He, of course, has had relief. Every morning, as a part of our rules, I offer him my mouth for him to use as he wishes. He’s promised that tonight will be worth it, and I don’t have any doubt. But I’m still ready to jump him just because he’s this close. “If it weren’t going to ruin your make-up I would be tempted to complete our morning routine.”
I give him a look in the mirror. “A taste of your own medicine, Sir.”
“I’ll remember your attitude tonight,” he says, smirking.
“Why did you want to see me before the dress? Besides avoiding my mother’s wrath?”
“I wanted to put you into your corset.” Another kiss, this one on my shoulder.
My breath catches. “Oh.” I stand, and I peel off the robe I’m wearing. My corset is loose underneath. We’ve done this often enough, and I hold onto the back of the chair while he tightens the stays around my ribs until I feel like they won’t lace any tighter.
“I remember the first time I laced you into a corset,” Matthew says softly.
“I hated it.”
He laughs. “Yes. You also looked fucking hot.”
I smirk at him. “Good to know.”
Matthew tugs at the laces and knots them. I stand, trying to get used to the sensation of being compressed. He turns me to face him. “Do you remember what I told you about the corset? The metaphor?”
I nod.
He presses a light kiss to my lips, careful not to smudge my lipstick. “Kneel, Emma.”
Sinking to my knees feels like home, like safety. “You may look at me.” His fingers are under my chin, holding my gaze.
“The metaphor is still true, even more so now that you’ll be my wife as well as my submissive. But you can’t always be wearing a corset. You’re going to wear a ring as the symbol of our marriage, but I don’t like that it gets more representation than our power exchange, which is equally important.”
My hand flies to my necklace, and I think my heart skips a beat. “Sir? I thought I was already wearing your collar?”
He reaches into his jacket and pulls out a small, flat box. “You are wearing my collar, but I think that this one is better.” Opening the box, he reveals a beautiful silver choker. There’s filigree carvings along the band, and I can’t wait to look at what they all are. It’s thin enough to look like a decorative necklace, but there will be no doubt to those people in the lifestyle that this is a collar. A real collar. Unexpected tears spring up, and I can’t take my eyes off of it.
“I know that we’re not doing it in the ceremony, but I thought this was important. I love you, as my wife and as my sub.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
He steps behind me and unfastens the necklace I’ve worn for over a year. My neck feels bare and empty without it. But it’s only a few seconds before the new one slides around my neck. It’s snug against my skin, almost most too tight, but not. Immediately I understand why this fits the metaphor. It’s tight enough that I’ll always be aware of him and my submission even if he isn’t present.
“This collar is different than the last one,” he says. I can feel his fingers on my skin while he’s fastening it. “The way it closes, it screws together, and requires a special key to unlock.”
My mind goes quiet, and I sink into that place of peace and perfect centering that sometimes comes in moments like this. By accepting this, I’m surrendering to this, to him. I’m brave and complete and safe and whole. I lean back against Matthew’s legs and relax against the solidness of his presence.
I feel him move, and he appears in front of me. “Emma?”
“Master?”
“Are you all right?”
The smile that comes from me feels like sunshine is bursting out of me. “I’m perfect. Thank you, Master.”
He kisses me, this time a little less careful about my make-up, and I’m starting to think we should skip the ceremony and go straight to the honeymoon when he pulls away. He lifts me to my feet. “How does the corset feel?”
“It feels good.”
He gives me that grin that lets me know I’m not going to like what comes next. “Turn around. It needs to be tighter.”
* * *
The wedding swirls by in bright flashes of color and joy and kissing and dancing. It feels like I experience everything but at the same time it flies by and is over almost immediately. It is, by far, the happiest day of my life.
My bridesmaids freaked out when they came into the dressing room again and saw the new collar.
It’s late in the night when Matthew and I run through a crowd of people and sparklers to the car that’s going to take us home. Home for the night and then we leave on our honeymoon tomorrow. I’m both energized and exhilarated at once, and as I collapse inside the limo I’m not sure what I want more: to jump Matthew or to just go to sleep. But then again, that’s not up to me.