“Ask them. I will give you the truth.” I realize as I speak that this is the way to fix things... to give her the answers that she craves. No matter how painful it may be for me to tell them.
“About anything?” There is a twinkle in her eyes and it makes me smile a little, but I hide it behind my wine glass.
I nod, feeling open and vulnerable for the first time in a long time.
“Why Eden? Why this place?” She sips again, the wine staining her lips and making me wanting to sink my teeth into their deep red hue.
“I wanted to help people who were searching for a change in their lives.” I pause, considering. “I wanted to help... steer them in the right direction.”
“And what do you get out of it?” Her eyes narrow, and she pins me with a stare as she sets down her glass. “I heard you don’t even charge people to come here. You can’t be making any money.”
I nearly choke on my wine. The woman is definitely upfront. And resourceful.
But... I like that she is putting me on the spot.
“I get the satisfaction of knowing I’ve helped someone find love, or happiness, or trust, or whatever it is they are missing in their life before they come to Eden.” Helping others helps fill the hole in my own life... the one that I have been waiting for her to fill.
“And what are you missing?” She stares at me intently.
I lift my glass to my lips. “At the moment? Nothing.”
She flushes and looks away, and her reaction gives me pleasure. I think she understands what I mean.
By the time she looks up again, the food has appeared on the table. Her mouth opens, probably to ask where it came from, but she’s visibly distracted by the sight of smoked salmon pizza with caviar embellishments.
“Oh my God, it’s like you read my mind.”Seeming to forget that the pizza just appeared out of nowhere, she leans down and inhales the delicious aroma.
“You mentioned Wolfgang, so I took a chance that you knew of his signature meal.” At least, I’d pictured it in my mind. Eden had apparently agreed.
“It smells delicious.” She sinks her teeth into her lower lip, and my eyes track the small movement.
“I’m certain it tastes even better.” I’m not talking about the pizza.
She smirks, knowing, I’m sure, exactly where my mind has gone. Picking up a piece of the steaming pie, she sinks her teeth into it. I’m entertained when she makes a very sexual noise. “If I lived here, I would be the fattest person on the island.”
“I highly doubt that.” She is a beautiful woman, lush, delectable. “There is nothing wrong in taking great pleasure in the things we love.”
“Well, I love food. Just so you know.” She winks at me then finishes the first piece, picking up a second.
I watch her eat, intently. Her appetite is enthusiastic, and I can’t keep from wondering if she’s just as ravenous in other areas.
I find it hard not to imagine here there, strapped to the horse, her full ass on display just for me. I wonder what sounds she would make if I spanked her hard with the paddle. How wet she would get when I trailed the edge of the whip over her flesh.
A shiver rushes up my spine. I disguise it by bringing my napkin up to my mouth and wipe away an imaginary substance. he way Noelle looks at me, though, makes me wonder if she knows exactly what I’m thinking.
God, I hope not.
God, I hope so.
Chapter Eight
NOELLE
The rest of the dinner goes by quickly. Food appears whenever my back is turned—I have no idea where it’s coming from, but it’s too good for me to care much. The pizza was amazing, and dessert is a salted caramel chocolate tart. To die for. I eat mine and half of Theo’s.
He doesn’t seem to care at all. In fact, he looks like he’s enjoying watching me eat. For a quick moment I think about Hansel and Gretel and getting fattened up before the slaughter. Is he planning on eating me?
God, I hope so.
I ask him more questions about Eden. He answers them with obvious fondness for the island and for the people who not only work for him but also all the guests that fly in.
I’m quickly coming to understand that he’s not the man I assumed he would be. He has a lot of power and money and control but he doesn’t wield them frivolously or with cruelty.
I desperately want to ask him about what I saw in the dungeon, but I’m embarrassed by my reaction to it. I don’t want him to see it in my face, the yearning in my eyes when I question him about it.
Although... I also kind of want him to know that it turned me on. That it didn’t revolt me in any way, the way he seems to think it did. That when I think about it now, I have to fight the urge to cross my legs tight so as to crush the ache between my thighs.
Instead I open them a little wider and lean forward on the table.
I’ve made up my mind. Opening my mouth, I gather my courage to tell him what it is I’m curious about.
I’m certain he’s able to read my intent in the lines of my body. Instead he sets his napkin on the table and stands. “Since we are done, I will walk you to your room.”
His words are abrupt. They sting, enough that I follow him wordlessly.
His hands fidget as he walks me up the stairs and to the guest room. I notice the closed door on the other guest room, and take note, pursing my lips.
He ushers me past that door and into my own, then nods curtly.
“Have a good sleep. I will see you tomorrow.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to stay for a nightcap?” I point to the fully stocked bar in the corner of the room. I’m never desperate, but in that moment I want, want more than anything for him to stay.
“No, thank you. I have an important call with Japan in the morning so I have to be up early.” He gives me another nod, then leaves the room, shutting the door behind him.
Slowly, I sink onto the bed. Boy, did I misread those signals. I thought for sure he was really into me. His eyes give away most of his emotions. He was definitely digging it when I was eating. I could see the hunger in his eyes and it wasn’t for the food I was stuffing into my face. It was for me.
