X what?
I press the phone back to my ear.
“What does the X stand for?” I ask.
“Go up to the bedroom.”
“So bossy, Mr Berkeley,” I tease. “You can hardly come by and spank me if I don’t obey.”
I’m pushing my luck, I know, but I feel a little thrill of power that he can’t get to me. Even if he wanted to.
“We’ll see about that,” growls James. “Don’t test me, Isabella. Or I may risk seeing you in the newspapers, just to come over to your chalet and spank you. Hard.”
Oh. I feel a little burst of desire. Is he serious? It’s impossible to tell.
I begin walking up the stairs.
“Are you doing as you’re told?”
“I’m going upstairs,” I admit, “if that’s what you mean.”
“Be very careful, Ms Green,” he says. “You have no idea what I have planned for you tomorrow. Any disobedience now will go hard with you later.”
“Well lucky for me, then,” I reply, “I have chosen to favour you with obedience. For now, at least.”
By now I’ve reached the bedroom door, and I cross the threshold.
“Are you in the bedroom?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
Since the Lipstick Stalker got into my bedroom, James thoughtfully moved me to another chalet. It’s almost identical to the first. And the bedroom is a cosy mix of bare boards, rugs, and decadent bed furnishings.
“Get on the bed,” says James.
I hesitate.
“Now,” he adds, as though reading my mind.
Uncertainly, I seat myself on the bed, propped upright against the various fur and suede cushions.
“Look at your phone,” he says. “Has the app downloaded?”
I check the screen. There is a new app – a red square, labelled as X.
“What is it?” I ask.
“You’ll find out. Click it open.”
I press to open the app, but to my disappointment, nothing happens.
“Nothing happened,” I report. “I don’t think it’s working.”
“Oh, it’s working,” comes a dark chuckle from the other end. “I just haven’t decided to use it yet.”
Oh. What does it do? I’m dying to know. But well aware he’s not going to tell me.
“You may open the package,” adds James, after a moment.
Staring at the small parcel in my hands, I pull away the brown paper. Inside is a box finished in a beautiful matt black. It looks about the right size to hold a necklace. But I’m guessing it’s not jewellery inside.
Slowly, I prise off the lid.
The contents are unexpected. Fitted into the satin interior is a U-shaped loop of deep purple. It looks like it could be a piece of high-tech equipment.
“What is it?” The words are out before I can help myself.
“Take it out,” says James, his voice rolling smoothly.
Carefully, I prise the item from its neat housing. I can feel now that it’s made of soft silicone. And on closer inspection, there’s something far too luxurious about it to be for technological purposes.
“Can you guess what it is?” asks James. I can hear the amusement in his voice.
Carefully, I turn the U-shape in my hand. It’s heavy, expensively so, but not large. And the U-shape is slim. Each side bulges slightly at the end, as though either side were the stem of a flower with a bloom on top.
“No,” I say, after a moment. “I have absolutely no idea.”
“Oh come now, Isabella,” says James. “You must have some idea what I would send you a gift for.”
Of course I do. I feel a little twist in my groin. I may not know the exact purpose of this item. But I have a good idea of its general application.
“It’s a sex toy,” I guess.
“Very good,” says James. “Although toy might be under-valuing it a little. I plan on making some very serious use of this particular item.”
Oh.
I’m analysing the shape more intently now, turning the device in my hand.
“I plan on using it for a very specific purpose,” explains James. “I plan on giving you an orgasm using G-spot stimulation.”
Wow. I feel my cheeks flush, even though there’s no one to see me.
The toy in my hand suddenly feels even heavier. And I can’t help but wonder how he plans on using this device without being here in person.
“As I remember it,” he says slowly, “you were wearing a very pretty dress, over some quite beautiful underwear, when I last saw you. Are you still wearing it now?”
I swallow.
“Yes.”
“Good. I want you to take it off.”
I bite my lip and use one hand to unzip my dress. Then I wriggle out of it, letting it fall to the bedroom floor.
“Have you taken the dress off?”
“Yes.”
I hear him sigh over the phone.
“I am devastated that I can’t see your beautiful body in reality. So you will have to give me a glimpse through your phone.”
Really?
“Is that what the app is for?” I ask, turning my phone to face me.
“No,” says James, his voice echoing up at me. “You can use the video call function on your phone.”
“Is that possible?” I ask, hedging. I’ve never used the video function, and I’m not sure it’s the most flattering of displays.
“Isabella, you know very well that it’s possible. And any further disobedience will result in a very firm punishment tomorrow.”
I feel a little pulse of desire race through me. What does he have planned?
“Press the button to video call,” he instructs. “And hold the phone towards your breasts.”
Oh.
“Now,” he adds, sensing my capitulation.
Taking a deep breath, I press the button. And immediately, I see James’s handsome face flash onto the screen. How can anyone look that good through a camera phone?
“Turn the phone around,” he orders, and this time, I obey immediately.
“Hmmmm.” I hear him murmur through the handset. “Very nice. Now move the camera down.”
I let the lens run down over my belly, and settle on my panties.
“Take them off,” he says, his voice hoarse.
I move a hand down and run a thumb along the top of my panties.
I hear his breathing hitch on the other end of the phone.
“Isabella,” he warns, “you’d better not be
