A Promise of Passion

by Maggie Carpenter

  “I have no preference,” he replied. “It’s just interesting. If I ask you something, will you tell me the truth?”

  “That depends.”

  “Whoa! That depends?”

  “Yes, that depends,” she said firmly. “What’s wrong with me saying that?”

  “Most people would have said, yes, Harry, or, of course, Harry, not, it depends.”

  “I’m not most people,” she said pointedly as they started up the wide staircase.

  “Now that, that’s the truth,” he chuckled.

  “What’s your question?”

  “Did you go to college?”

  “For a short time,” she answered. “The modeling agents wouldn’t leave me alone, and I was made some offers that were too good to pass up.”

  “I can believe that. What was your major? Perhaps a better question, what interested you?”

  “Many things, and I had a tough time making up my mind. Art history, psychiatry…not psychology…psychiatry, political science, also physics. I would have liked to have pursued physics, and I’m still very interested in doing that, especially quantum physics.”

  “I knew you were a bright girl, but that’s impressive. You must get very bored,” Harry remarked, opening a door he’d left closed during their tour.

  “With people,” she said as she followed him down a narrow hall. “I get bored with people. There is still a world of books, and the internet is a plethora of information.”

  “Let see what you make of this,” he smiled, stopping at a door. “I suspect you won’t find this at all boring.”

  There was a keypad attached to the lock, and as he punched in the code, he paused as his hand wrapped around the door handle.

  I’m not sure why I’m doing this? I wanted to show this room to Vivien, not Alana. I still want to show it to Vivien, and I will, at the first opportunity.

  “Are we going in, or are we going to stand in the hallway all night?” she said brusquely. “Needless to say, that would be boring.”

  Turning his head, Harry stared into the eyes of the gorgeous woman oozing with attitude.

  “Oh, we’re going in,” he said soberly. “We’re most definitely going in.”

  Pushing down the handle, the soft, dim lights automatically illuminated the lavish dungeon, and stepping inside he held the door open, but as she started forward he raised his hand.

  “A warning!”

  “What kind of warning?” she asked, her eyes scanning the erotic furniture and the displays of wicked implements scattered around the licentious chamber.

  “If you walk past me into this room, I’m in charge, and you have to do as I say. If you don’t, I’ll punish you.”

  “What kinds of things will I be instructed to do, and be specific,” she retorted, staring at a series of chains hanging from the ceiling.

  “Let me put it another way. Your body will be mine to enjoy as I wish.”

  He was watching her carefully. He’d either been right when they were at the dining table, and she’d known exactly what he’d be showing her, or she possessed an ability to remain absolutely composed when surprises were thrown at her? He guessed it to be the former. She was into the kinky side of sex, but just how kinky was she? He had no qualms about baring her backside and spanking it crimson, but did he want to take things further?

  “Let’s negotiate that,” she quipped, finally bringing her eyes to meet his.

  “Negotiate?” he laughed. “You’re too much.”

  “You mean, too much for you? I might be,” she said quickly, not giving him a chance to respond. “That remains to be seen.”

  “Alana,” he said, lowering his voice and locking her eyes, “I’d measure your words, and I’d be careful about throwing down too much of a challenge.”

  He saw it. A tiny flicker of apprehension. It made his cock sing and his heart tick up.

  “Are you prepared to negotiate or not?” she pressed, tilting up her chin in an effort to cover her unease.

  “Sure, I live and love to negotiate. Fire away.”

  “No sex, that means, no intercourse or oral, and you don’t get to touch my genitalia, and if I say stop, I mean stop.”

  “No sex, no problem,” he smiled, “but stop is not acceptable, it’s too common. It could slip out when you don’t really mean it. Safe words are important, but they have to make sense.”

  “Fine. I’ll use something more to your liking. Orange for caution, red for stop, and just for the record, stop for me does mean stop, and I have no problem remembering where I am,” she exclaimed, and with a toss of her very thick, long, wild hair, she marched past him.

