“Up…” Samantha mumbled the word. Her eyes still felt so heavy, so hazy, but she knew what that meant. If what she’d been feeling under hypnosis was down, so calm and peacefully lost in a bliss where all she needed to do was follow Mary’s lead, then all of the feelings before that were “up”. That meant she needed to be the one in control of her own mind again. That meant she needed to think.

She hadn’t been keeping notes, but so many of Mary’s words seemed to linger. She understood, even as she was still too hazy to do much more than blink, that rising “up” meant all of those parts of her mind that existed to protect her needed to come back.

There was something comforting about that. Being protected wasn’t exactly a bad feeling. Keeping her defenses in place had helped her weather the discomfort and dissatisfaction that permeated so many of her days. Having those back was familiar. Nothing felt immediately threatening, especially not through the dizzy haze that surrounded her, but that didn’t make the idea of being protected—even by herself—any less appealing.

Then Samantha’s eyes finally regained enough focus, and her consciousness sharpened half as much, and the first thing she saw was Mary’s smiling face.

Mary Lyons.

Chloe’s best friend… My daughter’s best friend…

“Wakey wakey, Samantha…!”

Samantha whimpered, staring at Mary with wide eyes. Just as she could recall so much of what Mary said with better clarity than she could remember most conversations after they were over, she could remember what had happened physically. Her lips still felt warm. She could still remember how Mary’s lips had felt on hers, so soft, so smooth, so plush in the ways they accepted her own.

Her kissing me… I… I can’t deny that we fit together so well… Can’t deny that it felt so good… The warmth she’d felt from Mary’s praising words, from feeling herself so tenderly embraced? All of that was still fresh in her mind, too.

How long has it been since I’ve felt that… that… fulfilled…?

Mary quietly laughed. “I’m guessing that wasn’t exactly what you’d expected? Not something I have a lot of experience with, so I didn’t really know how it’d go, either. I could just tell that it was something you wanted—something you needed. I hope I did a good job of making you feel… good?”

“Y-yes…” Samantha quivered. “You… you certainly did make me feel… good…” Her cheeks burned a deep, dark red. Her defenses might have been back, but there was no way that Samantha could have stopped that reaction from showing on her face even if she wasn’t recovering from the new experience of a real and effective hypnotic trance.

She looked so beautiful like that. But she looks beautiful like this, too. Mary’s smile deepened. Red looks really good on her. I love seeing her squirm like this. Who wouldn’t?

Mary could watch the gears moving behind Samantha’s eyes as she strained to process her new experience. It wouldn’t be hard for anyone to see and comprehend Samantha’s panic, but that wasn’t the only thing that Mary could see in Samantha’s brown eyes. There was something more, something closer to excitement or longing.

She definitely enjoyed that, and so did I.

The intoxicating combination of Samantha’s mind being overwhelmed with uncertainty and delight had Mary’s thighs squeezing together tight. Her dark blue eyes hooded, and her lips pressed together tight.

Even as Mary could see so much of what raced through Samantha’s mind, Samantha could see the hunger burning hotter and brighter inside of Mary’s. The longer they stared into her eyes the darker that Samantha’s skin burned. Mary’s thighs clenched.

I want to do it again—with her. I want to make her feel even better. I know I can, and I know she needs it. Mary couldn’t stop herself from licking her lips. There wasn’t as much of Samantha’s taste lingering behind, but that didn’t stop her from imagining it. It didn’t stop her from imagining another kiss, and the next would need to be so much deeper.

A kiss was only the start of what Mary wanted, but it was hardly a disappointing beginning.

“I… we… shouldn’t have…” Samantha’s breath caught sharply in her throat as her voice cut itself off sharply. Pain flashed across her face every bit as loud as though she’d been slapped. So many conflicted feelings fought inside of her, but none of them could contradict what she knew needed to happen next.

No matter how that felt, I’m married! Samantha closed her eyes. She couldn’t see Mary, not and keep her nerve. She couldn’t look at Mary and stay confident that what she knew she should do was what she was going to do. Keeping her here… letting this continue…

She sighed, a heavy sigh that shuddered through her entire body.

