Chapter 5
Dayton Carrigan had no idea what to expect when Lincoln asked him to scene with a prospective new member. Lincoln had informed him she seemed slightly skittish and proper. He hadn’t said “stuffy,” but Dayton had pictured her that way from the description. He just hoped she hadn’t exaggerated her previous experiences with BDSM, because they were going to clash if it turned out she preferred a more sensual experience.
Dayton was sitting at one end of a black leather loveseat in a dimly lit corner of the main playroom when he spotted Sasha wandering through pointing out various pieces of equipment to the woman next to her.
Dayton’s attention shifted to the woman, his breath catching as he scanned up and down her body. She was nothing like he’d expected. Not even close. She was wearing a tight black dress—if one could call it that. It shimmered in the dim lighting, barely covered her bottom, and gave her the most amazing cleavage. Her pale skin nearly glowed in contrast. But the most amazing thing was the glorious wave of black hair hanging down her bare back.
Dayton flexed his fingers, imagining what it would be like to fist that hair in his hand and tug her head back. He wanted to nuzzle her neck, inhale her scent, tease the sensitive spot behind her ear.
He glanced away, blinking several times as he inhaled slowly. It was slightly unusual for him to be so affected by a submissive. He’d met and worked with dozens over the past several years, but only in rare instances did they make his cock take notice.
Tonight was one of those nights.
He shifted his gaze back to find her nodding at something Sasha was telling her. Her body language suggested she was indeed a seasoned sub. This was not her first trip to a club, not by a long shot. She kept her spine straight, her gaze downcast, her hands clasped at her back. She was also barefoot, which made Dayton’s breath hitch.
Hell, he wasn’t even sure what her name was. He hadn’t paid close attention to what Lincoln told him. He’d only internalized the important part—that Sasha would introduce them after her tour.
When the two ladies turned to face completely in the opposite direction, Dayton got his first full view of the new sub’s fine ass. It was perfectly encased in the stretchy fabric of her dress. There were no lines indicating she even had a thong on. The open back reached past the small of her back. Another inch, and the dress would be indecent for the outside world. As it was, nothing was left to the imagination.
Dayton wasn’t sure how much oxygen he took in while he watched the women move around the room, but finally, Sasha lifted her gaze, scanned the room, and spotted him on the loveseat. She smiled as she led the new sub toward him.
“Good evening, Sir,” Sasha began, speaking to him formally because that’s what Lincoln would insist upon while they were in the club. “I’d like you to meet Erica.” She waved a hand toward the woman on the left. “Master Lincoln asked me to introduce you.”
Dayton faced Sasha. He considered her a close friend. They’d known each other for years. He adored her as much as everyone at the club did. It was impossible not to. However, right now, he wanted her to disappear. He would take it from here. “Thank you, Sasha. You may be excused. I’m sure Lincoln is waiting for you somewhere.”
“Yes, Sir,” she murmured, offering him a slight bow before glancing at Erica and then shuffling off.
Erica didn’t back away from him, but he could see her chest rising and falling rapidly from nerves.
He patted the spot next to him on the sofa. “Have a seat. You may be at ease for now, while we negotiate.”
“Thank you, Sir.” She closed the distance and perched on the edge of the loveseat, her body angled slightly toward his.
“Erica. I like that name.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
He extended an arm along the back of the sofa, not touching her, but permitting him to more fully face her, while nonverbally surrounding her. “Lincoln tells me you just moved to the area.”
“Yes, Sir.” She hadn’t lifted her gaze yet.
“Please look me in the eye. I’d prefer to have a normal conversation before we scene together.”
She swallowed as she met his gaze.
He lifted a hand, instinct telling him to stroke her hair back from her face. He almost didn’t stop himself before asking, “May I?”
She slid her gaze to his fingers. “Yes, Sir.”
He closed the distance, touching her silky locks for the first time. After running his fingers through the length, he tucked the loose strands behind her ear. “So soft,” he whispered.
