A noticeable shimmy rolled down her body and Mark let his eyes follow the movement from the top of her head to the waving edge of her skirt. He made a mental note to have Steve thank Dena for her little gift. Showing Miss Kellie Windsor the best of Private Delights would be the highlight of the night.
Kellie threw her shoulders back and straightened her spine, wishing she had more control over her body and its asinine response to his every insinuation. Master? Maybe master of pain or master of illusion. If he showed her anything, it would be how belittling his little house of horrors was to women. She lowered her eyes and followed him back to the elevator.
“We’ll start downstairs in the common rooms. You may look at anything you like, anything that interests you. If you have questions, feel free to ask. Remember. Do not make eye contact with any of the doms unless they ask you to look at them.”
Kellie nodded, avoiding the use of his title. When the door opened, she waited for him to go first. From the reception desk, he led her through a set of frosted glass doors and into a space she hadn’t expected. A huge open concept room spread out before her, thick eggplant carpet as far as she could see, with rich green and ochre upholstered sofas scattered in subtle groupings.
For one split second she thought she’d fallen through a wormhole and into an elite country club. The attire of the patrons, or lack thereof, clued her to the truth.
“This is the primary meeting room. Members often spend most of their time here, socializing with other members or entertaining their partners.” Master Mark gestured with his hand but didn’t touch her as he led her across the rug. Soft classical music eased out of hidden speakers and tastefully dressed waiters carried trays of appetizers and drinks.
Not what she’d imagined. He led her to a seating area where her friends sat. Kellie blinked twice at the sight of Dena on her knees between Steve’s size thirteen shoes. The jacket her friend came in wearing had disappeared, leaving her in a blouse and a short skirt. The modest top now acted as a jacket, opened to Dena’s waist and showcasing her bare breasts.
Two other men sat nearby, one with a woman on his lap, the other alone and sipping on a bottle of water. Dena looked up at her for a minute, not a trace of embarrassment in her face, and then focused all her attention on her man. Reluctantly, Kellie kept her eyes on Dena instead of Steve, since she didn’t want to get kicked out of the place too soon. When Steve stroked Dena’s hair and cheek, the emotion in his caress took the air out of Kellie’s chest. She’d seen them together before, but never with the deep connection she witnessed now.
A warm hand on her back pulled her away from the moment and Mark led her toward another group. Everywhere she looked, men and women were talking, touching, and socializing with friends. It was the epitome of a relaxed country club with the exception of occasional nudity. After the third topless woman they encountered, Kellie stopped noticing.
A dark voice flowed just above her head. “Not what you expected is it? This isn’t a strip bar or a bordello. The members aren’t dangerous or wild. They just prefer their sex a little differently than the mainstream.”
“Why are so many people just sitting around?” she whispered.
“There’s a certain sense of anticipation that makes the sexual act more intense. The more a Dom builds that anticipation, the better the release for both Dom and submissive.”
He led her to an alcove filled with two overstuffed chairs upholstered in dark green and canted together with the arm rests meeting at the end. A slim triangular table had been set into the gap between them, a bowl of wrapped mints placed at the opposite end. A second glance changed her mind.
Condoms, not mints.
Within minutes of sitting down, a waiter arrived with a plate of cheeses and two glasses.
Kellie picked hers up and sniffed.
“Iced tea,” Mark told her. “We discourage alcohol in this part of the building. It degrades the senses and makes some people reckless. And yes, we do have a bar next door, and if our members want to partake, they can. However, our wait staff is highly trained and they keep track of consumption. Intoxication is rare, but all members are aware of the consequences of overindulgence.”
Kellie sipped her tea and tried to relax. She wouldn’t get any information out of him if she appeared antagonistic, and Dena had warned her about Mark Harrison when she’d suggested this visit. He had a reputation as a shrewd businessman. The grandson of a wealthy oil and gas man, he’d worked in the fields to learn the business from the ground up and still owned half the company his grandfather founded.
Dena failed to mention his looks. Dark brown, almost black hair with a hint of curl even though it was cut fairly short gave him a rakish look. He could be a model for GQ if he needed the money, which he obviously didn’t.
From what she’d found on the Internet, Private Delights was his primary focus and he took great pride in the business and its reputation. He had the money and connections to take down anyone who got in his way.
He wouldn’t think twice about a squashing a student determined to debunk the BDSM world and show everyone how degrading it was for women. Kellie knew she had to tread lightly until she got the information she needed.
“What consequences?” she asked.
“Drunkenness usually leads to a steep fine and probationary membership for the first offense. A second incident results in loss of membership with no refund. For most members, that’s a steep price to pay for a few too many drinks.”
