by Anya Summers
"No. We're partners. He's made it a point to understand me more thoroughly than anyone ever has, and his role as my Dom is to ensure I'm happy. When it comes to decisions regarding my life, I still make them. So really the only control I've ceded him is in the bedroom, which I can tell you is extremely hot and a bit of a power trip for me, too. It actually gives me more control than I ever had in other relationships because it's through my submission that I am able to provide my Dom with pleasure the only way he can attain it. Vanilla sex for me never felt right, and always made me feel like I wasn't normal. It wasn't until Declan that I finally understood why. I need to submit. If you are into that sort of thing, or think you might be, then the club is a safe place to explore those desires."
"Interesting." Elise was surprised at how much food for thought Zoey had provided her with. She had never even considered that there might be power behind the loss of control. It was a facet of the lifestyle which made her want to step into the arena and try it.
"I'm surprised Kara didn't mention any of this," Zoey said.
"She's been a little distracted of late, between Zeke and Chase, not that I blame her." Except Elise had had no one to talk to after going to the club in Manhattan. So a part of her was a little peeved at Kara, and did in fact blame her for leaving her hanging. Kara had opened this door to wonderland for Elise and not stuck around to help her navigate it.
"Well, feel free to ask me anything while you are here." Zoey stepped from behind the screen, back in her jeans and sweater, holding the dress by the bust.
Elise took it from her, and began hanging the gown up. "Thank you. I just might do that," she murmured, feeling touched at her host's offer.
"If you are done with me, I'm going to go see Declan about that membership for you. Why don't you meet us for dinner in an hour in the small dining room on the first floor? Just take the elevator down and take a left, the dining room will be the third door on the left."
"Sure. I have a few more things to do here to get things prepped."
"Then I will see you in an hour." Zoey left her alone with her thoughts.
So far, going to the club in Manhattan had been the one thing that had driven away Elise's anxiety in the last two weeks. If the club here could offer the same distraction, even if all she did was sit and people watch, she'd jump on it. As to whether she wanted to participate or not, Elise wasn't sure. She liked sex, she did. It had been far too long since she'd had an orgasm from something that wasn't battery operated, but she didn't know if she could do it in front of an audience.
It was the pleasure she had witnessed, the unrestrained joy plastered across Kara's face and every other sub she spied, which intrigued her. Had she ever experienced pleasure that intense? Elise could honestly say no. Oh she'd had orgasms, sure, but not like that.
Elise arranged Zoey's dress so that it was ready for her to begin the alterations come morning. She stifled a yawn. Tonight might be a short night at the club if the jet lag was starting to hit her system.
Leaving the room, Elise made her way down to the dining room, trying to ignore the hope bubbling in her chest.
Chapter Two
Tyler reclined in the walnut leather chair as he listened to Declan's fiancée state her case for her dress designer to attend the club. Zoey Mills was a looker, all soft curves and warm smiles. And his buddy Declan, with his normal stoic façade, was putty in his fiancée's hands. Tyler had never seen Declan so damn contented. It was certainly a sight he never thought he'd see.
"Lass, I don't like the idea of bringing in an outsider we know nothing about," Declan said in a stern Dom voice.
Zoey didn't so much as flinch under his glare. "But she's friends with Kara and her Doms, what harm could it do? Please? It's not like she's going to talk to people about us." She pleaded so prettily that it almost made Tyler want to agree.
Declan's sub really was the perfect fit for his friend. Tyler had never thought Declan would settle down, but he couldn't have handpicked a better woman for him. Tyler recognized the moment Declan caved to his sub's pleas.
"All right, I will get her papers ready. Anything else, love?"
"Thank you." Zoey's effervescence was refreshing. "She's having dinner with us. Tyler, you are welcome to join us. I'm sure Mrs. Stewart has made more than enough, and I can have her set an extra place if you'd like."
"Much obliged, ma'am. I'd be honored." Tyler tipped his head in acknowledgement.
