brings Regina over to the bed to grab the pillow from before. She leads Regina out of the bedroom, into the hallway, and over to the stairs. She stops just before the stairs, turning around and looking at Regina.

“I don't like the idea of you going down the stairs with your hands behind your back,” Cady admits, “so I'm going to unclip them. You’re to keep your left hand behind your back and your right hand on the railing. Understood?”

Regina nods, her shoulders slumping in a bit of relief. Cady smiles softly, leaning up on her tiptoes and planting a gentle, chaste kiss on Regina’s gag.

“Remember, princess, I take good care of my toys.”

Cady drops the nipple chain and walks behind Regina, unclipping her right cuff. The chain between them falls and hits the back of Regina’s thigh. Regina’s right arm reaches out and grabs the railing.

Cady smirks, giving Regina a quick (and relatively light) smack on the ass. “Go on, princess. We don't have all day.”

Regina squeaks into her gag, and heads down the stairs. Cady’s a step behind her the whole way, admiring the way Regina's hips sway with each step. When they've made it to the bottom, Regina takes her hand off the railing and holds it behind her back again, next to her left hand, which brings a smile to Cady’s face.

“ Good girl .” Cady clips the chain back together, before walking around to Regina's front again. Regina waits until Cady picks up the nipple chain again, and then continues to be led into the kitchen.

Cady puts the water cup on the counter and picks a spot near the edge of the kitchen for the pillow, positioned so Regina can still see everything, but far enough away that she won't get in Cady’s way. Cady puts the pillow down and points at it, Regina immediately getting down and kneeling on it. Cady stands above Regina, petting her hair gently as Regina looks up at her.

“Remember, princess, if your knees start to hurt too much, you can sit, okay?”

Regina nods, nuzzling her head into Cady’s hand. Cady smiles softly at her, before crouching down, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of Regina’s head.

“Good girl. Wait here, princess.”

Cady stands up, heading into the rest of the kitchen. She remembers Regina’s fridge being relatively empty, but she does have a couple of staples. All Cady is looking for is some eggs and milk, which she finds easily. She pokes around in one of the freezers, finding a box of breakfast sausage.

She holds up the box so Regina can see it. “Is this okay to use, or are you saving it for something?”

Regina nods at her, making Cady tilt her head.

“Wait, I need to ask yes or no questions, because I don’t know which one of those things you just said yes to. Is this okay to use?”

Regina laughs into the gag and nods again, smiling with the ball spreading her mouth wide. Cady smiles back, her chest filling with warmth. Why the hell did she feel so fuzzy when she looked at Regina smiling, even tied up and around a gag?

Cady refocuses her attention on trying to find a frying pan, ignoring the clear and obvious feelings she'd developed for this woman literally overnight. Nope, no time to unpack that today. She’s supposed to be in her Domme headspace, not whatever this is.

Cady gathers the equipment she needs for a simple breakfast, scrambled eggs and sausage. She pulls her own phone out of her pocket, putting on some music to play while she cooks. She sings along to the songs, not paying Regina any real attention (although she's watching out of the corner of her eye every so often, making sure Regina isn't in any kind of distress). After a little while, Regina shifts from her knees to sitting on the pillow, which Cady doesn't comment on.

When the food is done cooking, she puts it all onto one very large plate. She finally looks at Regina when the food is all on the plate.

“Can we use the table? I know that seems silly to ask, but it looks really fancy and I don’t know if you only use it for, like, special events or whatever, and I know we’ve got this whole thing going on but I don’t want to overstep when it comes to your home and-.”

Regina grunts loudly into her gag, getting Cady’s attention. She nods, before jerking her head towards the dining table, and then nodding again.

Cady smiles. “Sorry, princess. Thank you.”

Cady walks over, puts the plate down at the head of the table, and then goes and refills the water cup. She puts it down next to the plate, and then goes to help Regina up. She supports her from under her armpits again, and Regina leans against Cady, pressing her forehead against the side of Cady’s head. The simple touch makes Cady smile.

“You hungry, princess?”

Regina nods against Cady’s head. Cady feels a bit of drool drip onto her shoulder, and laughs. She gently pushes Regina off her, wiping the drool off her shoulder and wiping it onto Regina’s chest. She looks down, noticing the big drool stain on the pillow.

“I bet smelling the food isn’t helping, huh?” Cady smirks, wiping away another string of drool dripping out of Regina’s mouth. Regina nods sheepishly, making Cady smile wider. “Adorable. Come on, princess. You’re going to sit in my lap.”

Regina’s eyes go wide, and Cady grabs the nipple chain, lightly tugging. Regina moans into the gag, but follows Cady over to the table. Cady sits in the chair, and then pats her lap. It’s a bit awkward, but they manage to find a comfortable way to sit, with Regina sitting sideways in Cady’s lap. Cady runs a hand through Regina’s hair, nuzzling her a bit before pulling Regina’s gag out of her mouth. Regina groans a bit, her jaw having stiffened up some, which Cady does her best to soothe by rubbing either side of Regina’s jaw.

“Hi, princess,” Cady says as she rubs Regina’s jaw. “How’re you feeling?”

“Good,” Regina replies, pressing her head against the side of Cady’s. “Really, really good.”

Cady smiles. “You’re adorable. Let’s eat.”

“Um,” Regina comments, tugging on her bonds. “What about my hands?”

“Nope.” Cady stabs her fork into some eggs, taking a bite. She picks up the second bite, and then holds it up to Regina’s mouth. Regina stares at it for a moment, and Cady waves it slightly, tapping Regina’s back. Regina realizes what she’s trying to do, and opens her mouth. The fork goes in, and she takes the bite of eggs.

Cady swallows her bite and rubs Regina’s back. “Good girl.” She takes another bite of the eggs, and instead of immediately picking up more for Regina, she snakes her arm around Regina and grabs the butter knife she’s set aside to start cutting the breakfast sausage. She only stops when Regina swallows her bite, pausing to give herself a bite before feeding more to Regina. While they both chew, Cady cuts up more of the breakfast sausage. It’s only when all of the sausage is cut up that Cady puts down the knife and rubs Regina’s back with each bite. Occasionally, she interrupts this pattern to offer Regina some water from the water cup, which Regina eagerly accepts every time.

Cady then begins alternating the bites between the eggs and the sausage. She makes a point to always take her bite first, and only takes her bite whenever Regina is ready for hers. She praises Regina each time, rubbing her back while she chews. Regina’s pretty much melted into Cady, leaning against Cady as she eats. Cady keeps a soft smile on her face as she feeds Regina, loving the way she immediately melted into Cady and fell into the pattern of the way Cady split the food between them.

When the food is gone, Cady puts down the fork and wraps both of her arms around Regina. Regina nuzzles her head into Cady’s neck, soaking up the gentle attention Cady is giving her.

“How was it, princess?” Cady asks softly, running a hand through Regina’s hair.

“It was delicious,” Regina tells her. “I haven’t had scrambled eggs that good in a long time.”

Cady laughs. “You’re cute. They were just regular scrambled eggs.”

“Well, they tasted incredible. Plus,” Regina blushes, burying her face further against Cady, “no one’s ever fed me like that before.”

Cady smirks, pressing a kiss to the top of Regina’s head. “I’m glad you liked that, princess. You’re fun to pamper.”

Regina hums, nuzzling her nose into Cady’s neck, making Cady giggle.

“You’re sweet,” Cady murmurs, pressing another kiss to Regina’s head. “So here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to go upstairs, and I’m going to use your laptop to grade the papers. You’re going to sit on the pillow at my feet. You can lean against my leg, but you’re going to wait patiently and quietly like a good girl while I work. If you stay a good girl, you’ll get lots of rewards, okay?”

Regina nods against Cady. “Okay.”

“Let’s try that again,” Cady murmurs, tugging lightly on Regina’s hair, making her look at her. “Are you going to be a good girl?”

Regina swallows, staring into Cady’s eyes. “Yes, Ma’am.”

Cady smiles. “Good girl.” She lets go of Regina’s hair, bringing her hand down to Regina’s ass instead. She cups one of Regina’s ass cheeks and squeezes hard, making Regina moan.

“Up,” Cady orders, and Regina does her best to get up quickly. She stumbles a bit, so Cady grabs her, holding her steady as she stands up herself. “I’ll figure out a way to make that easier next time,” Cady promises, tucking a loose piece of Regina’s hair behind her ear before grabbing the gag hanging around Regina’s neck. “Open wide, princess.”

Regina whimpers and opens her mouth, and Cady pushes the gag back inside. Cady smiles as Regina almost immediately begins drooling again, much to Regina’s mild annoyance.

“Adorable,” Cady says, before grabbing the clamp chain. “Alright, princess. Follow me.”

Cady leads Regina back over to the pillow, but instructs her to stay standing. Cady moves about the kitchen quickly, putting the dish and pan in the sink and refilling the water cup. When she’s done, she heads back over to Regina, picks the pillow up off the ground, and grabs onto the chain. She pulls Regina closer to her by the chain, getting a squeak out of Regina.

“Good girl,” Cady purrs, watching the way Regina reacts to the pressure on her nipples. “Come on, princess.”

They head upstairs, Cady pausing once again at the stairs to unclip Regina’s hands and allow her to grab onto the railing. Neither of them are as nervous going up as opposed to going down, but Cady takes the extra precaution anyway.

Cady leads Regina to the office, and then right over to Regina’s desk. She plops the pillow down next to the chair, and points at it. Regina immediately gets down on her knees, opting to kneel again at first. Cady takes the chair, the laptop already waiting on the desk. Cady reaches down, briefly undoing Regina’s gag.

“What’s the password for your computer?” Cady asks.

“Four-Three-Oh-Four,” Regina replies, the gag being pushed back into her mouth unceremoniously as soon as she’s done giving the code.

Cady punches in the code, and the computer unlocks. She sets to work, logging into her Yale email and the online grading software she’s supposed to use. As she’s getting set up, she spots Regina shifting out of the corner of her eye, changing from kneeling to sitting again. Once Regina’s settled back onto the pillow, Cady reaches a hand down and begins stroking Regina’s hair gently. Regina makes a happy noise, pressing herself against Cady’s leg. Cady smirks, opting to continue to verbally ignore Regina, and instead, continues petting her hair until she needs both hands to type.

They stay like this for a while, Regina resting quietly at Cady’s feet while Cady grades assignments. Cady talks to herself as she grades, making idle comments about some of the work of the students and the mental gymnastics some of them had to go through to justify their (wildly incorrect) answers. Every so often, she switches from just petting Regina’s hair to lightly scratching her scalp, which gets happy little noises from Regina every time. Cady makes a point to not look directly at Regina, however, whenever Regina makes a happy noise, Cady smirks slightly, happy that Regina’s enjoying herself. For a moment, she considers chastising Regina for making noise, since Regina was supposed to be waiting quietly, however, she can’t bring herself to punish Regina for being happy to get the head scratches. She can’t really blame Regina for that. She’d be melting too, if she was in Regina’s position.

Instead, Cady does her best to focus and get through her work. It’s hard to actually ignore the position she’s found herself in. Cady’s got an absurdly attractive multimillionaire, tied up, sitting at her feet, while Cady uses her laptop and sits at her desk in her mansion, while said multimillionaire is making happy noises into a ball gag as Cady scratches her scalp.

Yeah. This is far from anywhere she ever expected to be. She wants to be done with this stupid work so she can give her full attention to the ridiculously hot blonde woman at her feet. Or, maybe, she can make the ridiculously hot blonde woman give Cady her full attention. Yeah, that sounds fun.

Cady has to force herself to focus several times, and not fantasize about Regina worshiping her entire body with her mouth. It’s very hard, but she pushes through. She announces when she’s on the final assignment, which makes Regina squirm a bit at her feet. Cady gives her the most direct attention she’s given the entire time she’s been working on this, grabbing onto Regina’s ponytail and yanking her head back a bit.

“ Behave ,” Cady hisses, still not looking down at Regina. Regina says something garbled around the gag, in which Cady thinks she hears the word “sorry”. She relaxes the grip on Regina’s hair, scratching her scalp again. Regina relaxes against Cady’s leg again, which gets her more head scratches and a quiet “Good girl.”

Cady pushes through the final assignment to grade, uploading the comments to the grading portal and pressing the button to publish all the grades to the students at once. She gives her email a quick glance, and she hasn’t gotten any urgent emails from the professor she’s grading for since she started, so she logs out of everything and shuts the computer.

At long last, Cady looks down at Regina, who is looking up at Cady with wide eyes. She’s got a steady stream of drool dripping from the gag onto the pillow, which is completely soaked. Cady scratches at Regina’s scalp again, to which Regina hums and closes her eyes, pressing her head further against Cady’s leg.

“You did a very good job, princess,” Cady murmurs, continuing to scratch. “I know that took a while. Do you know how long you’ve been sitting here?”

Regina opens her eyes, looking up at Cady and shaking her head.

“Two and half hours,” Cady tells her, which gets a shocked look from Regina. “I know . You’ve been so good, I’m very impressed.”

Regina sits up a little straighter, puffing out her chest a bit with pride, getting a little laugh out of Cady. Cady laughs, smiling down at Regina.

“It’s amazing how time flies when you’re submitting to me, huh?” Cady smirks, which makes Regina squirm and blush a bit. “Relax, princess. You’ve done very good, and this didn’t take nearly as long as I thought it would. Which means , instead of waiting until after lunch, you get to have your reward now.”

Regina’s eyes light up. Cady smiles at her, bending down and helping Regina to her feet again. She pulls Regina into her lap in the chair, helping her settle in and straddle Cady.

“Wow, princess,” Cady murmurs, cupping a hand against Regina’s puss*. “You’re soaked . Have you been thinking about all the things you want me to do to you?”

Regina blushes, nodding lightly. Cady takes her hands away, placing both of them on Regina’s hips, tugging her closer. She digs her nails into Regina’s hips, holding her still, as she dips her head down and takes the nipple chain between her teeth. She looks up, making eye contact with a wide-eyed Regina, and then yanks the chain in her mouth.

Regina cries out, squirming in Cady’s lap. Cady holds her firm, continuing to tug and make Regina whimper and whine. Regina begs with her eyes, but Cady does not show mercy for several minutes, continuing to tug and pull on the chain until Regina’s practically collapsing on top of her.

Cady drops the chain, bringing a hand up and rubbing up and down Regina’s back. “Good girl. I’m going to take the chain off now, okay, princess?”

Regina whimpers and nods, knowing it’ll bring a new kind of pain. Cady pushes Regina back slightly, so she has enough room to take both clamps off at once, making Regina cry out in pain. Cady tosses the chain onto the desk and pulls Regina close to her again, letting Regina bury her head into her shoulder.

“Good job,” Cady murmurs. “You did so good for me, princess. Just let it all out and breathe, baby. You’re doing so good.”

Regina whimpers, pressing her face against Cady’s shoulder. Cady rubs her back soothingly, continuing to whisper praise and provide a steady presence for her. When Regina’s breathing calms down and she relaxes more in Cady’s arms, Cady reaches up, cupping Regina’s cheek.

“Hi, princess. Checking in. How’re you holding up?”

Regina claps her hands together once, bringing a smile to Cady’s lips.

“Good girl. I want to give you your reward now, but I need you to get up first. Can you do that for me?”

Regina nods against her, trying to push herself up off of Cady, but she struggles to get her torso back, it being smushed up against Cady. Cady pushes Regina back slightly, helping her get to her feet. Cady stands up from the chair, pushing it back and letting it roll away from her. She reaches up, cupping one of Regina’s cheeks, rubbing it gently with her thumb.

“You’ve been such a good girl for me, princess,” Cady tells her. “I have an idea in mind for your reward, but I want to make sure you’re okay with it, okay?”

Regina nods, some confusion in her eyes.

“I want to bend you over the desk and f*ck you from behind,” Cady says, and Regina’s whole body turns bright red. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay with that, given it’s your desk and all.”

Regina nods eagerly, eyes wide. Cady smiles and laughs, leaning up on her toes and pressing a kiss to Regina’s cheek.

“It’s a shame I don’t have my strap with me,” Cady teases, watching as Regina’s eyes go wider and her knees begin to shake. “Oh, princess, you are in for a treat with my strap. We’ll talk about it more later, when, well, you know .” Cady taps the ball in Regina’s mouth. “But if you’re free next weekend, I’ll bring it with me, and I’ll make it so you won’t be able to walk right for a week straight.”

Regina moans, nodding rapidly. Cady smiles, tapping Regina’s cheek lightly. “I can’t wait, princess. For now, however…” She reaches for Regina’s shoulder, gripping it and turning Regina around, so she’s facing the desk. Cady pushes the laptop and other things away, before shoving Regina down against the desk, smushing her face against the wood. Regina moans, flexing in her bonds a bit. Cady smacks Regina’s ass once, getting a strangled gasp out of her and bringing a big smile to her own lips. She has the urge to keep going, but she remembers the conversation from earlier, and pushes that down. There’ll be plenty of time for that in the future. For now, she’s going to f*ck Regina until she’s seeing stars (and ideally, this time, not into unconsciousness).

“Spread your legs, princess,” Cady orders. Regina obeys, but it’s not wide enough for Cady, who pushes Regina’s legs apart further herself. Regina moans, flattening herself further. Cady presses her body down against Regina’s back, pinning her flat against the desk. Cady reaches down, cupping Regina’s soaking puss* with her hand.

“So wet for me,” Cady murmurs, pressing her palm against Regina, making her moan. “You’ve been such a good girl, princess. So patient, waiting for me.” She slips two fingers inside Regina, which gets a mixture of moaning and gagged gibberish from Regina, who’s already slipped into a blissful subspace. “I reward patience, and I reward it well.” She begins to pump her fingers, feeling the way Regina’s walls feel around her fingers. Regina moans, knees trembling.

“Turn your head, princess,” Cady says, and Regina obeys. She turns her head so she’s looking the opposite direction she was before, this time, at the windows on the far wall. “It’s a bit too light to see too much, but I want you to see me f*ck you, at least a little,” Cady tells her, picking up the pace of her fingers. Regina moans, seeing a slight reflection in the window of her bent over the desk. The most clear thing she can see in the window is the bright red gag in her mouth.

The window itself overlooks the long, private road leading up to Regina’s mansion and her neighbor’s mansion. Cady lowers her head next to Regina’s, whispering in her ear.

“You see outside, princess? I bet if someone were to drive by right now, they’d be able to see just how much of a slu*t you are, wouldn’t they?”

Regina moans, squirming beneath Cady. Cady adjusts her position, smacking Regina’s ass with her free hand as she continues pumping with her other hand. Regina cries out, but stills her squirming.

“You know I’m right,” Cady murmurs. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Getting caught bent over your desk, tied and gagged, getting f*cked until your legs can’t hold you up anymore, huh?” Cady flicks at Regina’s cl*t, getting a deep, strangled moan out of Regina, who nods helplessly against the desk. Cady smirks. “Thought so."

Cady picks up the pace, f*cking Regina hard. She finds the sweet spot finally, if the noises Regina makes are anything to go by. It’s harder to get to from behind than it was when Cady was over her, but it certainly wasn’t difficult . Once she’s found it, she pumps her fingers against it, hard and fast, thumbing Regina’s sensitive cl*t at the same time until Regina cries out and spasms beneath her. Cady can feel the ways Regina’s walls clench down on her fingers, and she keeps going, hard and fast, pumping and flicking.

“That’s my good little slu*t,” Cady growls into Regina’s ear. “Good girl.”

Regina whimpers and rides out three org*sms in a row, her legs trembling beneath her by the third. Cady grips onto Regina’s hip with her free hand, doing her best to hold up her hips. Cady gives her one more, a mind-blowing fourth org*sm in a row, before she begins to slow her fingers and eventually pull them out, letting Regina’s body come down from the org*sm before pulling out entirely.

“Good girl,” Cady murmurs, unclipping Regina’s wrists and helping her up. She pulls the gag out of Regina’s mouth, rubbing her jaw gently as Regina groans, her jaw significantly stiffer than it was when they had breakfast. Regina leans against the desk, her legs still trembling.

“Hang on,” Cady says, grabbing the chair that rolled away and dragging it closer. She sits down, pulling Regina into her lap. Regina wraps her arms around Cady’s shoulders and buries her face into her neck, as Cady wraps her arms firmly around Regina’s waist. “You did so good for me, princess,” Cady whispers, pressing a gentle kiss to Regina’s head. “ So good.”

Regina doesn’t reply at first, still catching her breath. Eventually, she manages to squeak out a hoarse, “Thank you.”

Cady reaches over to the desk and grabs the water cup that was long forgotten. She holds it for Regina, who eagerly chugs through the straw. Cady rubs Regina’s back with a free hand, tracing her scar up and down as Regina drinks, soothing her. When Regina finally stops drinking, Cady puts the cup back on the desk, wrapping both arms tightly around Regina again.

“Hi, baby,” Cady says softly, squeezing Regina. “How’re you feeling?”

“Good,” Regina replies, her voice breathy. “ Really good.”

Cady presses a gentle kiss to Regina’s forehead. “Good, I’m glad.” She rubs Regina’s back more, holding her close. “Is there anything specific I can do for you?”

“Maybe get this stuff off?” Regina asks, gently tapping the gag around her neck. “The drool went from hot to gross.”

Cady laughs, pressing another kiss to Regina’s forehead. “Sure thing. Well, uh, I left the keys in the bedroom by accident. Are you okay to walk? I know your legs were a little shaky.”

“I can walk,” Regina replies with a little smile. “I know you were planning to maybe do a longer scene, but I don’t know if I can keep going beyond this.”

Cady nods. “That’s alright. I was thinking the same thing. As fun as it is to tease you and ignore you and have you at my feet,” she presses another kiss to Regina’s forehead again, “I’ve been wanting to cuddle you for the last little while.”

“Me too,” Regina murmurs, breathing in Cady’s scent.

“Alright, let’s go get this stuff off you.” Cady pats Regina’s shoulder, and Regina climbs off of Cady’s lap. Cady grabs the clamps off the desk with one hand, taking Regina’s hand in the other. Regina squeezes lightly, and Cady squeezes back, before Cady leads Regina back to the bedroom.

Cady sits Regina down on the edge of the bed, pulling the keys from the bedside table. She unlocks the gag first, pulling it off Regina’s neck and putting it down on the end table, before unlocking each of the cuffs. The indents are less intense than they were last night, but Cady still frowns when she sees them, rubbing Regina’s wrists gently.

“Oh,” Regina says softly, looking down at her wrists. “I see what you mean now.”

“They were worse last night,” Cady tells her, continuing to rub gently. “We’re definitely getting you better ones.”

Regina’s face falls. “Oh. We were going to buy the stuff while I was tied up.”

Cady waves her hand. “We can do it while we cuddle instead. Besides, as hot as the idea is, I do genuinely want your thoughts and opinions on the gear we get. You’re the one who’s going to be wearing them, after all.”

Regina blushes and nods. “Yeah, that makes sense.”

“What else can I do for you right now?” Cady asks, sitting down next to Regina after tossing the cuffs, locks, and keys onto the bedside table.

“Honestly? Can we just lay in bed and cuddle?”

Cady smiles softly. “Sure thing, princess. Do you mind if I go grab the laptop first? We won’t buy anything right away, but I know neither of us are going to want to go grab it later.”

Regina smiles back. “Of course. Um, you might need to grab the charger too. It should be in the office.”

“I’ll let you know if I can’t find it.” Cady leans in, pressing a gentle, quick kiss to Regina’s lips. “You just get comfortable. I’ll be right back.”

Regina settles down in the bed, laying on top of the blankets, still kind of sweaty. Cady returns only a few minutes later, laptop and charger in hand. She puts it on her bedside table, before climbing into bed with Regina and opening up her arms.

“Can you take off the robe?” Regina asks quietly. “Sorry if that’s too much. I just-.”

“Shh,” Cady hushes, already pulling off the robe. “Of course I can. Whatever you’d like for aftercare, I am more than happy to provide.”

“Yay,” Regina hums, crawling into Cady’s arms when the robe is tossed aside. She curls up on her side, laying her head on Cady’s shoulder and clinging to her tightly. Cady holds her close, rubbing Regina’s back and running her other arm up and down Regina’s arm.

Eventually, Regina talks. “You mentioned a strap on earlier.”

Cady laughs lightly. “I did. It’s a very nice one. One of the nicest things I own.”

“That’s… genuinely exciting.” Regina smiles. “I am free next weekend, by the way.”

“Great news, so am I.” Cady presses a kiss to Regina’s forehead. “I guess we should talk about all of this at some point.”

“ Talking ,” Regina groans, which makes Cady laugh again.

“I mean, there’s a couple different things to talk about. We don’t have to talk about all of them at once.”

“True,” Regina hums. She’s quiet for a second, and then says, “I feel really silly asking this, but… are we… girlfriends?”

“If that’s what you want,” Cady shrugs. “I’d like that, personally, but if it’s not what you want, I can work with it.”

“It is what I want,” Regina replies. “I feel a little insane. This has been really fast.”

“It has. We can slow down, if you’d like. We don’t have to jump to girlfriends right away.”

Regina shakes her head. “No, that’s silly. We’re past that point.”

“Oh, are we? When did we cross that line?”

“Pretty sure when I sat at your feet for two hours while you pet my hair and graded papers.” Regina bursts out laughing. “Oh my gosh, we really turned that into a kinky thing, didn’t we?”

Cady laughs too, holding Regina close. “We really did. I enjoyed it, though. Did you?”

“I surprisingly did,” Regina admits. “It was a little challenging at first. I was thinking, am I really going to be able to just sit here? But then you started petting my head and talking to yourself. It made me feel…” Regina's voice trails off.

“Feel like what?”

“I…”

“Hey,” Cady says softly when Regina trails off again. She cups Regina’s cheek, making her look up at her. “You can tell me, and I want you to tell me. I won't judge you, or be mad if it's negative or anything. I want to make sure you're actually enjoying what we do together, otherwise, it's not actually fun for either of us.”

Regina nods slightly, nuzzling her head into Cady’s hand. She closes her eyes, taking a deep breath. “It made me feel… like a pet.”

Cady smiles softly. “And you liked that.”

“I did,” Regina admits. “I liked it a lot. I don't know if I could do like, the whole acting like a pet thing, but…”

Cady shakes her head. “Pet play isn't really my thing either, at least, not to that extent. I do like the idea of having a pet at my feet that I pet while I work or study.”

Regina’s eyes light up. “You mean we can do that again?”

“We sure can, baby,” Cady smiles. “We’ll make some adjustments so that it's even more comfortable for you. I imagine that pillow wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world.”

“It wasn't terrible ,” Regina shrugs.

“Yes, but I want only the best for my princess,” Cady says softly, kissing Regina’s forehead, causing her to snuggle closer into Cady’s arms.

“I really like it when you call me that.”

“I can tell,” Cady teases lightly.

“If we’re upgrading gear, can we get a gag that makes less drool?”

Cady laughs and nods. “We can. I'll tell you now, though - most gags produce some amount of drool. Ball gags are some of the worst for it, though.”

“Which I definitely learned today. Very different wearing it sitting or standing than wearing it laying down.”

“Yeah, it is,” Cady hums. “Do you mind if I grab the laptop? We can still cuddle, but I want to start looking at gear, since we’re on the topic.”

Regina nods, detangling herself from Cady. They sit against the headboard together, Regina leaning on Cady’s shoulder, and Cady holding the laptop in her lap.

“What's the password again?”

“Four-three-oh-four.”

“Is that a date or something?” Cady asks, and then immediately feels bad. “You don't have to answer. If you don't want to.”

“Of course I want to,” Regina says. “If we’re going to be girlfriends, we should probably learn things about each other that aren't sex related or beyond relatively surface level.”

Cady laughs lightly. “Point taken.”

“It is a date. April 30, 2004. It's the day I finally forgave myself for everything that led up to my accident. It's… well, it's a really long story, that I will tell you sometime, but I wasn't a very good person in high school. No, scratch that, I was awful .” Regina sighs. “A lot of people said getting hit by the bus was karma for what a bitch I was.”

“That's awful. No one deserves that.”

Regina shrugs. “I kind of did, honestly. I ruined people's lives over petty bullsh*t. But I've come to terms with it. But, yeah. April 30, 2004 was the day I decided to stop focusing on the past and start focusing on actually being a better person in the present.” She takes a deep breath. “I'd like to hope I've made a complete turnaround. But I can't really be the judge of that.”

“Well, I can tell you you've been nothing but kind and extremely generous to me,” Cady tells her. “And I don't think you're a bad person.”

“Thank you,” Regina replies softly. “It means a lot.”

Cady takes Regina’s hand in hers, squeezing it gently. She navigates on the laptop with one hand, and when Regina tries to let go so Cady can use both, Cady just hangs on tighter. Regina laughs lightly, relaxing against Cady's shoulder.

Cady pulls up a few different websites. “Okay, so, I want to get a chest harness, a collar, a leash - and, no, I won't make you crawl around, unless you change your mind about that.”

“Better than being pulled around by the nipple clamps.”

“Oh, well, if you're being a brat, that could still happen,” Cady smirks, which makes Regina squirm. Cady squeezes Regina’s hand again, and she settles down. “Um, other purchases include better cuffs, new gags, and maybe some rope.”

“Rope?”

Cady nods. “I'll admit I'm a bit less practiced with it, but I'd like to try some knots on you. If that's okay, of course.”

“That's definitely okay,” Regina replies. “I just wasn't expecting it.”

“You’ll find I'm full of surprises.” Cady lets go of Regina’s hand, and instead, adjusts so that her arm is draped over Regina’s shoulders. Regina adjusts too, getting comfortable and looking at the screen together. “Is there anything else you'd like to try?”

“Um,” Regina peers at the website on the screen, which is full of all kinds of gear. “I don't know, honestly.”

“That's alright. We’ll start with this and look around and see if there's anything else we like, okay?”

Regina nods, snuggling into Cady’s chest. “Sounds good.”

Cady smiles, rubbing Regina's back and continuing to navigate through the web pages. They take their time, looking at various pieces and weighing the pros and cons of each. They add a few things to cart, like some new gags and the leash, but wait on things that need specific sizes, like the collar and the harness, until they're done with everything else and can properly measure Regina to get the correct fit.

With each addition to the cart, Regina gets a little more flustered, which makes Cady hold her closer. Cady can't help but find it completely adorable, and the reality of a 39 year old woman squirming in her arms because of the implied sex they'll have with these pieces of gear isn't lost on her either. It’s definitely an ego boost, and Cady’s doing her best not to completely float away.

When they've gotten everything picked out, they head into Regina’s closet, where Regina locates a measuring tape. Cady takes careful measurements from the guides on the websites, and selects the right sizes.

“I've been measured for a lot of clothes before,” Regina tells her as they finish up. “Never anything like this, though.”

Cady smirks. “There’s a first time for everything.”

Regina blushes as they settle back into bed. They review the carts one more time, and Regina doesn't even bat an eye at the massive totals across all the shops. She fills out her credit card information over and over, until all the purchases from the various shops have been made.

“At least some of it will come in time for next weekend,” Regina comments idly as she hands the laptop back to Cady.

“Yeah, between that and the strap, we’re in for a time,” Cady smirks, closing the laptop and putting it off to the side.

Regina squirms a bit, which makes Cady wrap her arms around her and pull her close.

“Can we lay down again?” Regina asks, once she realizes she's trapped in Cady’s arms.

“Of course, princess.” Cady lets go, briefly pausing to put the laptop back on the bedside table, before laying down on her back in the middle of the bed and letting Regina curl up on top of her.

Cady wraps her arms tightly around Regina, holding her close. “Comfy?”

“Very,” Regina says with a little nod. She sighs, nuzzling into Cady’s shoulder. “I really don't want to go back to real life tomorrow.”

“Me neither.” Cady runs a hand through Regina’s hair, getting a soft little noise out of her. “But I am excited to text with you all week.”

“Me too,” Regina smiles. “It’ll make work a lot less boring.”

“Agreed.” Cady presses a kiss to Regina’s forehead. “I’m also excited to get to know you more, beyond sex stuff.”

“Me too,” Regina laughs. She adjusts slightly, before fully relaxing into Cady’s arms. “Is there a night this week where you'd be able to get dinner? Nothing more than that, since we both have work and stuff, obviously, but I'd like to take you out to dinner at some point this week.”

“I tend to stay on campus pretty late working on my thesis,” Cady tells her. “I don't usually go home until at least seven.”

“I could come to you,” Regina suggests. “We could go somewhere near New Haven. Then you can head straight home after and it wouldn't be terribly late.”

Cady smiles. “I could do that.”

Regina smiles back. “Great. We’ll do something more casual. As much as I love getting completely dressed up, that's not the vibe for a night like that.”

“Definitely not,” Cady laughs. “I'm imagining going to work in that dress. I'm pretty sure I'd kill half the undergrads. Most of them are STEM students, which means at least half of them have never seen a woman in real life before.”

Regina bursts out laughing. “No, probably not.” She looks up at Cady, smiling softly. “I kinda like the idea of getting you a bunch of hot business casual outfits to wear to work. You'd kill it.”

Cady smiles back, blushing slightly. “Thank you. I mostly wear sweaters and jeans, so that’d be quite the jump.”

“Oh, I'm definitely getting you some new clothes then.”

“You don't have to do that,” Cady says sheepishly. “You already gave me so much money.”

“$1,500 isn't that much,” Regina shrugged. “Hell, a third of it got you one outfit.”

“It's a lot to me.”

“Okay, well, regardless of that, this is something I want to do,” Regina insists. “I want to spoil you. That's kind of the whole point of how this started, isn't it?”

“It is,” Cady admits. “We really should talk about the parameters, though.”

“I had a lot of time to think about it earlier,” Regina admits, blushing slightly, “and I came up with a sort of loose plan.”

Cady smiles. “Oh, good. What is it?”

“Well, I'd like to give you a set amount of money each week. I was thinking $1,500, since that's what we started with, but I'm open to further discussion if you think you need more or something.”

Cady does some quick mental math in her head. “That's $78,000 a year .”

Regina thinks for a moment. “Yeah, I suppose it is.”

“Are you absolutely sure about that?”

Regina smiles. “Baby, I have more money than I'll ever know what to do with. Please, let me spend it on you.”

Cady shifts slightly. “I don't know why it makes me so uncomfortable taking that much. That's literally the whole point of all of this.”

“I mean, in fairness, your roommate signed you up for the app,” Regina points out. “If it makes you more comfortable to start with less or something, we can do that too. But I don't really know why anyone would ever agree to less money.”

Cady smirks. “Yeah, that seems silly. I’ll get used to it eventually.”

“You will,” Regina agrees. “The allowance isn't my whole plan, though.”

Cady raises an eyebrow. “ Allowance? ”

“I don't know what else to call it,” Regina shrugs. “Anyways, it always stands that if you need more money for something, you can always just ask. I'd also like to give you extra money around your birthday and Christmas, if that's alright with you.” Regina’s quiet for a second, and then asks. “You do celebrate Christmas, right?”

Cady smiles. “I do.”

“And when's your birthday?”

“June 8th.”

“Perfect. Now, if it makes you too uncomfortable, you don't have to take the extra money for those things, but I will be buying you gifts for Christmas and your birthday on top of the money, and you’re not declining the gifts.”

Cady laughs. “Oh, am I now?”

Regina smirks. “I'm an excellent gift giver. You'll be blown away.”

“I'm sure I will,” Cady smiles. “When's your birthday, by the way?”

“August 30th,” Regina tells her.

“I'll put it in my phone later.”

“Same. Speaking of gifts, though, that's the last part of the arrangement. I want to be able to buy you things without giving you the money directly and have that be part of it. Whether it's dinners, clothes, jewelry, or literally whatever gift I find that I want to give you.”

“Well, I'm not gonna say no to that,” Cady tells her, “or, realistically, any of this.”

Regina smiles brightly at her. “Good! I'm so glad!”

“I will put my foot down if you try to get me something like a car without discussing it with me first,” Cady tells her. “Not that I expect you to buy me a car or anything. Just any really big purchase. It's just an example.”

Regina squeezes Cady. “I get you. That's fair.”

“Is that the whole plan?”

Regina nods. “Sure is.”

“Well, I think it's a pretty solid one,” Cady tells her. “I'll wrap my head around all of this eventually.”

“Oh, you will,” Regina smirks. “Spoiling you is going to be so much fun.”

Cady smiles back. “I can honestly say I'm looking forward to it.”

The rest of the day is spent lazing around the house and cuddling. Regina ends up ordering them lunch, which they eat on the couch in Regina’s robes while they watch a movie together. Cady ends up curled up in Regina’s arms by the time they're done eating, and she finds herself drifting off in the comfort.

