Archive-name: Bondage/caramia.txt Archive-author: Tamara A. Adrine-Davis (c) 1992 Archive-title: SARTRE - CaraMia Sartre CHAPTER ONE Cara was awakened by Mia's soft nuzzling on her ear and vague memories of her skillful ministrations the night before. "Time to rise and shine," Mia said softly adding a playful slap on Cara's ass. "You've got a 2 o'clock appointment for the final fitting and we're going to have to rush as it is." Cara stretched and rubbed her eyes in an effort to move back into that thing called the "real world" instead of the wonderfully carefree land that comprised her dreams. "What time is it anyway?" she mumbled as she looked at the clock on the bedstand, vision still slightly out of focus. "Ugh! It's already noon. Can't I just sleep for a little while longer? Say, maybe until about Christmas?" "Caramel Denton Hardy, YOU, my love, are getting married tomorrow and there's work to be done. Get your butt out of bed and hit the shower...NOW!" Not one to ignore Mia's best toppish voice, Cara crawled out of the warm space that was the bed she'd shared with her lover for three years now. She meandered over to the bathroom doorway and looked over her shoulder to see Mia watching and smiling back at her. "Sure you don't want to join me?" Cara asked in a most coquettish tone. "No hon, I'm saving myself." "Oh? For what, pray tell?" Cara inquired in genuine surprise and a raised eyebrow. "You'll see." "Hmph!" Cara sniffed and sauntered into the bathroom. Mia's seeming enthusiasm for the grand event was more facade than the genuine article. Inside there was a pain so sharp that she was afraid to let it out for fear that it would cut both she and Cara in two. Cara was the love that she never thought she'd find. They'd been together first as friends, then roommates and, finally, as lovers. Now, in a scarce 24 hours, she would face the loss of someone she didn't know how to live without. She couldn't remember a time when Cara wasn't in her life. They'd met when they were both in law school at Backus and working on a particularly dreadful assignment together as 1L's. Mia was the radical feminist lesbian and Cara was the bourgeois, spoiled brat daughter of a noted surgeon. All in all, a very unlikely combination. As the years passed, they had absorbed a bit of each other. Hell, more than a bit. They were a part of each other that no one else could have, or so Mia thought. Cara was always the one who turned heads of men and women alike when she walked into a room. She wasn't strikingly beautiful, but she had a way about her that suggested an intelligent sensuality emanating from deep within. She had more men chasing her than almost any woman on a decidedly male campus. Yet, Cara had chosen to be with her. In the beginning neither of them really knew what was happening. Cara vehemently proclaimed her heterosexuality. Nevertheless, they couldn't seem to get enough of each other. Their classmates didn't talk to one without mentioning the other. Where one went, the other would shortly follow. They had a way of communicating that no one understood except them. They could transmit complete thoughts with just a look. Oh yes, there were the jokes about their names, but everyone took them in fun. There were also the snickers and jibes behind their backs. Backus, after all, was probably one of the most conservative law schools in the Midwest. Still, they were inseparable. That is, until Harrison. For some reason Harrison turned Cara's head when no other man could. Mia had to admit that he was absolutely gorgeous with his mane of thick red hair and ruddy complexion. Cara met him while she was clerking for a federal judge after graduation and he was defense counsel in a RICO case. He'd graduated from University of Virginia a few years before and, at the age of 30, was a partner in a small boutique law firm specializing in difficult criminal cases. She and Cara had been lovers for about a year then and had lived together even longer in a duplex they'd rented in their last year of school. After Harrison's case was over he began to call on occasion. Mia didn't worry because Cara often got calls from men she didn't know. She'd even played and slept with a few. Nothing to get excited about. Just randoms. The flowers began to arrive shortly there after. Interesting, cute even, but nothing to be concerned about. Cara loved her. She was sure of that. They'd settled into being the quintessential MOTSS couple. They were even saving to buy a house of their own one day soon. They'd talked about having a baby together if they could find a suitable donor. And yes, they made love. Oh God, how they made love! How many nights had they spent tearing at each other with a passion unmatched by that of any man? How many times had they soared off together reaching heights that neither had imagined until they'd found each other? No, Mia didn't worry. At least, that's what she told herself. She casually asked Cara who this Harrison person was. Cara told her that he was just someone she'd met at the courthouse who kept bugging her for a date. "Nothing to worry about," Cara had said. So, Mia didn't. Then, Harrison showed up one night unexpectedly on their front stoop complete with two tickets to a basketball game. That's when Mia began to worry. Cara stepped into the shower and let the streams of hot water pound away at the aches she felt all over her body. She'd had a bit too much to drink at the rehearsal dinner and a bit to much exercise with Mia last night. "Christ, tomorrow," she thought as she leaned against the side of the shower stall. A shiver ran up her spine from some place deep within, catching her unaware. She thought back on the previous night again and smiled to herself as she gathered lather on her hands and began to soap her mound. She noticed how tender her clit and lips were, no doubt from the clothespins that Mia had placed there. "I'm going to miss this." She sighed sadly and shook her head. She tried to remind herself that Mia would still be there and that they'd still be together quite often. Yet, she knew in her heart that it wouldn't be the same. She soaped her breasts and felt the nipples rise under her hand. Smiling to herself once more, she remembered that they'd been tortured for what seemed to be hours before Mia would allow her the pleasure of an orgasm. "Yeah, that's what I'll miss most--her touch," she said quietly to herself as she probably unfairly compared Harrison and Mia. Sure, Harrison was good, but it just wasn't the same. No man had ever touched her like Mia had touched both her body and her life. For so long Mia had been everything to her. She'd been her classmate, her best friend, her lover. Mia had taught her about life. She'd taught her about politics. She'd taught her what it meant to be a strong woman. Most of all, Mia had given her a reason to love and to love her. She was the first woman that Cara had ever been attracted to, much less loved. Sure, she was surprised when she discovered that she could care for another woman in that way, but that didn't mean that she loved her any less. They'd made a home and a life together. Then, Harrison came along and changed everything. When she first began to suspect that she had strong feelings for him she was confused. She didn't want to tell Mia because she knew that it would hurt her terribly. That's the last thing that she wanted to do. Thinking back on it, she remembered that there was a period when they seemed to be avoiding each other. Did Mia know then? Maybe. Still, they were both afraid to talk about it. Cara began to wash her face and remembered the first time that she and Mia really talked about Harrison. It was about six weeks after he'd first taken her out. She and Mia had been getting into little spats over nothing for a couple of weeks when Mia blew up at her for something or another. "...and I'm really sick of you sneaking in here at all hours of the night like some frigging teenager!" Mia had yelled at her, seemingly out of nowhere, causing her to become slack jawed and speechless for a few seconds. "If you want to fuck him, then fuck him goddamnit, but don't hide it and don't expect me to like