The fire is warm, cheery, and comforting as we sit, talk, and eat.  I had prepared a light meal of fruits, vegetables, and cheese before the trip.  Fortunately, I had a cooler backpack that I made sure I carried so she would not notice the weight.  I present some wine and glasses, that were stowed in the tent, to her now unbelieving eyes.

“You really did think of everything didn’t you,” she says with a smile as she reaches for her glass.

“Not everything, but I try to always look forward and anticipate what is needed, and act upon it now, as oppose to react later.  For me, it helps me not feel anxious about the things I cannot control.”  

I raise my glass towards her.  “A toast.  A toast to adventure and the unknown.  May we learn and accept the lessons we are taught with grace and wonderment.”  

The clink of the glasses is the only sound in the night other than the crackle of the fire.

I recline on my side with my back to the fire.  I feel the heat pull on me, removing all stress and the worries of life.  The unwanted tension that I did not realize I had.  I feel them melt out of me, slide from my back, and bury themselves into the sandy soil.

She pokes a stick in the fire and lets the end catch.  As she pulls it out she brings it up to her face and looks at the flame.  

“It really is a beautiful thing, fire.”  She waves it back and forth slowly in front of her face and follows it with her eyes.  

“It is as if the flame follows the stick when I move it.  But, it is actually eating away at the stick.  In order for it to survive it has to destroy its host, the very thing it needs to survive.  It is almost like one of the lonesome gods.  But, instead of wanting to get attention to be worshiped, it punishes because it is needed and is worshiped.  It is like those gods because it wants attention.  Fire wants all of the attention.  It even wants to take the attention that the other gods may get and claims it for itself.  It consumes all it touches.”  

She puts the stick all of the way into the fire and sits there and watches the fire inside the circle of rocks.

I watch the firelight dance off of her face, her hair.  The softness that the firelight casts on the front of her body is in stark contrast to the deep darkness that has crept up on her backside.  Laying there I feel like I am watching a fight over her, the fire attempting to pull her towards its light and consume her, the darkness ebbing and flowing from the light trying to slowly lure her away into a dark chasm of emptiness.

I decided to start my game.  Not really a game per se but the opportunity for her to either accept the punishment for her actions or the denial that she should be punished.

I need to make sure that she is totally night blind, so I say, “Have you ever heard firefighters talk about dancing with the devil?”  She turns her face towards me slightly and shakes her head no.

“They say that if you look closely at any fire you will see a skull or a face in the flames.  There are a lot of pictures that people have taken where you can clearly see the images in the fire.  They rarely see it in person, mostly in the pictures.  But there are times they can see them live.  Almost like it is a lonesome god that is wanting to be seen.  I bet this fire even has one.”  

I watch her turn her face to the fire once again.   She looks deeply into the flames, expecting to see a skull or face look back at her, beckoning her to come to it, to get lost in its all-consuming desire to be worshiped.

By this time I know my eyes have grown accustomed to the dark.  I can see rock formations and slight details as I scan the night.

I get up and grab the flashlight, “Come with me for a little adventure,” I ask innocently while holding out my hand?

“Ok.  What kind of adventure?  It is pitch black out there and we have no idea where we are,” she says as she reaches for my hand.

I hold her hand and quickly go to the trail we were on to reach our camp.  We reach the trail and I lead her to the part of the trail we had not walked.  I keep a brisk pace and begin to weave between boulders and other maze-like areas.  I am holding the flashlight down in front of her so she can see where she is stepping.

“Where are we going?  What kind of adventure are we going on,” she says with a slight tremble to her voice, “I have no idea where we are, have you been here before?”

I continue to lead her with a few words of, “This way,” or, “Come on, I believe we are getting closer.”

While on the path, I made sure I took many turns to make sure she would not be able to find her way back to camp.  I have doubled back on the trail and have brought her to the area that had the many crevasses that I said could be a hiding place for one of the lonesome gods.  Once we passed a certain area that had a very deep and dark area I say, “What is that!”  I shut off the flashlight, drop it, and run away around the bend of a boulder.

