by Tara Rose
Wes blinked a few times, and Dalton swore he could see the wheels turning in his head, categorizing all the chinks of information into neat little compartments. When the lightbulb moment came, it was glorious to watch. “It’s a role-play game.”
“In a way, yes. But don’t trivialize it out loud, okay? It’s a lifestyle, and those of us who live it twenty-four seven aren’t playing a game.”
“I didn’t mean to imply that. I’m sorry. Poor choice of words.”
Dalton held up his hand. “Not necessary. If using a gaming analogy helps you understand what I’m saying, then that’s fine. I just want to make sure you understand that it’s not a game. Since you and Summer are new to this, I’ll approach tonight as an experiment and nothing more. First, we need to find out what she wants to do. This has to be consensual, above all else. And then, we’ll give her safewords, and take our cues from her responses. Sound like a plan, Wes?”
Wes watched him carefully for a few seconds, and Dalton had the unmistakable feeling he was being sized up. Finally, he stuck out his hand. “I can do that. Thanks, Dalton.
Dalton shook Wes’s hand, more than a bit stunned that he’d been able to loosen the chip on the man’s shoulder in such a short time, but grateful just the same. The evening would have been awkward and uncomfortable at best, otherwise.
Summer came over and stood there, glancing from one to the other. “Okay, guys. All set? What’s first?”
Dalton gave her a stern look. He was going to enjoy this immensely.
Chapter Three
Summer sucked in a sharp breath. The expression in Dalton’s eyes was so commanding that it sent a strong wave of desire coursing through her body, making her a bit dizzy. What was it about this man that rendered her almost incapable of rational thought?
“Have a seat again, Summer. We need to talk about a few things.”
She did, and then raised her eyebrows as Wes spoke up instead of Dalton. “What are your expectations for tonight, Summer? I know you said you’re here to play, but what do you want to experience, specifically?”
The corners of Dalton’s mouth turned up, but Summer wasn’t able to process that gesture just yet. She was too busy gawking at Wes. What the hell had Dalton said to him in the space of a few minutes that had produced such a change? Gone was the shyness from earlier that had been so obvious when he’d picked her up to drive her to the club. Instead, she gazed into his handsome face, struck by the confidence she saw there. Where had this come from? Summer liked it. She liked it a lot.
“Well, specifically, I’d like to experience bondage with rope, and I’d love to know what a good hard paddling on my rear end feels like. If that’s not too far to go, of course.” It suddenly occurred to her that the guys might not be comfortable with impact play on her ass.
“Anything else?” asked Dalton softly. He was watching her carefully, as if gauging her reaction.
Summer had a laundry list of things she’d love to try, but now, facing them both and being asked to name them, her mouth went dry as uncertainty washed over her. “I’m pretty fearless. I’ll try anything once.”
Dalton chuckled softly. “Summer, everyone has limits. Let’s talk about yours. What is something you will not do, no matter what? Have you thought about that at all?”
She shook her head. She’d been here often enough to know that some pretty wild stuff went on from time to time, but she’d never seen anything that had totally freaked her out.
“Okay. Then let’s try it this way for tonight. We’ll negotiate each new experience with you before we try it. That way you can let your feelings and emotions at the time guide you. Does that sound all right?”
She nodded. “Yes. I like that idea.”
“Now for all the clinical stuff. Just in case bodily fluids are exchanged tonight, I don’t have any STDs and I’m tested regularly.”
“I don’t either.” Bodily fluids? Would this progress that far? Summer’s pulse began to race at the possibility.
Wes shook his head. “Neither do I.”
“All right. Good. Now for safewords. I like to use ‘green’ to indicate everything is all right and you want us to continue, ‘yellow’ to indicate something needs adjusted, and ‘red’ to stop the scene immediately. Are you comfortable with those, and do you understand their meanings?”
“Us?” As in he and Wes would be playing with her? It suddenly occurred to her that when he had talked about STDs, he’d included his own status as well.
