by Sara Brookes
His tone changed a little and caused her to think she'd offended him.
“Considering the fact I've spent most of my adult life single—no. I have no idea what types of things go on there.” She could take a guess based on the stories she'd heard from the occasional tourist with a computer issue. It was the quiet little secret no one—at least the locals—talked about.
If the town wasn't as young as it was, the presence of the club wouldn't be an issue because it wouldn't exist in the first place. It didn't sound like the sort of place that catered to the staunch conservative types like her parents. If her parents knew more about the town she lived in, they would do everything they could to persuade her return to Glass Island. She hated to think what they'd say about this warehouse.
Patrick touched a finger to the back of her hand and she took it as a sign of reassurance. “There's nothing wrong with it by any stretch of the imagination. However, that type of activity is better left to those who prefer to engage in sexual acts with multiple partners or even perhaps like to play voyeur while other people have sex. I, unlike them, prefer one at a time and to keep a private audience.”
A strong surge of emotion ran through her. Without any further encouragement, the sensation swelled and the delicate skin between her legs tingled. “Mr. Conners, we seem to have a lot in common when it comes to sex.”
“Care to find out just how much?” He spun, put himself in front of her as he released his hold on her arm. She couldn't help but admire the feral heat she saw in his eyes.
While she appreciated the offer, they would both regret giving in so soon. Especially after the build-up that brought them to this point. Anything that didn't involve what he'd told her earlier would be a serious disappointment and she wasn't about to have their first time together be anything less. She was interested to know if those images in her head were anywhere close to the reality he'd referred to.
They both needed time, patience and attention at this point.
Those three words weren't ones she'd thought of in reference to BDSM. Maybe it was a stall tactic on her part, but she wanted to know about the unique building. “Give me a tour first. Please,” she added when he looked at her curiously.
“Fair enough. As I said, this place is one big warehouse.” He released her arm and walked over to the closest wall. “These walls can be erected and rearranged depending on what activities are going one. Right now, all the walls are up and there are four distinctly individual rooms.”
Those rooms were arranged so they were tucked into each corner of the large area to leave a walkway up the center in order to access the doors that led into each room. While she was curious about each room, she wondered even more about something else he'd said. “And what sorts of activities happen when all the walls are down?”
His hand skimmed over the nape of her neck and a shiver travelled along her spine. “Anything a person's imagination can conjure up, I suppose. From what I hear, Elena had the whole floor opened up for a party for one of her friends once. Having heard the stories about Elena's parties, I chose that particular weekend to pay a visit to my mother.”
“A sex party? Like an orgy?”
“No, Allison. Just a regular party for a friend. A birthday party, I believe. While the vast majority of things that happen here are sexual, sometimes it's simply used for function.” He tapped the end of her nose and smiled. “That being said Elena has had an orgy or two in here. She is not opposed to multiple partners at once and quite enjoys the voyeurism aspect of sex. Both watching and being watched if I remember correctly. Beauty of a space like this—highly functional.”
“I can see that.” With the familiar way he spoke about Elena, she wondered if he'd ever done more than watch. Maybe he'd even participated. It certainly wouldn't surprise her if she took everything she'd heard so far tonight into consideration. His past was his own, however, and not something she was particularly interested it. She only cared about the here and now.
There was a practical application of the arrangement. Not only did it provide a private environment where only those you invited could enter, it was also safe. Once here, there was no worry about someone else forcing their way into whatever scenario was set up for yourself and your companions. She assumed that wasn't the case inside the sex club. This set up allowed the four to keep their living quarters completely removed from their sex lives as all their activity could be confined within these walls.
She thought of the other more practical application of a room this large. “Just think of the servers you could have in here or even set up a massive screen over on that wall—”
“I have other ideas for that wall.” His voice was low and the question lay frozen in her throat as she wondered what he meant. She dismissed the thought instantly since it would be much more fun to let him show her.
With a sheepish grin, she shrugged. “Once a geek, always a geek. Sorry.”
“I find I'm quite fond of this particular geek.” His mouth closed abruptly over hers again. While it wasn't as demanding as their earlier kiss, it still spoke of control and desire. It was clear he meant everything he'd said during their dinner conversation and she found herself utterly enthralled.
He ended the kiss and continued on as if nothing had happen as he told her about the room tucked in the far left corner. “Donovan is the one who uses this place the most as he shares a place with a roommate. It seems easier to find someone who disagrees with your lifestyle choices than someone who agrees. Needless to say, Donovan's choices aren't ones his roommate condones.”
She waited for him to continue, but he gave her a blank look instead. Finally, her curiosity got the better of her. “Okay, I'll bite. Why?”
“Donovan isn't exactly discriminate of his sexual needs. That's not to say he's unsafe or has sex with everything that moves, but he once talked about having multiple partners at the same time.”
