Battleship (Anchored Book 2)

by Sophie Stern

“You can come for me now, here in the car, or you can’t come until tomorrow.”

  “What?” I squeak out. We’re parked in the busy parking lot now. People are walking by, and while no one is looking at the car or giving us a second glance, I’m very aware of the fact that anyone could stop next to the car and peek in. Do I think it’s going to happen? Probably not. Still, it’s bizarre. “That’s not fair.”

  “Oh, darling, you have so much to learn,” he whispers. He sits perfectly still, eyeing me. He doesn’t make a move to touch me or try to convince me. He just waits for me to decide.

  The thing is that the night isn’t over yet, and Jaxson Thorn is one incredible guy. Who knows what he has in store for me? Maybe he’s planning on taunting and teasing me all night. Maybe he just wants to see what choice I’ll make.

  Will I go with what I know?

  Or will I be brave?

  “All right,” I say. “I’ll come here. Can I lean the chair back a little?” He nods, and I adjust the seat so I’m lying almost completely flat. I spread my legs a little wider, and I peek at Jaxson. He’s watching me. His eyes are hungry, and I don’t miss the tent in his pants. I’m affecting him, and that itself makes me even wetter.

  I close my eyes and run my hands over my body. Everything feels tight and tense, and I’m so close to coming. I just need a little bit more, just a little push, and then I’ll be over the edge.

  “You look so sexy, Lily,” Jaxson’s voice cuts into my thoughts. I don’t open my eyes. I keep them closed and just allow myself to feel him.

  I listen to his words, and I think about how I must look to him: wanton, ready, sultry.

  Seductive.

  “I can’t wait to see you come, pretty girl. I’ve been thinking about it all week. Did you know that? I bet you’ve been thinking about me, too. That’s why you finally texted, isn’t it?”

  “Yes,” I whisper. “I’ve been thinking about you so much.”

  “And have you been touching yourself when you think of me?”

  “Oh, yes.”

  “I’ve been thinking about you, too. When I think of the way you opened up for me on Saturday, how you spread your legs and came, I get so damn hard, Lily. Even at work, I get so fucking hard thinking of you that I have to jerk off. I want you so bad, beautiful. Come for me, now. Show me how pretty you are when you come.”

  The fact that we’re in a parking lot has long been forgotten.

  All I’m thinking about is Jaxson, and I come for him. I bite my lip to keep from crying out, and I orgasm long and hard in the front seat of his car.

  And then I open my eyes.

  He’s smiling at me.

  “You’re so fucking pretty. That was incredible.”

  “Thank you,” I whisper.

  “I’m so proud of you for being brave. I’m so happy you decided to come for me.”

  “Me too.” It would have been easy to say that I’d rather not have any orgasms tonight than have to come in public, but where’s the challenge in that? I want to change. I want to be different. I want to try new things and I want to find out what this whole submission thing is all about.

  And the truth is that I like being around Jaxson for more than just the sex. He’s interesting, and he’s fun to talk to, and I’m looking forward to enjoying a nice, wonderful meal with him.

  I’m looking forward to seeing where this thing between us is going to go.

  **

  Jaxson chose a quiet Mexican restaurant with the best burritos in town.

  “I’m a messy eater,” I warn him when we sit down. “So don’t stop liking me when you see how not-graceful I can be.” He chuckles, and the sound warms my heart.

  “Don’t worry,” he says. “I didn’t choose this because I thought it was going to be a really fancy meal. I chose this place because the food is good and the atmosphere is calm. Plus,” he motions around. “It’s not too busy on Thursday nights, so we have some privacy.”

  “Does that mean we’re going to be having a heart-to-heart?”

  “Something like that.”

  We order our food, and then Jaxson tells me all about growing up and his life and his family. He talks about Anchored, and how it’s helped him find himself. He talks about how being part of the club has opened his eyes about what makes a good relationship.