Dalton’s gaze faltered for just a second, but then he recovered. The briefest flash of disappointment crossed his face, but surely she’d imagined that, hadn’t she? “I meant Wes, of course.” He cut his gaze toward Wes for a second. “Are you both comfortable with those safewords?”
Summer glanced at Wes. There was something dark and sinister in the way he narrowed his eyes at Dalton. A shiver ran up and down her spine. What was going on under the surface between these two? They’d been in the same grade and had both grown up in this tiny town. Was there a history here that she knew nothing about? Had coming here tonight with Wes been a mistake?
“I’m fine with them,” said Wes.
“I am, too,” she said. “But may I ask a question?
“Of course,” said Dalton.
She took a deep breath. “Is it your intention that both of you top me in play tonight?”
Dalton stared at her for a few seconds, but it was impossible to interpret the expression on his face. She didn’t dare glance at Wes right now, afraid she’d see anger or jealousy. Dalton stood. “Let’s walk around the room for now. We can figure out the answer to that question later.”
She nodded as disappointment washed over her. What was that about? Did she want to play with both of them? What did Wes want? She wasn’t going to find out right now, and Summer was convinced that if she pushed the issue, she’d end up asking Wes to take her home.
As she stood and took Wes’s offered hand, surprised to find it cool and slightly damp, she finally glanced up at him, but his face was impassive. They barely knew each other. Polite conversation over lunch and one dinner, plus a molten kiss that had shocked and delighted her, was the extent of it so far. Oh, and some stolen conversation in the lobby, where they had no privacy at all and Summer had been constantly interrupted by the phone or visitors walking in the front doors. What the hell was she doing at this club with him?
Summer fought the urge to tell the guys that she had developed a sudden headache and use that as a legitimate excuse to leave. This was a terrible mistake. It was too much, too soon, and clearly something was amiss between Wes and Dalton. She didn’t think it had anything to do with her, but it was there nonetheless, casting an uncomfortable pall over the evening. Summer might as well have come alone tonight.
“Are you all right?” Wes’s voice was soft and full of concern, and his question surprised her.
“I’m fine. What about you?”
“Fine. It’s just that you’re very quiet.”
“Just absorbing the energy in the room.” She wasn’t about to discuss her trepidation with either of them, and she was starting to wonder if there would be any play tonight. The dynamics felt wrong. She’d get no pleasure out of it with these two circling each other like male lions fighting for control of the pride.
“It’s exhilarating.”
She snapped her gaze to Wes’s face, convinced he was merely being condescending, but she saw no evidence of that. The same subtle change she’d noticed before was back now. While she was glad to see it, she wished that whatever was hinky between him and Dalton could be cleared up. “Yes, I agree. Each time I’m here I have the sense of being one with everybody in the room.”
“That’s a good sign,” said Dalton, smiling down at her. “And I don’t sense any fear in you, either.”
She shook her head. “I’ve never been afraid here. Not even the first time.”
“What did you feel at first?”
Dalton’s voice washed over her,
confident and smooth, putting her at ease. Maybe whatever was brewing underneath the surface was so trivial that she needn’t worry about it? Why couldn’t she just relax and enjoy the company of these two gorgeous men? “I was excited to be here from day one. I wanted to just jump right in and play, but Ron Carson told me I shouldn’t do that.”
He tilted his head and gave her a thoughtful look. “Who were you here with the first time?”
“Felicity Featherstone. You remember her, right? Her sister Brittani was in the same grade as you both. Felicity and I are best friends.”
The look that passed between both men was almost comical. Summer stared at each of them in turn, becoming more confused when they started to grin. The grins turned into a chuckle from Dalton and head shaking with a sound that was almost a laugh from Wes.
“What’s going on, you two? Why the odd looks and now the laughter at the mention of Felicity’s name?”
Wes opened his mouth to speak but then closed it. Dalton looked like he was going to say something, but then he shook his head slightly as if clearing a mental image, and placed one hand on her lower back. The gesture was dominant and reassuring, and Summer allowed him to lead her toward a corner where a crowd was forming. It was as if Dalton placing his hand on her had soothed the doubt rattling around in her brain, at least temporarily.
