by Sherri Hayes
Whether she liked it or not—and even though it scared the crap out of her—she didn’t know what she’d do if Drew left her life. If he ever betrayed her like Ben had, Beth didn’t know if she’d be able to recover.
“Hey. Is everything okay?” Beth looked to find Drew kneeling beside her.
She grinned. “Yeah. I’m good.”
He still looked somewhat concerned, but he didn’t press her. “Your bath’s ready.”
Beth nodded.
Drew helped her up and took her mostly empty plate from her. “Did you want to finish eating first?”
“No. I’m good. We were so busy, I didn’t get to eat lunch until almost two.” While that was true, her lunch had consisted of half a croissant and some roast beef eaten in between orders.
They made their way upstairs to her bedroom. Drew went to check the temperature of the water again while she got undressed. Beth was tempted to forego the bath and crawl into bed, but she didn’t want to seem ungrateful. She plucked her robe from the closet so she’d have it for later, and trudged into the bathroom.
When she walked in, she could hardly believe her eyes. Drew was on his knees next to the large tub. He had lowered the lights and had several candles lit. It was very romantic and peaceful.
He got to his feet and crossed the short distance to where she stood in the doorway. Without a word, he took her robe from her and hung it up on the door. Then he reached for her hand.
She placed her palm in his and let him lead her over to the bubble-filled water. Drew helped her as she got in and lowered herself down into the tub. It felt wonderful. The scent of lavender surrounded her and she wondered if it was from the bubble bath, the candles, or both.
“Would you like another glass of wine?” he asked.
Beth shook her head. “If I drink much more, I’ll fall asleep. I’m not far from it now.”
Drew smiled.
“You didn’t have to do this, you know.” She felt as if she needed to put it out there.
“I wanted to. Besides, you can pay me back one of these days.” He brushed a strand of hair from her face and winked at her.
She chuckled.
“Relax and enjoy your bath. I’m going to run downstairs and clean up, then I’ll be back to check on you.”
Beth sighed and slid further down into the water as she let the warmth pull the tired ache from her body. She loved baths and she wondered how Drew had known, or if it had been a guess.
The sound of something moving off to her right made her open her eyes. It was Drew. He was blowing out the candles. When had he returned?
“You’re back.”
She stretched. That’s when it dawned on her that she must have dozed off. “Guess I was more tired than I thought.”
He reached for a towel and then for her. She took the offering, and stepped out of the bathtub. Beth had to admit that she could get used to this type of attention.
After unfolding the towel, he slowly dried her off. It wasn’t meant to be erotic, but it was. Although her mind wasn’t remotely in the mood for sex, Drew was able to get her body to respond. Like it or not, her body wanted him.
She closed the distance between them and pressed her naked body against his fully clothed one. Drew stared down at her, unmoving, but he was unable to hide his body’s reaction. She could feel his erection straining against his jeans. Beth wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his lips down to hers.
“Beth . . .”
His whispered plea only made her body yearn for him more. “Shh. Take me to bed, Drew. Make love to me.”
There was a moment’s pause, and then he scooped her up and carried her into the bedroom.
Chapter 22
Beth held tight to Drew’s hand as they approached the entrance to Serpent’s Kiss.
“Nervous?” he asked.
There was no reason to deny it. “A little.”
He gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
“What about you?”
“Not at all. In fact, I’m thrilled that I get to walk in there with you.” Drew turned her to face him and placed his free hand on her hip. “I’ve only been dreaming about this since I first saw you across the room.”
She rolled her eyes.
“What?” he asked, pulling her closer. “You’d rather have another hot stud by your side?”
“A hot stud, huh?”
He shrugged. “Gotta call ’em like I see ’em.”
Beth ran the tips of her fingers along his jaw. “I might have to borrow one of Katrina’s paddles and spank some of that cockiness out of you.”
“My ass is all yours any time you want it.” He punctuated his words by palming her behind.
Before she ended up doing something completely inappropriate in public, Beth took a step back and resumed her progression toward the door. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
They strolled into the foyer and she realized that her nerves had almost completely disappeared. Beth knew she had Drew to thank for that. He’d been able to tease her out of her funk. At every turn, he’d been there for her. Even earlier that day, he’d proved his devotion by showing up at the café in time for the lunch rush. She was able to stay in the back and make the sandwiches while Drew ran them out to the customers and helped Tommy with the soups and pastries.
Later, when they were cleaning up, she asked him why. His answer was simple. I figured you could use the help.
He realized she’d stopped again. “Beth, if you’re not okay with this—”
She shook her head. “No. I’m fine. Let’s get this over with.” Not waiting for him to comment, Beth swiped her membership card, opened the door to the lobby, and marched through it.
Bridget was behind the coat check. She smiled, started to say something, and then closed her mouth just as quickly when she noticed Beth was not alone.
Taking a deep breath, Beth decided to acknowledge the elephant in the room. “Drew, you know Bridget, right?”
“Yes. We’ve met.”
“Y-yes,” Bridget stuttered.
