The following morning Charlotte and Anne took Elizabeth on a tour of their studios and snuck her in to preview the works Charlotte had in the annual exhibition that opened on Friday. Elizabeth had been unimpressed by Lady Catherine and Willa Collins and was mentally criticizing the merits of Huntsford's art department until Charlotte had shown her the incredible kinetic sculptures she'd been working on. They combined whimsy, wonder and dystopian aesthetic that was consistent with Charlotte's familiar style and yet the new format of the moving sculptures added a dynamic aspect her art had previously lacked. Apparently, while Lady Catherine was stale and officious, Lady Metcalf had been a far more influential advisor for Charlotte.
Anne was also producing kinetic sculptures – it had actually been Lady Metcalf pairing them on an assignment due to their mutual interest that allowed Charlotte and Anne to get to know each other in the first place – but while Anne's works were technically brilliant and mechanically flawless, their artistry was lackluster. Anne explained that her primary interest was in mechanical engineering but her mother insisted that she live up to her family legacy and pursue an art degree. Kinetic sculpture was the closest she could come to her true passion at Huntsford.
That afternoon Elizabeth was enjoying a stroll along the open grove which edged that side of the park under a nice sheltered path while Charlotte was in class. In the solitude of her ramble, she finally had time to reflect on her present situation. This vacation had veered drastically off course yesterday and she was unsure how she felt about it. The sex with Darcy was, as always, fantastic. That man could apparently do things to her that nobody else could and it was unnerving.
She was especially uncomfortable with her chronic lack of inhibition with him. It was an open secret that her parents had married because her mother was pregnant. Nobody quite believed that Jane was an eight pound 'premie' and they certainly hadn't married because of their common interests. Due to this, Elizabeth had always been careful in her own sex life. However, all of her caution seemed to fly out the window under Darcy's passionate gaze. Last night was now the third time that her and Darcy had been so caught up in the moment that they'd completely forgotten to use a condom (along with their first time in the library and the post-satyr exploration of Darcy's animalistic side). Sure, she did have an IUD and he said he was clean but that was no reason for her to be so reckless. Not to mention the fact that they'd done it out of doors in a public area just a short walk away from the road where anybody could have come across them.
What if Charlotte had turned back and gone looking for her? Or even worse – Collins? The news would have spread through all of Huntsford and Rosings within the hour. As it was, she'd had 35 new messages in the group chat between Charlotte and Anne by the time she'd made it back to the dorm. At first they asked where she was, then they started suggesting increasingly implausible places that her and Darcy could be off making out – 'in the woods' was the third suggestion Anne offered but Charlotte had declared it was too risky and Elizabeth wouldn't dare. Apparently Charlotte gave her more credit for self control than she had.
This introspection was interrupted by a snapped twig behind her and she whirled around, on edge, only to come face to face with the object of her thoughts.
"Elizabeth," he said, looking somewhat flustered. He held out a gift box, which she instinctively took, and said, with a look of haughty composure, "I have been walking in the grove some time in the hope of meeting you."
"Okay ..." She replied, unsure what the tenor of this meeting was supposed to be. He looked flustered and haughty and nervous and arrogant all at the same time.
"I originally planned to have it delivered by courier, but apparently those are harder to find out here than in London." He looked anxiously at the box, "aren't you going to open it?" She lifted the lid and dropped it quickly, looking around with a blush. "You mentioned your disappointment last night that you didn't have a chance ..." he coughed. "Anyway, I've procured the necessary items."
"I see ..." she said, somehow more embarrassed to have a conversation about this than she would be to do it. She looked around again and her eyes widened, "and where are we supposed to use these items. A girl can only take so many grass stains on her knees."
He looked confused for a moment then patted his pocket. "I meant to put it in the box," he handed her a key with 'Huntsford Inn, room 401' embossed on the keychain.
"I'm afraid I have another engagement at the moment," he began and she raised a questioning eyebrow at him. "I have a meeting with Aunt Catherine."
"Ah, so an entirely different kind of engagement then," she laughed.
"Quite," he said with a look of horror. "If you would please meet me there at 9:30, I assure you I'm ready to … atone."
"And accept your punishment?" She asked.
"I look forward to bending to your will," he said as he leaned forward and kissed her. By the time she'd opened her eyes he'd turned and was walking away.
When she was alone, she opened the box again and surveyed the contents: a riding crop, a harness with a dildo, and a bottle of lube. She smirked as she thought of a few items she'd like to add to the box of goodies.
