SMITTEN (Paris Après Minuit)

by Juliet Braddock

  Nigel managed one step at a time, and while he might have been a little slow, he made mental notes on every wrap, twist and knot of the rope. And at that moment, he realized that it really was true love with January. He wouldn’t subject himself to such public scrutiny for anyone else.

  To the letter, Nigel followed Lady Komodo’s direction, but he still worried that he might have made a wrong move. While he carefully formed the knots behind this poor guy’s back, Nigel wondered how this slave dealt with the shame. Perhaps, this submissive thrived on public degradation, and serving Komodo during her shows gave him a sexual rush, Nigel reasoned. January seemed to bloom in the depths of humiliation.

  Now, he had arrived at a place where he could almost rationalize the behaviors in BDSM. The thought empowered him.

  When Nigel finished with his final pull of the hemp rope, Lady Komodo stepped up to inspect his work while her submissive fought against the tight ties. She walked around the struggling young man, looking and pulling at Nigel’s handiwork. A grim face peered at him.

  “Have you done this before?” Lady Komodo exuded such an accusatory manner.

  “N-not really…no…I mean…”

  With the flick of her wrist, she cracked his ass again. He could never play the submissive role. However, Nigel wondered if he could play the Dominant one either.

  “You did a perfect job. You win our grand prize this evening. Slave boy, get him his prize.”

  Of course, everyone laughed because the lowly sub couldn’t get up. Obviously, Nigel had tied him securely.

  “The prize. Where is the prize? You don’t want me to have to get it myself—believe me.” Around and round, she circled the flogger through the air. Eventually, one of the bartenders rushed on stage with the package and presented it to Nigel before running off quickly to avoid getting a swat from Lady Komodo.

  “Don’t hurt yourself with that, Dommy…” Lady Komodo said right into the microphone. Dammit, she must have heard Xavier tossing that name around at the table.

  Tunnel vision took over, and Nigel didn’t see a thing or hear a word until he sat down next to Xavier, who stood on his feet, whistling as he gave Nigel an ovation.

  “Look at you! Janvier is going to be so pleased. Oh, I cannot wait until you tie her up. Can I watch?”

  Dropping the bag down on the table with a thud, Nigel glared at him. “Xavier, please! Have I not suffered enough this evening?”

  “Oh, stop. You did a great job, and everyone here is just cheering you on,” Xavier said. “Now, let me see what the prize is.”

  Nigel just didn’t care. “I’d really like to get out of here.”

  “Ooh, la-la, Dommy! You won the VioletWanda! Janvier loves these things—and this is her favorite brand.” Giddy, Xavier looked through the gift bag. “You really did win the grand prize. Two wands, and accessories—the shock whip and the nerve brush. Now, you can juice her up.”

  “Come on, Xavier. January doesn’t really play with that kind of stuff…” In truth, he’d already found a violet wand in her trunk, but Nigel had hoped she just collected some of her toys for show.

  “Oh, yes, she does!” Xavier held up one of the wands and squinted to read the packaging in the dim light. “You’re right. We should go. I have one more lesson to teach you this evening…”

  “Not the…the wand?”

  Little did Nigel realize that Xavier had arranged the whole prize to ease Nigel into his own instruction on wand play. “Ah, no, this is special. This is the VioletWanda. Only the best for Janvier.”

  “Tonight?” Nigel groused like a tired child.

  “Tonight.”

  # # #

  “And…voilà!”

  Extending his arm, Xavier raised the glowing wand in the air while Nigel moved to the far corner of the couch.

  “Don’t be afraid, Dommy,” Xavier pleaded. “It’s not so bad. And you can control the intensity. If you’re afraid that you’ll burn her, then just use a lower setting. Believe me, our Janvier will tell you what she wants.”

  “Oh, I know that—and that’s exactly what terrifies me.”

  “If she’s not afraid of it, why are you?” Xavier’s eyes challenged him. “And come closer. Don’t worry. I’m not going to hurt you.”

  Reluctantly, Nigel scooted closer, taking one cushion at a time. He left a considerable space between them, though. All the while, Nigel minded the front door of the cottage. Although he’d locked up, he feared his parents might just pop in for a visit. They knew Xavier was coming. He’d spent so much time with them over the summer that they now considered him a part of the family, too.

