by Jan Bowles
His cock immediately hardened, when he heard the submissive little animal noises reverberating deep in her throat. Zoë flexed her hips, her body arching beneath his. Wishing they were both naked, he ground his cock against her cunt, pinning her firmly in place, until she stopped squirming. He knew from the look in those beautiful green eyes of hers that she felt his erection, pulsing against her belly.
Her whole body trembled as he finally released her. Looking down at her submissive posture, he said, “I trust I’ve made myself clear?”
In a state of barely disguised sexual arousal, she stared up at him, and whispered breathlessly, “Absolutely, Hunter.”
Chapter Five
Two days later
“Are you sure you don’t want to come to Club Submission with me?” Hunter asked as he helped dry the dishes from their evening meal.
Zoë smiled and shook her head. “No thanks.” In the last couple of days, Hunter had told her all about the lifestylers’ club, and she had to admit, an evening out with him was very tempting. “I need to get an early night. I’ve a job interview in the morning.”
“Chill, Zoë. You’re entitled to have some fun.”
“As soon as I get a job, then I’ll chill. I just don’t feel right depending on you like this. I’m used to paying my way.”
“I’ve already told you about Matthew and Ethan, the brothers who own Club Submission. If I ask, they’ll find you a job.”
Zoë laughed. “Now that would be just plain crazy, Hunter, and you know it. How would you like me, watching you in action? Let me see, while I’m serving behind the bar, I could take notes, rating your sexual performance.”
Hunter considered her answer for a moment. “Maybe you’re right, Zoë. I hadn’t really thought about it. So what would you rate me on?” His penetrating blue eyes held hers, and a wicked grin spread on his lips, as he waited for her answer.
Zoë giggled. “Not that I’ve been to a BDSM club or anything like it, so I’m guessing here, but stamina, sexual prowess, and mastery of your sub, would all be rated on a sliding scale of one to ten. Although, I should warn you, I’ve never ever been known to give a score of ten.” Mike, her ex boyfriend had barely managed a five. She figured Hunter would rate far more highly.
Hunter laughed, and playfully touched her arm. “I love your sense of humor, Peaches. I’m so glad you came back with me. I’d forgotten how much fun we had teasing each other when we were kids at St. Mark’s.” He turned and put the last of the dried dishes in the cupboard. “So tell me more about this job interview tomorrow. Where is it?”
“It’s in Boston. There’s a club taking on exotic dancers.”
He frowned. “I thought you were done with all that, Zoë?”
“It’s all I know.”
Hunter put his hands on her shoulders, and stared down into her eyes. “I mean this in the best possible way, but aren’t you getting a little old for flashing your tits and ass?”
Zoë felt her shoulders stiffen, and she bristled indignantly. Everyone thought she was getting too old, including herself. “I may not be as hot as the young girls, but I’ve got experience on my side. It takes years to achieve that sort of professionalism. Young girls may have the bodies to die for, but they just don’t connect with the guys as much as us older girls. A dancer has to make the man feel special.”
“Then maybe you should be teaching them instead, Peaches. Have you ever thought of running classes?”
“No, but it sounds like a really good idea. Maybe I’ll look into it if I don’t have any luck tomorrow.”
“Good.” Hunter leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “I’m gonna go and get ready. In case I don’t see you before morning, good luck with the interview.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
It hadn’t been the hardest decision she’d ever made to return to Boston with Hunter. The only thing that unsettled Zoë was her financial dependence on him. But as Hunter had pointed out, what was left for her in Pittsburgh anyway? It had felt wonderful when she’d locked the door to the crummy apartment for the very last time. She wouldn’t miss it one little bit. Her time in Pittsburgh had been tough. Now it was time for a new life, and a new beginning.
In some ways, she felt like they’d never been apart. The intervening fourteen years had simply melted away. Underlying their relationship was a deep physical attraction. She wondered if their friendship would end, if they started having sex. Just the subtle looks they gave one another throughout the day emphasized their deep-rooted longing for each other.
She watched his tall, well-built frame stride purposefully from the kitchen. Hunter was all man, and ever since he’d kissed her in the playroom, she couldn’t shake the thought of him dominating her sexually. His kiss had been a promise of exciting things to come. It had transformed the way her body responded to his. Every time she was in his company, she positively ached for his cock deep inside her. She simply yearned for his intimate touch.
Zoë glanced at her watch. It was getting on for nine. Maybe she’d go to her room, and read a couple of chapters from her erotic novel, before turning in for the night. Hunter was right, she was getting a little too old to shake her booty. Maybe she’d look into running some classes as he’d suggested. There were plenty of women all across America who’d love to know how to pole dance privately for their man, and it might just be a way of supporting herself financially.
As she climbed the stairs, she realized she had an opportunity to get things right this time. Hunter had given her a lifeline. He’d opened up his home to her. It was such a beautiful home, too. The sort of place she could only dream of when she lived in Pittsburgh. She needed to make each day count from now on.
Deep in thought, she raced up the stairs. Not watching where she was going, she ran headlong into him. The sexy smell of leather, and freshly washed skin, filled her nostrils. Hunter wore a pair of tight leather jeans, complemented by an open leather waistcoat.
