by Sky Corgan
“What is it?” I felt my cheeks burning from his intense gaze.
“I think this is only the second time I've seen you smile since you've been here.”
“That's not true.” I was certain I had smiled plenty, so much that my face ached from it.
“I mean genuinely.” The corners of his lip curled into a grin. “I can tell when you're faking it.”
“How?”
“Because your eyes don't wrinkle at the corners when you fake smile.”
“Are you saying I look old?” My mouth dropped open in mock disbelief, and I could tell by Jack's expression that he seriously believed he had offended me.
“No, I don't mean that at all—“
“Jack, it's alright,” I cut him off. “I was just playing. I know what you're talking about. There's a muscle around the eye called the orbicularis oculi. It contracts when someone's smile is genuine, producing laugh lines.”
He ran his hands through his hair. “Wow, beautiful and smart. I really hit the jackpot.”
I ignored his sudden awkwardness. “Watching the sushi masters prepare the sushi was like watching a painter create art. It was a truly magical experience, and I greatly appreciate it.”
“We'll experience many more magical moments together.” His tone softened.
By the time we returned to Jack's parents' house, they had already gone to bed. He walked me to the door, pausing to gaze deeply into my eyes. My heart pounded from thoughts of every romance movie I'd ever seen. This was the part where the boy kissed the girl.
I tried to steady myself, allowing my eyes to fall to Jack's lips. They were thin, with a short layer of dark stubble surrounding them. His breathing changed, and I noticed the slight movement of his body as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. It felt like an eternity before anything happened, and I tried not to seem too expectant as I stood there, waiting for him to kiss me.
Almost too suddenly, Jack leaned in and placed a chaste kiss on the side of my mouth, sweet and innocent. I wanted more but didn't dare advance on him. It was his job to take charge. That's what I had always been taught, at least. A proper lady never kissed a man first.
“I'll see you tomorrow,” Jack muttered before leaving me there dumbstruck.
What a mystery Jack Kemble was to me. One minute, he was calm and collected. The next, he was like a shy little schoolboy on the playground. For someone who had supposedly been with dozens of women, he seemed clueless about what women actually wanted.
I sighed as I lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling and letting my mind deconstruct the day piece by piece. Flowers at lunch, a ride in the Lamborghini, and a fancy dinner at Masa. Jack was obviously trying to impress me. And then there was the dungeon, the confident kiss for the paparazzi, and the not so confident kiss on the front stoop. It was strange to realize that he appeared to be more vulnerable when we were alone together, and I couldn't help but feel that Jack was hiding something from me, though I couldn't figure out what it was.
Thankfully, I was able to get to sleep at a decent hour and woke the next morning in time for breakfast. I trotted downstairs with refreshed vigor. The more I thought about it, things were going fairly well, aside from the strange request for me to attend the BDSM school. Jack had been a perfect gentleman, for the most part, and I was certainly not unhappy when in his presence.
During the week, Jack had to work at his corporation, so I spent most of the day trailing behind his mother, going to get pampered at the spa and planning the wedding. It quickly became clear that she thought it was her wedding, not mine, but I didn't bother to argue. There had been few things in my life that I had actually had a say in since coming to New York. Why should my wedding be any different? I resigned myself to nodding and smiling, giving my opinion when it was asked of me, and keeping quiet otherwise. These were the cards that I had been dealt, so I would play them with as much grace as I could.
In the evening, Jack would pick me up for dinner. He would always take me somewhere over the top, like DaNeil's or GILT at the New York Palace Hotel. As the week progressed, he seemed much more comfortable around me, and I around him. We talked about his day at work, my day with his mom, how the wedding preparations were going, and changes I would like to make to his mansion whenever we were married. The only inclusion I specifically requested was a room where I could work on my paintings. My concert grand pedal harp could go in the living room next to his baby grand piano.
Every night, when he dropped me back off at his parents' house, he'd give me a chaste kiss on the side of the mouth, and every night, I'd want more.
The night before my flight to Sacramento, Jack arranged for an intimate dinner at his mansion. I was pleasantly surprised by the romantic ambiance as he escorted me into his dining room. The long mahogany table was set with fine China, and dim candle light played off the walls from taper candles that were placed strategically around a fresh flower centerpiece. The scent of the blooms mingled in with the tantalizing aroma of cooked fish in a white butter crème sauce. Everything looked and smelled exquisite.
“Are you nervous about tomorrow?” Jack asked before taking a sip of Chenin Blanc. The dry white wine wasn't particularly to my liking, but I did my best to pretend, nursing my glass with little enthusiasm towards it.
“Of course I am,” I replied. “To be honest, I don't have much experience with things of a sexual nature.”
“Well, being a virgin, I would assume not,” he paused. “I called the school and personally went over your curriculum with them and approved all of your classes, had them take out the ones that you won't need, and replace them with ones that I thought would benefit you.”
“So, what classes do you think will benefit me?”
“You'll just have to wait and see.” A mischievous grin crossed Jack's face.
“So mysterious, you are, Mister Kemble. Naturally. I am curious though why you have a BDSM fetish.” I poke at my fish with my fork.