By dinnertime, they agree that they’ll go out for dinner, somewhere in Middletown so Cady can get her car and drive home after. Cady has to borrow some of Regina’s clothes (not that Regina is complaining), since all Cady has is the fancy dress from the night before. Cady feels warm and fuzzy in Regina’s oversized Harvard sweater (which she’s convinced Regina picks out just because of the Yale thing), but pants are a harder find, since Regina is considerably taller than Cady. Cady ends up having to go with a pair of shorts, despite the cool October air, and they both agree to be better prepared next time.

Dinner is at a Mexican restaurant in Middletown, which is definitely still a little more expensive than Cady would go for on her own, but far from the fine dining they’d had the night before. She finds it really easy to talk to Regina about anything and everything, and finds herself genuinely interested in what Regina has to say. She’s fascinated with Regina’s life, and the intricacies of the in-office drama that comes from being the CEO of one of the largest insurance companies in Hartford, which is really saying something.

At one point, Regina lets it slip that The George has over ten thousand employees worldwide, and Cady can’t fully process that. She stares at Regina for a long time, and eventually bursts into a fit of giggles, unable to stop herself.

“What?” Regina asks, confused and slightly concerned.

“You run a company with ten thousand employees around the world, and I,” Cady looks around, making sure no one’s listening, before dropping her voice to a whisper, “f*cked you so hard last night you literally passed out.”

Regina looks at Cady for a moment, and then laughs. “Yeah, I guess you did.”

“I’m afraid my ego’s never going to recover from this,” Cady retorts, laughing and shaking her head again. “And it’s only going to get worse from here.”

Regina smirks, raising her glass. “Cheers to only getting worse from here.”

Cady raises her glass, unable to wipe the stupid grin off her face. “Cheers to that.”

When they finally part ways, Regina drops Cady off at her car, making her promise to text her when she gets home safe. Cady makes Regina promise the same, and after a brief hug and kiss, they head home.

Cady texts Regina from her driveway, knowing she’s going to get bombarded by questions the moment she walks through the door.

Cady

Home!🙂 Might not respond for a bit because I know my roommates are about to ask me about a thousand questions.

She doesn’t get a response from Regina right away, so she figures that Regina is still on the road. She heads out of her car and into the house her apartment is in, heading up the stairs to the top unit.

Just as she expected, Janis and Damian are in the living room, and practically jump up, like concerned parents who have been waiting up all night.

“ Girl ,” Damian gasps. “Are you wearing her shirt? ”

“You sly, sly dog,” Janis laughs. “Holy sh*t, Caddy. I didn’t think you had it in you.”

Cady smirks. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Okay, Ms. It’s-Just-A-Dinner ,” Janis scoffs. “It’s been almost twenty-four hours!”

“And what a twenty-four hours it’s been,” Cady sighs, plopping onto the couch. Her roommates sit down too, looking at her expectantly. “What?” she asks.

“Well, are you gonna tell us what happened?” Damian immediately replies.

“I don’t kiss and tell.”

“Oh, come on , Caddy,” Janis groans. “We’re not looking for details about whatever sex you had.” She pauses for a moment, looking at Cady. “You did have sex, right? You weren’t just sitting around for twenty-four hours?”

“I don’t kiss and tell,” Cady repeats, crossing her legs daintily. Janis and Damian roll their eyes, but they play off of it.

“Alright, well, aside the sex that you may or may not have had-.”

“That she definitely had,” Janis cuts off Damian, who rolls his eyes again.

“-how did everything else go?”

Cady smiles. “Really, really good. Um, things moved… quickly? Like very quickly.”

Janis gives her a look. “How quickly?”

Cady makes a face. “We may have, um, jumped to the girlfriends stage already.”

Janis bursts out into a howl of laughter while Damian looks at her, horrified.

“ Cady . You barely know this woman.”

“Correct,” Cady admits. “But arguably, I’ve also gotten to know her in ways that I never got to know some of my past girlfriends.”

Janis keeps laughing while Damian continues to give Cady confused and horrified looks.

“What does that mean? ” he demands.

Cady waves her hand a bit. “Let me start from the beginning. Okay, so, we got to the restaurant, and I sh*t you not, she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I’m, like, immediately in over my head. But she’s actually really easy to talk to, and turns out, I make her way more flustered than she makes me.”

Janis stops laughing, her eyes going wide. “ Caddy .”

“Yes?”

“Does that mean what I think it means?”

“What do you think it means?”

Janis just stares at Cady for a moment, before waving her hand. “Keep going.”

“No, what do you think it means?”

Janis sighs. “Caddy, did you top your sugar mommy?”

Cady tries her best to give a straight face, but she fails. Janis screams, falling out of her chair and smacking the couch.

“Caddy f*cking Heron!” Janis howls, and Cady can’t stop herself from grinning.

“I am not giving any details,” Cady insists, “but… yeah. I did. A lot. Like, a lot .”

“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,” Damian mutters under his breath. “You f*cking lesbians are insane .”

“Kind of,” Cady laughs. “Okay, so, yeah, dinner was great, we flirted a lot, and she invited me over. She was super cautious and didn’t want me to feel pressured or anything. It was very sweet. But she was very hot, and we definitely had a connection going, so… I said yes.”

“What’s her house like?” Janis asks. “Glastonbury, right?”

Cady nods. “House isn’t the right word. It’s a mansion . I’ve literally never seen such a nice house in my life , except on, like, TV and stuff. She gave me the whole tour and everything. Which ended in the bedroom.”

“Where you topped your sugar mommy.”

“Where things may or may not have happened,” Cady insists. “And then in the morning… they may or may not have happened again.”

Janis howls with laughter, while Damian smiles and shakes his head.

“Good for you, girl,” Damian says with a laugh. “Goddamn.”

“So, yeah. There’s all that. I, um, I cooked her breakfast, which was cute. We got lunch delivered and then went out for dinner. She let me grade assignments from her laptop so I could stick around for longer. We watched a movie together and cuddled. It was a wild day.” Cady’s very purposeful about the words she chooses. While she considers herself fairly close with her roommates, and has heard details of some of their sex lives before, she’s never really broached her own sex life. Not that she’s had much of it beyond an occasional hookup since moving to Connecticut. And if she started to actually describe some of the stuff she and Regina did? No, they don’t need to know about the kink aspect of all of this. Definitely not.

“Caddy f*cking Heron,” Janis says again. “I cannot believe all that happened from that app.”

“I can hardly believe it either,” Cady admits. “We also ironed out some of the stuff around the financial arrangement aspect of it.”

“That’s still a part of it?” Damian asks.

Cady nods, smiling slightly. “I get an allowance . And gifts.”

“Does she have any single friends?” Janis asks.

“How about any single gay male friends?”

Cady laughs and shakes her head. “No, but if I find out about any, I’ll let you know. I doubt it, though, from what she told me. She’s been pretty lonely for a while.”

“Woe is the millionaire,” Janis remarks.

“She’s a really nice person,” Cady says, feeling a little defensive. “Her closest friends moved away a few months ago, that’s all.”

“Whatever,” Janis shrugs. “I’m glad it went well, even if I’m definitely a little jealous that worked out the way it did.”

“I’m still shocked by it,” Cady tells her. “I can’t really wrap my head around it, honestly.”

“How’d the Harvard shirt come into it?” Damian asks.

“Oh, well, the only thing I had was that dress, so she lent me some of her clothes,” Cady explains.

“Where’s the dress?” Janis asks.

“She offered to include it with her dry cleaning. I figured, why not?”

Damian raises an eyebrow. “So you’re planning on seeing her again?”

“Did you miss the part where I said we jumped to the girlfriends stage?” Cady asks. “Because yes, I’m planning on seeing her again.”

“When?”

“She’s coming down here on either Wednesday or Thursday this week and taking me out to dinner,” Cady tells them, “depending on how certain meetings at her work line up. And then next weekend, I’m spending the whole weekend at her place again. Including Friday night.”

Janis smirks, shaking her head. “Caddy f*cking Heron. You’re such a lesbian.”

“Oh, I know. And so does she.” Cady stands up from the couch, sighing. “I’m gonna get ready for bed. Believe it or not, I’m wiped .”

“Oh, I’m sure ,” Janis cackles. She looks to Damian. “We need a new nickname for her.”

“Cougar Hunter?” Damian suggests.

Janis snaps her fingers. “ Yes! Caddy ‘Cougar Hunter’ Heron!”

“She’s not that old,” Cady huffs. “She’s 39.”

“Which is prime cougar age,” Damian points out.

“You two are insufferable,” Cady says with a laugh. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Cads.”

Cady collapses onto her bed, pulling out her phone. She’s got a text from Regina, sent only a few minutes after Cady had sent her last text.

Regina

Made it home. Hope they aren’t grilling you too much. And I hope you aren’t giving too much away.

Cady

I don’t kiss and tell, at least, not like that. They knew we had sex, because, well, what the hell else would we have been doing last night and all day? But aside from that, that’s all they know.

Cady

Well, Janis knows I’m a top, so she had a laugh about me topping someone I met on a sugar baby app, but nothing beyond that.

Regina

Good.

Regina

Sorry if that’s a little harsh. I’m not really open about my sex life with anyone.

Cady

No, I get it. I’m very limited in the details I share, and with who. My roommates talk about their own stuff openly with each other, so some stuff has come out before, but I haven’t shared much. And I don’t plan to.

Regina

Okay, good.

Regina

Can I say something crazy for a second?

Cady

Go for it.

Regina

My house feels so much more empty.

Cady

I miss you already too, which, yeah, does sound a little crazy, but at least we’re both kind of crazy! 🤪

Regina

Lol

Regina

At least we’re both hopeless.

Cady

Exactly!

Cady

I really have to go to bed soon, unfortunately. I have a meeting with my advisor early tomorrow morning.

Regina

Ew.

Cady

Yeah, basically 😅

Regina

Before you go to bed, I have a question, actually.

Cady

Go for it.

Regina

You know this weekend, when you were saying I needed permission to touch myself now?

Cady feels all of the heat in her body rush to her face, and then immediately to her core. She smirks at her phone as she replies.

Cady

Yes, princess, I do remember.

Regina

I was wondering if you were serious about that.

Regina

Because I’m okay with that, but, uh, I just wanted to know.

Regina

And if that is a rule, I was wondering if I could get permission to touch myself tonight.

Regina

Ma’am.

Cady

Well, if that dynamic is something you’re interested in, I’m more than happy to make that a part of it in-between sessions, princess.

Cady

You have permission to touch yourself tonight, princess, and permission to cum. Which you also explicitly need to ask for, and I won’t always give.

Cady

If you’re okay with that being a part of the dynamic too.

Regina

Definitely okay with it.

Regina

Thank you, Ma’am.

Regina

I’ll definitely be thinking about everything we did this weekend while I’m doing it.

Regina

And the promise of next weekend.

Cady

Oh, me too. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get the image of f*cking you unconscious out of my brain for a long time, princess.

Cady

Sleep well, whenever you do. 😘

Regina

Goodnight! ❤️

Cady plugs in her phone, looking up at the ceiling for a minute before laughing lightly. She slides a hand into her shorts, a grin on her face, knowing she’s not falling asleep anytime soon.

Chapter 3

Chapter Text

The following week somehow feels like it both lasts forever and flies by at the same time. Each day, Cady wakes up before Regina, sending her a pleasant good morning text before getting ready for her day. Regina usually wakes up while Cady is in the middle of her morning routine, and they text a little bit while they get ready. Regina heads to work at the same time every day, but Cady’s mornings vary a bit in their formal start time, with either classes to TA or meetings regarding her thesis with her advisor. Cady still gets to campus the same time every day, holing up in her absurdly tiny PhD student office in the physics building. She works on either her thesis or her homework for her actual classes during the mornings, just as she always had.

Now, she’s just a bit more distracted. They don’t sext while at work, but Regina updates her on ridiculous office drama at her work, most of which her employees assume she doesn’t know about. Somehow, she knows about all of it, which blows Cady’s mind a little, since she runs such a big company.

Cady also learns a lot about the types of things that go into running such a large company. Regina seems to be in endless meetings and in charge of making constant decisions, varying from minor issues to major, life altering situations for her employees and her customers. It’s a lot more than Cady feels like she could ever handle, and she has a lot of respect for Regina for being able to do it every day.

Despite the constant activity in Regina’s life, she makes a very pointed effort to check in with Cady and ask her questions about her own life. She makes sure Cady makes time for breakfast and coffee every day, and one morning, when Cady’s running late and isn’t able to, Regina tries to figure out how to get her some. Cady ends up meeting a DoorDash driver outside of the physics building with a Starbucks order after Regina tells her about it, much to Cady’s surprise. She’s not much of a Starbucks person, but she’s not going to say no to free coffee, so she certainly thanks Regina and sends a selfie of her with it. Regina seems really pleased, so Cady’s happy too.

It’s not just little things like breakfast. Regina asks questions about Cady’s classes and research, as well as the classes she TAs. Cady tells her about her office in the physics building and the other office in the library where her mass of books for her thesis is stored, as well as the Wright Lab and the space she has there. Her research isn’t quite ready for lab work yet, but she’s working in the lab with professors at least once a week, to get comfortable and familiar with the equipment for when it’s time for the trials of her research to start.

Regina asks plenty of questions, and lets Cady send long, rambly texts without complaint. Over the course of the week, Cady not only tells her about all of her places on campus, but also plenty of information about her peers and the faculty that constantly orbit around her. Regina learns all about her favorites, such as one of her fellow PhD students, Kevin G (not to be confused with Kevin M, who apparently has a well-known cocaine habit and is a sexist pig), who she considers to be her closest friend at Yale, and her favorite professor, Dr. Shea, who’s actually more focused on astrophysics than particle physics, but is one of the few female professors in the physics department and always looks out for the female PhD students. The only other female professor in the physics department is Dr. Mitchell, who Cady also loves, and is desperately trying to TA for in future semesters. She can’t stand Dr. Bridges, the braindead professor she TAs for right now. She’s not entirely sure how that man got a doctorate degree in physics, of all things. At least he’s not Dr. Baker (who she was a Teaching Assistant for last year), who insisted on calling Cady Callie all year. Cady only made it through the year by pretending that she was being called Callie Torres, her favorite Grey’s Anatomy character, which she considered an honor to be compared to, even if she knows that’s not what he meant in the slightest.

By far, the worst of them is her advisor, an extremely traditional Ivy League professor, Dr. Epperson. Dr. Epperson is the embodiment of the institution and everything wrong with it. He’s constantly doubting Cady’s research at every turn, and she has to fight tooth and nail for every single little thing. Cady’s convinced that if her research does actually take longer than her funding lasts and she starts having to pay more for tuition, it’s going to be because of him, not because of anything wrong with her research itself. He’s also Kevin G’s advisor, and he certainly doesn’t treat Kevin G that way, despite them both doing theses on different areas of chaos theory. Dr. Epperson is the bane of Cady’s existence, and she always leaves a meeting with him feeling way worse than when she entered.

When Regina finds out about Dr. Epperson, she’s ready to execute the man herself. Cady appreciates the sentiment, but she knows at the end of the day, this is her fight to win. If she can finish her PhD under Epperson (and she will, she’s far too stubborn to let some disgusting old man who can’t stand the idea of a woman who might be smarter than him), she can do anything she f*cking wants in academia. At least, now she knows she doesn’t have to worry about the financial aspect of it, if Epperson continues to be the worst bitch on the Earth.

Aside from texting each other about their lives, Cady finds herself busy with her regular schedule. She TAs for two lectures, meaning she has to attend a total of four sessions of Intro to Physics per week along with the two discussion sessions she runs. It’s set up the same way it is at most universities - huge lectures tend to have two lecture sessions a week for an hour, usually Mondays and Wednesdays, and then on Fridays, instead of an hour of lecture, Cady runs a class of around 30 students herself as a discussion section. She’s there to answer questions about the topics, provide guidance on assignments, and collect and grade said assignments for the 30 of the 150 students that are in the lecture in total. Since she has two discussion sections, she’s in charge of 60 total students, which honestly, is way too much, but it is what it is.

The rest of Mondays and Wednesdays are spent in the research lab or in one of her offices, working on her thesis. Tuesdays and Thursdays are for her actual PhD classes, and she tends to dedicate her free time on those days to just her homework, which often actually just involves working on parts of her thesis. She’s basically constantly got her nose in a book or in some lab equipment, but this week, she’s keeping an eye on her phone throughout her day.

Regina checks in on her regularly, making sure she’s eating and listening to Cady bitch about whatever bullsh*t the men surrounding her have said today. Cady listens to Regina’s complaints too, and they give each other encouraging words throughout the day.

Things get especially interesting, however, when Cady finally gets home each evening. Regina waits patiently for Cady to get home, and as soon as she does, Cady pretty much immediately shuts herself in her room and FaceTimes Regina. They briefly catch up on anything that might have happened since they last texted, but it very quickly turns horny. Cady orders Regina around over the call, making her strip and touch herself in very specific ways. Her favorite is when she denies Regina touching herself directly on Tuesday night, and instead, orders Regina to hump a pillow. Regina’s humiliated, but she absolutely does it, and she seems to love every second of it. Cady certainly does, and she enjoys it even more when she denies Regina’s request to cum.

Regina’s not genuinely upset or anything, but Cady does feel a little bad about the look on Regina’s face when Cady denies her. She makes it up to Regina when they go out to dinner on Wednesday night at Cody’s Diner in New Haven. It’s become a personal favorite of Cady’s since moving here. Regina’s never been, which isn’t exactly surprising. It’s tiny, cheap, and in an area of New Haven Regina would never go to on her own. It’s not even in one of the “bad” neighborhoods. It’s just not downtown, and Regina would only ever really go somewhere downtown. Still, she finds the food good, but she’s way more occupied with the company than she is the food. Cady flirts pretty openly throughout the meal, and teases Regina a bit under the table.

It escalates much more when Cady sends Regina a text mid-meal.

Cady

Go to the bathroom, remove your underwear, bring them back here, and give them to me.

Cady nudges Regina under the table. “Check your phone.”

Regina looks down at her phone, her face turning bright red as she reads the message. She looks up, eyes wide. Cady takes a sip of her milkshake, raising an eyebrow. “Go on, princess,” she says, whispering the last word.

Regina takes a deep breath, steadying herself and standing up from their booth. She brings her purse with her to the bathroom, and when she returns, she stuffs the purse next to her in the booth. She reaches in, grabbing the underwear, and doing her best to hand them discretely to Cady under the table.

Cady takes them with a smirk, tucking them into her own bag. “Good girl,” she whispers, and Regina flushes red again.

Cady continues the rest of the meal as if nothing happened. Regina never fully un-flusters, which is exactly Cady’s goal.

When they’re done with dinner, Cady gives Regina a passionate goodnight kiss in the parking lot, before sending her home, flustered and horny.

“Drive safe, but get home soon,” Cady tells her in a sultry voice, “so I can call you and watch you touch yourself for me.”

Regina whimpers. “Can’t we do it in my car?”

Cady smirks. “Regina George. Did you just ask me for a quickie in your car?”

Regina shifts. “Maybe. Look, I’m really horny, and-.”

“Shh,” Cady cuts her off. “I would love to, but if we do that, I’m going to get carried away, and we’re both going to be exhausted tomorrow. So, I’m telling you to go home, and then call me, and you’ll get to cum for me tonight.”

Regina whimpers again, but nods. “Okay.”

“Let’s try that again.”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“Good girl.” Cady leans up on her toes again, giving Regina a gentler kiss. “Drive safe, baby. I’ll talk to you soon.”

“See you soon,” Regina replies, before Cady turns and heads towards her own car.

Cady waits until Regina leaves the parking lot before heading out in her car herself, giving a flirty little wave to Regina as she drives by. It takes Cady a fraction of the time to get home than it does Regina, and she ends up dozing off while waiting for Regina to call her. She wakes up to her phone buzzing on her chest, and immediately answers. Regina tries to pivot and end the call once she realizes she woke Cady up, but Cady insists on doing the call.

It's totally worth it, when she sees the look on Regina’s face as she c*ms, crying out Cady’s name. Cady falls asleep after they hang up, a smug smile on her face and a deep sense of satisfaction within her.

Thursday night is different from the other nights in that Cady actually cuts her day a little short, but Regina has to actually wait a little longer than normal for Cady to get home. Cady’s got a few errands to run - preparations for the weekend, she tells Regina, mostly to get her more worked up while she waits, which ends up being a lot more consequential than Cady realizes.

When Cady finally does arrive home, she FaceTimes Regina right away, even as she moves about her room, packing her bag for the weekend. Regina answers, and immediately, Cady knows something is off. Regina’s face is bright red, and she’s catching her breath.

Either something very bad happened, or Cady just interrupted Regina touching herself. Without permission. And judging by the very guilty look on Regina's face, it's most likely the latter.

Still, Cady takes the cautious approach instead of the accusatory one. “Regina? Is everything okay?”

“Um…” Regina’s eyes drop, unable to look directly at Cady. “I, um…”

“Regina,” Cady says in a much more stern voice, “either something bad happened, or you were breaking a rule. I need you to tell me, so I can respond accordingly.”

“I broke a rule, Ma’am,” Regina says very quietly.

Immediately, Domme Cady mode is on. “Speak up.”

“I broke a rule, Ma’am,” Regina repeats, louder.

“Which rule?”

“I… well, technically, I wasn't touching myself,” Regina begins, which earns her a very stern look from Cady.

“I don't appreciate technicalities. What were you doing when I called?”

Regina swallows. “I was humping a pillow.”

Cady stares at Regina for a moment, contemplating how she wants to take this. She really wasn’t expecting the first ever punishment to be over the damn phone, but she can still work with it. “Let me see the pillow.”

Regina shifts, clearly lifting herself up off of it. Cady keeps as neutral a face as possible as Regina tilts the camera down and shows the large arousal stain on the pillow.

“Did you cum?”

“No, Ma’am,” Regina says immediately, tilting the phone back up to show herself again. “I got close, but…”

“But what?”

“But that's when you called.”

Cady narrows her eyes slightly. “Would you have cum if I hadn't called when I did?”

Regina swallows. “Probably. I know I'm not supposed to. I couldn't help myself. I haven't been able to stop thinking about you all day, and what we did last night, and-.”

“I don't want to hear excuses,” Cady says sternly. “You broke a rule. A very important one, at that. You nearly broke a second rule, which, this time, I will not give you an additional punishment for, but I want you to be very aware that I will not always be so merciful.”

Regina lowers her eyes. “Yes, Ma’am.”

“I am in the middle of getting my bag ready for the weekend,” Cady tells her. “You are going to go get your laptop and your charger, plug it in, and FaceTime me from that instead of your phone. You’re only going to hang up from your phone when you're ready to call me on your laptop. Understood?”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“Go on.”

Cady continues to pack her bag, pointedly remaining as neutral as possible, while Regina follows the instructions. Regina informs her when she’s about to hang up, and Cady hovers at her phone, waiting for the new call to come through. It does, and sure enough, Regina’s on her laptop now.

“You’re going to get your old gear and lay it out on the bed, within reach if you're sitting in the middle, by the headboard,” Cady instructs her. “That's the cuffs, the linking chain, the gag, and the nipple clamps. You'll be using all of them tonight. You do not have to use the locks. You will then go sit, leaning against the headboard, in the middle of the bed. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“Go on.”

Cady was planning on showing off the strap tonight, but now, she just slips it into her bag without letting it appear on screen as she packs. She watches carefully as Regina sets everything up, and when she's sitting with the laptop in her lap, Cady finally speaks again.

“Put the laptop down on the bed, far enough away where I can see your puss* if you spread your legs.”

Regina follows the instructions, testing to make sure the camera angle works. When she goes to close her legs again, Cady cuts her off with a sharp, “Nope. Legs stay open until I tell you otherwise.”

Regina spreads them open again, swallowing before Cady gives her the next instructions.

“Put the cuffs on first, but do not link them together yet. Then the gag, then the clamps. When everything is on, put your hands behind your back and clip the cuffs together. Understood?”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

Cady pauses her packing to watch Regina carefully as she gears herself up. Regina catches Cady watching her, and seemingly gets more nervous. Cady says nothing, continuing to watch, until Regina’s arms are clipped behind her back.

“You may lean against the headboard and adjust so you are in a comfortable position, however, your arms are to remain behind your back, and once you are settled into a comfortable position, your legs are to remain open. You will then wait quietly until I am done and ready to deal with you. Do you understand?”

Regina nods, drool already dribbling out of her mouth from the gag. She adjusts, and only once she's settled and her legs are fully opened again, does Cady speak once more.

“Open them wider. Until your hips are slightly strained, but only slightly.”

Regina obeys, groaning lightly when she hits the strained spot.

“First, since I cannot see or feel you tap, and you're gagged, we’re going to translate the tapping system into grunts. You can grunt one, two, or three times, and I will treat them as I would taps or the stoplight words. Do you understand?”

Regina responds with a single grunt and a nod, so Cady continues.

“This is what we call a stress position. All things considered, it is a very mild one. I am a fan of using stress positions in punishments. They're intended to cause discomfort and mild pain to certain areas of your body over a prolonged period of time. I want to make it clear, if any stress position is ever too much on your back, grunt two times, or, whatever version of the system we’re actively using, and we will stop and adjust. I will never punish you for needing to adjust because of your back. Do you understand?”

Another grunt and nod.

“You will remain in this position until your punishment is through. If your legs close at all, you will have to open them wider, and for longer. You will not try to dodge or deal with any of the drool coming from your gag. You will not move unless absolutely necessary, and if so, you will need to alert me to an absolute need to adjust beforehand with two grunts. Do you understand?”

Regina nods once more, grunting once again.

“Good. Wait.” Cady finally begins packing again, carrying her phone around with her as she does. She's pretty much nearly done with her packing at this point, but she pretends to take a little longer, purposefully extending the waiting period. She also begins her nighttime routine, heading to the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face. Regina waits quietly the entire time, watching Cady on her laptop screen in nervous anticipation.

When Cady returns to her bedroom and switches the lights to the softer lighting near her bed, as opposed to the overhead light, she finally strips out of her clothes on camera. She gets into bed naked, propping her phone up against her pillows and facing her headboard. It's helping to give the illusion that they're actually facing each other, even minutely.

“Your punishment is as follows: you are not to touch yourself tonight or at all tomorrow. The next person who will touch your puss* is me, tomorrow evening. You will not use your fingers or anything else, including any pillows.” She gives Regina a very pointed look. “And for the record, that is explicitly part of it going forward. Do you understand?”

Regina nods and grunts once.

“The second part of your punishment,” Cady says, leaning back on one hand, groping one of her own breasts with the other hand, “is that you’re going to sit there and watch me do all the things you can't do. You're not going to whine, or complain, or shut your legs at all. You're going to watch and wait until I've cum as many times as I want, and then, and only after I've given the word, are you going to remove the gear from yourself. Do you understand?”

Regina grunts and nods once again.

Cady catches a nipple between her fingers, and moans. She tilts her head back, rubbing it until it's nice and hard. She then switches to the other nipple, switching the arm holding herself up as well. She drops her head back down, making eye contact with Regina through the phone.

“If we were in the same place,” Cady tells her, voice breathy as she continues to rub her nipple, “trust me when I say your mouth would be making it up to me instead.”

Regina whimpers, and Cady grins. It's the exact kind of worked-up reaction she's looking for. She switches arms again, but instead of rubbing her nipples, she immediately brings her hand down to her puss*. She makes sure the camera’s getting it all, and Regina can see her playing with her puss* lips, clear as day.

“Although,” Cady continues, her voice even breathier as she rubs her own puss* lips, not yet breaching entry, “getting to eat me out is a privilege. You have to be a good girl to get to do that. You haven't been a very good girl today, have you?”

Regina whimpers again, shaking her head, dropping her eyes slightly.

“Eyes on me,” Cady orders, continuing to rub herself. “No looking away.”

Regina’s eyes shoot back up immediately. It's not quite eye contact, because she's not looking directly into the camera, but it's very clear her eyes are on the screen, and realistically, that's what Cady is looking for right now.

“You’ve been a very naughty girl today,” Cady says, picking up her pace a little. “Naughty girls have to see, but not touch. In the future, if you're lucky after a punishment like this,” she finally dips her own fingers inside her, letting out a moan, “I’ll rub my cum all over your face with my fingers when I'm done. It's almost like-,” she gasps, “-almost like you did it yourself.”

Regina whimpers again as Cady picks up the pace, pumping her fingers inside her. She closes her eyes slightly, moaning as she thrusts her hips into her hand.

“f*ck,” Cady moans again, opening her eyes and looking at Regina. “f*ck.”

Regina’s eyes are wide, and her breathing is also clearly a little labored. Cady watches her force her legs open a little bit more, which makes Cady smirk.

“Good girl,” Cady mutters, voice breathy and light. She starts grinding against her own hand, picking up the pace more, rapidly building to org*sm. She could draw this out, but, frankly, she's pretty tired, and she doesn't want to keep Regina in a stress position for too long. Especially when she can't physically be there in the aftermath.

Cady has to bite down on her lip to not scream her way through her org*sm, knowing damn well that while her bedroom is on the opposite side of the apartment from her roommates’, that they would be able to hear. She sputters and moans, her whole body twitching as she flows right from one org*sm to the next. She does her best to keep her eyes on Regina, but when the third org*sm hits, she throws her head back and screws her eyes shut, forcing herself to repress an absurdly loud moan.

After the third org*sm, Cady slows her hand until it stops entirely, pulling it out and briefly collapsing onto her back. She only stays there for a few moments, before forcing herself to crawl back up to her pillows and pick up her phone. She makes a point to make eye contact (or, the best approximation of eye contact through a video call) with Regina as she sucks the cum off her own fingers one at a time, making Regina moan into her gag.

Cady smiles when she’s done cleaning herself up. “You did so good, princess. You can take off the gear now.”

It takes Regina a moment to process Cady’s words, but she unclips her cuffs and slowly begins to ungear. She makes the mistake of taking off the gag before she takes off the clamps, and cries out in pain as her nipples are freed from their prisons.

“Easy, baby,” Cady murmurs.

Regina screws her eyes shut, gently holding her own breasts for a few moments, trying to soothe them somehow. Cady notices the look on Regina’s face looks more genuinely upset than she did last weekend, and a wave of worry rushes over Cady.

“Regina?” Cady asks softly. “Baby, talk to me.”

“I'm sorry,” Regina says quietly, her eyes still shut. “I really wasn't thinking, and I-.”

“Baby,” Cady cuts her off, “it's okay. You broke a rule, and you took your punishment really well. It happens. I'm not genuinely mad or upset or anything, I promise you.”

“You aren't?”

“Of course not.” Cady frowns, laying down on her pillow and looking at Regina, her eyes searching frantically. “I shouldn't have done the first punishment when I couldn't be there for aftercare. That was really irresponsible of me. I'm sorry.”

“It's not your fault,” Regina says. “I'm the one who broke the rule.”

“Baby,” Cady says softly, feeling frustrated by the inability to hold Regina in her arms, “that may be the case, but I had a choice. I could have waited until tomorrow for the punishment, which would have been the responsible thing to do, or I could have done it now. I made the wrong choice. I don't want you to be upset about this. That's not what all of this is for.”

“I'm sorry,” Regina mutters, and Cady can see tears in her eyes. “I can't even do this right.”

f*ck, Cady thinks. Sub drop. God f*cking dammit. She really screwed this one up, didn't she?

“Regina,” Cady says softly, but with a firm tone, “Regina, look at me.”

Regina looks at the screen, wiping her eyes.

“You did great. You took the punishment really well, but it's over. You did it. I'm very proud of you. I'm not upset, I'm not angry, you aren't in any sort of prolonged trouble. You did good. It's okay. You're okay. We’re okay.”

“You sure?”

“Absolutely positive.” Cady gives Regina a sad look. She's so mad with herself for f*cking this up so badly. She should have just waited until tomorrow to punish Regina. She needs to do what she can to make this right in the moment, and put a lot of extra effort in tomorrow to make up for the rest.

“Baby, I've got some things I want you to do, but they aren't orders, okay?”

Regina nods. “Okay.”

“I want you to hang up on your laptop and call me from your phone again. Can you do that for me?”

“FaceTime?”

“Yes, baby. FaceTime me from your phone.”

Regina nods, disconnecting the call from her laptop. A few moments later, Cady’s phone rings again, and when she answers, her screen is full of a much closer shot of Regina’s face.

“Hi, baby,” Cady says softly, giving a very gentle smile.

“Hi,” Regina replies, but she still sounds hurt. Cady internally berates herself again, but keeps going.

“Do you have some water near you?”

Regina nods, grabbing her water bottle from her bedside table.

“Can you drink some for me, please?”

Regina nods again, drinking some water. Her shoulders relax just a little as she drinks, as Cady scrambles in her brain to figure out what to do next.

When Regina’s had enough water, she puts it back down.

“Now, baby, I want you to go grab the fluffiest, softest blanket you have. Whatever one's your absolute favorite.”

Regina walks around the house a bit, getting a blanket from her living room, and coming back up to the bedroom. Cady spots a glimpse of the gear still laid out on the bed, so she has Regina put all of that back in the drawer. She doesn't want Regina looking at any visible reminders of the punishment.

“Now, I want you to get as cozy as possible,” Cady tells her. “If you can, plug in your phone, but prop it up on a pillow or something. If it's okay with you, I'd like to fall asleep on call together tonight.”

Regina nods softly. “I’d really like that too.”

Cady gives another gentle smile. “Of course, princess. Get nice and comfy, and I'll get really comfy too, okay? If you want, you should grab a pillow or a stuffed animal or something and hug it.”

“I don't own any stuffed animals.”

“A pillow works,” Cady assures her, “anything you can just wrap your arms around and hold.”

Regina settles into bed, wrapping herself up in her favorite blanket and holding the pillow that Cady used last weekend. Cady can tell it's that one (it's the only other normal looking pillow on Regina’s massively large bed), which makes her heart swell a bit. She makes a mental note to herself to “accidentally” leave the hoodie she's planning to wear to work tomorrow at Regina’s tomorrow evening. Something like that would be really useful right now.

Once Regina’s fully settled, and Cady is too, Cady smiles very softly at Regina. “How’re you feeling, princess?”

“A little better,” Regina says quietly. “I wish you were here.”

Cady feels her heart shatter. Damn, damn, damn. She really messed this up. “I wish I was too, baby. I'm not going to stay late tomorrow. I'm heading up as soon as the last class I have to teach is over. I might get there before you get home from work, but I don't mind waiting.”

“That’ll be nice,” Regina says. “I can leave you a hidden key.”

Cady smiles. “That sounds like a good idea.”

Regina presses her face against the pillow in her arms, and Cady watches her softly. Her heart still hurts, because clearly, Regina’s still experiencing some subdrop.

“Is there anything else I can do to help you feel better, princess?”

Regina thinks about this for a minute. Eventually, she looks away from the phone. “It sounds silly.”

“I promise you, I will not judge,” Cady says. “And I promise you, if it's going to help, then it's not silly.”

“Can you tell me a story or something? I don't know. I just want to hear your voice.”

Cady smiles softly. “That's not silly at all. Of course I can.” She thinks for a long moment, before deciding on a story from her childhood. She tells Regina about the time she helped nurse a baby giraffe while vets worked to save his momma. It's a sweet story, and Cady describes the adorable, knobbly kneed baby giraffe so cutely that it brings a big smile to Regina’s face. It's a good story, one that ends in healthy, long lives for both the mom and the baby, and it seems to put Regina in a better mood.

“That’s so adorable,” Regina tells her, “and so cool. You're so cool. You did that when you were a kid.”

Cady smiles. “It was pretty cool. I'm really glad I got to do things like that.”

“Do you have any more cute baby animal stories?”

“I sure do, princess.” Cady begins to tell the story of the first baby elephant she met, when she was barely older than a toddler. She realizes partway through the story that Regina has actually fallen asleep listening to her talk, which brings a smile to Cady’s face.

Cady props her phone up, curling up next to it to face it. “Goodnight, princess,” she whispers softly. “Sweet dreams.”

Cady's alarm goes off first, and luckily, it doesn't play the noise over the call. Cady turns off the alarm to find Regina still sleeping peacefully, curled up in the same exact position she fell asleep in. Cady disconnects the call and sends Regina a sweet text.

Cady

Good morning, princess ❤️ I hope you slept well. Text me when you wake up. I can't wait to see you later 😘

Cady goes about getting ready for her day. She double checks her bags, before bringing everything out to the car. Her roommates already know they won't be seeing her till Sunday afternoon, so she doesn't need to worry about checking in with them at all. It's not until she's in the coffee line at the cafe she likes at school when she gets a text from Regina.

Regina

Good morning ❤️ I did sleep well, thank you. I hope you did too.

Cady

I did 🙂 I liked waking up to seeing your face. You’re really cute when you’re asleep.

Cady

Well, you're always pretty cute, but you get my point.

Regina

You're too sweet. I wish I'd been able to see the same with you.

