A/N: Explicit sexual content and D/s dynamic ahead.
I started this days ago but it got so out of control that I still haven't managed to finish it so I decided to split it into parts in order to have something to post somewhat on time. I just hope I won't have to split the remainder of this in two as well, though it might happen since there is A LOT going on here. But I'll let you figure that out for yourself. ;) Enjoy!
Griffin had taken the day off. He was still reeling from the knowledge when she pulled him into the bedroom even if they'd already been through an entire evening of her surprises. He'd spent his own birthday at work while she'd been at his apartment and cooking up a celebration like he'd never had before. Not that he'd really had anything fancy for any of his birthdays. Acknowledgement had been all he could've hoped for and the disappointment stung even worse when he didn't even get that so he'd abolished the date as anything special from his life. It'd been just him who'd cared he'd gotten to breathe at all and he'd become so accustomed to the thought that he hadn't even shared the date of his birth with his friends. But he was happy–ecstatic even–that he'd told her.
She'd met him with a kiss and his favorite meal, plumeria scented candles all around the dining room for atmosphere and relaxation, a whole garden she'd created with frosting on the cake she'd baked him, had wished him happy birthday and thanked him for allowing them both to have that celebration. She'd thanked him he was alive with her and he would've cried if he hadn't pulled her into a kiss that felt like he was trying to enter her being and stay there. Her soul was the most comforting place he knew and he let himself think of it as home, let himself believe she loved him enough to allow him that. He could have his doubts any other day of the year but wanted to be sure in himself, in them, on his birthday.
"Give me your phone," Griffin gasped out, half out of breath from their barely interrupted string of kisses, her chest rising and falling rapidly, but still with that tone he couldn't disobey. She was all business even when she could hardly breathe from pleasure and he was ready to fall to his knees for her as soon as she said the word, all previous concerns about how that looked in her eyes but a faraway memory when he knew she loved his readiness to serve himself on a platter to her. She loved to bite and mark her territory but she would never hurt him and he could just offer himself freely with no fear to withhold any pleasure from him.
He handed it to her silently, not quite sure if the fact that it was his birthday was making him ignorant when it came to the possibility of a punishment or if he was pushing in search of one, curious to see if she'd be less stern because of the date, a part of him hoping that she wouldn't be. He trusted her judgment completely–more than he trusted his own–and would take whatever she would give him. So far that had only been pleasure even when she'd been punishing him, his mind relishing the idea to trust another so thoroughly.
Griffin took it from him. "Sit on the bed," the command was short and firm now that her breathing was back under her control and so was he. He couldn't wait to see what she had planned for that evening. Whatever it was, it was bound to be special and more than memorable, in that he was sure. And he couldn't wait for her to put more good moments in his head like she was putting even more trust and happiness in his heart every time he let her touch it.
He did as told and listened to her heels click as she made her way through the room and opened the drawer of his nightstand. Of course, she'd hide a surprise there. She had more control over him and his apartment than he did and the place would keep her secrets from him when she wouldn't let him find them. It was such a powerful way to tell him he was all in her hands that he barely had the capacity left to wonder what she could've possibly hidden there. And to ask for his phone from him, too. Now those elements made for a puzzling mystery.
She didn't intend to keep him on edge that night, it seemed–or so she wanted to lead him to believe–as she made her way over to him, standing in front of him in all of her gorgeousness covered by her red wine dress with wide straps holding it to her shoulders when all he wanted was to peel it off. She didn't let him agonize over his inability to do so when she offered him the sight of her face and the temptation of finding out what would come next.
"Here's my gift," Griffin said as she held out her palm and he was almost too shocked to check what it was that she was holding. He'd thought the dinner was her gift, the memories she'd let him make and the happiness she'd gotten him to associate with his birthday. But there was more?
A dice. There was a dice in her hand. It was a pretty dark blue–almost black–dice with just a touch of transparency and silvery dots that sparkled like stars. It looked like she'd rolled it over the night sky to capture its essence in the small cube so she must have had it custom made, and now he was definitely ecstatic that he'd gotten over his blockage and had told her about his birthday long enough in advance to let her prepare for it. Even if he still had no idea what exactly she had in mind.
Griffin brought her hand up and let her lips touch the dice while she held his gaze as if to make the blue of his eyes jealous that it was something else she was something else that she was giving her affection to and not them. "For luck," she said simply as she extended her arm back to him, prompting him to take the small cube of blue that held his fate inside in some way.
"I don't need luck when I have you," Valtor said as he let his hand cover the entirety of her palm and touch as much of her skin as he could under the excuse he had. He'd never been quite the lucky type but he was ready to gamble whatever she wanted of him when she was the one making the rules. He knew they were designed with both their pleasure in mind and that was one of the most surreal things after the life he'd led but he couldn't find it in himself to be more cautious when it came to indulging himself even at the prospect of losing it. Griffin was with him, free to come and go as she pleased and she was in his apartment almost every day so he allowed himself to trust she knew what she wanted and that that was him.
"Good," Griffin said as she moved her hand to run through his hair tempting him to close his eyes but he was insistent on getting to watch her while it still wasn't absolutely impossible for him. "Let's see then if I can make you love every single one of those thirty-six years that brought you to me in thirty-six minutes," Griffin said, the words having the same effect as if her hand had shot a charge of electricity in his brain. "Or less," she added before giving a smirk, her lips curling gently when his were parted to help him find enough oxygen to restart his system. "Why don't you give it a try to get a sense of how this will go?" she let her finger stroke over his cheek.
