by Tara Rose
“No clue. Pissed off, maybe? To throw us off the track? Could be a million reasons why.”
They’d had to replace the computer because they did everything on it, but the new one had all the same information. Had that been why he’d come back tonight? To try again? “Sean, this is not good.”
“I agree. That’s why we’re both working on this. We’ll see you and Evan at the gym in a few hours.”
Thayer stood. “No. I’m up now. I’ll call Evan and we’ll meet you both there now.”
* * * *
Thursday morning, Cherilyn was at Tye Me Up as soon as they opened. She felt terribly guilty for not coming to see Kari before now. Kari had been back in Racy for almost a year, and the shop had opened the week before Christmas. Cherilyn had spent most of the past eighteen months hiding behind closed doors, but Kari had once been her best friend.
The shop was amazing. A pretty neon sign hung over the porch on the century home that Kari and Alexa had remodeled. The inside was warm and inviting, with a hardwood floor and gleaming mahogany counters. The colors were vibrant and inviting, and Cherilyn gawked at the displays. Two smaller rooms were open off the main room. One contained what looked like DVDs and the other had racks and racks of sexy lingerie and club wear. If she couldn’t find something to wear tomorrow night here, she certainly wouldn’t find it any place else in Racy.
“Cherilyn!”
Kari was so happy to see her that Cherilyn almost started to cry. She embraced her former friend, and then stepped back to view the change in her. To say Kari had blossomed was an understatement. She had always been pretty. Cherilyn was still jealous of her mess of curly dark hair and those soft gray eyes. But now, Kari looked like a woman in love. There was simply no other way to describe her glow.
What must it be like to have two men to share your life with? Adison and Noah weren’t only her Doms. They loved her deeply and made no secret of that fact. A sharp stab of jealousy tried to force its way in, but Cherilyn pushed it down into the dark hole where she’d buried all her emotions since receiving the news that Chuck had been killed. “Kari, you look amazing. And the shop…I love it.”
“I’m so glad you’ve finally come over. It’s good to see you out. Was your street damaged in the tornado?”
Cherilyn shook her head. “No. Tree limbs down and a few shutters here and there, but we never even lost power.”
“Alexa said we had nothing here but a bad thunderstorm.” Kari brushed several stray locks of hair out of her face. “Cherilyn, I am so sorry about Chuck. I was knee deep in all that shit with Donnie McCoy, and I couldn’t even come home for the funeral. I still feel terrible about that. Can you ever forgive me?”
“Please don’t. Please.” She glanced around, but no one else was in the shop. “Kari, I don’t even remember the funeral. I mean I do, but you know how they are. I couldn’t tell you who was there or not.” She took a deep breath. “I came here today because I need your help.”
Kari’s expression grew concerned. “What kind of help? Are you all right?”
“Oh, yes. No, I mean I need something to wear.” She lowered her voice even though they were the only two in the shop. “To Maddox’s club tomorrow night.”
“Oh. Are you going alone?”
Cherilyn shook her head, and a fierce blush crept up her neck. There was no way to stop it. “Evan Rydell and Thayer Denning invited me.”
“Oh. Oh…oh wow. Cherilyn, I didn’t realize you were in the lifestyle.”
“I’m not. At least, not yet.” She gave Kari the quickie version of what had happened at the gym last Wednesday and in the woods on Tuesday.
“Oh boy. Well, wow. I’m sorry. That’s not very professional of me, is it? To react that way, I mean. It’s just that I didn’t expect this. I mean, you and Melinda are still pretty tight from what I’ve seen, and she’s…” This time Kari glanced around and lowered her voice. “Let’s just say that she thinks everyone who is into BDSM is a freak, including me, and isn’t shy about saying so.”
“I know. Ignore her, Kari. I do when she starts in about that. She’s a good friend otherwise, and she and Michael were really there for me when Chuck was killed.”
“Does she know what happened between you, Thayer and Evan?”
Cherilyn shook her head. “Good God no. And I can’t imagine telling her. That’s why I came to you.”
