A/N: Sexy times ahead, please read with caution.
She wasn't sure what had prompted the purchase, but the sight of them in the joke bin had lit up something in Maddie's heart.
She and Chimney didn't have nearly enough fun in their lives.
They'd just hit three months, and he was taking her to The Cheesecake Factory because she'd never been. There were a lot of things they'd done together that were firsts for Maddie.
This would be another one. She carefully wrapped her package, placing it inside a gift bag and looking at herself in the mirror.
It had been a long six months since the day Doug had left her life. Three months of being alone and learning who she was again. And three months of cautiously letting Chimney back into her life.
She smoothed nervous hands over her tight, lowcut black dress. She hadn't worn anything like this the whole time they'd been dating, out of some mixture of guilt and shame over letting herself be a sexual being after all that had happened with her ex-husband.
Neither emotion was appropriate though, neither emotion was something she should feel. She was a survivor. She'd made it, and she could celebrate her body if she wanted to, scars and all.
And she could let Chimney celebrate it too.
God, she was terrified of wearing this dress out in public. She was terrified of what people might say, or think. She knew her terror was unmerited, but her anxiety was hissing in her ear, saying that she was a terrible person, that she was dating someone who'd almost died because of her, that she didn't deserve Chimney, that she was a slut and a murderer.
They were all lies. She knew they were all lies, but she couldn't turn off the voice in her brain for very long these days.
She wasn't a slut. She was a grown woman who had sex with her boyfriend. Consensual, slow moving, amazing sex. She wasn't a murderer either. She'd killed her ex-husband in self defense when he'd tried to murder her after trying to murder Chimney.
She further moved through the lies, doing what her therapist had instructed. Dismantle the lies. Bring the truth out.
It wasn't her fault Chimney got stabbed. It was one person's fault and responsibility and that person was Doug. He was psychotic and evil and he'd hurt the man she loved the most.
It wasn't her fault that Doug was evil.
It wasn't her fault that he'd struck out at her loved ones.
It wasn't her fault or her responsibility. She felt no guilt.
That last one was harder to believe. She wanted to feel no guilt, but the thought of Chimney lying on the ground, almost dying because of Doug, made her heart pang.
But…
But…
They'd made it through. And she hadn't been wrong to leave Doug; nor had she been wrong to fall for Chimney.
The doorbell rang, and she came out of her head, shaking the thoughts away like dust, walking to the door and pulling it open.
Chimney stood on the other side, a bouquet of flowers in his hands. She swallowed, trying to forget that he'd been holding flowers six months ago too.
His jaw dropped open, and he was staring at her, just as she stared at him once she'd gained the ability to breathe again.
He wasn't wearing a full suit; but he had on a blue dress shirt, blue tie and black slacks. His eyes were sparkling at her, and she reached for the flowers his hands held.
She knew her dress was a statement, and she wondered what he thought. It was lowcut, it was tight, and it was black; it was unapologetic and hot as hell.
"You look amazing," he said, and she welcomed him in.
"Thank you," she told him. "Let me get these flowers in water and we can go."
Her hair was high on her head, and she wore big hoop earrings, something else that was blatant and shame-free.
She wondered when the last time she'd worn heels like this was, heels that were literally made to entice. They were spiky and black, and she remembered how Doug had hated when she wore heels, saying they were too whore like.
God, she needed to stop thinking about him.
Chimney was waiting by the door when she came back from the kitchen, the flowers cut and neatly placed in a vase.
She walked up to him, placed her hands on his shoulders and his hands came to her waist, drawing her in and their lips met.
She'd never get used to kissing him. She'd never get used to how good it was, how soft his lips were, how safe she felt, how cherished.
She loved him. That part, at least, was simple.
She grabbed the gift bag, and he raised an eyebrow. "What did you get me?" He wondered, his arm sliding around her waist as they left her apartment.
"That's for me to know, and for you to find out," she said cheekily, and he grinned.
They'd had bad luck at restaurants lately; try as they might, service had sucked and at this point it was just a game for them.
"Our server hasn't been by for a good fifteen minutes," Maddie commented, taking a sip of wine. "My glass is almost empty."
"You can have some of mine," Chimney offered. "Oh, wait. I ran out ten minutes ago."
They smiled at each other, and Chimney reached to take her hand in his, gently caressing the soft skin of her wrist.
"I love you," Maddie said, the words suddenly heavy, as they always were.
"I love you too," he told her, leaning to place a light kiss on her lips. "Now let's see if we can get some cheesecake."
She'd gone for pasta, and he'd gone for seafood, and they'd ended up just eating his food because the pasta had come out underdone and overdressed. She hadn't been able to eat more than a few bites before pushing it away.
If their server would ever come back, they could get it taken off the bill, but it hadn't happened yet.
Luckily, The Cheesecake Factory was known for its huge portions and Chimney's entree had proved to be more than enough for both of them.
"So," Chimney began. "The cheesecake here is, obviously, the main course. What's your favorite kind of cheesecake?"
"I don't know," she admitted. "Strawberry is always good."
"I took you more as a chocolate girl," he told her, leaning back a little in his chair. "Wow, we're never going to see our server again."
She laughed, just watching him and the way he moved. He was so graceful, lithe, light on his feet and in all his movements. His hands moved as he talked, and his face was animated.
And he smiled when he saw her. He always smiled when he saw her.
She remembered when they'd been on break, and bumping into him at the police station to give their statements about the bank robbery.
He hadn't smiled. She hadn't blamed him.
"I like chocolate too," she said. "But can we split it? I'm really not hungry enough for a full slice."
"That's fine," he said. "I forgot how ridiculous these portions are."
