by Eden Bradley
“So if I say no, this guy is going to disembowel himself with a sword?”
“Maybe I’m being a little overdramatic, but not much.” Moira’s lips twitched. “Girlfriend, he has it bad for you.”
“Do I know him?”
“Nope. He was here two weeks ago to do a tour before he bought his membership. He saw you walking down the hall looking all bad ass in your black latex with the flame stitching and that was it. He wanted you. I’ve never seen a man go from normal to super horny so fast. The way he was looking at you…whew. Anyways, his background check is clean, and as far as I can tell, he’s a pretty decent guy. Rich, not handsome but hot if you like the rugged type, and well-educated. No convictions, no missing ex-wives, and he’s only been in the Lifestyle for about a year as far as I can tell. I can give you the name and number of the Domme who trained him, if you like.”
The picture Moira was painting of this man was too good to be true. After taking a bite of her croissant and drinking some coffee to give herself some time to think, Emma decided to cut through the bullshit. “What aren’t you telling me? Does he have some fetish for making lampshades out of human skin or something? Does he have some crazy dangerous kink that could get me arrested or put him in the hospital? Why does this man need to pay me three grand when he could have any other Domme here do a session for less?”
“God, you’re so dramatic.”
“He saw me once and wants me enough to pay three thousand dollars per session for me to Top him? That doesn’t make sense. It’s not logical.”
“Who knows why men like the things they do. It’s not like it’ll be a hardship. He’s into worship and you’ll be treated like a queen. And he’s built. I know how you like your muscular men, those bad ass boys that you have to fight to tame.” Moira bit her lower lip, a tell that she was hiding something.
“What else is he into?”
“He said that he will treat you like a goddess, but that he’s a high-power submissive.”
“How high power?”
“Just your type.”
Frowning, Emma tapped her gold-painted nails against the arm of the couch. She kept them a little longer than normal, and had the tips filed to almost points. The perfect shape for running down a submissive’s back. A shiver of heat that she tried to ignore stirred in her belly. While getting turned on by a client was nice, and she’d let a submissive give her oral sex once in a while during a session, she normally didn’t feel this heat until she was deep into a scene. Yet, she couldn’t deny how tempting the idea of a high-power sub was. She loved a challenge and was actually disappointed when her clients were the “roll over and show their belly” type.
Fuck, what was she doing even considering this?
A silver cuff gleamed on her right wrist with the inscription ‘One should not regret the past. One should not worry about the future. Wise men act in the present time.’ written on it in Sanskrit. This was a phrase she often meditated on and seeing it immediately allowed her to take a deep breath and focus. Okay, she needed to be objective, to think about this from a business standpoint. Two sessions would pay off one of her parents’ insanely high interest rate credit cards and get her new tires her car. She could do two sessions…maybe.
“I want to talk to him before I do anything.”
“Awesome.” Moira stood and beamed down at her. “He’s on Skype waiting for you.”
“What?”
“Well, he was pretty sure you’d say no so he wanted a chance to ask you himself.”
“Has he been listening to us? Shit.”
“No, you’re fine. I turned off the sound.”
“Fuck.” Emma abruptly stood and pulled her dark blonde hair out of its ponytail, vainly trying to finger comb her waves into something that looked somewhat professional. “Look at me! He can’t see me like this.”
“What? So you’re wearing a sweater and yoga pants. It’s two o’clock in the afternoon. No one expects you to be in latex at this hour.”
“But I’m not wearing makeup. I look like I’m fourteen.”
Moira rolled her eyes. “Stop being such a girl. Besides, what do you care what he thinks? You’ve already labeled him as a serial killer in your mind.”
Smoothing her hair back again, Emma glanced down at her comfortable cream cable sweater and yoga pants. While she had to admit she had a nice, if big, ass in yoga pants, the loose sweater combined with her large breasts made her body look shapeless instead of showcasing her hourglass figure. Starting out a first meeting with a potential sub dressed like this wasn’t a good idea. She needed to project strength and authority, which wasn’t going to happen if he saw the coffee stain on the sleeve of her sweater.
Being a pro-Domme was her current profession, and she took it very seriously. With Michigan’s shitty economy every job was fought over. It had been close to three years since she’d graduated and she still didn’t have a job. While she wasn’t exactly up front about what she did, her parents knew she worked with Moira and were aware of Moira’s business. Emma was sure they’d be much happier if she had steady work as a teacher, but they were realistic enough to know that they would be either homeless or living with Emma without her financial help. Shit, she’d rather be working as a teacher, but despite dozens of interviews she never got one of the few coveted teaching positions at schools where she could actually see herself being happy. If she had to choose between being a pro-Domme or working and living in the ghetto, she’d stick to beating men’s asses for a living.
Still, her paranoia was ramping up as she stared at Moira’s computer and debated taking this any further.