“Let’s watch this. It should be fascinating.”
“Who is that?” asked Wes, craning his neck over the people standing around a table.
“Angela Davidson. Nash and Ian have planned a wax play scene.”
Summer glanced at Dalton. “I thought you weren't supposed to use names in here?”
The hand on her back rubbed the spot slightly, like a soft caress, sending a shiver down her spine. “Very good, Summer. Nice catch. Nash and Ian have negotiated with Angela to call her by her name on the main floor.”
“So, I could pick a scene name if I wanted one?”
He smiled down at her, and she bit back a moan. She’d been sneaking glances at his leather-clad body since coming down the stairs earlier. Every time he turned those dark eyes on her she wanted to drop to her knees and call him “Sir.” “Yes, if you had a Dom, the two of you could choose scene names if you wanted.”
“What if I had two Doms, like Angela?” Oh my God. Why had she said that? She stifled an urge to clamp a hand over her mouth, and averted her gaze at the look of lust and surprise in his eyes. Where had that come from?
“Then you would negotiate it with both of them. This isn’t only about control, Summer. At its core, it’s about trust. Without that on both sides, you have nothing.”
“That’s true of any relationship.”
“I agree. But in a Dom/sub relationship it’s even more important because people can get seriously hurt, or even killed, if things get out of hand.”
Summer turned her attention to the scene, but she could sense both men on either side of her, as if their body heat had suddenly gone up by several degrees. As she watched Ian and Nash pour colored wax over Angela’s naked back and ass, she became absorbed in the design they were creating, and all thoughts of what was going on between Wes and Dalton were pushed aside for the moment.
What would it feel like to have hot wax dripped on your body? Angela’s occasional soft moans sounded like she was enjoying it a lot, and Summer had an urge to ask Dalton and Wes to do that to her. The design was soon evident. It was the Sleepy Cat, as in the cat from the legend that surrounded one of the twin peaks along the western edge of the Rocky Mountains, visible from the town.
Passion Peak was named for one of the peaks, because of the species of passion flower that grew on its slopes. Its twin, Sleepy Cat Peak, was so named because the Ute Native Americans believed the snow formed an image of a large cat on the slopes. When the snow melted each spring, the cat awoke and its spirit came into town. When Passion Peak had an early spring, like it had this year, the cat was awoken too early and became angry. The legend held that tragedy would then strike the town.
Summer watched the sleeping cat on the mountain range take shape. It was amazing to realize the planning that must have gone into this scene, and because it was the most artistic scene she’d ever watched, she also realized that giving a sub pleasurable sensations didn’t have to be about impact play. Although Summer desperately wanted to know what that felt like, part of her would gladly submit to something like the wax as well. “That’s so beautiful. But how do they remove it?”
“Watch,” said Dalton.
Summer’s jaw dropped open as she watched Nash take out a small knife and begin to scrape the cooled wax from Angela’s skin. Even from this distance, she could tell how gentle his touch was. And once again, Angela was obviously enjoying it.
“Doesn’t that hurt?” asked Wes.
Dalton shook his head. “Not if the Dom is careful. It’s a skill that’s learned over time. Not something for beginners.” He glanced at Summer. “What would you like to do at this point? Do you want to keep watching, or are you ready to play?”
She stared into his dark eyes, wondering once again if he intended to join in, or was only going to act as a guide tonight. Why couldn’t she just ask him? Was she afraid of the answer, or was she still uncomfortable at the possibility that something was wrong between these two? It occurred to Summer that neither man had answered her earlier question.
“I want to play, but first I would like you two to tell me why you were chuckling earlier when I mentioned Felicity Featherstone.”
Dalton and Wes exchanged a quick look. “Okay,” said Wes. “I can do this, even though it embarrasses me to tell you this.” He sighed deeply. “Her older sister Brittani and I had a few dates in high school, but then she dumped me for Dalton, who went after her just for spite. To say Dalton and his friends tortured me in high school is an understatement.”