it," she'd snarled. "Fine!" Cara had growled as she'd stormed out of the room, only to return a few minutes later to see Mia in tears. It was at that point she'd realized how disruptive the situation had become. It was only then, once the brunt of the anger had been purged, that they'd been able to talk. It wasn't easy, but Cara explained that Harrison was a man who was really good for her. He was strong, kind, funny, intelligent, caring and sensitive most of the time. So, he was a little vanilla. That's ok, she couldn't have everything she tried to laugh. The important thing was that he occupied a different place in her being that Mia. She loved him, but not in the same way. Mia had seemed pretty satisfied with that and didn't complain about him anymore. If anything, she tried to warm up to him and get to know him better. This, of course, pleased Cara greatly. Just as she was beginning to rinse herself off and remove the remnants of the previous night's endeavors, she remembered that awful day she told Mia that she and Harrison had decided to marry almost one year ago. The scene played back in her mind in slow, agonizing, motion. All the tears. All the pain. All of the hurtful things they had both said to each other. Finally, the acceptance had come. Cara wondered now if her words of reasoning and reassurance were as much for sake as they were for Mia's. She shuddered as the hot water stung her skin, cleansing her of the dirt, and maybe, just a little guilt? Mia looked up from making their bed as Cara returned naked to the bedroom. "Feeling better now?" she asked with that familiar smile and the lilt to her voice that Cara missed even though she hadn't left--yet. "Uh huh." She lied. She felt as though she were about to walk into the pits of hell. "Good...Well, I'll only be a few minutes. Start some coffee after you cover your butt and I'll be down shortly. I love you." Mia lightly brushed Cara's cheek with her lips as she passed on the way to the bathroom. Cara felt a knot forming in her stomach. This was definitely NOT a good omen. "Tomorrow," she thought to herself as she held her head in her hands. "Tomorrow." CHAPTER TWO Harrison McDowell was a happy man. In less than 24 hours he'd marry the woman of his dreams. He couldn't believe his luck that day a little over a year ago when he walked into Judge Thomas' office and saw this incredible caramel woman with the big hazel eyes. He didn't believe in love at first sight, but there was something about her that immediately set his heart, and something else a bit lower, all aflutter. He'd had a difficult time arguing his motion for dismissal that morning after seeing the woman he later ascertained was Caramel Hardy. He'd overheard her voice while she was talking to Judge Thomas' bailiff. It was as smooth as the skin on her face, which he noticed was like silk, and as rich as the texture of the candy after which she was named. Neither could he help but notice the way she moved. Cara didn't walk, she undulated. Her hips were large by the standards of the day. She reminded him of a slightly darker Ava Gardner or Jayne Mansfield. In short, Cara was built like the proverbial brick house. If she worked as a law clerk for one of the most esteemed federal judges in the district, she also had to have the brains to match. This was definitely a woman that he wanted to know a lot better. He didn't dare approach her socially until after the trial so as not to have that idiot prosecutor cry conflict of interest. Fortunately for Harrison, Judge Thomas threw out the government's case in short order. Still, with all the legal maneuvering, that took a month or more. In that month he'd learned all that he could about the luscious Cara except the one thing that potentially stood in his way--Mia. Harrison called Cara several times after the end of the trial. At first it was just an opportunity to get to know her a bit and give her a chance to get to know him. That seemed to work out fairly well. He found her to have a marvelously impish sense of humor and a very quick mind. She seemed to find him well-informed, perhaps a bit eclectic in his thoughts, but, nevertheless interesting. After a while he asked her if she'd have coffee with him the next time he was in the federal courthouse. For some reason she declined. It was obvious that she liked him, but she didn't seem to have any desire to get to know him on a more personal level. He'd learned from the judge's secretary, always a good person to ask about these things, that Cara wasn't dating anyone, so he was rather perplexed. Harrison, never one to give up easily, began sending her flowers. Every day for a week there was a fresh bouquet waiting when she arrived home from work. Each bouquet was different, but each had one brilliant yellow rose and a card with just his name. That didn't seem to get a response beyond a very nice, but rather impersonal, thank you note after the first day. Unaccustomed to being rejected, Harrison decided that a more direct approach was needed. One of his clients was a well known member of the local professional basketball team who'd gotten into a tiny drug scrape just before he was drafted. Harrison had gotten him out of trouble and secured his draft eligibility. Needless to say, the client was eternally grateful. When Harrison called him to ask for a favor, the player was only too glad to help him out. After all, were it not for him, the player wouldn't be making the $1.5 million salary that he currently collected. Harrison showed up on Cara's doorstep one night with another bouquet of flowers. This one was a dozen long-stemmed yellow roses. In the envelop that should have held the card was a pair of tickets to a loge for the basketball game at the Coliseum that night. He stood on the doorstep for a few minutes before ringing the bell. For the first time he was a little nervous about just appearing out of nowhere. He had to admit that it was damned presumptuous of him. Nevertheless, something told him that Cara was the type of woman who required bold moves such as this. In typical "lawyerthink", he reasoned that bravado was, after all, one of his trademarks. Hadn't he delivered victories for numerous clients by such audacious striking blows? He was Harrison McDowell, Esq., one of the most eligible bachelors in town. He was charming, handsome, connected and working on being quite wealthy. Yet, Cara didn't seem to really notice him. Yes, he thought, this is the right move. He rang the doorbell. Mia answered the door and there began the rivalry, though he didn't know it at the time. Cara agreed to go to the game with him after a bit of persuasion. He hadn't expected this to be an easy sell and it wasn't. Cara had made the usual protestations and Mia barely hid her annoyance. The two women went off into the kitchen to discuss the matter and left him sitting on a chair in the living room. As he tried to listen to the slightly heated conversation coming from the kitchen he took the opportunity to look around the room. On the mantle was a sculpture that particularly piqued his interest. It was of two women in an embrace. One of the women had a hand on the other's breast and there was only one way to describe the looks on their faces--rapture. He then began to look more carefully around the room. On a table he saw a photo of Cara and Mia. It appeared to have been taken at a party or something. Cara was seated and Mia was bending down from behind with her arms around Cara's neck. Both women looked incredibly beautiful in formal attire, full makeup and accessorized in very expensive- looking jewelry, among which were matching bracelets. He smiled to himself as understanding began to dawn. Cara emerged from the kitchen and told him that she needed to change clothing before she left for the game. Mia never did come back. Left alone again, Harrison wandered into what looked like the den. The door was partial open, so he decided that it wasn't off limits. When he entered the room the understanding that had begun to dawn a few minutes before became totally exposed in the full light of day. On the wall directly in front of him was a black and white photo approximately 