by Tori Carson
“I want to.”
Chapter Three
Her mouth was dangerous. He prided himself on his control and she was shredding it to pieces. “You’re driving me crazy, girl. Your mouth is magical, Michelle.”
The expressions on her face were touching more than his dick. His heart was thudding in his chest. It was impossible to stay detached so he stopped trying. He pushed her hair away so he could watch his cock filling her mouth.
He loved her porcelain skin. Not only was it softer than silk, but the alabaster tone was a beautiful contrast to his. Sean removed the hair clip and took a fistful of her hair in each hand.
“Relax your throat, Michelle.” He set a faster pace and pushed a little deeper. Sean was careful to keep the rhythm steady so she could match her breathing to his strokes. Her mouth felt so damn good and he held off as long as possible.
He considered warning her he was about to come. They hadn’t discussed it and some women had a real problem with a man ejaculating in their mouth. As he lightened his pull along her hair, she tightened her grip on his thighs. With her tongue making him crazy, he thrust deeper still.
When his orgasm hit him with a force he wasn’t prepared for, his legs threatened to give out. He tipped his head back, hitting the shower door, but he didn’t give a damn as it only added to the stars flashing before his eyes. Son of a bitch!
“Oh my God, Michelle, I’ll let you do that anytime. Come up here, girl. I need to hold you.” Sean pulled her into his arms and held her tight. “Fuck, that was intense.” Emotions, he realized, took sex to a whole new level.
He looked down at her delicate, tiny hands wrapped about halfway around his arms. So pretty. Sean tipped her chin up, wanting to see her expression. “Thank you, Michelle.” He felt pressure against his hand as she tried to hide her face. A pink blush dusted her cheeks.
“Why are you embarrassed?”
Undoubtedly many thoughts were swirling around in her head and he wanted her to share them all. Instead of being forthcoming, she gave a slight shrug as she rubbed her face along his chest. “I want you to talk to me. We promised each other honesty, remember?”
“I get embarrassed easily. It doesn’t mean anything.”
“I don’t believe that and I wish you’d let me in, but I won’t push you. This time.” She gave him a smile, but she didn’t look happy. What the fuck?
“I’m just nervous, Sean. Nothing to worry about. I’d better start getting ready.”
Sean turned the water off and got out of the shower. He held a towel open for Michelle. When she stepped into it, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. “Relax about tonight. I’m going to be with you as much as I possibly can. Please do me a favor, though. If you see something upsetting, try to keep an open mind and we’ll talk about it once we’re alone.”
“Okay. I’m not going to cause a scene, Sean. I promise.”
“That is the furthest thing from my mind, Michelle. I’m concerned about you being introduced to the lifestyle in this manner. It’s equivalent to being shoved off a cliff above a raging river as a way of teaching you to swim.”
She laughed and this time it didn’t sound forced.
“That’s my girl.” He ran his fingers through her hair. “Your hair is wet. I’m sorry. That was my fault. Let me braid it for you.”
“That’s sweet. Thank you.” Michelle secured the towel around her and went to the counter where she’d laid her purse. She brought out a small tube of lotion and began applying it to her skin.
“Sweet isn’t a word I’m used to having associated with me. Let’s keep that between the two of us,” he chuckled. He hadn’t been called that since grade school.
She laughed again. It was such a great sound. He wanted to hear it often.
“Your badass reputation is safe with me.”
Sean pulled a stool out of his closet and put it in front of the mirror for Michelle.
“Thank you.” She gave him a smile before sitting down. Rummaging through her purse, she pulled out a pair of scissors, a makeup bag and a brush.
“Is that some sort of magician’s bag? What the hell else have you got in there?” He took her brush and began working it through her hair.
Michelle closed her eyes and moaned, causing his cock to stir back to life. Seeing the towel tented looked too stupid for words, so he ripped it from his waist and threw it in the hamper. She needed to get used to nudity. In just a few hours she’d be surrounded by it. His stomach churned as he wondered once again at the brilliance of this plan.
