by Cathryn Fox
She stepped up to him, a smile playing on her mouth. One slender finger poked into his chest. “But I’m with you. You made it pretty clear that you own me for the next two weeks, so I’m sure no one will bother me.” Her small chuckle curled around him. “Not if they know what’s good for them.”
His knees nearly gave. Jesus, the trust she put in him, the way she was so willing to place herself in his hands, laid him low. But it was her confidence in him, the blatant belief that he’d protect her, that made him feel important, as if he wasn’t a shell of his former self, the way the damn league made him feel. One minute he’d been the star quarterback, the next, he was on his way home to recover from his injury. Worthless. But she didn’t make him feel like a failure. His chest puffed up a bit. He kind of liked that she looked at him as her protector, a man she could count on. It shouldn’t thrill him as much as it did, but it did, and there wasn’t a fucking thing he could do about it.
“Don’t worry, Danielle.” He dipped his head, his thumb brushing over her lower lip. “I’m going to take really good care of you.”
“I know.”
She smiled at him, and his heart missed a beat. He sucked in a quick breath to get it pumping again. Putting his hand around her waist, he asked, “Ready?”
“I think so.”
He guided her to his motorcycle and got her settled behind him. After twenty minutes of having her cuddled up behind him, close enough for her scent to surround him and drive him crazy, they were pulling up in front of Grayson’s, a private members-only club where the affiliates were carefully screened. He showed his ID at the door and signed Danielle in. He kept an arm around her, wanting her to feel comfortable and safe with him…and maybe to make sure people knew she was his. Every few minutes she’d glance up at him and he’d give her a reassuring smile. He couldn’t believe the faith she had in him. It did something to him, made him want to find a way to remain in the role of her protector—lover—for a little longer than two weeks.
They stepped through the doors into a dimly lit room. She snuggled in close and he put his mouth near her ear. “You okay?”
Her hand went around him, and she held tight. “I am.”
She darted a glance around, taking in the tables and the people seated around them, chatting over drinks. At the bar, people sat on stools, some watching the game on the TV, others in more intimate conversation.
“How about a glass of wine? Just to help you relax.”
She laughed. “Plying me with alcohol again?”
He chuckled. “Now that I know how much of a lightweight you are, I’ll be cutting you off after one.” Then he cupped her shoulders, his voice serious. “I want you sober and fully aware of everything tonight, okay? I don’t want you doing something you might regret later. That’s not what this place is about.”
“Okay.”
With his hand on the small of her back, he led her to the bar. She slid onto a plush stool, and he took the seat next to her. Then, signaling the bartender for a beer and a wine, he glanced around. His hands fisted at his sides when he saw some guy eye-fucking Danielle, as if she was nothing but a piece of ass. No one looked at his girl like that. His girl? Jack put his hand on her leg, staking his claim as he glared back at the guy. This was a respectful establishment, and that douche bag needed to learn a thing or two about how to treat a lady. Jack would be happy to give him a private lesson—with his fist.
Message received, the guy turned away, and Danielle, none the wiser, looked at him, curiosity backlighting her baby blues. “Do you come here often?”
“Real original, Danielle. Even I could come up with a better pickup line than that.”
She laughed and swatted him, but he grabbed her hand and brought it to his mouth for a kiss. “You’re going to have to work a little harder to get me into your bed,” he teased.
The blue in her eyes deepened. “Tell me something I don’t know.”
“It’ll happen when you’re ready.”
“How will you know?”
“Because you’ll be begging me for it.”
She visually quaked, and Jack nodded to the bartender as he brought their drinks. He took a sip and turned back to Danielle. “In all seriousness, though, the answer to your question is no. I don’t come here often. I’ve tried it, but honestly, it’s not my scene.”
“How did you hear about this place?”
“My brother Luke first introduced me.”
“You have two brothers, don’t you?”