"Warm up my technique, huh?" Valtor asked as he turned the dice between his fingers. She was planning something with that, too, but he didn't have nearly enough information to tell what that was just yet. "Where should I roll it?" He could do it on the floor but if the miniature thing ended up under the wardrobe, it would ruin their whole evening and she'd went to great lengths to make it perfect. So he needed her to guide him through it so that he wouldn't accidentally pull out the wrong thread and make it all unravel at their feet.
"On the bed," Griffin said, her voice firm as if he would try to protest but he let her have her fun. "Seems like the appropriate place to do these things, doesn't it?" Griffin asked when she knew damn well he couldn't answer because he didn't know what "these things" were. She certainly wasn't talking about the dice and he couldn't wait to find out what she had on her mind. He'd gladly let it on his as well.
He turned towards the ocean of mattress left empty and tossed the dice up in the air, making it twirl a few times before it fell on the duvet. He'd rolled a six. Definitely not what he'd expected but Griffin seemed pleased when he turned to look at her which only proved his point that she had something going on even if she insisted it was an empty turn she was giving him. She had a plan and he had to do his best to remain patient until he could uncover it. She'd reveal enough in due time to let him piece it together. She was just like a good mystery novel, only less deadly and much softer.
"Seems like luck might stick to you even if you're not trying to stick to it," Griffin said and her content probably should have had him more scared since she was quite the fan of messing with him and delaying his pleasure until he was so full of hers that he didn't even need it anymore before she let him come and had him coming back for more as soon as he could gather himself but, in all fairness, he loved it just as much as she did so there was no harm done even when she was being cruel, which she always more than made up for. "Time to lay down the rules of our little game," Griffin said. "And I'll need you to unlock this for me," she held his phone out to him.
"I'm all ears," Valtor said as he let his finger slide over the numbers of the code for his phone. He managed to focus enough on that to get it right the first time even with how intrigued he was to be brought up to speed since it was just her game for now but that was due to change.
"It's simple," Griffin said just to mess more with him because even her simplest ideas had him hard and ready in mere seconds when they were so undeniably sexy. She knew how to get under his skin and he could only wish for her to stay there longer since it was always oh so satisfying. "I'll have you roll the dice six times to see how many minutes you'll get to enjoy each of the six categories of actions I have lined up. The optimal is six minutes for each activity to give you-"
"Thirty-six minutes in total," Valtor finished for her. Or maybe he did it to allow his brain to get on board with the idea.
Frankly, he was being greedy and thirty-six minutes seemed a little insufficient even if she'd made him come in far less. But to be fair, he'd hoped for multiple orgasms, even if that would take them quite into the night and they had work the morning after. He still couldn't believe she'd managed to make him excited about his birthday and he wanted to prolong it a little more, savor the moment when he didn't know if he'd ever get something like it again. His next birthday was a whole year away and she could be long gone by the time it rolled around but he pushed the thought out to enjoy at least what he knew he'd get. Not that he had a clear picture of that yet.
"What are the categories?" he asked, grabbing on to the excitement she'd kindled inside him to burn away any future anxiety.
"Patience, Valtor," Griffin said, reminding him he wasn't using her proper title even if that hadn't been her aim. She was being more lenient today–or maybe she didn't want him to think of it as servitude on his birthday which he appreciated but following her orders could hardly be called a burden compared to everything else that was going on in his life–and he could do his best to be more contained than he usually was. "All in due time," she said, the promise dripping from her lips drawing him to her like a bee to honey. "Roll," she said simply as she motioned with her head to the dice still on the bed.
"So you're not going to tell me what I'm rolling for?" he asked as he reached blindly for the blue cube, his eyes trained on her. She was so irresistible when she was made of iron will and silky touches and he could spend eternity melting into her being. It was the safest he'd felt when he knew she wouldn't let the soft threads fall apart and drop him. Which made it such a shame when he had to tear his gaze away to find the damn dice that was just a bit farther than he'd been reaching.
"Give me a number and I'll tell you," Griffin said, her thumb hovering over the screen of his phone but her eyes on him to let him know he had her attention. All of it. Just like she had his, and not just because his fate was in her hands and on the shoulders of whatever luck he'd have.
"Okay." He focused on the dice and threw it in the air again. It had worked out for him the previous time–or at least so he thought since she'd looked happy with the result, though he was yet to figure out why–and he saw no need to change the way he was going about it. Not that it mattered much but now that he knew what was at stake, he felt a little more hopeful when it came to his luck. He was sure she'd take care of him no matter the result but he still felt anticipation knotting in his stomach even if it was full of the delicious meal she'd cooked him and the cake that had been absolutely divine, easily the best one he'd ever had and he'd gotten some experience with birthday cakes on all of his friends' birthdays. "Five," he announced when the dice dropped while the restlessness in him only crept further and reached his fingers making them fidget as he turned to look at Griffin.
"You'll get to enjoy my touch while I'm undressing you then," she said and the mirth in her voice went straight to his erection when he knew she was just as enthusiastic about this. Which didn't mean she'd rush through it so he held back on asking if they could get to that already.
At least it dawned on him what the phone was for as he watched her tap the screen. She was setting timers. Of course. How had he not figured out that she would be as pedantic as that. And doing it on his own phone, knowing he'd hate it when it interrupted their fun and would think about that every time it rang even if the sound was different. She knew how to play mind games and that wasn't new information by any means but it still blew him away every time with how good she was in her role.