I hear her footsteps as she attempts to follow me.  “Wait!!!!!  Where are you going? HEY!!!!”

I knew that the area circled around and I was able to navigate myself very well due to not looking in the fire.  I quietly enter the recess by where I dropped the flashlight and wait.

I know she will return to the flashlight.  She will be able to locate it easily because I dropped it directly into the middle of the path.  I stand in silence.  Slow my breathing.  Close my eyes and listen to the sounds of the living desert so I can allow myself to dig into myself.  I become the silence I desired.  Deep and quiet breaths, inaudible to the human ear.  My mind making the final adjustments to complete my transformation into the primal hunter.  Ready to take my prey.

I hear her footsteps as she emerges from around the corner of the boulder.  I can feel the apprehension of each step she makes towards the unknown.  I taste the fear that has started to form in her and relish the feast I will have when she is caught.  My eyes are sharp, focused, and alert to every movement out of my dark den.

“Oh no, oh no.”  I hear her mutter as she gets closer.  “I know he dropped the flashlight.  oh nooo.”

I see her shadow before she reaches the flashlight.  My legs tense, ready for the pounce.  Arms relaxed at my sides but flexed in a way to make sure my prey will not escape.  I inhale for a slow five seconds and begin exhaling for twenty-seconds.

Total control.

I hear her make a slight exclamation at the discovery and see her bend over to pick it up.

I pounce with a guttural growl.  Grabbing her from behind, my arms wrap around her with the tightness of a straight jacket.  Her scream shatters the solitude of the night as I lift her off of the ground.  She begins to kick her legs along with screaming even louder.  I lower her down just enough to force her legs out in front of her.  I begin to drag her back towards the rock where we watched the sunset.

I put my head next to her ear, forcing her head to tilt, and in a low and demanding voice say, “Stop screaming, NOW!”

She closes her mouth and I can still feel the screams deep in her as I hold her body next to mine while I still drag her to the destination.  Muffled sounds of “MMMhMMMMhhhMMM”  Deep gasp, sputtered exhalations are felt, but no screams escape her lips.

We reach the rock and I stop.  

“I am going to let go of you now.  You will stand here.  You will not move.  Do you understand me,”  I say as I turn her towards me with both of my hands holding each side of her face. 

I feel the wetness of her cheeks from the tears but do not wipe them off.  

She looks at me without answering. A sharp breath, a couple of gasps, a sniffle.  I lower one hand to the front of her neck and tilt her head slightly.  

“Do you understand me?”

“Yes Sir,” she says between sniffles.

I sit down on the rock and look up at her.  The thin fingernail shaped moon slightly illuminates the area enough that I can see her face.  I can see her wet cheeks and the moonlight sparkle in her tear-filled eyes.  No words, no movement just looking at her.

“You scared me earlier today.  When you did not come back to the car.  I was worried something had happened to you.  All I could think of was how I failed you by not protecting you from any type of harm.”

Leaning forward, I rested my elbows on my knees then perched my chin on my folded hands.  I see tears well up and roll down her cheeks.

“But sir, I was tryin…”

“DO NOT try to talk yourself out of this punishment.  You think that purposely causing me to fear for your safety because you wanted to be bratty is ok?  Do you think that just because you can shed a few tears that I will feel bad and not punish you?  You call me Sir, but you treat me like I am inferior to your whims.”

I sit back up and allow the night sounds to inundate us.  The symphony of the desert playing music written just for us, at this point in time.  

“Remove your clothes love.  Take off everything but your socks and shoes.”

I watch her as she begins to remove her clothing.  No protest, just submitting to the will of her Sir.

“Come to me and stand next to me.  Do not cover yourself with your hands.  Keep your hands to your side.  Good girl.  Now bend over my knees.”

Without hesitation, she puts her hands on my legs and bends over.  Once her waist is lowered onto my legs, she lays herself on me.  I feel the warmth of her body on my legs, her excitement shivering through her body energizes me.  Her arms are holding onto my leg because she knows what will be her punishment.  I begin to rub her back, gently scratch it back and forth from shoulder to shoulder.  Side to side all of the way down to the top of her crack.  