4' x 2 1/2', obviously a professional portrait, of Cara and Mia in the nude laying on an antique chaise. More accurately, Cara was laying on the chaise and Mia was raised on her arms above her, their tongues touching. It was gorgeous. Cara's long hair was spread over the pillow, the fullness of her breasts very apparent. Mia's pale skin and lighter hair contrasting with Cara's. Somewhat less shapely, Mia was still a good looking woman. She had thick golden blonde hair that fell in long ringlets, green eyes and fine bones. From the angle of the photo, Harrison could also see that she had a tatoo of the Greek symbol for female enclosed in a triangle on her hip. He couldn't help but feel a bit foolish for not considering that Cara might be lesbian. Then again, she may also be bi, which, after all is said and done, was not a "bad" thing. He'd had a dalliance or two when he was a teenager himself, so the concept wasn't unfamiliar to him, although he considered himself firmly het. "I'm ready to go when you are" He was still fascinated with the picture on the wall and hadn't noticed Cara enter the room. "I see you've found it," she said with perhaps the tiniest trace of embarrassment as he turned to face her for the first time. Looking back toward the portrait, Harrison replied, "Yes, it's lovely. Why didn't you tell me that you and Mia were lovers? I really would have understood." "It's not something that's very widely known. The judge knows of course, but that's about it. You know how office politics are played. Judge Thomas may be on the bench for life, but there's always the scandal factor, especially because she's a woman. Besides, both Mia and I are rather private for the most part. We have our friends and by our last year in law school pretty much everyone suspected, even if they didn't know for sure." "Well," Harrison began, a little unsure of himself once again, "would you still like to go to the game?" "Yes, definitely." On that note, they left the house and headed for the Coliseum. Harrison had a ton of questions that he wanted to ask, but was afraid of prying. It was pretty obvious to him that Cara's relationship with Mia was more than a "dalliance". It was even possible that they loved each other. The question remained whether she was a lesbian or bi. If she was bi, was she completely monogamous? All of that would take some time to figure out. In the meantime, there she was with him in the black Cadillac Alliente that he loved more than he should, clothed in a black turtleneck and black jeans, looking as attractive as any woman he could remember at that moment. Stealing a glance in her direction, he hoped against hope that she wasn't a lesbian. He wanted her and he wanted her badly. Harrison was stirred from his reverie by a knock on his townhouse door. He knew that it was probably Jerry, his best man, picking him up so that they could meet the rest of the ushers at the tux shop for their final tailoring. Sighing, he answered the door. Sure enough, it was indeed Jerry, on time as usual, and ready to lead him in his exit from the world of perpetual singledom. Not that he was sorry in any way. There comes a point in a person's life when they know it's time to settle down and raise a family. He wanted that with all his heart. Anyone who looked at him would have seen a happy, relatively carefree young man who could have his pick of available women. He'd had more than his share he thought. He'd had serious relationships, random fucks and everything in between. In his soul, he was tired. He wanted the security that came from knowing that he was one member of a partnership of two. Being an eligible bachelor-type was wearing on one's body and emotions. It takes energy to be charming and gracious. It takes energy to be "on" all the time, never really being able to completely relax for fear of spoiling the image. He needed someone with whom he could let his hair down so to speak. He needed someone to whom he could come home at night and with whom he could share. He also needed a permanent lover who knew his every desire and one he could learn literally inside and out, never ceasing to explore and grow. That, to him, was the single most important factor. His mate must be someone with whom he could grow. For him, Cara was that woman. She was everything that he wanted and then some. It had never occurred to him that he would find another lawyer with whom he could share his life. He knew lawyers well. He knew himself well. He couldn't imagine living with the inevitable clash of egos that two attorneys would certainly have. Cara changed all of that for him. Without a doubt she had her own opinions. In fact, one could even say that she was opinionated and stubborn. At the same time she listened to him and respected his feelings and thoughts on various subjects. In the year prior to their engagement, and in the year it took to prepare for the grand event, they'd learned from each other professionally and personally. Yes, this was the right woman for him and he'd never let her go. Never. CHAPTER THREE Cara and Mia arrived at The Elite Bride where they were joined by Cara's mother, Lillian, who was relieved beyond belief that her daughter was finally settling down and getting married to the "right" man. In accordance with the grand event, Lillian had insisted on her pride and joy being dressed by the best bridal shop in town. After all, the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Jonathan R. Hardy couldn't be seen in just any old gown. It had to be the very best, as was everything else about this wedding. It didn't hurt that Dr. Hardy was chief of neurosurgery at The Medical Center and could afford whatever his wife could come up with. Cara, needless to say with more than a little help from her mother, would be one of the year's most memorable brides. About three miles away Harrison and his ushers were picking up their tuxedos at The Formal Affair. Again, Lillian had more than a small hand in this too. She always bought her husband's formal attire here at the beginning of every social season. Neither she nor Harrison had any way of knowing that the owner, Charles, had met Cara and Mia at a play party a couple of years ago. Lillian would have suffered a heart attack had she known. Harrison was about to figure it out. Harrison, accompanied by Jerry, went up to the sales clerk who'd taken the order for the tuxedos. "Hi, we're here to pick up the tuxes for the Hardy-McDowell party. Are they ready?" "Uh...let's see here...," replied the sales clerk looking down at his book, "er...yes. Here we are. I'll have them in the dressing rooms for you shortly. Please, help yourself to some refreshments and I'll find you when they're ready." Harrison and the rest of the ushers availed themselves of the refreshment bar stocked with cappucino, various juices and several herbal teas. Unknown to him, Charles was on the other side of the room and had heard the name he had given the clerk. Charles, being something of a nosey gossip, in addition to being a rather friendly sort, decided to introduce himself. "Good afternoon. I'm Charles, the owner here." Charles extended his hand. "You must be Harrison. Cara has told me so much about you. You're a lucky man my friend. Cara is one of the most delightful bottoms I've ever had the pleasure of knowing." Harrison took the man's hand with more than a hint of embarrassment and confusion on his face, not quite knowing what to say. "Yes, I'm Harrison McDowell. And you're right, I am a very lucky man." He stopped for a moment considering his next words. "I'm afraid that Cara doesn't really tell me much about her...um...friends and I'm rather vanilla as it were." Charles couldn't resist this one. It was just too juicy. "Oh, I see. Well, you know, we all thought that Cara and Mia would be together forever and would never allow one of us mere males to intrude into their space. Good heavens, so many of us have tried," he sighed, "but with no luck. I just assumed that you were lurking in the scene around here some place. I'm sorry for making such an assumption." "Oh, no problem. It's just that my tastes don't really go in that area. Nothing