“Yeah, Luke and Sam. And my best friend Jamie is like a third brother. They all come here.” He shook his head, remembering that he’d yet to beat the shit out of Sam for ratting him out to his mother. He did a slow sweep of the room, looking for him. “If Sam’s here tonight, and comes over, I want you to ignore him.”
“What? Why?”
“He wants to meet you, but I told him to stay the fuck away.”
“You told him about me?”
Her brow furrowed and he knew what she was thinking. “Yeah, but don’t worry. I didn’t tell him what this is really about. But tonight over dinner, Sam blabbed that I was seeing someone, and now Mom wants me to invite you over for our next Sunday dinner.” But that was a bad idea. He didn’t bring girls home and wasn’t about to start with Danielle, who only wanted him for what he could teach her. Even if he was enjoying the lessons more than he’d ever admit to.
A look of longing backlit her eyes. “She does?”
“Yeah, but my two brothers are obnoxious assholes who like to razz the shit out of me, so I’m sure you’d hate it. Those fuckers need a beatdown.”
Her hand closed over his, her smile reaching her eyes. “You really love them.”
It was a statement, not a question, but he answered anyway. “Of course I do. They’re my brothers. But Christ, they’d really tease the living hell out of me if you were there.” He did an eye roll. “They’re unruly and disgusting and exaggerate everything. I can’t imagine the stories they’d tell.” He shook his head and laughed. “I don’t know how Mom ever made it through our teen years.” He looked at her to find her smile widening, as if she was imagining the chaos.
“Actually, I think I’d kind of like to go.”
“You can’t be serious.”
She toyed with the stem of her wineglass. “You have the kind of family I always wanted.” She shrugged as if it were nothing, but he guessed it was everything. “I was a child of the system. Tossed around a lot. I would have killed for what you have, but no family kept me around for very long. I guess I could never live up to their expectations, so I knew better than to get too attached to anyone or anything. I still don’t allow myself to get close.”
“What about the family you grew up with here?”
“I really care about them. June and Frank were kind and tried hard to be close to me. They even set up a trust fund for me, just in case I ever need it.”
“Really? You could use it to put a down payment on the house.”
She gave a slow shake of her head. “No, I don’t feel right about taking anything from them. They did enough for me.”
“But Danielle, they wouldn’t have done it if they didn’t want you to have it.”
She shrugged. “I guess I’ve always been a little scared to really open up to them. I just…I’ve been hurt, you know? Violet is the only one I’ve ever let in.” She took a long sip of wine, then set the glass down and stared into the contents. A strangled sound escaped her and she pressed her palms to her eyes. “I don’t know why I just told you that.”
His heart squeezed for the young girl who’d seen so much rejection, for the woman who’d emotionally closed herself off. Fuck that. He’d see to it that she never felt that way again. Maybe he’d even figure out a way to get her to open up to her foster family, to help her see that it was okay to let those who cared about her in. She looked up at him, a forced smile on her face, obviously trying to lighten the mood. No fucking way did she have to pretend anything around him
. He needed to show her just how desirable, how wanted, she truly was.
He took a mouthful of beer and set it on the counter. “Come on.”
Without question, she put her hand in his. Leading her through the crowd and down the hall to the playrooms, he stopped in front of an empty room. Once inside, her eyes lit when she saw the cross and all the play toys.
“Wow, this is incredible.” She ran her fingers over the ornate cross, then turned to him. “Have you ever?”
He nodded. “Once. It was okay. But in order to play, you have to sign a contract. Tonight, you’re here to observe. Unless you want more?”
She gave a quick shake of her head. “I don’t think I’m ready to sign any contract.”
“There are things we can do that don’t require one.”
“Show me.”
He grinned and captured her hand, then led her to an observation room. Chairs lined around glass room, and inside it were two guys and a girl at play. Jack and Danielle sat, and she shifted closer until their legs were touching. He put his hand on her knee, and a tremble moved through her as she angled her head to see him.