Tired and a little bit sick from the rich food and wine, I fall back onto the bed with my arms flung out. Maybe I got the wrong idea. Maybe he just wanted me to stay on the island to tell his story. I mean, I’ve used people for a story before, so it wouldn’t be the worst transgression ever committed in the name of getting some print.
But... I had just been so sure.
Some thumping noises come from next door. I sit up. There is someone in the other guest room.
The woman. The one from the dungeon. It must be her.
That’s why he didn’t want to get busy with me. He didn’t want to while the woman he’d just been playing with was in the next room.
I have so many questions, I can’t just sit here and do nothing about it... not to mention that restraint has never been my strong point. Standing, I open my door and end up staring at the closed door next to mine
I lift my hand to knock, and then lower it again.
This is weird. She’s going to think I’m crazy. But... I can’t stop myself.
I need answers.
“Hello?” I knock. There’s no reply, so I knock again.
This time I hear a faint hello in return. Taking this as an invitation, I open the door and peek in.
The woman sits up in bed, red silk sheets pressed to her chest.
“Hi, I’m Noelle.” Indecision haunts me. I’m pretty sure she’s naked under those sheets. Probably I should go back to my room. So of course I do the opposite. “Is it okay if I come in?”
She nods warily, so I enter and come over and sit on the bed, realizing after I do that this is maybe a little forward. I’ve been told on several occasions that I have no boundaries. Noting the way the silk sheets fall, showing that she is indeed naked, and that I plan on interviewing her anyway...
This could be true.
“Wh
at’s your name?”
“Lexi.” She watches me with big eyes, but either she’s the most trusting woman on the planet, or the life she lives is weirder than this.
“I know this is weird, but I’d like to ask you a question or two. Is that okay?”
“Um, sure.” She sits up straighter. She’s so tiny and... well, perfect. Long chestnut hair, wide green eyes, smooth porcelain skin. She’s... delicate looking. Like I might break her if I look at her too hard.
I’m not prone to feeling unhappy with my body, but next to this tiny china doll, I can’t deny that I feel... big.
“So, I kind of walked in on you and the big guy earlier tonight.” I push away my insecurities. Everyone has them, and I refuse to swell.
“Okay.” She doesn’t seem surprised, though I’d noted she was wearing a blindfold. Why was that, I wondered? Theo had still been wearing his mask, so it hadn’t been to prevent her from seeing him.
I wonder if she’s seen his face. I wonder if anyone on the island has.
“So how does it all work?” I frown as I run through the scene from earlier in my mind.
“What do you mean?” She tilts her head, confused.
“Like... he’s your Dom? Is that what it’s called?” Like I said, I did my research. “And you... do whatever he says?”
“The Master and I have a very satisfying relationship.” Lexi speaks carefully, and my heart clenches far more than it should. I hadn’t anticipated that they had a... well, a relationship. I’d thought he was interested in me.
“He gives to me, and I give to him.” Lexi continues, running a hand through that perfect silken hair. “It is never one sided. The power exchange is about balance.”
“Right.” Balance. Something I’ve never been good at. “H... how long have you been together?”
She must sense my disappointment because she grabs my hand. “It isn’t like that. I service him when he requires it, but it isn’t exclusive. I have other Masters and Mistresses.”
“Oh.” My face heats as relief floods through me. Damn it. No way can I ignore these crazy feelings.
“Are you looking to becoming a submissive?” She arches an eyebrow. “Or perhaps a Dominant?”
“Uh, no. I mean...” I stumble over my words. “I’m just... I’m not sure what I’m looking to become.”
“Confusion is normal.” When she smiles sweetly, I find it hard to hate her. “The Master is a very generous Dom. He would definitely take care of you.”
“I... yes, he seems like the type.” Weirdest. Conversation. Ever. Even for me.
“Well, it’s true.” She lets go of my hand with a final pat. “You must have desire, or you would never have come in here to ask me questions. I hope you find the courage to pursue what you want.”
What I want.
I’m not sure that even I know that.
I thank her for answering my questions and exit quickly, leaving behind the scents of vanilla and roses. I pause outside my door, then continue on—I’m not tired.
Talking to Lexi gave me more questions than anything, and I think I know where to find the answers.
I tip toe downstairs and pause in front of the door leading down to the dungeon. Wrapping my hand around the door handle, I pray that it’s locked, so that my decision is taken away from me.
It’s not. And me being me, I push open the door and look down the stairs. It’s dark.
I could still just turn around and go back to the room. No one would ever know I was tempted.
But the temptation is too much, or maybe not enough, and I descend into the darkness.
When I reach the bottom of the stairs I search for the light switch. I find it and flick it on. Light floods the outer room, and I pad across the fluffy carpet to the side door. Opening it, I enter the... well, I’d joked that it was Theo’s red room of pain, which isn’t that far from the truth.
It’s his... I think it’s called a dungeon. And it’s very, very interesting.
The room smells of rich leather and earthy wood, and there’s an almost... electric... charge in the air.
It dances along my skin, arousing my senses.