wrong with it I suppose, just not my thing." "Such a pity too. With your looks you'd have them lining up all over the place," Charles noted with a tiny, but recognizable, hint of flirtation. "I guess you won't be popping into the play party tonight in honor of Cara then?" Again, a look of confusion ran across Harrison's face. "I...don't know what you're talking about. Tonight?" he asked with a slight frown. "Oh didn't Mia tell you? Heavens! Well, I guess I've just put my foot in my mouth," Charles said in mock surprise and embarrassment. "I'm sure that I'll be severely punished for that little faux pas," he giggled. Viewing Charles as a prime source of valuable information, Harrison chose to take this a bit further. "You say that there's a party tonight? Where and what time? I may yet drop by." Leaning closer, Charles gave him the location and time of the party. "Now, you have to understand that this is a surprise party. Cara doesn't know a thing about it. And for God's sake, DON'T tell Mia that I'm the one who told you. She'll burst my balls for sure," he said in his best conspiratorial whisper. Harrison smiled a self-satisfied smile and reassured Charles that he wouldn't breathe a word. In fact, he didn't have any desire to make his presence known to anyone. He was just curious about what goes on at play parties and how his lovely Cara could participate in such events. Mia, he could understand. He'd believe any "perversion" from her, but Cara? Well, he'd just have to go and see for himself. The sales clerk who'd helped them earlier returned. "Mr. McDowell, you may come in now. Please follow me." The clerk pointed Harrison and his ushers toward the dressing rooms where they found their attire ready for them. Cara and Mia had left Lillian sitting in the salon of the bridal shop sipping a glass of white zinfindel while they got Cara into her gown for the fitting. The dressing room was surprisingly small for such a spacious store. Wedding gowns tend to be a bit bulky, but apparently the person who designed the place hadn't considered this minor detail. As a result, the two women couldn't help but jostle each other. Mia could smell the natural flowery scent that always seemed to hang on Cara's skin even hours after she'd showered. She tried to be discrete as she inhaled deeply, reveling in the smell, as she helped Cara out of her camisole. "OK love, arms up and over your head," Mia instructed. Cara dutifully raised her arms and Mia pulled the camisole over her head. She couldn't help but appreciate once more how lovely Cara's unfettered breasts were. They were full and firm with large nipples surrounded by pinkish brown areolas. In a fit of devilishness, Mia pinched one very hard, but very quickly. Cara inhaled sharply and cried, "Ow! Don't you ever quit?" Mia giggled and replied, "Nope," while taking the pinched nipple into her mouth and sucking gently for a brief moment. "You should know that by now. I'm more of a slut than you are and that's saying quite a bit," she said with a grin and resumed her ministrations to Cara's nipple. Being trained as a first class bottom in their early days, Cara's body couldn't help but react. She tried to object, but her mouth and her brain seemed to be in disagreement. The dichotomy resolved itself by settling on a rather loud moan, which didn't go unnoticed by an ever attentive sales woman. "Is everything alright in there? I thought I heard something," she said in a voice peppered with concern. Since Mia had more control over her faculties at that point, she poked her head out of the dressing room and answered, "Oh yes, we just got something caught. Everything's fine now. We'll be out shortly." "Is she gone?" Cara asked having regained control of herself. "Uh huh," Mia replied with a smile that ended in an uncontrollable giggle. "Whew! That was close love...Hmm, I think that we'd better get you into that dress and take care of other things later." Cara nodded in agreement and they finished getting the gown on and fastened. Mia went out to the salon to wait with Lillian while Cara made her final adjustments in the fitting room before coming out. Due to the lack of space in the cubicle, Mia really didn't know what Cara looked like in the gown. She only saw enough of it to get Cara into it and fastened. When Cara finally did come out of the dressing room, there was a collective gasp around the salon. She was, in a word, stunning. The gown was barely off white taffeta. It had an off-the- shoulder V-neckline that accentuated her breasts, with long, fitted sleeves of fine lace that ended in a point on her hand and held in place by a loop that fit around her middle finger. The bodice was beaded in the front with tiny pearls (the real thing in fact), all hand-sewn. The skirt was very full and consisted of the same lace as the sleeves, beaded intermittently, over a taffeta slip. The coup de grace, however, was the train. It was beaded at the tail and had to be at least 15 feet. The only thing missing was the headpiece. That was quickly remedied when the sales woman silently walked up to Cara, a bit in awe, and placed it gently on her head. There was probably no picture in any bridal magazine that could rival the way that Cara looked in her gown. The sight was enough to bring Lillian to tears, make Mia's jaw drop and the other patrons speak in hushed whispers. The fitting was going well. Lillian fussed over Cara, who, for some reason didn't seem quite as excited as Mia thought she should. The dressmaker studied closely, making sure that she'd nipped and tucked in all the right places. Mia was just a bit overwhelmed at the whole sight. She realized for the first time in a year that this wedding was actually going to take place. Somehow she'd believed that something would happen and tomorrow would never come. When she saw Cara she understood that she was really going to loose a part of her life that had meant the world to her. Cara would be Harrison's wife and not just her lover. Mia had always thought of herself as more than Cara's lover and Cara more than hers. In her heart, she thought of the two of them as life partners--married to each other forever more. Faced with the reality of the scene in front of her, she had to accept that a monumental change was speeding down on her like the proverbial freight train, but there was no room to get out of the way. The thought made her a little sick to her stomach. "Mia? Mia?" Lillian called out to her. "Honey, you're looking a bit under the weather. You got rather pale there for a minute. Are you alright?" Mia turned to look at Lillian and Cara standing a few feet away from her near the dressmaker's platform. "Uh...yes...," she stammered. "I...I mean...I'll be alright. I just need to lay down for a little while. I suddenly have a migraine." Cara came over to look at her lover and knew that she'd lied. She could see it in her eyes and instantly knew what the problem was. She led her to the sofa and cradled her in her arms for a while, stroking her long golden ringlets. "Honey," she said very softly, "it's almost over. Just let me get out of this and we can go home. OK?" "OK," Mia whispered in a gravel voice. "I love you." Cara gave her a squeeze and unentangled herself from Mia's embrace. She smiled at her and brushed the usual group of unruly locks from Mia's forehead, taking her chin in hand so that Mia had to look directly at her. She mouthed the words that Mia so desperately needed to hear, "I love you." No one heard her. No one but Mia knew what she'd said, but they all saw the sad and weak little smile that crossed her lips. With that, Cara ran back to the dressing room and relieved her body of it's confinement. She dressed so quickly that she didn't bother to put her stockings back on. All she wanted to do was get Mia home and hold her, never letting go for the last time. CHAPTER FOUR Mia and Cara had gotten home and immediate gone to lay down for a while. Cara held Mia in her arms stroking and caressing her for hours until they both fell asleep. Mia was the first to succumb. How could she not with Cara humming a sweet little tune in her ear, rocking her gently back and forth like a