by Bowles, Jan
A beautiful smile drifted to her lips. “Why thank you.”
“So, Kelly—”
“You know my name?”
“It’s in the book.” He held out his hand. “I’m Matthew Strong, ma’am. Along with my brother I’m the owner of Club Submission. I make it my business to know everyone here.”
Her cool hand slipped into his. “Good to meet you, Matthew.”
“So, as I was saying, Kelly. Are you here to play? If you’re worried about anything—”
“Not at all. I am looking to play, but I prefer to take my time.” She sipped demurely at her cocktail. The deep red drink coated her lips for a moment until she licked it provocatively away with the tip of her tongue.
Matthew smiled. Kelly seemed very sure of herself. She was a woman who clearly knew her own mind. Perhaps she hadn’t been impressed with what was on offer.
“To my knowledge you’ve turned down three experienced Dom’s. Why do that if you want to play?”
“I’m waiting.”
“Waiting for what?”
“For the very best.”
“I see.”
With beautifully manicured fingernails, Kelly fished the wedge of cucumber from her glass. She smiled at him and then bit it in half with a loud satisfying crunch. “Do you play, Matthew?” Her startling gray eyes held him entranced.
Like electricity, the sexual attraction between them felt palpable. Matthew let his gaze drift over her beautiful body, before finally focusing on her face. A large diamond stud sparkled in each earlobe, winking at him in the subdued lighting. He felt as though this siren had lured him in, hook, line, and sinker.
“With the right woman, yes, I play.”
A sexy smile drifted to her lips. “Then maybe I don’t need to wait any longer.” After popping the remains of the cucumber into her mouth, she placed her glass confidently on the table, and leaned back in her chair.
His cock immediately sprang to life. He’d always liked a challenge, and Kelly was certainly that. He didn’t have many subs that would start taking the lead. If they did, he soon taught them never to do it again.
Chapter Three
Kelly controlled her breathing with a deep inaudible sigh. The guy sitting beside her was simply gorgeous. Just how many men had great bodies and mesmerizing green eyes? His rugged features were complemented by short dark hair, which feathered neatly around his face. It looked as though he’d just brushed his fingers through it. Over a white T-shirt, he wore a black leather vest with lace-up sides, which were repeated on his leather pants. It made him seem sexy as hell, especially as she could make out the muscle development on his arms and chest. He must do some serious workouts to be so highly toned. Christ, my panties are soaked through, and we haven’t even gotten to the foreplay stage yet.
Matthew was a man in his prime who exuded power and control—something she desperately needed in her life.
The first time she’d seen him at Club Submission, she’d known no other man would match up, and for the last three days she’d been unable to think of anyone else. Instinctively, she’d known he owned the club. It was the way he’d acted and engaged with other club members, so confident and self-assured. He’d been busy attending to business and had casually walked past her. The way he looked in tight leather jeans had nearly been her undoing.
The first stage was over. She’d found the man she wanted, but what now?
Matthew was clearly at ease with himself and rested one ankle across his knee. The masculine hairs on the back of his hand caught the light as he casually gripped his leather cowboy boot. His sensual lips lifted slightly at the corners as he held her gaze. “So, tell me your limits, Kelly, and we can decide where we go from there.”
It all sounded rather clinical. She wanted this man. God, she wanted him. It had been her fantasy for as long as she could remember to find a real man like Matthew Strong, but now she was finally on the point of giving her body to him, she needed to slow things down a little. She wanted to get to know the guy first before any fucking took place. “Is it really necessary to get down to business so quickly?”
He smiled, making the lines around his mouth deepen. His beautiful, watchful eyes seemed all knowing as he raised a brow. “Then what would you suggest we do?”
Apart from hand over control and have wild sex with a complete stranger?