Interesting. She hadn’t seen any information about the price of membership, only that it was an extremely exclusive club. She stabbed a cube of cheese and put it in her mouth while she took another look around the room, sure he watched her like a hawk protecting its nest.
“Sorry, I’m a little out of my element,” she said. “Thank you for the tea and the visit. Dena told me you don’t usually allow tourists.”
He smiled for the first time and Kellie lost her train of thought. The stern countenance she’d been watching from the corner of her eye transformed into a movie star on the make. Dark eyes sparkled with humor and his wide grin caused dimples to pop on both sides of his face. Abandoning the rules, she faced him and returned the smile.
“I don’t think of you as a tourist, but I can hear Dena referring to visitors with that word. She’s an interesting young lady, but I’m sure you already know that.”
“Yes, she is,” Kellie replied, relaxing a little more in his presence. “Sometimes she surprises me.”
“Did you know about her membership here before you started this project?” he asked as he offered her a wedge of cheese.
“No. I don’t think she’d have ever mentioned it if I hadn’t told her about my thesis.” Dena still didn’t know about the details of her paper or the book she planned to write, but some secrets couldn’t be shared.
“I’m still waiting for you to tell me what you hope to learn here.”
Kellie flushed, heat flooding her face and chest. She didn’t want to answer but didn’t have a choice. “I want to know why men choose this kind of relationship.”
His smile gone, those dark eyes burned into hers while he considered her question. “Women choose this lifestyle, too. Consider Dena. Her relationship with Steve is one she committed to on her own.”
“I can’t help but wonder if she was coerced.”
“No.”
His cold tone told her to change the subject and she didn’t want to push. “I’m sorry if I offended you.”
“It’s a common misconception. Let’s walk.”
Mark stood and took the glass from her hand, setting it on the table. She’d seen enough of the common room and while she’d been observing the members and their activities, he’d been monitoring her responses. Every time he’d sensed her arousal, she’d backed away from the scene. She was too hesitant to engage in the sensuality of the club, too separate from her emotions. It could be the academic side of her life, or there could be some underlying issue that stopped her
from experiencing the ambiance of the room.
Kellie got to her feet and he placed his palm on the slight indention between her shoulder blades, a good bit higher than the last time he led her around the room. As they walked toward the stairs, he eased his hand higher until his fingers were on the bare skin above her collar.
It was all about pushing boundaries, but she didn’t understand that yet. By the time they reached the landing, his forefinger and thumb were on opposite sides of her spine, his thumb lazily grazing the side of her throat. Such a delectable young woman, her small-boned hands and fair skin added to the allure of curves in all the right spots. She’d bruise easily, and he’d hate to see her hurt. He’d need a gentle hand to keep from marking her, if she became his.
She didn’t protest his hand on her but the rise and fall of her chest told him she knew exactly where their skin met.
The idea of her under him took hold in a bad way. She was too young, too innocent. At thirty, he should be looking at twenty-eight year olds and she was at least three or four years younger than that. He made a mental note to ask Steve how old Dena was and to check Kellie’s personal records after she left.
They turned right at the top of the stairs and he increased the pressure against the back of her neck, his palm pressing against her satin skin. She didn’t complain, didn’t ask anything of him, but he wanted her to.
He wanted her.
Fuck. He hadn’t wanted a woman in a while. Sex, yes, but not a particular woman. He hardly knew her, not an issue in the club but he didn’t think she’d want casual semi-anonymous sex.
They passed two closed doors before he stopped and touched a panel with a flickering green light. He pressed the button and watched Kellie’s face while she realized they were eavesdropping.
“Yes, some of our members like the idea of being heard or seen while they have sex. And before you ask, yes, voyeurism is also available.”
He slid open another panel revealing a window and the skin beneath his palm flexed as she tried to move away. He clamped down enough to keep her in place and gentled her with his voice. “This is what you wanted to see, isn’t it? Two people in the throes of passion, unconcerned with their environment and focused solely on pleasure?”
Mark knew he was pushing her boundaries a little too fast and a little too hard but he needed to know if she could handle it. The decision to make her his was made in a heartbeat and he couldn’t stop the need building within him. Desire was more persistent than sexual tension, more esthetic than physical.
“They know we’re watching and listening, but they can’t see or hear us. It heightens their pleasure.” His mouth at her ear, his head pressed to the side of hers, he absorbed the soft shiver of her body as arousal nudged her libido. “Did you ever make out in a parked car and wonder if someone might catch you in mid clutch?”
“No.” A whisper, nothing more than warm air passing her lips.
“Have you ever lost control or given up control to someone you trusted, someone who would take care of your needs without being told?”
Again, a whispered denial.
Take a Chance Page 16