The tension in the room was palpable as he tensed up, and I almost immediately regretted asking the question. If I wasn't to see Jack again for an entire week, I didn't want our last night spent together to be awkward.
“I'll tell you after we're married,” he replied in a tone that suggested I should not press the subject further. Still, it felt like he was hiding too much, and the longer I sat in his presence, the more it nagged at me.
“You know, I still don't feel comfortable about being sent off so soon after arriving here.”
“It's a little late to back out now.”
“I'm not planning on backing out. I would just like more of an explanation as to why this is necessary.”
His voice rose a notch, “I already told you why it's necessary.”
We spent the rest of the meal in silence. While my mind was swimming with questions, I knew better than to irritate Jack with them. The mood had already been soured, and I had no idea how to fix it.
That night, I missed Liam more than I ever had before. How I longed to be wrapped in the comfort of his strong arms with my head on his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat.
As my mind raced on past midnight, my desperation for something familiar grew. Though I had told myself that I wouldn't speak to Liam again until after the wedding so as not to cause drama between Jack and me, my need for him was overwhelming. I turned my bedside table light on and reached for my phone, taking a deep breath before I pressed the button that would dial Liam's number.
The phone rang twice before Liam answered, his voice filled with concern. “Melita, what is it? What's happened?”
At first, I was startled by his reaction, but then I remembered the time.
“I just miss you,” I whispered, trying to hide my despair.
“I miss you too. But it's so late; I thought something had happened.”
“I'm sorry. I just needed to hear your voice.”
His tone steadied. “Is it bad there?”
It took everything in me to hide my overwhelmin
g emotions. “It's not bad, just different.”
“I don't think you'd call me at nearly two in the morning for different.”
“The wedding is just stressing me out. There's so much to do and not a whole lot of time.”
“You are the absolute worst liar in the world. Do you know that?”
“I don't want to talk about what's wrong right now. I just want to . . . listen to you breathe, and hear your voice. I have nothing here that reminds me of home. No one to turn to for comfort. I just . . . need you right now.”
“I can be on my way in an hour.”
Family, I reminded myself. You're doing this for your family. You have to stay strong for your family. Everything will work out in the end. It always does.
“I'm sorry to have called you so late. Everything's fine. I just . . . wanted to hear your voice. We should both get to bed. I have another big day tomorrow,” I said solemnly.
“Are you sure you don't need for me to come get you?”
“No. I'll be fine.” I wanted to tell him that I loved him, but even though it was true, it would feel like a betrayal to Jack, so I ended the conversation on a simple goodbye before hanging up and letting my tears carry me away to dreamland.
At eight in the morning, my phone alarm woke me with a start. My flight was set to leave at 10:45 AM and Jack didn't arrive any earlier than needed to load my luggage into the trunk of the limo and be on our way.
The drive was nice and quiet, partly because I was still half asleep and partly because there didn't seem to be anything left to say. It was far too late for me to back out.
“I can't go with you into the airport,” Jack told me as we pulled up to the drop-off area. It was best that the paparazzi didn't know that Jack Kemble was sending his bride-to-be off to some kinky fetish school. The tabloids would have a field day with that information. “I promise that things will be different when you get back. Better. You'll see,” he tried to reassure me.
Before I left the limo, I was given one of Jack's trademark kisses on the side of the mouth, and I could feel a strange sense of intimacy radiating from him, as if at that moment, he considered trying for more. The thought made my heart beat faster, even though I wasn't sure if I wanted him to kiss me full on the lips or not. Part of me felt like he hadn't earned it yet.
The flight to Sacramento was long and exhausting. Thankfully, I was able to sleep through most of it. By the time I arrived at the Sacramento airport, gathered my bags, and was in the limo headed toward Napa Valley, it was already eight o'clock at night. The only thing I had been looking forward to about the entire trip was seeing the Napa Valley wine country, and it was the one thing I was denied. I scowled into the darkness. Oh well, there was always the drive back.
After what felt like forever, the limo finally turned off of the highway and began snaking up a private driveway. We pulled up to a building that appeared to be a small resort. There were no signs on the outside to indicate the type of business, and for a moment, I wondered if I had been driven to the wrong place by mistake. Secretly, I wouldn't have minded. This place certainly looked a lot more inviting than the dingy building I had pictured inside my head.
“Here we are, ma'am,” the driver said as he opened the door for me.
“Where's here?” I asked curiously, looking towards the doors to the resort.
“The Napa Valley Body Awareness Resort.”
Just then, an elderly gentleman in a suit and tie came out to greet me. “You must be Miss Rickard,”
“Yes.” I shook his withered hand gingerly.
“I'm Master Neil. I'll be your instructor for tomorrow, but for now, allow me to show you to your room. You've had a long trip, and I'm sure you're tired. Have you eaten yet?”
“No, sir.”
I allowed Master Neil to take my suitcase, and I followed him into the building and to the front desk where I was required to fill out paperwork.
The sound of the limousine driving away left a pit of sickness in my stomach. Now I was stuck here, for better or worse, for an entire week, with no way to escape.