“I work a lot of hours, so I try to carry the basic necessities with me.”
“Good thinking. Do you have a hair tie in there?”
She dug for a moment, then pulled one out and showed it to him. While she was reapplying her makeup—which she didn’t need—he French-braided her hair.
“Wow, you did a great job. Thank you. Is your braiding prowess another secret we need to keep hidden?”
“Okay, brat. If you keep teasing me, you’re gonna get your ass spanked as never before.”
“Since I’ve never been spanked, that wouldn’t take much. Where did you learn to braid hair? Never mind, I don’t want to know. I don’t need any help feeling overwhelmed and out of my league.”
“Silly girl. I enjoy rope play, including hair bondage. I think it’s something you might enjoy. You seem to like me touching your hair, tugging on it.”
She nodded and started to blush again. “Yes, I do,” she added after a moment. Michelle opened the box Dana had given her and pulled back the tissue paper to reveal the corset and skirt she’d tried on in the shop. She spun the thong along her finger. “Just for the record, I hate these things. They were not designed by a woman, I can tell you that.”
“You don’t need to wear on it my account. I’m much rather have you bare.”
“Not happening.”
He chuckled and went into the closet to find something to wear tonight. One thing was for sure, it wouldn’t be his customary leathers. Not with Michelle in the house. He was perpetually hard around her and since he planned to spend most of the night sitting on a barstool, what was the point in being uncomfortable? He decided on black jeans and white linen shirt.
When Sean was dressed, he went back to the bathroom to help Michelle. She was struggling with the closures of the corset. He was about to make a joke about going topless until he saw real frustration etched across her brow.
Walking up behind her, he ran one hand down her arm then raised it above her head. “Relax and let me help.” He guided her right hand to her left shoulder then did the same with her left side so her arms were crossed behind her head and her elbows were pointed toward the ceiling. “This position stretches and flattens the torso and plain looks sexy as hell.”
When she shot him a dirty look, he kissed the top of her head. He reached around her and fastened each closure. “There’s a shibari tie that uses this position. We’ll have to try it sometime.”
“Thanks, Sean. I was losing my patience with this thing.” She bent over and arranged her shelf, granting him a gorgeous view of her ass.
“Woman! You’re trying to drive me to distraction. I see that now.” Unable to stop, he went to her and caressed her ass and thighs.
“It’s the only way I know of to keep my breasts from being flattened by the corset.” After she was arranged properly, she stood back up.
“We can’t have that. I know another way, but we’d be very late.” He watched her slide on the dreaded thong and then the skirt. When she went to put her shoes on, he stopped her. “Subs are barefoot. House rule.”
She raised an eyebrow at him. “Your cleaning crew had better have gotten up all the broken glass or I’m going to be a pissed off bartender. You notice I didn’t say sub. I know I’m not a Domme, but I’m not sure if I’m a sub either.”
“Oh honey, you’re a sub. Trust me on this. I’ll be happy to illustrate the point at our earliest convenience.” She looke
d him in the eye and he wondered what she was thinking. Getting her to communicate more freely was definitely a top priority.
“I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.” She looked down at herself. “I hope no one looks too closely at my knees. The pebble imprints from the shower floor are a bit noticeable.”
Sean kneeled in front of her and began massaging her knees. “Are you hurt? I didn’t think about the surface being uneven. I’m sorry. I should have stopped you.”
She rubbed a hand along his shoulder. “I’m fine, Sean. No worries. I wanted to.” She looked at her hand on his shirt. “Hey, you’re fully dressed.” She looked at his feet. “You’re even wearing your Jimmy Choos. Maybe I am a Domme…”
“You’re not a Domme. And what are Jimmy Choos?”
She looked at him in astonishment. “Your boots. The name brand is Jimmy Choo. Aren’t they?”
“I have no idea. I liked their look and they fit, so I bought them.”
“And here I thought you were trying to impress the ladies with your style.”