"Again," Griffin said simply as she looked up from the phone, the calm expectation in her eyes pushing his buttons in the best way when he knew she was excited, too, but was keeping herself in check. In the name of him and the games they played. It was so sexy to know how far she was willing to go for him and that she was exercising control over herself as well as over him to see it all through. It was far more effort than anyone had bothered go through for him and he was living for it. If only he could find it in himself to tell her all of that. But it wasn't the time for those thoughts when the want in her eyes was dancing on his skin like little flames that had him warmed up but would never burn his skin, just lick at it until he couldn't stand the need and was begging for mercy.
He repeated all the actions the dice required of him to get a four this time and he really hoped that would be about something that didn't include her mouth or him being inside her. He would really like it to have the full time for everything she'd planned but that would take away from the mind fuck and after they'd started their arrangement, he'd learned that was far more important than anything they could do. She'd had him coming so hard he'd needed ten-fifteen minutes to truly gather himself after and the effects of the orgasm were still present at a later hour. He wouldn't sacrifice that for anything.
"I'd have time to throw in a song for proper striptease," Griffin said before she focused on his phone and setting another timer as if his reaction to her words was of no interest to her and he had to admit that was hot in its own way. Or maybe it was the knowledge that she'd hear from him since he could still speak that allowed her to move her gaze away from him like he could hardly get his eyes to leave her form even when he wanted to see what luck would have in store for him.
"I don't want music," Valtor allowed himself to express opinion since her words had sounded more suggestive rather than definitive and if he had any say on the matter, he'd be glad to use it. He wouldn't want anything distracting him from the sight she would be while she took her time–though, she wouldn't have too much of that–undressing for him. She was absolutely stunning and about all the stimulation his brain needed to stop functioning properly. And he wanted to savor how completely he melted into her without anything else to demand any of his attention away from the beauty that she was.
Griffin put a hand on his shoulder and leaned down to come to his eye level. "Luckily for you," she allowed herself a smirk at the choice of words, "I want what you want."
"Can I have the full thirty-six minutes?" he asked before he was even sure she was done talking. He did it more in order to get the answer he knew she'd give rather than in an attempt to change her mind. Just because it was his birthday didn't mean that he got to decide how things would go and he wanted her to remind him of that. He needed her to be firm and quiet down his mind so that it would go blank and leave him a white canvas for her to paint her wishes on. It would be the best birthday gift to be turned into her masterpiece of pleasure.
"No," Griffin said, the sound wave washing over him the most refreshing thing when it was in essence her dominance and the power he let her use as she saw fit when she did it far better than he would be able to. She was holding him steady and there was no way for him to feel anything else than absolute safety in her hands. And that was the best proof this birthday was different from all the rest. Better. It was easily the best he'd ever had.
She crashed her mouth on his and the force of the kiss didn't move him even an inch when she was keeping him in place and all the energy spilling from her went into making him feel loved. That was the word soaking into his soul as her lips moved against his to cover them with their softness and she was giving so generously he could do nothing else but moan and cup her face. He didn't allow himself to pull her closer, though, even if he wanted to. She was perfect in her judgment of how much to give him to make sure he was left sated after he'd been deprived for so long but to ensure he wouldn't drown if his need blinded him to the necessity to breathe and he tried to get too much affection flowing down his throat when it felt like it could never be enough and he'd trust her with his life. It felt like he already was.
Her tongue was in his mouth when he instantly let it in at her request and was moving against his, not slowly but sensually, keeping a rhythm that had his head spinning even when he still had oxygen to spare and had his fingers stroking at her cheeks to give his appreciation and let it sink inside her where it would, hopefully, reach her heart like her tenderness was reaching his. He could hold her close for the next year until it was time for his birthday again so that her devotion could make him feel reborn again with everything she'd given him but he didn't want to be greedy so he let go of her lips when she pulled away. Not of her face, though.
"That lipstick was supposed to go over your torso," Griffin said, a slight pant accompanying the hand that moved over his lips to wipe off the stains of red she'd left there and he only let her because he wanted to feel her touch. He would've gladly kept them otherwise. "I will be given enough time to leave a few marks," she said, her gaze skirting to his to tease it before it returned on her own fingers that were still moving over his lips.
"I am not quite sure there will be enough time for anything," Valtor said, allowing himself to press a small kiss against the tips of her fingers when his lips closed once again and he knew she enjoyed the idea when she didn't pull away, allowing him to do it again if he wanted. And he did. He wanted to feel every inch of her skin for she was the best present he could have hoped for. Which was why he was already mourning the three minutes he'd lost and he had a feeling there were more of those he'd have to part with. Not to mention that he had a total of twenty-four when he left the undressing out. Not that Griffin wouldn't make every second of those nine minutes count–he knew she would–but he'd hoped he'd get to enjoy himself and her, and what they had between them, longer now that it was his birthday. Though, knowing her she was thinking about him and trying to make sure they wouldn't carry on too late into the night to spare him the exhaustion in the morning. He was more than grateful for her thoughtfulness, but he could handle a little sleep deprivation if he had the memories of her body and her care wrapped around his mind as a protective blanket to keep it away.
"You don't think I can make you forget your name in twenty-four minutes?" Griffin asked, her gaze on his now and there was intensity gathering in her irises just like it was doing in her muscles as she was ready to leap at the challenge. "Or in the nine minutes before that for that matter?" She'd read exactly what thoughts were running loose at the end of his words and was ready to pounce at them and weave something completely different from them than the net of self-pity they were trying to catch him in. "Roll then and you'll see," Griffin whispered against his lips, her fingers trailing down his neck and under the collar of his shirt to keep him in place despite her urging for him to turn to the dice again and prove to him he couldn't break away even from the faintest of her touches that just left his skin irritated with the need for more of her.