The small pinnacles of goose flesh grow as I change the direction of my rubbing and scratching at a 90-degree angle to the other scratches.  Her back has many crosshatch patterns from my fingernails that can barely be seen in the moonlight.  

She lets out a cooing moan and I can feel her body relax.  Her hands release my leg and hang limply in complete relaxation.  

As I bring my hand up towards her head I open my fingers and run my fingers through her hair.  Another cooing moan escapes from deep within her but stops with a gasp as I grip her hair in my clenched hand.

“You made me wait for thirty-minutes.  That was thirty-minutes of worry over you that should have been thirty-minutes of us enjoying one another.  So, you will get one spank on your ass for every five-minutes you made me wait.  To remind you that it is not good to cause me to worry when all you have to do is follow the simple instructions I gave you.”

SWACK!

The desert became silent after the first handprint was embossed on her right cheek.  The impact sounding like a sharp gunshot in the night.

SWACK!

Her left cheek clenched after the impact.  As soon as I felt her relax.

SWACK!

SWACK!

Left then right this time.

I rest my hand on her lower back and feel her cool skin because of the night, desert air.  I glide my hand over the assaulted areas and can feel the heat emanating from each cheek as I rub my hand across them.  

A slight breeze begins to blow and I realize that my leg is wet from her.  The slow breathing returns to me and I feel myself return to the predator that captured its earlier prey.  Pulling her head back by the hair I let out my own deep growl as my hand delivers the final two reminders.

SWACK!

SWACK!

The last two stung my calloused hand.  I know her bottom was red and held a sting that would last for a while.  A sting that will serve as a reminder that I have her well being at the forefront of my mind at all times.

I feel her rapid breathing as she lays on me.  Her wetness now running down my leg.  I lean over and kiss each cheek, then gently rub them with my hand.  Opening my mouth to allow my tongue to touch her hot flesh then lift away so she can feel the cool breeze evaporate the wetness I left on her.

I rub her back once again and continue down all of the ways to her legs.  Leaning over to kiss her back, her shoulders, and each cheek with gentle and wet kisses.

“Stand up baby and sit on my lap,”  I say as I help her to stand.  She sits down and instantly wraps her arm around my neck and nuzzles her head on my shoulder.

I pull her legs into my body, then wrap my arms around her waist and hold her.  We sit for a few minutes in silence.  She lifts her head and looks at me then our lips engage in an open and deep kiss.  Our kisses become more aggressive and physical and then I feel her begin to shudder.  

She lifts her head and places her hands on either side of my face.  Tears are covering her face once again.  She begins to sob as she kisses me.  Kissing and sobbing becoming a fierce display of emotion, both of us refusing to apologize for our actions.

“Thank you, oh thank you,” she says over and over between kisses and sobs.  “You knew what I needed, thank you.”

We sit and hold each other, with me rubbing her back and her drawing herself into me tighter.

“We should head back to camp,” I say as we both stand up.  I reach over and pick up her clothes off the ground.  I shake the sand off of them and fold them neatly then tuck them under my arm.

“Are you making me walk all of the ways back to camp naked?” 

“Yes you are,” I say as I begin to lead the way.  I hold my hand out and feel her ease into mine as we begin to walk.

After a five-minute walk, we enter our camp.  “Stand right here.  Do not turn your head or speak.”  I leave her facing the fire with her back towards the tent.  I walk over to the tent and set her clothes inside and grab one of the backpacks.  

She stands unmoving.  I unzip the top of the backpack then tell her to come to me.  Without hesitation nor a word, she walks to me.

“Turn around and face the fire,” I say reaching into the backpack.  As I am standing back up I see my handprints on each of her cheeks.  I feel the hunter in me begin to stir again but I keep him at bay.  It is not time yet to allow the lust to surge and possess the thoughts and actions of my body.  

Once I stand fully erect, I take the cloth I had removed from the backpack and place it over her eyes. The long flowing piece of cloth trails down her back and ends at her feet.  I grip her elbows, position her arms behind her, and lean in to kiss and bite her neck.  She shudders and I feel her knees buckle slightly.  Still holding onto her elbows I am able to steady her until the feeling abates.