“Watch,” he said, nodding toward the threesome. “Observe.”
She turned, and he examined her responses as she watched the two men pleasure their girl. A small gasp caught in her throat when one of the men put the girl over his knee and spanked her.
“Shocked?” he asked quietly.
She leaned in and lowered her voice to match his. “I’ve read about such things, of course, but to see it played out like this is something entirely different.” She watched them for another moment. “I always thought it was a demeaning act, but now, I’m not so sure.” She gave a small shrug. “I mean, they’re all consenting adults, and the woman seems to be enjoying it. Look at her face. She’s flushed, her eyes are rolling, and her back is arched. All signs of desire.”
“Have you ever thought about being with two guys?” he asked, jealousy pricking at his skin like a dozen hornet stings. Experiencing anything but lust wasn’t part of the bargain, which meant he needed to reel his feelings in—and fast.
She gave a slow shake of her head. “I guess I’ve never thought about it before now.”
“Is it something you think you might like to try?”
“I’m not sure.”
He clenched his jaw. Bringing another guy into the mix wasn’t one of the things he really wanted to do, but he’d do it, no matter how much he hated the idea. If she wanted it, that is. But who would he ask? Jamie. As much as he disliked sharing, he’d tag-teamed with his best friend in the past and knew Jamie would take good care of her. He stole another glance around to see if his friend was here tonight, but his search came up empty. He turned back to the action behind the glass.
The guys repositioned their girl, and one impaled her as she straddled him, his cock sliding in and out of her, nice and deep, as she threw her head back. The other guy was fisting himself, with long, hard, grunting strokes. Danielle focused in on that, her fingers tightening on her knees as she leaned forward and rocked a bit in her chair.
She made a little sound, her breath coming quicker.
Jack was two seconds from whipping out his own cock and fisting it. Jesus, seeing how aroused this all made her was fucking hot. They watched for a little longer until he grew restless, desperate to touch her.
“Ready to move on?” he asked.
She nodded, and he stood, tugging her up with him. As they walked down the hall, their hands touched, knuckles grazed. “Did you like that? Be honest.”
“Yeah, I kind of did. I never thought I would, but it was…” She paused, as if trying to find the right word.
“Hot,” he supplied.
She grinned. “Yeah, hot.”
He opened a door and ushered her inside one of the glass rooms that didn’t have an audience yet. She spun, taking in the bed, the lamp, and the toys available for play. Her eyes widened when she realized she was on the other side of the glass. A specimen under a microscope.
“Jack,” she said, her voice a breathless whisper.
He lowered himself onto the mattress and gestured her close. “Come sit.” When she hesitated, he asked, “Trust me?” She nodded without hesitation, then stepped up to him.
He pulled her onto his lap, and adjusted her legs until they were around his waist. His cock throbbed as she settled on it, and he powered his hips upward. “You know what else is hot?” he asked.
Her hands gripped his shoulders, her hair falling forward as she met his gaze. “What?”
“You, Danielle. You’re the hottest girl in here.” She moved on his lap, her sweet pussy massaging his hard dick.
“You don’t have to say that.”
“You think I’m feeding you a line?” She shrugged, and he gripped the back of her neck. “You have no idea how desirable you are.”
He drew her mouth to his, and her lips were firm at first. A delicate slide of his tongue coaxed them open, and she sagged against him when he angled his head, exploring her deeply. Her hands went to his hair, and she raked her fingers through it. She moved on his lap, a slight shift over his cock, but he felt it to his core. His brain practically shut down as his dick throbbed, his lust urging him to strip her down and take her right here. It was all he could do to bite back the need burning in his throat.
She slid her hands to his shoulders, the heat from her body spreading through him as his eyes strayed to the glass, seeing spectators gathering around. She made a sexy sound, and his need mounted. Hands on her hips, he pulled her down harder on his cock. Fuck, she felt good. The temperature in the room skyrocketed, and moisture broke out on his forehead as he kissed the hell out of her.