child? After a few hours, Mia awakened to notice that it was getting dark outside. She looked at the clock and saw that she had about an hour to get both she and Cara to the surprise play party. They'd just barely make it. "Love?" Mia whispered to Cara. Cara opened her eyes and sat up looking at Mia expectantly. "Hi, what's up?" "Cara, I need to ask you for something that's going to sound a little strange. I'm asking you to give me more trust than you've ever given me before, with no questions asked. Do you think that you can do that?" Cara studied Mia's face wondering what she was up to and why it demanded so much trust. After a while she slowly nodded her consent. "Good!" Mia smiled relieved. "OK, with that settled, we both need to get dressed." "Uh...since you aren't telling me anything I don't have any idea what I should put on. Any clues?" Mia smirked wickedly and said, "Oh, anything you put on will be fine. It really doesn't matter." "Hmph..." Cara grunted, truly curious now. She decided on a pair of jeans and a silk blouse with enormous bouffant sleeves. After they were both dressed and in the car Mia handed Cara a soft, white, leather blindfold. "Here, put this on. Better yet, let me put it on you. I know how curious you are my love." Cara smiled sheepishly and allowed Mia to put the blindfold on her. She was entranced by the smell and feel of the leather. So soft. So sweet smelling. Since she had given up control over this adventure, she settled back in the passenger seat and let Mia drive. She could tell that they were on the highway after a while, but had no idea which one or where they would get off. In addition, Mia had the stereo turned up full blast so that she couldn't even hear the sounds of the outside environment. After a while, she had no idea how long, they pulled off of the highway. They drove for a while longer and went down a rather steep hill. The car seemed to slow down and make a right turn. Mia parked and turned off the engine. "We're here. I'll go around and help you out." Cara could hear the driver's door open and shut and Mia's footsteps on what was apparently gravel. She heard her door open and Mia took her hand to help her out of the car. "I know that I'm not supposed to ask questions, but where the hell are we?" "No, no. NO questions what so ever," Mia admonished. "Don't worry love. You're perfectly safe. Just let me guide you." She led Cara out of the parking lot, down another slight hill and down a few steps. Cara could hear her fumbling with a set of keys and the sound of creaking hinges as a door opened. They went in and Mia led her around a few turns and then a straight path. They stopped and Mia fumbled with keys once again. They went into the room and Mia led her over to a chair and pushed her down by the shoulder. "I take it that we're where ever we're supposed to be?" Cara asked. "In a way, yes. I'm going to leave you here for a few minutes. After I leave I want you to remove the blindfold. There's a door on the far wall that leads to a bathroom. I want you to go in and take a shower. Also in the bathroom you'll find makeup, toiletries, hair spray, barrettes, hair pins and things. On a table a few feet away you'll find a medium-sized box. I want you to put the article on. After you think you're ready put the blindfold back on. And love, don't worry. You'll be fine." She bent down to kiss her and stroke her cheek. "I trust you sweetheart. If you say that I'll be OK, then I will. Where ever we are, I know that you'll be close by. I'm not worried. Honest." Cara held her arms out searching for her lover. Mia, just slightly out of reach, moved closer and held Cara tightly for a moment. Sighing, she broke the embrace and said, "Hon, I have to go. I'll be back in about 20 minutes or so to get you. Be ready when I get here." Then she was gone. Cara removed the blindfold to find herself in a room about 15'x20' or so. It seemed to be sort of divided into two parts. The section she was standing in had a rather large modern stuffed couch and matching chairs. She noticed a few recent magazines on a couple of end tables. Clearly, this area was meant for lounging. The other part of the room had a very large full-length mirror, a lighted dressing table, a screen, a closet with sliding doors and a door which apparently led to the bathroom that Mia had spoken of. Sure enough, on the dressing table was a gold box. There were no markings on the box, so Cara had no idea where it had come from. She opened the top and was greeted by the scent of more leather. Wrapped in tissue she could see some sort of laced leather something or another. She took it out for a closer inspection. "Ohh!" she gasped. What she found was a white leather corset and attached crotchless panties. Both had pink leather strips along the seams. The leather of the corset was heavier than that of the blindfold, but it was soft and smooth to the touch. She looked again and saw that it was cupless. There was a place for the cups, but there was nothing there. "Hmm...," she murmured. There were, however, garters for stockings which she also found in the box. She turned it around and looked at the back. The back of the corset was fastened with pink leather laces and hooks. There was no way that she'd be able to fasten it by herself. She'd just have to await Mia's return. There was something different about the back though. There seemed to be two extra stays more rigid than the others. On the ends of these extra stays were very heavy D-rings- -four of them altogether. Cara didn't have a clue as to what these could be for. Next, she took a closer look at the panties. While they were attached to the corset, they were detachable as well. They were the same type of leather as the blindfold. She removed her clothing and held the corset up to her in front of the mirror. Smiling to herself, she determined that she wouldn't look half bad in the outfit, and it would certainly highlight her ample breasts. There was something to be said for being a bit "Rubenesque." She showered as quickly as she could, applied the lotion that she'd found laid out for her with the other toiletries, and put on her makeup. The only thing left was her hair. That, she decided, would look best up so that everything was available and visible. She'd figured out that she was to be on exhibit somewhere, though where, she was unsure. She put the corset on and laced it as far as she could by herself. She still wondered about those D-rings though. Obviously, the corset was meant to fasten her to something. But what? Then, she put on the stockings and fastened them to the garters that peeked between the bottom of the corset and the top of the panties. She went over to the mirror and looked at herself once again. The only thing missing was a pair of high-heeled pumps. She looked around some more and found a box under the dressing table that she'd missed. In it was a pair of 5-inch white pumps with pink strands of leather around the toes and down the seams of the heels. She hurriedly put these on and sat down in one of the chairs to eagerly await Mia's return, not forgetting to replace her blindfold. She didn't have to wait long before she heard Mia knock on the door. "Come in Mia," she called. Cara could barely contain her growing excitement and wondered how long it would be before the evidence of it would start dripping out of the crotchless panties and down her thigh. Mia poked her head through the door to ascertain whether Cara had replaced the blindfold before coming in all the way. "Good! You're ready!" she exclaimed. "And, with blindfold and all. I'm proud of you toots," she said as she brushed her lips against Cara's flushed cheek. "Hmm, there's just one more thing..." Mia put a necklace around Cara's neck. It was a pink triangle edged in 18-karat gold with the Greek symbol for female embossed in the center also in gold. It was just like the tattoo that Mia carried proudly on her hip. "Wait a minute hon. Aren't you forgetting something?" Cara smiled in the knowledge that Mia hadn't thought of everything after all. "Um, not that I can think of." Cara stood up and turned around, revealing her unconfined state. "I