“Hold your arms exactly in that position,” I breathe into her ear.

I pick up both parts of the cloth and begin to weave it between her arms.  With both arms secured and her eyes blindfolded I lead her over to the edge of the fire.

“Get on your knees and open your mouth,”  I say as the hunter returns to my psyche and I begin to pace back and forth.  The feeling that I am staking my claim and protecting my prey returns and I remove my shirt.  I walk to the other side of the fire and look at her.  On her knees with her mouth open.  The firelight dancing on her exposed skin.  I walk around and stop in front of her and remove the rest of my clothing.

“You do realize that you are about to receive your second punishment do you not,” I say more as a statement than a question.

“Punishment for what Sir?  Did I not already receive punishment for being late?” she asks then opens her mouth again.

“I love how you are acting as if you forgot about offering me your finger at breakfast love.  Remember that you denied me the chance to taste the juice on your finger?  You acted like I was not worthy of getting to enjoy the small pleasure of a taste you offered,” I say in a very matter of fact way, “So, you will now be punished for denying me pleasure.  The pleasure you offered me then pulled away so I may not enjoy.”

In one swift movement, my hard cock enters her mouth as I grab the hair on the back of her head.  I begin pumping into her mouth, my hips rocking in a fluid and constant tempo.  The savage in me no longer contained.  I feel it rip through my body with such lust so that it may connect with the precious soul in front of me.  I find myself groaning and growling with each thrust.  I can hear her gasps after each time I pull out enough to where my head is still in her mouth.  Her mouth is dripping with saliva in the response to me shoving myself in her throat.

I hear her take a gasping breath as my head is pressed to the roof of her mouth.  The smooth curve ready to direct itself along the roof of her mouth and into her throat.  I wait for her to exhale and then slowly push myself in her.  Her attempt to inhale is only met with my girth sealing her throat completely from anything but my flesh.  I feel her try to pull her head back but my hand on the back of her head, the strong grip on her hair holds her in place.   I then bring her even closer to my body with my hard shaft feeling the spasm in her attempt to breathe.  I see the cloth begin to darken from her tears, another outward expression of my control, her submission, our unity.

I pull out and she gasps desperately for the air she was longing for.  But, after only one breath, I enter her in with more force and even deeper while holding myself in her with no chance of drawing breath.  I inhale deeply through my nose, then with a drawn-out moan, I exhale, teasing her with the sound of my breathing.

I feel her body begin to slump, so I pull out and allow her to breathe.  With deep gasps, she not only takes in a breath but leans in and begins to engulf my throbbing cock once more.  Without mercy, I enter her throat then pull out fast and hard.  I give her no chance to doubt who owns her.

I feel the release begin in my chest.  A wave of ecstasy that travels through my core and culminates at the base of the rod of my hardened flesh.  I pull out and hold her head in place.  

“You will not let any of this go to waste!”  

I moan as I begin to see the firelight glisten from the ribbons of cum that I am spraying in her mouth.  She leans forward slightly and wraps her lips around me as I begin to thrust in her while still cumming.  I put both of my hands on either side of her head as I give another push and feel myself drain.

As I pull out I hear her exclaim with a sound of panic in her voice. 

“SIR, SIR!!!  NO!!!!!  SIR!!!”  I step back and see her tipping her head back with her tongue curving over her lower lip.  

“What is the matter, baby?” I say as I kneel in front of her.

“There is some on my chin and I cannot reach it, Sir!  You said to not let any go to waste!  Sir, please help me!”

I lean forward and see a small drip on the edge of her chin.  

I wipe it with my finger, then say, “Stick out your tongue.”  

She obeys instantly and I place my finger on her tongue.  She closes her mouth around my finger to make sure that she fulfills the requirement of her punishment.

I stand back up, kiss her on her forehead then begin to pick up my clothes.  I shake them out, fold them, and place them inside the tent.

Without closing the tent zipper, I stealthily walk behind her on the soft sand.  Silently, I stand behind her and place my hands on her arms and pull her to help her stand.  As she is standing she tries to turn to face me, but I hold her firmly, keeping her back to me.

