by Zara Chase
“Your tits are perfect as well. I can’t wait to…well, you don’t want to know what I can’t wait to do to them. You’re not ready to hear it yet.” He cleared his throat of the blockage constricting it and did his best to empty his mind of the salacious thoughts tumbling through it. “Tell me about the jerk who broke your heart.”
“Nope. I’ve said enough.” She fixed him with a determined look. “It’s your turn. You have a degree in journalism but choose to be a ski instructor in Nevella. You come from Colorado, so presumably the openings for ski instructors are much more lucrative over there. So, why are you really here?”
* * * *
Tanya felt as though she was having an out-of-body experience. How else was she supposed to explain being alone in this comfortable room, with a mouthwateringly gorgeous guy who actually seemed to be interested in her? Did life get any better than this?
The muted sounds from the bar on the other side of the wall barely registered, presumably because this room was soundproofed. She glanced at Ward’s handsome profile, trying to commit every feature to memory. Each time he focused his intense gaze upon her face her insides were rocked by deeply disturbing jolts. Her nipples had puckered ages ago, were rock solid, and showed no signs of thawing out. She didn’t want to think about the mayhem he was causing with her pussy, just by looking at her. God, she was pathetic!
Was he serious about the BDSM thing? He seemed to be, but he’d change his mind the moment he saw her naked, bulges and all. He implied that he liked her tits, but that was only because he hadn’t seen them without a bra to keep them where they were supposed to be. Don’t get carried away, girl. He’ll come to his senses soon enough.
“I worked as a journalist for a while back home,” he said, filling the taut silence with his deep, rich voice. “Psychology was a good subject to back it up. It helps to know what makes people tick so you can get a handle on them when you do interviews and stuff.” He spread his hands. “I’m here taking a sabbatical.”
“That is such a cop-out, Mr. Shannon.” She placed her hands on her hips and sent him a damning glance. “Come on, I told you mine. Now I want your full story.”
“Do you know what the suicide rate is amongst psychiatrists? All that listening to people’s deepest problems day in, day out…it rubs off and you lose the will to live.”
“But you’re not a psychiatrist and that statement was supposed to distract me.”
He offered her a teasing smile. “Damn, you’re good!”
“You’re really not going to tell me, are you?”
“Honey, there’s nothing more to tell.”
A shadow passed across his eyes. He was lying, which told Tanya all she needed to know about his interest in her. Common sense told her it could only be transitory anyway because she was only here for a week. Make that another six days. Even so, she’d told him stuff about herself that she didn’t usually tell anyone. He was so easy to talk to, presumably because of his training as a journalist, but still.
“Leo and I go way back,” he said. “He came over here, invited me for a visit, and the place kinda got to me.” He stretched his long legs in front of him and his arms in the air. When he lowered them again, one fell across her shoulders. He made it seem like no big deal. It felt good there and she didn’t move away. What the hell—live for the moment! Melanie didn’t require a guy to tell her his life story before she got into his pants, but Tanya had a problem behaving the same way. It was just the way she was wired. “It’s so laid back in Nevella and there’s so little bureaucracy that it attracts a lot of oddballs.”
“How long do you plan to stay in hiding?”
He quirked a brow. “Who said I was hiding from anything?”
She shot him a knowing smile. “You just did.”
He said nothing but Tanya knew she’d hit pay dirt. He looked so relaxed, sprawled elegantly in the corner of the sofa, but the tension behind his lazy smile told a different story. His legs were splayed wide, displaying a fine-looking bulge in the front of his jeans. She widened her eyes in honest appreciation, wondering what he was packing in there. Tanya lifted her eyes to his face and met his amused gaze. Color flooded her cheeks. Shit, he’d caught her gawping at his cock, effectively causing her to lose the advantage she’d created for herself. He’d never talk about his deep, dark secrets now.
“Tell me about the jerk who broke your heart,” he said for a second time.
