“You are turning into a handful, pretty girl,” Michael said, chuckling. He’d started calling her ‘pretty girl’ lately, almost like a play on Angel calling him ‘pretty boy’, like they belonged together – although, so far, Ellie hadn’t dared to call him pretty boy.

Before, when teasingly chastised, she might have pulled back, feeling the teasing was too intimate, too relationship-y... too much like how their friends in serious relationships treated each other. Now, she just leaned back against him, thrusting her breasts up as she nuzzled her face against his neck. “I have at least two handfuls right here...”

She was still quietly sassy, keeping her remarks low enough only he could hear her, but she didn’t think that would change even with her growing confidence. While Ellie was feeling less insecure lately, she was still a naturally quiet person, poking war with Sharon notwithstanding.

“Temptress,” Michael growled, slapping her bare thigh and making her moan.

Ellie hadn’t had an orgasm in two weeks. Even though he’d given her permission to play with herself to orgasm on her own - since they weren’t playing at the club or at home yet - she hadn’t. It just wasn’t the same. She didn’t want her own fingers or even a toy, she wanted him. And he wanted to build their relationship first.

Honestly, she was becoming a little impatient.

Three weeks since Ellie had tried to cancel her membership to Stronghold.

Three long weeks of abstinence and fantasies while they worked on having an actual relationship.

Just this past week they’d started having sleepovers. Real sleepovers where they didn’t do more than make-out, much to his cock’s dismay.

The sleepovers started after he went with her to a therapy session with Dr. Amy. Michael had liked the therapist a lot and being there had seemed to help Ellie open up verbally. She’d talked about more than just the rape, she’d told him about the aftermath, about the way her mom and friend had treated her. How she’d struggled with trying to have a relationship after that before eventually realizing she could get what she needed at Stronghold without having to put herself at risk emotionally or physically. Hearing all her past and her reasons for her actions actually made it a lot easier for him to deal with his hurt over the way she’d kept secrets from him, from the lack of trust she’d had. She’d sounded awed when she talked about how the other Stronghold women hadn’t questioned her or blamed her.

Then, by the end of the appointment, she’d insisted she was ready to try sleepovers, and Dr. Amy had said she thought it was a good idea. Michael might have insisted on waiting a little longer otherwise. The first night she’d been a little stiff trying to fall asleep, tossing and turning and he’d been sure she would call red or yellow - since they’d agreed to institute her safe words for when she needed space or to slow down emotionally - but she’d persisted. The next night had been easier, and the night after that she’d settled right now. Now she was nothing but snuggly.