With no words being spoken, I slowly slide my left hand up her arm while kissing her right shoulder.  I kiss the edge of her shoulder then drag my tongue closer to her neck and give her another kiss.  She tilts her head to the left, exposing her neck and I accept her skin offering with a kiss and a gentle nibble.  Another kiss then a firmer bite.  I hear another moan starting to form inside of her as I continue massaging her neck with my mouth.

Before the moan finds its way out of her mouth I take my left hand and wrap it around the front of her throat and begin to make her walk backward.  I guide her up to the edge of a smooth rock wall and hold her in place with my hand on her neck.  

I stand in front of her and hold her in place.  

“Ss”, escapes her lips.

But I tighten slightly and she stops her attempt to speak.

She closes her mouth and begins to breathe deeply through her nose.  Deep and long breaths.

I lean in and part her lips with my tongue.  She opens her mouth and we begin to kiss.  Our tongues gliding over one other’s, lips pressed so tightly together that I pull away as I become lightheaded.  As I begin to kiss her again, I reach down with my right hand and separating my first and middle fingers slightly, I begin to rub on either side of her clit.

The intensity of our soul melding desires increases when I slip my wet finger inside of her.  I pull my mouth from hers, still hold her neck, and begin to pump in and out of her with two fingers rapidly.  

Her breath sounds like great gasps because of the intensity and speed.  Her legs begin to shake as I feel her clenching on my fingers, gripping them tightly as she opens her mouth wanting the taste of mine.  I pull my fingers out and shove them in her mouth.  She closes her lips and instantly swallows.

I remove my fingers from her mouth and put my hand on the left side of her head.  I lean into the right side and put my lips to her ear.  

Barely above a whisper, I say, “The night has become darker and the lonesome gods are asleep.  I will release you from your bindings.  Your punishment is now over.”

I lower the cloth from her eyes.  Her eyes, still wet, focus on mine and I see the firelight dancing in them.  But, the longer I look into them I see a different type of fire burning.  With our eyes locked, I reach around and begin to loosen the cloth around her arms.  I allow the absence of our voices to cleanse us.  The silence filling us with the unspoken connection that is mutually needed.

I lead her into the tent where we burrow ourselves under the coverings that await us.  Our bodies fit together in the same position as they did while we were at the resort.  But, as we lay, I feel a difference in our connection.  It was no longer a flesh upon flesh connection.  

I feel her warm skin as she cuddles next to me, our breathing synchronized, we were one.  It began to feel as we were both falling while holding onto each other.  A long, soft, and graceful fall.  No fear.  No worries.  Just a sense of trust that we would be safe as long as we held onto one another.

“Good night baby.”

“Good night Sir.”

By 5:45 I was able to have the fire awake and doing its job of heating water.  I looked around and knew I only had about twenty minutes to pick up the camp before I wake her.

“Come on my love, it is time to begin our day.  Bring a blanket and come with me.  We have another experience to share.”

Exiting the tent, she pulls the blanket tighter around her shoulders as I guide her with my hand on her lower back.

I had placed another blanket on an outcropping of rock that faced the East.  As we sit, I reach over and grab a thermos and pour us both a cup of coffee.  As she reaches for her cup, I lean in and kiss her right cheek.  I see a smile form on her lips and hear a gentle, “mmm” accompany the expression.

The predawn sepia landscape began to suddenly change.  The horizon reluctantly raising its sleeping eye once again.  With a silent triumph, the apex of the sun climbed over the edge of the world to welcome us.  Bright and glorious reds, yellows, and oranges reflecting off of the clouds illuminating the world.  

I can feel my throat begin to tighten as I watch the wonder and amazement on her face.  I turn my face to watch and I too am in amazement.  The silent power and majesty on display that is lost to so many people because they do not take the time to look and appreciate.  It is as if the world is allowing us to drink in its overflowing cup of beauty.  Just the two of us.  No one else.

I begin to hear a soft humming sound.  A melody that is both haunting and satisfying.  She is singing to the sunrise, her anthem, her homage to the not so lonesome god.

