"That's enough of that. Gen, help me dress. Noah, take our place in the shower and then go get your things out of the guesthouse. You can get dressed in the guest bath." Her gaze met his. "From now on, I want you both staying in the house."
His face had that hard-to-read expression, but he nodded. "Yes Mistress."
Lyda gave them a sweeping look. "Remember, when you're deciding what to wear tonight, I expect proof that my pets want their Mistress."
Wanting Lyda was as inevitable as wanting air to breathe. A feeling that became more agonizing for Gen when they'd left the shower and Lyda decided her foundation garments for the night would be a black corset and sheer black panties that hinted at the folds of her sex. The tiny sparkles sprinkled over the fabric enhanced the tempting look. After his shower, Noah was called to help with the lacing. Gen had helped Lyda into the short black skirt that went under it, so their Mistress stood unsteadily in just that, holding onto Gen's hands, while Noah arranged the ties in back.
Watch this, Lyda mouthed, giving Gen a wink.
Gen had seen Chloe lace up a corset before, and though the girl knew what she was doing, it was a pull, adjust, pull adjust, tie-off process that could take a few minutes. Apparently, Noah put all the adjustment into the front end of the process, his brow creased, his eyes intent as he worked. When he finally said "Ready?" Lyda met Gen's gaze and tightened her grip on Gen's hands.
Noah pulled the corset tight in one, smooth pull that nipped in Lyda's waist, pushed her breasts upward, and gave her hips that appealing flare.
The breath that left Lyda from the expert adjustment was no more about the hold of the corset than the one that left Gen, just watching it. Lyda gave her a knowing, amused look. "Any thoughts about what you want to wear tonight?"
If she owned a corset, that question would have been answered in a heartbeat. But Lyda had a solution. And a mandate.
"There's a waist cincher in the bottom drawer of my lingerie chest. It will fit you. Have Noah put that on you first. It's soft enough to wear under your clothes, and he loves the look. It will make his cock so hard he'll be trying to figure out what he can wear tonight without embarrassing himself. Won't you?" She reached behind her to caress Noah's face. When he pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder, she put her temple against his jaw before shrugging him away with casual indifference. It was entirely deceptive, since Gen saw anything but apathy in Lyda's eyes as she sent him off to get dressed.
Lyda glanced in the mirror, frowned. "Fuck. I look like a scarecrow."
"No, you don't. You need to put on ten more pounds, but you look way healthier now than you did a few weeks ago. I promise."
Lyda gave her a wry look. "Are you reassuring your Mistress?"
"Sometimes she gets insecure too. Rare as a lightning strike, but it can happen."
Lyda snorted. Gen brought her the bolero jacket she wanted to wear over the corset, and then they accessorized with silver earrings and necklace with a tiny diamond pendant. Gen hadn't been giving Lyda empty praise. Yes, she was still too thin and pale, but she was getting healthier. A few weeks ago she had looked like a scarecrow. Now she was an ethereal Fae queen, fragile and yet mesmerizing, inspiring protectiveness and a desire to be as close to her as possible. She wouldn't share that, though. Lyda would laugh at her.
When she noticed Lyda looking a little drained from the shower, she coaxed her to sit on the edge of the bed.
"Shoes are a challenge." Lyda stared in the closet. "I want to wear heels, but the doctor says the left leg needs to be about six months stronger. Barbarian."
"Well, he's probably thinking more about protecting your leg than what you should wear to dinner."
"That's what happens when a man sees you vomiting and bleeding and your head shaved." Lyda gave a mock shudder. "I have no power over him."
"Not true." Moving to the closet, Gen studied the racks of shoes. "Noah saw all of those things, and he couldn't wait to be at your feet tonight. But then, when someone loves you, you always have power over them, for good or bad."
When Lyda got quiet, Gen bit her lip. "I know he hasn't said it, but I think it's true." Based on what she was starting to believe love was, she was getting pretty convinced that saying the words weren't what made it real to the parties involved.
"You didn't say anything wrong, Gen." Lyda grimaced as she shifted on the bed. The crash had wrenched her back and neck, sometimes bringing painful twinges. Gen had learned not to make a big deal out of them, but she made a mental note to suggest a pain killer to Lyda before they left. She knew their Mistress wanted tonight to be pleasurable. The trick was going to be getting her not to overdo so she had the energy to do what she wished. While that would be to Gen and Noah's benefit, Gen wasn't really thinking about the selfish side of things. She thought they all needed it tonight.
"How about the black flats with the quarter-inch heel?" Lyda sighed. "At least they give my feet a nice shape, and they're rubber-soled."
"What if we use the transport chair tonight, and you can wear these?" Gen lifted the black spike heels Lyda had been eyeing as her preferred choice to show off her legs, scars or no.
"I'm not clueless, Gen."
Gen blinked innocently, said nothing. Lyda's lips quirked. "All right, rabbit. But the
only reason I'm agreeing is I want the reason I collapse tonight to be because of what I do to you and Noah."
"And we appreciate your agreeable nature, rare though it is."
"Little bitch. Come here."
Gen brought the shoes. When Lyda extended a foot with royal haughtiness, Gen bent over to slip it on. Then she snapped up straight and fast at the hard, sharp pinch on her bare ass. Nothing wrong with the strength in her Mistress's fingers. "Ow."