“He didn’t break my heart, but he did piss me off.”
“Why?”
“How long have you got?”
“All night.” He tightened his grip on her shoulders, sending fiery vibes shooting through her body. “And there’s no one I’d rather spend it with.”
“I’ll give you the abbreviated version. He’s a guy I’ve known and gotten along with for years. He introduced me to one of my major clients—a chain of health clubs that need different sites to showcase their various services. I did well out of it, we finished up dating, and I finished up financing a business venture of his.”
“Ouch!”
“Ouch is right. It tanked and I lost my investment.”
“Did you love the guy?”
Tanya considered the question. “No, but I liked being part of a couple for a while.” She flashed a wry grin. “And I enjoyed the sex. Made a change from getting up close and personal with my vibrator.”
“Sounds like the vibrator would have been a safer option.”
“Yeah, especially because I foolishly gave the guy access to my credit card.”
“Oh shit!” Ward scrubbed his free hand down his face. “That probably wasn’t wise.”
“As it turns out, it wasn’t. He maxed it out. I confronted him about it, we got into a fight, he pushed me, and I finished up in the hospital with a concussion.”
Ward’s body tensed. “The bastard hit you?”
“Yeah, but he won’t get a second chance. I can’t stand violent men. There’s nothing more cowardly than a man settling an argument with his fists.” She shuddered. “I just can’t imagine why any woman would put up with that, but a lot seem to.”
“And now I suppose you can’t find him to press charges, or at least demand your money back?”
“Oh, I know where he is, but I don’t want anything more to do with him. I’ve wised up and won’t be taken a second time. It was him and me that were supposed to come on this trip together. I was going to cancel, but Melanie suggested that she come instead. She figured I could do with a break.”
“How kind of her.” There was sarcasm in his voice. “Presumably you footed the bill.”
“Yeah, but I was paying for Brad anyway. It was just a case of changing brother for sister.”
“Hang on.” He sat up straight and glowered at her. “What, the scumbag who cleaned you out and put you in the hospital is Melanie’s brother?”
Chapter Five
“That family has really worked a number on you.”
“It probably seems that way to an outsider. If I had my time over I’d do a lot of things differently.” She shrugged a little too casually. “Still, we live and learn.”
Ward felt indescribably protective toward Tanya and was surprised by the strength of the anger that gripped him when he discovered how she’d been used. He’d learned the hard way to keep a lid on his infamous temper—a temper that had cost him his career, his reputation, his way of life—and it had been a while since it had gotten away from him. He tightened his grip on Tanya’s shoulders, breathing in the scent of her herbal shampoo as he closed the distance that separated them.
“I can’t believe you let Melanie talk you into bringing her along, but I’m awful glad she did, otherwise we never would have met.”
She shrugged. “We’re just passing ships.”
“No, we’re not. Be honest with yourself. You can feel it—”
“Feel what?”
“Whatever it is that connects us. I dunno. Chemistry, a sexual buzz, something.”
O
ne hand slipped from her shoulders to her waist, pulling her against his side. He lowered his head and brushed his lips tentatively against hers, giving her ample opportunity to pull away. She remained passive in his arms, not responding but not pushing him off, either.
“Do you want this?” he asked against her lips. “Us, I mean.”
Her hesitation was ephemeral. “Yes.”
She breathed the one word almost reluctantly, as though her body and mind were in conflict but the needs of her body had triumphed. Jubilation to ricocheted through Ward. He’d been sorely tempted to tell her the truth about his reason for being in Nevella, which surprised him because he never talked about it—ever—and tried not to think about his less-than-finest moment, too. Even Leo only knew the bare bones. He’d seen the disgust in Tanya’s eyes when she talked about her violent ex and was relieved not to have bared his soul. She would have lost all respect for him if he had, and that would have killed Ward.
“That’s good,” he replied softly, tickling one corner of her mouth with the tip of his tongue. “Because I have to tell you, the moment I saw you in the bar last night, I really hoped this moment would happen.”