couldn't lace this up by myself. You'll have to finish the job." "Ah..." Mia grabbed the laces and finished wrapping them around the hook. Every so often she'd brace herself against something and pull the laces taut enough to practically cut off Cara's breath. She finally got to the top, gave the laces one more good tug and tied a knot. "There! That does it! "Thanks," Cara said, trying hard not to gasp for air. "You'll be fine," Mia giggled. "Now, give me your hand and we'll take the final few steps to our destination." Cara's walk was a little unsteady at first due to the height of the new heels. She fell against Mia once and brushed against her in the process. She felt something that she didn't recognize. When she regained her balance she asked, "Um, what are you wearing? You felt sort of funny when I brushed up against you just then." "Nothing for you to be concerned about love. You'll see soon enough. Come on now, we're almost there." Mia led her up a few stairs. They stopped at the top and Cara could feel the brush of a curtain as they continued walking. There was complete and utter silence except for their own footsteps. The sounds their heels made on the tile began to echo, so Cara figured that they were in a much larger area. Mia told her to step up one step. They walked a few feet and stopped. Mia turned her around and she heard a switch click. CHAPTER FIVE "Ladies and gentlemen, tops, bottoms and everything in between, I present to you Cara, my love," Mia addressed the assembled guests. Applause and cheers rang out enough to fill the room. She'd gathered together all of their closest "beyond vanilla" friends--about 30 people in all including dates and such. The sound that Cara had heard was the sound of the house lights being turned off and a spotlight being turned on the pair. They were in a new nightclub/play club that hadn't quite opened yet. It belonged to the friend of a friend who'd leaped at the opportunity to expose the BDSM community to a new spot that catered to their tastes. Cara was stunned. More than that, she was dumbfounded and couldn't believe what she'd gotten herself into. Yet, she was also quite excited. In her excitement, she tried to remove her blindfold, which Mia quickly prevented her from doing. She could feel the goosebumps begin to rise under the leather corset and down her arms. The adrenalin began to pump and she trembled. Mia put her arm around Cara's waist and pulled her close, whispering, "We're all here for you sweetheart. We love you and care about you. This is our way of saying goodbye and best wishes." Mia gave her a tight squeeze and Cara threw her arms around Mia's neck in gratitude and love. It didn't occur to her that Mia had said "goodbye". She was too excited. "Remember hon, trust," Mia said softly to as she began attaching carrabines to the D-rings on the back of the corset. She then raised Cara's arms above her head and put her wrists in leather cuffs attached to a spreader bar. "Hold on to the bar as best you can. Your safeword is 'yellow' and you are to use it if things get a bit too much. Is that understood?" "Yes," she nodded, thinking that the scene that Mia had planned must push some of her limits because they didn't always use a specific safeword. "Good. Now, you're going to feel yourself being lifted off of the floor. Don't panic. You're completely safe." She waved to Charles who was standing by the tape deck and the controls for the pulley. ("Is there anybody out there?") As Cara was slowly lifted from the floor by very sturdy nylon roping attached to a hoist used for lighting equipment, the audience heard the introductory measures of Pink Floyd's "Breathe". Once Cara was about 18" in the air, Mia slowly turned her one 360 degree turn so that the guests could see how she was bound and appreciate the beauty of her costume and her situation. Mia began lightly brushing her hands down Cara's raised arms, just barely touching the skin. She paid particular attention to the underside of the arms where the skin in more sensitive. Then, she did the same to Cara's thighs, stopping to pinch her bottom fast and hard. "Mmm..." Cara moaned and trembled as she felt the pinch. Harrison arrived about this time through the front of the building. He entered the club, careful to be as quiet as possible, and took up a position against the back wall. The sight he saw was fascinating to him. Cara was dressed in a white corset with her boobs hanging out, blindfolded and her hands cuffed to a bar above her head suspended from the ceiling by what, Harrison did not know. Mia was dressed in a skin-tight shiny navy blue jumpsuit (somewhat reminiscent of Catwoman) with a back neckline that went down to the crack in her ass and 5" "Kansas City Come Fuck Me" boots. She was working her way around Cara touching her every so often. All the while the music was playing and the audience seemed captivated. Next, Mia put an ice cube in her mouth and sucked on it a bit to get it slippery and wet. She placed her mouth close to the skin on the underside of Cara's arm and blew a long stream of warm air tinged with coolness. She traced a line from the underside of one arm to the arm pit, across one side of her chest to the area in between her breasts. At that point, still holding the ice cube in her teeth, she rubbed it down the center of her chest until she met the top of the corset. Cara inhaled sharply and flinched. Mia kept contact with Cara's skin, working the cube in small circles along the upper part of one breast, moving ever closer to the nipple. When she got to the areola she traced around the outer edge a few times. She put the cube deeper into her mouth and flicked her tongue across the tip of the nipple beginning lightly, then applying increasing pressure. "Aangh!" Cara cried just as the woman in "Breathe" began the second, and last, strains of her wailing. Her breathing becoming fast and shallow and her legs began to twitch involuntarily as the sensations became more pleasurable. "Hmm, me thinks that you're moving around too much. Someone hand me the other spreader bar," Mia instructed. She took the other bar and cuffed Cara's ankles to it. Harrison had to admit it, this was highly erotic. His beloved Cara, so strong and willful, was bound and completely helpless, suspended from the ceiling. Didn't she worry about falling? Didn't she worry about someone trying to take advantage of the situation? Christ, Mia had all that power and Cara had none. In spite of himself, he was becoming aroused. After the spreader bar was fastened to Cara's ankles, Mia began to work on her breasts again. She took a nipple between her teeth, without the ice this time, and pulled it while biting down. She let it fall back into place and began to lick it furiously with her tongue. The melting ice cube was held a few inches above the nipple allowing the cool water to drip and fall across it. Needless to say, Cara's nipple rose to attention. It was promptly rewarded with a gold nipple clamp tightened tighter than Cara had ever felt before. This caused her to shriek in agony and shiver. She tried to overcome the pain by breathing in through her nose and out of her mouth in steady breaths. Just has she was about to surmount the wall of pain, another clamp was attached to her other nipple. This time, instead of shrieking, she moaned through clenched teeth. She began to float into the mist, weightless and senseless except for the sounds of Roger Waters singing "Us and Them." During the chorus she felt a tugging on the clamps. Apparently there was a chain connecting the two. Pulling on it only increased the amount of endorphines that went to her head. Off she floated, following the music into the clouds. Was Mia turning her around again, or was it just her hazy state? She couldn't tell. Harrison saw Mia attach the clamps and saw Cara's initial reactions. Surely, they must hurt like hell. He wasn't certain that he could stand that amount of pain on such a sensitive area of his body. The mere thought caused a shiver down his spine. Yet, he could see Cara's face. There was a look of peace, tranquility and pleasure that he'd never seen when he made love to her. The