She had to release him completely and stand straight again for him to break free from her spell. Not entirely but still enough to get back to the dice that was just waiting to take away more of his time with her, he was sure. However, when he rolled it, he was stunned to get a six again. Okay, maybe he did have some luck, after all. Or she'd just rigged it. That wouldn't have been hard to do if it was custom made.
"Seems to me you don't have anything to complain about," the smugness in Griffin's voiced tickled down his spine but not in an unpleasant way. He just couldn't tell if it was because of what she'd done or because she was pleased they would get more time together. He knew he was. He certainly didn't have anything to complain about. "Will you unlock it for me again?" Griffin held out the phone to him once more. It must have gotten locked during their kiss when she'd been too distracted to keep it from doing that.
Valtor tried not to smirk too much since he was right there with her or most probably had it even worse. Even if he managed to get the code right on the first try again. He still hadn't gotten that distracted but he was sure it was just a matter of time. As soon as the first button was undone-
"You'll have more than enough time to enjoy my mouth," Griffin said to prove she held him in the palm of her hand as she could direct his whole attention to wherever she wanted it with just a few words. And it was definitely on her lips now which he was sure she was more than aware of even if she was looking at the screen of his phone as she let them curl into a small smile that was barely visible and only existed to tease him. And to grace the world with its beauty.
He wasn't quite sure how he tore his gaze away but it might have been the impatience his heart was pumping in his veins instead of blood that had him reaching for the dice again. The sooner they got that over with, the sooner they could get to him actually enjoying everything she'd had planned. He just had to learn what that was.
"You'll have all the pleasure of my breasts," Griffin informed him when he got another four, not even a hitch in her breath as she tapped at the screen of his phone and he could never understand how she could be so collected when she offered herself to him like that. It was supposed to be him at her beck and call, yet she had no qualms about letting him enjoy every inch of her being, giving herself to him fully as if he could never handle her the wrong way and hurt her. It only made him want to pull her closer and never let go which normally left him paralyzed instead but today he allowed himself to revel in the thought like she seemed to revel in the pleasure she got when she left herself in his hands. He would make sure to hold her with care and do everything to make her feel like his goddess. She was the one thing giving him life when everyone else had tried to take it from him instead and had left him clutching at what he had to make sure it wouldn't be taken away. But her gentleness allowed his fists to open and gave him the opportunity to caress instead and feel every part of her being without harming her. It was magic, he was certain. She was magic. His own miracle.
"Are you sure you're not picking the order of these just now?" he asked to bring out that playful side of her. Or rather to redirect his own attention to it. He'd get carried away if he let his awe of her flow in his thoughts and while there was nothing wrong with that–he found himself thinking about it quite often when he was trying to counter the stress from work even if it left him hardly able to focus on his cases for the rest of the day–he wanted to stay in the moment and commit to memory as much of it as he could. It was the most special day he could remember having and he wanted to let her seal as much of it in his skin and his memory as possible. And he had to keep his head blank to allow for that no matter how much he wanted to house all the admiration he held for her in it.
"Of course I am," Griffin said, the response energetic as she didn't want to leave any doubt but still gentle to eliminate any feeling she was getting into an argument. He knew she wasn't. She couldn't be in an argument with herself and he couldn't see any reason to fight with her. All he wanted to do was leave himself to her intentions that always got to him in the best way possible. "You know me. I don't leave things to chance," Griffin gave a smirk again at the choice of words that poked his brain in a semi successful attempt to send it racing on a quest to decipher what she meant since the dice seemed like the definition of chance. Unless... "There's a plan for everything," Griffin said and her confidence was so seductive especially combined with her awareness of it. She could tell how alluring she looked in the mirror his eyes would gladly be for her any time she needed it and she was using it against him so skillfully he couldn't even complain. He could only beg her to never stop doing it as it had quite the effect.
"That was what the first roll was about," Valtor said, the words coming out in a half whisper when that was all he could manage when she had a hold on his oxygen with the breathtaking beauty of her intelligence. She always surprised him with the elaborate schemes she was running just for his–and her–pleasure and he knew he would never get used to it no matter how often she planted that same awe in him with her little mysteries. She was a mystery herself with her gentleness and devoted demeanor and he would gladly get lost between her threads the way she tucked herself away in a good book to escape the looming world outside its pages.
"Catching up, are you?" she let her finger stroke over his cheek and it felt more like a praise rather than a taunt like he was sure it would have if it had been anyone else touching him without the understanding she put in it.
"How do I know you're keeping to what I actually rolled?" he asked, hoping to get her to reveal what game she was playing exactly. He knew she wasn't breaking her own rules–bending them perhaps, but not breaking them–but getting her to talk about it could reveal more of her planning process and he wanted to know. He could never get tired of exploring how her mind worked along with what made her body arch into his touch and shudder in pleasure for him. Getting acquainted with her mental process would help him learn how to do more for her as she'd proven to him how important that was ever since he'd left himself in her hands and he wanted to spend as much time exploring the curves of her mind as he was those of her body so that he could caress them as well the way she was doing with him.