Cady

I wish I didn't have to get up at the crack of dawn either haha

Cady

How’re you feeling today, princess?

It's the first time Cady's busted out the pet name while she's on campus, but she needs to check in about last night, and she needs to make sure it's clear that's what she's checking in about. She watches as Regina begins and stops typing several times in a row, which makes Cady grow more and more anxious.

Regina

Better than last night, but still not great. I was actually thinking about calling out of work today, because I really just want to lay in bed. I wasn't going to tell you until you got here. I don't want to worry you while you're at school.

Cady

I'm so sorry, princess. I shouldn't have done things the way I did last night. I hate the fact I can't be with you right now.

Cady

And for the record, I really, really, really want you to tell me these things. School or not, I need to know these things.

Regina

You're not responsible for how I feel, Cady.

Cady

Well, in this case, I kind of am though. When you submit to me, you're trusting me to take care of you. When I do a good job, you feel good. When I do a bad job, you feel hurt, and that is on me.

Cady

I wish it was anything other than a Friday. If I didn't have discussion sections to TA today, I'd be calling out and going up there right now.

Regina

I’m glad it's Friday, actually. Because then when you do get here, you get to stay all weekend.

Cady

That's a good point.

Cady

My last discussion section today ends at about 3. If I can swing it to get them out early, I will. They're mostly college freshmen and sophom*ores. They'll be thrilled to get out early on a Friday afternoon.

Regina

I hope it works out.

Regina

I do think I'm going to call out today.

Cady

Do what you need to do to take care of yourself, baby. I promise I'm not going to let anything like this happen again. We’ll cuddle lots when I get there tonight and talk and everything will be alright.

Regina

I know. I don't want you to beat yourself up over this either, you know. You thought you were doing it right in the moment.

Cady

I did. Still, I am sorry.

Cady

sh*t, I'm late for f*cking Epperson. I'll text you when I can, okay?

Regina

Ew. Light him on fire.

Cady

😝 God I wish

Cady

Take it easy, princess. I'll talk to you soon.

Cady

❤️😘

Regina

❤️😘

Cady’s day goes by agonizingly slowly. Epperson is a dick, because he always is, and Cady just lets him chew her out for being late. This week’s content in the introductory physics course is difficult enough that both discussion sessions have enough questions that make them last the entire time. She has to offer extra office hours next week when people still have questions when class is over, which she knows is going to be a pain in the ass later. It seems like she can't escape the consequences of her own actions, even when they have nothing to do with work.

She rushes off to her car as soon as class is over. Regina’s been texting her on and off all day, taking some naps here and there. Cady shoots her a text as she gets into her car.

Cady

Leaving campus now! GPS says it's going to take me about 50 minutes with traffic. I'll see you soon! ❤️😘

Regina

Yay! See you soon. ❤️😘

When Cady pulls up to Regina’s mansion again, she's been running through exactly what she's going to do and what she's going to say for the last fifty minutes. As she pulls into the drive, one of the garage doors begins opening. Cady cautiously pulls inside, to find Regina leaning against the door to the house, robe wrapped tight around her, hair up in a messy bun. Cady gets out of the car and walks straight over to her, giving her a big, bone-crushing hug. Regina melts into it, burying her face into Cady’s shoulder immediately. Cady holds her like that for a few minutes, before stroking her hair gently and speaking again.

“Let me get my bags, and let’s go inside, princess. Then we can cuddle properly on the couch or in the bed or wherever you want.”

“Okay,” Regina nods, pulling back. “Can I help you bring anything in?”

“I've got it all for now, baby, but thank you,” Cady says. “I’ve got something else in there, but I don't want to take it out until later, once we’ve sorted everything out.”

“What is it?”

“Something fun for this weekend,” Cady tells her as she opens her back seat and takes out the three bags she brought with her. “But I don't want us to focus on that until we’ve figured all this out.”

Regina nods, looking at the three bags Cady is now carrying. Two are backpacks, one slung over each shoulder, and one is her big purse. “What's all that?”

“Purse has all my school stuff so I can grade assignments at some point. One backpack has clothes and stuff for the weekend, and the other,” she shrugs the shoulder the other backpack is on, “is the strap.”

“Oh. I'm glad you still brought that.”

“Of course. We're gonna figure everything out tonight, and then we’re still going to have fun this weekend. As long as that's what you still want to do.”

Regina smiles and nods. “It definitely is.”

Cady smiles back, closing her car door and locking it. “Alright, princess. Let's head inside.”

Regina has Cady put her bags down in the living room, and then they immediately get situated on the couch. It's a sectional, so Cady sits in the corner, legs extended on the runner. Regina sits in her lap, curled up with her head tucked against Cady’s shoulder and neck. Cady holds her close, wrapping her arms tightly around Regina and rubbing her back carefully.

Regina takes a deep, shaky breath, breathing in Cady’s scent. Cady presses a kiss to the top of Regina’s head, soft and gentle.

“I’m sorry I'm like this,” Regina says quietly.

“You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for, baby. I'm the one who's sorry.”

“I broke a rule and couldn't handle it. It's my fault.”

“No,” Cady insists, “it's not.” Her shoulders slump, and she takes a deep breath. “I thought that because we’d discussed punishments before, it would work and be okay. But I was wrong. I absolutely shouldn't have done that for the first time. You need physical aftercare, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. We hadn't discussed any punishments other than spankings before. I shouldn't have assumed that would work.”

Regina just sort of hums softly. She presses her forehead against Cady's neck. Cady keeps rubbing Regina’s back, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.

“We need to lay out more specific parameters,” Cady says. “It's what I should have done in the first place. Kink is supposed to be fun. If you're not having fun, I'm not having fun.”

“I guess I'm just scared that I'm going to react like this even if a punishment is in person,” Regina admits. “I don't know if I can do this.”

“That's a reasonable worry. From what I know about you, and what we’ve done together already, I don't think it'll be the case, though. You respond really well to physical aftercare. What I'm doing right now, this should have been what happened last night. I should have been holding you and soothing you and telling you that you did a good job, because you did.” Cady takes a deep breath, remembering something. “Are you familiar with the term subdrop?”

“No, I don't think so.”

“It's when a sub gets really upset after a scene. It happens from time to time, and it's usually indicative of improper aftercare.” Cady sighs. “That's a really simplified version of it, but I think that's what’s happening right now.”

“How do we fix it?” Regina asks. “I don't want to feel like this. I already feel like I'm wasting this weekend.”

“Okay, first off, you're definitely not wasting anything,” Cady tells her. “I don't think it's possible for us to be having sex the whole weekend. I’m genuinely very happy to be spending any time with you in my arms, regardless of the context, okay?” She presses another kiss to Regina’s head.

Regina relaxes a bit more as Cady kisses her. “Okay,” she says quietly.

“Secondly, this is how we fix it. We’re going to sit here, and cuddle, and talk about how we want things to go moving forward. And then I'm going to keep holding you and helping you feel better, however I can. Maybe it's a little massage or brushing your hair or maybe it's just a thousand little kisses,” Cady smiles softly, “whatever works.”

Regina looks up at her and smiles. “You're so sweet.”

“It's my job to take care of you,” Cady reminds her, “and I take that very seriously. Whatever you need, I'm here.”

Regina presses her forehead against Cady’s neck again, sighing. She's quiet for a long moment, and then says, “No more virtual punishments.”

“No more virtual punishments,” Cady agrees. “Besides what happened last night, how do you feel about the rule of asking for permission to touch yourself and to cum? If that's not something you want to be a part of this anymore, that's okay. I won't be mad.”

“I liked that part of it,” Regina insists. “I just… I think we need clearer rules around what happens if I break the rules. When I break the rules. Because it's probably going to happen again.”

Cady laughs lightly. “Probably. In a way, those rules are made to be broken from time to time.” She squeezes Regina lightly. “I know there's some brat in there, even if there wasn't much of it last weekend.”

Regina chuckles. “Yeah, there is.”

“I’m going to suggest a way I think it could work, and you tell me what you think after, alright?”

“Okay.”

“So, let's say you break the rule again. You couldn't wait and touched yourself without permission. And yes,” Cady smirks, “humping something does count.”

Regina squirms in her arms a bit.

“Shh, it's okay,” Cady whispers, holding Regina close. “So, the important thing is that you tell me when you've broken a rule. I won't be genuinely mad or upset or anything like that. I may tease you a bit, I may get a little stern, but I swear to you, I am never genuinely upset about that, okay?”

Regina nods. “Okay.”

“If anything, the idea of you breaking the rule sometimes is as exciting to me as having the rule at all,” Cady tells her. “Because, when it's done right, punishment is very fun for me as well.”

Regina laughs. “You don't say.”

Cady smirks in return, but continues. “After some comment on it, the most that'll happen is me making a note of it for the weekend, or whenever the next time we’re seeing each other in person is. I don't want to assume you're free every weekend.”

“I pretty much am,” Regina shrugs. “All I ever do is go to work and come home.”

“Me too,” Cady tells her. “I like the idea of spending my weekends with you, though.”

Regina smiles, snuggling in closer. “Me too.”

Cady adjusts her grip, placing her chin on the top of Regina’s head. “Whatever the punishment is, I think it should be set. I'm inclined to lean towards spanking, but that obviously depends on if that first time goes well or not.”

“Can we still try that this weekend? At some point?”

“We definitely can,” Cady promises. “Just probably not tonight. Or, at least until we’re absolutely certain you're out of subdrop.”

“I'm almost wondering if it'll help.”

Cady lifts her chin off Regina’s head and gives her a look. “What?”

Regina shifts a bit. “I was doing some of my own research. Before yesterday. And I was reading about how for some people, it's a very physical release of emotions. It gets a lot of pent up stuff out.”

“That's true, but I don't want to risk it going bad and making things worse.”

Regina shrugs. “It’s just an idea. We don't have to do it tonight or anything.”

“We’ll see as the night goes,” Cady tells her. “But we will at some point this weekend.”

“Yay,” Regina says quietly, nuzzling more into her neck.

Cady smiles softly, placing a kiss to the top of Regina’s head. “You're so adorable and snuggly.”

“You're fun to cuddle.”

Cady presses another kiss. “I'm glad. I do want to finish the plan, though, if that's okay.”

“Of course.”

“Right, so, it's a set punishment. We can tentatively say spanking. I think there should be a set number of hits for touching yourself, and a set number for cumming, both without permission, obviously. I also think, and this might be getting a bit ahead of myself, but if there are multiple violations in one week, I think there should be escalating consequences for that too.”

“Like what?”

“Like using things other than my hand to spank you.”

A chill runs down Regina’s spine, making her shudder in Cady's arms.

Cady frowns. “Was that too much? I'm sorry.”

“No, no, not at all,” Regina insists immediately. “It's really exciting to me, actually.”

Cady laughs. “Not the answer I was expecting, but I'll take it.”

“...Can I tell you about a fantasy I've had for a really long time?”

“Of course. I'd love to hear it.”

Regina takes a deep breath. “There's always been something so hot to me about… being spanked with a belt. Like, it's a rougher fantasy. It's changed a bit over the years, but, it's like… I get shoved down onto the bed on my back, and the other person stands over me and unbuckles their belt very dramatically. They're wearing jeans, too, that's always part of it. Something about unbuckling a belt with jeans is really hot to me. I don't know.”

Cady rubs Regina’s back. “You don't have to justify it. Keep going.”

“Right. Um, well, then they flip me over, and spank me with the belt.” Regina squirms a bit in Cady's lap, but Cady holds her firm. “Sometimes they have to hold me down while they do it, because I'm trying to get away, and they're just going to town on my ass with it. Sometimes, um, sometimes they f*ck me from behind first. Sometimes after. Hard and fast. I really like that.”

“Good to know,” Cady smirks. “Sounds like bending you over the desk last weekend was a good move, huh?”

“You have no idea,” Regina sighs. “When you suggested that, I thought I was going to die on the spot.”

“There's certainly more where that came from,” Cady tells her. “Thank you for telling me about the belt fantasy. That's definitely something we can build up to in the future.” Cady keeps rubbing Regina’s back. “I didn't realize you liked it that rough.”

Regina nods sheepishly. “I like the soft stuff too, but… I like being yanked and thrown around and stuff. I guess, quite literally, being dominated.”

Cady laughs. “Such a sub. Well, that's good to know. Some of the packages came in, right?”

Regina nods. “They're all upstairs in the bedroom.”

“Can't wait to open them together and see what fun we have in store for this weekend,” Cady says. “I think the harness was supposed to come in by now, which is one of the things I'm most excited for.”

“Me too,” Regina admits. “The idea of you throwing me around in it is, um, well, it's what led me to breaking the rule yesterday.”

Cady smirks. “Don’t you worry, princess. There's going to be plenty of that.” She kisses Regina’s head again. “Speaking of, how're you feeling?”

“A lot better,” Regina tells her, squirming a bit in her arms. “I don't really feel that sad anymore. I’m mostly feeling…”

“...horny?” Cady asks, filling in when Regina's voice trails off.

“How'd you know?”

“You're leaving a wet spot on my thigh.”

Regina’s eyes go wide, and she tries to scramble out of Cady's lap, repeating apologies over and over. Cady was prepared for this sort of reaction, and immediately holds Regina firmly, pulling her closer and not letting her squirm away.

“Shhh, princess, it's okay, relax” Cady tells her. “You’re not getting out of my lap,” she says as Regina continues to squirm. “Just settle down. It's okay. It's hot. Trust me, it’s hot.”

“But your pants…”

“They're Old Navy jeans,” Cady laughs. “They'll wash out.”

“Oh.” Finally, Regina relaxes, sheepishly trying to cross her legs in Cady’s lap.

Cady takes one hand and pushes the legs back to their original position. “No, no. None of that. Just relax in my lap, princess. We’ve got a long weekend ahead of us. Relax, and let me take care of you, okay?”

Regina whimpers and nods, and Cady smiles.

“That’s it. Good girl,” Cady praises. Her hand finds the belt of the robe Regina’s wearing. “Can I take this off, princess?”

“It's not very sexy underneath,” Regina warns her.

Cady shakes her head, planting a kiss on Regina’s lips. “Everything about you is sexy, princess. I promise you that.”

Regina blushes, and then nods sheepishly. Cady undoes the knot of the robe belt with one hand, and then pushes the robe off of Regina’s shoulders with the other. Regina’s wearing a simple tank top and sleep shorts beneath the robe.

Cady looks down at the sleep shorts, a smile creeping across her face. “Will you look at that. A big wet stain on your shorts. You've been leaking for a little while, haven't you, princess?”

Regina nods sheepishly. “Since we started talking about the belt. I, um, I know we aren't doing that tonight, but I saw you were wearing jeans and a belt when you came in, and… I started envisioning you when I was describing it.”

“Good girl,” Cady murmurs, cupping Regina’s puss* over the shorts and getting a moan from her. “Good to know all I need to wear to get you worked up is jeans and a belt.”

“Um…” Regina replies, unable to form a coherent thought with the way Cady is holding her puss*.

“Do you want me to f*ck you right now, princess?” Cady asks. “Sitting in my lap like this?”

Regina nods hesitantly. “I do. But not like this.”

“How would you like me to f*ck you, princess?”

“...with the strap poking out of your jeans?”

Cady looks at her for a moment, and then lets out a little laugh. “You would have a clothes fetish. I wasn't expecting denim, but sure. Come on, princess. Let's do this upstairs.” Cady pauses, trailing a hand along the side of Regina’s face. “Would you be opposed to opening the gear first, seeing if we can find the harness? I won't put you in anything else this time. Just the harness for now.”

Regina nods eagerly. “Yes, let's do that. Please. Ma’am,” she hastily tacks on.

Cady chuckles again. “Good girl. Come on, let's go up.”

Cady brings her three bags upstairs as Regina grabs all the packages from the stack in the bedroom and sets them on the bed. Once everything’s set aside, Cady walks up to Regina, putting her hands on the bottom of the tank top.

“Can I take this off you, princess?”

Regina nods, holding up her arms so Cady can pull it off. She moves to take off her shorts when Cady’s done, but a hand from Cady stops her.

“Not yet, princess. I want to see just how soaked we can get those.”

Regina whimpers, but she pulls her hand back.

“Are you wearing any underwear beneath them?” Cady asks.

Regina shakes her head. “No, Ma’am. I usually only wear underwear if I'm going out.”

Cady smiles. “Very good to know.” She thinks for a moment, before remembering something. She grabs a pillow off the bed, the same kneeling pillow as last week, and puts it on the floor. “Wait here, princess. I think it's time I get the extra surprise from the car.”

Regina kneels on the pillow, looking up at Cady with wide eyes. “What is it, Ma’am?”

Cady cups Regina’s cheek and pats it lightly. “You’ll see in just a minute.”

Cady moves quickly, heading down to her car and removing the surprise from the trunk. She brings it up, and as soon as she enters the bedroom, she finds Regina in the same exact spot she left her.

Regina’s eyes go wide. “What is that?”

In Cady's arms is a large, oversized pillow. It's light pink and fluffy, and has the word Princess embroidered into it.

“Technically,” Cady begins, placing it down directly next to where Regina is kneeling, “it’s a big dog bed. Which, I know. I didn't go seeking it out. I found it at TJ Maxx. I tested it out, and it's very comfortable to kneel or sit on. I figured it would be a lot better than those little pillows. And,” she smirks, “it does say Princess on it. How could I have just left it?”

Regina stares at it for a long moment, and then crawls onto it. She sits up, kneeling, looking up at Cady with a bit of a sour look on her face. “It is more comfortable,” Regina begrudgingly admits.

Cady smiles, grabbing the other pillow and tossing it back onto the bed. She cups Regina’s cheek with one hand, and scratches at her scalp with the other. “I promise, no more things that are made specifically for dogs. This was the only time, okay?”

Regina can't help but melt into the head scratches. Immediately, her conflicted feelings fade away. “Okay.”

“I take very good care of my toys, remember?” Cady tells her. “And, well, I think we both really liked you sitting at my feet while I graded last weekend, did we not?”

Regina nods. “I liked it. I liked it a lot.”

“Good girl. Unfortunately, midterms are coming up in a few weeks. Which means I'm going to have to work on my own stuff on the weekends, and I'm going to have a lot more to grade than usual. Obviously, you don't have to kneel there the entire time if it takes me, like, all day, but I wanted to make sure you had a comfortable option. It's big enough so you could lay down and take a nap if you wanted.”

Regina looks down at it. “It is. I kind of like the sound of that.”

“We’ll figure it out as it comes up. I will have some grading this weekend, but probably about the same length of time as last weekend. Maybe a little longer, depending on the difficulty of the assignment.”

Regina nods. “Okay. I don't mind.”

“Good girl,” Cady praises. She pulls her hands away from Regina, heading back over to the packages on the bed. She pulls out her keys, opening each package with them one by one, but she doesn't pull out the contents yet. She peeks inside, and then arranges them on the bed in an order that Regina can't see from her position.

Once everything's been opened, Cady begins to pull out the gear one by one and show it off to Regina. They’ve gotten a total of five packages, some of which contain multiple items. The first is a package with a black leather blindfold and a few different gags: an open mouth ring gag, a small co*ck gag, and an inflatable butterfly gag. Regina shifts on her knees when she sees that one, which Cady teases her for being excited about it. Regina blushes a bright red, but Cady continues on.

The next package only has one thing: a spreader bar. This thin metal bar comes with cuffs attached so Cady can keep Regina’s legs forced apart during a scene.

The third is all rope, mostly hot pink and purple, with a smaller bundle of black. There's also a pair of bondage shears in there, designed with safety in mind to easily cut the rope if needed.

The fourth package is one that has Cady very excited: leather bondage mitts. These can be locked on Regina’s hands to deny her any use of her hands or fingers, making her entirely reliant on Cady for the most basic of tasks while they're on. They've been a personal favorite of Cady’s for a long time, at least, conceptually, as she's never had the money to get a real pair before.

The last package is the thing Regina’s been waiting for: the body harness. It’s made of sleek black leather, straps joined together with metal rings connecting them. As soon as Cady pulls it all out, she brings it right over to Regina, crouching down to put it on her.

It takes them a few minutes to figure it out together, but soon, Regina’s wearing the harness. There's a thick leather strap that comes up between her boobs, meeting an O ring in the center of her collarbones. From this ring, two more straps go up and over her shoulders at an angle, before they come back down over her back straight down. These straps are connected by O rings to the main strap that goes completely around Regina's torso, just below her boobs, and is by far the thickest strap on the harness. This strap is technically two, that meet the O ring at the bottom of the strap between Regina’s boobs, decorated with a few smaller D rings at various points that Regina’s hands could be connected to via cuffs. Cady makes sure everything is on snug and correct, before using two small locks on the straps that come down behind Regina’s shoulders, as they are the only spots with proper belts, and are complete with locking mechanisms.

Cady walks back around to Regina’s front, grabbing onto the O ring in the center of her collarbones. “How does it feel, princess?”

“Good,” Regina replies, voice a little breathy. “Really good.”

“Good,” Cady replies. “You’ll be wearing it all weekend. Unless we shower or bathe, in which case, I'll take it off of you, but only for that. Even if we go places, you're wearing it under your clothes. Do you understand?”

Regina nods, eyes wide. “Yes, Ma’am.”

“Good girl,” Cady purrs. She lets go of the harness, lightly patting Regina’s cheek again. “Now, tell me, princess, do you want me to f*ck you hard and fast?”

Regina swallows and nods eagerly. “Yes, Ma’am. Yes, I do.”

“Do you have any limits for this?” Cady asks. “Stuff like hair pulling, face slapping, choking?”

Regina makes an unholy noise, and then turns bright red. “Sorry,” she says sheepishly, but Cady has a big grin on her face. “Um, all of those things are definitely good and you should definitely do them.”

“Good girl,” Cady purrs. “I know you like being taken from behind, but I'm going to f*ck you on your back tonight. I want to be able to see your face while I rail you.”

There's something so overwhelmingly hot about the way Cady’s talking, contrasted to the gentle way she's cupping Regina’s face. Regina nods, eyes completely wide.

“Yes, Ma’am. That's, that's perfect, Ma’am.”

“Such a good little slu*t,” Cady murmurs, lightly patting Regina’s face one more time. “Turn around and face the bed. Kneel with your legs as far apart as you can. Hands on your legs, palms up. No touching, no humping. Just wait like a good girl until I'm ready.”

Regina nods, immediately scrambling into position. Cady reaches into Regina’s hair, undoing the messy bun and letting it fall to her shoulders. She combs through Regina’s hair with her fingers a few times, loosening it up a bit.

Regina melts into the touch, but as quickly as it happened, Cady is walking away, grabbing her backpack with the strap before slipping into the bathroom to get it situated.

It's a bit more complicated than she's used to, getting the jeans back on over the harness, but she manages. She even manages to tuck the strap inside fully and zip herself back up, the strap ready to burst out as soon as she unbuckles her belt and unzips her fly. It's not something she thought she’d ever do, but, hey, whatever her princess wants, her princess gets.

Cady discards her hoodie, knowing it's going to get way too hot for that. She’s wearing a tight T-shirt, which was at least a little bit purposeful. She's extra glad she wore it, because she's pretty sure it'll help with the whole jeans thing, at least, if the aesthetic Regina’s actually attracted to fits this tight-fit casual look.

Cady pulls her own hair back into a ponytail, not wanting it to get in the way. She gives herself one more quick glance over in the mirror, and yeah. She's ready.

Cady saunters back out, walking a little strange with the harness on and hidden in her pants. She walks quietly, trying her best not to alert Regina to her presence. It seems to work, because when Cady grabs Regina’s harness from behind and yanks her up, Regina yelps in surprise.

As soon as Regina’s on her feet, Cady shoves her forward onto the bed. Regina hits the mattress with an “Oof,” before immediately being grabbed by the shoulders and flipped over onto her back.

Regina’s eyes meet Cady’s, and her pupils are blown, her heart pounding. Cady has a predatory grin on her face, looking Regina up and down.

“You look so good in that harness, princess,” Cady comments. She grabs onto the front of it, pulling Regina up off the bed a little bit. “I can't wait to explore all the ways to tie you up and yank you around with it.” She shoves Regina back onto the mattress, getting a whimper from her.

“Look at how soaked you are,” Cady teases, cupping Regina’s puss* over the shorts again. “You’re way more soaked than you were in my lap, princess.”

Regina nods sheepishly. “You’re very descriptive with your words, Ma’am. And, um, your actions.”

Cady bursts out laughing, before grabbing the waistband of Regina’s sleep shorts and yanking them down unceremoniously. Regina yelps again at the sudden movement, squirming to get them off her ankles.

“Relax, princess,” Cady tells her, tugging the shorts off and throwing them aside. “I’m only going to ruin you a little bit.”

Regina moans, squirming again. Cady straddles Regina's hips, grabbing her wrists and pinning them to either side of the bed. Regina’s eyes go wide as Cady presses her lower body against Regina’s, grinding slightly.

“You feel that, princess?” Cady growls into Regina’s ear. “You ready for all of this?”

Regina whimpers and nods. “It feels big.”

“Oh, it is, princess. It definitely is.” Cady dips her head down, biting Regina on the neck very suddenly, getting a gasp and more squirming. Cady keeps her pinned, making sure to leave a good, deep bite mark on her neck.

“Please,” Regina gasps.

“Please what, princess? Use your words.”

“Please, Ma’am. Please f*ck me with the strap. Please.”

Cady grins. “Do you want me to ruin you, babygirl? You’ve seen how much stamina I have with my wrist. Can you take that with a strap?”

Regina nods frantically. “Yes! I can! I can! Please, Ma’am, please.”

“You could end up passing out again,” Cady warns her. “Are you absolutely sure?”

Regina moans. “God, please. Yes, I'm sure. Please, Ma’am.”

Cady grins, letting go of Regina’s wrists and sitting up. She makes a point of unbuckling her belt slowly, watching the way Regina moans and squirms at the sight. As soon as Cady unzips her fly, the strap pops out, and Regina gasps.

It is big, long and wide and definitely not something for beginners, but not so big that it’s guaranteed to hurt. It’s a deep purple, with ridges that make Regina’s knees quiver just looking at it.

“Like what you see, princess?” Cady teases. She pulls a little bottle of lube out of her pocket, and begins coating the strap in it. She's slow and deliberate, stroking the strap with both hands as she spreads the lube. “Are you ready for this, princess?”

Regina swallows and nods. “I’m ready for you to ruin me, Ma’am.”

“Oh, good girl,” Cady growls. Cady yanks off her t-shirt, revealing a sexy bra underneath. She unclips that too, tossing it aside, as Regina stares up at her with wide eyes. She’ll leave the jeans on for Regina, but she's well aware it's going to get real sweaty, real fast. She might as well take her shirt off while she still can.

Cady adjusts her position, grabbing Regina’s ankles and hooking them around her waist. Regina locks her legs in, watching with wide eyes as Cady lines up the strap.

Cady leans down with the front half of her body, pinning Regina down by the wrists again. Regina whimpers and squirms a bit, but Cady holds firm. “Mine,” Cady growls, leaning her head down and biting down on Regina's neck again, this time, on the other side. Regina yelps and squirms, but as Cady’s still biting, she pushes her hips forward, and the strap begins to make contact.

Regina gasps, moving her hips to try and get more immediately.

“Relax, princess,” Cady growls. “You’ll take what I give you when I give it to you. Isn't that right?”

Regina whimpers and nods, stilling her hips again.

“Good girl.” Cady pushes again, and the strap enters her. Regina moans, as Cady begins to thrust, slowly going in more and more with each one.

“You feel that, princess?” Cady whispers in her ear. “No one can fill you the way I can fill you. You're mine.”

“Yours,” Regina replies in a haze, blinded by the feeling of fullness increasing inside of her. “Jesus f*ck.”

Cady laughs, thrusting again. “Yeah, that's right. Feel that inside you.”

Regina moans, rolling her head from side to side, as Cady continues to thrust further and further into her. Suddenly, Cady feels her crotch hit Regina’s through the jeans, and she knows she's fully inside.

“You ready, princess?” Cady asks again. She's holding herself up with the pressure she's putting on Regina’s wrists, leaving her completely pinned to the bed.

Regina whimpers and nods. “Yes, Ma’am. I'm ready.”

As soon as the words leave Regina's mouth, Cady is pounding. She's hard and fast, with each thrust slamming into Regina. Regina cries out, squirming beneath Cady, but held firmly in place. She moans and whimpers, looking up at Cady with blown pupils and an open mouth.

“That's it,” Cady growls. “You’re mine. Full of me.” She thrusts harder and faster. “How long will it take, princess? How long until you start spasming around my co*ck?”

Regina whimpers, shutting her eyes. This is a mistake, as Cady immediately lets go of one of Regina's wrists and slaps her across the face. Not hard enough to leave a mark, but hard enough to make her gasp and move her head. Regina’s eyes shoot open.

“Eyes on me while I ruin you,” Cady tells her. “I want to see each and every org*sm ripple through you.”

Regina whimpers, nodding as she looks into Cady’s eyes. Her whole body jerks with each thrust, as Cady continues to pound into her, hard and fast. She lets out a big moan when Cady hits a particularly sensitive spot, which makes Cady smirk.

“You like that, princess?”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Regina can barely reply. Her whole mind is swimming. She doesn't even fully notice at first when Cady takes her hands off of her wrists.

“Grab onto my back,” Cady orders, slowing her thrusts a bit. Regina whines, which only makes Cady repeat herself. “Grab onto my back. I don't like having to give orders twice.”

Regina scrambles, hooking her arms around Cady. She's confused at first, but she’s also so overwhelmed by the sensation of being f*cked like this, she doesn't question it.

Then, Cady’s hands find their place around Regina’s neck, and suddenly, she understands.

“Tap out if you need to,” Cady tells her, not yet applying pressure. “Do you understand?”

Regina nods. “Yes, Ma’am,” she replies, and Cady can feel her vocal cords vibrate beneath her fingers.

The power goes straight to Cady’s head, and she tightens her grip. She pounds into Regina, hard and fast, as Regina grips onto her for dear life and gasps as her air supply is cut off.

“Cum for me, princess,” Cady growls. “Cum around my co*ck while I choke you. While I ruin you.”

It's so much, all at once, so completely overwhelming. The lack of air, the hard, rough f*cking, the predatory way Cady’s looking down at her, pinning her neck against the mattress… Regina spasms and chokes on nothing, org*sm exploding through every inch of her body.

Cady watches Regina’s face get redder and redder. She feels Regina’s hands clinging to her back, her nails digging in so hard she might have broken skin, but Cady keeps going. It's only when Regina's body begins to come down from the first org*sm that Cady lets go of her neck, quickly grabbing her arms and pinning her wrists again.

Regina gasps for air, taking big, heaving breaths as oxygen refills her lungs. Cady smirks at her, slowing her pace a bit but continuing to f*ck Regina hard, not giving her puss* any breaks.

“Good job, princess,” Cady praises. “Such a good girl.” She lifts Regina’s wrists above her head so she can pin them with one hand. Regina’s so dazed, between the f*cking and trying to catch her breath, that Regina doesn't put up any sort of fight. Cady’s second hand makes its way into Regina’s hair, tugging hard to jerk her head to the side and offer more of her neck to Cady.

Cady wastes no time diving down and giving Regina a big hickey on the side of her neck, making her yelp and squirm underneath her. She keeps thrusting, although it's definitely harder from this position. Somehow, though, it's enough for Regina, who begins to cum on the strap once again.

“Good girl,” Cady purrs, her voice softer than it was before. “You love this, don't you?”

Regina nods, whimpering and moaning. “I do, Ma’am, I do!”

“No one else can f*ck you like I do,” Cady growls, her voice more possessive again. “Isn't that right?” She lifts herself up, yanking Regina’s wrists down again to either side of her head to hold herself up directly above Regina.

Regina nods, unable to form words as Cady starts pounding harder again, turning Regina into a complete puddle beneath her.

Cady leans down, kissing Regina passionately and aggressively. Regina kisses back, until she starts feeling the third org*sm building inside of her. Cady can feel it building in herself, too: a combination of the power high she's riding and the way her cl*t is finally rubbing the right way against the base of the strap starting to take over.

“I'm gonna cum, princess,” Cady gasps. “I'm gonna cum inside you. And you're going to cum with me, aren't you?”

Regina lets out a cross between a whine and a moan, nodding frantically. She jerks her hips in time with Cady's, and after only a few more thrusts, her overly sensitive puss* is sent into her third org*sm in a row.

Cady, at the same time, moans out her first, continuing to grind against the strap as she thrusts. “f*ck, princess.”

Regina moans something unintelligible, her whole body spasming once again. Cady’s struggling to keep thrusting through her org*sm, but she's determined to keep going. Regina isn't ruined yet. She promised her a hard f*ck that would blow her mind. And sure, Regina’s an incoherent mess beneath her, but Cady’s not done with her yet.

Cady lets go of one of Regina’s wrists, grabbing onto one of her tit* and twisting a nipple. Regina screams out, which Cady quickly muffles with her other hand, getting a wide eyed stare out of Regina.

“Mine,” Cady growls. “My puss* to pound, my tit* to torture. They're mine.”

Regina moans into Cady’s hand, her eyes rolling back into her head as Cady pounds into a sensitive spot again. Cady grabs the other nipple and twists it too, hard, making Regina cry out and start to squirm again.

Cady lets go of her mouth and smacks her across the face again. Then, she's suddenly back to pinning Regina by her wrists, pounding the fourth org*sm out of her in record time. Regina can hardly keep up, and suddenly, Cady starts feeling her second org*sm building up inside of her too.

Cady offers no more words, only feral grunts and moans as she c*ms on top of Regina again, and Regina c*ms beneath her. Cady's not entirely sure if Regina’s fourth org*sm was extra long, or if she started a fifth while Cady was cumming, but she decides to go with the second one. More fun that way.

Regina's clearly losing steam, her struggles getting weaker and the grip of her legs on Cady’s hips starting to loosen. Cady grins, and picks up the pace again.

“Am I going to f*ck you unconscious again, princess?” Cady asks. “Are you going to let me pound you so hard, you pass out? Because I can do that. You know I can.”

Regina can't do anything other than whimper and whine. Cady grabs her arms, quickly hooking them onto her back again.

“Grab on tight, princess. Grab on tight until you can't hold on anymore.”

Regina digs her fingers in, but it's not as harsh as it was earlier. Cady wraps her hands around Regina’s neck again, but only applies a minor amount of pressure. The feeling of Regina’s heartbeat beneath her fingertips is all Cady needs to get the second wind to pound Regina harder and faster again. Regina struggles a bit to breathe, but she can get air in her lungs, as she spasms around the strap and beneath Cady for the sixth time. Cady violently jerks her way through her third org*sm, and despite her claims of her unmatched stamina, she can't keep herself up much longer either. She feels Regina’s arms go slack on her back, and her legs slip off of Cady’s hips, just as Cady collapses on top of Regina with an “Oof!”

Cady realizes pretty quickly that she's been pinned. Although Regina’s no longer clinging to her, she's caught Cady in some sort of bear hug. Even Regina's legs are pinning Cady down, with the way they fell on the back of Cady’s thighs. Cady tries to lift herself up at first, just so she can actually pull out of Regina, but she can't move more than an inch.

Cady flops back against Regina, realizing she’s pinned in Regina’s arms. Well, she supposes there are a lot more uncomfortable positions to be stuck in. Plus, there's something undeniably hot about Regina sleeping with the strap stuffed inside her.

Unsure of what to do with her arms at first to get them comfortable, Cady tries a few different things without jostling Regina too much. She evidently doesn't need to be too careful, because Regina’s out cold. Cady feels a lot less worry and a lot more pride about f*cking Regina until she passes out this time. Maybe it's because they were both aware it was a possibility this time, or if it's because Cady can quite literally feel Regina’s every breath beneath her.

Cady ends up stretching her arms up a bit, unable to make them comfortable any other way. Her hands end up in the perfect spot to just… tangle themselves in Regina’s hair and hold her head, so that's what she does. It's a little extra possessive, and in Cady's opinion, a little extra hot.

At last, Cady lays her head on its side on Regina’s chest, listening to the steady beat of Regina’s heart and feeling her breathing beneath her. Not knowing how long she’ll be stuck there for, Cady closes her eyes and lets her own exhaustion take over, drifting off in quite possibly the most bizarre position she’s ever slept in.

Cady awakes to Regina stirring underneath her. On instinct, she tightens the grip of her hands, which tugs on Regina’s hair sharply.

“Ah!” Regina cries out, and Cady’s eyes shoot open.

“sh*t, sorry,” Cady mumbles, rubbing Regina’s scalp gently with her fingers. “How’re you feeling, princess?”

“Incredible,” Regina says, bringing one of her hands up to run it through Cady’s hair. Cady melts at the touch, feeling the softness of being on the other end of gentle affection. “Full.”