thought evoked some jealousy. Could someone actually prefer pain to tenderness? He shook his head to clear it. Strange, this was. There must be something to it though. And what was this music? He hadn't heard Pink Floyd, much less "Dark Side Of The Moon", in ages. He was in elementary school when it first came out. It did seem to fit though. Yes, as weird as this all was to him, it was highly interesting and becoming more and more stimulating with each minute. ("Is there anybody out there?"). What? More Pink Floyd? But that was from "The Wall". Yes...wait...no, Peter Gabriel's "Red Rain". Aaah, so that's it, a recurrent theme. Harrison had to smile at the cleverness of that. Here Cara was blindfolded, her senses totally obliterated. Not to mention that from the look of things she was off in the ozone somewhere, no from the pain. Mia took up her heavy cat. ("Red Rain is coming down..."). It was navy blue with a moderate weight 7" handle, 26 5/8" wide tails, half of which were 22" long and the other half 15" inches long. She smacked it across her own hand a couple of times for dramatic effect. Then, she stood behind Cara and ran it over her shoulders. However, Mia didn't begin flogging there. She began with a light tap on Cara's ass. She flinched with the blows in an unexpected place. Then Mia swung a bit harder. ("I come to you defenses down, with the trust of a child."). THWAP THWAP on every other upbeat. Mia moved to her shoulders. First one, then the other. Now she struck with every upbeat. Soon, Mia began to swing rhythmically on every beat, gradually increasing the strength of the blows. ("You could have a steam train, if you just lay down your tracks"). By the time "Sledgehammer" began, faint marks were appearing on the back of Cara's shoulders. Mia moved around to the front. She ran the tails across Cara's breasts on the first strains. Gradually, Mia struck across the top of her breasts and shoulders on opposite beats, building up a rhythm. Just to make it interesting, sometimes she'd strike in double-time. Cara moaned, whimpered, swayed and visibly shook as the blows became more intense. The crotchless panties didn't allow her to hide her arousal and the wetness began to drip out of her in viscous strands. She was warm. She was burning in fact. She'd never withstood a heavy flogging such as she was getting tonight. She didn't realize that she had this high a tolerance for pain. But it wasn't pain anymore. Each strike of the cat had brought her closer to some magical place she'd searched for all of her sexual life. She was unaware of anything except sensation in her skin and, to a lesser extent, in her ears. She didn't care about the blindfold anymore. She didn't care to see the people gathered to witness her shedding of inhibitions. She wanted nothing to distract from what she was feeling. If someone had mentioned Harrison at that point, her response would have been, "Huh? Who?" "Shit!" Harrison muttered to himself. "How could she take that?" he wondered. He'd seen her take a beating that many men couldn't have handled. She didn't even fight back! All she did was twitch and moan. He could hear the moans even over the music. He had to fight the urge to "rescue" her from that tormenting bitch Mia. Something inside of him told him that it wouldn't be appreciated in the least. So, he remained where he was, very discomforted by his increasingly noticeable arousal. "I'm on my way, I'm making it...", Peter sang. Mia took out her leather paddle and removed Cara's pumps. She'd never been able to stand having her feet flogged. This would truly be a test of how far in Cara was. Mia ran a sharp stick under the soles and Cara tried to bring her legs up and away. Mia poked her with the stick switching randomly between lighter and harder jabs. By the time Peter was singing "Big time. So much larger than life," Mia had picked up the paddle and thwapped the soles of Cara's feet. In the beginning, she flinched, moved and generally tried to get away, but she didn't call her safeword. Mia had to hold her legs down by the spreader bar with some help from a member of the audience. Gradually, steadily, Cara began to flinch less and less. After a while, she was still except for moving with the force of the blows. Perspiration was beginning to form on Mia's brow and her golden hair was beginning to stick to her forehead. The spotlight was hot as hell and the PVC of her jumpsuit didn't help in the least. Just one more phase of the scene and she was done. She'd never topped this long in a public scene. Not only was this a test of Cara's endurance, it was a test of hers as well. So far, Cara had been magnificent. She couldn't have asked for a better bottom. Cara had taken all that she had to give and would probably take more before the night was over. Mia stood up and checked Cara's hands to make sure that the blood was still circulating. They were fine and Cara didn't even seem to notice she was so far gone. Mia had to smile at her lovely bottom. She was in a pain induced euphoric stupor the likes of which Mia had never seen on her. ("Is there anybody out there?") Now it was time to start the knife play. Knives were her specialty. She'd loved them since she was a child and had tried to introduce Cara to them with little success. Now, in the state that she was in, she just might accept playing with one. She moved up very close to Cara. So close that she could feel the burning warmth of her skin. "Hold very, very still love. I have a knife in my hand and I don't want to hurt you by accident." "Hmph," Cara responded, barely a grunt. ("Hey you!" Out there in the cold/Getting lonely, getting old, can you feel me[?]"). Mia turned Cara's limp, body around so that her back was to the audience. She pressed the point of the knife into the skin at the hairline and dragged it down her neck to her spine until it met the top of the corset. ("Hey you! Don't help them to bury the light[.]"). The tip of the knife ran across Cara's shoulder blades from left to right. "Don't give in without a fight." Mia punctuated that line by applying a tad more pressure once she reached the edge of the right shoulder blade. Cara jumped with a start at that one, but only moaned and settled down again. Mia threw the knife between her hands for a few seconds and circled her subject like a gang-banger readying himself for his opponent's first lunge. To say that Mia was turned-on by knives was an understatement. She loved the way they shined in the light. She loved the weight of a good one in her hands. The thought of Cara allowing her to practice her treasured art on her was electrifying. Every sinewy muscle was alive and alert. This was, perhaps, one of the most dangerous forms of play and she'd trained herself to be good at it and make it look good as well. ("Hey you! With your ear against the wall/Waiting for someone to call out would you touch me[?]"). Mia ran the knife up Cara's thigh from the back of her knee to the top of her stocking, amazingly, not causing a run. She did the same with the other thigh causing Cara to moan very loudly and appear to stir. During the bridge, Mia turned Cara around so that she was facing the audience again. She stood behind her, knife in teeth, with her arms above her head covering Cara's arms and grasping her hands, gently swaying both of them along with the music. ("But it was only fantasy[.]/The wall was too high, as you can see[.]/No matter how he tried he could not break free[.]