A frisson of fear whipped through her body, making her pulse rate speed up. Just the thought of giving away all power and control unnerved her, but excited her, too. Kelly briefly closed her eyes and breathed deeply, trying to rein in the inner turmoil. I need this. It’s the right thing for me. Otherwise, I’ll never be a properly fulfilled woman. Drawing on her reserves, she smiled back. “You seem like a gentleman, Mr. Strong. I’ll place myself in your care. What would you suggest?”
He smiled. “In that case, my brother and I are expanding the club. Allow me to show you our new facilities.”
“Sounds good. Lead the way.”
A sense of satisfaction stimulated every nerve ending in her body as his gaze drifted to her cleavage and then casually stroked down her legs. This gorgeous guy wanted her. That thought alone made her clit pulse with pleasure. Without a doubt Matthew Strong could deliver her fantasies and then some. For years she’d barely become sexually aroused around men. The ones she employed all seemed so weak and lily-livered. She knew they would fall apart when the going got tough. That was why her father hadn’t put one of them in charge of McCloud Energy. He knew it, too. However, just a few minutes in the presence of Matthew Strong sent her libido into meltdown. She didn’t even have to look down to know her breasts were heaving with excitement.
“Come this way. We can talk as I show you around.” He gently touched her hand, so fleetingly she wasn’t quite sure if she’d imagined it or not. “I want to know everything about you, Kelly.”
“Very well.” She smiled politely as he helped her to her feet. She’d tell him a little about herself, but she wouldn’t divulge who she really was. Common sense insisted she keep her identity private. It would be career suicide for the head of a huge corporation to publicize they frequented a BDSM club.
It was only when she stood next to him that she realized just how tall he was. He must be at least six three and a good two hundred pounds. As she was barely five four, his huge stature made her feel small, vulnerable, and incredibly sexy.
Matthew guided her across the crowded room to a set of double doors, which led to the Hot Zone. Kelly swallowed hard, trying to maintain her confidence as he pushed through and beckoned her to follow with an index finger. Her mind suddenly went blank as she came face-to-face with a naked woman, hanging upside down. The woman was restrained, too, her body tightly bound with seven or eight coils of thick rope. A gag had also been placed in her mouth. This lady mewed submissively like a frightened kitten.
“Oh, my.” Even though Kelly knew what to expect, she was still a little shocked. A hooded man dressed in a leather suit mercilessly whipped the naked woman with a flogger. She could clearly see angry raised welts on the woman’s back and buttocks. She turned to Matthew standing beside her. “That must hurt like hell,” she whispered, keeping her voice low so as not to disturb the scene. She’d read up on the rules of the club, and didn’t want to come across as a complete novice.
Matthew placed his arms around her shoulders and guided her deeper into the Hot Zone. “Kelly, you need to free your mind from the vanilla world, and look at life from a more enlightened perspective. It’s not a question of pain, it’s a question of enjoyment.”
“But the woman’s clearly in pain.”
He suddenly stopped walking and turned her to face him. “Yes, she undoubtedly feels pains, but there’s a difference. This woman enjoys the sensation. It’s what turns her on.”
“I see. I guess I kinda already knew that.”
Matthew smiled, and stroked his hand down her cheek. “No, Kelly, I don’t think you do, but you will.” His words and the tender way he c
aressed her skin made her feel all warm and protected. Even though she enjoyed his touch, she still battled to stay in control. It went against her upbringing. Since she was barely able to walk, her father had drilled self-reliance into her.
She took a step backward, away from his powerful aura, trying to show she was still in control. “So how long have you and your brother owned Club Submission, Matthew?”
“Close on seven years.”
“How did you get started?”
“Now that’s a long story.” He led the way through another set of doors marked as “Private.” “Maybe one day I’ll tell you if you’re still around.” The heady beat of the music coming from the club gradually drifted away as they walked together down a long corridor.
Matthew pushed open yet another door, and ushered her through. “Ladies first. It’s my privilege to show you our latest project. This newly built suite of rooms means that members can stay overnight if they wish.”
