by Amy Valenti
Wesley buried his face against her neck as he proceeded to drive her wild, teasing her swollen flesh with quick short strokes, holding back the full length of his cock.
Something sweet and dark began to build inside Scarlett. She lay back, hands spread on the mattress, fingers clutching the sheets. Her muscles were trembling from the effort to keep from moving her hips, her mind focused on every sensation Wesley elicited from just the barest movements inside her.
Wesley was breathing hard against her neck and she raised her arms, wrapping them around him, her hands sliding over his sweat-slicked back. He was trembling almost as hard as she was, and as her fingers moved down from the muscles of his shoulders to his back, sliding into the dip at the base of his spine, he moaned against her neck.
“God…Scarlett…”
She moved her hands a fraction of an inch lower, over the taut contours of his ass. He shuddered beneath her touch and she pressed harder, digging her fingers into him. His skin was smooth, his muscles hard.
He rose up suddenly, lips parted, hips driving forward sharply. Their cries mingled as Scarlett came, her hips rising up to meet Wesley’s final strokes. He pushed and thrust, pummeling her hard and fast, every muscle in his body tensed. Finally, buried deep inside her, he came. His head dropped to her shoulder, his hips jerking against her body, his cock throbbing inside her.
Finally he went still, breathing hard, still sheathed inside her. She held him, her hands resting on his back. Everything inside her felt fluid and relaxed, her muscles limp, her mind floating free.
After a long time Wesley rolled away, lying on the bed beside her, his hand resting on her hip. She turned her head, watching him as he lay with his eyes closed.
“Will you take me?”
“Take you where? Home?” He spoke without opening his eyes.
“You said there are other places…” She wasn’t sure how to ask for what she wanted.
He opened his eyes and turned to look at her. “You want to go to a club with me?” His eyebrows drew together over dark eyes, eyes that gave nothing away. Scarlett wasn’t sure if she’d said something wrong.
“Will you take me?” she repeated. She could scarcely breathe for fear he’d say no.
“If you want, I’ll take you.” His face relaxed into a smile and she drew a shaky breath. He reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her forehead. His gaze was soft, eyes going sexy and heavy-lidded. But she wanted to know what was going on behind those eyes.
“Do you take other girls to clubs? Clubs like those?”
He shook his head, settling back on the bed. “I don’t take girls from Diablo to the club. I find girls there, girls who want to play.”
“That seems kind of…lonely.” It wasn’t lost on her that she’d done exactly the same thing that night, gone to a club alone looking for a one-night stand. It was exciting, exhilarating, but she wasn’t sure she could do it night after night.
“It depends what you’re looking to get from the encounters. I’m not looking for anything other than living out fantasies. Most of the girls there are looking for the same thing.” He shrugged, a slight movement of one shoulder. “It’s different for Doms and subs, but for the rest of us…I may see them again at the club, but we might not ever play together again.”
“Doms and subs?”
“Couples who come to the clubs to play. For them, they’re in a relationship. The subs are off-limits, unless the Dom is into sharing. But it gives them a chance to be out some place where they can play as a couple.”
Scarlett shook her head. “I don’t know what Doms and subs are.”
The look he gave her was level, considering. “It’s easier if I show you.” He sat up, the sheet pooling around his hips as he looked down at her. “I’ll give you a ride home. It’s my night off from Diablo. I’ll pick you up tonight and you can see for yourself.”
A little shiver ran through Scarlett at the thought of going out again with Wesley. And then that little shiver deepened as what he was saying sunk home. He was going to take her to a club, to a place where couples did things, the same kind of things Wesley had done to her.
“I’d like that.”
He was still looking at her, his eyes no longer dreamy, but filled with a growing hunger, a hunger that matched Scarlett’s. Wordlessly she reached for him, pulling her down into her arms. His mouth came down on hers, and she parted her lips to him as he settled against her. He was solid and warm, and through the thin sheet she felt his cock growing hard as he moved against her. She shifted, her legs moving apart, and he pressed himself against her. The friction of the sheet against her body was exquisite, almost painful, and she rolled her hips, rubbing herself against him in wanton abandon.