  Closing the door, Harry shook his head as he gazed at her curvaceous figure walking away from him, and suddenly, another twinge rippled through him. He thought about bringing things to a halt, but it didn’t feel like a warning, not exactly. It was something else, something less dire. She was moving through the salacious furniture, running her fingertips across the leather as though testing its quality, then she moved to study the paddles and canes lined up against the wall.

  His cock was surging to life, and pushing his concerns to the back of his mind, he pressed an almost unseen button on the door frame. The lock clicked. Even if someone did happen to wander down the hallway, which was highly unlikely, they wouldn’t be able to enter without the code.

  Walking into the room and across to the far wall, he stopped in front of a barely discernible door, and giving it a gentle push, it swung open to reveal a control panel. Turning a knob he lowered the lights, then sliding up a button, a seductive, haunting melody filled the room.

  Alana was standing by one of the bondage benches, and as he slowly approached, she turned around and faced him, a look of expectation in her eyes. Reaching out his hand he slid it through her abundant hair, clutched a fistful, and yanked it back.

  “You need discipline,” he breathed. “You need to be put in your place. I’ll bet you’ve run men around in circles your whole life. Yes, or no?”

  “Yes.”

  “Yes, what?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  Her voice had suddenly grown soft, and he could see the guarded glaze in her eyes fading away. The tall, difficult, demanding, bratty woman was quickly dissolving, and once again, Harry Harrison was taken by surprise. He thought he’d have to chip away at her tough exterior, but she was melting in front of him.

  “You’ve met your match in me,” he growled, hiding his incredulity. “I won’t be cruel, I won’t mistreat or abuse you, but test me and you will understand exactly who Harry Harrison is. Got it?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “I’m going to paddle your bare backside, and if we didn’t have to leave in the morning, I would keep you in this room and do all sorts of salacious things to you, but fear not, my lovely. Soon we will be at my Chateau, and if the spirit moves me, I will make use of you in of one of the many dungeons there.”

  He released her hair, and was about to bend her over the bench when he heard her sigh.

  “What is it?” he asked.

  Dropping her eyes to the floor, she whispered,

  “Thank you, Sir.”

  Harry paused. She was truly surrendering. He knew she carried a high bar, and a surge of adrenalin flooded his body.

  “Stay there,” he said sternly.

  Walking quickly to a chest of drawers he retrieved a padded blindfold. He could imagine what a rush it would be for her, a woman so outwardly tough and in control, to feel helpless and at his mercy. As he placed the mask over her eyes, he heard her suck in the air, and when he murmured in her ear, telling her to kneel and bend forward over the bench, she let a strange muttering sound.

  “Did you say something?”

  “No, Sir, not exactly,” she whispered, slowly dropping to her knees and settling into position.

  He gazed at the silky satin of her dress draped over her backside, before landing a few solid slaps, then began sliding it up. Unveiling was always such a joy, an
d as the tops of her legs came into view, he discovered she was wearing thigh-high stockings, and a very sexy, silver thong.

  “Tsk, tsk,” he muttered. “Underneath all that attitude and elegance lives a very bad girl.”

  Continuing to slither the glossy material over her bottom, he let it rest around her waist, then stared hungrily at her full cheeks, stained baby-pink from his smacks.

  “The rules,” he said firmly. “No placing your hands behind you and no kicking out. You can yell and scream all you want. This place is completely soundproof. Any questions?”

  “No, Sir.”

  Her voice had been delightfully soft, and raising his hand, he flattened his palm, then let it fly, spanking her with a series of hard smacks, moving swiftly across her backside. It took a minute before she began to squeal and wriggle, but he didn’t stop until he was satisfied that her skin was just the right shade of hot pink.

  As he moved to his selection of paddles, he could hear her faintly whimpering. It made him smile. She was enveloped in submissive serenity, something he was sure she rarely found, and for which she was enormously grateful. Focusing back on the implements in front of him, he selected one of his favorites. It was clear Lucite, and carried a significant sting.