If Beth was being honest with herself, the young woman’s response was almost comical. She kept blinking like there was something in her eyes. Maybe the night wouldn’t be that bad if everyone’s response was similar.
After checking the light jacket Beth had brought along for later—it was still a little too chilly for her liking late at night—she and Drew made their way into the club. They’d intentionally timed their arrival so that most of the regular patrons would already be there. It would be easier to blend in that way. At least, that’s what she’d been hoping.
It took less than a minute for her bubble to burst. One by one everyone in the room turned their attention in Beth and Drew’s direction. “I guess this means the cat is officially out of the bag.”
He chuckled. “I’d say so.”
She straightened her shoulders. “Here goes nothing.”
***
Drew stayed by Beth’s side as she worked her way toward the bar. He glanced around to find that most of the people following their progress had smiles on their faces. When he caught sight of John, his friend gave him a thumbs-up. Seeing confirmation of John’s approval, and what appeared to be that of most of the club’s members, had Drew grinning from ear to ear. He picked up his pace and placed a reassuring hand on Beth’s lower back. She glanced over at him and then continued on.
Chad was behind the bar. Drew had only met him once before. Chad was okay, though. He didn’t joke around with the members as much as Brandon did, but he wasn’t part of the lifestyle either.
“Lady Beth, what can I get you this evening?” Chad greeted as she stepped up to the bar.
Drew stayed behind her, letting her lead.
“I’ll have a Coke and Sprite, please.” She turned to Drew. “What would you like?”
“Just a water. Thanks.” While he typically had a beer on the nights he came to the club, this evening was all about Beth. He wanted her to be comfortable with their new
status—their new, very public status.
Chad nodded. “Coming right up.”
Beth turned around so that her back was against the bar. “You’re sure you don’t want anything besides water?”
He traced a line up her arm with his fingers. “Nope. I’m good. Besides, I need to stay hydrated, right?”
“I don’t know if I’m up for playing in public yet,” she confessed.
“It’s up to you. I’m fine with whatever you decide.”
“You’re being awfully submissive tonight.”
“Isn’t that what I’m supposed to be—your submissive?” He edged closer, crowding her a little, acting anything but submissive. It was a bold move considering where they were.
She grinned and an evil glint appeared in her eyes a moment before he felt her hand grab hold of his junk. It wasn’t painful, but the threat was there. “Make sure you remember that.”
Drew smiled. “Yes, Mistress.”
Chad returned with their drinks, and she released him. This was a gray area when it came to their arrangement. Outside the club, he was only her sub when it came to sexual things. Inside the club, however, the lines were blurred. He liked serving her last night—rubbing her feet, drawing her bath. Drew had also expressed an interested in kneeling at her feet and having his head in her lap. Before spending time at Serpent’s Kiss, he wouldn’t have thought something like that would appeal to him, but when he’d seen the level of devotion between John and Allison, it made him curious.
Because of that curiosity, they’d decided to play it by ear for the time being. He was always supposed to show her respect while inside the club walls. Outside that, they were still negotiating. He promised that he would communicate if he wanted more, and she had done the same.
When he began researching BDSM, he’d thought that everything took off at full speed from the start. Drew supposed that had a lot to do with porn. Of course, now he knew just how inaccurate those videos were. Even still, he’d somehow imagined things with Beth being hammered out swiftly with no question marks. While their relationship had hit the ground running and he had no complaints, it was evolving and changing the more things they tried.
The night before came to mind. Beth had surprised him when she asked him to make love to her. Their sex up until then had always had some element of dominance and submission. He’d worried that their lovemaking wouldn’t be as fulfilling for him if he was the one in control—it never had been in the past. What he found, though, was that knowing that he was doing what she wanted, how she wanted it, gave him pleasure. It was submission in a way he’d never imagined it.
He followed her over to where Nicole, Jeff, Daniel, Brandon, and two subs he recognized but whose names eluded him at the moment, were congregated. They all had knowing smiles on their faces as Beth and Drew sat down on one of the love seats.
“I was wondering if you were going to make it,” Nicole said.
Beth met her friend’s gaze and responded with a level of confidence he knew she didn’t feel. “Busy day.”
“Well, we’re glad you’re both here,” Daniel said, tipping his glass in their direction.
Trying to divert some of the attention, Drew addressed Brandon. “Enjoying your night off?”
“I am. As much as I like being behind the bar, sometimes it’s nice to sit back and let someone else take care of everything for a night.”
Nicole leaned toward Brandon and whispered, “That’s what you have a sub for.”
All the Dominants in the group chuckled. Beth’s tension seemed to be ebbing. She was no longer holding herself rigid. Drew rested his left arm along the back of the love seat, and placed his right hand on hers where it lay on her leg. Beth flipped her palm over and grasped his fingers. She leaned back against his chest, and he inhaled the scent of her shampoo.
He was so caught up in Beth that he almost missed the switch in conversation. “There haven’t been any more sightings of you know who, have there?”
Beth shook her head. “No.”
“Do you think he’ll show up again?” Daniel asked.
Nicole jumped in before Beth could answer. “You can pretty much count on it. Ben isn’t one to give up.”