Zoey didn't walk out of the room so much as glide like a regal queen. Once she was out the door, Tyler swiveled his attention back to Declan.
"Why do I get the feeling that you are none too pleased about this dress lady gaining access to the club? We have a non-disclosure that keeps her from talking about it with anyone, and you can sue the pants off her if not, so what's the problem?" He leveled a stare at Declan. They were both more familiar with playing their cards close to their chest than discussing the reasons behind their decisions. It was what made them such good friends. They each had their own empire to manage and only someone who held the same manner of responsibilities weighing on them could understand fully.
"Funny you should mention it. Zeke and Chase called me about Elise before she arrived this morning. I didn't tell Zoey because I don't want to raise any alarm bells. She's nice and professional, don't get me wrong. Zoey's already over the moon about the work she's completed on her wedding dress. However, Elise is thoroughly untrained and undisciplined. She managed to piss off a few Doms at the Manhattan club because she didn't know the rules or didn't care to accede to them, even going so far as to slap a Dom who apparently offended her. I don't want Zoey to pick up any of her bad habits, or have Elise disrupt the foundation I've begun to build with Zoey."
The thought of a new, untrained potential sub almost made Tyler purr in delight. It had been eons since he had had the pleasure of training a newbie. The thought of getting the chance to be the first to push a new sub's boundaries, to be the first Dom to take her into sub space and beyond, made his body hum with anticipation. There was nothing so primal and thoroughly satisfying for him as a Dom as to be the one to make a sub blossom.
"If you'd like me to take on her training while I'm here, I'd be happy to help." The words left his mouth before he'd even considered the full ramifications.
Relief crossed Declan's features. "I'd be much obliged, if you don't mind. As long as you are willing, I will make it a stipulation of her joining the club provisionally."
"Not at all." Even sight unseen, the prospect of tutoring a new sub made Tyler practically growl.
"Great. Give me just a minute to get her papers in order and then we can go to dinner."
Excitement thrummed in Tyler's veins. He stood, stretching his legs, unable to sit still at the upcoming meeting. He'd dallied with a few of the sub offerings below decks in the few days he'd been here. Darla had been fun. Sherry was a delight. And he would eventually get around to the other unmatched subs, after he'd sated his appetite with the new subbie. Tyler felt like a caged tiger about to be set loose on an unsuspecting gazelle. This was why he had come here. Why he'd taken a break from his workaholic schedule, left his business in his capable manager's hands, and headed halfway across the globe to the club.
Tyler was familiar with the requisite travel needed for his sexual preferences. It was a rarity for him to find a woman who enjoyed the lifestyle in his neck of the woods along the Kansas and Colorado border. He had clubs throughout the States he frequented whenever he traveled, and the closest one was in Denver, about a two hour or so drive from his ranch. That was why he had come to the club he'd help found years ago, for a much needed break from the doldrums of his life and to indulge in fleshy delights. A new sub to train and play with was the icing, whipped cream, and cherry on top of a delectable cake.
"Let's go." Declan was as efficient as ever and strode to the door with a file in his hands.
Tyler followed him from his office down to the dining room. He liked Declan's home. It was a
far cry from his ranch in Kansas, but it suited his buddy. They'd met at a Global Environmental Conference some years back as they were both starting out as fledgling businessmen. Tyler had still been in the process of building his empire from scratch, and Declan had just been handed the reins to his father's enterprises. Both of them wanted to make a difference in the world. When they discovered their mutual interest in the lifestyle, the two of them had formed a friendship that transcended business.
It had been over drinks at BDSM club in South Beach that the idea for starting the Dungeon Fantasy Club had been born. Declan had had a hell of a time avoiding the press, and Tyler had been in the middle of meetings on Capitol Hill testifying about clean energy technology he'd begun using on his ranch. The club on South Beach had been anything but discreet, and with their need for secrecy they had started their own club.
