by Marie Tuhart
Heat flared in his green eyes. “Sounds like a plan.” He took the book from her hands, set it back on the side table, then poured coffee. Once she had her mug in her hands, he turned to her, their knees bumping.
“How much do you know about kink?” he asked.
Claire held her mug between her palms, not for heat but so she wouldn’t spill the contents. “A bit.”
How did she blurt out that she enjoyed being tied up? That she wanted more than the missionary position?
“Have you read books, or do you have experience?”
She sipped her coffee. “Maybe this wasn’t one of my best ideas.” Her stomach churned. If her past experiences with kink were anything to go on, this was a very bad idea.
The mug was removed from her shaky hands and placed on the table next to his. “I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable.”
“Too late.” She let out a groan. “I didn’t mean it that way.” Damn it.
“Tell me what you mean.” He tightened his hands around hers.
“I’ve never had this kind of talk with a man before. My prior boyfriend wasn’t really into this level of kink.” She almost laughed. Her mind raced at ten thousand miles per hour, considering all the possibilities.
“Then you’ve been with the wrong men.”
“Probably.” She leaned back against the sofa cushions. Maybe this would work out.
“If you’re entering any type of kink relationship, no matter how short or mild, you and your partner should talk.”
She tilted her head. “I’ve read about kink, and I have practical experience…on the mild side.” Mild was right. Nothing like his dungeon book showed. But she liked what she’d seen in those pages. The heat of arousal flared deep inside her belly.
“Explain the mild side.” He tilted his head.
“My partner holding my hands above my head. That’s it.”
“Did you like it?” he asked.
“Yes.” Was that her breathless voice? She sat back and closed her eyes.
His library had a lot of interesting books on kink. Some had intrigued her, and others didn’t. Was this her opportunity to take this week to explore? Take a chance.
“I enjoyed it when my partner held my arms above my head and took control.” She glanced from beneath her lashes. Josh was staring at her with curiosity written on his face.
“A lot of women do. What else?”
Claire took a breath and opened her eyes. She couldn’t do this by hiding. “Romance novels. Racy ones. I’ve read a lot of them. I figured they were all fantasy, not real life, but I liked them.”
Maybe she should tell him about the one boyfriend’s temper? She bit her lip. That wasn’t a topic she wanted to explore at least not now. And she knew the warning signs now.
He nodded. “It depends on the author writing the book. Many of them do their research. Tell me what you like in the bedroom.”
“What about you?” She didn’t want to talk about herself.
He grinned. “Come on, Claire. I need to know about you.”
“But don’t I need to know about you, too?”
“Touché.” He reached over and squeezed her hands. “I’ve been involved in the kink community for ten years now.”
“So you were involved in kink when we had our date.”
He nodded. “I also believe the relationship is all about the submissive. About her or his wants and needs.”
She tilted her head. “But how does the Dominant get satisfaction?”
“From making his sub happy.”
Claire thought about that for a moment. In the books she had read, the man almost always made sure his submissive was happy. A fantasy, she had thought. Men in real life didn’t act like that. Hope surged. Maybe Josh could fulfill those fantasies. “Tell me more.”
“Let me start with where I worked in Lobster Cove. I worked at the Red Club.” He let go of her hands.
“I remember you said you worked in a club.”
“A BDSM club.”
“Huh?” He hadn’t mentioned that before. In her mind’s eye she saw him bare chested, in leather pants and with handcuffs in his hand. Claire drew in a breath as heat spread through her veins. “Did I surprise you?”
“I think so. You look so normal.” She clapped her free hand over her mouth. Dang it, where was her filter when she needed it?
Josh laughed, and Claire lowered her hand. “Not all of us run around in leather, carrying whips.”
“Sorry.” She ducked her head. “The few people I’ve seen around the scene in Boston were always dressed crazy.” She’d gone into a BDSM club with one guy she met at a bar. The club had made her feel nervous and afraid, but the way Josh talked about Red Club it sounded nice.
“It’s okay. Many people enjoy a little kink in their relationship. Unfortunately, BDSM has gotten a bad rap over the years, lots of misconceptions. I’m not saying there aren’t bad players, but most people in the community or into kink are good people who enjoy the power exchange.”
“That’s nice to know.” She’d done a little research into BDSM. Some of it scared her. “My ex-boyfriend, the one before you and I had our first date, wasn’t a good fit for me.” She shifted in her seat. “If I asked him to hold me down or be a little more forceful, he was offended.”
“So you like bondage?”
“I guess. I’ve had my hands held over my head.” She shifted in her seat and her cheeks grew warm. This was a little hard to talk about.
“What else do you like?”
“I’m not sure.”
“When you read those romance books with some kink in them, what scenes make you hot?”
Claire stared at him while she thought. “Some of the toys, flogging, teasing one another.”
He nodded and shifted on the sofa. “Have you ever used a vibrator?”
Heat invaded her face. “Yes.”
“Don’t be embarrassed. Did you enjoy the toy?”
“A bit. It isn’t a replacement for the real thing, but it does in a pinch.” Not to mention she didn’t have to deal with the morning after.
