by Anthology
“What is it, Marley?” His eyes were narrowed on her, and he cocked his head to the side in a curious motion. It made his dark hair flop across his forehead in a sexy way and her fingers itched to reach for it.
Fighting her desires and her nerves she blurted, “I’m not sure what I’m allowed to ask you.”
Lex chuckled, “You can ask me anything. I’m an open book.”
“Aren’t submissives supposed to be quiet?” she asked curiously.
“Good grief. Did you read that book that all the women are talking about? The one where BDSM is supposed to be about the man telling the woman to be quiet and fuck, and she just accepts it? That is not what this is all about, my dear, and if that’s what turns you on, I think we’d better part ways now as friends.” He went to rise from his seat, and she grew flustered.
“No, wait,” she reached out and took his hand in hers, stopping his forward motion. “I was just trying to make what I know of BDSM mesh in my brain with what I’ve seen tonight,and what you’re telling me. I snapped at you, and you didn’t punish me. It surprised me that you didn’t really react. And I thought I was supposed to call all Dominants Sir, and if I played with someone, he was my Master.”
Lex watched her intently, and she wondered what he was thinking. His eyes were a startling shade of deep blue. She had only seen that color once before in her life, when she was a young girl and her parents took her a on a fishing boat in the Gulf of Mexico. Right now, those piercing blue orbs were centered on her soul, and she could have sworn he could read her thoughts.
“You know, not all Dominants are alike, just like submissives are all different. We all have our own way of doing things. In general, I prefer an experienced sub, but something about you intrigues me. I took advantage of your unease by touching you without asking first. You had every right to snap at me, and I’m not your Dominant, so I don’t have any right to punish you unless you interrupt a scene I’m in or break a house rule.” He paused for a moment to let her absorb that and then answered the second part of her question, “While we’re sitting here talking as friends, Lex is sufficient. If you agree to play with me tonight, you will be expected to call me Sir. I don’t believe a sub should call anyone Master unless he or she has earned the title. Perhaps…”
He looked thoughtful as his words drifted off, and he skimmed his thumb over her bottom lip. Her mouth watered and she ached to lick his skin just to see if he tasted as good as he looked. Mortified at her own fantasies, and the fact that, yet again, she was allowing a stranger to touch her too intimately, she jerked her head from his grip and hurried to take a drink of water to cover her fumble.
“Thank you for the explanation. I’ll do my best to abide by the rules tonight.” She responded giving him an amused smile.
“Well, that’s a damn shame,” he murmured back.
There was a wicked glint in his eyes that did strange things to her body. Her heart was racing and her palms were as damp as her panties. She was almost afraid to stand up from her seat again for fear she might now have a damp spot on the back of her skirt.
“Would you like to dance, Marley?” Lex asked, rising from the low slung chair. The height of her own seat put her face almost dead even with his crotch, and there was a distinct bulge under his zipper that she found very intriguing, but he didn’t seem to notice her predicament.
“I’m really not much of a dancer…” She stammered for an excuse not to get closer to him. He was too magnetic and charming for her. She was almost afraid that if she let him pull her onto the sparsely populated dance floor, she would turn into putty in his hands and never find herself again.
“The music is slow, and I know what I’m doing. Trust me to lead, and you’ll be fine.” She wasn’t sure if he intended the double meaning behind his words or not, but her clit certainly heard it.
Holding out his hand, he waited for her to lay her palm against his and then he tugged her to her feet. She swayed slightly, and he steadied her with a hand on her lower back just above the curve of her ass. Immediately, she had to fight the urge to press herself against his long muscular body. Certainly he already thought her an easy mark after that steaming kiss; rubbing against him like a cat in heat wouldn’t help her circumstance.
He led her onto the dance floor without another word, and before she could turn to face him, he spun her around once, and then twice, so that her balance was off and she fell into him.