It blew him away every time and he wanted to return the favor even if she was the one in control. She still left him enough say in everything and he knew she would put the reins back in his hands the moment he asked her to. And maybe he would. Once he knew he could commit to taking care of her the way she was doing it with him. He wanted to return all of it but he had to take the time to learn how to do it since he'd never quite known tenderness before their meeting that he could swear had nothing to do with chance. The universe had sent her to make sure he'd stop hating his life. Perhaps thirty-five years of that had been enough suffering for a lifetime. He really hoped so and that very fact was proof she was doing something wonderful for he'd always ran from hope before, trying to save his heart from its relentless hold. Yet, she had him surrendering to it like he was to her and no part of it hurt. He could only hope it would stay that way forever which was just another concept he'd been avoiding for the life of him.
"You don't trust me?" Griffin asked but instead of alarmed he was just stunned from the lack of any doubt in her voice. It meant she felt secure in his faith in her and the notion crashed into him so hard it almost sent him falling back on the mattress which he wouldn't mind if he knew she'd climb in bed with him but they still had more work to do before that could happen so he tried to gather himself. "I'll show you all the combinations once you're done with this so you can see for yourself," she promised despite that to reassure once again and to give him what he wanted since he had no doubt she'd figured him out. He'd let her explore his being freely and there was no resistance in him against it. It was a connection he'd never allowed himself with anyone else and he wasn't even sorry when it'd left him able to give all of it to her, all of himself and the trust of his heart. It wasn't something he wanted to do with anyone else. Just her.
"Still keeping me in suspense?" He didn't expect anything less after all the scenes they'd already done. Anticipation was her best friend and she used it to leave his mind alert and begging for her touch to make it that much more pleasurable when she finally gave it if it hadn't been already. He couldn't get enough of it and, luckily for him, it didn't look like she had any intention of stopping.
"Always," Griffin cupped his cheek, the words full of deep meaning when they were a promise and not a playful tease. She always more than made up for the tension she'd built in him and it led to amazing things. She'd never withheld anything from him without his explicit agreement and in that she had a special place in his life as the only one that hadn't let him down. His whole life had been full of anxiety over having everything taken away from him and she managed to make him feel safe even with all those painful memories in his head and have him enjoy being denied instant gratification. It was a feat not only of her care for him, but also of his heart after all those feelings of bitterness and betrayal. She was freeing him from the chains of his traumatic experiences in the past and he could only thank his lucky star now that it had finally come to him in the face of Griffin.
"Thank you." He covered her hand with his and pulled it to his mouth to leave a kiss on her palm and she melted like she always did in those moments. She wasn't used to it–he wasn't either; he'd never thought of sharing that kind of intimacy with any other partner he'd let touch his body before her–and he wanted to do it until she was, until she could accept it as part of her normal. She'd given him so much warmth and he wanted to return the gesture, wanted to give her safety and comfort, and all of his admiration. It was hers to have and he wanted to put all of it in her hands so that they could hold something soft and not just the hard burden of all the people she was responsible for.
"You should roll your next number," Griffin said, her voice strained when she, too, was trying to keep the emotions at bay like he'd had to quite a few times that night.
He didn't want tears so he decided to listen even if he could just keep kissing her skin, not even the thought of their game waiting for him registering in his mind when he was doing that. He just sank completely into the soft wonder that came from her when he was giving her affection she hadn't received before and he was just thrilled he could do that. She'd been doing it for him for months and that had easily been the best period of his life. Falling asleep pressed into her warmth, waking up to the smell of coffee and breakfast, cuddling with her on the couch while they watched TV or she read a book and he just took the time to revel in her presence filling his apartment with calm instead of simple emptiness while he rested next to her – it was like a different life. One he couldn't wait to get more of.
He let go of her hand but not before making it clear it was with great reluctance that he did that and he was rewarded with a smile that let on how touched she was even when it was full of amusement that he did deserve for the slight theatrics he put in. It was rather appropriate, though, with how close they were to the finish line of the technicalities and at the face of what came after, it could hardly be surprising he didn't want to move away. He wanted her all over him, every part of their beings touching, not just their bodies but the wholeness of her soul on his own. He always felt fuller when her tenderness was there to fill the hole left from his loneliness.
"I'm starting to think you had this set up," he said when he rolled a second five. He'd never had so much luck in his life before, not to mention all gathered in the same day. Though, he supposed that made sense since he hadn't had her either. It was a simple deduction to conclude it was her doing. Whether she'd actually messed with the dice or not was not important.
"Cheating is not a part of my arsenal of tricks," Griffin said and it seemed that to her it was important. There was a seriousness in her voice that he didn't like and it would be a slight overreaction if it was just brought on by her profession. He didn't know what was the reason for the shift in her but she did and she didn't seem to have a good time with that information in her mind. "Is it so hard to accept you just have luck?" she asked, concern lacing her tone that remained much the same as it'd been before so perhaps that was what had caused her discomfort. In which case he had to remedy it.
"No," he shook his head. It wasn't a lie even if he was trying to soothe her mind. He wouldn't allow himself to lie to her. She was too precious for him to treat her with such disrespect even if bending the truth was pretty much a part of his personality and not just of his job. It had made his whole life easier long before he'd even been an adult but he knew that in this case it would only complicate things. It was unnecessary anyway when he knew he wasn't in trouble with her no matter how vulnerable and open he'd left himself. "There are other things that are hard," he allowed for a bit of a smirk on his face to back up the suggestive tone and make it more alluring and therefore easier to fall into the lighthearted atmosphere he was going for. "But that's not one of them," he made sure to give his sincerity enough weight to ground her even despite that.