Cady laughs. “Sorry. You kinda had me pinned. I couldn’t really pull out.” She starts to try to get up, but Regina quickly holds her close.

“Maybe we just stay like this for a little while longer,” Regina suggests, pinning Cady against her again. “I like the feeling. A lot.”

Cady chuckles, giving into the bear hug. “You’re adorable. And such a bottom.”

“I have no shame.”

“That’s a lie."

“Okay, yes, I have some shame. But I’m aware of what I am.” Regina snuggles Cady closer. “And I know what I like. Which is you. Inside of me.”

Cady bursts out laughing, snuggling against Regina’s chest and wrapping her fingers in Regina’s hair again. “Fine by me, princess. You make a very comfortable pillow.”

Regina hums, reaching up and scratching Cady’s scalp lightly. Cady melts in her arms, pressing a gentle kiss to the bare skin in front of her.

“Good to know you like co*ckwarming,” Cady says after a few more moments of comfortable silence. “I can do a lot with that, actually.”

“co*ckwarming?” Regina asks.

“Well, kind of what we’re doing right now. Just having a co*ck inside you without necessarily f*cking it.” Cady shifts her hips a bit as she grins, making Regina moan lightly. “Good girl. But, yeah. By keeping the co*ck inside you, you're keeping it warm. I guess the name makes a bit more sense with a real co*ck, but whatever.”

“I am perfectly happy with this one, thank you very much,” Regina replies. “A real one wouldn't have these ridges.”

Cady laughs. “No, princess. It wouldn't.” She scratches lightly at Regina’s scalp, making her melt a bit at the touch. “Now, it may not work as well, so we’d have to see, but maybe, if we split up my grading over both days this weekend, and you're a good girl, I'll put on the strap and let you co*ckwarm in my lap while I grade on one of the days instead of just being on the pillow at my feet.”

Regina’s eyes go wide and she swallows. “I would love that.”

“You’d have to be a very good girl and stay nice and still in my lap,” Cady warns her. “You can’t try to distract me at all.”

Regina nods. “I can be good!”

Cady smirks. “You can be what, princess?”

“I can be your good girl,” Regina replies with a little blush. Cady smiles and kisses the skin in front of her again, unable to reach Regina’s face from her position.

“Good girl,” Cady hums. She moves her hips a little again, pushing as far into Regina as she can. Regina moans, and then Cady stills, closing her eyes again. “You’re so comfortable, princess. I could just fall asleep here, leave you stuck all night on my co*ck… wouldn’t that be nice?”

“It would,” Regina replies, voice a little breathy. Cady brings one of her hands down and begins tracing along the chest harness, getting little gasps from Regina. “I, um, there’s just one thing, though.”

“What’s that, princess?”

Regina opens her mouth to answer, but instead, her stomach makes a loud growling noise, causing Cady to burst out laughing.

“Oh, is someone hungry?” Cady asks, tilting her head up and smirking.

Regina nods sheepishly. “I really wanna stay like this but… I didn’t really eat a lot for lunch today, and that was… well, clearly, my energy is spent.”

Cady laughs again. “Alright, princess. I’m gonna pull out now, okay?”

Regina whimpers and nods. “Okay.”

“Bottom,” Cady teases as she lifts herself up, Regina finally letting go and unpinning her back and her legs. She’s slow and careful as she pulls out, knowing Regina’s puss* has taken a bit of a beating with this toy. Regina moans as it leaves her, gripping onto the sheets and screwing her eyes shut. Cady flops down onto her back once it’s out, staring up at the ceiling and taking a deep breath.

“You okay?” Regina asks, catching her breath from the myriad of sensations she just experienced.

“Yeah, this harness is just a pain to get off. And I’m just… not looking forward to doing it.”

“You could… always leave it on,” Regina offers with a little shrug.

Cady shoots her a look. “Insatiable. But, no. I have a plan for dinner, and it very much involves me getting this off.”

“Well, if that’s the case,” Regina rolls over onto her side, facing Cady, “I can help you with that.”

Cady smiles. “That’s very sweet, princess. Thank you.”

“Before that… Can I do something first?”

Cady raises an eyebrow. “Do what, princess?”

Regina lifts herself up, kneeling at Cady’s side. She keeps eye contact with her as she brings her head down to the strap, quickly flipping her hair out of the way. She pauses, her lips just above the tip of the strap, raising an eyebrow at Cady.

Cady swallows and spreads her legs. “Go ahead, but kneel between my legs.”

Regina shifts over, lowering herself again. She glances up, making eye contact with Cady as her lips wrap around the tip of the strap, swirling her tongue around it to clean it off. She can’t get too far down on it, with it being as long as it is, but what she can take, she sucks and cleans deliberately. She keeps her eyes locked on Cady’s, looking up at her as lifts her head off of the tip and runs her tongue along the length of the toy instead. Cady’s never had someone suck her strap before, and honestly, it’s the hottest thing she’s ever seen. Regina’s eyes are focused on Cady, but her tongue (God, that tongue. Cady’s pretty sure having a tongue like that should be illegal) is focused on cleaning the cum off the toy. When she’s satisfied with her work, she sits back up, kneeling properly between Cady’s legs with a knowing smirk on her lips.

“Jesus f*ck,” Cady mutters. “That, Christ, that was hot.”

Regina’s smirk grows to a grin. “I’m glad you liked it.”

“No one… no one’s ever done that,” Cady tells her. “I’ve never had a girl suck my strap.”

“I, fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, got quite good at blowj*bs. I’m a bit out of practice, but…” Her grin widens, and she gestures to Cady. “Well, you seem to have enjoyed yourself.”

Cady sits up, reaching out and grabbing onto Regina’s harness. Regina’s breath catches in her throat as Cady yanks her forward, mashing their faces together. Cady kisses her, intensely and passionately, possessively grabbing onto the harness and holding Regina against her.

Regina moans into her mouth, dazed by the intensity of it all. She’s caught off guard when Cady surges forward again, pressing Regina back down against the mattress, pinning her as she continues kissing her aggressively. Regina moans once more as Cady bites on her lower lip, and as suddenly as it started, it stops. Cady climbs off of Regina, leaving her dazed on the mattress.

“Wait, why… Why'd you stop?” Regina asks, gasping to catch her breath.

“Because,” Cady says with a smirk as she stands up off the bed, peeling the jeans off of her, “I have a plan for our dinner. And part of that plan involved getting you nice and worked up.” She kicks the jeans off, starting to unbuckle the harness around her hips. “What’s your go-to for groceries, princess?”

“Groceries?” Regina asks, clearly confused. “Um, there’s a Whole Foods about fifteen minutes away. I usually go there.”

Cady laughs. “Of course. Alright, well, get up.” She unbuckles the last part of the strap on harness, stepping out of it and tossing the harness back onto the bed. She grabs her jeans off the floor, tossing them over her shoulder.

“Um.” Regina sits up, tugging at the straps of her chest harness. “This is locked on.”

“Oh, I know,” Cady says. “You’ll be wearing it under your clothes, remember?.”

Regina swallows. “Oh. Right.”

“If it’s too much, you don’t have to,” Cady tells her, picking up her discarded bra and t-shirt. “But I don’t think it is, now is it?”

Regina blushes and shakes her head. “I just, um, I usually can’t go anywhere without a bra…”

Cady reaches over, grabbing the front of Regina’s harness by the O ring and tugging. Regina scrambles off the bed and to her feet, being dragged by the harness towards the bathroom. “Trust me, princess. I’ve got a plan.”

Regina stumbles her way after Cady, still a bit stunned by Cady’s aggressive kissing and insistence of keeping the chest harness on. When they’re in the bathroom, Cady drags Regina over to the toilet and sits her down.

“Clean yourself up, but no playing with yourself,” Cady instructs. “I’ll wait until you’re done.”

“I, um, I have to pee.”

Cady raises an eyebrow. “And? Regina, I just f*cked you unconscious for the second time. I can stand in the same room while you pee.” She reaches into one of Regina’s drawers, grabbing her hairbrush and beginning to brush out her own hair.

“...Okay, point taken.” Regina shifts a little, but by the time Cady’s done fixing her hair, Regina’s finished and washed her hands. Cady picks her underwear off the ground, sliding them on as she looks at Regina.

“You’re not allowed underwear while we’re out tonight, nor a bra. But I think that,” Cady jerks her head towards the hoodie hanging up on the back of the bathroom door, “should cover that problem."

Regina pulls the hoodie off the hook and looks at it. It’s Cady’s Yale hoodie, the one she was wearing when she came over. She looks up at Cady. “You want me to wear your hoodie?”

“Oh, I don’t want you to wear it,” Cady smirks as she zips her pants up. “I’m ordering you to wear it. It’s the same size as the Harvard sweater you lent me last weekend. Which, I’m keeping, by the way. And you can keep this one. But you’re wearing it to the grocery store.”

Regina stares at Cady for a moment longer. Cady just looks at her as she clips her bra around the front of her body and begins spinning it around.

“I don’t like repeating myself, princess.”

Regina snaps out of it, pulling the hoodie on above her head. It’s a little loose on her, enough to somewhat hide the fact she’s not wearing a bra. It’s kind of obvious if you’re looking closely enough, but if you aren’t paying attention, you’d never know. It’s also a little long, partially covering her ass. Cady slips her t-shirt over her head and walks over to Regina, a smile on her face.

“Good girl. You look so good in my hoodie.” Cady grabs onto the harness, through the hoodie. She pulls Regina in for another kiss, making Regina melt a little with a single, passionate kiss. She pushes Regina back, leaving her dazed again.

“You can’t keep doing that,” Regina gasps.

Cady raises an eyebrow. “Can’t I? You’re so fun to get all riled up.”

Regina whimpers, and Cady grins. “Come on, princess. We’ve gotta find you some pants.”

They spend a few minutes in Regina’s walk-in closet, Cady asking Regina where different types of clothes would be. Cady ends up deciding on a pair of leggings for Regina, ones that she sometimes wears without underwear to work out. Regina pulls them on, and as soon as they’re on, Cady’s on top of her again, kissing her aggressively for the third time.

This time, Regina’s a little less dazed when Cady pushes her back. Regina swallows, breathing heavily as she looks at Cady. “Are you going to do this all night?”

“No. Just while we’re getting ready. Put on whatever shoes you’d like, I don’t care.”

Regina slips on a pair of Gucci slides that definitely cost more than Cady’s ever paid for any piece of clothing in her life, ever. Cady grabs one of Regina’s leather jackets on the way out, one that Regina says is a bit too small on her. It seems to fit Cady perfectly, and she loves the way it looks and feels on her.

“You can keep that,” Regina tells her. “In fact, I insist you keep it. And wear it. A lot. And send me pictures of you wearing it if I'm not going to see you. Especially if you're also wearing jeans. Um, please.”

Cady laughs, tugging the sleeves a bit. “Denim and leather, huh?”

Regina nods sheepishly. “You’re really hot right now,” she whispers.

Cady smirks, strutting forward and grabbing Regina by the harness again. She yanks her forward, giving her another intense kiss. Regina’s still a little dazed when Cady breaks away, but Cady takes her hand and leads her out of the closet and the bedroom itself.

Cady’s shoes are downstairs, next to the couch, so they have to stop there before heading out. Cady makes sure Regina has her phone with her, so she can pay for the groceries, but Cady insists on driving, so they take her car.

“Sorry it’s not super nice in here,” Cady tells her as Regina climbs into her passenger seat. Regina’s already grabbed one of her spare garage door openers and given it to Cady, who’s clipping it onto her visor. “It’s not much, but it got me from Illinois to New Haven, so I’ll take it.”

“You drove here when you moved?”

Cady nods, pressing the button on the garage door opener and starting to back out of the garage. “Me and my parents. It took us a couple days. It was totally worth it, though. We just bought all of my bedroom furniture at Ikea once we got here, which, by the way, insane store.”

“Did you not have one out in Illinois?”

Cady shrugs. “Not one close enough that we ever went to it. But the one here is literally in New Haven, so…”

Regina nods, shifting a bit in her seat. “Yeah. Makes sense. Do you, um, do you know how to get to the Whole Foods?”

Cady points to her phone on the mount on the dashboard. “I was just gonna use my GPS. Relax, princess. I have this whole thing planned out. I just didn’t know where you usually bought groceries.”

“Did you even check what I have here already?” Regina asks. “I have some stuff.”

“I peeked earlier,” Cady tells her. “You have more staples, but nothing beyond that. Not what I need for a proper meal.”

Regina blushes. “You were serious about the home cooked meal thing?”

“Duh. Why else would I be dragging you to the grocery store after f*cking you unconscious?”

“Jesus, Cady. First that, then making me dinner? You're gonna make me fall in love with you.”

As soon as Regina says it, she lets out a little gasp. “I'm sorry, that was too much, I-.”

Cady reaches across the console, placing a hand on Regina’s inner thigh and squeezes, getting a stunned squeak out of Regina. They pull up to a stoplight, giving Cady the opportunity to turn her head and look at Regina. “And what if that's my goal?”

Regina looks back at her, eyes wide, heart racing. “You… you would be succeeding, then.”

Cady grins, and turns her attention back to the light, which has switched to green. She keeps her right hand on Regina’s inner thigh, steering with just her left hand. “Don't worry about anything being too much. We’re both kind of crazy, remember?”

Regina nods meekly. “I remember.”

“I'm not going to say it yet,” Cady tells her, “because I'm not quite ready to say it yet. But I feel it building. I just wanted you to know that.”

“I, um, I do too. Probably more than I should.”

Cady laughs, squeezing Regina’s thigh again. “Relax, princess. We’re insufferable stereotypical lesbians, remember? The fact we haven't said it yet is a miracle.”

That gets a little laugh out of Regina. “Okay, yeah. It is.”

Cady keeps her hand on Regina’s thigh for the rest of the ride. Regina isn't quite sure what to do with her own hands, until Cady tells her to put them in the front pocket of the hoodie. Regina instantly relaxes, making Cady grin and inflating her ego even more.

Cady makes idle comments about how beautiful the houses are as they're on their way to Whole Foods. None of them are quite mansions like Regina’s, but they're still obviously nice and expensive houses.

It takes them pretty much exactly 15 minutes to get to the Whole Foods. Cady squeezes Regina’s thigh again before getting out of the car, leaving Regina a little dazed and breathy.

She manages to collect herself before they get into the store. Regina insists on pushing the cart for Cady, which Cady finds very sweet and endearing. She's got a list on her phone, and she's on a mission. Regina follows her around dutifully, giving helpful directions as to where certain things are in the store. Every time Cady looks at her, her heart swells seeing Regina in the Yale hoodie. Not only is she extremely aware of what's underneath, but she's pretty convinced that seeing Regina wearing her clothes might actually kill her, it's so damn cute.

When they get to checkout, Cady winces internally at the total price, but Regina taps her phone to pay without batting an eye. Right. Her girlfriend is a multimillionaire. And also her sugar mommy. Somehow, it's really easy to forget that, especially when Cady wields so much power over her in the bedroom (and even now, wearing her clothes over the chest harness that's locked on with the keys hidden in Cady’s bag in Regina’s bedroom).

They load the groceries into the car together, but once they're back in their seats, Cady orders Regina to put her hands in the front pocket again. As soon as she does, Cady puts her hand on Regina’s inner thigh again, a little higher than before, and traces a single finger up Regina’s puss*.

Regina whimpers, and Cady begins to pull out of the parking spot one handed, grateful that she managed to get a spot she could just pull forward through.

“You, um, you should focus on, um, on driving,” Regina stammers out as Cady continues to trace her finger up and down over the leggings, which are increasingly becoming wet.

“I am focused on driving, princess. If I wasn't, my finger would be inside you right now.”

Regina turns bright red. “O-oh. Okay.”

Cady smirks, following the GPS home. “This is the most attention your puss* will be getting for a little while, so you better enjoy it while you can. Part of my dinner plan involves keeping you nice and worked up.”

Regina whimpers again. “But I will get to cum later, r-right?”

“If you’re a good girl,” Cady tells her. “But you have to behave.”

Regina nods. “I will. I'll behave.”

“Good girl,” Cady purrs. She’s quiet the rest of the ride, focusing on getting them back to the mansion while tracing her middle finger up and down Regina’s puss*. Regina lets out little whimpers and moans, which is like music to Cady’s ears. She only lets go of Regina’s thigh to open the garage door, popping the opener off the visor to give it back to Regina.

“No, no. Keep it,” Regina insists. “I’m gonna get you a spare key too. And the code to the security system.”

Cady raises an eyebrow. “Are you sure?”

“I'm sure. I, um, you can come over anytime. Literally.” Regina blushes. “And not just because of the sex stuff. I really like having you here.”

Cady smiles softly. She reaches over, gently patting Regina’s cheek, before pulling her in for a soft and gentle kiss. “Thank you, baby. I really like being here, so I'm glad.”

Regina smiles back at her, still blushing a bit. “Should we bring in the groceries?”

“Yeah, let’s do that.”

Once all the groceries are in the kitchen, still in their bags, Cady turns and faces Regina.

“I’d like to continue play through the dinner process, like we did with breakfast last week, if you’re okay with that.”

“I’m very okay with that,” Regina tells her.

Cady smirks. “Alright, princess. Strip, and put your clothes on the couch. No touching. Then, put the groceries away, however you normally do it. I’ll find everything.”

“I, uh, don’t normally get this much,” Regina admits. “I don’t know where I’d put half this stuff. I really don’t cook. Like, very few things, and very rarely. It’s a miracle I even had eggs in the house last weekend.”

Cady raises an eyebrow. “Well, put stuff that you normally get wherever you normally put it. I’ll figure out a system for the rest of it. Because you have a beautiful kitchen and the oven in my apartment breaks every six weeks, so I will be cooking here regularly.”

Regina smiles brightly. “I genuinely can’t wait.”

“Alright, princess. Strip, put stuff away, and if you’re done before I come back down… Uh, kneel on this.” Cady grabs a pillow off the couch, tossing it down right next to it. “Right there. I’ll be back.”

Regina nods, immediately pulling the hoodie over her head. By the time her head is free again, Cady is gone, having headed upstairs to get ready.

Cady goes straight to the bedroom. She gets changed, out of her jeans, t-shirt, and bra. She leaves only her underwear on, a sexy, lacy pair she picked out specifically for this evening. She fishes around in one of her bags, pulling out a ridiculously cheesy apron. She grins, tying it behind her neck and around her waist.

The apron has a front pocket, which she slips her phone into. She stops at the pile of bondage gear from earlier, grabbing a few key pieces - the bondage mitts, some small clips, the penis gag, and a few small locks. She’d gotten a couple extra for free with the new gags, and while they aren't identical to the ones Regina already had, they're similar enough to work. Cady makes sure she has some keys in her front pocket, before dropping everything onto the princess bed and scooping it up in her arms.

Cady struts down the stairs, blocking the pun on her apron with the bed in her arms. She walks right past the kneeling Regina without a word, heading straight for the spot she’d had Regina kneel in last week while she cooked. She drops the bed on the ground, picking up the gear and heading back over to the couch.

As soon as Cady comes into Regina’s field of vision, Regina gets a confused look on her face, followed by a laugh escaping her lips. “What are you wearing?”

Cady looks down at her apron. It's light blue, with a cheesy physics pun on the front. “This meal’s about to get ✨exciting✨” is printed on the front, surrounded by a bunch of illustrations of molecules moving around all over the place.

“It's my apron!” Cady replies with a grin. “Do you like it?”

“I'm not sure I get the joke,” Regina admits. “Exciting?”

“They're molecules in an excited state. You know, physics pun!”

Regina just stares at her with a blank expression. “That's… yeah, I never would have gotten that.”

“I'm full of bad physics puns,” Cady smirks. She puts the gear down on the couch next to Regina. “When was the last time you took physics?”

Regina has to think for a long moment. “Junior year of high school? So, like…”

“Basically the prehistoric era,” Cady quips, earning a “Hey!” from Regina. Cady leans down, tilting Regina’s chin up and meeting her in a kiss, silencing any more complaints about any age jokes.

“Well, princess, you're gonna learn a lot just through my puns.”

“You did not just call me princess and talk about puns in the same sentence.”

Cady just flashes a toothy grin. “Don't act like you don't love it every time I call you princess.”

Regina bites her lip and squirms a bit. “I do, but-.”

“No buts,” Cady insists. “Are you ready, princess?”

Regina swallows and nods, straightening up a bit in her kneeling position. Cady runs a hand through Regina’s hair, scratching softly at her scalp. Regina melts into the touch a bit, her body relaxing with each scratch.

“Give me your hands, princess,” Cady instructs, and Regina presents them. Cady reaches behind Regina onto the couch and grabs a bondage mitt. Regina, who apparently hadn't been paying attention to anything other than the apron earlier, swallows when she sees it. “Make a fist,” Cady orders, and Regina does it with both of her hands.

“Good girl,” Cady purrs, slipping the mitt over Regina’s right hand. “No more fingers tonight, princess. Not until I say so.”

Regina whimpers as the second mitt goes over her left hand. Almost immediately, her heart rate picks up. Cady pulls two small locks out of her apron pocket, sealing Regina’s hands inside the mitts. Cady frowns, watching her for a few moments as Regina stares at her locked away hands.

“Hey,” Cady says softly, cupping Regina’s cheek and making her look up at her, “if this is too much tonight, I can go get the cuffs instead. Or we don't have to do bondage. You can just sit like a good girl and it's okay.”

Regina shakes her head. “No, no. I've been really excited about these. It's just… different, wearing them. More intense than I thought, I guess.”

“I don't have to attach them to your harness now, or gag you, if it's too much at once,” Cady tells her. “We can take smaller steps, if you need it. Really, I don't mind.”

Regina shakes her head again. “No. I promise, I'll be okay. I want you to do everything you were going to do.”

“Are you absolutely sure?”

“Yes,” Regina says with a firm nod. “You’re here,” she adds with a little smile, “and I know you're going to take care of me. I trust you. Even if it is intense, I know if I need out, you'll let me out immediately.”

“Of course I will,” Cady says, rubbing Regina’s cheek gently with her thumb. “You promise you'll let me know if it's too much?”

“We can practice the taps as soon as you're done tying me up. Or I can tap my foot on the ground or something if it's not loud enough with the mitts. I'll figure out a way to let you know.”

“We’ll figure out a way before it could even get to that point,” Cady assures her. She brings her thumb closer to Regina’s mouth, pushing gently against her lips. Immediately, Regina takes Cady’s thumb in her mouth, beginning to suck.

“Good girl,” Cady murmurs. She reaches behind Regina again with her other hand, grabbing the gag off the couch. “Since you did such a good job sucking the strap earlier, and you seemed so enthusiastic about it, I figured it'd be a nice little treat to give you something to suck on for the rest of the night.” Cady pulls her thumb out, wiping the saliva on Regina’s cheeks, before holding the gag right in front of her mouth. “Open wide, princess.”

Regina obeys, and the gag goes in. It's a small length for a penis gag, all things considered, but it's enough to give Regina something to suck on.

“Don't let it fall out of your mouth while I buckle it on you,” Cady tells her. “I forgot about your hair.”

Regina sucks on the gag, holding it firmly in her mouth, as Cady lets go and situate the strap around Regina’s head without catching any of her hair. She has to try a few different buckle points before deciding on a specific one, since it's their first time using it. Cady keeps it a little loose, so she can pull it out of Regina’s mouth when it's time to eat, but Regina can't really push it out of her mouth on her own. At least, not with this particular gag.

Cady cups Regina’s cheek, smiling down at her. “Try to push it out,” she orders. “Tongue only.”

Regina does try, and just as Cady suspects, fails. Cady's smile grows to a grin, and she taps the tiny bit of the gag that had popped out back into Regina’s mouth. “Nice and quiet. Just how I like it.”

Regina moans into the gag, and it sounds very different from the moans into the ball gag. Cady keeps smiling, rubbing Regina’s cheek lightly. She pulls her hand away, taking the little double-ended clips out of her apron pocket. She takes each of Regina's bound hands and clips the locked mitts to the D rings on the strap of her harness that wraps around the underside of her boobs. This traps Regina’s hands somewhat at her sides, her bent elbows sticking out of either side of her body.

“Look at you,” Cady purrs. “All bound and gagged, just for me. What a good girl.” She scratches Regina’s scalp, pulling her forward slightly into her body. Regina lets out a whine through the gag, helplessly pressing herself against Cady.

“Checking in,” Cady says softly. Regina taps her head against Cady once, which makes Cady giggle and ruffle Regina’s hair. “You're cute. Let's get you to the proper spot so we can figure out the taps, yeah?”

Regina nods, standing up with Cady’s help. Cady takes a moment to hold Regina’s face in both of her hands, searching her eyes carefully. Regina’s definitely slipped into subspace again, and none of the hesitation or anxiety from earlier is still there. Cady smiles and leans up on her tiptoes, pressing a kiss to the flat panel of the gag in Regina’s mouth.

Without a word, Cady grabs onto the O ring in the center of Regina’s harness and leads her towards the kitchen. They stop at the princess bed, which Regina immediately kneels down onto and gets comfortable. Cady watches until she's settled, and then begins suggesting different ways to do the taps. The sound isn't loud enough by hitting the mitts or her elbows into her own body, so those are a bust. Cady has Regina sit instead of kneel and reach out to tap her foot against the tile floor, which does make enough of a sound to be noticeable. Regina insists on kneeling though, so Cady just makes her promise she’ll adjust if she needs help, to which Regina taps once before settling back into her kneeling position.

Cady holds Regina’s head in both her hands, making her look up at her. Regina's soft, slightly distant eyes look into hers, and Cady smiles softly.

“You're such a good girl, princess. I can't wait to reward you later.”

Regina smiles beneath her gag, which Cady can kind of see. Cady bends down, kissing Regina’s forehead gently.

“Stay, princess. Dinner will be ready soon.”

Regina nods, blushing at the forehead kiss, before Cady walks away. She watches as Cady sets about making dinner - washing her hands, prepping the food, and playing music on her phone as she cooks. Cady sings to herself as she moves about the kitchen, keeping an eye on Regina out of her peripheral vision. Regina stays kneeling for much longer than last weekend, but when Cady’s somewhat close to done, she ends up shifting so she's sitting down again. Cady doesn't say anything or really acknowledge it in any way, but she can't help but smile softly to herself when her back is turned to Regina. It makes her so happy that Regina’s adjusting when she needs to but still just sitting quietly and waiting for her. She's not sure why Regina just shifting to a sitting position brings her so much happiness, but it does.

It probably has something to do with the conversation they skirted around earlier in the car, but Cady's trying not to put too much thought into that. It's definitely too soon for that, even if her heart is screaming the words at her over and over again.

Cady focuses on finishing dinner and prepping the plate. She does one big plate again, like she did last weekend, but this time, she pre-cuts everything before bringing it over to the table so she doesn't have to try to cut the meat around Regina. After setting it (and a big cup of water) down, she heads over to Regina and cups both of Regina's cheeks in her hands.

“Hi, princess,” Cady says with a smile, Regina looking up at her with the softest eyes. “Checking in.”

Regina taps her foot on the ground once, and Cady’s smile widens.

“Good girl. You ready for dinner?”

Regina nods eagerly, and Cady helps her to her feet. Before bringing her over to the chair, Cady pauses to move the location of Regina’s hands, clipping them together behind Regina’s back instead of attaching them to the harness. Her elbows stick out too much when attached to the harness, and Cady knows she’d be getting elbowed constantly if she put Regina in her lap like that.

Cady sits in the chair and pulls Regina into her lap, letting her get nice and settled before pulling out the gag. Cady rubs Regina’s jaw gently, and gives her some water before she speaks.

“Comfortable, princess?” Cady asks.

Regina nods and smiles. “Yes, Ma’am. This smells really good, by the way.” She looks at the plate. “What exactly is it?”

“Lemon pepper grilled chicken with a roasted vegetable medley and mashed potatoes,” Cady tells her. She pushes Regina’s hair back over her shoulders, getting it out of the way of her face. “Normally, with lemon pepper, I also like to do this lemon butter pasta, but it's a bit too messy for a meal I'm feeding you. I'll make it for you some other time.”

“That sounds so good,” Regina half-whispers, which makes Cady laugh. Cady leans in, kissing Regina gently on the lips.

“I love to cook. I can't wait to show you all my favorite recipes. And I can't wait to feed you a lot of them.”

Regina blushes. “I really like doing that.”

“I know, princess. I really like doing it, so you're in luck.” Cady shifts her arms a little, wrapping one firmly around Regina's waist to hold her, using the fork in her other hand to pick up bites of food. Like last time, she has a specific pattern to it. Cady always eats first, then Regina. She rubs Regina’s back while she chews, but Cady never takes another bite until Regina’s done with hers. It's a power dynamic thing, making sure Regina sees that Cady always gets the first bite, and Regina always waits patiently.

It's safe to say that Regina loves dinner. The first few bites, she moans so loud, Cady thinks she might have actually org*smed for a second there. Regina blushes and apologizes, but Cady just finds it so cute and endearing, her heart swells. The whole meal, Regina sits happily in Cady’s lap, as she’s fed bite by bite of her first home cooked meal in ages. When the food’s all gone, Regina tucks her head into the crook of Cady’s neck and sighs.

“That was literally so good,” Regina tells her.

Cady smiles, adjusting her grip to hold Regina closer. “I’m glad you liked it, princess.”

“Liked it? I loved it.”

Cady turns her head and presses a kiss to Regina’s head, which is right there. Regina squeaks happily, snuggling in closer to Cady.

“Adorable,” Cady hums. “You know, I really like the idea of cuddling with you in your gear, princess.” She runs a hand through Regina’s hair. “What do you think about cuddling on the couch with your gear on?”

Regina nods eagerly. “I’d love that a lot, Ma’am.”

Cady smiles again. “Let’s do that, then. Go kneel on your pillow while I put the dishes in the dishwasher, princess.”

“I can help you with that, you know.”

“No you can't. You don't have hands tonight princess, remember?” Cady smirks, squeezing one of the bondage mitts. “Those aren't coming off until bedtime.”

Regina whimpers. “Really?”

Cady nods. “Really. And who knows. Maybe I'll leave them on overnight, so you wake up completely reliant on me. It's not like you can unlock them yourself.” She trails a hand through Regina’s hair, before lightly grabbing onto her chin. “You're at my mercy, princess. Now, go kneel on your pillow.” Cady takes the gag, and shoves it back into Regina’s mouth, preventing her from retorting again.

Regina’s eyes widen, before she scrambles to her feet, and then over to the pillow. She kneels down on it, watching as Cady stays seated in the chair for a few moments, lounging with one arm over the back of it.

“You are so much fun to play with,” Cady laughs, shaking her head before she stands up. She rinses off the dish and the stuff she used to make dinner, loading the dishwasher and running it. When she's finally done, she comes back over to Regina, petting her hair again gently.

“Hi, princess,” Cady murmurs, before helping Regina to her feet. “Let’s go snuggle.”

Regina’s led over to the couch by Cady, who makes sure to have the remote handy. She's wearing only her underwear now, the apron long since forgotten. Cady sits in the corner of the couch, before pulling Regina onto her lap and letting her nuzzle into her neck again.

“My good girl,” Cady whispers, running her hands through Regina's hair. “My princess.” Words fail her for a moment, so she settles for a forehead kiss instead. “I’m gonna put on a show. We’ll watch an episode or two, and then if you're feeling up to it, we’ll go upstairs and I'll f*ck you again before bed, okay, princess?”

Regina’s eyes go wide and she nods eagerly, before nuzzling back into Cady’s neck. Cady laughs, rubbing Regina’s back softly, tracing up and down along the scar.

“You're so precious, princess. I wish I could keep you like this forever. Just nuzzled up in my arms, giving you all the attention in the world.” She presses another kiss to Regina's head, whatever she can reach from the angle Regina’s snuggled in. Regina sighs contentedly, which brings a smile to Cady’s lips. “You’d like that, wouldn't you, princess?”

Regina nods softly, tugging lightly at her wrists, still linked together behind her back. Cady reaches behind and undoes the clip, setting it down on the table. Regina looks up at Cady with wide eyes, and Cady smiles.

“You're still locked in the mitts, but you can snuggle me with your arms, princess. Special treat for you tonight.”

Regina’s eyes light up, and she wraps her arms around Cady’s shoulders. Regina adjusts the way she’s sitting, so she's sitting in Cady’s lap, facing Cady, hugging her fully and burying her face into Cady’s neck.

Cady hums and rubs Regina’s back, holding her close. “That's it, princess. Good girl. My very good girl.” Cady switches on the TV, scrolling through the channels until she finds an episode of an old sitcom she likes. She wraps her arms tightly around Regina, who’s still buried against her.

“You can watch with me if you'd like, princess,” Cady says softly, running a hand through Regina’s hair.

Regina shakes her head, rubbing her nose into Cady’s bare skin. Cady giggles at the sensation, holding Regina close.

“This works too,” Cady tells her. “As long as you're comfortable.”

Regina nods eagerly against Cady, which makes her laugh again.

“Precious,” is all Cady says, before focusing on the TV. She cradles Regina in her arms, continuing to mindlessly rub her back and run her fingers through her hair. Every so often, Regina sighs contentedly against her, and Cady’s heart fills with warmth.

Cady makes it two episodes before she turns off the TV. She can feel herself getting sleepy, and she doesn't want to sleep just yet. She's got more she wants to do with Regina tonight.

Regina looks up from her snuggle spot. There's some drool that's escaped out around her gag, which Cady takes the time to clean up with her fingers (before wiping them on Regina’s chest, of course). Cady smiles softly at her, Regina still sitting in her lap, with her arms wrapped around Cady’s shoulders.

“Hi, princess,” Cady says, tucking a piece of hair behind Regina’s ear. “How’re you doing?”

Regina taps her once, and Cady smiles.

“Good girl. You ready to go back upstairs?”

Regina nods, dipping her head down and nuzzling Cady’s neck once more, before starting to climb off of her.

“You're literally so cute. You're gonna make me explode.”

Regina smiles behind her gag, so bright and happy. Cady might not be able to see the smile itself behind the panel, but she can see the absolutely adorable nose scrunch that Regina always does when she's really happy. Cady stands up, planting a kiss on the panel of Regina’s gag.

“Wait right here, princess. Let me gather all of our things.”

Cady hurries about the large room, making sure she has both their phones, all the keys and clips, the water cup, and the big princess pillow. Regina waits obediently, earning her more praise when Cady returns.

“Go on upstairs, right into the bedroom. Sit on the edge of the bed so I can put stuff away before I put you how I want you.”

Regina blushes, but heads over towards the stairs. She's careful going up with her hands still locked in the mitts, but Cady is patient as she follows behind her. She would much rather Regina be careful than slip and hurt herself.

Regina heads straight into the bedroom, sitting on the foot of the bed with her hands resting on her thighs. She watches as Cady goes about the room, putting away certain gear and grabbing other pieces. Regina watches her put the spreader bar on the bed and her eyes widen, which makes Cady smirk.

“Relax, princess,” Cady tells her. “We’re going to have a fun night.” She stands in front of Regina, stroking her hair and tilting her head up. Regina looks up with those same wide eyes, which soften when Cady leans down and presses a kiss to Regina’s forehead. “I’ll make sure of it.”

Regina does relax more, much to Cady’s relief. She's determined to give Regina as good a night as possible. Sure, things are definitely in a much better place than when she got here today, but she still feels a bit of a need to make up for the previous night.

And she has the perfect idea for how to do it.

Eventually, Cady brings over the clips again, and attaches Regina’s wrists to the lower strap of her harness, so her hands rest just below her boobs.

Cady grabs Regina’s boobs, massaging them with her fingers. Regina moans into her gag, tilting her head back.

“I haven't given these much attention today,” Cady comments. “I’ll be sure to fix that tonight and the rest of this weekend.”

Regina’s eyes go wide, and she lets out a little whimper.

“No clamps tonight, princess. Your nipples need some time to breathe. But don't worry, I'll torture them plenty all weekend.”

Regina gives a half-moan, half-whimper, and Cady smiles. She rubs Regina’s nipples between her fingers for a few moments, getting them nice and hard. “You love it when I torture your poor little nipples, don't you?”

Regina whines and nods, as Cady picks up the intensity of her rubbing.

“Good girl,” Cady purrs, before twisting both nipples at the same time, hard. Regina screams into her gag and screws her eyes shut tight. Cady lets go of Regina’s boobs and cups her head, bringing it forward to rest against her stomach, as Cady still stands in front of her. Cady strokes Regina’s hair and soothes her, Regina breathing heavily around her gag as Cady whispers praise over and over.

Regina presses her forehead against Cady’s stomach, which makes Cady smile. She keeps Regina there for another minute or so, letting her soak up the praise and soft affection. Eventually, Cady pushes Regina’s head away again, and helps her further back onto the bed.