“What? Seriously? You think that’s why he went after Brittani?”
Both men stared at her as if she’d just revealed military secrets.
“I’ve been Felicity’s best friend since kindergarten. Brittani was…how shall I put this…a tramp. Dalton, she was playing you. She hung out with a bizarre crowd from Rifle. You didn’t know that? She only strung you along because it was part of some stupid initiation. You know…get a rich kid from Passion Peak to go out with you and then dump him kind of thing. They were an odd bunch, and they thought it was funny. Personally, I think they spent too much time watching movies like Sixteen Candles.”
She watched surprise fill Dalton’s face. “Oh. I guess you didn’t know, then. Sorry.” She glanced at Wes, who looked nothing short of triumphant. “I get it now. You two were still pissed off at each other about that. Twenty years later. Shame on you both. Really. How ridiculous can you get?”
The guys exchanged another quick glance, and then Dalton’s face took on that look again it had held earlier. The one that made her want to give him anything he asked for. Summer’s clit began to throb. She was glad now that she’d asked about their earlier reaction, because it wasn’t only Dalton’s demeanor that changed. Wes’s expression finally lost its deer-in-the-headlights look and he brushed a finger along her arm, sending a shiver down her spine.
“All right, Summer,” said Wes. “You’ve made your point. I think it’s time to spank you now. You’ve earned it with those comments.”
Chapter Four
Summer stared into his eyes, afraid to believe she’d actually just heard him say that, but judging by the way Dalton was now grinning, she knew she had. “Yes, Sir.” She had no idea why she’d said that, but his face lit up, and her heart skipped a beat. It’s about time. She really enjoyed Wes’s company, and she wanted to see him happy and having a good time tonight.
“Will you call me that tonight?” he asked, his gaze penetrating and intense.
“If you want me to.” Her voice came out soft and breathy, but she didn’t care. It was exactly how she felt inside.
Wes glanced around, and then offered his arm again,
which Summer took. “Then come over here.” Wes led her to a spanking bench, and without being told to do so, Summer draped herself over it.
“Hang on,” said Dalton. “Wes, do you want her to top from the bottom?”
Summer straightened up. “Sorry. I was just so excited.” It was true. Every nerve ending was on fire, and her pussy was already soaked. After watching the wax play and knife play scene, all she could seem to think about was getting naked in front of both these guys and having them touch her and flog her.
Dalton gave her a look nothing short of molten lust, mixed with humor, and Summer had to bite back a moan. “I understand that, and I’m sure we both appreciate it, but part of learning includes figuring out our roles.” He addressed Wes again. “Do you want her to top from the bottom?”
Wes shook his head. Summer wasn’t sure he even understood what that meant, but she didn’t want to say so. He’d already been embarrassed more than once tonight, and she didn’t want to add to any discomfort he was still feeling.
“Then tell her what to do,” said Dalton quietly, taking a step back.
Summer looked into Wes’s eyes, and the intensity in them sent a strong shiver of desire down her spine. Whatever doubt she’d had that he really wanted to be dominant was gone as she watched that change come over his face again. It was exciting to see, and it made her want to submit to him in a way she never had before.
“Summer, get on your knees.”
She had to struggle not to smile and high-five him. Wes had more Dom in him than even he knew. As she knelt, she shot Dalton what she hoped was a grateful look. If it wouldn’t be entirely inappropriate, she’d kiss him right now, just for what he’d already done for Wes’s ego tonight.
“Now ask for what you want from us.”
Us? Had Wes just said “us”? She glanced at Dalton, whose eyes now shone with intensity and lust. He stepped closer so that he and Wes were both directly in front of her. Even the fact that Wes wasn’t dressed in leather as Dalton was didn’t lessen her arousal for both men. This shit had just become real in a way it hadn’t been before. She had the chance to have every fantasy fulfilled right now, and all she had to do was ask.