When I was done with the paperwork, Master Neil showed me to my room, a surprisingly lavish suite on the second floor of the resort. I sighed in relief at the normalcy of it.
“Class will begin promptly at ten o'clock in the morning. I will expect you to be downstairs and ready to participate. You said you have not yet eaten. Please, let me know what I can have our chefs prepare for you.”
“I'll just take a turkey sandwich on wheat,” I replied, still admiring the décor of the room. To be honest, I was too nervous to look Master Neil in the eyes—too afraid that I might see impure intentions behind a courteous facade.
Despite the seemingly normal ambiance of the place, my mind could not forget where I was. Somewhere in this resort, I knew there was a dungeon, just as there was inside of Jack Kemble's mansion. It amazed me how innocent things could look on the outside while harboring such dark secrets within.
Master Neil left, and I sighed in relief, walking into the bedroom and throwing myself down on the plush queen bed. I felt strangely at peace in the room, despite knowing where I was at. It would be my safe haven from all the craziness I would experience in the coming week—the only place I would be able to hide from everything.
It only took twenty minutes for the sandwich to be delivered. I ate it at the small dining room table while looking over a pamphlet for the resort. The Napa Valley Body Awareness Resort, it said on the front, with a picture of the resort in the daytime. It appeared even more beautiful in the light than it had in the darkness, with soft tones of red clay set against the backdrop of rolling hills and grape vines, just as Jack had said it would be. Inside, the pamphlet discussed finding awareness of oneself through sexual experimentation and power play. The resort promised to broaden my horizons.
I couldn't help but smirk at the professionalism of it all. Perhaps Jack had been right. Maybe I had nothing to fear from my stay here. One thing was for certain, I would find out tomorrow.
After lazily consuming my sandwich, I changed into my pajamas and crawled into bed. Nervous anticipation kept me awake until two in the morning, and I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever get a decent night's sleep.
It took everything in me to drag myself out of bed the next morning and get ready. The closer it got to the time I was supposed to go downstairs, the more I wished the school had been in an urban area. At least that way, I could have made a last minute escape. My stomach was all nerves and nausea, twisted too tightly for hunger. I knew I'd probably regret it later, but I decided to skip breakfast and wait until the very last minute to go downstairs to the lobby.
I was surprised to find three other women waiting in the lobby. Two of them were around my age, while the third was slightly older than my mother. They smiled brightly as I sat next to the older woman on the sofa. One of them, a petite blonde, began to speak, but almost as soon as she opened her mouth, Master Neil rounded the corner to greet us.
“Good morning, ladies,” he said with enthusiasm.
“Good morning,” came the small chorus of polite responses.
“Today we'll begin with a tour. After that, I have a questionnaire that I need you all to fill out. Then I have a video for you to watch before we break for lunch. After lunch, we'll go over the rules of the school and an overview of the classes. At that time, you may ask any questions you have. After the overview, we'll have a lecture until the end of the day,” he explained.
It didn't sound bad at all, and I sighed in relief, thankful that today's curriculum didn't appear to be too bizarre.
“Shall we?” Master Neil gestured towards a hallway that I hadn't noticed the night before.
Without further delay, everyone stood to follow him. The first room Master Neil took us to was a small classroom, barely large enough to fit the sixteen desks that were in it. He explained that we would spend our lecture portion of the course in there. The next room he showed us was the dining room, which look
ed like a typical resort restaurant. Master Neil informed us that the head chef was available at all times to prepare whatever our hearts desired within healthy limitations. “A healthy body produces a healthy mind,” he added before moving on to show us the fitness center and indoor pool that we were allowed to use during our off time. There was also a laundry facility and day spa on the premises.
The next room he showed us was the one I had been anticipating since arriving, the dreaded dungeon. Inside, the set up was far more impressive than what Jack had in his mansion. I was certain that if there was a device created for restraining someone or inflicting pain on them, it could be found in this room. From a spanking bench to a St. Andrew's Cross, the room was jam-packed with furniture. Manacles hung from the ceiling with chains that ran to the walls where wenches could be used to raise or lower a person. It was a bit extravagant, but I would have expected nothing less from a BDSM school.
“This is our dungeon,” Master Neil explained as if it wasn't obvious. “We'll be doing most of our hands-on training in here.”
The familiar knot twisted itself in my stomach. Hands-on training. That meant they would eventually end up getting physical with me. It was a sickening thought.
The final room he showed us was a small windowless room that only had three chairs and a restraining table in it. For some reason, it made me feel claustrophobic, and I instantly disliked the room.
“Some of you will also get hands-on training in here as well,” Master Neil told us before leading us back to the classroom. “Sit wherever you'd like and begin filling out the questionnaire that's been provided,” he indicated the stacks of papers that were placed on every desk, despite there only being four of us. “I'll return in about an hour to collect them from you and start the video.”
Everyone seemed eager to learn, filling up the front row. I took the seat closest to the door, in case I had thoughts of making my grand escape, not that I actually would. Where could I possibly escape to in the middle of nowhere? Liam. I could always call Liam, I told myself as I stared off into space.
“I'm Mary,” the older lady sitting next to me introduced herself, breaking me from my thoughts.