Charlotte was thoroughly amused by the awkward tension in the car as they pulled up to the adult toy store. "Do you … want to come in?" Lizzie asked Anne.
Anne screwed up her face like she'd eaten something sour and mouthed one word: "No." Charlotte felt bad for her poor, sweet, Anne. Her mother had kept her so sheltered that when Lizzie showed them the treasure chest from Darcy she'd squeaked and looked away. When Lizzie proceeded to ask Anne for a ride she looked like she was battling her fight or flight reflex but she'd eventually given in and drove the whole way with her face as red as a tomato.
It's not that Charlotte and Anne hadn't been intimate – they had – but poor Anne had a lot of trouble discussing sex even with Charlotte and the concept of discussing such matters with another person was completely foreign.
"I want to go in!" Charlotte said, finding the entire situation hilarious. She turned to her girlfriend and gave her a peck on the cheek and added in a conspiratorial tone, "I'll get something fun for us as well."
As Lizzie and Charlotte opened the door, Anne blurted out: "I don't want to know what you're getting, make sure the bags are opaque!"
"Sure thing, Doll!" Charlotte said with an endearing smile. Poor little thing, she was still so new to this whole life apart from her mother.
As they went into the store, Charlotte let out a bark of laughter at Lizzie's destination. Last summer, the whole Darcy situation had driven Charlotte crazy. She couldn't bear the thought of Lizzie, her best friend, the woman she loved, doing the things she did with that smug asshat. Of course she'd seen through Lizzie's protestations and knew that this was more than just a fling for both of them, but it had still felt like salt in a festering wound. Now that she'd had distance, met Anne, and lived in the world outside of Lizzie's orbit long enough to sort out that her general attraction to women had crossed wires with the love she'd felt for Lizzie as her best friend when they'd experimented together, Charlotte could appreciate the humor in the whole situation. Those two idiots had yet to figure anything out, but their bumbling attempts were fun to watch.
Darcy anxiously paced the hotel suite. He'd done everything he could do to prepare. He'd spent the morning obtaining the … equipment, he'd given Lizzie the box, the room key, and the invitation. There was a bottle of champagne chilling by the sink, he'd brushed his teeth, checked his hair a dozen times, and far surpassed his daily number of steps from all of the pacing – according to the smart watch Georgiana had given him for Christmas. He'd done everything he could do … and she was late.
He'd completed another two laps around the room before he heard a soft knock on the door and leapt to answer it. "Elizabeth," he cleared his throat and tried to modulate his voice and sound less eager, "I wasn't sure you'd come, you're a quarter of an hour late."
"Sorry," she said as she swept into the room, carrying the box he'd given her earlier with a smaller box on top. "I had to stop and get you a little something," she said, handing him the smaller box. He took it and opened it, willing his hands not to shake. He pulled out a collar and a matching leash. "I wanted to make sure you were aware that you weren't out of the dog house quite yet."
It was degrading, dehumanizing, and insulting … but also so fucking arousing. He'd never allowed himself to be dominated by anyone before but he could hardly wait for Elizabeth to take control. He next pulled out a vibrator, "so that I can have some fun in this whole process," she explained.
The object at the bottom of the box was unfamiliar to him. "What's this?"
She laughed, "that just shows that you haven't done your research," she stepped in and whispered in his ear, "it's a sheath to stimulate yourself while I'm fucking you. Are you claiming you've never seen such a thing before?"
"I've never had much use for such an object," he swallowed as he answered.
"Well, consider it an early parting gift, to keep you company once I'm gone."
The idea of returning to his empty home, cast back into that bleak, gray existence with only his memories and the one photo to keep him company was too painful to think about at the moment. Instead he held up the collar: "and what am I supposed to do with this?" He asked, struggling to maintain his typical tone.
"Put it on, of course," Elizabeth walked to him and took the collar out of his hands, motioning for him to turn around. He obeyed and she attempted to put the collar on over his suit jacket and tie. When it didn't fit, she slid her hands under his lapels and helped him shrug out of his jacket. She fastened the collar, slipped two fingers under it, and pulled him into a kiss. Before he had time to deepen it she stepped out of his reach and leaned back, looking at him.
"Good, now," she said with a gleam in her eye, "sit!" She snapped and pointed at the ground.
"On the floor? That's rather undignified," he replied shortly. She raised her eyebrow and snapped her fingers again. Remembering that he'd promised groveling, he sunk to his knees and sat back on his feet.