I walk to a metal rack and run my fingers over all the instruments. First there’s the cat o’ nine tails. I saw that in action. Next is a riding crop, then a paddle made out of leather, then some other things that I can’t even name.
I walk over to the bench that Lexi had been strapped to earlier. Curious, I kneel on the padded ledge and lean over the middle.
“What are you doing?” Theo’s voice booms out across the room. Startled, I screech and my body jerks—I nearly fall off the bench.
Catching myself just in time, I push to my feet. My face burns with embarrassment. My body burns with desire.
I can’t decide which need I want to pay attention to.
“I’m sorry. I was just curious.” Swallowing thickly, I cross the room, intending to flee.
“Do you know what happens to curious little girls who poke into things they shouldn’t?” Theo steps into my path. I look up at him, all the way up, and nearly swallow my tongue when I see the dark desire dancing across his features.
Slowly, I shake my head. My heart races, and my knees feel like they might give out.
“They get punished.” Theo casts me a wicked smile, and there go my knees. He catches me before I can collapse onto the floor.
“What—” In a flash, he has removed my slip dress. I’m naked beneath. I fight the urge to cover myself with my hands as he stares at me, his breath coming as heard as my own.
“If you want to leave, do it now.” His voice is harsh, and he whips the hood off his head. He stares at me defiantly, as though waiting for something.
I don’t know what that something is. But I do know that I’m not going anywhere.
Chapter Nine
THEO
I can’t quite believe that this is happening. When this hotheaded woman first washed up onto my island, I would never have believed that this, what we’re about to do, would be possible.
Yet here she is. The woman of my dreams, asking to submit to me.
“Get back on the bench.” I notice that she trembles, and I savor the reaction. That it has been so long in coming makes it all the better.
I feel certain that she’ll argue, but instead she nods and climbs back onto the bench. My own hands tremble as I adjust her, my fingers sliding over smooth, hot skin as I bind her arms and legs to the bench.
“If at any moment you need to be freed, or if things become too much... anything at all that doesn’t feel right... you say red. Do you understand?” I circle the bench so that I can see her face.
“Yes, I understand. Red.” She looks nervous, but also... aroused. The very act of strapping her down, of taking away her control has made her muscles soften.
Any worry I had that she might not want this fades. She might be the most exhausting woman I’ve ever met, but right now?
She wants to submit. Though I’m not sure she knows enough about it to even give me those words. The combination undoes me. I don’t know how I’m supposed to go easy on her tonight. Not when I’ve been waiting so damn long.
“I’m going to spank you, Noelle. Five blows.” I savor her sharp intake of breath, feel her thigh quiver when I rest my palm on it. “First, however, I want you to tell me what I am punishing you for.”
“For... oh.” As she speaks I run my fingers between her legs. She’s slick. I’d known she would be, but I had to make absolutely sure that she wanted this as much as I thought she did.
“Answer me.” I remove my touch and she groans.
“Because... because I broke into the room and found you with... the other one.” I know she’s spoken with Lexi, I know she knows the other woman’s name. That she won’t say it means that she’s a little bit jealous, and I love it.
“No.” Lifting my hand, I give her a sharp slap on the flank. She cries out, rears up, and I grin.
“I’m spanking you for trying
to leave.”I slap her again, right on the buttocks, groaning at the way the flesh jiggles.
“You were with someone else!” Her voice is full of indignation, even as she moans through another spank. “You can’t punish me for that!”
“I most certainly can, so long as we both enjoy it.” I deliver the last two blows, then step back to admire how beautifully her skin has flushed under my attentions.
She is breathing hard, but when I circle the bench and she looks up at me, I know her answer before I ask the question.
“How was that?”
She bites her lower lip, tries to squirm. I’m empathetic to her situation, because I know just how hard it is to admit that you’re kinky.
But I also love watching her wiggle.
“Answer me, Noelle. Or we stop right now.” I step back to emphasize my point, even as my body shrieks at me in protest.
But that’s part of being dominant—doing what is right, not just what you want.
She hesitates a bit longer than I like. Very well, then. I’m going to have to take it a bit further.
Crossing the room, I take my time perusing my selections, knowing that her eyes are on me, watching my every move.
I make a show of selecting the riding crop, savor her whimper when I pick it up and cross in front of her.
“Please...” I don’t think she knows whether she’s begging or asking for mercy, but I can see her body drawing tight as she looks at the crop.
Anticipation is good. Actual fear is not. Lifting my arm, I trail the tip of the crop over her arm, across her lips, down her back.
She softens, and when she does, I flick her once on the hip.
“Shit!” She jolts, then frowns up at me. “What was that for?”
“Did that hurt?” I continue to run the tip of the crop over her body, enjoying the shiver that runs over her skin.
She considers before answering. “No.”
“But your skin is red.” I lean over to rub my fingers over the small mark. “I bet it’s more sensitive, too.”
“I... yes. It is.” Her words are breathy, and I smirk to myself.
“Then I think it’s a reasonable assumption that this particular instrument might serve to... sensitize you. Arouse you.” Without warning, I again flick the crop. This time it lands on her buttock, which is still red from my palm.
[Invitation to Eden 20.0] The Island of Eden Page 9