Kelly squeezed past him, taking in his exciting alpha male scent as she did so. A large four-poster bed filled the room, and the walls were decorated with ironwork sconces. “I presume you’ll put candles in these.”
“Sure will, they’ll add the final touch.”
She smiled knowingly. “I can see you’ve made it up to look like a medieval dungeon.” Manacles and chains hung from the walls, while a set of whipping posts stood menacingly in the corner. An archway in the dungeon led to a luxury bathroom complete with sunken bath and walk-in shower. She laughed. “A very modern dungeon.”
He pointed to the four-poster bed. “Take a seat. See how comfortable it is.”
She eyed him suspiciously, but found herself saying, “Okay.” She knew her miniskirt slid up her thighs as her butt sunk into the soft mattress, but she liked the attention Matthew gave her legs, as he stood leaning casually against the wall.
“Now to business, Kelly. What made you come to Club Submission? What do you want from us? And more specifically what do you want from me?”
Remaining remarkably composed, even though she sat on a bed with a powerful Dom watching her every move, she was pleased her reply was even and confident. “I have a high-powered job, Matthew. I run a large company, and a lot of people rely on me. I need to leave it all behind in my private life.”
“So you don’t enjoy being the boss?”
“Oh, yes, I do. I was born to be in charge.” She paused for a moment, looking for the right words. “It’s difficult to explain, but…in my job, I’m surrounded by simpering yes-men. They do nothing for me. I despise them. I’ve come to the conclusion I need a man to take control in my private life. I need to feel like a feminine, vulnerable woman. Rather than a woman men are frightened of.” She held out her hands, palms up. “Does that make any sense?”
“Yes, to me it makes perfect sense. Human beings have been hunter-gatherers since the dawn of time. The men always went out hunting, while the women stayed at home looking after the children and preparing the meals.” He sighed. “It seems the world has moved on, but our emotions haven’t caught up yet. Men and women of today are wired up exactly like their ancestors. This means men are hardwired to be dominant, and women are hardwired to be submissive. It’s been like that for millennia.”
A wonderful, glorious feeling of absolute calm flooded Kelly’s body. “Thank, God, at last, a man who can understand me.” Their eyes connected, and she felt sure he could read her thoughts. “Kiss me.”
He stared at her for what seemed an eternity, before saying, “Come here.”
Desire pooled in her stomach, as she rose from the bed on wobbly legs, and slowly moved across to him. He stood only a few steps away, but it felt like a mile. As she drew inexorably closer, she felt his primal animal warmth and masculinity crossing the divide between them. Goddamn, what will this guy do to me if I let him?
A slightly triumphant smile drifted to his lips as he focused intently on her. His hands rested on her shoulders, before smoothing down her arms. Without warning he circled her wrists and held them tightly together behind her back. His dominant act of ownership thrilled and excited her. Her arousal went off the scale, making her pussy throb with need. A whimper of sexual craving spilled from her lips as his body pressed along the entire length of hers.
His hot breath whispered against her neck as he spoke quietly and ominously in her ear. “Understand this, regardless of how powerful you are at work, I’m in charge around here. I decide if, what, and when. My word is law.” Holding her wrists in one hand he grabbed a handful of her hair with the other, twisting it in his grasp, making her head tilt back, forcing her to meet his gaze. Gorgeous green eyes filled her vision. She could see flecks of gold, speckling his mossy green irises. Her back arched and her pelvis rested against his hips. Her pussy pressed provocatively against the obvious bulge in his leather pants. No man had ever treated her like this, and she liked it. Her breasts heaved as her nipples puckered into hardened points.
His eyes swept slowly over her quivering, prone body. “I can see being dominated turns you on.”
“Yes,” she whispered, barely able to speak.
“Tell me what you want. I want to hear it from your own lips, Kelly.”
Her heart rate accelerated as he brushed his mouth across hers. She couldn’t think straight, let alone make any coherent conversation. “Make me feel like a vulnerable, desirable woman, Matthew.” Her words were barely audible.