Griffin laughed and he couldn't even wonder whether she was faking it. Her laugh was the most real, most invigorating sound he'd heard and it left no doubt in his mind that she was laughing because she wanted to, because he was funny enough to make her do so, and not because she was forcing herself to spare his ego. She didn't hesitate to let him know when he'd crossed the line and that only made it more surreal to him that he'd managed to amuse her despite his rough edges and resentment at the world. It couldn't cut through the silky threads of her kindness as she wrapped him in it without fear for her wholeness. And he managed to make her laugh which was a gift to both of them with how light it made him feel and he could tell it had the same effect on her, the laughter coming from her flowing freely and richly with nothing to get in its way.
"So... what do we have here?" he asked when even the echo of the sweet sound left the air and Griffin was done with his phone for this round, too. She'd kept an eye on it during the detour in their activities and didn't need his assistance with the code again. Not that he didn't love it when he could be of help with anything, even if it was just his own pass code.
"This one will be your mouth on me," Griffin said and the rhythm of his breathing was instantly all over the place when her gaze left his and trailed down to his lips. It was as if she'd traced its path with her fingers and then with her own lips and he couldn't even wish to hate how affected he was by it. He knew he would have if it were anyone else. But with her there was no need to hide anything. Especially when it had her so pleased. "And fingers," Griffin rapped the case of his phone with her nails to draw his attention and illustrate. He'd love that. His fingers on–in–her or vice versa, it didn't matter. He'd enjoy it either way. "Just no penetration." That was fine with him as long as his hands were on her. "Yet," her gaze caught his again just like the rules of her game were holding him in their net.
"That would be for the last go then?" he asked since it was the most logical thing to assume. Unless she'd planned something else and the thirty-six minutes were supposed to be just a prelude towards the last phase. He wouldn't be surprised at that, would probably even prefer it if it meant he'd have more time to enjoy the feeling of being inside her and have her pleasure enveloping him quite so directly. It certainly wasn't something he'd protest against, though that didn't really say much when he was in her hands.
"Precisely," Griffin answered readily which puzzled him for a moment. He'd expected her to keep it vague and have him turn to the dice again before she gave her answer but the thought only shed light over the intentions behind her good will.
"You're cruel," he said, not quite sure how much of the sentiment he really meant. His heart was too busy twisting to escape the anxiousness snaking around it to help him out with that. Now that he knew what was at stake for him, the tension was skyrocketing just at the thought of the dice. What if he rolled a one this time? It was just as plausible an outcome as rolling a six was and his sequence of high numbers was actually making his anxiety worse instead of quelling it when his mind was trying to convince him everything good had an end which was far more upsetting when it extended beyond the night's program.
"You'll be singing a different tune soon enough," Griffin said as she leaned down and braced herself on his leg, her hand on his knee swiping all worries out of his mind. The effect only strengthened when her hand moved up and the sight of her cleavage was practically pushed into his face to prevent him from seeing anything else. From there it didn't look like she was at all thinking of leaving and his only regret was that the sensations from her touch were partially blocked out by his pants. He needed her to get him naked. Now.
"I'll be singing whatever you want." Quite literally. She'd caught him humming and had convinced him to sing a song with her when even Bloom hadn't managed to get him to do that on her birthday after already having roped up not only her parents but also Faragonda and even Hagen into the whole ordeal. The puppy dog eyes hadn't worked despite his love for the animals. But the simple request from Griffin had done the impossible. Because she hadn't begged or demanded. She'd simply asked, leaving him the option to deny freely without the consequence of getting pouty lips and sour faces even if it had been just pretense. He hadn't held it against Bloom, of course, as he'd been the adult and he hadn't acted much more mature than she had but Griffin had gotten further than that. She'd gotten not just the first duet but as many more as she'd wanted. She made him want to give her pieces of himself he hadn't given anyone else, made him want to give her everything.
Griffin leaned even closer to peck his lips closing hers around his only to let go and do it again and again, her hand trailing higher up his thigh. "Do you want me to roll for you?" she asked when he was breathless despite the short length of the kisses and he was at least glad to hear her voice was brought down by the lack of oxygen as well. She was affected this time and it sounded just like heaven to know she had the same reaction he did since he was on cloud nine and he wanted that for her, too.
"I will take my chances and my slice of agency, thank you," he said and stole another peck from her lips to make it clear the cheekiness did not spill into the last part of his sentence. He was grateful that she was willing to change course to make it easier on him when she gave him the opportunity to leave everything in her hands but he was actually rather curious what he'd get from his own luck. Despite his disbelief in the concept, he'd taken his fair share of risks during the years when he'd felt like he'd had nothing to lose but Griffin made him feel safe in that. He still had nothing to lose. Not because he had nothing at all, but because she wouldn't let him lose no matter what they were doing and he loved it to the point he'd lose willingly just to feel that security their relationship provided.
"Go ahead," Griffin encouraged before she kissed him again, harder this time and for longer, their lips pressed together and barely moving like it was their natural state and there was no reason to change it. He certainly couldn't see one when she was so generous with the touch.
He wouldn't even take that back when she pulled away and her hand was gone from his leg right as it had been closing in on his erection that was now even harder and demanded the attention it had been denied. It was in his hands to rectify that and the thought of getting to thrust it inside her was enough to override even his concerns when it came to his whimsical luck. Now that she'd revealed what was waiting for him, it would be rude of him to keep delaying it.