  “Alana, we both know you have an attitude,” he began, moving back to her and resting the cold paddle in the center of her bottom, “and while I find it entertaining, sometimes it’s too much, and you know it.”

  “Yes, I do, Sir.”

  “So, time for an adjustment. I don’t care how you are with other people, but tone it down when you’re with me.”

  Lifting it back, he landed it with a solid swat. She let out a howl, then squirmed and panted for several seconds. He waited until she settled, then repeated the brisk crack.

  “OWWWW! Sir, that really hurts.”

  “One more,” he declared. “You need to know I’m serious.”

  She let out a heavy groan, but taking a deep breath she stilled her body.

  He made her wait. Anticipation could be profound, and Alana was not a patient person. The seconds ticked by. When he saw her fists clench, he tapped the paddle against her sit spot, then spanked it down.

  She bolted upright, hissing in the air, and only then did she exclaim her pain.

  “OW, OW, fuck that hurt! OWWWW!“

  “Are we clear?” he demanded, raising his voice to be heard over her yelping.

  “Yes, yes, Sir, yes, we’re clear.”

  “Three more, for good measure.”

  “Ooh, Sir.”

  “These will be quick, and I’m not going to give you time to regroup after each one. Back over the bench.”

  Mewling softly, she did as he said, and as he landed the three strikes she squealed loudly, gyrating her hips in an effort to avoid the discipline, but as he’d promised it was over quickly. Returning the paddle to its place he could hear her moaning, and moving back to her, he sat on the bench and ordered her to drape herself over his lap.

  “Such a red, punished bottom,” he murmured, rubbing his hand over her scalded skin. “I have a rule for you.”

  “What’s that, Sir?” she whimpered.

  “If I use the words, black rose, take it as a warning. It will mean I’m not pleased with your behavior, and if it continues you’ll find yourself back in this room with a stinging behind, or sore, pinched nipples, or suffering some other kinds of discipline. I have many weapons in my arsenal. I don’t know how much time we’ll be spending together, but when we are in each other’s company you’d best remember that.”

  “Yes, Sir, I’ll remember.”

  He had almost expected her to object, to say that outside the room she would do as she pleased, but she hadn’t, and he was immensely pleased. Alana was unique. He’d never met anyone like her.

  “You’ll be a bit uncomfortable on that jet in the morning,” he remarked as he continued rubbing. “Nothing less than you deserve, isn’t that right?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  Staring at the silver thong buried between her cheeks, he had a sudden impulse and pulled it down, letting if fall to her knees. As she wriggled in protest, he peered at her pussy, and wasn’t surprised to see it glistening with need.

  “It’s too bad you made the choices you did,” he muttered. “I could be bringing you to a climax right now.”

  “Oh, but you can,” she replied hastily. “I’ve changed my mind.”

  “Nope, too late! You set your limits at the door. Let that be lesson. Think smarter next time.”

  He heard her groan, then gripping her crimson cheeks, he pulled them apart.

  “SIR!”

  “You don’t like me gazing at your private charms?”

  “No, Sir, oooh, please don’t?”

  “I most certainly will. No touching doesn’t mean no looking. Are you embarrassed?”

  “Totally.”

  “Then I’ll make it a point to help you overcome that.”

  “No, please don’t!”

  “You can beg all you want, but you have your words. Use them if you must.”

  He guessed she wouldn’t, and he was right, and after tormenting her a few moments more, he put her out of her misery and pulled her up into his lap.

  “So, Alana, how are you feeling?”

  “Punished, Sir.”

  “Anything else?”

  “In need of, uh, release.”

  “And?”

  “And grateful.”

  “Good, that was the right thing to say. I’m going to lay on your back, and you’re to raise your knees, put your fingers into your pussy, and bring yourself to orgasm. Understood?”