“Sasha suggested I leave it down. She said you would like it.”
“She was right. It’s gorgeous.” He fingered the ends. Like the rest of you. It was too soon to say something that cheesy. “Lincoln says you have plenty of experience within the fetish community and you’re interested in some impact play.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“You’re very poised. Well trained. I can tell you’ve worked with some amazing Dominants.”
“Yes, Sir. I’ve been frequenting BDSM clubs for a few years.”
“Not many. You can’t be that old.”
He loved the way her face flushed as she licked her lips. Interesting. “I’m twenty-two, Sir.”
“That came out wrong. I didn’t mean to insult you. I don’t have a problem with your age as long as you’re an adult capable of safe, sane, consensual play.”
“Yes, Sir,” she whispered, glancing down. God, he loved her voice. It was slight, sometimes barely audible. Submissive. So very sweet. It wrapped around him like the rest of her.
He really needed to get a grip on himself. She’d come here tonight and asked for a scene. She didn’t know him from Adam. She hadn’t insinuated she was looking for anything more, and who was he kidding? He may be incredibly attracted to her, but she was extremely young. At thirty-seven, he was not opposed to finding someone he could settle down with, but his age range did not extend that young under any circumstances.
Oh, and you just met her like ten minutes ago.
He wondered if she was in college, or maybe she had recently graduated. He wouldn’t ask her for such personal details. It wasn’t appropriate. Many people preferred to keep their personal life very private when they joined a club. Zodiac was the kind of place the patrons could escape their regular lives and be anything they wanted. Erica included.
“What implements do you have experience with, Erica?”
She licked her lips again. “Most of them. I enjoy the release from some pain, but I don’t care for being marked in a way that won’t fade in a few days.”
He nodded. “Good. I would never do that to someone I didn’t know for a long time anyway. Do you get the release you need from impact alone? Or is it sexual for you? Will you expect to orgasm?”
The way her cheeks flushed again intrigued him. Sexy. Gorgeous. “I don’t expect to orgasm, but sometimes I do.”
“If the right person gives you just what you’re craving.”
“Yes, Sir,” she whispered.
He couldn’t keep from smiling. “We’ll just have to see then.” He would see. He would watch. She wouldn’t see anything because her vision would be blurred from arousal and then the intensity of the orgasm he’d give her.
Dayton stood and held out a hand. “I’ve reserved a St. Andrew’s cross for us.”
She set her softer, smaller hand in his and let him lead her toward the corner of the room where their station was now available.
He noticed a slight tremor in her fingers, but that was normal. She had only known him a few minutes, and he was about to dominate her.
There was a padded mat in front of the cross, and Dayton pointed at it. “Kneel for me while I get ready.”
She gracefully lowered to her knees, clasped her hands behind her back, and tipped her face toward the floor. Her thighs were several inches apart. Exactly how he would’ve requested. Again, proving she wasn’t a newbie and wasn’t in over her head.
It re
ally didn’t matter. He would start slow with her and watch her closely. If she reacted appropriately to light impact, he would increase it gradually.
Dayton checked to ensure the equipment was cleaned and secure and then dropped his bag on the mat behind her. “Safeword?”
“Algorithm, Sir.”
He smiled. Interesting choice. She must work for Amazon, or perhaps she’s a statistician. “Algorithm. Got it.” He set his hand on the top of her head and then smoothed his palm down her silky hair. “I’m going to secure your hair first, okay?”
“Looking forward to it, Sir.”
He chuckled. “Sasha gave away my best-kept secret.” He began to run his fingers through her thick locks, loving the feel of the heaviness against his palms. But more importantly, he enjoyed the way a submissive moaned as he played. Both men and women enjoyed having their hair arranged.
Erica was no exception. She purred quietly while he worked. When he noticed a hairband around her wrist, he bent slightly and tugged it over her hand. He held it between his teeth while he finished gathering the strands and then carefully secured the thickness in a high ponytail.