With an arrogant grin on his face, he wrapped his arms around her back, and steadied them on the curve of her spine, but within proper distance from her ass. “Better, now just relax and let me guide you. That’s right, sway with me. Dancing is like making love. It’s sensual, and there’s an exchange of power between every couple. You trust me to lead you in the right movements, and I trust you to follow me, but at any point you can walk away.” His hot breath whispered over her ear from above, and her cheek brushed the smooth silk of his shirt. “You have all the control, Marley.”
Lex continued to murmur instructions to her, softly seducing her with his body and his innuendos. Her breasts grew heavy and achy, and her nipples were diamond hard points that she knew were probably poking through the thin material covering them. She tipped her head back to look up into his deep blue eyes, and her knees grew weak at the intense lust burning there.
“Careful. If you slip I get to carry you off and say I swept you off your feet. That would make you my rightful prize to do with as I pleased for the night,” he whispered.
Marley snorted out a laugh, “Is that a party rule?”
“No, but everyone knows the black knight steals away the princess at her first ball and seduces her.”
Her eyes went wide and she grinned, “Are you telling me you read fairy tales Lex?”
“Sadly, yes. My ten-year-old daughter’s personal favorite is The Little Mermaid, and I can sing every single song along with the crab in that movie.” He almost looked proud, as though it was a significant accomplishment, but Marley was still caught on the first part of his explanation.
“Daughter?”
He tipped his head in acknowledgement. “Yes. Is that a problem?”
She was quick to shake her head, but her stomach was suddenly in a tight knot. Here she was dancing with him, and letting him seduce her, and he was obviously a family man. She suddenly felt all sorts of dirty, and wrong. Pushing away from him, she gave him a shaky smile.
“Thank you for the dance, Lex. I think it’s time for me to be going.”
* * *
Shock rippled through him. The logical side of his brain told him to just let her go. He had no need for a prickly sensitive woman who didn’t know the first thing about real Dominance and submission, but his heart wasn’t quite ready to let the subject drop.
She had just spun on her heal, when he reached out and latched onto her wrist, pulling her off her feet and backwards into his chest. “So you’ve got something against single fathers then? Is that what has you running, Marley?”
“Single fathers? No-I-uh…shit.” Her muscles relaxed and she sagged against him, letting her head fall forward. “I’m so sorry, Lex. I just assumed—”
“That I was a douche-bag with a wife and child at home waiting for me?” He asked, his face close to hers. “I’m not sure what kind of men you’ve been with before, but I’m not them. I have a ten-year-old daughter, and an ex-wife. Ex as in extremely unlikely to ever see her again in this lifetime. She left when Kaia was eight weeks old, and she hasn’t even sent so much as a birthday card since. My daughter is my life outside of my job and these parties, but she has nothing to do with my abilities as a Dom, which is what you’re interested in, right, Marley? You’re looking for someone who can show you a good time, and then let you walk away without any hurt feelings afterward.”
“No! Yes. I don’t know really. I just know that I won’t let myself be taken advantage of. When you said you had a daughter I assumed that also meant you had a wife. I’m sorry if my assumption hurt your f
eelings. Now, if you’ll let me go, I’d like to collect my purse and get home.”
Lex wasn’t sure whether to laugh or turn her over his knee for her attitude. Knowing full well that he would just be causing an unnecessary scene if he tried to punish a newbie in the middle of the dance floor, he released her enough to turn her around so that he could see her face.
“Stop being childish. You made a mistake, let it go. You don’t know me from a stranger on the street, so I can’t blame you for making the wrong assumption. I did the same thing when I asked you about that silly book. I don’t want to run you away from the party just because you’re embarrassed.”
Marley’s eyes narrowed, and her brow wrinkled. “Fine. I’ll stay, but I think we’re finished dancing.”
Lex laughed loudly, drawing the attention of several of the party attendees. “Oh princess, we’re certainly not finished dancing just yet.”
“Are all Dom’s so arrogant?” she asked rudely, making him grin even wider at the put out look on her face.