She could clearly see the muscle definition, sculpting his naked chest, giving him the appearance of a Greek God. Her pussy moistened with intense sexual arousal when she noticed his nipples were pierced. Tribal tattoos flowed down his arms, tapering out at his wrists. They made him appear even more dangerous. What would it feel like to submit to his will?
“Careful, Peaches.” His deep, sexy voice rumbled as he set her carefully to one side, and continued on his way. God, his tight butt looked delicious with the black leather stretched erotically across it. Every fluid movement he made as he took the stairs two at a time sent her hormones screaming.
“Have fun,” she called after him, trying to sound lighthearted.
“I always do.” He flashed her a sexy grin as he reached the bottom of the stairs, and headed for the door.
Phew, he’s so Goddamn hot.
Even after a long cool shower, she couldn’t shake the image of Hunter from her mind. He reminded her of the hero in the erotic novel she was reading. Only, Hunter was far more Alpha male than the guy in her book. He was a real flesh-and-blood man, and she was in no doubt he would be pleasuring the women at Club Submission tonight. A sinking feeling centered low in her stomach. She didn’t want to think about Hunter with other women. She reluctantly recognized her emotions as jealousy and envy.
Feeling sexually frustrated, Zoë slipped on her sheer black negligee. It was made of finest Italian silk, and she always felt sexy as hell when she wore it. Needing something to distract her from what Hunter was doing, she took her Kindle from the bedside table, and switched it on. Maybe the hero and heroine in her book could finally get it together?
After twenty minutes of reading and rereading the same sex scene, Zoë tossed the e-reader to one side. Her efforts to distract herself were failing miserably. All she could think about was Hunter, and how he was dominating some sub at his club. Knowing his playroom was just down the hallway, she wondered if he’d bring a girl back home to play. The very idea of hearing another woman in the throes of ecstasy unsettled her. It should
be me.
The more she thought about his playroom, the more curious she became. This was the first time she’d been left alone in his house. Perhaps it was the ideal opportunity to check it out.
Zoë giggled to herself as she suddenly jumped from the bed. The playroom turned her on, but it also frightened her, too. Maybe if she took a closer look, it would give her a better understanding of his exciting lifestyle.
Barefoot, she padded along the hall to the playroom. Hunter had expressly ordered her never to enter without his permission. She smiled to herself—while the cat was away, the mouse would play. She turned the handle and slowly pushed open the door. The light switch was just inside, and she flicked it on. Just like the first time she’d seen it, the room appeared atmospheric and forbidding.
After closing the door behind her, Zoë moved further into the playroom, tentatively trailing her fingertips over the pieces of bondage furniture. The feel of leather, wood, and cool steel heightened her awareness of what the room had been created for—sexual pleasure and domination.
She skimmed her hands across his impressive collection of canes, floggers, and whips. Each sported the same black leather handle, with his initials HB embossed on the crown. She figured they’d been made especially for him, at some considerable cost.
One particular tool of correction caught her attention. Spirals of leather circled a peg. When she lifted it from its mounting, it unraveled, like the coils of a huge angry snake. Surely it must be over eight feet in length. It felt heavy in her hand as she raised it several times trying to crack the whip. It reminded her of the one that Indiana Jones was so fond of.
Scary.
The breath hitched in her throat when she thought she heard the front door open, and then close again. She stood motionless for what seemed an eternity, trying to decide whether the noise was for real, or just a figment of her overactive imagination. Hunter had only been gone an hour. Surely he wouldn’t return home so soon? It couldn’t be him. Could it?
When she heard the stairs creak, Zoë backed instinctively into the corner of the playroom. Shit. It is Hunter. Did he know she was in here? Holding her breath, she heard his footsteps in the hallway. The sound lessened as he moved further away, and she slowly released the air from her lungs. Fuck, that was close.
Her relief was short-lived when she heard his footsteps return. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. What will he do to me? His shadow drifted under the door, blocking the light from the hall, and she knew he stood motionless on the other side, listening for the slightest sound from her. When she saw the handle slowly begin to turn, her heart spurted adrenaline around her body, initiating a fight-or-flight response.
Hunter had warned her that if he caught her in here, he’d play for real. Zoë sunk down on her haunches hoping to disappear from view. In a state of intense fear, mixed with unmistakable sexual arousal, she awaited her fate.
Chapter Six
Zoë’s wild, frightened eyes stared back from the corner of the playroom as he swung the door wide open. Like an Olympic sprinter, she was hunkered down, ready to make a break for it. His cock doubled in size as he savored her submissive posture.
“My, my, what have we here? Looks to me very much like a naughty girl hoping to get caught, and severely punished. You do remember what I told you about coming in here without my permission? Surely your memory isn’t so poor that you’ve forgotten already.” He could just see her tucking something behind the sawhorse. “What are you hiding?”
“Nothing, Hunter. It’s nothing.”
“Stand up.”
When Zoë reluctantly raised herself from her hunched position, he couldn’t take his eyes from her sexy black negligee. His cock hardened further, restrained uncomfortably by his tight leather jeans. Hunter’s gaze took in the delicious swell of her womanly breasts, barely covered by the soft silk. It didn’t take him long to notice her fully aroused nipples, poking enticingly through the thin material.