Kari gave her a quick hug. “Hey, don’t you worry, okay? Your secret is safe with me. Now, let’s find you something to wear that’ll knock Evan and Thayer’s socks off. And their leather pants, while we’re at it.”
Cherilyn laughed as Kari led her into the lingerie room. Images of Thayer and Evan dressed in leather raced through her mind. Kari asked her what kind of a look she was going for, and Cherilyn told her she had no idea. While Kari combed through the racks picking out various skirts and halter tops, Cherilyn asked her questions about what to expect inside the club.
“You’ve never been to one, have you?”
Cherilyn shook her head. She felt so foolish suddenly. Was she completely out of her league here? “What do you wear when you go?” She only asked so she’d have some frame of reference. The idea of going out in public in some of the items Kari kept holding up to her body made Cherilyn break out in a cold sweat.
Kari smiled. It was difficult to picture her in anything other than the silk top, flowered cotton skirt and black boots she was wearing now, but Kari had been submissive since high school. She must think Cherilyn a naïve schoolgirl right now. “I like leather and PVC, and I wear a lot of corsets and skirts with crotchless panties underneath. Oh, and of course my trademark thigh-high black boots. But you don’t have to dress that way, you know. Maddox doesn’t really have a dress code.”
Kari held up a strapless black latex dress with a flare skirt that reached halfway to Cherilyn’s knees. It featured thin red piping trim in vertical stripes down the dress, spaced about six inches apart. Cherilyn thought it was the sexiest thing she’d ever seen. “Oh yeah,” said Kari. “This is the one. Come over here.”
Cherilyn followed her to a tri-fold full-length mirror in one corner that had been set up to allow a customer to see an outfit on her from the back, front and sides. Kari stood behind Cherilyn and draped the dress over the front of her. “See? The colors are perfect, the length won’t make you feel like you’re flashing everyone there, and it’s still sexy.”
“I do love it. But are you sure it’s not too conservative?”
“Absolutely not. It’s understated but still very seductive. We’ll pair it with black strappy heels. Now the only question is, what to wear underneath it?”
Cherilyn couldn’t help but laugh, but this time it was from nervousness more than anything. “What do you suggest?”
They stepped away from the mirrors and Cherilyn followed Kari to a display of lingerie. “That depends on what your expectations are. Have they invited you simply to show you the club, or did they indicate that you’d be participating?”
“They said it would be up to me, but that they were bringing toys just in case.”
Kari picked up a black and red thong with a zipper up the front. “Then how about this? It matches the dress and covers you up, but will give them easy access if it comes to that.”
Cherilyn stared at the thong, trying to imagine what it would be like to wear it, and only that, in a room full of other people. Her pulse raced and her palms were suddenly damp. “Kari, I don’t know if I can do this.”
“Hey, it’ll be okay. You do have some control, Cherilyn. This is a lifestyle choice, and there is so much more to it than being tied up and spanked. Everything is safe, sane, and consensual. You’re allowed to say ‘no.’ I don’t know Thayer and Evan as well as some of the other Doms, but I do know that they’re good guys. Maddox has pretty much weeded out the asshats by now, okay? And he keeps a close eye on things. Thayer and Evan won’t push you to do anything you aren’t ready for.”
“That’s just it. How do I know w
hat I’m ready for?”
Kari grinned. “Well, how did it make you feel at the gym that night when they had you tied to the incline board?”
The bell over the door jangled, and Kari started to walk into the main room but stopped when she heard Alexa’s voice. “She’s downstairs already. We can talk. So how did it make you feel?”
Cherilyn shrugged. How could she put this into words when she couldn’t even figure it out herself? “Alive, excited, raw, daring, sexy.”
“Then just try to imagine an entire room like that. It’s dark in there. Not so dark you can’t see, but dark enough that you won’t feel like you’re on stage with spotlights on your half-naked body. And people pretty much do their own thing. Not a lot of spectator activity. And while some people are pretty hard-core, it’s still not like the stuff you’d see in a club in New York.”
She hadn’t considered that. People would see her. And she’d see them. She would know her neighbors’ secrets, and they’d know hers. But then again, Thayer and Evan had said something about private rooms. Maybe that would be better?