"Good boy," she ran her fingers through his hair. Then she stepped back and slowly, agonizingly, began to shed her clothes. From any other woman he might have expected lingerie, but his Lizzie was too practical for that, she revealed a simple matching black bra and panties that hugged her curves and suited her well. He groaned audibly when she dropped her knickers and slowly pulled on the harness, fixing the dildo in place with the vibrator pressed flush behind it.
"Now," she said as she lounged on the foot of the bed, crossing her legs and clutching the riding crop – the image so alluring he had difficulty staying still. "Ground rules: the goal is for both of us to have a good time. We need a safe word. We could go with something silly like 'hot potato,' but I like the idea of green, yellow, red." She ran the riding crop up his thigh, "green means that everything is good," she flicked the crop against his hip. "Yellow means ease up," she ran the crop up his arm then pulled it away. "And red means stop, no matter what," she laid the crop on the bed beside her. "Got it?"
"Yes," he said, losing his battle to stay still and crawling toward her on his knees. "Who gave you permission to move?" She asked, flicking him on the ass with the riding crop.
"Please, Elizabeth," he gave her a contrite smile, "you just look so tempting there, and as you've risen to the occasion, there's just something I'd beg your indulgence in trying. I believe you'll find it enjoyable"
"Hm, I suppose I could allow you a very little indulgence," she caved and he prowled up to her and ran his tongue along her phallus. He heard her groan as he took her shaft into his mouth, bobbing his head up and down, each time pressing the vibrator tighter against her. He enjoyed her evident surprise at the pleasurable sensation.
"Mmm, who knew that Mr. William Darcy had this hidden talent?" she purred.
"Frank Tilney at Eton," he answered, moaning at the memory, "It never went any farther than this, though I might have been tempted had he not bragged about his conquest."
"No, Mr. Darcy wouldn't like to be anyone's conquest," she said, threading her fingers through his hair.
"I eagerly await your conquest of me, Elizabeth."
"Well then, she tugged his head up, I think I've indulged you long enough," she smirked. "Up!" She gestured for him to stand and he followed her order. "Drop your pants!"
"My pants or my trousers?" He asked.
"Uugh, do you have to be so pedantic?" She growled, "and both!"
He fumbled to unclasp his belt and unfasten his trousers. Swiftly pulling down both garments at once, he stepped out of them and closer to Elizabeth. She ran her hands up his thighs then began unbuttoning his shirt, leaving small kisses along his stomach and chest as his shirt opened further. She stood and lifted his collar. Loosening his tie, she gently tugged the shirt out from beneath it, leaving him stood in nothing but a tie and a dog collar. She smiled and fastened the leash to him then used it to draw him closer and pull him into a kiss. He was gasping and needy when she pulled back and twirled her finger, indicating that he should turn toward the bed, "bend over!"
He did as he was told and she grasped the riding crop. "Now," she said, running it up his inner thigh, "you've been rather naughty!" She said, swiftly bringing the crop down on his cheek. "I was promised groveling!" Another smack.
"I'm so sorry, Elizabeth!" he said. She hit him again and, enjoying the sting of her punishment, he gasped, "Green!"
"What are you sorry for, Darcy?" She asked as she rapidly hit a tight cluster of slaps.
"I'm sorry for leaving you!" She continued her assault. "I'm sorry I didn't answer your calls!"
"Such a naughty boy," she repeated, moving her weapon to his hip.
"I'm so sorry I didn't talk to you then, sort it out!"
"I was promised begging!" She reminded him.
"Please, Elizabeth!" He called out.
"Please, what?" she asked as she ran the riding crop up his thigh.
"Please fuck me!" he cried as she landed another blow. "I'm sorry I deprived you of the opportunity when I left!"
"Oh, you better be!" She said as her assault paused and he felt a slicked finger teasing his arse.
"Green!"
"You like that, don't you Darcy?" She asked as she slipped a finger inside him.
"Yes!" He gasped.
She leaned over and raked her teeth over his shoulder blade as her finger smoothly pumped in and out of him. His breath caught at the sensation. A second finger slipped in, working him open. "Are you ready?" She asked, her breath fanning against his skin.
"God, yes!" he shouted.
She removed her fingers and he heard her squirting out more lubricant. The room was heavy with anticipation. He felt the tip of the dildo run along his crack and groaned.
"Still green?" she asked as she leaned in.
"A bit yellow," he admitted, "you've sort of, ah, missed your mark.
"Oh," she said, slipping out of her aggressive, dominant tone and sounding unsure of herself for the first time that evening. He felt her make a few unsuccessful attempts before she moved away. "Here," she said, "pulling the pillows from the top of the bed, put these under you."