After a long time he lifted his head, his eyes dark, breath coming fast. “I guess taking you home can wait?”
Scarlett nodded. “It can wait.” The time it took to say those three words was too long to have his lips away from hers. She was already pulling him back down to her, lips parted, eager for his kiss, as he spoke.
“Yeah. I thought so.”
Chapter Five
“He’s taking you to a BDSM club?” Gina tossed the clothes she’d brought on the foot of Scarlett’s bed and then flopped down beside them, frowning. “Just who the hell did you meet last night?”
Scarlett set two glasses of wine on the bedside table, grabbed a pillow, and propped herself against the headboard. She handed Gina a wine, then took a sip of hers. More than anything, she’d have preferred a soda and a chance to get some sleep. Whatever Wesley had given her the night before had finally caught up with her and a dull headache had started. She wanted aspirin and a nap, a long nap. But there had been almost a dozen messages from Gina on her phone, and there was no way she could avoid her friend for very long.
And even though she was exhausted, she wanted to talk about what had happened, what it had been like being with Wesley. Gina was the only person she could think to tell who would remotely understand. Scarlett was also pretty sure Gina would know what to wear to a BDSM club.
“He’s the bartender at Diablo. His name is Wesley.” She watched the expression on Gina’s face change; the shock slowly replaced with something Scarlett thought just might be guilt.
“Oh…”
“Oh? You sent me there knowing what that place was, and all you can say is ‘oh’?”
“Scarlett, I’m sorry. Really. I didn’t…to be honest, I didn’t think you’d really go through with it, going to a club by yourself. And then, even if you did, I didn’t think there was a chance in hell you’d hook up with someone for a one-night stand. You’re not that kind of girl.”
Scarlett tried to keep a straight face, to pretend she was mad at Gina. It wasn’t often Gina was anything but supremely confident and she was enjoying Gina’s momentary discomfort. But she couldn’t keep it up and a smile tugged at her lips. “Am I that predictable?”
The look of confusion on Gina’s face was priceless, and then she smiled too. “Yeah. You are pretty set in your ways, at least until last night.”
Gina’s smile faded. “But seriously, Scarlett, do you think he’s someone you’d trust to take you to a BDSM club? You’re not all that savvy sometimes when it comes to guys. And a club like that? It’s a little out of your league.”
Gina was being her brutally honest self, and her words stung, even if they were true. “Before last night, I’d probably agree with you. But this is different. Wesley is different.”
“So there was fantastic sex?” Gina leaned forward, eyes lighting up. “I want details. Help a girl out, okay? I’m in the middle of a dry spell right now.”
Scarlett took another swallow of wine, trying to decide how to tell Gina everything, without getting a lecture about risky behavior. “Promise you won’t interrupt until I tell you the whole story, okay? It’s complicated and at first, it’s going to sound worse than it was.”
“Promise. Cross my heart and all that stuff.” Gina traced an
X across her chest with a red lacquer-tipped finger. “You’re here in one piece, so how bad could really great sex be?”
“Okay.” Scarlett set her wine on the bedside table. Gina stretched out, propping her head on one hand. It was clear Scarlett had Gina’s undivided attention. “You know what Diablo’s like, right? What some girls go there for?”
Gina shrugged. “The club’s got a rep for kink, that much I knew.”
“Have you ever gone there for that kind of stuff?”
Gina shook her head. “No. I mean, I’ve gone there and I know what’s there for the asking, but I never went after anything like that. How did you stumble into that scene?”
“It’s the bartenders. Or at least it’s Wesley who’s into that stuff. He’s a bartender there.”
“So Wesley just up and told you he wanted to take you home for kinky sex?”
Scarlett shook her head. “No, that’s not how it happened. Let me tell the story, okay?”
Gina nodded, grinning at Scarlett. “Okay. Lips are sealed.”