He followed Declan into the dining room just as Mrs. Stewart rolled in a cart laden with food. Zoey stood with her back to them at the intimate dining table, pouring wine into a crystal goblet. His gazed zeroed in on the slender woman standing before one of the paintings displayed on the far wall. From this angle, her back was to the rest of the room, and Tyler took a moment to study the lines of her body.
Her back was all graceful long lines, and subtle curves that belled out to a delectable heart-shaped ass that made his cock stir. Even though she stood perfectly still, her body vibrated with energy. As though her small compact form couldn't contain it all.
"Elise, would you like a glass?" Zoey's voice filled the space.
Elise swiveled and Tyler felt a sucker punch to the gut.
"Sure," Elise replied and approached the table, her feet gliding across the space, making Tyler think of woodland nymphs.
She was lovely, the graceful lines and curves just as prominent from the front. Her shoulders appeared dainty, the lines flowing to a generous swell of breasts that would fill his hands nicely, and the slight swell of her hips made him clench his hands. But it was her face that did him in, making him think of pixies and fairy maidens. Her dark, chin-length hair completed her spritely appearance but it was her moss-colored eyes, surrounded by a wealth of inky lashes that truly grabbed him. They were haunted. The sorrow inherent in their depths stirred him, awakening his need to protect, to be the one to bring joy back into her gaze. While the rest of her form held the appearance of pleasure and peace, her eyes betrayed her.
"Elise, I'd like you to meet my good friend, Tyler Jenson. Tyler, this is Elise Beauregard."
Tyler stepped forward with his hand extended. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Elise. I hear you design custom wedding gowns."
That moss gaze of hers studied him with a flash of interest that she swiftly hid as she placed her hand in his. "A pleasure, Mister Jenson. And yes, I do design wedding gowns."
A flush crept up her neck as he held her gaze and she unconsciously licked her rose-colored lips. Her voice was sweet, slightly raspy, and he felt the vibrations of it in his spine. His fingers closed around her chilled digits. Her skin was impossibly soft; he rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand, reading the nuances of her reaction to him. Her pulse fluttered underneath his fingers and he hid his pleasure at that. He held it just a wee bit longer than was necessary, wanting her to get familiar with his touch, unwilling to break contact until he was forced to release her.
"If you'd like to be seated, I think Mrs. Stewart is ready to serve dinner. Tyler, what can I interest you in to drink?" Zoey asked, playing the consummate hostess.
In the distraction, Elise managed to retract her hand from his and scoot away to the other side of the table. He chuckled internally. She could run but after tonight, he would begin her unraveling.
"A beer if you have one," he replied, moving toward a chair at the table's end. It would keep him near his quarry.
"Coming right up."
He and Declan sat at the two heads of the table opposite each other, which put Zoey on Declan's right and Elise on his. She sipped her wine and avoided looking his way during the meal. Tyler barely managed to pay attention to what was being served, his focus more on the new sub and her reactions to stimuli than to the food. Zoey kept the conversation flowing around the table with ease.
"So, Tyler, Declan tells me you have a ranch in Kansas. What do you raise on it?"
He glanced at Zoey, and noticed Elise paying attention. "Wind."
"Come again?" Zoey laughed.
"I inherited a small spec of land from my grandparents when they passed more than a decade ago. There had been a drought back in 2001 that had hit them especially hard, and the ranch hadn't recovered. So when I inherited the land, it wasn't much more then dirt. Instead of investing in building a herd of cattle or planting crops, I liquidated the assets I could and started a wind farm for clean energy. At the time I could only afford two turbines, but I sunk everything into those two and was lucky that it paid off. I now own quite a few more, leaving me to expand the ranch. We also grow non-GMO corn and soybeans. I also raise and breed ranch horses."
"That's very cool, Tyler, that you are so environmentally friendly," Zoey murmured with a grin.
Elise's gaze contemplated him more intently, with something bordering on keen interest.
"We owe it to future generations, in my philosophy, to do what we can to help reduce the negative impact our civilization has had upon the planet. Wind power drastically cuts our dependence upon fossil fuels and carbon emissions, not to mention it's a long-term renewable energy source. There are other technologies my ranch has implemented to help reduce the carbon footprint too, with great success. Don't you agree that it's a worthwhile endeavor?"