He grabbed the dice and tried to focus on it and not on the fact that he was holding his breath, his lungs all wrapped in anticipation that did not allow their usual movement and he needed to strip himself of it so that he could breathe and enjoy it when she got to stripping him and herself of their clothing. The memory of her lips touching the dice was what managed to convince him to let go of it and throw it in the air again even if it was yet another thing that should have made him want to hold on to it. He could get her to kiss him, however, by parting with it so he let it out of his grasp when he knew it'd been caressed by her and she was always good to him so now that extended to the dice, too.
He got the proof of that when he saw the five dots shining at him, all precious like diamonds with the time they bought him with her. His heart definitely did a somersault at that, startling him when he'd never thought that was in its capabilities. It had always been so tame when it came to happiness and a raging beast when negative emotions ruled it which had been its typical state. And now it was jumping around in excitement, almost feeling like it would leap out of his chest for the chance to get a caress from her hands that were currently busy with setting up the last timer on his phone, a gentle smile making her face so radiant, as if she could tell what was happening inside him and wanted to invite him to let his heart fall in her awaiting hold. It would have seemed unfair as hell if he weren't ready to give it.
"All ready," Griffin announced as she looked up and extended her hand towards him which startled the panic that always hid somewhere inside him to wakefulness when he didn't know how to give his heart to her literally. "Hand me the dice back," Griffin ordered instead to let him relax as he fell back into the familiar dance of obeying her will. She'd allowed him some frivolities but she looked ready to tighten the rules back around him and he was ready to be all snug and comfortable in them. And perhaps squirming a little bit with the need to touch her when she wouldn't allow it.
She didn't seem to mind when he used the excuse of leaving the dice back in her palm to drag the tips of his fingers over it. He couldn't get away with pressing his entire palm in hers like he'd done when he'd taken it from her but she hummed appreciatively as his fingers left their warm traces over her skin so perhaps he could have gotten away with it, after all, but he couldn't make himself mourn the missed opportunity when there were so many more in front of him and she seemed pleased anyway. It was a day for celebrations and that was what he intended to do. Celebrate that he was still alive and kicking so that he could enjoy all the moments like this one when she was all his and willing to give him everything he could want.
She walked back to his nightstand and he couldn't help but turn after her. The sound of her heels drew him to look with the promise he would see her there instead of being met with emptiness and that was too alluring for him to pass up on. Especially when he knew she wouldn't go for a punishment right now or, at least, not a clearly defined one. She could get back at him during the rest of their planned activities but he would take it. It was sublime how she managed to make him love the consequences of his actions as much as he did avoiding the repercussions for his transgressions. He couldn't help it when she radiated all softness and care even when she punished him.
He saw her pull out a small box that he would have thought held an engagement ring inside if he didn't know it was for the dice and he almost choked on all the air rushing out of his lungs and irritating his vocal cords in an attempt to draw a sound out of him. He couldn't let that happen. It would have her looking at him and his mind was swimming in too dangerous waters currently to get caught red-handed as he knew she'd read it as clearly as she would whatever was written on the sheet of paper she pulled out of the still open drawer after putting the box back inside it.
"Here," Griffin said as she sat down on the long side of the bed and extended her hand out to him to let him read what it said, making it clear he was not to pull the sheet out of her grasp. "You wanted to make sure I was keeping to what your luck dictated," she reminded and he would love to say there'd been no need for that but he had forgotten. She had too many feelings and thoughts running through his heart and mind for him to be able to quite keep up. He had no idea how she was doing it.
Perhaps it was her organization that was proudly displayed in the numbers on the list. Every number corresponded to one of the categories she'd presented him with. Number one and two were the undressing–of him and herself respectively–and they were fixed that way in all the six combinations she'd assembled. Number six was also fixed everywhere, leaving only numbers three, four and five switching around in the different combinations to make for exactly six of them. And the last one that he'd gotten had the numbers in perfect ascending order as it was the one combination she'd deemed ideal.
She had it all neatly written out and she'd definitely kept to it. She'd had all of the information on the sheet memorized which shouldn't have surprised him when he'd known the capacity of her mind after she'd demonstrated it the first time he'd taken her to a flower shop to let her pick whatever she wanted since he wasn't any good with flowers and she'd quickly poured out on him more information about botany than he'd ever had access to in his life. She'd amazed him back then and she kept doing that even when he should have gotten used to it. In a sense he had, but he could never get tired of watching the passion and effort she put into whatever she deemed important and he could certainly never look at it as something mundane that didn't deserve all of his awe. She deserved all of it. Everything.
She seemed to agree as she put the sheet away and made her way back to him, stopping in front of him to give him the chance to appreciate the sight again. Her gaze was on him while his roamed over her body and it remained there until he finally looked into her eyes only for her to keep staring at him intently.
"You're going to make me beg, aren't you?" he asked when it became clear what she was waiting for. She loved doing that and had gotten him to beg for things he'd never thought he would. It hadn't been just about his release or touching her. She'd had him begging her to undress herself so that he could at least see her while she pleasured herself and to let him have a taste after she'd had him fingering her to so many orgasms they'd both lost count of them. He'd pleaded for her fingers wrapped around his cock when she'd had her tongue torturing him relentlessly without even once taking him into her mouth which he'd been more than certain she'd do when he knew how much she loved it but she'd held out just to hear him whine desperately and break under her will. And he'd been happy to, the knowledge she'd managed to get him there one of the hottest things that had ever happened to him.
"You know I love hearing you pleading for me so ardently," Griffin said, looking down to his phone to make sure it wouldn't get locked again and to urge him to do as she wanted. He could get her to start the timers and the real part of the game. If he only begged. "Make it good," Griffin said as she caught his gaze and gave that salacious smile when she'd heard whatever resistance might have been left in him cracking, "and specific," she added, her lips curving into a smirk to accentuate the words when she knew his own failed him at moments like that. It wasn't that he couldn't find the words but his passion was more than unrefined and he didn't want to be that crass with her. She was like a goddess in all her poise and elegance and he wanted to treat her like one even when that just made things decidedly harder for him.