“Thank goodness for that.” He threw her another sexy grin. “There are other toys—bullets, nipple toys, clit toys, sensation toys.”
“Sensation toys?” The words sent a hot shiver through her at the thought of him using toys on her.
“Feathers, a vibrating mitt, things to stimulate the skin and other places.”
She fought against squirming. His words were turning her on and making her want to experiment with him. She wished they had more than just a week. “What else?”
“Are you sure you want to go beyond the basics tonight? I don’t want to frighten you.”
“I appreciate that, but I want to know more. Tell me about flogging. In the books, it sounds so sensual and freeing.” She wanted to know more now that they were talking.
“It can be.” He ran his fingers over her neck. Another shiver skittered across her skin at his touch. “If you want to try, I’d start off with a rabbit flogger. It wouldn’t do much other than get the blood flowing and arouse the senses. Then, I’d move on to a flogger that is a little more thuddy.”
“You lost me. Thuddy?”
“Different floggers do different things. Some are stingy; they have more a bite to them. Where others are thuddy like the drumming your fingers on your cheek feels. It all depends on the power behind it.”
Claire tapped her cheek with her fingers. “Is it dangerous?” She didn’t want to do anything that could harm her, or him.
“There’s always a danger of injury, but usually if the couples don’t talk or if something is done improperly. I can provide you with a personal reference if you want.”
She let out a laugh. “References for BDSM?”
He nodded. “My old employer, Jessie. Plus, I could give you names of others I worked with at the Red Club. I want you to feel safe and secure if you decide you want to explore with me.”
She pondered his words. When
would she ever get this chance again? No one here knew her, and if someone judged her for enjoying herself, that was their problem. It wasn’t like she was planning on moving to Willow Springs. But it also made sense to check him out. “Please give me Jessie’s number.”
They both pulled out their phones. She input Jessie’s number into her phone, then he gave her his number. Claire hit the call button after inputting his number, and his phone rang. “And now you have mine.”
He punched his phone and then put it away. What else should she ask him? This was uncharted territory to her. “Are there rules in BDSM?”
“SSC—safe, sane, and consensual. I believe in those words.”
She nodded. “What about the books I’ve read where the woman is nothing more than a sexual slave, doing whatever the man tells her? I can’t do that.”
“Absolutely not.” He ran his fingers over her arm. “I’m not into having a slave. I might give you an order or two and push your boundaries, but you only have to say the word, and I stop. You have a voice, and I will listen to it.”
“Safeword, right?”
“Right. You will have safewords, and I will always listen to them.”
Claire nodded. More and more, this was making sense. “You do know I’ll be going back to Boston next Sunday?”
“I do.” He picked up her hand. “I have no problem with us having a vacation fling.”
She closed her eyes. What to do? Should she do this? Who was she kidding? When would she ever get the chance to explore kink with a man like Josh? A temporary arrangement. No one would get hurt, and her heart would remain safe.
“I see conflict on your face.” His fingers danced over her forehead, sending tiny sparks all over her skin.
Another good sign—her instant reaction and desire for his touch. It had never happened so quickly for her except the night they’d had their date. That night, he had sparked something inside her, and it apparently went dormant until they met again.
“I want you to be sure this is what you want,” he said.
She opened her eyes. “And if I want a vacation fling without kink?”
“I can do that. You’re a beautiful woman. I’m attracted to you.”
Claire took a deep breath. “Let me talk with Jessie, and we’ll go from there.” She could do that, talk with his old boss. And she had her tablet with her, so she could do some research on her own.
“Perfect.” He let her hand go, and she missed his touch. “It’s getting late. I should get you back to the inn.”
“Is it?” She pulled her phone out and glanced at the time. It was after ten. “I didn’t realize it was so late. You have to get up for work tomorrow.”
“I’m fine.” He touched her cheek before taking her hand and guiding her to the front door where they put on their shoes. He grabbed his keys from the key rack. “I’ll follow you back to the inn.”
“You don’t have to do that.” Warmth spread through her at his words. This man was so caring.
“I do.” He led her out to her car, and when she unlocked it, he opened the door for her. “You’re not familiar with our roads, and I don’t want you to get lost.”
“It looked like a pretty straight shot when we drove out here.” Although she did remember a turn or two.
Josh took her by the shoulders. “I’m going to follow you back. It’s a safety issue for me. I want you safe.”
Her insides melted. When was the last time a man cared so much for her well-being? Probably only her dad. “All right.”
“Thank you.” He brushed a light kiss over her lips.
She slid into her car and started the engine. Within minutes, she was driving back to the inn with Josh right behind her. She was surprised when he parked behind her at the inn.
“What’s up?” she asked as she climbed out and locked the vehicle.
“Escort service.” He took her hand and guided her up to the back door. He waited while she got the key out of the lock box, opened the door, then put the key back. “Good night, Claire. Until tomorrow.”
He leaned down and brushed another kiss over her lips, then stepped back. He waited until she went inside, shut and locked the door. She gave him a wave, then he turned and jogged away.