Cady lays Regina in the dead center of the bed, her head not even up at the pillows. She gets to work on cuffing Regina’s ankles and situating the spreader bar between them, checking in to make sure the bar isn't putting too much strain on Regina's hips.

Regina’s given in entirely, blissfully floating through subspace as Cady sets her up. Cady finds herself smiling fondly at the distant eyes and soft look on Regina’s face.

“My princess,” Cady murmurs, stroking Regina’s face. “So perfect, all tied up for me. Willing to take anything I give her. Isn't that right, princess?”

Regina nods, squirming a bit in her bonds. She jerks her hips forward a bit, seeking friction that isn't there. Cady smiles, pressing a kiss to Regina’s forehead.

“I'll get to your puss* very soon, don't you worry. I have very specific plans for it.”

Regina’s eyes grow wide as Cady crawls off the bed. Instead of grabbing the strap, which had made its way onto the floor, Cady opens the top drawer of Regina’s bedside table instead, pulling out the vibrator she found last week.

“I found this last weekend, princess. Originally, I'd planned to use it then, but… Well, f*cking you over the desk ended up winning out in my mind. But now, well, now’s a different story.” Cady looks at the vibrator for a few moments, realizing she's not exactly sure how to turn it on. She presses a button, which makes it light up, but nothing else happens. She presses the button again, and instead of it starting to vibrate, the light turns off.

Cady squints at the vibrator, when she hears Regina tap herself twice with the heavy mitts. Cady’s eyes immediately jerk to Regina, and she quickly pulls out the gag.

“I'm okay,” Regina says immediately, “but you’re never going to figure that out on your own. It's one you can control with your phone.”

Cady stares at Regina for a second. It clicks in her mind. “One of those?”

Regina nods.

“You've been holding out on me, princess. We could have been doing stuff with this all week.”

“I, um, forgot I had it, actually? Like, I just got it. It literally got here last Saturday morning. I was, um, gonna use it that night, but, um, well…”

Cady laughs at Regina’s sudden blush. “Oh, I know the rest of that story.” She looks back down at the vibrator, and then up at Regina. “Have you set it up yet?”

Regina shakes her head. “No. I downloaded the app when I ordered it, cause I was excited, but I got distracted after it came and never got around to it. Mostly because I forgot about it. I would have told you if I remembered.”

Cady strokes Regina’s hair. “I know, princess. I was only teasing.” Cady reaches over to the table, grabbing hers and Regina’s phones. “Which app is it?”

Regina tells her the name, and Cady quickly downloads it to her phone. Then, she takes Regina’s, inputting her passcode and finding the app on her home screen.

“I'm uninstalling this from your phone,” Cady tells her. “I hold the key to this now. Do you understand?”

Regina swallows and nods. “Yes, Ma’am.”

“Good girl.” Cady leans down, pressing a gentle kiss to Regina’s lips. Regina kisses back, making a happy noise when their mouths connect. “Adorable,” Cady comments. “Anything else, princess, or are you ready to be gagged again?”

“I'm ready, Ma’am,” Regina tells her, before opening wide.

Cady grins. “Good girl,” she praises, slipping the gag back into Regina’s mouth. Regina moans as it enters, making Cady chuckle. Cady returns her attention to the phones, putting Regina's back once the app is off her phone, and taking the time to set it up on her own phone.

“We are going to have so much fun with this, princess,” Cady tells her. “You’re going to call me every night, and I'm going to drive you absolutely crazy with this. Maybe you'll get to cum, maybe you won't.” Cady continues to poke around on the app, finishing setup. Suddenly, the vibrator comes to life in her hand. Cady smirks, holding it up and inspecting it dramatically. “Oh, this will do. This will definitely do.”

Regina watches Cady with wide eyes as she turns the vibrator off and puts it aside. Cady cups her hand on Regina’s puss*, making her moan and buck her hips at the touch.

“Behave, princess. You'll get what I give you when I give it to you.”

Regina whimpers as Cady begins to trail her fingers up and down Regina’s puss*. “Nice and wet, just like a good slu*t should be.” Cady pushes inside with her middle finger, gently pumping and grazing Regina’s walls, just enough to make Regina squirm and moan. Cady grabs onto the harness with her other hand, pushing down and pinning Regina to the bed.

Regina instinctively tries to close her legs, but they're held wide open by the bar. Cady smirks at the sight of her twitching thighs, grazing her finger ever so gently against Regina’s most sensitive spot.

Regina's eyes nearly bug out of her head as she lets out the most graphic moan Cady’s ever heard into her gag. Cady pulls her finger out, Regina looking at her with pleading and panicked eyes, as she pleas unintelligibly into her gag.

“Hush,” Cady tells her. She picks up the vibrator, slipping it inside of her and making sure it's nice and secure. Regina moans and whines as Cady moves it around a bit, making sure it's hitting that extra sensitive spot. “Needed to make sure you were nice and worked up, princess. I’m going to have so much fun with this. You will too, eventually.” Cady lets go of the vibrator, situating herself behind Regina’s head and putting it softly in her own lap. Regina looks up at her with wide, pleading eyes. Cady strokes Regina’s face, smiling down softly. “You’re in for a long night, princess. I hope you’re ready.”

Regina nods eagerly, bucking her hips a bit.

“Shhh, relax, baby,” Cady purrs. She grabs her phone, holding it so Regina can’t see the screen. She begins to mess with the settings, and suddenly, the vibrator comes to life inside Regina. Regina squeals and begins to move, but Cady grabs onto the harness firmly and pins her down. “None of that. You’re going to lay here with your head in my lap while I play with you, princess.”

Regina looks up at her and whimpers. Cady adjusts the way she’s sitting so her legs and feet wrap around Regina’s torso, pinning her down that way. Cady lets go of the harness and puts one hand in Regina’s hair, the phone in her other hand. The vibrator is on a low setting, torturously low, so Regina has no chance of cumming like this.

“You need to behave, princess,” Cady warns her. “I’ll torture you with this for as long as I want, and if you don’t behave, you won’t get to cum at the end of all this.” She turns up the power level slightly, just enough to make Regina moan and squirm a little. “I’ll take the vibrator out and make you go to bed with your arms stuck to your chest so you can’t touch yourself.”

Regina whimpers, looking up at Cady with pleading eyes.

“Oh, I can and I will, princess, if you don’t behave yourself.” Cady drops the power level again to the lower point, which makes Regina whine again. “Here’s the rules: you can squirm in my lap, you can whine and whimper and moan and beg into your gag all you want, but your hips stay down. You don’t try to roll over and you don’t try to hump anything, even the air. Remember, princess, that pretty little puss* of yours belongs to me. That means I decide if, when, and how you cum. Do you understand?”

Regina whimpers and nods, tapping her hands against herself once. Cady smiles, cradling Regina’s face with one hand. “That’s my very good girl.” Cady turns up the power on the app again, making Regina moan. Cady holds Regina’s head as she plays with the dial on the app, sending Regina into very brief bursts of extremely powerful vibration. Regina’s unraveling in her lap, melting into a complete puddle of pitiful noises and quivering under the intensity and suddenness of the toy.

Regina just looks at Cady as she turns to putty, completely giving into whatever Cady is willing to throw at her. Cady can see just how deep into subspace Regina has slipped, how hard she's trying to obey and keep her hips still through the onslaught of rapidly changing vibration levels. Her hips twitch and jerk instinctively, but Regina forces them back down, letting out little whimpers each time as she does.

Cady continues to whisper praise and stroke Regina’s head, soft and soothing, while her other hand continues the barrage of torture. She keeps the vibrator on a very low level, before quickly turning it up super high. It only ever lasts a few seconds before going back down to a lower level, getting Regina plenty stimulated but keeping her from getting anywhere near org*sm.

Eventually, Cady starts making the intense bursts longer and longer, getting Regina closer and closer to the edge. With each time Cady takes away the power, Regina starts to thrash and whine more and more. Cady holds her down, sometimes with both hands, whispering soothing words and reminding her to relax, or the next burst won't come yet.

Regina’s garbled pleas into her gag go ignored, Cady continuing her cycle of edging Regina more and more intensely.

“Remember, princess, I decide if and when you get to cum,” Cady reminds her, turning up the power again. “I control the toy, and that puss* belongs to me.”

Regina whimpers and whines, her breath picking up in speed. Cady watches her carefully and closely, waiting until Regina's right on the edge, and suddenly, Cady turns the toy off entirely.

It's the first hard edge of the night.

Regina cries out, squirming and bucking her hips. Cady grabs onto Regina’s boobs and presses down, pinning her to the bed. She twists Regina’s nipples, hard, making her cry out in pain again and stop thrashing.

“Behave,” Cady warns her. Regina looks up at her and whimpers pathetically, taking big, deep breaths. Cady raises an eyebrow at her, but says nothing else, watching as Regina slowly calms back down again. Then, and only then, does Cady pick the phone back up and resume the torment.

Regina gets a little better at stopping her hips from bucking at every hard edge, but Cady still has to pin her torso to stop her from thrashing. Cady's merciless, bringing Regina right to the edge over and over again. She's on edge seven when Regina begins to tear up in frustration.

“Poor princess,” Cady hums, wiping Regina's tears away. “You want to cum so bad, don't you, princess?”

Regina whimpers and nods, unable to stop her legs from twitching. She’s been trying to plead through the gag for some time now, but all that Cady hears is garbled words.

Cady strokes the underside of Regina’s chin, suddenly tilting Regina's head back aggressively and holding her head in place. Cady wraps her other hand around Regina’s throat, applying a light amount of pressure. It's not enough to fully cut off her air, but it's enough to make Regina choke on the co*ck gag in her mouth with the added pressure. Regina sounds delightful to Cady, so she keeps her hand on Regina’s neck and grabs her phone with the other hand, dialing up the power on the toy.

Regina cries out, the strangled, garbled noise barely making it past the gag. Cady maintains the light pressure on Regina's neck, steadily increasing the power of the toy.

Cady watches Regina with great caution, reading her body signs and watching the org*sm build inside her. Regina's pleading into her gag, but Cady continues to ignore her.

Just before Regina c*ms, Cady tightens her grip around Regina’s neck, fully cutting off her air. “Cum for me, princess,” Cady orders. “Cum for me while I choke you.”

Regina doesn't need to be told twice. She explodes over the edge, her whole body shaking and convulsing. Cady can feel her choking beneath her hands and hear the silent screams that course through Regina. Cady watches carefully and just when Regina’s starting to lose the worst of the air in her lungs, Cady lets go of her neck and yanks the gag out of her mouth.

Regina gasps for air as Cady shuts off the toy and cradles Regina’s head in her lap. Regina shivers and coughs, her lungs burning as they refill with air.

“You did such a good job, princess,” Cady tells her as she strokes her hair. “You did so good for me. Such a good girl.”

Regina presses her cheek onto Cady’s bare thigh as she gasps for air. She looks up at Cady, who's smiling down at her with the softest eyes.

“Can I take the toy out of you and the spreader bar off, or do you need another minute?”

“Another minute,” Regina gasps, coughing again. “Just…”

“Shh,” Cady shushes. “Don't talk. Just breathe. I've got you. I've got you. You did so good, princess. So, so good.”

Regina closes her eyes and focuses on breathing and Cady’s soothing words as she catches her breath. Cady strokes her cheek, her gentle and careful touches making Regina smile softly. They stay like that for several minutes, until Regina finally rolls her head to look directly up at Cady.

“You ready, princess?”

Regina nods, a gentle smile on her face. Cady gently taps Regina’s cheek once more, before gently lifting Regina’s head out of her lap and placing it gently down on the bed. She crawls down Regina’s side, unclipping her wrists from her chest harness and gently putting her hands at her sides. Cady carefully removes the vibrator from inside Regina, which makes Regina moan yet again. Cady chuckles, putting the toy on the bedside table and plugging it into its charger. At last, she takes the cuffs off Regina’s ankles and rubs them gently. Regina hisses as her hips move from their stiffened position as the spreader bar is taken away, so Cady gives her hips extra attention too.

“Did you mean what you said earlier?” Regina asks.

“About what?”

“About these.” Regina holds up her hands, which, while freed from the harness, are still locked in the bondage mitts. “About keeping them on all night.”

“That depends,” Cady says, grabbing the water cup off the nightstand. “Sit up, baby.”

Regina sits up, leaning on her forearms. She takes the straw and drinks, while Cady runs a hand through Regina’s hair.

“It depends,” Cady continues, “on what you want and what you need. I can leave them on, and when we wake up, you’ll have to be extra good to get your hands back. Or don’t be good, and have them stuck on all day. That’s up to you. Or, I can take them off now, and in the morning, you won’t have to wait for me to unlock your hands. Either way,” Cady pauses as Regina stops drinking and puts the water cup on the nightstand again, “you’re going to get plenty of snuggles and aftercare tonight.”

Regina lays back down and curls up on her side to face Cady. “What do you want to do?”

Cady wraps her arms around Regina, pulling her closer. Regina immediately snuggles against Cady’s chest, her arms pinned between them. “I want to do whatever you want to do, princess. They’re your hands.”

“I’m cozy,” Regina murmurs, nuzzling her face into Cady’s shoulder. “Wanna stay like this.”

“Alright, princess.” Cady presses a gentle kiss to her forehead. She grabs the blankets, wrapping them up around the two of them. Regina snuggles in closer, soaking in as much contact as she can with Cady. Cady cradles her close, pressing gentle kisses to Regina’s temple and whispering praise until she can feel Regina’s breathing even out against her, and she’s certain that Regina’s fallen asleep.

Cady closes her eyes, feeling Regina’s soft skin and warm breath, and allows herself to be lulled to sleep.

Chapter 4

Chapter Text

Cady wakes up not to squirming, like she had last weekend, but instead to warm, wet kisses on her collarbone. Cady’s eyes flutter open as she gasps at the sensation. She looks down to see Regina peering up at her, those shocking blue eyes filled with lust, kissing her and licking her bare skin.

Regina grins against Cady’s skin, continuing to kiss and lick. Cady grabs Regina’s harness, pushing her further against her chest. Regina dips her head down further, starting to kiss and lick Cady’s boobs.

Cady moans as Regina latches onto one of her nipples, swirling around it with her tongue. She keeps one hand on Regina’s harness, the other tangling itself in Regina’s hair. She’s filled with so much bliss, she’s unable to form any thoughts other than more.

Regina switches to the other nipple, sucking and nipping and swirling. Cady closes her eyes and lets Regina work her magic with her mouth, giving into the sweet, pure, unadulterated bliss Regina’s providing.

Regina detaches from Cady’s nipples, continuing to kiss downward. Regina looks up at Cady, her mouth still pressed against Cady’s skin. Cady’s eyes flutter open as she looks down at Regina.

“God, princess,” Cady murmurs, running her hand through Regina’s hair. “Good morning to you too.”

Regina presses one more kiss to Cady’s skin before detaching. “You said I needed to be extra good to get my hands back,” Regina tells her, batting her eyelashes. “I’m just trying to get a head start.”

Cady smiles and cups Regina’s cheek. “You’re a very good girl, princess. And you have a magic tongue, Jesus Christ.”

“I can work that magic somewhere else, if you’ll let me.” Regina smirks, running her tongue on Cady’s stomach in a long, purposeful lick.

Cady moans, nodding and letting go of Regina’s harness and her hair, letting Regina slide further down Cady’s body. Regina holds herself up by her forearms, pushing apart Cady’s legs with her mitted hands.

Regina trails kisses along Cady’s inner thighs, nipping instead of kissing every few inches. Cady moans, tilting her head back as Regina leaves little marks along her thighs. She moves to Cady’s puss*, beginning to tease with her tongue by licking along Cady’s lips and gently swishing her tongue across Cady's cl*t.

Cady’s hands find Regina’s hair again, both of them tangling themselves in Regina’s blonde locks. Cady thrusts her hips forward and shoves Regina’s head in at the same time, making Regina move from teasing to entering her with her tongue.

Regina switches gears immediately, getting to work on her tried and true method. Within minutes, she has Cady gasping and moaning and whimpering with every flick of her tongue. Regina’s eyes are locked on Cady's, watching as she continues to treat Cady like a five course meal.

Regina's tongue hits Cady’s most sensitive spot, and Cady lets out a graphic moan. Regina keeps flicking it over and over, as Cady’s legs begin to quiver on either side of her. It's only a matter of time before Cady is screaming Regina’s name, head thrown back against the pillows and body quaking through a mind-blowing org*sm.

Regina tends to Cady's puss* post-org*sm, just as she always does, cleaning up the cum and juices with her tongue and carefully avoiding Cady’s cl*t. Cady’s come to find this part of Regina’s process both endearing and somehow, just as hot as when Regina’s actually eating her out. Regina rests her face on Cady’s thigh when she's done, which makes Cady look down at her questioningly.

“What’re you doing?” Cady murmurs, her words a little slurred.

“Waiting for permission to come back up, Ma’am.”

Cady laughs and smiles. “Come here, princess.” She opens her arms up wide, and Regina crawls right into them, wrapping her own arms back around Cady.

“You are a very good girl,” Cady tells her. “As soon as I have the energy to grab the keys, I'll unlock your hands. You definitely earned it.”

“Is it weird I really like wearing these?” Regina asks.

“Not at all, baby. Not at all. Do you know what it is you like about them so much?”

Regina thinks for a moment. “Well, it's like, depending on their position, I have freedom, but I'm still completely under your control. Like right now. They aren't linked together, and we’re cuddling, but I'm still at your mercy.”

Cady tucks a piece of Regina's hair behind her ear, smirking. “That you are, princess. If you aren't ready to take them off yet, they don't have to come off…”

Regina shakes her head. “While I would genuinely love to keep this up this morning, I want to take you out to eat for breakfast.”

“Oh, that'd be fun. I did buy us some breakfast food, though.”

“I know,” Regina shrugs. “But I don't want you to have to spend the whole weekend cooking for me. And I can't really return the favor with cooking itself, but I can take you out to eat. So I wanna do that.”

Cady smiles softly, cupping Regina’s cheek. “You’re very sweet. We can go out to breakfast this morning, but I have another idea for the future.”

“What's that?”

“Sometimes, if we’re not, you know, actively in the middle of a scene,” Cady smirks, which makes Regina blush and squirm a little in her arms. Cady holds her close, stopping her from doing more than wiggling. “Maybe you could help me cook. I can tell you what to do, and maybe you'll learn a thing or two about the meals I make.”

“I've tried to learn to cook before,” Regina admits. “I’ve been told by multiple people that I should never be allowed in a kitchen.”

Cady laughs. “For someone who isn't allowed in kitchens, you certainly have a very nice one.”

“Gretchen and Karen used to come over and cook all the time,” Regina tells her. “It hasn't seen much use since they moved.”

“Well, I certainly enjoyed using it last night.” Cady’s hand runs down Regina's back, cupping an ass cheek. Regina gasps, lips parting and eyes going wide as she looks up at Cady. “That's not the only thing I enjoyed using last night.”

Regina whimpers and lets out a little moan as Cady squeezes. Cady brings her other hand down, cupping the other cheek and squeezing them both at the same time.

“Please,” Regina whispers.

“Please what, princess?”

Regina presses her forehead against Cady’s shoulder. “I don’t, I don't know. That just feels really good.”

“You have a fantastic ass, princess,” Cady says with a smirk, squeezing both cheeks again. Regina moans, melting further in Cady’s arms. “God, you're so much fun to play with. I touch any part of you and you make such delightful noises.”

Regina squirms in Cady’s arms, earning her a light smack on one of her ass cheeks. She gasps, eyes shooting up to look at Cady, who's looking back down at her with careful eyes.

“Are you gonna spank me?” Regina asks.

“Depends,” Cady tells her. “I’m enjoying playing with your ass right now. I can keep you here as long as I want and just keep groping it. Or, if you feel like you're ready,” Cady lowers her voice, dipping her head down to whisper into Regina’s ear, “I can put you over my knee and spank you till your bottom is bright red.” Cady nips at Regina’s earlobe, making her squeak.

“That,” Regina replies, “I want that.”

“I need to hear you say it, princess.”

Regina swallows. “I want you to spank me, Ma’am. Please.”

Cady smirks. “Well, since you asked so nicely, I suppose I can make that happen.” She squeezes both of Regina’s ass cheeks again, before letting go and starting to get up. “Come on, princess. Up you go.”

Regina sits up on the bed, breathing heavily. When Cady gets off the bed entirely, a confused look crossed Regina’s face. “We're not doing it on the bed?”

Cady shakes her head and points at the lounge chair Regina has in her bedroom. It's currently covered in the packages from yesterday, but that can easily be cleaned off. “I’m putting you over my knee properly, princess. You’re getting the full experience for your first time.”

Regina swallows and gets off the bed. Cady grabs onto her harness, pulling her close. She reaches up with her other hand, cupping Regina’s cheek.

“If it's too much, we don't have to,” Cady says softly, her eyes searching Regina’s.

“No, I really, really want to,” Regina tells her. “I'm just nervous.”

Cady smiles and nods. “I can tell, baby. I promise to take really, really good care of you, okay?”

Regina nods back, a small smile crossing her lips. “Okay. I trust you.”

“I want the mitts to stay on for this. Is that okay with you?”

Regina nods again. “That's fine.”

Cady grabs two clips off the bedside table and leads Regina over to the chair. They take everything off the chair (or in Regina's case, push, since she can't really grab anything with her hands locked in bondage mittens) until it's empty. Cady sits down, before reaching up and grabbing Regina’s harness and pulling her down with her.

Regina squeaks as she’s brought over Cady's knee. They take a few moments to get properly situated, so Cady feels confident in the way she's physically supporting Regina's body, and Regina feels confident that she isn't going to fall off or anything, especially after Cady clips Regina’s wrists to the back of her harness, keeping her arms out of the way.

“Okay, princess,” Cady says calmly, rubbing her back, “this is not a punishment.”

“I know, we’re just testing it out.”

“I know, I just want to make it clear. I also want to lay out some ground rules for spanking, both here and going forward,” Cady tells her, continuing to rub Regina’s back. “I'm always going to have a set number of hits you'll get. I'll always start soft and build up. I'll also always alternate sides. That's pretty much standard for safe spanking. Now, specific things that I like to do when spanking.”

“I don't like to have my sub gagged when I'm spanking them. I want them to be able to clearly use the safewords if they need to, and I like to make them count the strikes out loud. Unless there is some very specific reason to have you gagged, you're always going to be ungagged during a spanking.”

Regina nods. “Okay.”

“Which brings me to the counting. Unless otherwise negotiated ahead of time, and only in specific circ*mstances, you'll be getting a set number of hits. For example, today, we're going to start with ten, but if once we hit ten, you decide you want more, you tell me that and I'll go up to twenty. I might ask you for something in return, if I'm feeling that's the right move. But no more than twenty today. You will count every strike out loud, nice and clear for me to hear. Since this isn't a punishment, this won't apply this time, however, if your counting is unclear during a punishment, I will start over and make you start counting from one again. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Regina nods again. “I understand.”

“Good girl.” Cady rubs Regina's back more. “Lastly, I like to have my subs in a certain position when I spank them. It might not be this way every time, but for the most part, it's going to be like this.”

“Over your knee?”

“Over my knee, with your arms tied behind your back, and your legs spread apart. Which, speaking of, spread your legs more.” Cady watches as Regina obeys, but it's still not far enough. “More. More. That's it. Just like that.”

Regina whimpers. “I feel so… exposed.”

Cady rubs Regina’s back. “That's the point, princess. You're on display for me, and I'm choosing to spank you. Now, there's one last rule I have. Which always applies.”

“What's that?” Regina asks.

“Well, two, actually. I will always announce when I'm switching implements. I've only ever used my hand, a hairbrush, and a riding crop, but if there's anything you're interested in trying, outside of genuinely drawing blood, I'm always interested to try. But my real final rule is this: if you squirm too much in my lap, I will smack your puss* with my hand or whatever else I'm using. Punishment or not, that's always in place. If you squirm too much, you could fall off my knee, and we don't want that. Ever. That's why I like to keep your legs nice and spread during these spankings. I might need access to that pretty little puss* of yours on short notice.”

Regina whimpers and her legs start to close instinctively, earning her a swift smack to her puss*. She moans, her whole body shuddering at the impact to her cl*t.

“Legs stay open, princess,” Cady reminds her. Regina immediately obeys, taking deep breaths.

“What if… what if I really, really liked that?” Regina asks. “What if I wanted more of that?”

“Well, in that case, all you have to do is ask, princess. I may not always provide, if it's a punishment. But something like today? I absolutely will.”

“Yes, please.”

“Use your words, princess. I need to hear you say it.”

Regina swallows. “I want you to spank my puss* too, Ma’am. Please.”

“Good girl. We’ll get there, I promise, but we’re going to start with your ass, okay?”

“Okay,” Regina says with a nod.

Cady rubs Regina's ass, slow and steady, going from one side to the other. “Are you ready to begin, princess?”

Regina nods again. “I'm ready, Ma’am.”

“Remember, count each strike out loud after they happen. And if you can't keep your legs open, I'll have to use the spreader bar. I don't want to do that for our first time, so you need to be a good girl, okay?”

“Okay. Count and keep my legs open.”

“Good girl.” Cady rubs Regina’s ass again. “Take a deep breath for me, princess.”

Regina takes a deep breath, and right at the peak of it, Cady smacks the right side of her ass, fairly lightly.

“One!” Regina gasps out with a slight moan.

“Good girl,” Cady praises. Immediately, she smacks the left side with the same power.

“Two!”

The third and fourth hits sting a bit more, and the fifth and sixth more than that. Cady slowly builds up her power with each strike, and Regina’s numbers start to sound less like moans and more like cries with each passing number.

“Ten!” Regina cries out, panting as Cady gently rubs her pink behind.

“You did so good, princess,” Cady tells her, voice soft and sweet. “Do you want to stop here, or do you want to go to twenty?”

“Twenty, please. Ma’am,” Regina quickly tacks on. “It was just starting to get really good.”

Cady chuckles. “My little pain slu*t.”

Regina whimpers, squirming a bit. This earns her a hard and quick smack to her puss*, directly nailing her cl*t. Regina yells out, but Cady grabs firmly onto her arms, which are still pinned behind Regina’s back.

“Stay still, princess. You know the rules.”

“S-sorry, Ma’am,” Regina stutters, spreading her legs a bit more and taking deep breaths. “Can you do more of those? Mixed in with the other spanks?”

“Your ass is still getting ten more hits,” Cady tells her, “but I'll mix in some hits on your puss*. How does five of those sound?”

Regina moans. “Please, Ma’am.”

“I'm going to start again with your ass. You'll start with eleven on those counts, but when I hit your puss*, that's a separate number. Do you think you can manage that?”

“I can,” Regina assures her. “I can.”

“Good girl. This is going to hurt a lot more than the first ten. Are you ready?”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

Cady rubs Regina's ass a bit more, and then suddenly, she delivers a sharp blow to the right side.

“Eleven!” Regina cries out. Cady’s quick on the follow up, and as soon as the word is out of Regina’s mouth, she has to cry out “Twelve!”

As quickly as number twelve came, number one hits Regina’s puss*. She cries out, before managing to get out a stuttered, “O-one.”

“Checking in,” Cady says softly, briefly rubbing Regina’s back.

“Green,” Regina tells her. “Just maybe a bit more time between blows.”

“No problem, princess. I can do that.” Cady lifts her hand off Regina’s back, and brings it back down over Regina’s puss* again.

“Two!”

Cady delivers the rest of the blows to Regina’s ass in a row. She watches as Regina's ass gets brighter and brighter, the redness of her ass even passing the shade of Cady's hair. Hand-shaped marks are starting to form, which makes Cady smug and happy. She could tell Regina would mark easily just by looking at her. The really pale ones always do. But to know she can mark Regina up with just her hand? Oh, punishing Regina just got so much more fun.

When there's only two hits left, Cady pauses. “I’m going to deliver the last two and the last three to your puss* back-to-back. There's not going to be any real recovery time. This is it, though. Once you get through these, you're all done. Are you okay with that?”

Regina nods, gasping for air. “Yes, Ma’am. I'm ready.”

Cady comes down quick, with the most powerful blows yes. Regina cries out a quick, “Nineteen! Twenty!”, but before she can recover, Cady's smacking her puss*, hard.

“Three! Four! Five!” Regina cries out, and by the last number, tears are starting to flow. She squirms in Cady’s lap, earning her an extra slap. She cries out and moans at the same time. “Please!”

“Please what, princess?”

“f*ck me! Please! I need to cum so bad!”

Cady cups Regina’s red and swollen puss*, and sure enough, she's completely soaked. Cady smirks, rubbing the sensitive area lightly. “Such a little pain slu*t. Begging me to f*ck her after I beat your ass and puss* raw, hmm?”

“Please,” Regina whimpers. “Please, Ma’am. I'll do anything.”

“Anything, hmm?” Cady ponders this for a moment. Then, she grins. “I’ll f*ck you right now, but next weekend, you have to sleep with the strap inside you every night I’m here.”

Regina looks back at Cady, wide eyed. “Really?”

“I'll take it out of the harness and tie it in place with rope. But you aren't allowed to f*ck yourself with it. You just have to be nice and full for me, all night, all three nights. Your hands will be locked up too, so you can't get any ideas.”

“Wait, three nights?” Regina asks.

“Next weekend’s a long weekend, remember? Indigenous People’s Day is next Monday.”

“Oh, right.”

“Well, what do you say?”

“Please,” Regina whimpers. “That- I want that. I want you to f*ck me and I want that.”

Cady chuckles, turning Regina’s head with one hand so she's looking at the floor again. “Eyes down, princess.” She wraps one arm around Regina’s waist, holding her firmly in her lap, as her other hand begins to stroke up and down Regina’s puss*. Regina whimpers and moans as Cady’s fingers dip inside of her, and begin their methodical pumping that drives Regina absolutely wild.

“Who do you belong to?” Cady asks.

“You, Ma’am!”

“Who gets to decide if you cum or not?”

“You, Ma'am!”

“Who owns that bright red ass?”

“You, Ma’am!”

“Who owns this perfect little puss*?”

“You, Ma'am!”

Cady decides Regina’s enthusiasm and answers satisfy her, so she returns the favor. She twists her fingers slightly, finally hitting Regina’s walls in just the right way as she also rubs Regina’s already swollen cl*t. Regina cries out, the org*sm about to course through her building into an explosion. She shakes and screams through it, between the pure bliss inside her and the overstimulation of her overly sensitive cl*t. Cady keeps her firmly in her lap, despite the involuntary movements Regina makes.

Cady’s never done with just one, however. She gives Regina three org*sms in a row, torturing her poor, overwhelmed cl*t. When she's finally done, Cady carefully takes her fingers out and turns Regina in her lap, pulling her into a sitting position and unclipping her hands. Regina's arms immediately wrap around the back of Cady’s neck, and she snuggles in close.

“Here, princess,” Cady says, offering her fingers that has been inside her to Regina. Regina sucks dutifully, relaxing further as she does. Cady smiles softly, pressing a gentle kiss to Regina’s forehead as she sucks, far longer than she needs to to just clean Cady's fingers.

Cady finally pulls her fingers out and smiles softly. “How’re you feeling, princess?”

“Incredible,” Regina tells her immediately. “Really good.”

Cady laughs, running a hand through Regina’s hair. “You did such a good job, princess. Such a good, good girl.”

Regina nuzzles in closer at the praise, shifting uncomfortably in Cady’s lap.

“Let me get you on the bed so I can put the lotion on you,” Cady says. “It’ll help your butt. And I'll unlock your hands, and then we can snuggle all you want, okay?”

Regina nods against Cady. “Do I still get to wear the harness?”

Cady laughs and smiles. “Yes, princess. All weekend, remember?”

Regina nods again sheepishly, before Cady encourages her again to stand up. Her legs are a little shaky, and her face is tear stained.

“Hey,” Cady says softly, cupping Regina's cheek, wiping away some of the tears brimming in Regina's eyes. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Regina says with a nod. “Good tears. I needed that.”

Cady gently rubs Regina’s cheek. “Let's get you that aftercare, baby.”

Cady guides Regina over to the bed, having her lay down on her stomach. She first unlocks Regina's hands, freeing them from the mitts. Regina groans a bit as she unfurls her stiff fingers, but she's fine pretty quickly.

Cady gets the lotion and crawls around to Regina’s other side, carefully rubbing the lotion on Regina’s ass. It's nice and cool, and Regina buries her face into a pillow, sighing contentedly as Cady works very gently.

“All done,” Cady says at last, capping the lotion and putting it on the bedside table. She crawls back over to Regina, rubbing her back. “How do you want me to hold you, baby?”

“I think I need to keep laying on my stomach,” Regina says. “My ass hurts, even with the lotion.”

Cady smiles softly. “I know, baby. Would you like me to lay on my back, and you can lay on top of me? That way, I can still hold you.”

Regina’s eyes light up as she nods. “Yes please.”

Cady smiles, pressing a kiss to Regina’s forehead, before settling down onto her back. She opens her arms wide. “Come here, princess.”

Regina crawls over to her and lays down on top of Cady. Her face nuzzles into Cady’s chest as Cady’s arms wrap around her torso, holding her close. Regina sighs contentedly, melting into Cady’s arms.

“You did such a good job, baby,” Cady says softly, rubbing Regina’s back. “I think it's safe to assume you liked that a lot, huh?”

Regina nods against Cady. “I did. I really needed that.”

“Good,” Cady hums, pressing a kiss to the top of Regina’s head. “I’m so, so glad.”

“I haven't cried like that in a long time,” Regina admits. “I feel like the world’s been lifted off my shoulders.”

“That can happen, especially if you're really stressed out in your day-to-day life. A lot of people find it's a really good way to release emotions.”

Regina gives a little laugh at Cady’s words. “Yeah. My job is pretty stressful.”

“Well, if you ever need it, I'm more than happy to provide. It's good stress relief for me too.”

Regina peers up at Cady. “It is?”

Cady smiles down at her. “Of course it is. I get to hit something, in a controlled way, and watch your ass get nice and red. And then,” she squeezes Regina close, “I get to cuddle you and hold you and make you feel lo- taken care of,” Cady quickly corrects.

Regina presses her cheek against Cady’s collarbone and smiles. “I heard that.”

“Shut up. We aren't there yet. You didn't hear anything.”

Regina laughs. “Why can't we be, though? I mean, it's pretty clear that both of us are already there. We just aren’t willing to say it out loud.”

“I just don't want to rush this and ruin it,” Cady tells her. She squeezes Regina right. “You’re very special to me. I really, really, really like what we’re building together. I just want to do this right.”

“I mean, we started having incredibly kinky sex the first night we met each other.”

“I've had a lot of kinky sex shortly after meeting a partner,” Cady admits, “but none of them have felt like this.”

“Me neither. I mean, the feeling like this part. Not really the kinky sex part.”

Cady laughs, running a hand through Regina's hair. “I know, baby. Though, I am glad to know you also don't normally get attached like this.”

Regina keeps looking up at Cady with those big, soft eyes. “It’s cliche and stupid but I just. I don't know that I've ever really felt this way about a person before. Like, I thought I did. I really thought I did. But this is just… it pales in comparison. I don't know. Maybe it's all the org*sm hormones talking or whatever.”

“I don't think org*sms give you hormones.”

“I thought you were a physicist, not a biologist.”

Cady laughs. “Yeah, but I was raised by zoologists, which means I know an annoying amount about biology too.”

Regina huffs. “Of course I fall for the super genius. I'm never gonna get away with anything, aren't I?”

“Definitely not. And fall for, huh?” Cady smirks.

“Is that not what this whole conversation is about?”

“Oh, it is. I just like to tease you.” Cady ruffles Regina's hair, which makes her pout. “You get all flustered. It's really cute.”

Regina buries her face into Cady’s shoulder so Cady can't see how red she’s turning.

“Hey, come back,” Cady whines lightly, scratching gently at Regina’s scalp. “You were being really cute!”

Regina shakes her head and buries it. “No,” she says, a little muffled, “I'm hiding until my face stops burning.”

“Reggie,” Cady says softly, “with how much I tease you, your face is never going to stop burning.”

Regina peers up at her. “Reggie?”

Cady shrugs. “I need a cute nickname to call you when I don't want it to be super sexual.” She scratches at Regina’s scalp again. “Don't get me wrong. You're always my princess, sexual or not, but that's not always the vibe I'm going for, you know?”

“So you went with Reggie?”

“Do you hate it?”

Regina adjusts her head again, laying so she can properly look at Cady. “No, I don't hate it. I've just never been called that before.”

Cady grins. “I’m definitely gonna keep calling you that then. I like having a nickname for you that's just mine, you know?”

Regina smiles. “You're cute.”

“What other nicknames do people call you?”

Regina thinks for a moment. “Gretchen and Karen have a few different for me. I've gotten G, Gina, Gigi… My parents have never called me anything other than Regina. I had this friend in middle school who used to call me Reginald, but I didn't really like that one.”