Drew’s head was spinning with this new information. Beth’s ex had contacted her—or tried to, at least? Why hadn’t she said anything?
Eventually, the conversation shifted again but he lost track of what they were saying. He was too busy mulling over the realization that his girlfriend’s lying ex had made contact with her. Drew wasn’t sure if he was hurt or angry that she hadn’t told him—maybe a little of both. Sure, they had only started dating in the last week, but they were supposed to be friends. Her other friends knew about it. Why hadn’t he?
It was hard to tell how much time had passed when he felt Beth elbow him. Drew found her staring at him with a strange expression. “What? Something wrong?”
“I was going to ask you the same question.”
He frowned. “You didn’t tell me about your ex coming to see you.”
Beth shifted to face him. She cradled his hand in her lap, caressing the ridge where his palm and wrist met. It was distracting, but he couldn’t bring himself to ask her to stop.
“I didn’t mean to keep it from you. It just never came up.”
“When did he come to see you?” he asked.
“It was almost a month ago. And then I was told that he showed up here at the club two months before that. Katrina kicked him out.”
He blew out a breath. “Good.”
“I don’t know what he wants. But if he’s already tried twice, he’s likely to do it again.”
“I don’t like it.” That was the understatement of the year. Drew hated it. Although he hadn’t known Beth back then, he knew that if he had, he would have wanted to rearrange Ben’s face for him. Even thinking the man’s name made him see red. He wasn’t sure he could be held responsible for his actions if he ever saw him face-to-face.
“I don’t like it either. Trust me, I’d much rather go the rest of my life without ever having to see or talk to him again. Unfortunately, I doubt that’s going to happen. The first time he caught me off guard. That won’t happen next time.”
Drew saw movement out of the corner of his eye and realized that their little group had broken away to give them privacy. He glanced down at their hands. “How did this night turn out to be about your ex?”
“Because my best friend doesn’t have a filter.”
Despite the seriousness of their conversation, he chuckled. Everything he knew about Nicole supported Beth’s assertion. “She’s worried about you. So am I.”
She kissed him. It was one of those barely there kisses, but it still had his heart kicking up a notch.
“You don’t have to worry about me,” she whispered against his lips. “I can handle Ben.”
Their eyes locked, and he was reminded of the night before when she’d been looking up at him as he’d filled her. “I don’t think it’s possible not to worry about you, Beth.”
Neither of them moved until the music changed from the slow sultry number to something with a driving beat that reminded Drew of sex. The air around them began to change, and thoughts of Ben took a backseat to his desire to get his hands on the woman right in front of him.
Beth stood, and Drew followed.
Without a word, she led him by the hand up to the second floor. Had she changed her mind about playing?
They stopped briefly for Beth to talk to Cooper, one of the Dungeon Monitors. It didn’t consist of much more than her checking to see if a room was available. He nodded, instructed them to give him ten minutes, and then disappeared through a side door that Drew hadn’t noticed before. Less than two minutes later, he reappeared with a large bag and entered one of the playrooms. When he returned to the hall several minutes later, he gave Beth another nod, and she led Drew into the room Cooper had vacated.
He felt he needed to ask. “Did you change your mind?”
She released his hand and strolled over to peruse the implements hanging on the wall. “I thought we needed a distraction. Tonight was supposed to be about you and me.”
Drew couldn’t disagree. Excited to find out what Beth had in mind, he waited to see what she’d do next.
“I want you to pick out five of these that you’d like to try,” she said, pointing to the array of impact devices along the wall. Beth turned to look him in the eye. “No scene. And you can keep your clothes on. But I want you to have an idea what they feel like.”
“All right.” Walking over to the wall, he scanned his choices. Some of the toys were scarier than others. There was a lot of leather, of course.
He knew he liked the flogger that Beth had used on him on Wednesday night. After their shower, he’d had the chance to get a better look at it. There were a few on the wall that appeared to be of similar construction, but there were plenty that had obvious differences. One had knots tied into the ends of the falls.
“That one has more bite to it than the one I used on you the other night,” she said.
Drew nodded and moved on. The thing he’d loved most about being flogged was that it was a solid thud against his back. While he hadn’t minded the leather strap she’d used on his ass, it had felt a lot different from the flogger. There was a sting to it that Drew wasn’t sure he was crazy about. “I think I’ll skip it, then.”
Beth hummed.
“What?”
She smiled. “Nothing.”
Something told Drew that whatever she was thinking, he wasn’t going to like it.
Shaking it off for now, he removed a wooden paddle and a flogger that looked heavier than the one Beth had used. He placed them on the table and then returned to his task. Drew knew from watching what went on at the club that no two implements were exactly the same, even if they looked similar. Every subtle variation made a difference.
For that reason, he tried not to stray too far from what he’d tried on Wednesday. His next two selections were made of leather. One was flat with three flaps that overlapped. The other was also flat, but it had a slit down the middle. Drew couldn’t remember what it was called, but he’d seen it used before. Reactions from the subs had varied, which made him curious.