“And like I said, you don’t have to participate. If you’re uncomfortable in there, just tell Thayer and Evan.”
“They’ll think I’m a wimp. Or some naïve woman who’s just pretending at this.”
Kari led her further into the room and lowered her voice. “Please don’t say that about yourself. No one is born completely comfortable with their sexuality or their fantasies. We become aware of them over time, and if we’re lucky, we find someone to help us explore them in safe ways. Evan and Thayer will do that, Cherilyn. I’d bet my business on that. Ask questions, and tell them if you’re feeling afraid or uncomfortable. They will not think less of you if you need to leave the club, okay? Now let’s look at shoes.”
Kari led her to the display, and Cherilyn had so much fun trying on what she’d always thought of as “come-fuck-me pumps” that she pushed aside her misgivings and concentrated on finding just the right heels to go with her dress. Kari was right. Tomorrow night might be overwhelming, but Evan and Thayer wouldn’t make her do anything she didn’t want to do. They’d told her that. She was going to have a fantastic time.
Chapter Eight
Cherilyn couldn’t stop staring at the sight of Thayer in full leather pants and an open leather vest. She’d seen his body naked that night at the gym, but somehow the leather enhanced his impressive muscles and made him look even more dangerous than he normally did. Her pussy actually contracted as soon as she opened her front door and gaped at him.
Thayer crossed the threshold and closed the door behind him, eyeing her from head to toe. “Holy shit, Cherilyn. That is sexy as hell. If Evan wasn’t waiting at the club for us, I’d say the heck with it and suggest we simply stay here.”
“Thank you.” She wanted to say something else, but her throat was dry and all rational thought seemed to have permanently left her brain. “You look…wow. I don’t know what to say.”
His grin nearly forced a moan from her. “I’m glad you like it. Standard club wear. Although sometimes I wear a tank top instead.” He held out his hand. “Are you ready to go?”
She nodded, grabbed her bag, and took his hand. He opened the passenger door of his Porsche and she slid inside, inhaling the scent of leather and gawking at the dashboard.
“Do you like it?” He started the engine and pulled out of her driveway.
“I’ve never been in one before.”
“I thought it might be fun for you to drive though town in it, which is why I suggested to Evan that we meet him there.”
She swiveled in her seat to face him. “And what did Evan say about that? Did he tease you about wanting to show off your car for me?” Thayer’s obsession with his Porsche was a long-running joke at the gym. It didn’t help that he had a license plate with “Dr. Bod” on it. Thayer had a PhD in exercise physiology, which is the excuse he used for the vanity plate. He said it was good advertising for the gym.
He chuckled. “Seriously? You’re going to give me shit about that tonight? Are you trying to give me an excuse to flog your pretty ass in public?”
Cherilyn had to suck in a deep breath to keep from passing out. Between her raging hormones, the way he looked, and what he’d just said, she was ready to straddle the gearshift and beg him to spank her until she cried. “I’m sorry, Sir.”
“That’s better.”
“Thayer, may I ask you some questions?”
“Of course.”
“I’m…I don’t know how to say this. I feel so out of my element. I don’t know what to do, or what to say, or…I don’t know. I’m afraid I’m going to make an ass of myself tonight, and you and Evan will think I’m too silly or something.”
He stopped at a red light, and after giving her a long, searching look, pulled over to the curb and put the car in park. “Come here.”
She leaned over the console as much as possible and took comfort from his arm around her.
“Now you listen to me, Cherilyn Barker. Evan and I have been lusting after you since you started working out at our gym. But out of respect for Chuck we left you alone. Do you have any idea how excited we are about this? We have the chance to help you explore everything you’ve ever fantasized about, and the chance to teach you how to be a sub, if that’s what you decide you want. And as if that weren’t enough, we happen to really enjoy your company.”
Her breath caught in her throat as she stared up into those stormy eyes.