Cady makes a face. “Yeah, that doesn't fit at all.”

“What about you? Any nicknames?”

Cady shrugs. “Cady’s a lot shorter. There aren't many. Um, Janis calls me Caddy, because she likes to be an ass. I've gotten Cads before too. This one girl I dated in college called me Cade which… What's the point? I don't know. I never liked it.” She thinks for a few more seconds, and then adds, “Oh! Kevin G. in my program calls me Golf Bird.”

“Golf Bird?”

“Yeah, like Caddy Heron. Golf Bird. People usually mispronounce my name if they see it spelled before they hear it. Most of my program was no exception.”

Regina thinks for a moment, wrapping her fingers around the end of Cady's hair. “I didn’t think it was pronounced the way it is when I first saw it either, honestly. I'm not gonna call you Golf Bird, but I like the idea of calling you my little bird.”

Cady feels herself genuinely melt. “That's adorable. Oh my God.”

Regina smiles, reaching up and touching Cady’s cheek. Cady melts into the touch immediately, nuzzling Regina’s hand.

“My little bird,” Regina says.

“My princess,” Cady replies, a big smile on her face.

Regina scoots herself up more, leaning on her forearms so she can give Cady a kiss, which quickly turns into many kisses. Cady holds her close as she gives soft and gentle kisses. At last, Regina curls back up in Cady’s arms, pressing her forehead into the crook of Cady’s neck.

“I don't think we’re making it to breakfast,” Regina says quietly, which makes Cady laugh.

“If you want, I can make us something here.”

“No,” Regina replies immediately, clinging to Cady. “I’m so comfy.”

Cady laughs again, running a hand through Regina's hair. “Don’t worry, princess. I'm not letting go until you're ready.”

“Good,” Regina says softly, tilting her head up and pressing a soft kiss into Cady’s neck. Cady lets out a soft moan, blushing immediately.

“Sorry. My neck is really sensitive.”

“Oh, I know,” Regina smirks against Cady’s neck. “Two can play at the teasing game.”

“Brat,” Cady laughs, ruffling Regina’s hair a bit. “You’re lucky you're cute.”

“You know, speaking of that,” Regina says, pulling back a little so she can look at Cady, “now that we've done spanking once… and I know now that I do really like it… I kind of want to try to lean into some of the brattiness more.”

“I knew that was coming,” Cady laughs. “If that's the case, we should start differentiating between rules that I need you to follow for things to stay safe, and rules that can be broken and what appropriate punishments should be.”

“Right,” Regina nods, “like when you just use the cuffs on me, and technically I could unclip them myself, but I don't.”

“Exactly. If you did that, I'd have to lock them together, and I don't want to do that. I want to be able to free your arms easily in case of an emergency.”

“Don't the bondage mitts kind of defeat the point of that, though? Since they get locked on?”

Cady hums. “Well, no. Because I'm more concerned about an arm getting stuck in a bad position and losing circulation or something than anything. Or, if you're going up and down the stairs. I want your arms to be free so, God forbid you trip and fall, you can catch yourself with them. You don’t need to have access to your fingers to catch yourself with your arms. I’d rather you catch yourself than fall on your face.”

Regina considers this for a moment, and then nods. “That makes sense.”

“Those are two rules that I need you to continue to obey. No messing with the clips, even if you can, unless there's an actual emergency. And when I'm bringing you up and down the stairs, I need you to cooperate with me for unclipping and reclipping your wrists."

Regina nods. “That makes sense. What else?”

“When you're being spanked in my lap, you can't squirm too much, since you could fall off. But we went over that already. There might be some times when it's safer. Like if I'm spanking you on the couch or on the bed and you aren't quite dangling off my knees like you were earlier. Does that make sense?”

“It does,” Regina agrees. “I think my body might move on its own sometimes during that though.”

“I know. Which is why the puss* smacks are there to bring you back to reality and remind you not to move.”

Regina swallows and blushes. “Right. I forgot those have an actual purpose.”

Cady laughs. “God, you're such a sub. Um, anyways, other important rules… Obviously, not that I think you would do this, but I feel like I need to say it for my own sake. Don't abuse the safewords or taps for brattiness.”

“Of course. I'd only use those if I need to.”

“I know you would. I just had to say it out loud. I don't know. Anyways, trying to think of any others…”

“If you think of any others later, you can just tell me,” Regina recommends. “Even during a scene. If something's a safety rule, I'll know not to f*ck with it.”

Cady nods. “That sounds like a good way to put it. Safety rules.”

“What about rules that I can break?”

“Well,” Cady begins, “I would say the one I almost expect will be broken the most often is touching yourself without permission.”

Regina blushes. “Yeah, me too.”

“I think it's good to establish a set punishment, especially after what happened this week.”

“Agreed.”

“So, keeping in mind, any rules broken when we aren't together must be reported and will be addressed when we are with each other in person. Most likely on the weekends.” Cady runs a hand through Regina's hair. “And if you ever feel yourself wanting to lie because you don't want the punishment, I need you to tell me. I'm not ever going to be mad about that.”

“Wait, really?”

Cady nods, continuing to play with Regina’s hair. “That means we’ve crossed a line into things no longer being fun for you. And I don't want that. Sure, punishments themselves aren't always meant to be the most enjoyable thing in the world, but once we cross into lying territory, that means something is very wrong.” Cady cups Regina’s cheek, rubbing it softly with her thumb. “I told you I take good care of my toys, princess. I really do mean that.”

Regina melts into to the touch and Cady’s words. “That, uh, that makes sense.”

Cady smiles softly at her, before moving her hand to play with Regina’s hair again. Regina’s melted on top of Cady, which makes Cady feel unstoppable. She's got the most gorgeous woman she's ever met melting under her touch, snuggled on top of her, completely naked except for the harness she locked on, while they discuss the rules of their kinky relationship.

It all hits Cady at once, and she takes a deep breath.

Regina peers up at Cady. “You okay?”

Cady nods. “I’m good. Just kind of… got hit with everything at once.”

“What do you mean?”

“Don't worry about it. It's a good thing, I promise.”

Regina watches her for a few more seconds, before nuzzling back into her. “Alright.”

“So, back to the set punishments,” Cady says with another deep breath. “I like the ten hits rule. For each unique rule you break, you get ten spanks. So, for example, let's say you touched yourself without permission and came without permission. That would earn you twenty spanks.”

“And since we’re racking up punishments over the course of the week, does that mean it would stack if I did it more than once?”

Cady shakes her head. “No, doing it more than once means an escalation of the punishment.”

Regina looks up, confused. “What?”

“If you do it once during the week, I use my hand. Twice, a hairbrush. Three times, a belt. Beyond that, well, we’d have to discuss that in more detail. I don't want to escalate to anything more than that until we’re able to try both of those, for the record.”

Regina squirms a little on top of Cady, which makes Cady hold her close. “Um, do you think, maybe, at some point, you could just… spank me with the belt, without it being a punishment?”

Cady laughs, squeezing Regina. “I forgot about your clothes fetish. Don't worry, baby. We’ll work out a whole scene around that. Probably not this weekend, because your ass needs a break. But,” Cady lowers her voice, “when the time comes, I'll stuff my strap in my jeans, tie you down, take off my belt and spank you until you're in tears, and then rail you until you pass out.”

Regina closes her eyes and moans. Cady holds firm as Regina begins to squirm again. “God, Cady. Please.”

Cady raises an eyebrow. “What was that?”

“Ma’am. Sorry, Ma’am. Please, Ma’am.”

Cady chuckles, pressing a kiss to the top of Regina’s head. “Good girl. We’ll figure that out more in the future, okay?”

“You can't just say that and get me all riled up.”

“Oh, but I can, and will,” Cady smirks. “Which, speaking of, I've threatened a few times to not let you cum if you don't behave. I want to make it clear that if you're escalating the brattiness, this will happen. I don't make empty threats.”

Regina swallows and nods. “I figured. And I’m willing to guess that the length of the denial depends on how bad I am.”

Cady smiles. “Correct, princess.” She runs a hand through Regina’s hair, looking down at her, thinking. “You know, if it's alright with you, I'd like to try something later. See how you react.”

“What is it?”

“Sensory deprivation,” Cady tells her. “I know we bought the blindfold and agreed to it, but I have these noise canceling headphones too. I use them sometimes when I’m working on my dissertation so I can focus. Later, when I'm grading, I’d like to try putting the blindfold and the headphones on you. I can either leave it silent or play some white noise through them. I'll keep a close eye on you and of course take it off right away if you don't like it.”

“I mean, I'm down to try,” Regina shrugs. “Is there any reason you bring it up? Just, cause, like, we were talking about punishments, and…”

Cady shakes her head. “No, I don't want to use that as a punishment. To me, a punishment should be very clear that it's coming from me. I'm spanking you, or denying you, or putting you in some sort of stress position in bondage - which, for the record, I'm hesitant to do so with your back, but if you're interested, I'm sure we can find something.”

Regina shrugs. “Again, I'm willing to try. But it will be limited with my back.”

“Of course,” Cady says with a little nod. “Anyways, to me, sensory deprivation is kind of the opposite of that. Like, yes, I'm the one putting the gear on you, but the goal of sensory deprivation is to kind of float in subspace and turn your brain off completely. Think of it like really intense meditation. That, to me, is a degree separated from me. I don't like that separation for a punishment.” She pauses for a second, and then adds, “I hope that all makes sense.”

“It does,” Regina tells her. “Thank you for explaining.”

“Of course, baby.” Cady runs her hand through Regina's hair again. “Ask questions when you have them. Please. It's very important to me that you do, okay?”

“Okay. Can I tell you something?”

“Of course.”

Regina takes a deep breath. “Last week, at first, I was really nervous about doing kink stuff with you.”

“Really?” Cady blinks. “Why's that?”

“Well, I mean, I hadn't really done it with anyone else before, for one. But that also made me anxious because you have and I haven't. You know all these things and know what you like and I just… don't.”

“Well, I'd say you have a very good idea about things you like or are interested in,” Cady says, “which is half the battle.”

Regina shifts in Cady’s arms. “Yeah, but… I don't know. It's just different, I guess. But that's not my point. The more we did, and the more you proved over and over again that you were… I don't know. Taking care of doesn't feel like the right wording here, but it's all I've got.”

“I mean, I have used that phrase a lot,” Cady admits, “but I get what you mean. I'd call it being a responsible Domme, personally.”

“That, and a responsible girlfriend. The more you showed me that, the safer I felt and the more the anxiety drifted away.” Regina takes another deep breath. “It's why I'm willing to try pretty much anything, because I know you’re going to check in on me and get me out if I need it.”

Cady smiles softly. “Exactly. I'm really glad that's stuck with you.”

Regina nuzzles into Cady, which makes Cady’s heart fill with warmth. “You make me feel really safe. I trust you.”

Cady holds Regina close. “I'm so, so, so glad. That's the goal.”

Regina hums. “Do you think it's okay if I nap for a little bit?”

“Baby, whatever you want to do, I'm here for it.”

“I just meant cause like, I'm laying on top of you and stuff.”

“Oh, I love this. It's like the world’s best weighted blanket.” Cady presses a kiss to the top of Regina’s head. “Get some rest, princess. Then maybe after, we take a shower together? And then, if you're up for it, we could go get lunch and maybe do something together. I don't know what's around here or what you're up for, but…”

“Are you still gonna have the harness on me?”

“Well,” Cady says, “I plan on taking it off you so we can shower. I would like to put it back on after, but I'm not going to force you to do anything you don't want to do. Ever. And I know going out in the middle of the day is different from an evening trip to the grocery store, so, like, I get it.”

“I want to wear it out,” Regina tells her, “but I think I need to put on a bra or something underneath. Maybe a sports bra would be most comfortable. I just don't think I can get away with going braless midday.”

Cady nods, rubbing Regina’s back. “Whatever works for you, princess. If you want me to put it back on you, you will have to wear a baggy shirt, because otherwise, the locks will show.”

“Right,” Regina says. “I’ll pick something out after I shower.”

“It's a shame I don't know your wardrobe better yet,” Cady hums. “I liked picking out your outfit.”

“I liked that too.” Regina thinks for a moment, and then adds, “Maybe I pick something out, and you like… approve or deny it? That’s kinda the same idea.”

Cady smiles. “That sounds like a great idea, princess.” She presses a kiss to the top of Regina's head. “Get some sleep. I've got you.”

Regina nuzzles her nose against Cady, melting even more in her arms. It doesn't take long for her to drift back off, safe and warm in Cady’s grip.

Regina only sleeps for about an hour, much to Cady's relief. Cady drifts in and out of consciousness, but she doesn't complain or try to move. Regina needs to be held, so she's going to hold her.

She’s a responsible Domme and girlfriend, after all.

When Regina does finally stir, she's climbing off Cady really quickly.

“I need to pee!” Regina half-yells over her shoulder as she books it to the bathroom.

Cady laughs, sitting up in bed. “That was sudden.”

“Yeah, well, I suddenly had to pee!”

Cady gets out of bed, following Regina into the bathroom. Regina gives her a look from the toilet, but Cady just raises an eyebrow at her.

“I thought we went over this yesterday,” Cady says.

“Yeah, but…”

“If it bothers you, I won't stand here.”

“I'm just confused as to why. Like, yesterday, I get it, cause you were getting ready too. But right now…?” Regina gestures into the air.

“Well, when you were done, I was gonna pee, and then we were gonna shower,” Cady explains.

Regina thumbs her chest harness. “Don't you need to get this off first?”

“Oh, sh*t, the keys!” She quickly turns on her heel, going to grab the keys she stashed in one of her bags. By the time she returns with them, Regina’s washing her hands, chuckling.

Cady walks up behind Regina, grabbing onto the harness from the back. Regina gasps at the sudden tug, looking up sharply into the mirror.

“I do just love this harness,” Cady says into Regina’s ear, voice low. “I love seeing you in it, and I love yanking you around.”

Regina whimpers lightly. “I love it too, Ma’am.”

“Good girl.” Cady slides the key into one of the locks, turning it and pulling it off, before the other one. She unbuckles the two buckles of the harness, and helps Regina take it off. “Go put this on the bed for me, locks and keys too, and come back in. Then, we shower.”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

Thirty minutes later, the pair are drying themselves off in the bathroom with two of Regina’s fluffiest towels. The shower had been very relaxing, but Cady kept the teasing to a minimum. As fun as it is to tease Regina endlessly, she wanted to make sure they got to do something that wasn't related to sex this weekend.

Even if they were doing this sort of quasi-play thing with the harness under Regina’s clothes, Cady’s determined to make sure this relationship has a strong foundation, not one that's just built on sex. Not that the sex is harmful to the foundation, but, well, she knows there needs to be more there.

“So,” Cady begins as she's drying off one of her legs, “what sorts of things are there to do for fun around here?”

Regina hums. “Well, uh, Manchester is right there. There's a big commercial area there. Buckland Hills Mall and a ton of other shopping stuff. Uh, there's probably something decent going on in Hartford, but I don't tend to like spending time there outside of work. Stresses me out.”

“Not Hartford, then,” Cady nods. “Does the mall also have a movie theater inside it?”

Regina gives her a look. “What?”

“Oh, the Milford mall has a movie theater in it. It's the only mall I've been to in Connecticut so far. The way my roommates talk about it, it's like, super normal to them.”

Regina shakes her head. “No, Buckland Hills doesn't have a movie theater in it, but there’s one nearby.”

“We could see a movie after lunch,” Cady offers with a shrug. “Or we could just go to the mall. I don't really know what's there.”

“The mall is probably better, honestly,” Regina tells her. “I don't think there's anything good playing right now.”

“Sure. I'm down for whatever.”

Regina wraps her towel around her chest, underneath her armpits. Cady’s doing the same as Regina takes a step closer to her. “Just so you know, if you see anything you like while we’re there, I'm more than happy to buy it for you.”

Cady looks up at Regina and smiles. “That’s very sweet of you, but you don't have to do that.”

“I know, but I want to.” Regina puts her hands on Cady’s hips, to which Cady smiles. “I want to get you more cute clothes. For casual and for work.”

“Reggie, the last time you bought me an outfit, it nearly cost $500.”

“Okay, that's different. That was designer, and it was for a special occasion. Buckland Hills doesn't have, like, designer stores or anything. Clothes don't have to be designer to be cute, especially not on you.”

Cady smiles at the compliment. “Thank you. Although, honestly, the only time I think I've seen you in clothes that weren't at least one piece designer is when you're naked.”

Regina waves her hand. “I’m a trust fund nepo baby. My baby blanket was Prada.”

Cady’s eyes go wide, and Regina throws her hands in the air.

“I'm kidding! I do have jokes, you know!”

“Okay, but that's totally believable.”

“...Prada doesn't make baby blankets.”

Cady gives her a look. “How would I know that?”

“Okay, fair enough. I did wear Fendi to my first day of kindergarten, though. That's not a joke.”

Cady stares at her. “They make that?”

“It was a custom piece,” Regina shrugs. Cady's not sure what to do with that. “Anyways,” Regina continues, “let me buy you some clothes. Please.”

Cady holds up her hands in defeat and laughs. “Alright, alright. We’ll go to the mall, and you can buy me some clothes. Let's go get dressed.”

Regina smiles brightly. “Yay!”

Cady can't help but smile back. Regina's happiness is just contagious.

Some time later, they're in the car, on the way to the mall. Cady insists on driving again, because she wants to tease Regina more, and because she wants to understand the area better.

She's not doing what she did on the way home from the grocery store last night; she's just keeping her hand on Regina’s thigh, not touching further. Regina’s outfit hadn't been too hard to put together. She's wearing a loose button down that's half-tucked into her pants, which are considerably harder to tease through than the leggings. The button down is loose enough to not cling to the harness, and she’s got a jacket over it. Her boobs are better contained too, with a black sports bra on underneath the harness.

Cady’s dressed similar to how she was last night. She's wearing jeans again (although, a different pair, since last night's still reek of sex) and a different tight T-shirt. She put on the leather jacket at the last second, which made Regina’s brain break a little, just as she intended.

The drive to Buckland Hills doesn't take very long. Turns out, the Buckland Hills area isn't just a mall itself. It's a sprawling commercial complex of various plazas and buildings.

It reminds Cady a little bit of parts of the Boston Post Road in the towns surrounding New Haven, which is the local name for Route 1. Route 1 stretches all the way from Maine to Florida, but the exact design of it varies drastically at different points of the route. Surrounding New Haven, Route 1 is a commercial strip, with every shop, chain, restaurant, fast food establishment, and niche specialty store you can think of on it.

Hell, one of the times she went to the Milford Mall with her roommates (which is on the Boston Post Road, just, you know, in Milford), there was a big accident on 95, so they took the Post Road instead. Cady saw stores individually strictly sell things like lampshades, blinds, vacuums, batteries, and even one store that seemed to only sell honey baked ham.

(Damian had told her that place sold much more than just ham, but it was their specialty. And that it's quite good. Cady’s not entirely sure that she believes him on that.)

Regina had Cady put the GPS to her favorite hibachi place in Manchester, just down the street from the mall itself. They don't end up eating hibachi, but rather, sitting in the main part of the restaurant.

It's a pretty good lunch. Regina tells Cady to get a side of the hibachi noodles, because they're to die for. Cady goes along with the suggestion, and she's very glad she did, because Regina's absolutely right.

They split a sushi boat, which is fun. Cady’s never actually entertained the idea of buying a sushi boat before. They're always the most expensive things on the menu.

“One of these days, I have to take you to Sushi House,” Regina says. “It's in Rocky Hill, which is just a little south of Hartford. All-you-can-eat, made-to-order sushi. And it's not expensive. Like, I know my judgment is clouded on that, usually, but it usually ends up like, $35 a person.”

Cady blinks. “For all-you-can-eat, made-to-order sushi? Damn.”

“My point exactly!” Regina grins. “We’ll definitely have to go there soon.”

“I'd love to,” Cady smiles. “You know, I've been thinking.”

“About what?”

“About the amount of time I spent on campus.” Cady swirls the straw of her water cup. “I just… okay, so, basically, I'm having this internal debate over whether or not I need to be staying on campus so late every day anymore. Part of me is like, I should still be rushing to crunch as much as I can and try to still finish my PhD in four years, especially as just, like, just in case, you know? Not saying I think things are gonna go wrong, but you never know.”

Regina nods. “I get it.”

“On the other hand,” Cady sighs, “I'm in my second year and my research isn't where it realistically needs to be for it to be likely for me to be done in four years. Part of that is on f*cking Epperson, but part of that is just the nature of the research. And part of me is worried I'm going to end up burning out, and get burnt out for an unachievable goal.”

Regina nods again. “Well, here's a question for you. How much does tuition cost?”

“PhD tuition is around $50k a year,” Cady tells her. “But I don't know how much the discount they promise if you don't finish in four years is.”

Regina hums. “Well, I know this is crazy, and I know it's only been a week, but I do see us lasting a long time.”

Cady smiles softly. “I do too. I just worry about the what ifs, you know?”

“Of course,” Regina says with a nod. “That makes sense. There's a scarcity of money involved for you.”

Cady shifts a bit at the wording. “Right…”

“Look, what I'm trying to say is… If it'll help, I could always give you more, so you're putting more in savings. That way there, you have a failsafe if things go south and you need extra to cover the tuition.”

“Reggie, you're already giving me so much…”

“Which is only a drop in the bucket for me,” Regina reminds her. “Let me help you.” She reaches across the table, taking Cady’s hand. “Let me take care of you.”

Cady smirks. “I thought that was my job.”

“In some ways,” Regina shrugs, smiling a little herself. “But really. I don't want you to worry about this stuff, and I don't want you to burn out. And, well, selfishly,” Regina blushes a bit, “I know that if you're leaving campus earlier, we could probably do more dinners and stuff during the week.”

Cady laughs. “Yeah, that was one of my thoughts too. Going to Cody’s with you was fun, and I don't regret it at all, but I was so tired when I got home. I think it's just that last year, I didn't really have anything to do outside of school and work, so I made it my entire life. But now,” she squeezes Regina’s hand softly, “well, I won't get too cheesy on you right now.”

Regina smiles. “What if I like cheese?”

Cady laughs lightly. “Okay, fine. Now I've found someone who makes my life more exciting and vibrant and fun and gives me a reason to not want to be on campus for twelve hours a day.”

Regina takes a deep breath. “I still don't want to say it yet, but I can't stop thinking about it.”

“Me neither,” Cady admits. “Although, it feels like even saying that defeats the point.”

“It doesn't count until we actually say it,” Regina insists. “I have to hang on to some semblance of sanity with this.”

Cady laughs again. “Okay, yeah. Fair enough.”

“Would it help to justify giving you more money through a transactional lens?”

Cady blinks. “What?”

“Like, well, if you're spending more time with me, that could help rationalize increasing the money,” Regina shrugs. “But I also don't want you to feel like you have to spend your evenings with me, if you don't want to.”

“Oh, I want to, trust me,” Cady says with a sigh. “But no, I don't think that rationalization will work. Because while I do very much appreciate that aspect of this, I don't want to feel like… like it's the driving force, you know?”

Regina nods. “Of course. I don't either. Was just a suggestion.”

“Right,” Cady nods back. “I think I'm probably just going to need some time to adjust to the idea of more money. I know by comparison, it doesn't matter to you, and I know it's silly, given how we met, but…”

“I mean, your roommate signed you up for the app, not you,” Regina points out. “I feel like the hesitation is understandable.”

Cady smiles. “Thanks for being so patient with me. I know it probably seems silly to be worried about.”

“It's not silly. It's not something I fully understand, but I understand enough to know it's not silly,” Regina tells her. “I just have a lot of feelings and want to take care of you in the ways that I can. And if that means giving you some time to process that idea, then sure. And if it means giving you more money, no problem! I want you to be comfortable and happy and feel like you can just focus on your actual research and not looming deadlines. And I don't want you to get burnt out.”

Cady's heart feels like it's melting. She squeezes Regina’s hand again, as they're still holding each other's hands across the table. “Thank you,” Cady replies softly. “Really, thank you. No one's ever… Well, obviously, no one's ever quite done this for me, but… I don't know. I guess I'm just a lot more used to taking care of other people.”

“It feels good to be taken care of,” Regina says with a little smile. “Trust me, I know that. You know I know that. But it's nice to take care of someone too, even if it's in a different way.”

Cady smiles back, finding herself lost in Regina’s bright blue eyes. “Yeah, it does.”

Lunch doesn't last much longer beyond that. Cady insists on kissing Regina in the car a bit, after pulling the car around to a more secluded spot in the lot. She grabs onto the harness through Regina's shirt, possessive and hungry.

Regina finds herself unraveling beneath Cady’s hands, just like she does every time. When Cady pulls off and plugs the mall into her GPS (despite it being close, none of these roads make sense to her), Regina honestly whimpers.

“Trust me, princess, you'll get your reward later,” Cady promises her. “But we have more to do, remember?”

“Yeah, but…”

“No buts. I like getting you all worked up, remember?” Cady puts her hand back on Regina’s thigh while she drives, giving it a little squeeze. Her voice becomes soft again for a moment. “If it's too much, I can reel it back.”

Regina shakes her head. “No, no. I like it. A lot. I'm just impatient.”

Cady laughs. “Oh, I know, princess. I know. I'll train that out of you, don't you worry.” She squeezes Regina’s thigh again, harsher than before, which makes her squeak. “By the way, how's your ass feeling?”

“A little sore,” Regina tells her. “Lunch got uncomfortable by the end of it, but nothing too bad.”

“Good,” Cady smirks. “I want you to remember my spankings for a while after they happen.”

“How could I forget?” Regina laughs.

Cady squeezes again. “It’s very good to know such a light spanking lasted this long, though.”

“Light?”

“Oh, princess,” Cady laughs, “that was only the beginning.”

The conversation stops as they pull into the mall parking lot. Regina tells her to park near Macy’s, which is at one end of the mall. Regina wants to walk the whole thing with her, which Cady's certainly okay with.

When they get out of the car, Cady takes Regina’s hand, linking their fingers together. Regina smiles, relaxing a bit more at the touch.

They spend quite a while in Macy’s. Regina ends up buying Cady a few different outfits and accessories, insisting that Cady not look at the price tag. They bring the Macy’s haul back out to the car before heading back inside, so they don’t have to carry everything around for the length of the mall. Cady knows the cost has to be way more than she’s ever spent on clothes in her life, but she’s trying very hard to just… let it be.

Besides, she is excited to wear some of this stuff to work and start dressing up a bit. It’s fun, it makes her more confident, and she’s still her ridiculously smart, stubborn self, regardless of what she’s wearing, which isn’t a concept half the men in her department can wrap their minds around.

(She can already hear Kevin G.’s reaction in her mind.

“Okay, Golf Bird! Go off!”

At least she’s got him to hype her up at school.)

After dropping off the clothes, they head back into the mall, starting to actually walk past other stores. Regina drags her into a few more shops (New York & Company for some more work clothes, Forever 21 for some more casual clothes and accessories, and H&M for some new, better quality jeans). Regina insists she’s going to take Cady places better than Forever 21 or H&M eventually, but at least this is better than Old Navy. Cady’s just happy to be there, and happy to show off all the jeans Regina has her try on. Cady can clearly see what it’s doing to Regina, and she’s super smug about it.

Cady throws out the idea of Victoria’s Secret, but Regina insists she’s not letting Cady wear something that cheap. Cady points out most of the nice lingerie she currently owns is from Victoria’s Secret, to which Regina makes a face.

“Oh, we’re definitely going to fix that,” Regina tells her. “We’ll take a trip another weekend.”

“Trip to where?”

“There’s a couple shops in Fairfield County I like,” Regina shrugs. “We’ll make a day trip out of it. I’ll show you around where I grew up.”

“Sounds fun,” Cady replies with a smile. Her eyes drift forward as they walk, landing on a store a few units down. “Oh my God.”

“What?”

“I know where we’re going next.”

“Where?” Regina asks, looking around, genuinely confused.

“It’s actually for you, not for me,” Cady tells her, dragging her forward by her hand. She only stops when they’re in front of the store, which Regina is staring at with wide eyes, still clearly confused.

“You want to go to Build-A-Bear?”

Cady smiles wide. “You don’t have any stuffed animals. We’re going to fix that.”

“Stuffed animals aren’t really my thing…”

Cady shakes her head. “Just one? Please? For me?” She looks up at Regina with wide eyes, smiling slightly.

Regina sighs, unable to resist those eyes. “You’re evil, you know that?”

“Me?” Cady smirks. “Whatever makes you say that?”

“Let’s go build the stupid bear,” Regina grumbles. Cady’s grin stretches from ear to ear, dragging Regina into the store.

“If I’m doing this, you’re doing this too,” Regina tells her as they stand in front of the display of stuffed animals. “Pick one.”

Cady laughs. “Oh, you don’t have to tell me twice.” She looks over the display, and immediately finds one she likes. “Oh my God, this is so cute.” She picks up the unstuffed plush for a little hamster, before looking at Regina. “See anything you like?”

Regina shrugs. “I don’t know. I’ll just get a bear, I guess.” She reaches for the most generic, light brown bear from the shelves under the display.

“Aww, Reggie, come on. You gotta pick something more unique than the literal mascot!”

Regina gives Cady a look, but Cady’s just looking back at her with those wide eyes, and Regina has no choice but to give in. Still, if she’s gonna give in, she’s gonna be dramatic about it. She drops the tan bear back on the shelf, and continues scanning the other options. She bursts out laughing when, at the end of the display, she sees an obnoxious rainbow bear/alien hybrid. The sign lets her know it’s a bearlien.

“Oh, I know which one I’m getting.” She grabs the bearlien and holds the unstuffed fabric up to Cady, who rolls her eyes and smiles.

“You know, that works.”

“Great, now what?”

“Now, we can pick a sound to go in it.”

“A sound?” Regina asks, giving Cady a look.

Cady nods. “We can either pick a sound that exists, or we can make our own sounds. We can record them for each other, if you want.”

Regina’s face softens a little. “Okay, that’s cute. Yeah, let’s do that.”

It’s a bit of a process for that step, because Cady insists they don’t hear what the other person says while they’re recording. They take turns going to the other side of the shop and then coming back, so both of the recordings are ready. Cady then leads Regina over to the stuffing station, where an employee helps them to stuff their animals. They’re offered options for scents, but both of them decline. The employee makes them say a little speech with a little heart that gets stuffed in the bear. Regina finds it corny, but Cady begs her to do it.

“Come on, Reggie. What’s life without a little whimsy?”

Regina gives in immediately. She has absolutely no resolve when it comes to Cady Heron. The smile on Cady’s face when she finally does give in is enough for Regina to know it was totally worth it to embarrass herself in front of the underpaid teenager who’s stuffing their animals. The employee wants them to play their sounds, to make sure they work, so they take turns going across the store again.

When they’re done, the employee makes them both hug their animals, which Regina continues to be reluctant about, but with another pleading look from Cady, she gives in. She won’t admit it to Cady, definitely not in this store, but hugging it does feel good.

After the hugs, it’s time to pick out outfits for the animals. Cady gets her hamster a little blue flannel, which she has to leave unbuttoned due to the shape of the hamster, and a tiny white bucket hat with the Build-A-Bear logo on it. It’s adorable, and in Cady’s opinion, exactly her style.

Regina gets lucky too, and finds something so incredibly perfect for her. It’s a Y2K inspired set (the description makes her cringe; she feels ancient reading it) with a white tank top with a pink Drama Queen printed on it, a pink velour tracksuit, white flip flops, and (according to the description) a designer paw print purse. Cady wants to tease her about it, but Regina looks like she’s genuinely having fun for the first time since they entered the Build-A-Bear, so she lets it slide.

After they’re done dressing the stuffed animals, they have to go over to a machine to name them and get birth certificates. Regina withholds her eye roll, which makes Cady beam at her.

Cady names her hamster Caddy, feeling like it’s very fitting for the cute little thing. Regina’s struggling to name hers, but she ends up going with Bearlezien. Cady is shocked that name made it through without getting denied by the computer, but is also unsurprised that that’s what Regina went with.

The bears get packed into little cardboard houses, and Regina pays for all of it without a second glance at the total. They’ve got enough bags now (and, in the case of their bears, boxes), that they can no longer hold hands while walking through the rest of the mall. They're almost done with the complete loop of both floors anyways, so it's not too bad.

Cady’s still a bit baffled by this mall. There's a carousel inside the food court. She's never been to a place with an indoor carousel before. Hell, she's pretty sure she's never actually ridden a carousel.

“Y’know, I don’t think I’ve ever actually been on a carousel before,” Cady tells Regina as they exit through Macy’s and are making their way back to Regina’s car. Regina stops in her tracks, giving Cady a look.

“Wait. You've never been on a carousel?”

“Nope.”

“Have you ever been to an amusem*nt park?”

Cady shakes her head. “I was supposed to go my senior year of high school on a senior trip, but I got super sick and had to stay home.”

Regina stares at her for a few moments longer, before continuing to walk again. “Oh, we’re definitely fixing that. Do you have plans for next weekend?”

“Uh, no,” Cady replies, confused. “Are amusem*nt parks even open this time of year?” It's solidly in the middle of October, and the fall chill has certainly settled over New England.

Regina flashes a grin at her. “October is the best time of year for amusem*nt parks. That's when they do Phantom Fall Fest.”

“Phantom Fall Fest?”

“You ever been to a haunted House attraction? Like, where people dress up in costumes and then jump out and scare you?”

“Uh, no.”

“Oh, we’re totally going to Lake Compounce next weekend.”

“Lake what?”

Regina pauses at Cady’s car as Cady unlocks it. As they’re loading the bags (and boxes from Build-A-Bear) into Cady’s trunk, Regina explains.

“Lake Compounce is Connecticut's best amusem*nt park. Well, there's only really, like, two. We used to have an indoor water park, but that closed. Lake Compounce is so much better than Quassy. There's also Six Flags up in Mass, but, eh.” Regina shrugs. “I grew up not far from Lake Compounce. Me and my friends used to go, like, all the time during the summers.”

“Just… go to the park?” Cady asks as she closes the trunk and they head around to get into the car.

Regina nods. “We had season passes. Gretchen’s mom didn't work, so she’d just drive us there and bring us in, since we couldn't get admitted without an adult. She’d just relax by the water park all day and get a tan, while the three of us rode rides and went nuts. We did that, like, every summer in middle school. I've been a few times as an adult. It's definitely changed a lot, but I still love it.”

“I've never, like, been on a roller coaster, or anything,” Cady admits. “I'm not sure how I'd do.”

“I won't make you go on anything you don't want to,” Regina tells her. “I'll have to look up what attractions have changed and stuff. It's been a few years. But the two main coasters are actually wooden, so there's no, like, loops, or anything. They do have at least one steel coaster with a loop, but we don’t have to go on it if you don’t want to.”

Cady gives a little shrug. “That seems more manageable.”

“I'll look some stuff up later this week and get us tickets to both the park and the haunted maze, if you're interested.”

“I thought it was a haunted house?”

Regina shrugs. “Tomato-tomahto. Oh, there's also, like, people with chainsaws that'll chase you around the park.”

Cady gives her a look. “Uh, what?”

“There's no blade on them,” Regina assures her. “It just revs and makes the noise. But if you steer clear and don't run, they won't come for you. Besides, they tend to go for the teens.” She smirks. “They’ll see an old woman like me and be afraid of giving me a heart attack.”

“You're not that old,” Cady replies with a smirk of her own and an eye roll. “Alright, I'm down. I can't promise I won't be hiding behind you all night.”

Regina laughs. “And what if that's the goal?”

“Cheeky. We good to go home?” Cady asks, ready to put the directions into her phone.

“Yeah, I'm good.”

Cady puts her phone in its mount, starts the car, and puts her hand on Regina’s thigh. Regina settles into her seat, relaxing with Cady’s possessive hand on her.

This was going to be a fun rest of the afternoon.

When they get back to Regina’s place, they immediately sort all the bags into things to actually bring inside, and things to leave in the car. Regina insists on bringing in all the jeans so they can wash them, and Cady knows she’ll be wearing one of the tighter pairs for Regina tomorrow. She doesn't really get the appeal, but, hey, of all the fetishes Regina could have that don't really line up with Cady’s, it could be a lot worse than just denim. The leather she gets. She loves this leather jacket Regina gave her. She's always loved the way leather looks and feels. Denim, on the other hand? She's never felt any particular type of way about it.

But if all she needs to do is wear some tight jeans and a belt to make her girlfriend go a little feral, she's more than happy to do that.

Speaking of belts, Cady got a very nice leather one at Macy’s in the men’s section that she's primarily intending to use as a spanking belt. She's not sure that they'll use it this weekend, but she makes sure to bring it in, just in case.