  “Well…” Just the idea of what he was about to say stifled him. In fact, his face felt hotter than that electro-magical wand. “What if she gets sticky? Water…electricity…well, not water…but certainly wet…and—”

  “Nigel, that’s the whole point.” Tossing his arms in the air, Xavier groaned, almost as if in defeat, but he clutched the glowing end of the wand all the while. “It’s not going to kill you…unless you play around the chest. Then—it could kill you.”

  With that warning, Xavier brought his other hand down to pat Nigel on the back and zapped him with a single shock.

  “Ouch!” Nigel cried out. “What the fuck…? That was your hand!”

  “Gotcha!” Xavier couldn’t stop laughing. “You charge yourself when you hold the wand. Here, try it. You can shock me…”

  Nigel put up his hands in protest. “Um…no…”

  “Well, as a good Dommy, you should never use something like this with your submissive unless you know exactly what you’re doing.”

  “You just shocked me, and now you want me to electrocute myself?” However, Nigel felt the weight of Xavier’s words. He couldn’t expect January to play unless he had some experience in the craft of electrosex.

  “You wanted to learn,” Xavier reminded him. “I am only doing just as you requested.”

  “Alright! Give me the damn thing!”

  As his face twisted into a grimace, Nigel reached out and with great reluctance, wrapped his fingers around the handle and then dared to touch the glowing stick.

  With a start, Nigel jumped in his seat. He could see the jolts of electricity, like tiny flashes of lightning, emanating from the wand to his finger. The damn thing sounded like it was sizzling against his touch. This was just too much. He had to close his eyes.

  “You’re fine, Nigel.”

  “I’m going to burn myself!”

  “Just open your eyes.” Xavier held out his arm. “You can try it on me now.”

  “Xav, I can’t.”

  “I would love it, Nigel…”

  Somewhere, in Xavier’s dark, pleading eyes, Nigel saw January’s reflection. Minding him with a sideways glance, Nigel cocked his head. “I am not engaging in any sort of sexual play with you!”

  “Did I ask you?” Xavier demanded. “Dommy, you need to calm down. Now, back to our lesson. Hold it steady, and touch me…”

  As he reached out to just tap the tip to Xavier’s arm, Nigel flinched again and pulled away immediately. “This thing is alive!”

  “It’s not dangerous when you learn the proper techniques. A pair of scissors can be dangerous, if you don’t know how to use them—or if you are crazy.” Xavier shook his arm again. “Now, pay attention, and let me introduce you to our friend, VioletWanda…”

  “Xav, I…I’m—”

  “Here. Turn up the setting and scorch me.”

  Nigel had to smile. “Now, that sounds like something January would say. You’ve been hanging around her too long.”

  “She’s a good woman,” Xavier said. “And she deserves a good man. That’s why I’m here. I want this to work—for both of you.”

  “And, Xav, with all sincerity, I do appreciate it.” Never in his life had Nigel dared to explore such madness to woo and win a woman.

  “Okay! Cut out the emotions here, and let’s practice.”

  Under Xavier’s careful guida
nce, Nigel brought the wand close to his skin. The zap as the hair on his arm singed brought Nigel another rush of reality. Now, he could smell the burn. However, Xavier continued to encourage him.

  “Niiiice…” Xavier grinned. “Oh, Dommy! Now just keep it moving. If you hold it still, you could hurt me…or January.”

  “I don’t want to do that!”

  “Keep it moving,” Xavier instructed again but gently. “Make sure she’s not wearing any jewelry. You don’t want the metal to conduct the electricity. And do not—do not—go anywhere near her torso. You could really hurt her. Ooh, turn it up! Please…”

  “You’re mad, Xavier—insane!”

  Tossing his head around in ecstasy, Xavier reached for the power dial himself. “Ouch! This feels so good…”

  “Oh, bloody hell!”

  In an effort to comfort his student, Xavier pulled his arm away and sat for a moment in silence. “Now…we’re going to practice on you again.”

  It was now or never, and Nigel had to do this before he dared to attempt a scene with January. He passed the wand back to Xavier and held out his arm. “Turn the damn thing down—all the way down!”