Now that didn't surprise her. While she was female, a close-knit group of male friends gave her insight into the testosterone-filled psyche. Probably more insight than she wanted, to be honest. If she asked any of her gamer friends what they wanted when they were with a woman—if any of them could actually find a girl who wanted to be with them—they'd want their date and her best friend. “Ultimate male fantasy. Several women at once is like some test to see if a guy has the stamina to please them all at once.”
He leveled his eyes at her and realized her mistake before the words were out of his mouth. “It was a woman and another man. Donovan's bisexual. Though, if you ask him, he'll tell you he's tri-sexual. He'll try anything once. I'm not scaring you, am I?” he asked suddenly.
She wasn't, but not because she was shocked or disgusted by what she heard. It was because somehow this all felt right to her. That surprised her more than anything. She'd always kept an open mind about how other people conducted their sex lives, but had never realized that openness extended to her own sexuality.
Patrick had confirmed it at dinner earlier, but to hear even more about this world truly made her feel better. “Actually, it's fascinating. You always hear about stuff like this, but to know it's actually happened right here—wow. So, that's Elena and Donovan. Who's the third?”
“That would be Ryan. His tastes run to the extreme and that's his room.” He pointed to the door nearby then pushed his hand through his hair and unintentionally mussed it. “I have no idea what's behind the door either, before you ask. I have my suspicions based on living above this place, but I don't know for certain.”
Now that sounded like a story to hear. “Suspicions?”
“Considering I hear Donovan or Elena and not Ryan when I know for a fact he's here on a particular night, I suspect Ryan has soundproofed his room. I've always taken it as a good indication of some hardcore interests. Well beyond my realm of knowledge, that's for certain.” From the tone of his voice, it may have been something beyond his scope, but he still respected it.
She respected the whole setup as well. Most p
eople hid themselves away from things because they just didn't understand them. These four people, though, had evidently found a way to make it work for each of them. Not everyone was so lucky.
“You said his room was a secret, but you also said all the walls can be taken down.” Upon closer inspection, she looked to where the walls met and found the seam. He hadn't kidded around, the damn walls were portable.
“If someone needs anything rearranged, Ryan is the one who handles the setup and take down. That also ensures that he's the only one who knows what's in his room. Privacy is something Ryan believes in wholeheartedly. That's part of the agreement I made with him and don't bother to ask more questions than are needed. There's a reason the four of us have this place and confidentiality is the biggest. Besides, my interests are far more tuned to my room than the others.”
Since he mentioned his room, it seemed like a perfect time to ask him the question that had been on her mind since he'd pointed out each of the rooms and who owned which one. She extracted herself from his arms and walked over to the one room he hadn't said anything about. “And your room?”
“Not as exciting as you probably think.”
The sound of her laughter echoed off the high ceiling and he loved the sound of it.
“Patrick, you're one fourth of a group of people who rent a warehouse where they've built rooms to fulfill their sexual needs—whatever they may be. From the sound of it, they're pretty varied. Somehow, I think it's far more interesting than you're leading me to believe.”
“When you put it that way, I suppose so.” He shook out a single key from his pocket and slid it into the lock. His heart rate spiked and he shook away the sensation he experienced whenever someone came here for the first time. The nervousness amplified even more because of the feelings he struggled with in regards to Allison. As he'd told her about each of the other rooms, he hadn't thought twice. His room was an entirely different matter.
In this room, he'd be totally exposed.
“You know, I could hook you up with some type of key card device instead of a tumble lock. One good kick and someone would have no problem breaking in. Maybe something to keep in mind, considering how tight-lipped one of your roommates tends to be.”
He swung open the door and shoved the key back into his pocket so he wouldn't forget it later. “Most women wouldn't try to sell me a new security lock for an interior door right at this moment.”
A flush of pink tinged her cheeks and her gaze fell to the floor, clearly embarrassed. “Now you understand why I'm single.” She snorted and a stab of anger lanced through him and overtook his apprehension.
His fingers trailed over her shoulder before they wrapped around her upper arm. “Any jerk that broke things off with you because you were simply yourself is a complete ass who deserves to have his balls twisted in a knot and secured there until they fall off. They have no idea what a good thing they let go.”
His mouth took hers as he swung them both into the room and slammed the door shut. She was immediately responsive in his arms and pushed hard against the ridge of the zipper in his jeans. Despite the sudden rush of adrenaline, he reminded himself he wanted to take things a little slower, ease her into this, and reluctantly pulled his mouth away. He wanted to show her the room first before things progressed to a point where neither of them could think clearly. “On the other hand, maybe I should be thanking them for their idiocy.”
He reached to the side and tapped the rocker switch to flip on the lights as he kept an arm around her. The connection was too precious to sever. Soft lights flared to life and he looked around with her as she took it all in. Even after all the years he'd been a part of this agreement, all the time he'd spent here since then, he still marveled at the fact he'd made this space his own. He'd worked long and hard to make sure he, and anyone he chose accompany him through the door, felt as comfortable as if they were in their own home. The colors were soft and muted and the furnishings were simple and understated. While he'd spared no expense, he'd kept things low-key and sedate.