  “What do you think the secret to a good relationship is?” I ask him. “Not monogamy,” I point out. “That doesn’t seem to be a big part of the club.”

  “For some people, monogamy is important. For others, it isn’t. It’s not to me, but if you and I were to become serious, and you wanted a monogamous relationship, it wouldn’t be a problem.”

  “Really? You’d give that up for me?”

  He nods. “Although, to be fair, I’d ask you to ask least try having a threesome with me at least once. They’re pretty fun.”

  “I bet they are.”

  “They are,” he repeats. “But to answer your question, I think the most important aspect of a good relationship is trust. That goes hand-in-hand with good communication. So many people get divorced or break up because of issues with money or jealousy, but those problems could really be stopped if people would just be honest with each other.”

  “But honesty requires a certain amount of vulnerability,” I point out. “And most people aren’t ready for that.”

  “Exactly. The thing is, it takes a long time to build trust. With Domination and submission, that trust comes sooner because you’re in a situation where you have to trust your partner to stop when you use your safe word. Similarly, the Dominant partner has to trust the submissive to actually use the safe word.”

  “What do you mean? Why wouldn’t someone use their safe word?”

  “You’d be surprised,” Jaxson explains. “Some people think using a safe word means they’re weak. Some people think it means they’re frail. Safe words are designed to help couple communicate better, but some people don’t like to use them. If you can’t trust your partner to use their safe word, then you shouldn’t be playing with them.”

  “When I’ve been in relationships in the past, communication was always part of the reason we broke up,” I admit. “I like the idea of honesty, but I think you also have to have a certain maturity to be able to handle that honesty. It’s not just about talking to your partner. It’s also about trusting them not to freak out when you tell them the truth.”

  “You’re absolutely right.” Jaxson smiles and reaches for my hands. We hold hands on the table, and the feeling is incredible.

  It’s been awhile since I’ve been on a real date, and although there’s nothing proper about the way I masturbated for him in the car, this feels better than any date in the past I can remember.

  “A friend of mine came to me today asking about BDSM,” he tells me.

  “Oh?” I raise an eyebrow. “You do seem to be quite the guru.”

  “Her husband wanted to try some things, but she reacted poorly.”

  “She freaked out?”

  “She did. Like you said, communication goes both ways. In a strong relationship, you should be able to tell the other person what you want and what you need, but they should be able to receive those requests without taking them personally. For example, if I came to you and said I wanted to try tying you up, it wouldn’t necessarily mean I was unhappy with the sex we’ve been having. It just means I want to try something new or that I’m curious about what bondage is like.”

  “Is that something you want to try with me?” I ask him. “I’ve never been tied up before.”

  “Never?”

  “Nope,” I shake my head. “Although, to be fair, I’ve also never talked about my sexual partners with guys I’ve dated. They’ve always been uncomfortable knowing about my history, so it never came up.”

  “I’m happy to talk about my sexual and dating history with you,” he says. “For me, it’s part of building trust. I’ll open up with you, just as I know you will with me. I am curious, though, why you
haven’t experimented with kink before. You’re beautiful and you’re funny, and you seem to be pretty curious. Did any of your boyfriends ever want to tie you up, pretty girl?”

  “One did,” I tell him.

  “What happened?”

  “We broke up instead.”

  “Care to elaborate?”

  “It was in college, and he was drunk at a party. One of his friends was talking about how much fun it was to tie his girlfriend up, and my boyfriend wanted to try it. He thought it sounded like just the best idea, but I wasn’t sure. He was drunk, and I hadn’t been drinking at all, and I was worried he’d tie me up and pass out or leave the room or accidentally hurt me.”

  “Sounds like you were being smart.”

  “He didn’t see it that way,” I shrug. It’s been a few years, but the sting of his rejection still hurts.

  “Hey,” Jaxson squeezes my hand. He catches my gaze, and he shakes his head. “Fuck that guy. He’s a dick.”