Now that her hair was off her shoulders and back, he stepped back to enjoy the expanse of her skin. Creamy white with no blemishes at all. Like porcelain. He stroked his fingers along her shoulders and then down her spine. Smooth. Silky. Gorgeous.
She shivered as he lightly touched her lower spine, making him smile.
“This dress is amazing,” he murmured. “I think I’ll leave it on you for now.” It wasn’t like him to leave a submissive’s bottom covered while he struck her, but he might make a concession this time simply because he enjoyed how the material hugged her so perfectly. It would stretch even tighter when he got her against the cross, legs spread.
He rounded to her front and held out a hand. “Stand.”
She took his hand and let him help her balance as she rose just as gracefully to her bare feet.
After leading her closer to the cross, he watched as she assumed the exact position any sub with experience would take, hands reaching up the top of the X to grab on to the rungs above her head, feet spread wide toward the lower section.
“Good girl.” He ran his hands up her arms to her wrists and then back down to her shoulders. Standing close to her, he could inhale her scent. Something floral. Lavender maybe. He dragged his fingers down the delicate straps of her dress, his gaze roaming up and down her back before he peered over her shoulder to admire the way her breasts had risen high on her chest with her arms raised.
It had been a long time since he found himself so personally affected by a sub. She was intriguing. Sexy as hell. Young, but not naïve. Intelligent. If he pulled out his imaginary list of qualities his perfect woman would have, he could already check off several and they were just getting started. He’d be head over heels for her by the end of the night if she submitted to him as perfectly as he suspected she would. His dick was going to be hard too.
He took a slow breath as he stepped back, forcing himself to stop touching her for now. His gaze remained on the expanse of skin on her back as he reminded himself it didn’t matter how damn amazing this scene went—she was freaking twenty-two.
Finally tearing his gaze from her exposed skin and fine ass, he bent to dig around in his bag. The backs of her thighs and calves were as amazing as the rest of her. Smooth, soft, white skin. He wished he could run his tongue up the back of her leg until she moaned. Maybe he’d get to do that someday—if he were lucky—but not today.
Dayton considered his options and went with a narrow wooden paddle. It was only about three inches wide and short enough that he could easily control how hard he struck her while he kept a close eye on her response.
He returned to stand at her side. “I’m not going to secure you. I don’t like to restrain submissives I’ve never worked with.”
“Okay, Sir.”
He smoothed the cool surface of the paddle down her back, watching the way she arched slightly at the contact. She was nervous, proven by the way she licked her lips several times, but not more than expected. Her stance was also amazingly relaxed—shoulders low, breathing even, knees not locked. “You’ve had a lot of training.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“It’s obvious. I’m still going to go slow because you’ve never submitted to me.”
She nodded slightly, her gaze still focused on the floor in front of her. “Yes, Sir.”
“Algorithm, huh?”
“Yes, Sir. It’s not the sort of thing someone might accidentally say.”
He chuckled softly. “Why do I get the feeling it’s exactly the sort of thing you might say regularly.”
She flinched just enough for him to notice and pursed her lips. Apparently that side of her wasn’t up for discussion.
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to delve further into your personal life. We need a word for yellow, so you can slow me down if you need. How about parallel?”
“Parallel, Sir?” She glanced at him, gracing him with her amazing dark eyes.
“That’s about the extent of my math. And, just to make things even between us, I’ll give you a hint. Parallel lines are an important part of my job, just as I suspect algorithms are in yours.”
“Interesting, Sir. Now I’m intrigued.” She jerked her gaze back to the floor. “But let’s leave it at that. I prefer the mystery.”
“Agreed.” But damn, he was curious. Erica was an enigma so far. He liked it. The mystery made him even more interested in her.
Dayton tapped the paddle on her bottom, gently at first, warming her up, warning her that he was ready to get started.