“You need to understand that my body…well—”
“We’re gonna have to work on your negative body image.”
She chuckled, presumably to hide her embarrassment, and wouldn’t look at him. “Good luck with that.”
“You think only stick-thin people are entitled to enjoy good sex?”
“Well, I—”
“Because men react to Melanie’s provocation, you think that’s all they want?”
“I know it is. I’ve seen it too often to doubt it.”
He sighed. “There’s only one way to prove you wrong.” He stood up, grabbed her hand, and pulled her to her feet. “Come with me.”
“Where are we going?”
He led her from the room by a different door. “You’ll see.”
A short corridor led to another door controlled by a keypad. Ward pressed in the numerical code, and it swung open to reveal a very different world. He glanced at Tanya, nervous about her reaction. He’d never brought any of his ski students here before—none of the guys had. The place wasn’t a secret but it was strictly invitation only. If the punters got to hear about it, it would become the sideshow Leo was keen to avoid. That was why he was very selective about whom he allowed in.
Tanya’s head swiveled from side to side as her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, and a small exclamation of surprise slipped past her lips. They were on a walkway that surrounded the action taking place in the dungeon below them, but he wasn’t even sure that she’d looked down and seen it yet. Her attention still appeared to be on the crimson walls with the old-fashioned sconces lighting it. The frescos depicting highly erotic scenes earned a clipped giggle. The glass showcases holding an array of sex toys made her gasp.
“What is this place?”
Ward, still holding her hand, stopped and pulled her in front of him so that her backside rested against his groin. Shit, perhaps that wasn’t such a good idea.
“Look down.” He wrapped his arms around a surprisingly slender waist and held her firmly against him, trying to ignore his almost painful state of arousal.
“Oh my goodness!” She clapped a hand over her mouth as she observed the dozen or so people below them—some being disciplined, others fucking one another’s brains out rather violently. “What is this place?”
“It’s the private side of Hadleigh’s. Not many people get to see this.”
“I’m not surprised.” She paused, wincing when a whip came down over a woman’s backside particularly harshly. The lashing sounded like a gunshot as it echoed through the cavernous room. Tanya probably expected the woman to cry out. Instead she laughed, not seeming to feel the pain. “Is it legal, what they’re doing, I mean?”
“They’re consenting adults.”
“Yes, but is it legal to have a club such as Hadleigh’s here in Nevella?”
Ward shrugged. “You’ll find places like this all over the world.”
“I know that, but Nevella’s such a small place and…well, it’s not so easy to keep things quiet in a small place.”
“You’d be surprised.” Ward chuckled. “Besides, half the clientele are politicians, law enforcement, teachers. I think we even have a couple of members of the local clergy in here from time to time.”
“Okay, I get the picture.” She paused to laugh off her embarrassment. “I think.”
Ward pushed his hands beneath her top, and splayed them across her belly. “What do you know about BDSM relationships?”
“Mostly what I read in my novelist client’s books. Let me see.” She plucked at her lower lip with her forefinger, but her eyes didn’t leave the action for a second. They were alight with interest, Ward was pleased to observe as he peered down at her face from behind. He hadn’t been wrong about her. She could definitely become a player. “Don’t they have to enter into contracts? A Dom has to take ownership of and responsibility for a slave’s welfare and well-being, stuff like that. Sometimes they wear locked collars to show they’re spoken for.” She shook her head. “I don’t know if that’s actually true.”
“Pretty much, except here people only come as established couples, or threesomes, or whatever. We don’t encourage them to mingle and pick up here.”
“If they’re established already, why come here?”
“For the facilities.” Ward indicated a woman tied to a St. Andrew’s Cross, and a couple decked out in leather harnesses swinging on some sort of trapeze.
“I feel like I’m intruding.”
Ward laughed. “On the contrary. That’s another reason why they come. They like to be watched.”