  “Yes, Sir, thank-you, Sir.”

  He shifted her into position, then dropping his trousers he stood over her, ready to massage himself as he watched. As she shimmied her dress up to her waist and raised her knees, he stared down at her bountiful breasts still covered by the dress. He was tempted to expose them, but there was always next time, and it was something he’d enjoy thinking about, and he would. He’d think about it a great deal.

  Harry watched the blindfolded beauty slide her fingers between her legs. The sight was glorious, and as her moans and gasps escalated, and his climax loomed, he found himself grateful for the threats she’d received. It had moved her into his suite, and ultimately, into his dungeon of decadent delights, but as the thought floated through his mind, a dawning realization began to take hold. Just as the clarity hit, her cries of euphoria sailed through the room, and he exploded into his hand.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  The sound of a car horn stirred Vivien from sleep, and letting out a yawn she stretched her arms above her head, then rolled into Dominic’s inviting cozy body. He shifted against her, and though he was still half-asleep, his hands began to gently caress her breasts, then moved down her back to cup her bottom. She sighed happily as she fell into the warmth of his attention, then groaned in complaint as he moved away from her to grab a condom.

  “I can’t wait for that to be a thing of the past,” she murmured.

  “Oui,” he agreed, moving on top of her, “and it won’t be long before we are in bed together again.”

  “Do you promise?”

  “I promise,” he replied, “but even one night away from you is a night too many.”

  He softly suckled her neck as he slid inside her and began to stroke, languidly kissing her and lightly pinching her nipples, and when she asked for permission to climax, he gave it without hesitation. Cloaked in their erotic afterglow, they dozed until Dominic stirred, and moving stray locks of hair from her face he gently kissed her.

  “How are you feeling,” he murmured, “did you sleep enough?”

  “I did. I was so wiped out, but I feel much better.”

  “I was worried last night. You were so pale.”

  “I’m fine, honest.”

  Looking over her shoulder to check the time, he let out a disappointed grunt.

  “I am sorry to say, you need t
o get up.”

  “No, I don’t want to,” she grumbled. “I want to stay in bed with you all day.”

  “I want this too,” he lamented. “After we come back from the Chateau we will go to my cottage and lock out the world. We will turn down everything for several days and be alone.”

  “Yes, please,” she sighed. “That would be wonderful.”

  “I will take a quick shower first, and while you’re getting ready I will make us a good English breakfast.”

  “Thank you. I would love a good breakfast. I’m starving.”

  Kissing her softly, he climbed from the bed and headed into the bathroom, and as Vivien listened to the sound of the shower, she closed her eyes and sank back into the mattress. What she’d told him wasn’t strictly true. She’d slept well, but she still felt a weariness in her bones.

  I’ll be fine once I get moving, and that breakfast will help. I just wish I’d had another day to relax a bit. Never mind. I can suck it up. It’s not like I haven’t before.

  At the penthouse, Alana ambled from her bedroom and headed down the wide hallway to the small dining room hoping for a hot breakfast. She was consumed with what had happened the night before, but she wasn’t thinking about the decadent dungeon, or Harry’s stinging discipline. It was what took place afterwards.

  When she and Harry had walked down the stairs and were about to separate for the night, he’d held her for a moment, then pulled back and looked into her eyes. She’d thought he was going to ask her something, but when he didn’t, she’d hoped he would kiss her, but he didn’t do that either. She’d been tempted to take the initiative and press her lips against his, but her instinct told her not to, so she’d offered a soft smile before heading to her room. It had felt odd.

  The enticing aroma of bacon and eggs broke into her thoughts, and she quickened her pace. Charles gave her a welcoming smile as she entered, and glancing around she saw a buffet on the sideboard against the wall, and two places set at the table. Wandering across to the floor-to-ceiling windows, she watched the fast moving shadows touch the famous London landmarks, then raising her eyes to the sky, she couldn’t decide if the rain was moving out, or more was coming in.