"Please, Griffin," he let himself go like he never would have with anyone else. But with her he knew his pleas would be answered–eventually–and it didn't leave him feeling pathetic. It just felt like he was paying respect to her and her power over him and that he couldn't mind doing. "I need you to undress me and touch me." Oh, he wasn't lying. After the long day he'd had, he needed her to unpack him from his clothes and wrap him in her love.
"Touch you where?" Griffin asked, stepping nearer and having him part his legs even more to let her move between them and as close to him as possible, his neck craning so that he could hold her gaze now that she was towering over him. "I said to be specific, Valtor," she said, her free hand moving over his cheek and he allowed himself to cover it with his only to have to let go when it didn't stop there and slid in his hair caressing it softly just like she'd reprimanded. She didn't allow herself to be anything but gentle with him, yet she kept torturing him and the paradoxical duality of it was getting to him faster than he would have liked it when she was not done with him.
"Everywhere," he said, knowing that wasn't going to help him but it was the truth and he couldn't tell her anything else but that. All he could do was let his fingers sneak under the hem of her dress and run over the skin hidden away from him there and hope his touch would ignite enough desire in her to get it on even if it meant she'd start with a punishment.
Griffin's fingers closed in his hair and she tugged, tilting his head up after he'd allowed himself to break eye contact to look at her body. She'd already given him the opportunity for that and she wanted his attention on her mind games. And he didn't even want to say no. Not that he could anyway.
"That's not specific at all, Valtor," her voice dropped even lower as if to punish him when he didn't want to speak loud and clear even if it wasn't that he didn't want to. It didn't let him focus on anything else even when her breasts were practically shoved into his face with how close she was, though that didn't last long when she bent over, her hair falling over her shoulders in waves that he could feel against his body even through his clothing but he was more interested in her lips that captured his again.
He was now grasping at her legs to keep himself at least somewhat grounded even if it only drew him further into her. He hoped it was doing the same to her as well–the little content noise that left her when her tongue slid into his mouth and his met it to tangle with it made him think that might be the case–and it would let her know what he couldn't quite voice. Or rather compel her to proceed since he was sure she already knew and was simply enjoying dragging it out to mess with him. Either way it was her who held him in her hands even if she was releasing her grip on him already while he couldn't open his fingers for the life of him. He couldn't make himself let go of her heat when his own would be lonely without its company.
"What do you want from me, Valtor?" Griffin asked, her hand on his shoulder now to steady him in his desire to press himself into her being and her forehead touching his to provide enough contact between them to soothe his rabid impulses. It had to be magic. There was no other way she could subdue them when he couldn't do the same. Or maybe he was simply that far under her control that she had a handle on those too.
"Everything," Valtor whispered, not enough breath in him for more even if he wasn't straining to bring their lips together anymore. She would do it when she wanted to. The way to help himself was to make her want to if she didn't already. Though, her closeness suggested that she did and it was just toying with him that was more alluring and he needed to get through.
"Are you sure?" Griffin asked, teasing, her fingers on his pulse point as if searching for confirmation that she was affecting him when it was all in the tense muscles of his being, the caress only probing and not even enough for him to truly enjoy it. It filled him with the need to squirm away as it tickled his skin with its lightness and almost made him hate it when it was pushing him away from her even though all he wanted was to be closer. "You want all that I will give?" Griffin asked again as she'd made it clear he was to consider his answer carefully since she could easily make him regret it.
"I want all of it." He swallowed to let her know he was well aware of the risks and he was jumping right in if it meant he'd get to feel all of her on him. He'd asked for that and kept doing it every time he let her take the lead and she made him fall in love with it all over again to have him coming back even for the torture of it. "Please," he whispered, letting his breath carry the light sounds over to her lips and let her taste them. That she wouldn't be able to resist, he knew it.
"Let go of me," Griffin commanded before straightening up again to wait for him to do so and even the knowledge he'd succeeded didn't make it any easier to obey but he did. He wanted to see that look of satisfaction he put on her face when he followed her orders even when it was obvious it was hard for him, that he made himself do so because of her, because he wanted to please her. "Stand up and move away from the bed so that I'll have space to work," she said as she stepped away from him to clear his way and let him do just as she wanted. "I'll be right there as soon as I start the timer."
"It will take from my time to enjoy your hands on me," Valtor protested as he left the bed far enough behind him, happy to put his energy into some action even if it wasn't quite what he wanted currently.
"It won't," Griffin was quick to reassure despite the fact that she could just ignore his complaining as it was her who decided what to do with him. She could make him eat her out and leave him denied if she wanted and he would take it, even if with some whining. Though, he had to admit he was hoping for more that night. "I've dialed some extra seconds for that," she said as she turned to look at him, placing the phone down on the mattress now that she was done with it.
He felt the urge to sweep her off her feet and kiss her senseless clawing at his muscles when he had to keep them still to invite her to touch them. She wasn't simply being just to him. She was spoiling him. And it wasn't the first time either. He'd learned she could very well take his total surrender from him while spoiling him and it had him melting every time. He wanted to let her know what she was doing to him but he had to control himself if he wanted her to keep it up. He could save the kiss for after they were done if he still had enough brain capacity to move when she was finished with him.