As we watch the long fingers of shadows stretch across the desert floor, I hold out my hand and feel her fingers entwine in mine.

“Are you ready for our shower,”  I ask as we enter our camp?

“Shower, are you serious?  You really have thought of everything,” she says as she laughs.

After she returns the blanket to the tent and I stow the items from our sunrise coffee, I lift the two large pots of heated water I had by the fire and place them next to us.

“Wait here,” I say as I leave to grab the other backpack.  

I open it and pull out some body wash and a loofah bath sponge.  I dip the sponge into the water and lift it to her shoulders.  The hot water cascades down her body and leaves dark, round reminders of its existence in the sand.  The marks that will soon disappear as it is accepted onto which it had fallen.

As I finish rinsing the soap off of her I lean in and kiss, then nip her right ear again.  This time, she moaned in acceptance, knowing that she has been marked again.

“I have something for you, something I want you to wear today.”  

I reach into the backpack again, then stand beside her.  I lift my hand up in front of her so she can see a black and red swirled disk that appears to be sitting on top of my circled thumb and index finger.

“What is that a pendant?  I love the colors,” she says as she rubs her finger over the smooth surface.

“No love,”  I say as I open my hand.  “It is a plug.  It will fit nicely and you will be able to feel it in you as we go to our next adventure.”

I see a slight smile form on her lips, but a deep look of naughty enters her eyes.

“I have never had one before, will it hurt?” she asks breathlessly.

“I will make sure it and you have a lot of lube to ease the insertion.  But, there will be a little bit of discomfort and maybe a little pain.  But, you know that it will stop if you use our word.”

There is no need to talk of trust.  This was a time to see trust through actions.

“Yes Sir.”

I coat my finger with the lube.  Making sure I am very generous with the amount I have on my finger.  I reach down and glide my finger from her perineum to her tight hole that will accept my gift.   I reapply the lube and begin to transfer the wetness in gentle up and down strokes.  She begins to lean forward and arch her back, opening herself up so that my finger slips in with an easy motion.  I feel her tighten around me so I hold my finger still, allow her to relax, then when I feel her relax, I make slow thrusting movements in her.

“I am going to put it in you now love.”

“Mmmm hmmm, Yes Sir.”

I drizzle lube on it while standing in front of her.  Standing face to face, eyes locked I reach around and place the tip in position.  Her eyes are locked on mine as I begin to push, her mouth opens.  I allow it to return to the entrance and she curls her bottom lip in and begins to bite it.  Then with a coordinated movement, I push it in and lower my mouth to her neck and bite down.  I feel a slight resistance as the plug enters then it locks in place.

I reach in the backpack and bring out a towel and begin to dry her off.

“After you are dry and dressed, we will start our last adventure,” I say as I wrap the towel around her shoulders.

“Yes, Sir.”

I put on a shirt and shorts and begin to extinguish the fire.  After putting everything we brought back into backpacks, I go back to the fire area.  I dump water on the still-hot coals, stir it up and then dump more water.  Confident that there are no more hot coals, I turn towards the tent and see her exit.

She looks at me with a look that only a seductress can execute.  She steps out, turns around, and begins to pull the zipper from the top of the tent.  As she pulls, she turns her head and looks at me, her body bends the farther down she pulls the zipper.  The short dress she is wearing begins to raise while she leans farther over giving me a glimpse of the plug still firmly in place.

Standing back up and walking to me she smiles and asks if there is anything she can do to help.

“Other than getting our clothes out of the tent and put them in a backpack, we are ready to walk back to the car,” I say as I reach under her dress and give her bare cheeks a few appreciative pats.

We see a small diner as we enter Sedona so we decide to stop and eat a light breakfast.  I hold the door open and stifle a chuckle as I see all of the local men that have most likely eaten breakfast at that diner for the last fifty-years drop their forks and jaws as she crosses the threshold.

She sits across from me and I ask her if she is comfortable.  She does a little wiggle, bites her bottom lip, and says, “Mmm hmm, very.”