Moira must have seen her doubt, because she dragged Emma over to the leather computer chair and shoved her down in it. The moment Emma looked up at the screen her heart rate tripled and her mouth went dry as her body clenched with a surprising rush of desire. He was everything she found attractive in a man. Bald, with thick gold spacers in his ears and deep, dark eyes beneath well shaped brows with the slightest hint of an arch which gave him a sinister air. Not classically handsome, the angles of his face were too sharp and his nose a bit too big, but it worked for him. His Middle Eastern heritage was evident in the beautiful deep tan that gave him an exotic look. In a way, he reminded her of Yul Brenner in The King and I.
The more she looked at him, the more she felt as if she knew him. Something about him tickled her memory and she tried to remember if she’d seen him somewhere before. He didn’t look like the type that would have hung around with one of her asshole ex-boyfriends. And she was pretty sure she would have remembered a man like this if she’d met him in a bar or at a party. The more she examined him the more that feeling of recognition danced on the edges of her mind.
While she couldn’t see much of his body other than his black button down shirt-covered chest, he had really nice, broad shoulders, the kind women fantasized about holding onto while a man thrust himself into them with enough power to steal their breath. At this moment, he was looking down at something on his desk so he didn’t notice her staring and, she was sure, drooling. Studying the room visible behind him, she took in the framed photos, knick-knacks, and assorted books on a set of dark wood bookshelves. By the time he looked up she’d managed to roll her tongue back into her mouth and attempted to assume some semblance of a professional air. A little moan almost escaped her as she met his gaze. He had amazing eyes with the beautiful pale amber color found only among certain Middle Eastern men.
He was delicious.
She swore she could see his pupils widen and his lips soften as he stared back at her. A little tingling zing raced through her blood, making her nipples peak with interest. He was a big man, solid, and when he shifted, his chair creaked beneath his weight. Desire flared in his gaze and her body gave an answering rush of pleasure. While she was used to men reacting to her like this in a scene, having him become aroused at just a glance had her wet and ready to take him. Before her hormones could run away with her common sense, she no
dded and tried to assume a neutral expression.
“Hello.”
He smiled at her with such joy that she couldn’t help but want to smile back. “Hello, Emma.”
The way he said her name, like it was warm honey flowing over his tongue, had her breath catching in her chest.
“And you are?”
“Ryan.”
There it was again, that tickle of recognition at the way he said his name with the faintest hint of an accent. He gave her a look like he was almost expecting something, then his gaze cooled and he sighed. She waited for him to speak again, but he only looked down at the table in front of him, his lips moving as he appeared to be reading something while giving her the opportunity to study him at her leisure. He had sinfully long, dark lashes and she wanted to run her fingertips over them.
She loved blindfolding a submissive and looking her fill while remaining unseen. Taking away a man’s sight was a powerful act of trust for anyone. The willing surrender of a submissive made her fly into Top space, and she craved that sensation like a drug. Even if her subs were buying her services, she cared for the small stable of men she allowed to call on her in the security of the pro-Domme business. Not that she had romantic feelings for any of them, she couldn’t afford any kind of emotional attachment right now, but she wanted them to be happy.
Her attention returned to the man on the screen facing her and she worried that this was a bad idea. When she’d taken the job working for Moira at Kiss of Blue she’d known part of the price she’d pay for her new profession was not having a romantic relationship. The thought of loving a man, then having to go to work and be in a sexual situation with another man made her stomach sour. And she couldn’t imagine what kind of guy would tolerate a relationship like that. How could she expect a partner to be monogamous with the job that she had? The harsh reality was that she couldn’t, so she avoided any man that had an actual chance at winning her heart.
That thought brought her back to Ryan and she debated ending this right now. On some primitive level she knew he was dangerous to her fragile sense of security. To anyone else that would probably sound ridiculous, but she’d always listened to her gut, and right now, her intuition was telling her that if she accepted Ryan as a client she’d be playing with fire. For some bizarre reason she had a moment of déjà vu when Ryan looked back up at her. Something about the line of his mouth, how his lower lip was thicker than his upper, made her think about kissing him. She didn’t normally kiss any of her clients, other than a peck. It was too intimate. Yet, a sudden craving to bite his lower lip filled her. For a moment, she swore she could feel the pillow-like press of his mouth against hers and knew exactly the kind of pleasure that would come from his kiss.
In an effort to distract herself, she tried to build a mental profile of her potential client. Knowing her client went a long, long way towards figuring out what he needed, and her attention to detail made her one of the most sought after Dommes at Kiss of Blue. For some men it was only the pain of punishment, for others it was the chance to fulfill a sexual need, and for some it was a bone deep need to serve.
The urge to lick along his lips came again and she swore she could taste him.
No. Bad Dominatrix. Focus.
Ryan was in his late twenties or early thirties, probably around her age, and he had the confidence of an experienced man. Once again, he looked up and his gaze immediately sought hers. When he continued to stare at her she raised a brow while mentally smacking herself to get her head into the game. First impressions with a submissive, particularly male submissives, were important. Men were like baby ducks that tended to immediately imprint on a woman so their initial interaction needed to be a good one—especially if he was the kind of sub who needed a firm hand.
She drew in a breath. “I understand you wanted to talk to me?”
“Yes.” His gaze moved to her mouth and she had to resist the urge to lick her lips.
“And?”
“Uh.” He looked down and back up. “You should give me a chance.”