“You’re very beautiful, Kelly, it will be my pleasure, but are you willing to surrender total control to me?”
“Y–yes.”
“Then on your knees, and pledge your submission.”
His request took her completely by surprise. In a brief moment of hesitation, she felt his demeanor change. “Hmm, just as I thought. You’re not quite ready to let go yet, are you?” He gently set her back from him. “Go home, Kelly, and come back when you’re willing to play the game.”
Shaking almost uncontrollably, she breathily replied, “I want to submit. I really do, but I just can’t hand over control that easily.” Feeling compromised, but knowing he was right, she made for the door.
“Kelly.” She turned and looked into his incredible green eyes. “Remember this. If you come back to Club Submission, you’ll belong to me one hundred percent. You’ll be mine to do with as I see fit. Only then can I fulfill your every fantasy.”
Chapter Four
Matthew tilted the blinds. His office at Club Submission overlooked the parking lot, and he watched Kelly walking purposefully to her car. Her elegant legs moved with ease and self-assurance. She was clearly a very confident woman—maybe too confident for her own good. That was one reason why he’d called a halt to their play. He had no doubt she would eventually submit to his will, but he figured her idea of submission was totally different than his. Still, if she returned again, he would be most interested to find out.
He observed her casually point the remote at her automobile before settling behind the wheel. For a woman who apparently ran a large company, she drove a particularly mundane car. If she were telling the truth, he could be forgiven for imagining she drove a bloodred Ferrari, and not the small, innocuous Chevy that rolled out of the lot. Perhaps, in order to protect her private life, she had simply borrowed or hired the car. He was well aware that many club members went to a lot of trouble to hide their true identity.
Just looking into her beautiful silver eyes as he’d controlled her, and the way she’d stared back unafraid to hold his gaze, resistance sparking through every nerve in her body, made his cock harden. Her pupils had dilated with pleasure, causing the blood to stir in his veins. Her reaction had turned him on. It would be a pleasure making this beautiful lady submit to his will.
Ethan breezed into the office. “Has the Raven blown you out, too?”
Matthew turned from the window as Kelly finally pulled onto the highway and drove away. “I told her to go home and think about what she really wants.”
“Oh?” His brother’s brows d
rew together as though he’d made the wrong decision. “You’re going soft in your old age, Matt. Club Submission is where women come to indulge their fantasies. She’s been here three times already. What the fuck are you waiting for?”
Matthew elaborated. “Clearly the woman has needs, Ethan, but I’m not sure she’s even a submissive.”
Ethan shook his head and laughed out loud. “Truth now, you just don’t think you can handle her, do you?”
Matthew shook his head. “You are so wrong, little brother. She heads a large business, or so she says.” He could run a check on her, but that just wasn’t his style. At Club Submission they protected everyone’s identity.
Ethan looked thoughtful for a moment. “Perhaps she’s actually telling the truth, Matt, rather than the usual bullshit we hear. Thinking about it, she does look vaguely familiar. I feel certain I’ve seen that beautiful face of hers somewhere before, but I just can’t place her. It’s those gorgeous silver eyes of hers.”
Matthew dismissively waved his brother away. “What the hell do you know?”
“Enough to know she’s too hot for you to handle. You can always send her my way, if she’s too much for an old guy like yourself.” A mischievous smirk drifted to Ethan’s face.
Matthew knew his kid brother was just teasing, but he couldn’t help rising to the bait all the same. “I’m only thirty-five for fuck’s sake, Ethan. I can handle her, don’t you worry on that score.” Kelly was a woman who knew what she wanted, and to his immense satisfaction, she wanted him. He figured she’d fight him all the way, but in the end, he’d win. He always did.
That’s if she ever returns to Club Submission. Why did you send such a beautiful woman away in the first place? Are you completely nuts?
* * * *
Two weeks later