A wide row of windows along one wall was currently uncovered. With the touch a button, light-blocking curtains would swing into place. He took his privacy very seriously when it came to this space. “This is the only room with windows. One of the perks of being the landlord. I got to force my hand about which area I wanted.”
“You made a good choice and totally not what I expected at all.”
“What did you expect? A dimly lit dungeon with floggers, ball gags, ropes and whips?”
“As silly as that may sound—yes.”
He didn't blame her. Most people had those preconceived notions about what this sort of lifestyle entailed. The St. Andrews cross he'd attached to the wall behind them showed he wasn't entirely opposed to the darker aspects of this and probably just the thing most people thought of when they heard about BDSM. It was the one piece of equipment in the room that stood out as bold and downright sinful.
“Those have their place—for the right person. I'm more apt to mix seduction with my tastes. I will say that there's a certain fascination with tying someone up and it's more than just slapping leather around and ordering someone to do what you want. However, that's always seemed a little one-sided to me because sex is definitely not just about getting each other off.” He paused, probably more for dramatic effect than anything else because he wasn't above it from time to time. “That being said, Allison, what gets you off?”
She leaned in, pressed her forehead into his chest. A lot had been dumped on her all at once and now in a world where she obviously faced new territory. He fought the sensation of tightness across his chest as he waited for her to respond.
“Definitely not orgy, multiple partner type stuff. I'd rather be focused on just one person at a time.”
A surge of energy revved the thoughts that formed in his mind. It didn't surprise him to hear her preference. It was normal and he preferred the same.
It's time to find out just how similar our interests really are.
“How do you feel about leather?”
She hitched against him and he looked down to see her smile as she gestured to her hips. “My ass is so not made to wear it.”
It wasn't what he meant, and had to laugh. He'd waited long enough, put off the inevitable, so he caressed her jaw before he stepped to the small box on a table near the door. The delicate silver latch was cold under his fingers as he flipped open the ornately carved box.
Situated in the center of the white silk were the items he'd bought a week ago. He turned after he shut the box and presented his gifts to her with little flourish.
“While I'd like to dispute how I think your ass would look encased in leather, I was thinking more of the wrist area.”
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Chapter Six
Allison stared at the circles of leather he offered. Those butterflies in her stomach suddenly increased tenfold and her fingers shook as she reached out a tentative finger to touch the edge of one of the cuffs. The leather was surprisingly warm against her skin. For some reason she'd expected it to be cold to the touch.
Patrick cleared his throat. “You should know I bought these just recently—just a day or so after we first met in fact.”
Her eyebrows winged up in surprise and pulled her hand away, unsure if she wanted to touch them any longer. “Some would say that's a bit presumptuous of you.”
“Some may, but they aren't the ones standing in front of me right now,” he stated firmly.
“No, they certainly aren't.” And thank God for that. A sudden thought struck her and she realized it wasn't entirely presumptuous of him. Well, it was, but guessed it was because he was a man who was conscientious of his chosen lover. There was a certain amount of practicality to it—after all, she wouldn't want to wear anything one of his previous lovers had worn.
She immediately wished that statement could be retracted, but to do so now would be foolish. Instead, she decid
ed to use another tactic. “Do you buy a new pair of each of your lovers?” From his softened expression, she'd guessed correctly.
“Yes. I would never ask a current lover to wear something an old lover once wore for me. It trivializes you both. While I may be the Top in the sexual part of the relationship, I refuse to resort to humiliation, just as I said earlier. I refuse to demean anyone for my pleasure. That's not what I find enjoyment in.”
Reassured by his words and everything he'd shared with her to this point, this was what she wanted. Not just him, but everything about him. She wanted him to be the one to show her, to experience those things he mentioned. “Looks like we really are on the same page, Patrick,” she stated firmly as she held out her wrists to him.
At first, she thought he would refuse her for some reason, but instead tucked one of the cuffs into his palm while he closed the other over her right wrist. Unlike the cheap snap versions from the few trend stores she'd been in, these cuffs had heavy duty silver buckles. These weren't some cheap knock-offs anyone would purchase for a few dollars.
They were the real deal.
The weight of the leather felt different against her bare skin and for some reason, once he buckled the first one in place, a sense of calm washed over her. It was an odd sensation and not something she guessed she would have experienced upon being bound. It wasn't unlike how she'd felt when he'd kissed her on the balcony at the movie theater.
Safe and secure, but completely out of control.
Her initial impression of the wide leather cuffs was that they would feel confining and tight, but the effect was quite the opposite. She watched in fascination as he secured the other cuff around her free wrist. The leather slid through the metal clasp with a soft rasp as it slipped into place. Her mouth went dry as he gave a light pull to make sure it was snug.
He released her hands and she turned them over as she examined the leather that circled her slim wrists. She was free to move about as she chose because the cuffs weren't connected. However, as she turned both her wrists over, she saw two small D-rings with one-way latches. They appeared to hook together or a chain could be threaded between them to allow the wearer some freedom of movement. Her finger touched one of the rings and she looked at him in expectation.