Cady insists on bringing in the stuffed animals, which Regina just chuckles at. They bring everything up to the bedroom (aside from the jeans, which Regina already threw in the laundry in one of the smaller rooms attached to the garage. Cady’s got a feeling she might even be wearing some of these jeans later tonight, if Regina gets her way) so Regina can put the stuff she bought away in the closet.

While Regina is doing that, Cady unboxes the two stuffed animals, placing them at the top of the bed, near the pillows. She puts the boxes off to the side, and then begins to fuss over the exact placement of the plushies. She adjusts them several times in a row, when she hears a voice from the other side of the room.

“You okay?”

Cady jumps and turns. Regina’s leaning against the doorway to the closet, frowning slightly.

“Yeah, I'm fine!”

“I just watched you sit your hamster in the same exact position four times in a row,” Regina tells her, raising an eyebrow. She steps towards Cady. “Seriously, what's wrong?”

Cady closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. “I, um, I'm starting to think the sound I put in there might have been a bit too much, and I'm kinda freaking out about it.”

Regina approaches the bed, sitting down next to Cady on it. Regina takes Cady's hand, squeezing it slightly. “I'm a little worried too.”

Cady gives her a bewildered look. “Really? Why?”

“Because I might have done something crazy too,” Regina admits, “and honestly, right now, I'm really hoping we both did the same crazy thing.”

Cady searches Regina’s eyes for a moment. She turns suddenly, grabbing the two plushies from their spots. She hands Regina hers, and then holds her hamster in both hands. “On three?”

Regina nods. “One…”

“Two…” Cady continues.

“Three,” they both say at the same time. They squeeze the plushies, activating the voice boxes in them.

“I love you,” says Regina’s voice, coming from the recording inside Caddy the hamster.

“I love you,” echoes Cady’s voice from inside Bearlezien.

Cady’s eyes dart up to Regina’s, who's smiling softly at her.

“Same type of crazy,” Regina smiles.

“We made it a whole week,” Cady points out. “That's, like, a year, in lesbian time.”

Regina laughs. “Exactly.” Her eyes are still soft, and her smile makes Cady feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

“I meant it,” Cady tells her. “I love you. I know it's crazy, and we said all that stuff earlier, but-.”

“I love you too,” Regina cuts her off. “I meant it too.”

Cady keeps eye contact with Regina for just a second more, before tossing Caddy towards the top of the bed. Regina does the same with Bearlezien, and before Regina knows it, Cady’s pounced on top of her, pinning her down against the bed in a passionate, loving kiss.

One of Cady's hands comes up to cup Regina’s cheek, making her melt beneath her. Cady’s pinning Regina with her body, but Regina's hands remain free. She tangles her hands in Cady’s hair, pulling her even closer to her, unable to get enough of Cady Heron.

Lucky for her, Cady Heron can't seem to get enough of Regina George.

The kissing quickly gets hot and heavy, to the surprise of neither of them. Cady starts to unbutton Regina's shirt, and to her disappointment, finds Regina's chest hidden behind the sports bra the harness is locked over.

“Where's the damn keys?” Cady grumbles to herself, climbing off Regina and finding the pocket of her bag she stuffed them in.

Regina leans on her forearms and watches Cady with a smile on her face. “Never thought you'd be bested by your own harness, huh?”

Cady shoots her a look, keys in hand. “Get on your stomach.”

Regina’s eyes narrow slightly, her grin turning to a smirk as she fully sits up. “Make me.”

That's all Cady needs. She lunges forward, tackling Regina back onto the bed. Despite the words Regina just said, she's not expecting Cady to be so fast or so powerful. Cady grabs onto the front of the harness and flips Regina over with ease, gripping Regina's hair and turning her head sideways, pushing Regina’s head down so her cheek is fully against the mattress.

“I take challenges very seriously, princess,” Cady growls in her ear. “Is that what you want? You want it rough?”

Regina moans. “Yes, Ma’am. I do.”

“If you're looking to be bratty, I can be mean,” Cady tells her. “But if that's what you want, that's what you're getting. Are you absolutely sure?”

“Yes,” Regina breathes. “I'm sure.”

Cady keeps her pinned for a moment. “I need you to cooperate while I get this bra off you and the harness back on, because we both know this thing is kind of a pain in the ass to get on.”

Regina tries to peer back at Cady, but Cady holds Regina's head down against the mattress. “Yeah,” Regina sputters. “It is. I can do that.”

“Good girl. Once it's locked back on, I’m going right back to rough.”

Regina nods as best she can with her head pinned. “That works.”

Cady climbs off of Regina and lets her sit up, Regina catching her breath as Cady unlocks the harness.

“You're literally so strong. I don't know where you keep all those muscles hidden.”

Cady laughs. “I think you might just be weak for me, princess. I'm really not that strong.”

“You grabbed me and flipped me over in, like, half a second,” Regina points out as they pull the harness off of her.

Cady shrugs while Regina pulls off her bra. “I don't know how, honestly.”

“Well, I’m certainly not complaining,” Regina tells her as she tosses the bra to the ground. She holds out her arms, ready to have the harness put back on. She holds one of the straps in place as Cady fixes the back, and then begins to do the buckles.

“Two locks,” Cady reminds her, “and then I’m going to show you just how strict I can be. Are you ready, princess?”

Regina swallows. “Yes, Ma’am.”

Click. Click.

As soon as she hears the second lock click shut, Regina’s being shoved back down onto the bed. She moans as she hits the mattress, squirming beneath Cady’s grasp.

Cady isn't quite pinning her like she was before. No, not yet. Instead, Cady’s just grabbing onto Regina’s harness with one hand, vaguely holding her down, while she grabs some of the other gear they left on the bed before they left the house.

Cady pulls all the gear closer to Regina’s side. Regina tries to turn her head and see, but Cady quickly and forcefully turns her head away from the pile of gear. Cady lets go of the harness for a moment, shifting so she’s straddling Regina’s back, careful not to actually put pressure on her lower back, just hovering above her for the time being so she can't squirm away.

Cady takes one of the bondage mitts and Regina's right arm. “Make a fist,” Cady orders, “or I'm going to keep shoving this on your hand until you do.”

Regina tries to resist at first and pull her arm away, but Cady's grip is strong. Then she keeps her hand completely flat, which leads Cady to try and shove Regina's hand inside anyways. It only takes a few tries before Regina gives in and makes a fist, the mitt immediately sliding over it. Cady buckles the mitt and grabs the lock quickly, clicking it shut just as Regina's other hand tries to get close to the buckle.

“Naughty,” Cady chides, grabbing a clip and quickly pinning Regina's right hand to the back of her harness. As soon as that arm is secure, she gets to work on Regina’s left hand, which is significantly more slippery than the first. Regina’s much more focused on trying to get out of Cady's grasp, but eventually, the mitt is forcefully shoved on and locked.

“You're such a brat,” Cady sneers in Regina’s ear. She climbs off Regina’s back, with her arms now secured in place. “I’m going to have so much fun putting you in your place.” She grabs Regina by the harness with both hands, picking her up and dragging her further up the bed, so her head is on the pillows.

Regina grunts as she flops onto the pillows, trying to squirm away, kicking her legs a bit. Cady growls, grabbing Regina’s ankles and tugging them harshly.

“Oh, that’s enough of that.” Cady scrambles off the bed, quickly grabbing the discarded spreader bar from last night. It’s a bit of a struggle to get Regina into them, but she isn’t flailing her legs too badly. After all, her intention is to be put in the bondage, and to not accidentally hurt Cady by kicking her in the process.

Once her legs are locked in, Regina focuses her attempts on trying to roll over. Cady pins her with one hand on her harness, groping Regina’s ass over her pants with the other. Regina moans, turning her head to try and look at Cady from her position.

“I bet your ass isn’t as red as it was earlier,” Cady points out, switching to squeeze the other cheek. “But if you keep this up, it’ll be even redder than before.”

Regina whimpers, squirming again. Cady delivers a quick warning smack to Regina’s ass, which makes her yelp.

“Brat,” Cady growls. She climbs off the bed again, returning to the drawer of gear. “Let’s see…” Her eyes land on the co*ck gag they used last night, and the nipple clamps, which had previously been forgotten. She grabs them both, along with the blindfold, which she’s quite excited for.

Regina’s eyes go wide when she sees what’s in Cady’s hands. She tries to roll herself over again, and somewhat succeeds, laying on her side awkwardly. Cady gets back on the bed and shoves Regina onto her back, her arms stuck beneath her. Cady climbs over her hips and straddles her, looking down at Regina with a fierce glare.

A chill runs down Regina’s spine, making Cady smirk.

“Oh, princess,” Cady purrs. “Don’t be afraid.” She tilts Regina’s chin up, pushing her head back. “I’m only going to ruin you a little bit, remember?”

Regina moans, and in a swift movement, Cady stuffs the co*ck gag in her mouth mid-moan. Regina chokes on it for a second, but quickly evens out her breathing. Cady smirks, grabbing Regina’s head with one hand and pulling it forward.

“If you don’t want me to catch your hair in the gag, you’ll stay still,” Cady warns her. “But I will just buckle it roughly if I have to.”

Regina freezes, and Cady quickly fastens the strap. It’s tighter than Regina is used to, and doesn’t come out nearly as easily. Cady can still get it out easily in an emergency, but when Regina tries to push it out herself with her tongue, she doesn’t get more than a couple centimeters of give.

The lock clicks behind her head, and Regina shudders again. Cady grips Regina’s face, digging her fingers into both cheeks with one hand, staring down at her with those intense eyes. “Eyes on me,” she orders in a hushed tone, and Regina gives the tiniest of nods. Cady reaches for something to the side, fumbling for it, but she keeps her eyes locked with Regina’s.

Regina, to her credit, doesn’t look away from the eye contact, even as Cady finally manages to grab the blindfold. She lets go of Regina’s face, but Regina keeps her eyes on Cady’s, even as Cady slips the blindfold over her forehead and down over her eyes. Cady is the last thing Regina sees before slipping into darkness, exactly how Cady wants it.

Cady smooths the leather blindfold over Regina’s eyes, applying pressure to make sure no light is coming through. She realizes she can’t really check now, with Regina gagged and her arms pinned beneath her back.

Cady lowers her head down, next to Regina’s ear. “Checking in,” Cady says softly, her voice far more gentle. “I know your arms are trapped, so grunt instead.”

Regina grunts once, turning her head towards Cady. Cady cups the side of her face, rubbing a small bit of Regina’s exposed skin between the blindfold and the gag with her thumb.

“Good girl,” Cady continues in her soft voice. “If it’s too much, grunt or tap or anything twice and I’ll take it off immediately, okay? I’m not going to leave you alone while it’s on, I promise.”

Regina lets out another single grunt. Cady presses a quick kiss to her forehead, before lifting herself back up again. The hand on her cheek turns into a tight grip in Regina’s hair, sending the clear message that the check-in is over. She pulls tight, yanking Regina’s head back, before she adjusts the blindfold again with her other hand.

“There,” Cady says, once she’s certain no light can get in. “No hands, no mouth, no eyes. Just your body, trapped underneath me, ready for anything I want to do with it.” Her hands start to slide down Regina’s face and neck, down to her shoulders and torso. Cady makes sure to drag her nails along as she goes, making Regina moan and buck beneath her. “Sensitive little thing today, hmm?” She drags her fingernails across Regina’s chest, grazing near her nipples ever so slightly. “The blindfold will do that. Make you feel like you’ve never felt before.”

Regina moans again, her back arching as Cady continues to tease around Regina’s nipples, just barely touching them.

“Just wait until you feel the clamps, princess,” Cady smirks. “And these, oh, these are tame. With the right clamps and a blindfold, oh, it’s such a delightful punishment. Way more painful than these ones. I’ll have to pick some of those up. For now, though, these will do just fine.”

Regina whimpers as Cady’s hands leave her chest for a moment. Cady grabs the clamps, holding one in each hand and extending her arms out, so the chain is taught. She holds the clamps above Regina’s face, which, of course, Regina doesn’t react to, since she can’t see. It’s not until Cady snaps the clamps twice, making two quick clicking noises, that Regina yelps and begins to squirm.

Cady laughs. “Oh, princess. I’m going to have so much fun ruining you.”

Regina lets out somewhere between a moan and a whine, which is cut off with a choked garble when Cady dips her head down and begins swirling her tongue around a nipple. She’s quick and efficient, getting Regina’s nipples nice and erect and quickly clamping them both. Regina’s a mess beneath her, just as she expected, whimpering and whining at all the sensations. Cady grabs the harness with one hand, pinning Regina against the bed, and the chain with the other, tugging upwards and pulling on her nipples.

Regina cries out into her gag. It’s definitely harsher than Cady’s been with the clamps and chain before, but she doesn’t do it for long. She can see how badly Regina is panting beneath her when she lets up on it. She wants to overwhelm her, yes, but in a fun way. The goal is to toe the line, but not bring Regina to tapping out. Push the limits, but not break them. That’s Cady’s goal here.

Cady adjusts her grip on the harness and pulls Regina upward into a sitting position. Regina moves, still panting around her gag, as to her surprise, Cady sits in her lap and wraps her arms around Regina’s torso.

It’s not necessarily to give a hug, although Cady does do that for a moment. She’s unclipping Regina’s wrists, but only the parts of the clips that connect her to the harness. She brings both of Regina’s arms around at the same time, and clips them to the front of her harness, so they rest in their usual spot beneath Regina’s boobs. Regina lets out a sigh of relief, which makes Cady chuckle.

Cady stays half straddling, half sitting in Regina’s lap for a moment, running her fingernails up and down Regina’s arms, leaving a trail of goosebumps behind. The blindfold has Regina reacting much more to every single touch Cady gives her, and Cady is eating up every second of it.

Cady grabs the chain again, tugging on it lightly. Regina whimpers and whines, tilting her head back. Cady takes the opportunity to pull on Regina’s hair, holding her head much further back than she had originally tilted. Cady leans in, at the perfect height to kiss Regina’s neck.

And to bite.

Cady hadn’t been kidding when, on their very first night together, Cady had told Regina she loves to bite. Cady leaves all sorts of bite marks all over Regina’s neck and collarbone, marking her up as she pleases. Each bite (and occasional hickey sprinkled in, to mix it up) has Regina making the most delightful noises. Cady smirks against Regina’s neck, starting to lick over all of her marks to soothe the tender flesh. Regina whines as Cady’s tongue works its way around the valley of teeth indents now covering Regina’s skin, giving into the sensations.

“You’re so pretty covered in my marks, princess,” Cady tells her, running her thumb along some of them. Regina shudders when Cady touches a specific bite, making Cady smirk.

“So sensitive,” Cady purrs. “It’s such a shame you were such a brat. I had to put that spreader bar on before I got your pants off.” It’s true. Regina’s naked from the waist up, but her legs are fully clothed. “Otherwise I could see just how sensitive that pretty little puss* of yours is right now.”

Regina whines, bucking her hips. The only response she gets is laughter from Cady, who tugs on the chain to still Regina’s squirming.

“No, no. See, I’ve been working so hard on teaching you patience. You’ve learned that I reward patience. But I also punish impatience.” Cady tugs on the chain again, getting a deep moan out of Regina. “Now you have to wait until I’ve decided your pants get to come off. If you hadn’t been kicking your legs, I would have taken those off first. Now, you probably wouldn’t get to cum anytime soon, but your poor little puss* wouldn’t be so neglected.”

Regina whimpers, and Cady drops the chain. She grabs either side of Regina’s waist, making Regina flinch and squirm.

“Oh, I remember how ticklish these spots were,” Cady laughs, and immediately, Regina’s trying to squirm away more. She’s not having any success. Cady starts to actually tickle her, and Regina lets out a squeal. She squirms and laughs through her gag, unable to stop. Cady shows her no mercy, knowing damn well Regina’s sensitive spots are all the more sensitive. She watches Regina’s body turn bright red with laughter, and hears the way she squeals around a co*ck stuffed into her mouth. God, Cady never thought she could be so turned on by just that, but she’s pretty much certain that everything about Regina turns her on.

Okay, well, it’s not just the laughter or the squeals. Cady knows that. Regina is tied up, underneath her, at her mercy, completely unraveling with every touch. Oh, something like this would have been enough to inflate her ego with any of her past partners, but with Regina? With the single most attractive woman she’s ever seen, who also just so happens to be a multi-millionaire who calls her Ma’am and she’s in love with?

Cady’s going to develop a complex. She’s sure of it.

Cady finally stops tickling Regina, letting her catch her breath. Cady just holds her in her arms for a minute, Regina’s hands now pinned between them. Regina buries her face in Cady’s neck, breathing heavily.

“Easy, baby,” Cady whispers, voice soft. “You’re doing such a good job. Deep breaths.” Cady feels a little bad. She promised Regina rough, but she’s incapable of not also being really soft with her. Regina doesn’t seem to mind, though, with the way she nuzzles against her while she catches her breath.

Cady continues to hold her for a minute, rubbing her back. Regina sighs, relaxing further in Cady’s arms.

“How are you holding up, princess?” Cady feels one tap against her chest from the arms pinned between them and laughs. “That’s my good girl. Listen, I’m going to get off the bed and lay you down on your back for a minute. I need to get something ready, but I promise you, I’m not leaving you alone in the room, okay?”

Regina nods against her shoulder and taps once, pulling back slightly. Cady presses a kiss to her forehead, smiling a smile that Regina can’t see.

“You’re doing great. We’re gonna get back to some of the rougher and meaner stuff soon, I promise. And then plenty of cuddles.”

Regina presses her head against Cady for a moment before pulling back again. Cady climbs off of Regina, pushing her back down against the bed relatively gently. She presses one more kiss to Regina’s forehead, promising again that she’s just a few feet away.

Then, Cady scurries to get ready.

She peels off her pants and underwear, putting the strap-on harness back on. She tugs her jeans back on, knowing damn well what this is going to do to Regina when she can finally see it. Or, feel it, more likely. If Regina doesn’t tap out of the blindfold, Cady’s looking to keep it on her as long as possible. She’s certain Regina’s org*sms will be even more mind blowing with the increased sensitivity.

Cady tries to be as quiet as possible as she puts her pants back on, despite her frustrations in getting the strap to stay inside her jeans. She manages to zip it up, relieved that it finally worked.

Cady heads back over to the bed, grabbing the chain first and tugging. Regina jumps and moans at the sudden sensation, and jumps again when Cady’s other hand grabs her harness and starts to pull her up and to the side of the bed.

It’s a struggle for Regina, who can’t really maneuver her body much. Cady finally gets her into a sitting position on the edge of the bed.

“I want to try something,” Cady tells her. “I want to see if you can walk with the bar on. I’ll hold you the entire time, and if you can’t, I’ll take it off so you can walk for a minute, okay?”

Regina nods and taps herself once, getting a smile out of Cady. Cady can’t explain why she finds Regina using the safeword system endearing, but she does. She’s just going to chalk it up to that love thing that they’re finally being open about instead of just talking in circles around.

“Good girl. Stand up. I’m not going to let you go.” Cady grabs onto Regina’s arm, holding her steady.

Regina stands up, a little shaky. Cady stands in front of her, grabbing onto both her biceps.

“Alright, princess, see if you can walk forward at all. Small steps, and waddle a bit.”

Regina tries, she really does, but she nearly stumbles and falls. Cady holds her up and gets her steady on her feet again.

“Alright, that’s okay. I’m gonna take it off real quick, but your pants are staying on for now.”

Regina whimpers and nods. Cady crouches down, unclipping the bar from the two cuffs on Regina’s ankles. She leaves the cuffs on, a clear sign that the bar will return shortly.

On Cady’s way back up, she grabs the princess pillow off the ground. She tucks it and the bar under one arm, reaching out to Regina’s harness with the other and pulling on it. “Let’s go.”

Regina stumbles forward, but catches her balance quickly. Cady pauses to pick up her school bag before she leads Regina out of the bedroom and down the hall to the office where Cady had done her work last week. Regina’s clearly disoriented and unsure of where they are, but Cady doesn’t let her bump into anything as she guides her.

“Don’t move,” Cady warns her once they’re near the desk. Cady looks around the room for a moment. The laptop is on the desk, but there’s not quite enough room between the chair and the desk for her exact plan here. Instead, she pushes the chair back a bit, dropping her bag on the desk next to Regina’s laptop. She has her own, but, hell, Regina’s is way nicer than hers, so she might as well use it. She situates the pink pillow at the foot of the chair, not off to the side like last week.

Once the pillow is where she wants it, she returns her attention to Regina, grabbing her harness again and making her jump. Cady leads her over to the pillow without a word, pressing a hand on Regina’s shoulder to make her begin to kneel. She pushes Regina all the way down, until she’s laying face down on the pillow. She reattaches the spreader bar, forcing Regina’s legs open wide. Regina moans and whimpers, which makes Cady spread the bar a little wider. She flips Regina over, so she’s laying on her back on the pillow, back in the tight bondage.

“I’m going to work on my grading,” Cady tells her. “You are going to lay here, at my feet, blind and bound, in silence. Before we get too into it, I’m going to try one more thing. Something we talked about earlier.”

Cady shuffles through her bag for a second, pulling out a pair of noise canceling headphones.

“I’m going to put my big headphones on you,” Cady explains. “They’re going to be hooked up to my phone, and there’s a setting where I can speak through them to you with my phone. I’m going to be playing white noise through it, so I know you’re truly deafened, but I’ll check in a few times at the start through the phone. If it’s too much, that’s alright. And if it isn’t, well, you’ll be laying in silence for a while. You’ll be laying there for a while either way, for the record.”

Regina whimpers and nods. Cady smirks, crouching down next to Regina. “Good girl. I’m going to put these on first, and then get it all set up. Tap yourself once when you can hear me, okay?”

Regina nods again, so Cady slips the headphones over her head. She checks each side, makes sure her ears are fully covered and comfortable, before sitting in the chair and pulling out her phone. She finds the app for the headphones and activates the setting, talking into her phone microphone.

“Can you hear me, princess?”

Regina taps herself once.

“Good girl. Do they feel good?”

Another single tap.

“Alright. I’m going to put on some white noise and check in in another couple minutes, okay?”

One more tap.

Cady switches to YouTube, pulling up a ridiculously long white noise video, one she uses to help her sleep sometimes. She lets it run for two minutes, keeping a careful eye on Regina the entire time. Regina, to her credit, just lays there and breathes, not showing any signs of distress or anything similar. Cady had tried sensory deprivation once with a past friend-with-benefits (although, the sensory deprivation they had done involved a heavy hood the friend had bought on a whim, not quite like this), and it had gone horribly. Cady had seen the signs of distress easily, but hadn’t been able to get the hood off quickly enough before it turned worse. She’s much more careful this time. The absolute last thing she wants to do is come even remotely close to giving Regina a panic attack.

At the two minute mark, Cady pauses the video and switches back to the app. “Checking in,” Cady says into the phone.

Regina taps herself once.

“You sure?”

Another tap.

“Good girl. Okay, I’m going to get comfortable and start grading. You’re going to lay there in silence and not move. If you behave, you will get a very special reward when it’s over. But if you keep being a brat, I can promise you right now, you won’t cum at all tonight. Do I make myself clear?”

Regina nods and taps herself once again.

“Good girl. Behave.”

That’s the last word Regina hears before Cady plunges her back into the white noise. She stands up, grabbing Regina’s laptop off the desk. She sits back down, and when she does, finally unzips her fly, letting the strap on pop out. It’s kind of directly in the way of the computer, which is pretty funny, but Cady was about to go insane with the way it made the harness press against her with it warped like that. She adjusts until she’s comfortable in her seat with the strap on poking out of her jeans, the laptop in her lap behind it. She adjusts the position of the chair a bit, before kicking up her legs slightly and resting her heels on Regina’s stomach.

Regina grunts and jumps, not expecting the contact in the slightest. Cady keeps a careful eye, and watches as Regina genuinely seems to relax, even as she’s being used as a footstool. Cady smirks to herself, logging into Regina’s laptop and feeling quite smug about the situation she’s found herself in.

Cady has about the same amount of material to get through as last weekend, but she doesn’t intend to do it all at once. It doesn’t feel even remotely fair to Regina to leave her in deep sensory deprivation for two hours for her first time, so she sets a timer on the computer and brings herself to a hard stop after exactly one hour. She occasionally peeks down to check on Regina, but she appears as relaxed as ever. Besides, with her feet resting on Regina, she can feel that her breathing is completely normal.

When the hour is up, Cady finishes the assignment she was grading and shuts the laptop. She presses her feet against Regina’s stomach, making her stir and squirm a bit.

Cady takes her feet off Regina and puts the laptop on the desk. She pauses the video and takes the headphones off, helping Regina sit up on the pillow.

“You did a very good job, my good girl,” Cady tells her, rubbing her back and running her hands through her hair. “Very well behaved.”

Regina leans into the touch, letting out a happy noise at Cady’s praise. Cady smirks, unable to stop herself from smiling at how precious Regina is.

“You earned your reward,” Cady tells her. “I want to keep the blindfold on, and it’ll still be rough. Do you still want that, princess?”

Regina nods eagerly, which makes Cady laugh.

“Here, I’ll give you a little preview.” Cady sits back down in the chair, rolling it closer to Regina again. Her crotch is exactly at the height of Regina’s face, which is perfect. Cady twists in the chair, slapping Regina across the face with the strap, as hard as she can.

Regina moans, feeling the rubber of the dild* on her cheek. Cady smirks and laughs.

“Yeah, I thought so, princess. Alright, let me get those pants off you, but the spreader bar is going back on.” Cady gets to work, awkwardly crouching with the strap out, as she takes the bar off the cuffs and gets Regina’s pants and underwear off of her. As soon as she’s completely naked (save for the bondage gear), Cady helps her to her feet, shoving the pillow to the side.

Cady situates Regina so she’s facing the desk before she puts the spreader bar back on. She makes a point to rub as much of her jeans on Regina as she can, making her moan and whimper. She smirks to herself, forever pleased with how easy it was to get Regina going. Of all the clothing kinks for Regina to have, Cady’s grateful that denim seems to be the biggest one. It's easy and comfortable to wear, unlike rubber. She's never been with anyone who's into rubber, but she's been on the scene long enough to know people either absolutely love or absolutely hate wearing it, and she has a strong feeling she’d be part of the latter group.

When she feels like Regina’s been teased enough with the denim, she reaches around Regina’s front and unclips her hands again. She brings them back, clipping them to the back of her harness.

“This harness and these mitts are so useful,” Cady comments. “I can just move you around however I want whenever I want. I just love that, don't you, princess?”

Regina moans and nods. Cady smirks, pressing down between Regina’s shoulder blades so she's bent over the desk. She slides her bottle of lube out of her pocket and plops it on the edge of the desk, squirting some into her hands and lubing up the toy.

“Are you ready, princess?” Cady asks.

Regina moans and nods, tapping her hands to her back once. Cady laughs, lining herself up with two hands on Regina’s hips. She rubs her ass in big circles. They're still slightly pink from the spanking earlier. Cady’s filled with the overwhelming urge, and lets it take over. She takes a step back, and slaps one of Regina’s ass cheeks with a strong and powerful strike.

Regina cries out, back arching on impact. She whimpers into her gag. Cady does the same to the other side, making Regina cry out again.

“Couldn't leave that side out,” Cady says with a grin, lining herself back up. “Your ass is just too perfect, princess. Next time, I'll beat it raw before I rail you into oblivion.”

Regina lets out a primal moan. Cady pushes forward mid-moan from Regina, pressing against Regina's puss* lips with the strap. The moan turns into a garbled whine, which makes Cady grin.

“You're so desperate princess, aren't you? You've been waiting so long for this.” She thrusts slightly, just enough to drag the strap up and down Regina’s puss* lips. Regina moans and squirms a bit, which makes Cady grab her hips tighter and thrust once powerfully, pushing inside.

Regina whimpers as soon as the toy begins to enter her. Cady keeps one hand on Regina's hip, and brings the other up to Regina’s head, tangling it in her hair and pressing her down further against the desk.

“Mine,” Cady growls, thrusting again, pushing herself in deeper. She keeps thrusting, grunting each time until she’s fully inside Regina, her jeans against Regina's ass. She's riding an absolute high, feeling completely feral as she thrusts, hard and fast. She pulls Regina’s head up, tilting her neck back and making her face straight ahead while Cady rails her.

“That's it, princess,” Cady says when Regina lets out a deep moan. “You love being put in your place like this.”

Regina moans again, unable to do anything else as Cady continues to pound against her. She's adjusting with each thrust, trying to get the strap against the spot that always pushes Regina over the edge. Her cl*t is neglected right now, with one hand focused on holding Regina’s hips and the other keeping her head up, but Cady’s sure she can do this without needing to change her position. She’s made Regina cum enough times (and had enough conversations about her kinks) to know that there's no way that Regina is anywhere other than in pure bliss right now.

Honestly, Cady could probably just thrust into her for thirty straight minutes (which, she’s convinced herself she could do, as long as she wasn't rubbing against the strap to make herself cum too, but the chances of that actually working are realistically very slim), and Regina would be having the time of her life.

Judging by the noises Regina’s currently making, Cady’s absolutely correct.

Still, she's determined to make Regina cum like this, even if she can't really touch her cl*t. She keeps adjusting her thrusts, until finally, Regina makes the choked gargle that tells Cady she's found it.

Cady grins, slamming hard and fast. Regina lets out something between a moan and a whine, trying to tilt her head back down. Cady keeps a firm grasp, pulling her head back further, and letting out yells as she slams into Regina harder and harder. She's sure it's starting to hurt Regina’s still tender ass, but she doesn't let up.

She promised rough, after all.

Regina cries out, and her body jerks violently, telling Cady she’s done it.

“That's it,” Cady growls. “Cum for me, princess. Cum for me.” She doesn't let up, slamming harder and faster. It's starting to build the pressure inside her too, and fast. She's not letting up, determined to power through her org*sms and give Regina an even more mind-blowing experience than last night.

Cady shoves Regina’s face back down against the desk, turning it to the side and giving her neck some relief. She grabs onto Regina’s hips with both hands, and begins slamming Regina into her as she thrusts her own hips. Regina groans into her second org*sm, as Cady grits her teeth and tries to stop herself from going over the edge just yet.

It's only a few more thrusts before Cady fails, crying out Regina’s name as she pounds into her. She stills her hands on Regina’s hips, digging her nails into Regina's flesh as she c*ms. Regina cries out again, and Cady can feel her cumming again immediately after Cady does.

“That's my princess,” Cady manages to get out, trying to balance railing Regina harder again but not overstimulating herself. She needs a different harness, she thinks, one that actually won't rub her cl*t while she f*cks. It's a little counterproductive to her usual buying habits, but frankly, she wants the choice to either cum herself or rail Regina for as long as she wants without the added stamina drain of her own org*sms.

Cady begins pulling Regina’s hips back again, slamming them into her thrusts. Regina’s torso lays limp on the desk, having fully given into everything happening to her. Cady can tell she’s still conscious by the unholy noises she’s continually making as Cady f*cks her into oblivion.

There’s a bit more of a refractory period before Regina shudders into her fourth org*sm. For a moment, Cady’s worried that she’s lost the spot, but that worry vanishes with Regina’s screaming moans.

Cady grins, continuing to pound into her. Regina’s gasping for breath around her gag as Cady keeps up her pace, allowing herself to grind against the strap again and start building up another org*sm. It comes quickly, as does Regina, who’s body is only starting to slow down when she cries out again.

Regina’s getting overstimulated and overwhelmed, Cady can tell. Her body is trembling, and not necessarily because of the org*sm. Cady doesn’t want to push her so far that she passes out (again), despite Regina’s continual insistence of finding it extremely hot. She’s not sure that she can get an unconscious Regina to bed from the office. She slows her thrusts, careful to bring her to a slow and steady stop, not an abrupt one.

Regina breathes heavily as Cady comes to a halt, carefully pulling out of her. Regina lets out a whine when the toy slides out of her, making Cady chuckle.

“You did such a good job, princess,” Cady tells her softly, crouching down and unclipping the spreader bar, tossing it to the side. “Can you stand up on your own, or do you need help?”

Regina groans, trying to lift herself up, but she fails, her arms pinned behind her back and her energy spent. Cady carefully lifts Regina by her shoulders, helping her stand up straight. Once Regina’s standing, Cady pulls off the blindfold. Regina blinks, blinded by the light for a few seconds. Cady cups her cheek and rubs it gently, soft and careful.

“Can you walk? I left the damn keys in the bedroom by accident. I can go get them if you need me to, but if you can walk, I can take them off there, and then we can cuddle all you want.”

Regina nods, taking a careful step. She’s a little unsteady, so Cady wraps a strong arm around her waist and helps support her weight. Regina leans against Cady as they walk back towards the bedroom, Cady repeating soft praise over and over again.

Cady has Regina stand at the side of the bed, unclipping her hands and freeing them from the harness.

“I’ll offer you the same deal as last night, princess,” Cady says softly. “I can take the mitts off or I can leave them on. Up to you.”

Regina raises the mitt to her mouth, tapping the gag with it. Cady laughs, realizing her mistake.

“Sorry, baby. Hang on, let me grab the keys.” A few moments later, Cady unlocks the gag and pulls it out of Regina’s mouth. Regina groans in pain, Cady rubbing her jaw gently to try and provide some relief.

“Thank you,” Regina says hoarsely. She coughs, and Cady immediately grabs her the water cup that’s still resting on the bedside table from this morning. Regina drinks it eagerly, taking a deep breath when she’s finally done.

“To answer your question,” Regina finally says, “I’d like to take them off for now. But, um, maybe you could put them back on before bed, even if we don’t do anything else tonight?”

Cady smirks at her. “I can do that, baby.” She begins unlocking Regina’s hands, carefully pulling off the mitts and massaging her hands, one at a time. “I take it you liked that this morning, huh?”

“I really liked waking up and being under your control,” Regina admits, blush spreading across her cheeks. “It was really hot.”

“Given what it led to this morning, I’m certainly not complaining.” Cady massages the other hand, raising Regina’s knuckles to her lips and giving them a gentle kiss. “Not that I expect anything like that when you’re wearing them. Or ever, really. But it was very nice.”

Regina grins. “You’re just literally so hot. I couldn’t help myself.” Her grin falters a bit. “I was worried it would be too much or, like, it wouldn’t be okay to do that to wake you up.”

Cady smiles softly, wrapping her arms around Regina’s waist and pulling her in close. Regina’s arms wrap around Cady, hugging her. “You can do that any time, princess. The only thing that I do think would be too much is waking up to having something inside me.”

“Good to know,” Regina nods. “Can we lay down?”

“Of course, baby. Let me just get those cuffs off your ankles, okay? And I’ll give you the option around the harness. I know I said all weekend, but if it’s getting uncomfortable or something, I don’t want to make you wear it for too long.”

Regina shakes her head. “No, the harness is fine. I really like the harness.”

Cady laughs, crouching down to undo the cuffs. They aren’t locked on, so it’s a quick process. Cady just wanted to get Regina into the bedroom as quickly as possible earlier, in case standing would be too much after that. She stands back up, tossing the cuffs onto the bedside table. She pulls the blankets back and gestures to the bed. “After you, princess.”

Regina crawls into the middle of the bed, curling up under the blankets. She turns to face Cady, who takes a moment getting undressed and getting the harness off of her, tossing it to the floor.

“Is it bad I was kind of hoping you’d keep that on?”

Cady laughs, crawling into bed next to Regina, both now completely naked. Cady knows Regina likes the extra skin-to-skin contact for aftercare, so she’s more than happy to provide that.

“You,” Cady says, bringing a finger up to tap Regina’s nose, “are insatiable.”

Regina smiles at the tap. Cady holds open her arms wide, and Regina curls up in them immediately. Cady rubs her back and presses kisses to her temple, soft and gentle. Regina hums, breathing in Cady’s scent, relaxing in her arms.

“I know,” Regina says at last. “One of these days I’ll convince you to fall asleep with it on, so I can sleep with you inside me. And not just the thing we’re doing next weekend.”

“Jesus Christ, princess,” Cady mutters. “You don’t have to do that much convincing. We’ll do that soon, I promise. Just probably not tonight.” She laughs lightly. “I think your poor puss* needs a break after that.”

Regina grimaces. “Yeah, probably.”

“How was that for you, by the way? All of it?”

“Incredible,” Regina half-whispers. “You were amazing. All of that was amazing.”

Cady chuckles. “I’m so glad, baby. I could tell you were enjoying yourself.”

“You have no idea.”

“I have some idea.”

Regina laughs. “Okay, I’ll give you that. But still. Like, f*ck, Cady, when you were rubbing on me with your jeans? I thought for sure I’d died and gone to heaven.”

Cady grins, holding Regina closer. “I listen to what you tell me, princess. It’s my job to make it as fun for you as possible.”

“You succeeded,” Regina tells her. “The only thing I would have added to make it perfect was more spanking.”