"Absolutely. After living here in the Scottish countryside, I find I'm much more environmentally inclined than I was living in Los Angeles. What do you think, Elise?"
Elise swallowed a sip of wine. Tyler noted the pulse fluttering in her neck before she replied. "As long as wind farms and environmental standards don't put the smaller mom and pop farms out of business. You said yourself that you have a ranch now, but before you earned back your investment, you couldn't have afforded the improvements for cleaner technology. I think before we make it a policy that it needs to be at a certain standard, we need to keep in mind that many may not be able to afford to upgrade to all the environmentally sound practices—not everyone has the means to make those improvements. While I agree it needs to be done to protect the environment and the planet, there need to be better ways than making hardworking families lose their livelihood, in my opinion."
Tyler cocked his head to the side, with a slight grin hovering on his lips. She was fascinating. "How would a woman from New York City know about the plight of small farmers?"
"Just because I love living in the city, doesn't mean I don't have roots elsewhere, or experience when it comes to farms," Elise replied with a droll wit.
He couldn't have stopped the rumbling laugh if he'd tried. "Really? Do tell."
"I'm originally from a little town in Kentucky." She all but bristled defensively under his stare and Tyler couldn't help but smile.
"Is that right?" He caught her mossy gaze with his, trying to see past her outer defenses. She didn't like letting it slip that she wasn't from the big bad city. Not such a big city miss now was she; there was some country in her after all. He wanted to uncover why she'd left her home for bright lights of Manhattan. He'd always been country at heart. Oh he liked the city; he'd been to New York on more than one occasion for business. The amenities you could find at your fingertips, the restaurants and nightlife were fine distractions as any, but he also liked the slower pace of life that could be measured in seasons and years. He enjoyed walking out onto his front porch after a long day of work and staring at the Milky Way, with a cold beer and his golden retriever, Max, nestled at his feet. The fact that he could count on the land to always remain the same. That his fields and acres would hopefully get passed down to his children, when he got around to having them, and hopefully their children, as well.
>
Lately he'd begun to ache for a family, to have a woman in the lifestyle to be there when he returned to the house at the end of the day, and maybe a son or daughter to teach the running of the ranch to and carry on his legacy. Since his first marriage had ended five years back, he hadn't even considering wanting a permanent relationship, but here, lately, he'd begun yearning for the comfort and continuity of it all. The cook saved him from the maudlin direction of his thoughts.
Mrs. Stewart appeared from the kitchen with Sherry in tow. Sherry began clearing dinner plates, tossing Tyler an invitation with her baby blue eyes. He acknowledged her carnal offering while declining the invite. She huffed, turning back to her work as Mrs. Stewart served slices of German chocolate cake.
"Mrs. Stewart, I must say, if you ever want to leave Declan and move to the States, you have a place at my ranch any day of the week."
The matronly woman preened and flushed under his praise. "Thank you. But I'll not be leaving; I'm too old for such things."
"Well it was worth a shot, ma'am." He nodded, knowing that his own housekeeper would throw a fit three ways to Sunday if he brought in competition. Mrs. Beecham ruled the roost at Jenson Ranch, Hope Frontier, with an iron fist, and she never let him forget it.
After Mrs. Stewart and Sherry had left the room, Declan addressed Elise.
"Elise, Zoey mentioned to me that you were interested in a provisional membership in the Dungeon Fantasy Club."
Elise stiffened and shot a gaze around the room, passing over Tyler before she shifted her attention to Declan. "That's correct. I know it may be—"
Declan cut her off, raising a hand to silence her. "I'm willing to grant it but there are some provisions that you will need to adhere to in order for me to grant you the membership."
"All right. What are the provisions?" She fidgeted in her seat. Her foot was tapping against the floor—with anxiety or excitement, Tyler couldn't tell.