“So when I got there, this guy bought me a drink. Kyle. And then Kyle asked me to dance. So we did.”
Gina nodded. “Was he hot?”
“Not so much. He was…kind of in my space all the time. But that’s not the whole story. The guy drugged my drink.”
“Oh, Scarlett, no.”
“Wait. It gets better. Or worse.”
Gina was quiet, but Scarlett could tell it was killing her not to talk.
“When we got back to the bar, Wesley punched Kyle.”
Gina’s eyes went wide. “You’re kidding? Really?”
“Really. Wesley was behind the bar, and he tried to take my drink away, told me Kyle had put something in my drink. Kyle got mad, grabbed for Wesley or took a swing at him over the bar, and Wesley just hit him. Dropped him to the floor with one punch. The bouncers dragged him out.”
“Wow.”
“So anyway, Wesley got me a club soda. And we started talking. He asked if I wanted to go for drinks some place quieter. So we left.”
“And then he took you home?”
Scarlett shook her head. “Not really. Turns out he thought I was at the bar for the same reason every other girl was…for kinky sex.” She stopped, biting her lip, searching for the right words. “Not kinky…sort of a fantasy thing.”
“Like make your fantasy-come-true kind of sex? That would be pretty cool, if you could find a guy who’d do that.” Gina laughed. “He’d be one-in-a-million though.”
“No, not that kind of fantasy. Wesley thought I wanted something else. What he’s known for at Diablo, I guess.” Scarlett looked down, fidgeting with the edge of the sheet. It sounded tawdry and cheap, hearing the words.
“Spill it, Scarlett. You’re making me nervous.”
“He drugged me, when we were at the other bar.” She looked up at Gina. Her friend’s expression had changed from voyeuristic interest to frank concern.
“Scarlett, no.”
Scarlett hurried to explain. “But it wasn’t malicious, not like Kyle.”
“But he drugged you…”
“Yeah. I know. But he thought I wanted him to. He assumed I was at Diablo for the same reason the other girls were. So he didn’t think he was doing something I didn’t want him to do. He didn’t think he was doing anything wrong.”
“What did he think you wanted?”
Scarlett took a breath, held it a moment before speaking. “To be kidnapped and tied up, forced to have sex.” Her words came out in a rush. It really did sound bad.
Gina stared at Scarlett for a long moment. “That’s horrible. I mean, not for the girls who want that, but for you…” Gina reached out, setting her hand on Scarlett’s leg. “You’re not that kind of girl. You must have been terrified.”
When Scarlett didn’t answer, Gina’s brows drew together. “Scarlett? Really? You liked what he did?”
“Yeah. I did.”
“What did he do to you?” Gina sat up, hugging her knees. “Were you scared at all?”
“I was at first, I think, but the drug…whatever he gave me made everything feel so wonderful. By the time I realized I was tied up, I didn’t care anymore.”
“So it wasn’t really Wesley then? Just the drugs?”
Scarlett shrugged, then shook her head. “Maybe at first. But then the drug started to wear off. He had tied my wrists to the bed with these red silk ties…” She held out her wrists toward Gina. The red marks had faded but they were still visible.
“Scarlett, he hurt you.”
“I hurt myself, tugging against them. But the pain…” Scarlett tried to think back to how she felt, to find the words that could make Gina understand what it was like. Scarlett wasn’t sure she even knew how she felt.
“The pain made everything clearer, sharper somehow. And it made the sex amazing. When he started spanking me…”
“He spanked you? Did you like it?” Gina’s eyes lit up and Scarlett knew she was back into territory Gina was familiar with.
Scarlett nodded. “I did. It surprised me at first, but it was pretty amazing.”
Gina flopped back on the bed. “This is a whole side of you I never knew existed, Scarlett. Really. This doesn’t seem like you at all.”
“I don’t know what this is, to tell the truth.” She sat up, leaning toward Gina. “All I know is that I want more of whatever Wesley did to me last night. I want to see how far he’ll go…how far I’ll let him…and what it feels like.”