“If I’d known you were going to notice, I’d have put more thought into my clothing purchases.”
“I notice everything about you, Sean.”
That was a major confession for her. “I’m glad, hon. Thank you for telling me.” He stood and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. He was pleased when she snuggled against his chest. “One more thing before we go.” He took her hand and led her to the desk, where he grabbed the jewelry case and led her to the couch to sit down.
Sean opened the lid, showing her the collar he had chosen for her. He’d gone with a gold byzantine chain with a heart-shaped locket and a bar to attach a leash if he so desired. It was far more elaborate than he’d initially planned on, but when he was looking at the basic collars they didn’t adequately express how he felt about her. She wasn’t just another play partner. He hoped she’d become his life partner.
“It’s beautiful, Sean. I don’t know what to say.”
She looked a little lost and it sent his protective instincts into overdrive. “I’m going to insist you wear it whenever you’re at the club.” He pulled it out of the box and put it around her neck. “I’m learning I’m a greedy man where you’re concerned.” Once it was securely fastened, he kissed her forehead. “Perfect.” He drew her chin upward and looked her in the eyes. “Michelle, I want the whole package. I want your body, your submission and your love.”
When she tried to pull away, Sean glided his thumb over her bottom lip. “I know you have a hang-up with love, but I promise you, Michelle, there is such a thing. And I’m pretty sure we’re going to find it together. Before your brain starts working overtime, let me assure you we’re going to take baby steps and enjoy every moment of the journey.” He handed her a delicate gold key. “When you’re ready to trust me with your heart, give me back the key and then I’ll know.”
Michelle blinked several times, her eyes teary, before she leaned in and gave him a kiss. He was pretty sure she meant it to be a peck, but he wanted more. That was becoming his mantra with Michelle. Something in him just clicked every time he was with her. That was why he’d spent so many blasted hours in her diner.
Palming the back of her head, he deepened their kiss and she immediately opened for him.
A loud knock on the door sent Michelle jumping. “Shh. That’s just Steven warning me he’s about to open the club.” Damn, he was nervous. He was tempted to throw her over his shoulder and drive away. Instead, he went to his desk drawer and pulled out his extra key. “My office door locks automatically. This is the key. Keep it with you in case you need to get to your purse.”
“You don’t have to do that, Sean. This is your private office. I don’t need the key. Dana told me to stay out of the locker room, but I can just throw my purse under the bar.”
Sean opened the door and led Michelle down the hallway. “You’re going to have to tell me exactly what all Dana told you.” He wasn’t very happy with Dana at the moment. Either there was a lot of shit going on at his club he wasn’t aware of or Dana was fucking with Michelle’s head. “Keep the keys.”
Michelle slid them under the corset, knowing they couldn’t possibly fall out. She wasn’t sure she was ready for this. Every time she touched the collar, she felt like crying. It was so beautiful and the things he’d said…she couldn’t think about it right now without the waterworks flowing. She was tired. Once she got some sleep, she’d be able to think more clearly.
As Sean opened the door to the arboretum, Michelle stopped dead in her tracks. Three servers were standing around talking, a common enough sight, except they were only wearing waist-high aprons. If it weren’t for Sean’s arm around her waist, she’d have probably have run back to his office and hid for the rest of the night.
“Good evening. I’d like you to meet our new bartender, Michelle,” Sean greeted his serving staff.
Michelle kept her eyes on their faces. She was so embarrassed and knowing her face was as red as a beet didn’t help any either. She reached out to the girl closest to Sean and they shook hands.
“Hi, I’m Chrissy. It’s so good to meet you. We were all wondering if we were going to have to take turns working behind the bar.”
“I’m Ethan. It’s nice to meet you. If you need any help, just give a holler. It’s pretty busy for the first couple of hours, then everyone heads off to enjoy themselves. It picks up again around elevenish. I’ve tended bar before, so if you need help just let me know.”
“Great. Thank you.” The music suddenly started playing—a driving beat vibrated through the ground and the lights dimmed.