The waitress comes over to our table and asks for our order.  I ask if she would recommend anything.

“I absolutely love the fruit bowl,” the waitress says.

I quickly look across at her and we begin to laugh out loud almost uncontrollably.  

“I think we will have some coffee, toast, and eggs,” I say as I compose myself.

We finish eating and I leave a generous tip just on the fact that the waitress made us laugh and she had no idea why.

“I know how much you love the outside markets and the different artists, so, I thought there could be no better adventure than to visit one in Sedona,” I say to her as I am parking.

Hand in hand we walk amongst the vendors and artisans.  I see our destination and begin to maneuver our way towards the booth.  As we stop in front of the counter she notices the artwork.

“Oh, they make jewelry here,” she says excitedly.

“So they do,” I reply.

I put my hand on her elbow and pull her back and to me.  I place my lips up to her right ear and say, “I need you to go into that restroom over there love and take out my gift.  You have been a good girl and wore it just as I asked.”  I kiss then nip her ear again.

She presses her lips next to my ear and just above a whisper I hear, “Yes, Sir.”  

Then I feel a light kiss on my ear.

As she enters the restroom, I go over to the jeweler and inspect her new gift.  After expressing my approval and how I think it turned out better than I could ever imagine, I pay and wait for her return.  After waiting for five-minutes I begin to think that another punishment will be in order.  But this time It will be five swacks for every minute gone.  Then I see her exit the bathroom and come towards me with a closed lip, straight-lined smile on her face.

As she stops in front of me while holding her purse under her arm she says in a small voice, “It was a little difficult to get out.  I have never done that before and was not sure how to do it.”

“You are blushing my dear,” I say as I begin to giggle.

“You did not tell me it was going to be difficult to get out, ya jerk,” she says as she hits my arm and begins to laugh.

After we stop laughing I put my hand on the right side of her face and position her hair behind her ear.

“You know that I have marked you on your ear.  I did not do that by chance.  It is time for that to be a permanent mark.”  

I wrap my arm around her and take her back to the jeweler.

“This is yours,” I say as I point to an earring sitting on a small, black, velvet pillow, “I had her make it to represent the rising and setting of the desert sun.  It will be placed at the spot where I marked your ear.”

She picks it up, and turns to the horizon to the east, and holds it to where it looks as it is sitting atop a mesa.

“I want it placed on me now please,” she says turning to me.

We step back to the jeweler and go behind the counter.  We are led to an area where all of the piercing supplies are ready and sterile.  She sits down and looks at the jeweler and says, “It needs to go right here,” as she puts her finger at the mark on her ear.  The jeweler giggles and hands me the piercing gun then says, 

“Honey, I had no say in this, he said he was going to pierce you himself!”

As we walk through the many vendors at the market, I see her reaching up to her ear.  As she touches her gift, she looks at me and smiles.  I know better than to ask if she likes it, I know better than to question her acceptance.  The other marks I had given her meant just as much to me as this one.  The thoughts behind each distinctive signature of touch, the passion, all have meaning beyond words.

But, this mark is permanent, visible, on display.  She is wearing it with pride for the world to see.  I know that the only people that will understand its significance will be the people she trusts.  Her friends understand that she has been marked, owned.  She is now protected by someone with such ferocity that walls would crumble at his feet because of the force he would use to keep her from harm.

Riding back to the resort was filled with playful banter, teasing, and a lot of flirting.  At one point she said she needed to practice so that she can show Sir that she loves her gift.  She asked me to pull the car over because she wanted me to watch.

“I need my Sir to see that I want to please him.  I want him to know that every time I wear this, I will feel his gift in me.”

She pulls out the plug, lubes it, and begins to push it against her opening.  With a small gasp from her, I see it reach the point where it locks in place, then a soothing mmmm from her follows.  I find myself biting my bottom lip, eyes half-closed as I watch her show me her appreciation.

“I am pleased,” is all I can say.   

Words fail me as I watch her put her seatbelt back on.

She turns her head, looks at me while biting on her pinky finger.  I see her eyes narrow slightly, a deep breath, slow exhale.  Then only two words.  “I know.”