He stood up to do so and couldn't resist pulling her in for a quick kiss before he settled on top of the pillows, with his ass angled higher. She added a bit more lube, ran her finger over his rim again to help her aim, and began slowly pushing the tip in. He cried out at the fist intrusion, hardly knowing if it was in pleasure or merely in surprise at the unfamiliar sensation. She pulled back and pushed in a bit farther on her next thrust. After several more progressive thrusts she stopped, fully in. "How are you doing?"
"Green!"
She pulled back and thrust in again, setting up a slow rhythm. "You like that, don't you!" she asked.
"Yes!"
"You've spent too long as the CEO," she said on another thrust, "the boss. Always in control."
"Yes!"
"You just need someone else to dominate you, don't you?" She punctuated this with a tug on his leash.
"Oh, Elizabeth!"
"You need someone to take control!"
He could hear her quickened breath and his passion grew more as he realized that she was enjoying herself as well. "Only for you, Elizabeth!"
She stopped and pulled out and he groaned at the loss of contact. He heard her rustling behind him. "Here," she said pulling up on his hips and sliding the lubed up sheath on him. His hips surged down into her grasp. She pumped him a couple of times, then instructed him to take control of the sheath so she could continue. He happily obliged her then cried out as she sunk into him again, his pleasure intensified by the addition.
He began pumping into the sheath as she continued pounding him from behind. After a few minutes of this bliss, she fumbled out of him. "You really need to learn how to let someone else set the pace Darcy!" She chided him, "If I'm going to do this I can't keep up with your erratic thrusts. Be a good boy, keep that sheath still, and let Lizzie do all of the work."
Elizabeth was surprised by how much she was enjoying herself. It's not that she was getting much actual stimulation out of this, but the way he looked beneath her was so fucking hot. She'd seen William Darcy fall to pieces multiple times at this point, but she felt an added sense of power this time. He looked so far gone from the rigid stuffy man who had entered the drawing room yesterday. Apparently replacing the stick up his butt for a dildo made a world of difference.
After her admonishment he tried to correct his behavior. He followed her lead, allowing her to set the tempo. When he began bucking against her rhythm again she retaliated with a swift smack to his ass. He gave a guttural groan and clutched the bedsheets with one hand while he held on to the sheath for dear life with the other. She was so pleased with his reaction that she began interspersing more playful smacks, working him into a frenzy.
"Oh, Lizzie!" He cried as she increased her speed, pounding harder, faster. "Lizzie!" He cried as he let go and she could almost see intensity of his pleasure to wave over him, "Lizzie! Lizzie! Ughn!" He climaxed hard, gasping down into the sheets. She pulled out of him and looked down at her night's work. The poor man looked exhausted and spent. Red welts were visible all along his buttocks from her earlier thrashing, the outline on some so clear that she could see where the stitching was on the leather head of the crop.
She ran her hand soothingly over the marks as he caught his breath. "I'm sorry about your ass," she said softly, "it looks like I left some marks."
He laughed into the bedsheets then rolled over to his side and looked at her. "My ass has never been better, I assure you. That was amazing, Lizzie … I've never done that, you know?" He said reflectively. "I've been curious, interested even, but I've never trusted anyone enough to give them that much power over my body until you, Elizabeth. "
That look of contentment on his face made her feel more accomplished than she probably should and for a moment she smiled tenderly at him. She sliped down to the bed next to him and kissed him. "Thank you for trusting me," she whispered.
"Always," he says, trailing a finger down her cheek tenderly. Elizabeth shook her head to clear away that gnawing sense that there was something more here and returned to the scene.
"Well," she said suggestively, forcing herself back into her dominant voice, "now that we've taken care of you, I believe you owe me more groveling." She tugged on his leash to emphasize her point. "On your knees!"
He gave her a wolfish grin and complied with an eager, "yes, ma'am!"
She slipped out of the harness and tossed it and the top pillow – now coated in lube and semen – onto the floor. She adjusted the other pillow under her head as she laid on her back at the foot of the bed. Darcy positioned himself between her legs and made eye contact with her as she used the leash to pull him closer to her core. He licked her slowly at first, teasing her. After a minute of this torture, she dug her fingers into his hair and pulled him closer.
"Mmm, yes, pull my hair Lizzie," he murmured against her, sending shocks through her from the added vibration, "let me know what you like." She moaned at the sensation his words evoked. After a few minutes he inserted a finger in her and moved it in time with his mouth.