She moistened her lips. “Well, I have to say, watching is…er, interesting.”
“What do you notice about the women?”
“They like pain.”
“That’s a given. Anything else? What about the lady over there? The one in the PVC catsuit?”
Tanya giggled. “With her tits clamped and her naked pussy on show?”
“That’s the one.”
“Well, okay, she’s on the podgy side.”
Ward tried hard not to laugh at her prim reaction. “Darlin’, you’re so sweet. That’s Emily and she’d be the first person to admit that she’s fat and doesn’t give a rat’s ass about her body shape.” He ran his hands higher over her bare torso, causing her to gasp. “She loves her body, loves having her Master whip the shit out of her, and gets off on showing off.”
“Well, I…hell, don’t do that with your hands. I’m trying to watch and you’re distracting me. This is interesting.”
“You like what I’m doing with my hands,” he said, circling them on her midriff and just touching the underside of her breasts before withdrawing again. “What about the lady on the St. Andrew’s Cross.”
“Well, um…I suppose she’s a bit pear shaped.”
“Hmm, she is. That’s not something you have to worry about.”
“Okay, I get it, Ward. These ladies don’t care about their imperfections. Is that what you need me to say?”
“Does it turn you on?” He brushed his lips against her ear as he spoke the words. “You like watching Ivan sink his cock into Emily’s backside?”
“Yes,” she admitted breathlessly. “I already told you that I like sex and I’m curious about this stuff. I’m not sure about the pain part, though.”
Ward expelled a soft breath against her ear, causing her to shiver. “Honey, that’s the best part. If you wanna do this, then I’ll teach you how to make the pain transmute to pleasure. Trust me, it’ll blow your mind.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“I’m sure.”
“Well, I suppose if you’re that experienced, you would know.”
“Now don’t get all possessive on me, sweet thing. You did ask.”
“I can’t go down there and be on public display.” She shook
her head emphatically. “That would be too much too soon.”
“That’s not what I had in mind.”
She glanced up at him, taking her eyes off the action for the first time. “Then what?”
He answered her question with one of his own. “You ever had anal sex?”
“No, but I’m up for trying it.”
He caressed her butt possessively. “Course you are. You’ll do whatever I tell you to, because I’m in charge.” His hand slid down lower and caressed her pussy from behind. “You wet, darlin’?”
She nodded. “Soaking.”
He tapped her butt with considerable force. “That would be soaking, Sir, or soaking, Master.”
“Yes, of course it would.” She rolled her eyes. “Sorry, Sir.”
“That’s better. Okay, let’s go do this thing. Oh, but first.” Ward leaned over the balustrade. “Hey, Simon.”
“Ward, I didn’t see you there.” The man, fully erect, paused with a flogger in his hand and grinned up at Ward. “How you doin’, man?”
“I have a lady here who doesn’t believe the gymnast position is possible.”
“Is that right?” Simon slapped the butt on the woman knelt on the floor in front of him. “On your back,” he said curtly.
“Yes, Master.”
The woman got lithely to her feet, but kept her eyes averted from the man’s.
“It’s true what I’ve read then, about the woman having to keep her eyes lowered.”
“The slave must always keep his or her eyes lowered,” Ward replied. “Sometimes it’s the man who’s the bottom.”
“I see.”
Ward saw fascination on Tanya’s face as the woman lay down, straightened out her legs, and elegantly lifted them behind her shoulders, toes touching the floor. She used her hands to support her back, briefly glancing up to wink at Tanya.
“Won’t that get her punished?”
“If her Master saw it. But then again, disobedient slaves often do things they shouldn’t because they enjoy their punishments. You have no idea the sort of crap us Doms have to put up with.”
“You’re right, I can’t begin to imagine.” She gasped when the woman’s Master laid into her bare ass with a whip. “Oh, that must be painful, especially when she’s in such an awkward position.”