/And the worms ate into his brain."). Harrison, along with the rest of the audience, was enthralled in the scene--no one daring to breathe or break the energy. He hadn't dreamed that something that bordered on the perverted in his mind could be so loving. Neither he, nor anyone else in the room, could wait for Mia's next move. Mia moved in front of Cara again, still swaying to the music. This time, she began working on Cara's chest. ("Hey you! Out there on the road/Always doing what you're told, can you help me[?]"). She pressed the dull side of the blade in deeper than she had pressed the point on Cara's back. Cara let out a trembling whimper. During the ensuing interlude, Mia traced a line down the front of Cara's neck from under her chin to her collarbone. This caused an audible sigh and a visible quake. Pink Floyd launched into "Another Brick in the Wall Part 1" and Mia launched into high gear. She turned the blade so that the flat was against Cara's skin and ran it over her right breast. Then, she flicked the flat of the blade against her skin with a loud slapping noise. She traced the curves of the other breast with the point of the knife moving inward as she came up and over the rounded portion. There, she made a circle around the areola and made an X in the circle, which, of course, necessitated moving the tip over the nipple not once, but twice. Cara moaned and groaned, desperate for more attention. Mia moved the tip of the blade over to the other nipple once again and drew a pentagram around it, always coming close, but never touching it. By this time, Cara was wild. She flailed her legs and arms as much as she could and made guttural bestial sounds that Mia had never heard from her before. "What do you want Cara my love?" she yelled over the music. Again, nothing but unintelligible guttural noises. "Come on hon, you can say it," she coached. "I...I...fu...," was the only thing that she managed to say through gasping breaths. Tears were streaming down her face she was so strung out from the heightened attention and chemicals coursing through her body. She wanted it. She wanted it badly, but she was too out of it to articulate. "You can do it love. I know that you can. Tell me what you want." "Cara!" Mia screamed as she took her head in her hand and shook it abruptly. "Tell me what you want! Now!" she ordered. Cara stopped sniffling long enough to say in a very soft voice, "I want you to fuck me." "What was that?" Mia teased. "Say it louder so everyone can hear you." "I want you to fuck me! Please! Fuck me know before I lose my mind!" She broke out in sobs. "I want something from you first. Do you trust me Cara?" "Yes," she said in a whisper as her head hung off of her shoulders. "Very well then. I want to taste the blood that flows into your heart. Do you agree?" "Yes," she said through the tears. "Anything. Anything at all." Mia smiled at having received the most precious gift that she'd ever gotten from her lover--total and complete submission. She danced the knife over Cara's left nipple until it was darker than it had ever been and the veins were clearly visible. She slapped the flat of the blade against the skin about 4" up and to the right. Once it turned red, she made a small slash. Droplets of blood seeped out. ("I don't need no arms around me[.]/I don't need no drugs to calm me[.]"). She let the audience see the drops run down Cara's caramel skin. ("I have seen the writing on the wall[.]/Don't think I need anything at all[.]"). She drank as though she'd been lost in the desert. She put the handle of the knife against Cara's opening and plunged it in as far as she dare let it go. Cara's head flew back and she tried to buck against the knife. Fortunately, Mia's hand was there to stop her from going too far. Faster and faster, the knife handle plunged into Cara. ("All in all it was all just bricks in the wall[.]/All in all you were all just bricks in the wall[.]"). Finally, she let out a howl and clawed at her bound wrists. After several spasms, she subsided limp, drained and totally submissive. Mia signaled Charles to lower Cara to the floor. As he did so, Pink Floyd began "Comfortably Numb". The audience sat immobilized for a few seconds. Cara was so weak she couldn't stand by herself and Mia had to support her after she released her from the spreader bars. She took the woman who'd given up her soul and her inhibitions that night and cradled her in her arms. Mia, in turn, had given her her freedom. She removed the blindfold and that was the signal for the audience to pick up their collective jaws and applaud. Applaud they did in thunderous fashion. Cara never really noticed them. The only thing she knew was that she was in the arms of the person she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. Harrison, like the rest of the audience, had been sitting almost paralyzed by the scene. He didn't understand what had happened, but he knew that it was monumental. He was dazed, confused and had an urgent need to shed a few tears. He'd lost her. He knew it, but didn't know why. He saw the love that Cara and Mia had for one another, but it was something that he didn't comprehend and could never give his ex-soon-to-be-bride. Maybe he wasn't meant to understand. He wasn't gay or bi and he wasn't into the art. He was just a plain vanilla, white het boy who happened to fall in love with an incredible woman. Well, maybe it was as Charles said earlier that day. Maybe no man was ever meant to come between CaraMia. ("Is there anybody out there?"). EPILOGUE Cara had recovered somewhat by the time she and Mia returned home from the party around 2 a.m. During the drive back she remembered that Mia had said part of the reason for the party was to say "goodbye". She realized then that Mia had set her free to do whatever she wanted and to be with whomever she wanted. She went into the house and straight into the den. Harrison was awake when she called to tell him that she couldn't marry him. Funny, he didn't seem surprised in the least. He was sad of course, but he wished her all the best. Harrison left the play club after the scene with Mia and Cara. He went back to his townhouse and sat in the dark playing the night's images over and over in his mind. He didn't really understand what had happened or why it had happened. He would someday. Of that he was certain. When Cara called he was polite, calm and sincere. He could afford to be because he had every confidence that he'd find a way to win her back. The exact methodology was something he wasn't sure of--yet. He knew that he loved her and he doubted that would change. She'd wanted him once and he'd make her want him again. He was, after all, Harrison McDowell, Esq. Mia had been more than a little nervous on the drive back from the party. Charles had confessed his "sin" to her. She was furious at first, but then thought to herself that it was time Harrison saw she and Cara as they really were. Perhaps it was an extreme example, but it was honest. When Cara told her that she wasn't going to marry him she was elated. She tried not to show it too much under the circumstances, but she was thrilled. She'd tell Cara about Charles later. Of course, she couldn't let Charles go unpunished for his misdeeds, so she'd set Liz on him. Who said that punishment didn't have its rewards? Charles did indeed almost get his balls busted. After he'd confessed to Mia she put him in a cockring and then told a gorgeous little raven-haired bottom, Liz, who was known for her stamina, to keep him aroused in any way she could until she got tired. She was not, however, to let him cum under any circumstances. Dr. Jonathan Hardy had the thankless task of informing the guests who arrived at the country club that there would be no wedding. His wife, Lillian, was at home sedated after absorbing the news and couldn't be disturbed. In reality she was bemoaning her fate and wondering how she was going to face all of her friends. She was sure that her position in the community would slip dramatically. Jerry, the best man, had been introduced to one of the bridesmaids, (Liz in fact), at the rehearsal dinner a couple of days ago. After learning that she was a bi bottom with lips that could suck the chrome off a '57 Chevy, he concluded that perhaps he needed to learn a thing or two. He swept her away from the chaotic events at the country club and, on an impulse, drove her to Washington, D.C. where they ended up in front of Dream Dressers. As for CaraMia, well, it would be different. The relationship had taken a tremendous blow but held fast in the end. One might say that it was even stronger. There is lots of love, lots of passion and there are lots of facets yet to yet to explore. In the meantime, Cara and Mia elected to ride out the storm in Barbados. There, CaraMia can be renewed, restored and solidified. CaraMia will be continued. --