  “How do you know? Maybe I was a huge bitch.”

  “Not possible. Anyone who would let you go is an idiot and anyone who would hurt you is a moron. That guy is an asshole. You deserve better.”

  “Like you?” I ask.

  “Exactly like me.”

  Chapter 10

  Thorn

  By the time we’re finished with dinner, I’m completely impressed and overwhelmed with Lily. She’s so incredible. I knew she was special, yeah, but she’s so much more. She’s smart and funny and charming. We talked about our pasts and our futures and our goals, and we just had such an easy, carefree conversation.

  It’s not often I meet someone who makes me feel completely comfortable. As a manager, I’m used to being in charge. I’m the one who demands other people do things. I force them to edit their work or fix it or make it better. Rarely do I get a chance to just relax and be myself around someone.

  It’s a nice feeling.

  “Well,” Lily says as we leave the restaurant. “Where to now?”

  “That’s up to you.”

  “Is it?”

  “What do you think?” I pull her to my chest, and she gasps as her breasts rub against me. “Would you like to come back to my place?”

  “For a drink?”

  “Oh, it would be for more than a drink, pretty girl, so think hard before you tell me yes.” She looks up at me and blinks those pretty eyes. How can someone be so innocent and so seductive at the same time?

  “You mean sex.”

  “No, I mean submission.”

  She licks her lips and presses them together. What thoughts are racing through this sweet girl’s head? I know she’s got so many questions. There’s so much she has to learn, and I could be the one to teach her.

  I could show her.

  “I mean I’m going to show you what it means to submit to a man, and I’m going to Dominate you, Lily. I’m going to bring you to the edge of pleasure and I’m going to hold you there while you worship my cock. Then, when I’m ready, I’m going to push you over the cliff of ecstasy. I’m going to make you come over and over and over again, and then I’m going to make you come again.”

  She’s breathing hard now, and I know she’s holding on to every word I’m saying.

  “What do you think, princess? Do you want to come learn what it means to be submissive? If you don’t want to come over, there are no hard feelings. I would never pressure you to come to my place.”

  “I want to come over,” she says quickly.

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure.”

  I smile, and nod to her phone. “Text Christina,” I tell her.

  “What? Why?”

  “First rule of Dom club: obey your Dom.”

  She frowns, but pulls out her phone.

  “Tell her you’re coming to my place. My address is 44 Willow Avenue.”

  “Why do I need to tell her? She knows you. She knows you’re safe.”

  “But you and I are still getting to know each other, sweetheart, and I want to protect you. If for some reason you get scared, or you decide you want to leave, or you want her to come pick you up, it’s a good idea to have someone know where you are.”

  “Thank you,” Lily says, surprising me. She shoots off a text and puts her phone back in her purse. “Thank you for looking after me this way.”

  “It’s what a good Dom does, love.”

  I just hope I can be the Dom she needs.

  **

  My home is only a few minutes from the restaurant. When we arrive, it’s nearly ten, and the street is quiet.

  “Your neighbors go to bed pretty early,” Lily observes as we walk up to the house. I laugh as I unlock the door and flip the lights on.

  “It’s not exactly a party neighborhood. Once, Mrs. Alexander’s son came home drunk on spring break. It was,” I pause for dramatic effect. “Almost midnight!”

  “Oh my!” Lily feigns surprise and puts her hand over her mouth. “However did the family get through the drama?”

  “Carefully, and with a lot of therapy.”

  Lily and I head into the house laughing, kick off our shoes, and get settled on the couch.

  “Should we have a drink?” She asks, suddenly looking a little nervous.

  “Let me massage your feet first.”

  “Um, okay.”

  “Has anyone ever done this for you?”

  “No.”

  I lift her feet into my lap and begin to rub them for her. She relaxes almost immediately. I can feel the tension drain out of her body as she sinks into the couch.