Sean pointed toward the last server. She looked as if she’d been sucking on a lemon. It didn’t take much to figure out she was one of the ladies Dana had been talking about.
“Michelle, this is Stella. Stella, please welcome Michelle.”
“Welcome.” Stella replied in a tone that spoke volumes. Michelle caught Stella’s eyes taking in Sean’s arm around her. Stella gazed for few moments at Michelle’s collar then gave her a once-over. Michelle noticed Stella’s eyes pausing at her knees.
“I look forward to working with all of you.” She pulled out of Sean’s arms and took refuge behind the bar. As she did whenever she was nervous, she started cleaning. The cleanliness of her apartment was the best barometer of her stress level. Clean apartment, high stress. Messy apartment, low stress. Funny how that worked.
Sean took a seat at the far end of the bar. “Come here, honey.”
Michelle took a deep breath and let it out slowly before she turned to face him. His arms were laid across the bar with his hands beckoning her to come to him. She was powerless to ignore him. Right now, with her world sliding off its axis, his touch was her only steadying force. Flashing him a smile she really didn’t feel, she dropped her hands in his.
“Remember to breathe, honey. You can do this, and if you need a break, turn it over to Ethan and relax in the office. I’d prefer you didn’t go roaming around just yet.”
A real smile lit her face and she gave him an honest chuckle. “Oh, no worries there. I can’t tell you how grateful I am the bar is close to the exit.”
As soon as the doors were opened, people began pouring in as if the club were a shopping mall on the day after Thanksgiving. The next hour or so flew by. Most of the members were very kind. She just had to remember to look them in the eye and glance nowhere else.
The only person who worried her was the man sitting at the opposite end of the bar from Sean. He’d been there since they’d opened. She hadn’t had the chance to speak much to him, but he wasn’t wearing a wristband and she wasn’t sure what that meant. There were so many questions she hadn’t thought to ask. She couldn’t wait until she had a few minutes alone with Sean.
Michelle glanced at him over her shoulder. He’d been greeting members as they came in, and chatting with a few. He looked relaxed—lucky him. She doubted she’d ever be comfortable working here. Seven more months until she grad
uated—she couldn’t see herself working here that long. She chuckled to herself, not sure she wanted to work seven more hours in this environment.
Stella made her way to Sean. Michelle stopped what she was doing and watched as Stella kneeled before him with her hands behind her back. Michelle’s stomach turned over, remembering their time in the shower. Had she looked like that? Like just one of many women dropping to serve him? She couldn’t watch.
She went to the opposite end of the bar and pulled a water bottle from the fridge below the counter. Trying not to hear their exchange, she started a conversation with the man without a wristband.
“Hi. I’m Michelle. I’m the new bartender. Can I get you anything else?” Though she tried with all her might, she couldn’t keep her eyes from straying to Sean. Tears pooled in her eyes as he patted Stella’s head.
“Don’t mind me, darlin’. I’ll probably sit here most of the night, nurse a few drinks and watch the action. I’m Master Luke. Me and my subbie have been members since the place opened.” He cleared his throat before continuing. “Lisa passed away a few months ago from cancer. The house is too quiet without her. I come here most nights and shoot the shit with friends. If I need something I’ll let you know, darlin’.”
She patted his hand and moved away giving him some privacy. When she glanced back at Sean he was motioning for her to come to him. For the first time, she was reluctant. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw another member came up to the bar near the exit and she gladly went to him first. She chatted with him longer than she normally would have, hoping to stall before having to face Sean.
Within moments, Sean was standing beside the member and shaking his hand.
“Master David, I see you’ve met our new bartender, Michelle.” Sean reached across the counter to her arm and slid his hand down to hers, linking their fingers.
“Good move, Master Sean. She’s much easier on the eyes and she knows how to mix a drink. Hey, I’ve been meaning to talk to you. Last week, I was watching your scene with Stella. That was really hot. What kind of…”