“A chance at what?”
“You know, to…ummm….that is….damnit.”
Holding back a laugh at watching this big, manly man get all flustered was difficult.
A slight flush colored his tanned cheeks and he looked down at his desk again. “Shit. I had this whole speech prepared about why you should give me a chance, but one look at you and I’ve lost the ability to read.”
“You had a speech ready?”
“Well yeah. I mean you’re amazing and I know my chances of getting you to come to my house are like slim to none, but…I don’t know. Fuck. This is not how I imagined this going.”
“And how did you imagine it?” Her voice came out a little breathier than usual as she found herself oddly charmed by his obvious unease.
His deep chuckle brought a flush to her cheeks and she was baffled at her crazy strong reaction to this man. “Well, I was hoping to woo you and sweep you off your feet. Instead, you’ve got me babbling like a high school kid after his first real kiss.”
The intent look he gave her made her feel like she was missing something, but for the life of her, she couldn’t figure out what. She appreciated his honesty and decided to ease up on him a bit. “You were quite adamant about seeing me instead of some of our other Dommes. Why?”
When he looked back up the complete honesty in his gaze stroked against her soul. “Because you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, inside and out.”
Now, it was her turn to look away as embarrassment heated her blood. While she was self-aware enough to admit she was good looking, she knew she wasn’t Miss Universe material, unless it was a plus size pageant. The comment about her being beautiful inside as well rocked her more than she’d like to admit. She’d like to dismiss his statement as ego-stroking bullshit, but he looked so sincere.
This was dangerous, he was dangerous, and she evidently lost her mind around him. “Beauty is only skin deep, Ryan. I could be a terrible Domme. You don’t know me well enough to ask me to come stay with you. In fact, you don’t know me at all.”
“I understand.” He took a deep breath and let it out, his big chest distracting her as it flexed beneath his shirt. She wanted to tear the buttons off with her teeth. “But I’d like to get to know you, and for you to get to know me. I promise I can make it so good for you, Emma. So very, very good…if you win my submission.”
The same competitive spirit that had her dominating the soccer field in high school and college came rushing back. She loved a challenge, thrived on it even. Anticipation filled her and she felt wide awake for the first time in a long while. He must have seen something in her expression because he gave her a dazzling smile, a dimple appearing in his left cheek. A man this good looking would have no problem walking into a local club and finding a Domme. They’d be fighting over him like hungry bitches over a piece of prime meat.
Her included.
Damn.
She couldn’t take him on as a client. Even though she barely knew him, she could tell he was a keeper and she couldn’t face the temptation of being around him after two years of not allowing herself to fall in love. She should end this now, before anyone got hurt.
His voice deepened to the rumbly purr of an aroused male. “Will you at least agree to one session? Please, Mistress, give me a chance. Just one session, I’m begging you. The things I could do for you…”
She was pretty sure she’d soaked through her yoga pants by now as her body ached for him. Her sex contracted at the guttural tone in his voice and the idea of this man worshiping her was highly arousing. Being a pro-Domme she was used to catering to her clients, to making the session all about them and their needs. It helped keep her emotions out of the equation and allowed her to slip into a role separate from her personal life. But, oh, it would be nice to have a submissive care as much about her needs as his…if not more. The temptation to see him, just once, battered at her formidable self-control.
Without thinking, she said the first thing that came to her mind. “You don’t seem very submissive.”
The devilish grin he gave her made her heart beat faster. “I don’t submit easily and I’ll never be anyone’s doormat. If you want my worship you have to take it from me. I’m pretty sure you’ll have me trained well enough to anticipate your moods within a few sessions. I’m a quick study. In fact, I bet within a week I’ll have you at my home, spoiling you until that cute little frown line between your eyes goes away.”
Arching her brows she resisted the urge to touch the little space between them, sure he was right that her frown line was showing. Her dad called it a warning to men that she was stubborn as hell and to approach at their own risk. Much like her mother and two sisters. Her poor dad had been outnumbered and she was pretty impressed that he’d lived through having three teenage girls in the house.
Her mind refocused on the present and she found him watching her with an intent expression. “I wish I knew what you were thinking. You’re very good at hiding your emotions.”
Trying to rally her defenses, she gave him a stern look. “What can we do at your home that we can’t do here? It doesn’t matter where we are, I’m not having sex with you. I only have intercourse with a man that I love. While I will enjoy my time with you, I need you to be aware that this is a business relationship, not a romantic one.”
The fine lines around his mouth tightened, but he nodded. “I understand, but if I’m to serve you in the way I need, you will have to allow me to pamper you. To worship you. I need to know that I’m making you happy. When I’m with a woman I never want her to feel like there is anything she can’t ask me to do for her pleasure.”
Every internal alarm she had was going off, warning her that this man was dangerous to her hard-won independence, but she didn’t want to stop talking with him. Worse, she kept imagining doing things with him that she never did with clients. This was hazardous. This was bad. But for once, her self-control seemed to have vanished.
Desperate for a reason to reject him, she tilted her head and tried to give him a cool look. “Why can’t we do that here?”