She sighed, a sign that she was mentally prepared for what he had to offer. Craving it.
He tapped her slightly harder, watching her profile closely between swats. He couldn’t see her skin beneath the stretchy material, but it didn’t matter right now. He was just getting started. He wouldn’t swat her hard enough to really pinken her skin for a while yet.
Erica tipped her head back, her lips parting as he warmed her bottom. Stunning.
He paused only a few minutes later to take her pulse, leaning close to her ear. “You doing okay, sweet girl?”
“Better than, Sir. Thank you.”
“Just getting warmed up. I assume you want a lot more than what I’ve given you so far.”
“Yes, Sir. If it pleases you, Sir.”
He smiled at the way she rephrased her response, ensuring he didn’t think she was making demands. “Good girl. Do you mind if I lift your skirt to see how your skin is responding to the contact?”
“Not at all, Sir.”
Obviously, Erica didn’t shy away from nudity. She hadn’t requested that he leave her dress on, nor was she wearing anything under it. She’d left it up to him to decide when and if he would expose more of her body. Another sign that she didn’t intend to top him and fully understood how undisciplined that would be.
Dayton tucked the paddle under his arm and bent at the knees to ease the tight material of her skirt over her bottom. He didn’t fully expose her. Just enough to assess the results. Her skin was pink but she could take much more without bruising. He set his palm on her bottom to feel the heat and then gave her cheek a gentle squeeze.
She rose slightly onto her tiptoes.
He returned the skirt to its original position and rose to standing. “Are you aroused, sweet girl?”
“Yes, Sir.”
He liked that. He’d done very little, and already she was affected. Her head hung slightly lower also, tipped at an angle toward the floor.
Dayton retrieved the paddle from under his arm and positioned it once again at her bottom. He swatted her slightly harder than before but lowered his progress to her thighs this time. The skin there was nearly as translucent as her butt cheeks. He would be able to judge how she was responding from the color of the backs of her thighs.
She swayed forward a few times, but managed to right herself without a
verbal command. Her fists were wrapped around the rungs above her head, never letting go. Although she was slight, her biceps were muscular enough to assume she worked out some. Perhaps carrying around all those algorithms. He chuckled inwardly at his horrible joke, glad he hadn’t said it out loud.
As the backs of her thighs warmed up, he shifted his attention back to her bottom and then higher to include her shoulder blades. The pink lines that rose on her back were so damn sexy.
After a bit, he paused again to check in with her. “How are you doing, Erica?”
“Great, Sir.” Her voice was deep. “It feels so good. There is nothing like it, Sir.”
Dayton would never fully understand the craving for pain no matter how slight. He’d submitted to every single implement in his bag, using the general rule that no Dom should strike anyone with a tool they themselves haven’t experienced. But he’d never gotten any kind of euphoria from submitting or from being struck.
He did, however, derive great pleasure from making other people experience the release they craved—from the pain, an orgasm, or both. It was fascinating how many people in the world enjoyed a good spanking or a flogging as a method of stress relief. Just as he similarly found the same release in doling out the release.
As he smoothed his hand over her back and then her bottom, he was aware of the low murmur of people around him and took a glance to see he’d attracted a crowd. Not surprising. People often enjoyed watching him work, and it wasn’t every day he had such a sexy submissive at his mercy.
It was time to pick up the pace. If Erica wanted a full release from a good paddling, he wasn’t going to disappoint her.
Chapter 6
When Rex entered Club Zodiac thirty minutes ago, he’d envisioned finding someone who enjoyed a good flogging and setting up a scene. He was new to this particular club, and though Lincoln, Rowen, and Carter—the club’s owners—didn’t hesitate to accept his membership transfer based on easily obtained recommendations from Aaron and Colin—the managers of the Denver branch of Zodiac—Rex was still new to the scene in Miami. No one knew him. He would have to prove himself before he would gather a following.
Taming Rex Page 3