“Don’t worry tonight about what to do, or what to say, or anything. Address us each as ‘Sir,’ and we’ll sort out the rest as we go, okay? A club can be overwhelming the first time you go. But it can also be exhilarating and freeing. We’re experienced Doms. We’ve had subs with no prior training and who had never set foot in a club, and we’ve had subs more experienced than we were. This isn’t only about tying you up and paddling you. Give yourself time to get used to everything, okay?”
“Kari said the same thing. That this lifestyle is more than that.”
He smiled. “Kari Tye is an intelligent woman. You two were good friends in school, right?”
“Yes, we were. I bought the dress and shoes at her shop.”
“And it’s great that you talked to her about this. But I want you to know that you can always come to me or Evan with any questions or concerns, okay?”
“Okay. Thank you, Thayer.”
He kissed her tenderly, and then he pulled her close and held her for a long time.
* * * *
Once inside Maddox’s house, the confidence she’d felt after talking to Thayer disappeared. For one thing, Maddox’s home looked like a museum and she was afraid to walk on the floor let alone touch anything. Evan was waiting for them in the foyer, and asked how she’d enjoyed the ride in “The Bodmobile.” That had her laughing, but the warning look on Thayer’s face snapped her back to reality.
They were in the house now. Time to act like a submissive. She took his offered arm and linked the other one in the crook of Evan’s elbow. “You look so sexy,” Evan whispered.
“Thank you, Sir. And I love the way you both look in leather.” Evan was wearing nearly identical pants and a vest, but he also had on a braided leather bracelet, and his clothing had fewer studs on it than Thayer’s. And of course he wore a cowboy hat. A dark brown one this time with leather trim.
They led her to a set of double doors at the end of the hallway and a man opened them. Cherilyn crossed the threshold and glanced around. They were on the top of three carpeted steps that led to a large room. A few people stood in small groups, but most were engaged in play. The air in the room was surprisingly cool, and she caught a whiff of leather mixed with the musky scent of sex.
“Deep breaths,” whispered Thayer.
She took several and it did help. As she scanned the room, her eyes grew accustomed to the low light, and while she still felt a bit intimidated, the sight of all that equipment in use made the air around her feel charged. It was ex
citing to be here, and she suddenly wanted to be part of it.
“Ready?” asked Evan, watching her face carefully.
She smiled up at him. “Yes, Sir. I am.”
He stole a quick glance over her head, and then he gazed into her eyes again. “Do you want to walk around and observe, or should we find a corner and play? Your call, Cherilyn.”
She didn’t hesitate because she knew if she did, she’d overanalyze it and lose her nerve. “I’d like to play, Sir.”
Evan surprised her by giving her shoulder a quick squeeze. “Thank you.”
On their way to an unoccupied corner containing a bench with a leather pad and several arms with large rings attached to them, Cherilyn was introduced to Maddox McCree. She knew who he was but had only passed him in town or spotted him at City Hall once in a while.
“Welcome to my club.” Maddox was dressed in an outfit similar to Thayer’s, and he projected an aura of sexy confidence.
“Thank you…um…” She suddenly realized she’d forgotten to ask if she was supposed to call every Dom “Sir.”
“You may address others by their given names,” said Thayer.
“Thank you, Maddox. It’s amazing in here.”
Thayer steered her away and toward the bench. “In the future, you’ll keep your eyes downcast when you speak to other Doms in our presence, and you will only answer direct questions.”
“I’m sorry, Sir. I didn’t know.”
Thayer’s gaze softened. “Cherilyn, I know you didn’t know. And you don’t have to apologize every time we give you an instruction, okay? It’s simply part of your training. I’m sure Maddox appreciated your comment. You don’t seem overwhelmed now that we’re here.”
“I am a little, but you both make me feel so comfortable. Not like I don’t belong or something.”
“You belong as much as any of us does,” said Evan.
“Thank you, Sir.”
She glanced around the room again. A woman close to them was bent over a similar bench, her bare ass hanging in the breeze. The man standing next to her was striking her with a flogger. Cherilyn only knew what it was because after she’d picked out her shoes, Kari had taken her around the shop and explained every toy, and a few other things. Cherilyn had confessed to Kari that she didn’t want to feel stupid if they mentioned something at the club and she had no idea what it was.