It doesn’t matter how good she made you feel, you can’t do this. It doesn’t matter how exciting it would be. It doesn’t matter how fulfilling it would be, and it doesn’t matter if Janice isn’t going to be back home tonight. It doesn’t matter that Chloe won’t be home for… hours? Probably hours…

You’re not the kind of woman who can do something like this.

“I think… You really… you should… go…” Disappointment burned at the core of each word that Samantha managed to force out of her mouth. “This is… that wasn’t… acceptable. You can’t expect to do something like that and be… be welcome here, not… not when it’s just us, anyway.” She finally opened her eyes again, and met Mary’s with as much confidence as she could find. The desire still burned in Mary’s dark blue’s, but there was an odd, unreadable calm that had settled over them while Samantha’s browns were closed. Taking the time to pierce through wasn’t something Samantha could afford. “I won’t tell Chloe. Just… go.”

Mary smirked.

It was the last thing that Samantha had expected.

Instead of moving for the door, Mary pressed her body against Samantha’s. When the older woman stepped back away from her, Mary stepped forward—quicker. With her words choked up in her throat, Samantha couldn’t respond as Mary pressed against her again and again as they moved from the foyer to the living room in front of the couch.

“M-Mary!” Samantha stammered. “You need to go, now!”

Mary laughed, and moved forward. Samantha fell back onto the couch, and Mary followed after her—straddling the older woman and using her weight to trap her. A hand at her shoulder pressed Samantha down that much harder. “No. I’m not going anywhere… not yet.”

“Y-yet…?!” Samantha scowled and reached up for Mary’s pinning hand. “You don’t get to deci—aah!”

Swifter than Samantha could react, Mary had both of Samantha’s hands pinned over her head. Her grip was tight, and the weight of her body down against Samantha was too much for her to fight no matter how hard she tried to squirm or thrash. It might have helped if she wasn’t holding back. It might have helped if squirming against Mary wasn’t causing a friction that made Samantha quiver.

“Tell me why you had that book on your shelf.” Mary shoved Samantha’s wrists harder against the couch. “Tell me why you were so awkward about it. Maybe then I’ll consider just leaving you here. Unhappy. Unsatisfied.

“Alone.”

Samantha whimpered. She parted her lips to react, to argue, but her words felt too big for her tightening throat. Instead of being quite so flush, now, Samantha’s face was pale.

Her mind raced, and every direction it went Samantha found a dead end.

“Who keeps around a book like that for no reason, Samantha? You could have just told me it was Janice’s. I don’t know her all that well, so I don’t really think I’d be able to argue.” Mary pressed Samantha’s arms harder into the couch when she tried to struggle, and shifted her weight to press down harder against the trapped woman beneath her. “It’s yours. You said Janice tried to hypnotize you, and you weren’t a great subject?”

Mary scoffed.

Samantha whimpered.

“You were perfect. Absolutely. Perfect.” Mary’s forehead pressed to Samantha’s, and then their noses touched. “I think that you wanted to be hypnotized, so you bought that book. Janice didn’t take it seriously. She gave it a shot—probably just to humor you—and then it’s been sitting on the shelf because you can’t get the idea of being hypnotized out of your head. Tell me if I start missing the mark. I’d hate to get any of this wrong.” Mary laughed, her eyes glittering with mischievous delight. “All of this feels pretty important.”

Her lips moved, but no words came out of Samantha’s mouth. She could only manage something resembling a useless stammer.

There was only one coherent thought Samantha’s addled mind could form.

How…?!

“That sounds pretty rough, Samantha. Don’t think I didn’t notice how you were reacting when I suggested hypnotizing you.” Mary shifted again, arching until her breasts were pressing into Samantha’s. The older woman whimpered, but she couldn’t keep herself still. The heat of Mary’s body called to hers, and both of them burned hotter as they shifted and squirmed together. “You want it again. You want it again right now, and I don’t think you can think of a reason that matters why I shouldn’t put you back under right now.

“You wanted that kiss to be more, too. Don’t think I forgot.”

Samantha whined again, and tried to look away. Struggling wasn’t getting her anywhere, but that didn’t mean she had to face Mary head on.