  “I will take care of you, Dommy.”

  That sound and the smell, more than anything, frightened Nigel. The crackle of every stroke pulsated against his eardrums, instilling fear. Admittedly, when Nigel forced himself to relax, the sensation was just like the shock of static electricity. Although the wand didn’t arouse him in the least, Nigel actually didn’t find too much of a discomfort.

  He just had to remember to keep it moving—and to confiscate her jewelry. And to stay away from her heaving breasts. Oh, he missed those breasts…

  He had so much information to process before he got this wand thing down.

  “See, it’s not so bad,” Xavier soothed. “Now, imagine Janvier, all tied up in the knots you learned this evening while you tease her clit with the wand…”

  Then, Nigel’s eyes popped open. “Her…clit?”

  “Trust Xavier here. You will drive her wild. And it will impress her that you have taken the time to learn about this,” Xavier rattled on. “She loves this. She enjoys pain. You know this already.”

  “She does, but how can I use this on her—her…you know…”

  Both of their phones began to vibrate at the same time, interrupting the tutorial. Playfully, Xavier turned to Nigel and raised the dial for one more thrill.

  “Ouch! You bastard!” Nigel shouted. Xavier caught him off-guard. “You don’t play fair…”

  After returning the wand to its stand, Xavier searched his messages. “Ah! It’s a text from Janvier to both of us,” Xavier said as his eyes dashed over the screen. “Arrive in Paris tomorrow. See you two soon. XO January.”

  “Fuck!” Nigel muttered.

  “Fuck is right,” Xavier agreed. “Where’s the wine? We have a lot of work to do before she gets home.”

  Chapter Thirty

  “Janvier!”

  It was a gray morning in Paris, and although the rain threatened to fall, Xavier still took an outside table at their favorite bistro in the Latin Quarter, Creperie du Cluny.

  Her feet couldn’t pound the cobblestones fast enough as she ran toward his open arms. Many kisses and one long hug were had before January joined him at their table for two.

  “Are you rested?” Xavier asked. “You look fabulous. In fact, more fabulous than ever…”

  “I had such a grand old time on the farm that I actually miss it,” she said with a touch of sadness weaving into her smile. “You know, you should come back with me one of these days. You’d love my brother’s vineyard. And they’ve got so much happening all the time…”

  “I could perhaps do a vineyard tour,” Xavier said and lifted his sunglasses. “Were you really this beautiful before you left? Or have I just forgotten in your absence? I mean…you were always my gorgeous muse…but something is different…”

  “I stopped wearing a ton of make-up,” she pointed out. “And I’ve ditched the pinup wear for a more casual look.”

  “Well, casual looks quite good on you, Janvier,” he said. “And your ass looks fabulous in my jeans.”

  “I will only wear your denim, Xav,” she assured him. “Things haven’t changed that much.”

  “So, you’ve been sleeping off your wild and crazy trip to Kansas?” he asked. “I got worried when I didn’t hear from you yesterday.”

  While she’d actually been involved in a slew of meetings since she returned to France, she couldn’t tell him anything yet. She had to wait for a few confirmations herself before sharing her new endeavors with the world.

  A small white lie would have to suffice for the moment. Xavier would forgive her later. “I was indeed sleeping it off—the farm, the film, my hangover to accepting the new me.”

  “Oh, do not tell me you’re leaving Paris…” Xavier took her hand. “I’m being selfish, but I cannot live without you here. I know it’s only part-time, but I need to know you’ll return.”

  January couldn’t answer him. The next twenty-four hours would be telling. She planned to have the entire next stage of her life completely mapped out. Things usually never went according to plan, but this time, she had high hopes for a happy outcome.

  She’d truly missed their early morning coffee time before he ran to the office. These café visits always seemed to give her the calm she needed in her days. And on that Tuesday morning, she felt as if she had the weight of the entire world to lift.

  “So how long are you here?” Xavier asked her as they finished up that morning. He hadn’t planned to stay for two hours, but January had so much to tell him. “And can we have dinner this evening?”