“You know those BDSM clubs can get pretty out of control. Are you sure you trust Wesley enough to not let you get hurt?”
An image of Wesley rose up in her mind, the reflection of him in the window. He’d been in control, of himself and her. Even though her muscles ached and every part of her Wesley had touched with his hands, and his mouth, felt raw and sensitive, that image was enough to send a rush of arousal through her. She closed her eyes, Gina forgotten for the moment, as something clenched deep inside her.
When she opened her eyes, Gina was watching her, one eyebrow raised and a knowing smile on her lips.
“Well, that answers my question. I don’t think you care if you can trust him. I think you’re more interested in whatever it is he did to you…and if he’ll do it again.”
Scarlett frowned. Was it just the scorching sex? She didn’t really want to believe she was that shallow, that she’d possibly fallen for a guy who was hot and had given her the best sex she’d ever had, and mistook that for something else, something deeper.
“I’m hoping it’s not just that.” Had she misread the whole experience? Was she making all this up?
“I do, too, Scarlett. Because you’re playing with something here that could be dangerous.” Gina sat up, leaned forward, her face close to Scarlett’s.
“Because if you’re not careful, you could get hurt. We’re talking about your body here, not just your feelings.”
Scarlett knew Gina was right. She could get hurt, in more ways than one. But for once it didn’t matter. She’d been hurt by Tyler, and she’d walked away from him.
She took a breath, looking at her friend. “I know you’re only looking out for me. If things get bad, I can just walk away from Wesley. No strings attached.”
Scarlett frowned at Gina’s snort of laughter. “Yeah, right. You’re so over your head with this guy, you can’t even see straight. You’re not thinking with your head. You’re leading with your heart.”
“But for once, I want to lead my heart, not think about it. Or have you think about it for me.”
Gina rolled her eyes. “You’re really going through with this, aren’t you?”
Scarlett sat back. It all felt right, even if it felt scary. “I really am.”
* * *
Gina left a short time later, after picking out a short black skirt and simple tank top for Scarlett.
“Don’t you have something I could borrow, something leather maybe? Or latex? They wear that, right?” Scarlett eyed the outfit as
if it was a visible sign of her lack of experience. “I don’t want to look like a complete neophyte.”
“Leather might be cliché. And despite what you think of me, I don’t own any latex.” Gina held up the clothes. “I think you want easy access along with sexy. And you’re going to look amazing no matter what you wear. You know that.”
Scarlett took the clothes from Gina, fingering the fabric of the skirt. It was silky and she knew once she had it on, it would hug her curves and swirl around her legs. She might feel awkward for a few minutes, but then she’d be with Wesley, and it wouldn’t matter.
“Yeah. I guess you’re right.” She thought about wearing these clothes, being in a public place where there was the distinct possibility that she would be out of them. The prospect was exhilarating. Especially when she knew it was going to be Wesley who would be taking them off of her.
“Scarlett, you okay? Having second thoughts?” Gina put her hand on Scarlett’s arm. “You don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”
She looked up at Gina. “Oh, hell, no. No second thoughts at all.”
“You’re sure you’re not still drugged?”
Scarlett shook her head, a smile spreading across her face. “Not in the least. I’m exhausted, but my head is clear.” She didn’t miss the look of concern on Gina’s face, the doubt she saw there. “I’ll be fine. You can stop worrying about me.”
“You’re my best friend, of course I worry. And this isn’t just a date with a guy…this is something totally different. Like I said, you’re not that savvy with guys. I just don’t want you to get hurt.”
Chapter Six
The doorbell rang while she was combing her hair. She’d had it up, down, in a ponytail, curled and straight, and she was still not happy with it.
Scarlett dropped the brush on the bathroom counter and walked across the living room. Her hands were just the tiniest bit clammy and she rubbed them against her hips.
Was she really going through with this? Maybe Gina was right. There was still time to back out. She’d just tell Wesley how she felt, let him down easy and everything would be fine. She took a deep breath and opened the door.