Their server finally materialized, asking how everything was and promising to take care of the awful pasta. "Did we want a dessert list?"
"Do you trust me?" Chimney asked Maddie, and she, unsure of where this was going, nodded. "I know what kind I want," he told the server, ordering a slice of Adam's...something. "Peanut butter fudge ripple swirl," Chimney repeated once the server had gone. "I think."
He'd also ordered more wine, which, thankfully, came swiftly.
"So, while we wait for the cheesecake, why don't you tell me what's in the bag?" Chimney asked, toasting her and their glasses clinked together.
"Why don't you guess?" Maddie whispered, taking a sip of her champagne.
"I can't guess," he said. "A kitten?"
"No!" She laughed. "Twenty questions. Go."
He was staring at her, a little frustrated by her refusal to tell, but more than a little intrigued and, she'd wager, turned on. "Okay. Can you eat it?"
"Nope," she answered, feeling a full smile on her face for one of the first times all evening. She was, actually, happy right now. Happy, and nothing else.
"Okay…" He pondered it for a moment, looking at how small the bag was. "Can you wear it?"
"Yes," she confirmed, as the cheesecake landed in front of them along with the bill.
Chimney had his card waiting; he wasn't taking chances on their server disappearing again, and Maddie had a feeling that he was hoping to get out of there.
She was feeling a little antsy too, not really wanting to linger over dessert. She wanted to get home, to a different kind of dessert.
She tried the cheesecake, however, and changed her mind, even moaning a little. "Oh my god," she admitted, licking her fork. "That's amazing."
"Told you," he smiled, and she felt a rush of pure heat to her face.
"Okay, so I can wear it," he continued. "Is it a t-shirt?"
She shook her head, and he pressed on. "Do you wear it inside or outside?"
"Just inside," she said. "Definitely only inside."
He paused over the next bite of cheesecake. "Is it something that you'd wear in...the bedroom?"
"Yeah," she said, eyes bright.
He breathed out, his exhale shaky. "Is it something I won't say in public?"
"The word itself is not inappropriate," she said, taking the last bite of cheesecake and standing up.
She saw how he was watching her, with heated eyes and close attention. God, she was ready for this.
She took the gift bag, and Chimney stood up as well, taking her hand as they walked out together.
The drive home was too long; Chimney was tapping his fingers on the steering wheel the whole time.
"So," she wondered, unlocking the door to her apartment and leading him inside. "Any guesses?"
"Is it lingerie?" He wondered, watching as she took her shoes off, leading him on a path to the bedroom.
"No," she said, pushing her bedroom door open, still holding the gift bag, now clutched behind her.
Chimney followed, watching as she backed towards the bed. He followed, and they fell onto it together, his hands bracing himself over her and kissing her, long and sweet.
"Maddie, what's in the bag?" He whispered, kissing down her neck.
"You have to guess," she breathed. "You're pretty close."
He groaned. "You wear it, but it's not lingerie. Handcuffs?"
She pulled a pair of fuzzy handcuffs out from behind her back, a devilish smile on her face that she wondered if he'd ever seen before.
Sex between them had always been good, but not this level of naughty. It took a lot to get her to this level, and she was practically buzzing right now, waiting for his reaction.
"Maddie, are you sure?" He asked, getting off of her, sitting next to her on the bed.
Okay. Not quite the reaction she'd hoped for.
"I like the idea," he admitted. "I love it. But I don't want to put you in a situation that could make you feel unsafe just for sex."
Oh god, she loved him so much. Every time he spoke, he got better.
"I'm sure," she assured him. "My therapist suggested it, actually. Well, not the handcuffs part, but giving you a bit more control during sex. She said that it would be healthy for me to let go, with someone that I trust."
He was looking at her, oh so serious, and she leaned in, placing her hand on his face. "Howie, I trust you," she whispered. "And I want this."
She didn't have to tell him twice. He was soon gently placing the handcuffs around her wrists, kissing the skin there. "If it hurts, just tell me," he whispered. "Are you sure?"
"I'm very sure," she told him. "I'm okay if you hook me to the bed too. These handcuffs unlock, we don't have to worry about if we lose a key."
He leaned in to kiss her again. "Maddie, you're really making this hard," he whispered, kissing up to her ear and making her shiver.
Okay. The handcuffs were hooked to the bedboard and Maddie was...Maddie had lost control of the situation.
Oh god.
She wasn't sure how she felt, even trusting Chimney. Her stomach began to swirl, and she watched him begin to undress, unbuttoning the cuffs of his shirt. This was her favorite part. She strained to help him, before her progress was abruptly halted by the handcuffs and she fell back to the bed. Shit.
These were a little annoying, she noted, tracking his progress, and finally he was back on the bed with her, and her clothes came off, little by little.
He was moving slowly, he was checking in with her. Their kisses got more heated, and Maddie forgot about the handcuffs around her wrists, forgot about the voice in her head saying that this was risky. Maddie forgot about everything but how he felt against her, how much he loved her, and how he made her feel, again and again.
She gave him control, and she let Chimney take it all, giving back to her tenfold what she'd ceded.
After, he unlocked the cuffs, and she lowered her arms back to the bed.
"How are you feeling?" He wondered, his arms sliding around her, holding her tight.
"I feel good," she said, turning to face him so that their lips could meet. "But...next time it's your turn."
"I'm okay with that," he told her, kissing her until the smile on her lips faded and they were restless again. "Madeline. I trust you. And I want this."
A/N: Handcuffs are always fun to add to the mix, provided that there is strong communication and trust in your relationship. I hope y'all enjoyed. ~Meowser