"Darcy!" she whimpered, tightening her grasp on his hair.
"Call me Will, love," he said, "please, Lizzie!"
"Will!" she sighed and he moaned and increased his pace. She closed her eyes as she enjoyed the sensations. When she opened her eyes again he was looking up at her with that penetrating gaze. He removed his finger and fumbled with the bottle of lube. A moment later his probing finger returned, joined by one in her ass. She cried out initially at the unexpected intrusion, but quickly adjusted to the sensation and before long found herself tumbling into an orgasm shouting his name.
Darcy rested his head against her thigh as she recovered her breath. He was enamored with this woman. She had been so fierce and forceful this evening, but now she was calm and peaceful and still letting out mewling little moans as the aftershocks rippled through her.
"So," he asked when she looked up at him, "was it everything you expected?"
"At the risk of sounding predictable," she smiled, "it was everything I wanted and more."
He kissed her thigh as he got up and offered her a hand, "good! I'm glad." She tugged herself up and he pulled her to him, kissing her passionately.
"And what about you?" She asked, "was it as good as you expected?"
"Oh, Lizzie," he caught the note of uncertainty in her voice and kissed her softly on the forehead, "it was so much better." She nuzzled into his embrace and he savored the feel of her in his arms. As the afterglow began to ebb, he realized how sticky and gross he felt so he suggested: "What do you say to a quick rinse in the shower while the bathtub fills up, then we can soak and relax?"
"That sounds wonderful!" she replied, "I don't know about you, but I used muscles tonight that are not used to that level of exertion."
They went into the bathroom and he began drawing the bathwater, as she stripped off the rest of her clothing and started the shower. He added the vanilla bubble bath that he couldn't resist picking up earlier that day because it reminded him of the scent of her hair. When he joined her in the shower, he snaked his arms around her from behind, kissing her neck. Their quick rinse was frequently interrupted by kisses and wandering hands as they 'helped' each other wash up, but they just managed to get out before the bathwater hit a critical mass.
As Elizabeth sunk into the oversize tub Darcy turned on the jacuzzi jets and laughed at her squeal of delight. He poured them both a glass of champagne and handed one to her before he sunk in beside her, pulling her close.
She looked around the lavish bathroom and teased, "you really just can't lower yourself to pay-by-the-hour places for hookups can you?"
"Come now, a place like that wouldn't have a tub like this and I know how much you enjoy a good bath."
"Mmmm, true."
"Besides, I think you'll be much more comfortable here."
"What?" She asked drowsily.
"I've paid for the room through Sunday so we have a place to meet," he said nervously, anticipating her refusal.
Her eyes snapped open and she looked at him in annoyance, "that's rather presumptuous of you!"
"Would you rather try sneaking around Rosings and risk Lady Catherine finding us?" She gave an exaggerated shiver at that suggestion. "It's either this or the wilderness, my dear … and I know your low opinion about grass stains," he teased.
She sighed, "I suppose you're right … but I'm still not happy about it." He bit his tongue to prevent himself from pointing out that it was the first time ever that she'd told him he was right. Instead, he kissed the top of her head.
"I should probably get back soon, I don't want to keep Charlotte up on a school night."
"Love, we have this room all week, you're welcome to sleep here." She looked like she was about to argue so he added, "you could go sleep on the floor of the dorm if you prefer or you could sleep in that large, comfy bed."
"Hmmm …" she pretended to mull it over, "ok, fine."
"Good!" He sighed in relief. "Aunt Catherine has a strict routine. She retires for the evening at 9pm, then emerges from her suite of rooms at 9am, which gives me plenty of time to slip over here, spend the evening with you, and return there before she notices my absence."
"Hey! Nobody said anything about sharing that large, comfy bed with you!" She teased.
"You'd rather sleep on the floor at Charlotte's than in a bed with me?" He asked, hurt even though he knew that she was teasing.
"She doesn't snore!"
"Please, Elizabeth?" He asked, all humor drained from his voice. They had so little time together and he wanted to spend as much of it as possible with her. "Please."
"I suppose when you grovel so nicely… " she said, snuggling her head against his chest, "you're lucky you're cute." He smiles against the top of her head, it's not the declaration of love he would like to hear from Elizabeth, but he would take it none the less.
Author's Note: Special thanks to my husband on this chapter. I don't have a beta for this but I do read each chapter to him before I post it and he gives me feedback. For this chapter he went above and beyond: Dressing up and role-playing the scene with me for ... research. You know ... to make sure it was realistic.