“I thought about it,” Cady admits, “but I didn’t want to do it twice on the first day we’d done it. I want to see how long it takes for your ass to heal before I start pushing it.”

Regina hums. “That makes sense.”

“The more we do together, the better I understand you and your limits,” Cady says, “and the more fun improvising will be, because I’ll know exactly what you need and how much of it, you know?”

Regina nods. “I get you.” She sighs, nuzzling against Cady. “I’m really looking forward to that. I’m also really looking forward to doing more stuff like we did today.”

“Like… the sex stuff?”

“Well, yes. But also, just… spending time with you. I really liked our trip to the mall today.”

“...even Build-A-Bear?”

Regina laughs. “Yes, even Build-A-Bear. Sorry I was kinda weird in there.”

“You weren’t being weird.” Cady presses a kiss to her temple, rubbing her back again. “You were a really good sport, all things considered. But my goal was accomplished.”

“Goal?”

Cady smiles at her. “You told me the other night you don’t have any stuffed animals. Now you have one that you can hug when I’m not here. And you can press its paw and hear my voice telling you that I love you. Which I do, by the way. I love you.”

“I love you too, dork,” Regina laughs. She presses her cheek against Cady’s collarbone. “That was a really cute idea. I’m glad you made me do it.”

“Me too.”

“I can’t believe we both recorded our first I love yous, by the way.”

Cady grins. “Me neither.” She’s quiet for a second, before her face lights up. “Wait, that’s a good point. We have the first time we said it recorded forever.”

Regina peers up at Cady, a big smile on her face. “I like the idea of that.”

“...you’re the one who brought it up?”

“No, not that. Forever.”

“Oh,” Cady blushes. “Me too. I hope that wasn’t too much.”

“Baby, I just said I liked the idea of that.”

Cady laughs. “Right, sorry.”

“You’re so cute.”

“You’re one to talk,” Cady grins. “You’re literally snuggled in my arms and the cutest damn thing I’ve ever seen.”

“Are you a vampire?”

“...what?”

“Are you a vampire?” Regina repeats.

Cady gives her a confused look. “No…?”

“Cause clearly, you’ve never seen yourself in a mirror. Otherwise you’d be the cutest damn thing you’ve ever seen.”

Cady bursts out laughing, her whole body shaking. Regina laughs along with her, smiling up at her with that (literal) million-dollar smile. “Okay, that was a good one,” Cady admits. “You really tripped me up there for a second.”

Regina looks so proud of herself, but Cady can’t stop smiling at her. “I love you,” Regina says, making Cady smile wider.

“I love you too, baby.” Cady runs her hand through Regina’s hair, scratching lightly at her scalp. “I liked what we did today, but I’ll admit, I missed getting to pet your hair while I worked.”

“Me too,” Regina tells her. “But I also really liked what we did.”

“Maybe we try and switch between the two,” Cady tells her. “Sometimes sensory deprivation, sometimes petting. And co*ckwarming. That’ll be in there too.”

Regina makes a happy little hum. “I like that idea.”

“How was it for you, by the way? The sensory deprivation? I know you said it was good, but…”

“I mean, it was really good. It was… really relaxing, honestly? Like… I just kinda meditated while I was down there.”

Cady smiles. “I’m really glad you enjoyed it, baby.”

“Definitely,” Regina nods. “I really liked having a touch point to you, even if it was just your feet on my stomach. Which, by the way, hot. Not the feet part. I’m not really into feet.”

Cady bursts out laughing. Regina shoots her a look, confused.

“Why is that funny?”

“I’m sorry, it’s not really, it’s just… When you messaged me on the app, and I saw your profile picture was a pair of heels, my first thought was, ‘Oh, she’s got a foot fetish for sure.’ But I just realized that feet haven’t come up at all.”

Regina lets out a little laugh. “Yeah, sorry babe, you couldn’t have been more wrong.”

“Ooh, I like babe. Use that more often.”

Regina laughs again, pressing a kiss against Cady’s collarbone in front of her. “I will, don’t worry.”

“Good. But, also, don’t be sorry. I’m not into feet either.” Cady scratches at Regina’s scalp again, making her melt. “Good to know about the touch point thing. I really like the idea of putting someone in sensory deprivation. It just hasn’t always gone well.”

“Past stuff?”

Cady nods. She pauses for a second, and then asks, “Does it bother you that I talk about past partners so much?”

Regina shakes her head. “No, not at all. I get it. I’ve certainly got history too. It’s just not really that relevant to the stuff we’re doing, you know? And your stuff is. It makes sense.”

“Okay, good. But, yeah. I had a partner who bought this sensory deprivation hood she wanted to try. So I laced it up and buckled it on and locked it and everything and then she ended up having a panic attack and I couldn’t get it off fast enough and it was, well, pretty bad, to say the least.” Cady runs a hand through Regina’s hair again. “It was very scary for both of us, obviously. I never want that to be anyone’s experience with me, obviously. I was watching you really closely at first until I was certain you were fine. And even then, I kept looking, like, every minute or two to make sure you were still chilling. Plus, with my feet on you, I could feel you were breathing normally and stuff.”

“Plus the blindfold and headphones weren’t locked on,” Regina points out.

“Exactly. I don’t think I could use one of those hoods again. Too complicated to get off.”

“Well, I have no interest in hoods, so that works out for both of us.”

Cady smiles, pressing another kiss to Regina’s temple. “As if I could hide this beautiful face behind a hood.”

Regina blushes, nuzzling into Cady. “You’re gonna kill me if you keep saying super sweet stuff like that.”

“Mmm, I think you’ll survive,” Cady hums. “I know mouth-to-mouth, remember?”

“Oh, I remember.” Regina holds her face against Cady’s collarbone, taking in a deep breath.

“Do you need a nap, baby?”

“No, I don’t think so,” Regina tells her. “I’m just really enjoying the cuddles.”

“There’s plenty of that to go around. Plus, you know, if you ever want a naked cuddle that’s not after sex, I’m more than happy to do that too, you know.”

Regina peers up and smiles. “Good. Because I, like, need to be held. By you. At all times.”

Cady laughs, kissing Regina’s forehead. “I love you, dork.”

“I love you too, but you’re the dork.”

“Maybe that’s just both of us.”

“No, we’re both crazy, remember? You’re the dork. You’re literally a physics nerd. Which I love about you, by the way.”

“You got me there.” Cady chuckles, rubbing circles on Regina’s back. “Not that I’m getting up right away, but I’m thinking of making us a pasta dish tonight. How’s that sound?”

“Your cooking is literally so good,” Regina tells her. “I will eat literally anything you make me. Ever.”

Cady grins. “I’m really glad you think so. I’ll do that tonight, then. I know you’ve been loving being hand fed, and so have I, but this one’s a little too messy for that.”

“That’s okay. Honestly, if we do it every time, then it stops being special, you know?”

“Yeah, good point.”

“Can I still just kind of… sit and watch, though? Not from the floor. I just like watching you cook.”

“Baby, you can do whatever you want,” Cady says. “If you want, we can find a spot on the counter for you to sit on, so I can bring you little tastes of the food and give you little kisses.”

Regina buries her nose in Cady’s collarbone, making Cady giggle. “Yes, all of that, yes.”

Cady’s giggle turns into a full laugh. “God, you’re adorable.”

“Now I’m hungry thinking about your cooking,” Regina tells her. “Can we go start dinner?”

Cady presses another kiss to Regina’s forehead. “Sure thing, princess.”

Dinner is as soft and wholesome as Cady intended. Regina sits on a part of the counter not far from where Cady does her food prep. This time, Cady explains each step as she does it, even though Regina insists she’s not going to retain any of it.

“You will,” Cady tells her with a smug grin. “Eventually.”

Regina, as promised, gets plenty of little kisses and taste-tests throughout the cooking process. Cady puts on some music and dances around the kitchen a bit, getting some laughs from Regina. She even takes Regina’s hands and makes her wiggle back and forth a bit, making Regina laugh even harder. Cady’s grinning like a fool the whole time, and Regina’s absolutely certain she’s never been more in love with another person before.

They eat dinner at the table, in their own chairs, for once. Regina is, once again, completely blown away by Cady’s cooking, and is overjoyed when she realizes that Cady made enough for leftovers.

“You’ll have to take some home with you,” Regina tells her. “You made it.”

“No, baby, it’s for you. So you can have some home cooked food during the week too,” Cady replies with a smile. “You said you almost always eat out. Now you have something to look forward to at home.”

Regina just stares at Cady for a long moment, and then sighs. “It’s definitely too insane to ask you to move in. I know that.”

Cady laughs. “Yeah, kind of. But I get it.” She reaches out, taking Regina’s hand. “In all seriousness, let’s talk about it in six months, okay?”

Regina nods and smiles softly. “Yeah, six months is a good idea. Yeah.”

Cady smiles back, squeezing her hand lightly. “Help me with the dishes?”

“Of course.”

After dinner, they spend a little time cuddling on the couch. Regina curls up in Cady’s arms as they watch a couple episodes of some crappy reality show together, laughing at the stupidity of it all. Regina traces little patterns on Cady’s arm with her fingers, and Cady finds herself somehow loving that just as much as everything they did earlier.

She’s having a fantastic time f*cking Regina, absolutely, but she’s also having a fantastic time loving Regina. And by the way Regina melts in her arms and looks at her, she knows the feeling goes both ways.

Chapter 5

Chapter Text

Cady awakes on Sunday morning, not to the feeling of kisses, but instead, to a pained groan followed by a curse.

Cady’s eyes shoot open. Regina’s curled up in her arms, but her face is all screwed up, her eyes shut tight. Sweat drips down her forehead.

“God f*cking dammit,” Regina swears again.

“Reggie, what’s wrong?”

“My, ow, my f*cking back,” Regina hisses. “God dammit. I’m so mad. f*ck.”

“What do you need?” Cady asks immediately. Regina’s laying on her side, pressed against Cady’s front. Cady’s arms are wrapped around her, but suddenly, her hands and arms leave her back, afraid any touch will make it worse.

“I need to lay on my back,” Regina says through gritted teeth. “Moving is going to hurt. I’m going to yell.”

“Okay,” Cady nods. “Do you need me to help?”

Regina nods, her eyes still shut tight. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry,” Cady insists. “I’m gonna roll you over now, okay?”

Regina nods again, and Cady gently turns Regina onto her back.

Regina cries out in pain until her back is against the bed. She breathes heavily, Cady sitting up next to her, unsure of what to do next.

Regina opens her eyes. They’re a little watery, which breaks Cady’s heart. Regina holds up one of her hands, not more than a couple inches. She’s got the mitts locked on, as Cady promised her she would do before bed last night. “Could you get these off, please?"

“Of course,” Cady says, immediately scrambling for the keys. She unlocks the mitts and carefully massages Regina’s hands, just like she always does, but Regina’s clearly still in a lot of pain. Regina’s still wearing the chest harness, but given how complex that thing is to get on and off, there’s no way she’s going to be able to get it off Regina without causing her more pain.

“There’s a little black box in the top drawer,” Regina tells her, vaguely gesturing towards her bedside table. “In it is a pill bottle. I need one of those.”

“One pill?”

“Yeah. Just one.”

Cady nods, opening the drawer and locating the box with the pills. She pulls one out, and grabs the water cup. “I assume you need this too.”

Regina nods. “I’m not going to be able to sit up. I might spill water on myself.”

“Do you want me to go get something more secure?”

Regina shakes her head. “I need to take this now.”

“Don’t worry about spilling,” Cady tells her, handing her the pill and the water. “I’ll clean you up if it happens.”

Regina pops the pill and carefully tries to drink some water. She does end up spilling a little, but not much. Cady dashes into the bathroom, coming back with a washcloth to wipe up the water. She takes the cup back from Regina, putting it on the table, before securing the pills back in their box.

“What else can I do?” Cady asks, gently cupping Regina’s cheek.

“Just lay with me,” Regina says. “And hold me. It’s going to take a little while to kick in.”

Cady nods, heading back around to her side of the bed and crawling in. She snuggles up next to Regina, carefully wrapping an arm across her torso. “This okay?”

Regina nods, turning her head to press it against Cady’s. “Perfect. Thank you.”

“Of course, baby.” Cady situates her other arm so she can play with Regina’s hair, even though it’s at a bit of an awkward angle. Cady’s sure she’ll get stiff in a bit, but she doesn’t care, especially not when Regina leans into the touch and sighs.

“I’m sorry,” Regina whispers.

“What? Why?”

“I’m going to be out of commission, like, all day. We won’t get to really do anything.”

“That doesn’t matter to me,” Cady tells her. “Genuinely, I don’t mind. I want to spend time with you and take care of you. You don’t have to apologize for hurting, baby.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course I’m sure.” Cady presses a kiss to Regina’s forehead, scratching lightly at her scalp. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m having a lot of fun with everything we’re doing. But really, I’m perfectly happy to just spend time with you.” She pushes back Regina’s bangs a bit, getting them away from her eyes. “If you’re hurting, I want to be here to take care of you.”

Regina hums, closing her eyes. “Thank you.”

“Of course, baby. I love you.”

“I love you too.” Regina sighs, pressing her head against Cady’s again. “I’m probably just going to lay here in silence until the pill kicks in. Then I usually end up talking too much.”

Cady grins. “You could never talk too much, princess.”

Regina opens one eye and gives her a look. “You haven’t met me high on pain meds yet.”

“Well, I’m about to, and I’m sure I’ll love you just as much as I always do.”

Regina shuts her eye again. “We’ll see about that.”

Cady keeps running her fingers through Regina’s hair, keeping soft and gentle touches. “We sure will.”

The pair lay like that for about half an hour. Cady keeps an arm around Regina, playing with her hair with her other arm, hoping to soothe her. Regina hasn’t fallen asleep, but she does lay there in silence with her eyes closed, occasionally letting out pained noises. The noises have become fewer and far between, which is a relief to Cady. Clearly, the meds are starting to work.

A little after thirty minutes have passed, Regina begins to shift and stir.

“You okay?” Cady asks, immediately concerned.

“Yeah,” Regina replies, her voice a little distant. “I just want to cuddle more.”

Cady smiles softly. “I know, baby. Once the pill finishes kicking in we’ll try to find a better way to cuddle, okay?”

“Okay.” Regina is quiet for a few seconds, and then opens her eyes and looks at Cady. Her eyes are so soft, and Cady can clearly tell the pill’s definitely kicked in. “Actually, can I lay with my head in your lap again? Like the other night? When you held my head and stuff? I really liked that.”

Cady presses a kiss to Regina’s forehead, soft and gentle. “Of course, baby. We’re gonna have to shift you down a bit so I can fit up by the headboard, but I don’t know if your pill has kicked in enough yet for that.”

“I can shimmy.” Regina wiggles her shoulders for effect, which makes Cady laugh.

“If you’re sure. I don’t want you to hurt yourself more.”

“I’m sure,” Regina insists. She starts to shimmy down, trying not to make a pained face as she does.

“Let me help you.” Cady sits up next to her, trying very gently to slide her arms underneath Regina’s shoulders.

Regina smiles up at her with big, dopey eyes. “Thank you. You’re so nice.”

Cady smiles back at her, laughing lightly. “Of course baby.”

“And pretty. So pretty. Did anyone ever tell you that you’re, like, really pretty?”

“You certainly have,” Cady says with a grin. “Slide with me, if you can.” Cady starts to slowly push Regina’s body down the bed, Regina doing her best to move with her. They manage to get Regina down far enough that Cady can move the pillows and sit comfortably against the headboard. She has to slide her arms under Regina again and pull her back up, so her head rests in Cady’s lap.

Regina looks up at Cady with the softest, most loving eyes, a smile on her face. “You’re so beautiful,” Regina whispers.

“Thank you, baby. So are you,” Cady replies, rubbing Regina’s cheek lightly. “I’ll take it your pill’s kicked in.”

“Mmhmm,” Regina hums and nods. She presses her cheek into Cady’s thigh and sighs. The soft and warm skin on hers makes Cady feel electric, even in such a simple gesture. “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Cady smiles, patting Regina’s cheek lightly. “Good, I’m glad.”

“Did you know I have metal in my back?” Regina asks. “Like, a lot of metal.”

“You told me you have a rod back there.”

“Three rods and two screws.” Regina nods very seriously. “My spine was f*cked up.” She drags out the f in f*cked for several seconds.

Cady’s smile falters, but she keeps rubbing Regina’s cheek. She has a feeling that Regina’s oversharing becomes much more frequent when she’s high. “That is a lot of metal.”

“Mmhmm.” Regina nods seriously again. “I need to tell you about all of that.”

“Baby, you don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to,” Cady insists, not wanting high Regina to do something that sober Regina’s going to regret. “I know it’s probably really hard to talk about.”

Regina shrugs. “Normally it is. But not when I’m high. And I’m, like, really high.” She presses her cheek further into Cady’s hand, who keeps rubbing gently. “You’re so soft.”

Cady smiles again, chuckling softly at her girlfriend, stoned as hell on her meds. “Thank you, baby. So are you. And you’re very cute when you’re all cuddly like this.” Regina looks so soft in her lap, so fragile. Cady watches as Regina nuzzles into her, eating up the warmth and affection of laying in Cady’s lap, skin on skin. She imagines all the other times Regina has gone through this, completely alone. Maybe, just maybe, Regina has some sort of usual ritual that helps. She wants to ask, but she doesn’t, because maybe it’s too much to ask. Or maybe the answer is going to hurt a hell of a lot more than just continuing to pretend that she’s not alone and in pain all the time.

Her curiosity wins the internal debate. “What do you do when there’s a flare up and no one’s around?”

“Take a pill and sleep it off,” Regina tells her.

“What about if you get hungry or have to go to the bathroom?”

Regina shrugs. “I don’t go downstairs when I’m high. I’d probably fall. I just wait it out for food. And if I have to go to the bathroom, it’s just going to f*cking suck getting there.”

“No one ever comes to bring you food?” Cady asks, her voice soft and fragile, almost as fragile as the woman in her lap.

Regina looks away, into the distance. “Who would? Everyone left. My parents left for Florida years ago. Not that they would ever come if I called. Gretchen and Karen, sure, if I was having a really bad day.Or several days in a row. But that only happened a couple of times. Now they’re gone too.”

Cady can feel her heart shatter as a sense of guilt washes over her. That was a stupid f*cking question. She knows Regina’s situation. That’s how she ended up here, after all. “Oh, baby, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

“Not your fault,” Regina mutters, but Cady can tell she’s still pretty upset. Cady runs her hand through Regina’s hair, trying to calm her back down. Regina leans into the touch, and Cady hopes that means she’s being even the slightest bit successful with it.

“I’ll bring you food,” Cady tells her, voice soft and gentle. “Any time there’s a flare up, okay? I’ll come over and bring you food and hold you and play with your hair until it’s all over, okay?”

Regina looks up at her again, smiling so, so softly. “I love you.”

“I love you too, baby.” Cady smiles back, her heart swelling at the precious look on Regina’s face. “I mean that. You aren’t alone anymore, okay?”

“Okay. You’re probably going to have to tell me that again later. I usually only remember parts of anything I do when I’m on my meds.”

Cady laughs lightly. “Oh, I know. Trust me, I know.”

Regina’s quiet for a few moments, soaking up the attention. “Y’know, no one’s ever held me like this.”

“Like this, or just during flare ups?”

“Both,” Regina admits. “Except for the other night. But whatever. It was still you, so that doesn’t count.”

Cady frowns, her eyes searching Regina’s. “You’ve been having flare ups for over twenty years and no one’s held you during one?”

Regina shakes her head. “No. I’ve never let anyone touch me during one.”

Cady’s heart feels like it’s burst into a thousand pieces. Regina doesn’t even sound sad when she says it. She just states it, like it’s the simplest fact in the world. “Baby…” Cady says softly, the unspoken part of that sentence not lost on her. Not until you.

“It was really hard, the first year or so,” Regina tells her. “I was in a spinal halo for six months. It was only supposed to be twelve weeks, but my spine was so f*cked up, they did an extra two months.”

Cady decides to ignore the fact that Regina’s math is wrong. That’s an extra three months, if it was only supposed to be twelve weeks. But Regina’s high as a kite right now, she gets a pass. Besides, it would probably be pretty dickish to point out that Regina’s medical trauma lasted for longer than she thought. “I’m so sorry,” Cady says instead, unsure of how else to reply to that.

Regina waves her hand. “Don’t be sorry. It was a long time ago. Besides, I totally deserved what happened to me.”

“Regina,” Cady says firmly, “no one deserves anything like this.”

“You didn’t know me then,” Regina laughs, but her laugh sounds hollow. “I was the f*cking worst.”

“I still don’t think you, or anyone, deserves this,” Cady tells her, running her fingers through Regina’s hair. She knows Regina’s been dealing with this for a long time, and Cady’s only known her for a week (which, God, she really doesn’t need to be focusing on that part right now), but she really wishes Regina wouldn’t say things like that.

“I was the popular girl at school. Everyone loved me. Or feared me. Sometimes both. But I was awful to everyone around me. Gretchen and Karen, we’d all been friends since elementary school. They followed me around like lost puppies. Well, I ordered them around. Like, all the time. It was f*cked up.”

“Teenagers are kind of assholes,” Cady offers, unsure of how else to respond. She only went to high school for two years, and she certainly wasn’t popular. Quite the opposite, actually. She’s pretty sure that if they’d been the same age and they’d known each other in high school, it wouldn’t have gone well. Definitely not nearly as well as their current relationship is going. (Or, at least, as well as she hopes it’s going. It’s a little hard to tell this early.) “I can tell you that hasn’t changed much,” she adds, hoping to lighten the mood a little.

“Yeah, but you don’t get it. I was the biggest asshole to ever asshole in the history of assholes.” Regina gets quiet for a second, and then, in a near whisper, says, “I ruined my best friend’s life.”

Alright, well, clearly, the mood lightening didn’t work. Cady decides to abandon that strategy and try to stick to serious support instead. Still, she doesn’t want Regina to get too upset. Not only does she not want Regina to be upset, she’s also a little worried that if Regina starts crying, or God forbid, sobbing, she could jerk her back around and hurt it more.

“Baby, if you want to share, I’ll listen, but if it’s too hard or too much, you don’t have to tell me anything, okay?”

“I need to. For me, I need to. I need you to know who I was.”

“Alright,” Cady says with a little nod. She holds Regina’s head in her hands, doing her best to keep making soothing motions on her cheeks and in her hair. It’s the best she can do to keep her calm while Regina continues on with her story.

“My freshman year, my best friend since kindergarten came out to me,” Regina tells her. “She told me she was a lesbian. Now, that was a really f*cking big deal. It wasn’t like it is now. This was ‘98. It was, like, a year after Ellen came out and everyone thought she’d ended her career. My best friend, she… She was so scared. She trusted me so much. And I… I freaked. I freaked because I had feelings for her and I didn’t understand them and instead I did horrible things. I had a reputation. I was popular. Everyone liked me. Or feared me. But whatever. That’s besides the point. I was so scared that if someone found out that she was a lesbian, they’d think I was too, and all of that would be over. It’s stupid, I know it is, but that’s what high school was like back then.” Regina grimaces, making a face.

“I outed her to the whole school. Her family sent her off to one of those f*cking conversion camps. People called her slurs and assaulted her constantly. She trusted me, and only me, with her deepest secret, and I… I ruined her life, Cady.” Regina’s voice cracks, her eyes tearing up.

“Shh,” Cady says softly, gently wiping at Regina’s eyes. “Take a few deep breaths for me, baby. I don’t want you to get too upset. Breathe with me.”

Regina looks up at Cady, who walks her through a few deep breaths. When Regina’s a bit more collected, Cady nods for her to continue.

“My friend, well, my ex-friend, I guess, she ended up switching schools junior year. She wasn’t the only person I was awful to, not by a longshot, but she had it worse than anyone. A few months after she left, I got hit by a bus. And that was that.”

Cady just watches Regina’s face for a moment. Regina’s staring off into the distance in the room, not even really reacting to Cady’s continual touches right now. She’s clearly thinking, so Cady waits until Regina speaks again.

“I’ve tried to reach out to her over the years, apologize and stuff. She doesn’t want to hear it, which, well, I can’t blame her, y’know? She doesn’t owe me anything.”

Cady hums. “Yeah, I get that.”

Regina sighs. “Anyways, a lot of people said I deserved it. They were right, honestly.”

Cady’s face falls. “Baby, please don’t say that. That’s not true.”

“It is true, though. Karma’s a bitch.” Regina laughs. “I should’ve known better. It was going to catch up with me eventually. I just never expected it to be in the form of a big yellow school bus, y’know?”

“Wait, it was a school bus that hit you? How did that happen?”

“Freak accident,” Regina shrugs. “I was crossing a part of the parking lot and the bus had a transmission malfunction. It hit me and I went flying, like, ten feet. It’s a miracle I survived. Everyone always says that.”

Cady really wishes Regina hadn’t described it quite like that. She can’t get the horrible image of Regina going flying out of her mind, and God, she does not want to think about that. “I’m really, really happy you did,” Cady says instead, trying to focus on the fact that some way, somehow, Regina had survived that accident.

“Me too.” Regina sighs. “I did die, though. I coded in the ambulance for fifteen seconds. They brought me back and then I was in a coma for a week and a half. I had something like seven surgeries over the span of three years. And my back still f*cking does this. And it will for the rest of my life.”

Something about Regina’s last sentence really sticks out to Cady. Regina’s a multi-millionaire. Her parents certainly have money. Her father owned the company before she did. She’s probably had nothing but the best health insurance money can buy her entire life. And even if insurance wouldn’t cover something, there’s not a doubt in Cady’s mind that Regina or her parents would have thrown any amount of money at any real solution to stop the chronic pain.

Yet, here Regina is, over twenty years later, laid up in bed, high on pain meds while she rides out a flare-up. Like she has every time it’s happened in the last twenty years. Cady feels her heart shatter again. If there was a way to fix her back, Regina would have gotten it. There’s not a world in which a solution exists and Regina hasn’t gotten it.

This really is something she has to live with for the rest of her life.

Cady runs her hand through Regina’s hair, trying very hard not to think too hard about what all of that means. “Well, you’re not doing it alone anymore. I promise you that.”

Regina looks up at her, eyes soft and watery again. “You do?”

“I do, baby.” Cady smiles softly, wiping at Regina’s tears. She can’t focus too hard on the fact that Regina’s crying, because then she’s going to start crying too.

“It’s been so long since someone’s taken care of me,” Regina whispers, her voice so soft, Cady can hardly hear it.

Cady leans her head back against the headboard, letting out a slow breath, trying her best to hold it together. “I’ve got you, baby. I’ve got you, I promise.”

“My mom didn’t even take care of me, y’know? After my accident? She couldn’t do it. She hired two nurses that worked in shifts.” Regina frowns slightly, looking off in the distance again. “She said the halo gave me hideous scars. She didn’t want me to do it, but my dad stopped her from stopping that surgery. He knew I needed it if I was ever going to walk again.”

Cady’s eyes go wide, processing Regina’s words. As soon as the part about Regina’s mother not wanting her to get necessary surgery because of a couple of scars settles in her brain, rage starts flowing through Cady’s veins. “She what?”

“Mmm,” Regina hums. “I wasn’t going to tell you much about her yet. She’s kind of a lot.”

Cady frowns, scratching Regina’s scalp lightly. The action is to try and calm herself down as much as it is to provide comfort to Regina. Regina doesn’t need angry Cady right now. She needs support. And Goddammit, Cady’s going to do that, even if she’s got half a mind to get on the first plane to Florida and fight Regina’s mother herself. “That’s a nice way to put it.”

“I mean, she wasn’t wrong. I still have the scars.” Regina lifts up one of her hands, pushing back her bangs. Sure enough, there are a few faint scars on her forehead, from where the spinal halo was screwed in. “Ugly.”

Cady runs a thumb over one of the scars. It’s small, really small. If Cady hadn’t known to look for it, she might not have noticed it for months, if not years. Especially if Regina’s bangs are always blocking them, like they have been for all the time they’ve spent together over the last week. Refreshed rage fills her body over Regina’s mother’s comments, but she shoves it down. Still not the time. “Not ugly,” she replies. “Everything about you is beautiful, baby. Even these. They show that you survived.”

Regina looks back up at Cady. “You’re too nice to me. I don’t deserve that much nice.”

Immediately, Cady’s heart shatters for what feels like the thousandth time this morning. “You absolutely do,” Cady tells her. “Baby, listen to me. You deserve kindness, okay? You deserve kindness, and love, and happiness, and joy, and everything else good in the world. I don’t care about what you did when you were a teenager. That was over twenty years ago. Clearly, you’ve come a long way and grown a lot as a person. You deserve good things. I’ll remind you of that however many times it takes.”

Regina’s crying again. She presses her face into Cady’s leg, trying to hide. Cady cradles her head, stroking her hair and gently wiping at Regina’s exposed eye. “I’m sorry,” she murmurs. “I’m really annoying when I’m on my meds.”

“No, you’re not,” Cady insists. “You’ve just got a lot of feelings. And I don’t mind that at all.”

“A lot of feelings,” Regina echoes. “Like a really whole big lot of them.”

Cady laughs lightly at Regina’s jumble of words. “Let me wipe your tears, baby, I’ve got you. Let me see that pretty face.”

Regina slowly turns her head. She’s greeted by a big smile from Cady.

“There she is,” Cady says softly, wiping gently at Regina’s tears. “I’ve got you. I promise I’ve got you.”

“I know you do,” Regina replies, sighing softly at Cady’s touch. “Sorry for having so many feelings.”

“Don’t apologize, baby. Never apologize for that.” Cady presses a kiss to her fingertips, and then touches Regina’s forehead gently. “I welcome all of your feelings, good and bad.”

“My mom always said I was annoying on my meds.”

“Your mom was wrong,” Cady tells her. “About the scars and the meds. You’re not ugly, and you’re not annoying.”

“She never really looked at me the same after the accident,” Regina admits. “No one did, really. It was all pity. Going to college was the best thing that could happen. I got a clean slate. But then I had to explain my back any time I wanted to sleep with someone. It was a whole new nightmare that I had to learn how to navigate.”

Cady’s about two sentences from abandoning her research and learning how to build a time machine instead. Then, she can go back, and personally attack every single person who’s ever made Regina feel bad about her scars or her back or anything, really. Looking at Regina, crying in Cady’s lap, about all these things, makes Cady want to hold Regina and never let her go. Ever. She’s not too sure how she’s even going to be able to leave Regina here later and go home tonight.

No, that’s a future Cady problem. Right now, Regina needs her attention and support in the present.

“I’m so sorry people were sh*tty to you about your back,” Cady says, focusing on one of the parts that doesn’t make her boil with rage.

“It was mostly men,” Regina admits. “A few women, but mostly men.”

Cady rolls her eyes. “Of course it was men. They expect us all to look like pristine Barbie dolls.”

Regina looks up at her and giggles. “I used to make my Barbies kiss.”

The unexpectedness of the conversation shift makes Cady laugh. She looks down at Regina and smiles softly, petting her hair again. “I did too. Guess some things are a universal experience.”

“What was your favorite toy when you were a kid?” Regina asks. Cady’s still unsure about this conversation shift, but if it stops Regina from crying more, she’s rolling with it.

“I didn’t have a ton of, like, branded toys,” Cady admits. “We didn’t have a ton of personal belongings in our tent in Kenya. But I had some dolls I really liked, and some stuffed animals. I had some Barbies and Bratz and a bunch of plushies of the animals on the savannah my parents studied.”

“Bratz,” Regina echoes. “Those were after my time.”

Cady tilts her head. “Really? I thought they were around since, like, forever. Like Barbie.”

Regina laughs. “No, I remember when those came out. I was in high school.” She blinks, eyes going wide a bit. “Cady, what year were you born?”

Cady gives a sheepish smile. “2000.”

Regina’s face falls a bit. She looks away from Cady, staring into the distance. “No, you weren’t.”

“I’m sorry?” Cady laughs, still holding Regina’s head.

“There’s no way you were born in the year 2000. There’s no way. There’s no way someone born in 2000 could be 24.”

“Well, I mean, it’s 2024, so…”

“Don’t use your big math skills on me,” Regina whines. “I’m too high for that.”

Cady chuckles, running her hand through Regina’s hair. “Sorry to burst your bubble, baby, but I was born in 2000.”

Regina hums, still staring into the distance. “See, I knew this. I knew you were a lot younger. But, like, I remember where I was in 2000. I was a sophom*ore in high school. I was probably being a huge f*cking bitch to some poor girl on the day you were born.” A realization seems to wash over Regina, who slowly looks up at Cady. “You don’t even remember 9/11, do you?”

“Well, I was an infant, so, uh, no,” Cady tells her with a sheepish smile.

Regina stares back into the distance again. “I think all my bones just got older.”

Cady chuckles. “Just your bones, huh?”

“Yeah. My bones. They’re creaking now. Covered in cobwebs.”

Cady lets out a heartier laugh. “You’re adorable.”

Regina smiles up at her. “I love when you call me that.”

“It's true,” Cady tells her. “You get all soft and warm and snuggly and it's just the cutest thing ever. And when you smile, you really smile, your nose scrunches up and it's literally just the most precious thing on the planet. I want to kiss it every time I see it.”

“You should,” Regina says with wide eyes and an even wider grin, the nose scrunch in action. “You should kiss it. Every time.”

“Trust me baby, if I can, I will,” Cady laughs. “Can't really reach your face from right here, though.”

Regina sighs. “That's so sad.”

“I can do this, though.” Cady picks up her hand, gently tapping Regina on the nose with her pointer finger. “Boop!”

“Boop!” Regina replies with a toothy grin. “I like the boop.”

Cady smiles and laughs. Regina’s literally so cute, Cady’s pretty sure her heart’s going to explode. An idea comes across her mind, and she's unable to stop herself from blurting out the question.

“Do you ever smoke weed?”

Regina gives Cady a puzzled look. “What?”

“Sorry, that was out of nowhere. Do you ever smoke weed or, like, take edibles or anything?”

Regina shrugs. “I’ve tried some gummies before. Also as an alternative pain thing to my big meds.” Regina sighs. “It works sometimes if my back’s just generally hurting, like after a long day or something. But the pills are the only thing that works for the full flare ups.”

Cady hums and nods. “That's good to know, but that's not quite why I asked.”

“Why'd you ask?”

“Because I feel like it'd be fun to get high with you,” Cady tells her. “Not on the pills. Just some edibles together, and not because of pain. Just for fun, you know?”

“I’ve never taken an edible just for fun before,” Regina admits. “Usually wine’s my go-to for that. I do love wine.”

“Oh, I know you do. I've seen your collection,” Cady teases. “I just think it would be fun to get stoned with you one night. Just lay on the couch and giggle and have fun together.”

“That would be fun. I think. I’ve never just let myself enjoy it, y’know? Maybe I wouldn’t like it.”

“Well, if you have done edibles before and been fine, even if it was to combat pain, you’re probably gonna be fine doing it for fun.”

Regina frowns. “Yeah, but what if it’s not fun?”

Cady gives Regina the tiniest semblance of a smile. She looks so cute, Cady can’t get over it. The way her brow furrows, all concerned, the tone of her voice, the way she’s just so goddamn out of it and clearly not really processing what she’s saying… Cady’s about to combust from the cuteness.

Cady rubs Regina’s cheek gently. “Then I’ll hold you in my arms until it wears off,” Cady promises. “I’ll hold you and rub your back and give you forehead kisses and tell you how much I love you until everything feels good again.”

Regina’s frown turns into a big, dopey smile, which is goddamn contagious. “You will?” Regina asks excitedly, as if she can’t believe what Cady’s saying.

Cady chuckles lightly. “I will, I promise.”

“Yay!” Regina presses her cheek against Cady’s thigh again, nuzzling into it. “You’re the best.”

Cady smoothes out some of Regina’s hair. “I’ll always take care of you if you aren’t feeling well, you know? It doesn’t have to be pain or edible related. Even if you’re sick or just had a really bad day. I’ll hold you until it feels better, whatever it is.”

“You’re so nice,” Regina sighs, nuzzling into Cady’s leg again, a soft smile on her face. “Why are you so nice to me?”

Cady’s heart sinks again. She really thought this phase of high Regina was over, but she guesses not. “Because I love you, Regina, and because you deserve kindness.”

“I love you too, even though I don’t think you’re right.”

Cady frowns. “You don’t think you deserve kindness?”

Regina shakes her head. “No, not really.”

Cady pauses for a moment, continually running her fingers through Regina’s hair. She’s not sure how much of this is the meds making the feelings stronger, or how much of this is actually how Regina feels about herself. She scratches lightly at Regina’s scalp, getting a soft sigh out of Regina. “Do you have a therapist?” Cady asks her gently.

“Used to,” Regina replies through half-lidded eyes. “Haven’t been in years.”