“Most of them. It comes with the job. We have to make sure our subs don’t run the show, and knowing we’re strong enough to earn their submission is half the battle,” he said tugging her tighter to his chest as they swayed to the music. They were barely moving now, just rocking with each other more than anything. He loved the way she fit snuggly against his body, like they were carved from the same block of wood.
“What’s the second half?”
Lex frowned at her, “What?”
“You said that’s half the battle. So what’s the second half?” The genuine curiosity on her face was heartwarming, and he couldn’t stop himself from pressing a kiss to her forward.
“Proving it to them.” He met her gaze as she considered his words.
“So the submissive still has to be earned in a way. They don’t just have a lineup and draw names from a hat for the night?” Her brown eyes were wide as she spoke, and it took him a minute to realize she was serious.
“What?”
“I read that in a book once. At the parties everyone gathered in a room, subs on one side, and Dom’s on the other. They just paired off and had sex with strangers—”
“No, princess. No one will just assign you to a random Dominant. Good lord, what have you been reading that had you believing…” his words drifted off, and he sighed when she stiffened again.
“Well I’m sorry, but I’ve had to read what’s available, and search online for more info. It’s not like there are a lot of ‘how to’ sites for BDSM. You know I went on this one website called something like ‘I need a collar’, and I had over a hundred messages from strange men in less than an hour. All of them wanted naked pictures of me, and wanted to know what perversions I prefer,” she said, shrugging her shoulders in frustration.
“That’s what you get for seeking a partner online.”
“It’s not like I can just ask everyone I know if they happen to know a single man who likes to spank his dates.” She tossed back. Her temper made her positively radiant, and he craved her even more knowing that she wasn’t a pushover.
Chuckling, Lex continued to sway them together, but he let his hands slip lower on her spine to rest on the curve of her ass. “I like to do a lot more than spank my dates, and I can’t even begin to understand the world of online BDSM. It’s insane to me that anyone would consider having sex with a faceless name on a screen.”
“We can’t all be pillars in the kink community,” she grumbled. “I think you’ve answered enough of my questions now. Thank you for the dance. I’m going to go finish looking around now that dinner is over.”
Lex let her go this time, watching as she scurried away looking even more beautiful than she had before. Guilt ate at his gut once she was gone from his line of sight. Perhaps he had pushed her a bit harder than he planned, but she reacted so strongly to the news of his daughter, and was so naïve about her dating life that it got to him. It wasn’t often someone was able to ruffle his feathers, but Marley seemed to be an expert.
There was no way he was going to let another Dominant find her and claim her tonight. He needed to convince her that their clash of tempers was actually a good sign. It meant there was passion between them, and he could only imagine the sparks they would light once he earned her submission.
Adjusting his hard cock behind his zipper, he collected his empty plate and her forgotten water bottle, and returned them to the dining room before setting off in search of the flitting butterfly he planned to catch this evening.
3
Marley made her way into a bathroom where she promptly locked the door behind her and slid to the floor. Tears burned her eyelids, and guilt ate at her gut.
Well done, Marley Lynne. You’ve likely just screwed up your one chance at finding an experienced Dom to teach you.
She forced herself to breathe in through her nose and out through her mouth until the nausea faded. Killian had warned her to keep her distance for the evening until she learned the lay of the land, but she hadn’t listened, and now she’d offended Lex and screwed herself.
Then again, she’d had no way of knowing that Lex was a single father. Hell, he could have been an axe murderer for all she knew. He still could be, a little voice whispered in her head, but he is one helluva fine axe murderer if he is.
Groaning, she forced herself to her feet. If she left now, she would always wonder, and she knew that she would never regain her courage to visit again. It was important that she invest herself in this experience wholly and really try to learn. Even if that meant she had to face Lex again.
What you really need to do is find Killian and ask him for direction. Filled with a renewed sense of determination, she used the facilities, splashed cold water on her face, and then opened the door to a whole new world once again.