Passion rattled his brain, and he rocked against her, dry-humping her right there for all to see. “You’ve got me so hard, I’m about to come in my pants,” he whispered into her mouth. “Are you wet for me?”
“Yes,” she murmured, her sexy voice surging through him.
“Yeah, how wet?”
“Very.”
“So wet that if I took these pants off you, my cock would slip right inside?”
Her fingers dug into his shoulders. “Mm-hmm.”
“Are you going to take me nice and deep? Let me plunge and fuck the way I want?”
“Yes,” she whimpered, practically gasping for her next breath. Damn, he loved seeing her like this.
“I’m going to take you so fucking hard… But you’re going to have to show me you deserve it first.”
“How?” she asked.
“By obeying me. Doing everything I tell you to do.”
She nodded, and he pushed her hair from her face as he powered upward, his cock so hard, he barely had any blood left in his brain.
“What do you want me to do?” she asked, a new excitement in her voice.
He put a finger between her legs, and through her pants, applied pressure to her clit. Her muscles tensed, her skin flushed, and her fingers scratched his back. “It’s what I want to do. To you.”
Before he flipped her over and buried his mouth between her legs, he gripped the sides of her head and urged her back. He could see raging desire reflected in her eyes as they swept over his face. She was completely lost in him, in this moment, and had totally forgotten they were in a playroom with an audience.
Dark need gathered in the pit of his stomach. He sucked in a breath, trying to draw oxygen back into his lungs. “Danielle,” he said, his voice harsh, needing to snap her out of it.
“Yeah.”
“Look around.”
She lifted her head and froze in his arms when she saw the audience that had gathered.
He narrowed his eyes and held her face. “How does that make you feel?”
“I’m not sure.”
“You’d better examine your responses deeper. These are the fetishes you didn’t understand, yet wanted to.”
“I’m not used to anyone looking at me, or even noticing me. It makes me feel self-conscious
, I guess.”
“Okay, good. That’s a start to understanding. But I want you to know this. You’re being noticed now. These people see what I see. A beautiful, sensuous woman. One they want to watch and admire. That’s why they’re all seated out there.”
Her breath came out fluttery, and she looked around again. “You think so?”
“I know so, and there is nothing wrong with what they’re doing, or what we’re doing.” Her shoulders relaxed a little. “Now, consider what you’re feeling. Does it make you feel treasured, special, to know everyone is out there because of you?” He gave her a playful wink, and added, “Does it make you feel sexy—worshipped even?”
“I think it does make me feel a little hot.” She shook her head. “I thought the attention would be awkward, but now I’m not so sure. I can’t say I want to go any further than kissing right now, but I can see the appeal of this fetish.”
“Exhibitionism is something different to everyone. It’s not deviant behavior, like some think. It’s just sexuality, and being open and honest about how things make you feel.”
“That’s so interesting. I never would have thought that. Maybe you should be teaching the class.” A slight smile touched her lips. “How does this make you feel?” she asked, her face taking on a new glow as she realized her new power.
Possessive. Jealous. Desperate to get you alone so I don’t have to share you with the world.
He lifted his hips, pressing his cock harder against her pussy. “You tell me.” She gave a soft, breathy laugh, and he said, “Are we done here at the club, or do you want to explore anything else? If not, there’s something else I want you to see.” He helped her from his lap and they stood. She put her hand in his, as if it was the most natural thing to do. When they stepped out of the room, their presence was met with smiles and nods of appreciation.
Strolling through the crowd, he led her to the back of the club, where rope play and discipline took place. He was anxious to see her reaction, especially to the bondage. They rounded a corner, and her eyes widened when they came across an observation room where a woman’s arms were secured above her head, her ankles shackled in place by chains. A man walked around her, slapping a flogger against his hand, explaining her infractions and the reason she was being punished.