Her hand rose and her fingers touched her lips. They still tingled from that light kiss. What would it be like to have more of that mouth? All over? Josh surprised her in more ways than one.
Excitement throbbed in her veins. She needed to do some research and check in with Josh’s ex-boss. Tomorrow was going to be an interesting day.
Chapter Four
The next morning, Claire grabbed a muffin and coffee before heading for the library. The inn only had internet at the computer in the lounge, and she didn’t want to do her research there in public. She definitely needed privacy for looking into Josh and kink.
After spending a few hours at the library, she stopped at the Sunny Springs Café, grabbed some food to-go, and went back to her room. Once there, she pulled out her phone and placed a call to Josh’s old boss.
“Red Club, this is Jessie. How can I help you?” The bubbling female voice made Claire smile.
“Hi Jessie, my name is Claire. Josh Hawkins gave me your number.”
“Oh. How is Josh?”
“He’s good.” Claire wasn’t sure how to approach the subject of Josh and kink. “Umm…I’m not sure I know how to ask what I need to ask.”
Laughter floated over the phone. “Ask whatever you want, Claire. Is this about working for Josh at his club?”
“No.” Josh had a club? He hadn’t mentioned that. “Josh and I have been discussing having a kink relationship.” She held her breath.
“It’s about time that kid loosened up. What would you like to know?”
Claire let out a nervous laugh. “Everything.”
“That might be hard to cover.”
“True. What did Josh do at your club?” That was a good place to start.
“He was one of my best dungeon monitors. He made sure everyone followed the rules, backed me up when needed, and took care of things.”
Claire nodded. At least after her research today, she knew what a dungeon monitor was. “How was he with a sub?”
There was silence on the line, then she said, “I’m guessing since Josh gave you my number, and you’re not working for him, he’s okay with this.”
“He told me to talk to you, and if necessary, he’d give me names and numbers of others I could talk to.”
“Sounds like Josh. He’s one of the good guys, he really is. Here’s the thing. Josh only played with a few select people as long as I’ve known him. He’s selective, but very caring and considerate.”
“How’s his temper?” That was one thing she worried about. One of her old boyfriends had a temper, and it was bad, scary, the farthest thing from what she wanted in an intimate situation. Thankfully, she’d never slept with him and got rid of him fast.
“What man doesn’t have some sort of temper? But if you’re asking me if he can control his temper, then the answer is yes. I’ve seen Josh get mad, but he’s never taken his anger out on another person no matter how much it was deserved.”
Claire’s mood lightened. “I have one more question, and you don’t have to answer this if you don’t want to. Has he ever had a serious, long-term relationship?” Her curiosity got the better of her.
There was a pause. “I’d ask him, but as far as I know, he didn’t while he lived here in Lobster Cove. He was here for twelve years before he went back to Willow Springs.”
Twelve years and no serious relationship. Did that mean he was a player? Or he hadn’t found anyone he wanted to be serious with? “Thank you so much, Jessie, for answering my questions.”
“Sure. Tell Josh to give me a call. I want to know what is happening with the Tangled Knot.”
Tangled Knot? Was that the club? “Sure. Thank you again. Bye.” Claire hit end on her phone and set it down. While some questions had been answered, she still
had more. She picked up her tablet and began to list them.
****
Josh couldn’t concentrate. This was the third time he’d rearranged the tool area in the store. His mind kept wandering back to Claire and their talk last night. He didn’t think he’d frightened her away, but it wouldn’t be the first time a woman got cold feet after “the talk.” He hadn’t lied when he said he would do a vacation fling without kink. He wanted Claire anyway he could get her.
“Hey boss,” Billy said, walking up to him.
“What’s up?” Josh glanced up from the tools. Billy’s blond hair was mussed as always.
“Did you intend to put the new tiller machine on sale for $19.99?”
Josh glanced over at the tiller machines, all five in a neat row at the front of the store. “What?” He shook his head as he looked down the row of tools that filled the store. Where was his mind today? On Claire. “It should be $99.99.”
“That’s what I thought. I’ll go change the sign. Good thing no one noticed and demanded that price,” Billy said.
“Yup.” Josh rubbed the back of his neck. His thoughts about Claire and wondering if she’d called Jessie to check up on him was distracting him big time.
“It’s quiet today. Why don’t you take off? Peter and I can handle stuff and lock up tonight.”
“Actually, I wanted to talk to you and Peter. Let’s do it right now since it’s quiet.” Josh stood and walked to the front of the store where Peter was stocking behind the counter.
“What’s up, boss?” Peter asked.
“I’m thinking about taking some time off. Can you and Billy take care of the store?” The more he thought about this, the more he liked the idea, even if Claire decided against a fling with him. He could use the time to get the club ready.
“Sure. We can do that,” Peter said.
“Great. I’ll leave it to you two to work it out. If you need me, call. I mean it. Don’t try to do everything on your own.” He took a deep breath. He’d opened and closed the store for over a year now, working from seven AM until five PM, six days a week. He needed to take some time off.
“Go, boss. We’ve got it covered. If there’s something we can’t handle, we’ll call,” Billy said.