This time, her journey down the hallway of hedonism was less shocking and more sensual. She looked at each particular scene with newly-opened eyes, and a greater respect for the individuals currently living their lives in the open for strangers to see.
As she made her way down the corridor, she was shocked to find the green-eyed Domme from earlier in one of the rooms. Not only was she there, but she was fully focused on the scene she was in. The man Marley had spoken with earlier, Foster, hung from a hook by his cuffed wrists, and the Domme was using a wooden paddle on his ass. Fascinated by the pleasure on her new friend’s face, Marley stepped closer to the open doorway of the bedroom to watch, staying just outside the door. She wasn’t sure if she was allowed to actually go inside or not, but as she approached she could see four or five people lining the walls of the spacious bedroom, indulging their voyeuristic desires.
Foster had a ball gag in his mouth, and clamps on his nipples and balls, but if his hard cock was any indication he was enjoying himself. The sound of the paddle thumping against his skin was odd to her ears, but she couldn’t deny its appeal. More appealing was their obvious focus on the scene they were participating in. A quick peek through the doorway found about a dozen people lining the walls of the room watching their play. Marley shivered as Foster let out a grunt of pleasure when his Domme gave him a hard slap to his thigh with the paddle.
“The paddle she’s using is specifically for pleasurable spanking. It’s made of Ash, which is an extremely hard wood, and it has holes drilled through it that add to the sting on his skin. If you were to look closely at it, it is engraved with her name, so that every time she paddles him she is marking him as her property.” Lex’s deep voice vibrated in her ear as he spoke against it, and she shivered again. His tone was low enough that the people around them would only hear a murmur of sound but no words. The heat of his body at her back, and their height difference made her feel dainty and delicate in the curve of his body. “That intrigues you, doesn’t it, princess?”
She nodded, and when he remained silent, she forced herself to speak, “Yes.”
The one word was apparently spoken too loudly, because several people glanced their way,
and even Mistress Ana tossed a glare her direction. Flushing with embarrassment, she didn’t argue when Lex tugged her away from the open door and a few feet down the hallway where they wouldn’t be interrupting.
“Tell me, Marley, why do you want to be subjugated and treated like property?”
Her temper flared briefly at his description, and she realized that he was likely trying to push her buttons after her temper tantrum a few minutes ago. She should still be upset with him, and avoiding him, but she found herself answering his question breathlessly. “I don’t wish to be treated harshly. I’m intrigued, as you so eloquently put it, about the freedom of giving up control. I wonder if it’s as good as it sounds to let someone else take the reins and lead while I follow.” She made a move as if to go back to her viewing spot, but his next words froze her in her tracks.
“So you want a babysitter?”
Her body stiffened as she whirled to face him. Meeting his eyes steadily she glared at him. “No, Sir.” Even she could hear the sass in her tone, “I want a man. I’m tired of dating boys who want a woman to cook and clean for them, and take care of them, but they aren’t capable of taking the lead. I want a man who can be gentle—or hard—because he knows I like it both ways. Someday I want someone who will appreciate me caring for him, but isn’t afraid to wash his own laundry. Who will indulge in fantasy with me, because it makes us both happy, but who can also live a normal life and enjoy Chinese take-out on the couch after work. But tonight, all I want is to learn more about myself, and believe me, I damn sure don’t want a babysitter.”
Spinning on her heel with the intention of storming away again, she yelped when he jerked her back by her hair, and then quickly released her, before his arms were wrapping her tightly to his chest. “Easy there, little warrior. I had to make sure you were here for the right reasons. I don’t want to be in a 24/7 babysitting position. I don’t even want to own a slave. I just want a woman who can submit to me because she knows that I control her pleasure. You’ve got a bratty side, and it both pisses me off and turns me on. All I can think about is getting you over my lap and spanking that pretty round ass of yours until it’s bright, fuckably red.”