The confidence I just saw in that look, those words, her acceptance of her own power fill me with the waters of euphoric pleasure.  It makes me want to dive deep and swim in those waters.  To feel completely surrounded and even drowning in the deep pressure of the tangible emotion that I am feeling.

Once we arrive back at the resort we walk to my room, enter, and stand by the bed and hold one another.  No talking, no sounds other than the air conditioner singing its song of comfort.  

With my arms wrapped around her, I feel myself begin to sway, back and forth, slowly.  Holding her to me, dancing to the music that is playing in my head with the accompaniment of her heartbeat next to mine.  Both of us sharing a moment of touch that goes beyond the sensation of making love or playing a scene or punishment or marking.  This is the mutual marking of our beings, our minds, and souls.

We shower, I wash her, worship her, care for her, dry her off, rub her body with lightly scented oil and lotion, walk her to the bed, and lay with her.

We sleep.

Holding one another.  Both swimming.  Connected.  Drowning.

We sleep.

When morning arrives, I am surprised to see that she is awake.  Her head still on my chest, her hand rubbing my thigh, a light breath felt on my skin as she exhales.

“Good morning,” I say after a little stretch.

“Hi,” she replies just above a whisper.

“Did you sleep well?  Are you ok?”

Looking up at me she smiles and says, “I did and I am.  I just do not want to go back home.”

“I know. I do not want you to leave.  But life and responsibilities will not step aside for our enjoyment.  We need to look forward to that next chance of joy.  We need to find it in our everyday lives too.  Allow it to help propel us to the next chance of blissful encounters.”

She lowers her head and bites my nipple.  Causing a sharp but pleasurable yelp to escape my lips.  With a swift movement, she is straddling me, kissing me, and grinding her clit on my hardening cock.

“I am sorry Sir, but I need you right now.  I am sorry I am being so aggressive,” she says as she moves her hips quicker and harder.

I accept her apology by giving her two strong and quick swacks on her right cheek when she pushes her hips forward.  That only causes her to press down harder and move faster.  I reach up and grab both of her tits as they bounce with her movement.  Each nipple trapped in my hands, being pulled, pinched, and held.

She reaches back and grabs me by the base of my shaft and directs me into her.  I close my eyes, move my hands to her waist, and see us swimming together.  Falling in the water, floating, gliding all at the same time.  We continue this underwater dance, swirling and spinning until I see a bright light envelop us.  Surround us as we are suspended in the water.

The sound of my own voice brings me back to the physical world.  My moan, growl, and explosion of deep vocal groaning accompany my hard and forceful thrusts.  She is now leaning over me with her hands flat on the bed and my feet planted firmly giving me leverage.  

My eyes open to see that I now have my right hand on her throat, my left on her hip, steadying her as I slam myself into her.  The bright light once again appears as I give myself to her, leaving some of me inside of her, marking her as my own one last time.  She whispers, “I am pleased” as she lays her body down on me.  I feel tears form in my eyes, then crawl their way down to find a resting place on my pillow.  I have pleased her.  I am pleased.

As we ride to the airport we are relatively quiet.  No sadness, but a reflection of our time together.  I park the car, get her suitcase and playfully smack her hand as she reaches for it to take it from me.

After we check her bag and stand at the entrance to the security check we stop.

“Thank you for coming to see me.  I have one more gift for you,” I say as I present her with an envelope.

“What is it,” she asks as she takes it from me?

“Well, if I haven’t acted like a total dunderhead, I would like for you to visit me in New Orleans next month.  I have included your plane tickets and directions on where I will meet you at the airport.  I will have already played my gig, so the entire week will be ours.”

“I will be there,” she says as she wraps her arms around my neck and begins a series of kisses all over my lips and cheeks.  

She pulls away and begins wiping my face with her hand.

“What are you doing,” I ask as a laugh erupts from me?

“I have lipstick all over your face,” she says as she is approaching me again with her hand in the internationally known wiping position.

I hold her wrist and pull her into me.  

“What good are marks if you want to erase them, my dear,” I whisper in her ear,  “Leave them.”