  “I haven’t really set a timeline on this trip yet,” she said and then drank the last of her café au lait. “And I can’t do dinner this evening. I’ve…got some plans…”

  “Sketchy-sketchy.” Xavier shook his index finger at her and settled back in his chair. “Want to share with Xav what is going on?”

  “Well, honestly, I promised Etienne I’d see his show tonight…” Once the words were out, she wanted to pull them back inside her own damn big mouth. She knew Xavier wouldn’t be thrilled with her plans.

  “Janvier!” he admonished. “How—why? He does not deserve your time.”

  “Xav, calm down.” She patted his arm to assuage any suspicions he might have been harboring. “I’m just seeing him after the show. We need to talk to each other. Five years isn’t just a drop in the bucket. And that needs to be respected.”

  “Well, I don’t like it one bit.” Never one to hide his emotions, Xavier always told her the truth—even when it hurt a little. “He’s full of merde, and he’ll feed you what you want to hear. Next thing we know, it will be next year, and we will be sitting in this same position, having the same conversations we’ve always had about him.”

  “Listen, I know you’re speaking out of love, but in that same vein, please, understand that I need to do this.”

  “I will accept it, but I don’t understand. And honestly, I cannot continue sticking up for your honor if you go back to him.”

  “Trust me here.” Just a few months ago, she would have grown quite angry with Xavier’s brutal honesty. However, she understood his motives. She was his best friend, and he didn’t want to see her get hurt again. “Do you still love me? Am I still your muse?”

  “Ah, Janvier…” he moaned. “Je t’adore. And yes, you will always be my muse…”

  “I promise, I will call you tonight after I see him. And I will tell you everything.”

  “Everything…” he insisted.

  However, as they said their good-bye that morning, she’d left him feeling unsettled. Xavier waited around for a moment to make sure she had turned the corner, and then his fingers raced over his phone.

  “Uh, I think we have a little problem that requires your immediate attention here…”

  # # #

  Although she did make a habitual sto
p at the full-length mirror in the foyer before leaving her apartment that evening, January remained unconcerned with her appearance. In fact, she hadn’t bothered to change from the jeans and blouse she’d put on that morning when she met Xavier. Less laundry, she thought to herself, and then straightened her sunglasses before heading out the door.

  She’d booked a car for the evening, and she asked that the driver be ready to leave the show at any time. Etienne was back in Paris, and he always did longer encores in the major cities. She really had no idea what time she’d be finished.

  January only knew that she intended to leave alone.

  Once the skies opened that day, the rain never stopped. Even a gloomy Paris made her smile. As the car wove through the maze of the Latin Quarter and on to follow the Seine, she absorbed the city once again from the comfort of the luxury sedan.

  That time alone—and the last of rush hour traffic—afforded her the quiet time she needed to look through her messages. With her packed schedule, she hadn’t had a second to herself.

  Immediately, she clicked on a text from Lucie, which said only three very important words, followed by twenty exclamation points: DAD SAID YES.

  Joy claimed her heart, and the proud aunt in her emerged again. This was just the news she needed after dealing with attorneys and contracts for the better part of the day. Lucie would be visiting with her grandparents and Uncle Charlie for the holidays, and January couldn’t wait to see them.

  Her brothers had also been texting since she’d left, with fall foliage shots of the farm and silly quips on something her mother might have said. January had hopes that she’d see them soon as well. Finally, she felt like she was slowly fitting in the last puzzle pieces of her complicated life.

  Still, though, she had a couple of issues to manage before she could sigh with relief. As the car crept along those familiar boulevards, she closed her eyes. Courage had to be on her side; otherwise, she would have canceled.

  Olympia Hall was to Paris as Carnegie Hall and Radio City were to New York. The world’s top entertainers had claimed that stage that held its roots with the creators of the world-famous Moulin Rouge. Everyone from Piaf to The Beatles had played Olympia, and this was not January’s first visit. While she’d seen Etienne there several times over the years, they’d also gone to shows together—Eddy Mitchell on his (not really) farewell tour, Patrick Bruel and Vanessa Paradis. Hopes were made, and dreams were fulfilled within that legendary theater, and January couldn’t deny the spark of electricity that seized her every time the car rolled up beneath that iconic neon sign.