  “The thing about Domination and submission is that it’s a two-way street. I’ll require your submission in the bedroom, of course, but I also get to take care of you. That pleases me.”

  “Taking care of someone pleases you?”

  “Oh, yes,” I tell her, running my hands over her skin. “It’s part of why being a Dominant is so fulfilling. I love knowing I’m taking care of someone and meeting her needs. Even if it’s something she can do herself, I like to know she’s trusting me to care for her.”

  “I read some relationships get pretty intense,” she says. “Like, the guy picks out the woman’s clothes and stuff.”

  “Domination looks different in every relationship. Personally, I’m not interested in something quite that serious. I like D/s in the bedroom, but I like my partner to be opinionated and outspoken. I like to know she’s going to tell me what she really thinks and not go along with something just to please me.”

  “Except in the bedroom.”

  “Even then, if we’re doing something that’s scary, we can slow down and talk about it. This isn’t a my-way-or-the-highway type of situation.”

  I rub her feet for a few more minutes, gently massaging her.

  “How about that drink?”

  “Sounds good.”

  “What’s your pleasure?”

  “Beer is fine.”

  “Coming right up.” I head into the kitchen to get our drinks, and when I come back, Lily is curled up on the couch. At first, I think she’s fallen asleep, but she opens her eyes and smiles at me when I come back.

  “So tell me more about Anchored,” she says, taking the beer from me. “Do they have classes for newbies?”

  “They do,” I tell her. “Actually, I’m going to be teaching one of the upcoming ones on how to be a good Dom for your submissive.”

  “Is that right? How do you get chosen to do that? Is there like, an application process?”

  “I’m friends with the owner.”

  Lily smiles. “I knew it wasn’t you.”

  “What’s that?”

  “There were some whispers at the club,” she tells me. “Zack is convinced you’re the owner of Anchored.”

  “It’s quite the set-up she’s got. I’m not going to lie. The ship is incredible and it’s such a unique design for a sex club.”

  “Wait,” Lily sits up suddenly. “She? The owner is a woman? Who is it?”

  I smile
and kiss her on the forehead. “We all have our secrets, love.”

  “Come on, now. What happened to vulnerability and transparency?”

  “I only tell my secrets: not other people’s secrets.”

  Lily sits back with a little huff and a pout, but it’s more endearing than anything else. She’s adorable, and I have a feeling she’s going to be a bratty sort of sub. I don’t mind. I’ve got all night to play with her and something tells me we’re going to have a more than our fair share of fun.

  Chapter 11

  Lily

  “So do you have a sex dungeon in here?” I ask, standing and walking to the center of the room. I can’t help looking around at everything. It’s a really modern-looking space. The walls are white with framed black-and-white photographs on them. The couch is bright red, but the rest of the furniture is black. It’s all very chic, and I’m a little scared to touch anything because I might break it or get it dirty.

  Years of working with children has taught me that everything is breakable, no matter how durable it seems on TV.

  “In my living room?”

  “Yeah. Do you have a sex dungeon in here?” I point to the couch. “Like, does this convert into a spanking bench?”

  “Someone’s been doing her homework,” he looks amused.

  “I have,” I tell him. “I read some websites, watched some porn, and even read one romance novel.”

  “Which one?” He asks.

  I raise an eyebrow. “Do you also read BDSM romance, Master Thorn?”

  “If you’ve actually been doing your homework, you know that title means something, sweetheart.”

  I nod, swallowing hard. “It means we’re playing. It means we’re in the middle of a scene. For some couples, the title ‘Master’ is used only when they’re in a committed BDSM relationship. For others, it’s just used during play.”

  “Some of my partners prefer to call me ‘Sir.’”

  “But you like being called ‘Master.’”

  “I do,” he says. “It’s one of those things that just works for me. I know it’s not for everyone. I don’t pretend it is. When we’re together, I won’t force you to call me Master, but you won’t use my first name while we’re playing. You may call me Master or Sir.”