I didn’t forget either… Samantha quivered. Don’t… don’t get turned on because Mary won’t leave, won’t stop grinding against you, won’t stop… stop…

“I could do it again. Even easier, really. I know you know that’s how it works.”

Mary giggled when Samantha tried to look even further away. There was only so much she could do to even try to resist what was happening when it was so obvious what her desires were screaming for her to give in.

“Fractionation.”

The word alone was enough to make Samantha’s thighs clench and her toes curl. Mary couldn’t feel Samantha’s nipples stiffen through her sweater, but there were so many other prominent signs of arousal that were so much louder.

Mary’s smirk gave way to a wide, excited smile. “Every time you go back under hits a little harder—and the lingering effects get stronger, too. I’m sure you read all about that, huh?” Mary positioned herself so she could breathe across Samantha’s lips, earning her a low whine for her efforts. “Sounds like you remember it, too. I don’t think I’d need to do much. You’ve already been under twice today.

“Wanna make it a third?”

From her shoulders all the way down to her toes, Samantha’s whole body tightened and squeezed. She was left breathless, barely able to even suck in a whimper from how compressed her whole body felt. It was as though there simply wasn’t room inside of her for air to go.

When Samantha didn’t respond, Mary giggled. Samantha shuddered again. Mary sounded so calm about all of this—like it was just some fun little game. It… it doesn’t sound like she understands just what this would all mean… for me… for Chloe… for Janice… Another breathless whimper escaped Samantha, barely audible enough for Mary to be sure she heard it at all. This wouldn’t be playing around, not if this doesn’t stop right now… and I… how do I make her stop?!

“Okay. That was the wrong thing to ask. Clearly.” Mary rolled her eyes. “It’s pretty obvious to both of us—yes, both of us—that you want more… So I’ll make it easier for you. All you need to do to get that little bit more…? Just give me a little nod, and I’ll have you back under again. You enjoyed that, right? You won’t even need to take responsibility for it.

“I’ll be so gentle with you. I’ll say such nice things about you. I’ll hold you—body and mind.”

Mary giggled. Samantha shivered.

“One nod, and I’ll make it so all you need to do is feel good again.”

Currents shook down Samantha’s spine. Mary’s body kept Samantha trapped on the couch. Her warmth kept Samantha from escaping the reality of her own. Mary’s words were so simple, so clear, and Samantha knew that she was right. It had been so long since she’d read that book, or Janice’s attempt to use it, but that didn’t matter.

Samantha remembered, and she could already feel a weighty haze just behind her eyes. A nod was all it would take to feel that way again, and when she felt it everything about it would be even better than before.

Just a nod, and she wouldn’t need to take responsibility for what happened next because it would all be up to the woman guiding her mind.

Just a nod, and Mary would have free reign to do all of the things that Samantha wanted to feel without anything getting in her way.

Just a nod.

Samantha’s thighs tightened even harder. She parted her lips. She knew she needed to disagree, to shake her head, only she couldn’t. That would be the reasonable thing to do, but that wasn’t what her body was screaming for. She knew it was what she needed to do to maintain her life the way it was, her comfortable and tolerable life, but she couldn’t.

It was too easy to picture the regret chewing her up inside. It was too easy to know that things had already gone too far to put it all back inside of the box.

There was no way to hide away from the desires that Mary brought to the surface.

I can either get more of what I want, or feel that gap… that much worse…

Mary waited patiently above her. She occasionally shifted, always pressing in so close against Samantha. Her presence was more a reminder, a curiously raised brow, than anything more demanding.

It felt like Mary would wait forever, but there was only so long before Chloe would be coming home.

There was only so much time to make up her mind and enjoy the results.

Mary’s eye watched, and waited. She occasionally giggled, a soft, flirty little sound that only made it that much harder for Samantha to keep her head still.

You know you’re going to do it. You know that everything she said was right… Samantha swallowed. Just give in already. Just let her take what she wants, do what she wants… what you want.

You know it’s what you’re going to do anyway.

Samantha started to nod. The moment she did, Mary let go of her wrists. Instead, her hands tightly grasped the sides of Samantha’s head. Her head was still down, and she knew what was coming before she even heard Mary speak.

“Down.”