Maintaining eye contact, Hunter slowly and deliberately pushed the door shut with a resounding thud, and then turned the heavy ornate key in the lock. After holding it up for her to see, he tucked it into the breast pocket of his leather waistcoat. He smiled at her shocked expression. “That’s right, there’s no escape now, Peaches.”
“But, Hunter, I was just curious.”
“Curious, huh?”
He strode across to the bondage table, and rested his ass on the soft leather upholstery. He folded his arms across his chest, waiting patiently for an explanation.
None was forthcoming.
“You’re going nowhere. You’re in my domain now. What I say goes. My word is law. Now show me what you’re hiding behind the sawhorse.” When she didn’t respond, he clapped his hands together, twice in quick succession. The loud noise echoed around the playroom, making her jump. “I demand to see what you’ve hidden.”
Zoë looked startled by his gruff command. Trembling slightly, she retrieved the hidden object from behind the sawhorse. He recognized the bullwhip immediately. It was his most prized tool of correction, and one he’d spent the best part of a year mastering. Now he had the skill and experience to hit the tail of the whip to within an inch of his planned target.
Her hands visibly shook as she held it out to him. “I’m sorry, Hunter. I know you told me not to come in here, but I was so intrigued when I first saw the playroom, I wanted a second look.”
“Ah, Peaches, but you were doing more than just looking, weren’t you? You were touching, too. Did I give you permission to touch?”
The silence in the playroom was deafening. Zoë shuffled awkwardly on the spot, looking for all the world like a naughty schoolgirl being admonished by the principal. Her hands clasped and unclasped nervously in front of her stomach. “I’m sorry, Hunter, but I didn’t think you would be back so soon.”
“So I see. Now you leave me no alternative, but to execute a little correction.”
Hunter allowed his gaze to drift down Zoë’s beautiful silken body once more. Her breasts heaved, rising and falling with nervous anticipation, and her perfect little toes flexed repeatedly. He took the bullwhip from her shaky grasp, and hooked it around her waist. Holding both ends he pulled her hard against him.
Zoë twisted back and forth like a landed fish, digging in her heels, desperately trying to stop him from drawing her closer. “Please, Hunter, I said I was sorry.”
“So you did, but sorry is simply not good enough. It’s no use fighting. Here in the playroom, I’m in charge.” Still sitting on the bondage table, he wrapped his legs tightly around her, corralling her in place.
“But, Hunter.” Still she squirmed, twisting and turning, fighting his authority, trying to prize his legs from around her.
“Carry on wriggling all you like. You won’t escape, I’m far too strong for you.” He stared into her frightened, beautiful green eyes. “Since you seem to be so interested in my bullwhip, as part of your punishment for disobeying me, I’ll give you a demonstration of its power.” Knowing full well that he held her securely between his thighs, Hunter laid the bullwhip to one side.
Her efforts to escape were futile, and he figured her angry protestations were halfhearted at best. He knew from the look in her eyes, she was turned on. Her breasts were heaving, and an attractive blush tinged her cheeks. Still holding her tightly with his thighs, he dipped into the pocket of his leather jeans and withdrew a pair of Velcro cuffs. He roughly secured them to her wrists. They came with a metal D ring woven into the fabric. He’d used them many times before to restrain a wayward sub.
Holding both her slender wrists securely in one hand, he rose from the bondage table, and led her forcibly to the St. Andrew’s cross. He yanked her hands above her head, and hooked the D rings on the Velcro cuffs to the top of the X-shaped frame.
“Hunter, what are you doing?” He loved her submissive whimpers, and knew she was getting into the role-play as much as him.
“Give me your foot,” he demanded. When she didn’t immedi
ately comply with his instruction, he grabbed hold of the nearest shapely ankle and secured it to the base of the X frame. He performed exactly the same procedure with her other ankle, spreading her silky smooth legs wide open in the process. Soon, he had her spread-eagled, and secured to the X-shaped frame.
“I can’t move.”
“That’s the idea.”
Hunter stood back and admired his new sub. He cupped her chin and angled her face to his. Staring into those gorgeous green eyes, he asked, “So why are you here, Zoë?
Her lower lip quivered as she looked at him. “I–I just wanted a second look.”
“Could it be that you want what I’m offering?”
She breathed heavily, and he figured she was turned on when she replied, “Exactly what are you offering?”
He trailed his fingers over the sexy black negligee, letting them drift effortlessly from her pulsing throat to her pussy. He reveled in the power it gave him. Hunter leaned forward and whispered in her ear, “You want to know what I’m offering? Then I’ll tell you, Peaches. Sex and lots of it. Hot fucking like you’ve never experienced before. That’s what you want. Don’t deny it. I know it, and you know it, too.” He forced his lips to hers, and she feverishly responded, by sucking his tongue into her mouth. Her eyes raised to his. They were such a beautiful shade of green. A man could lose himself in eyes like those. He wanted to own her, possess her, and hear her shout out his name. Hunter. “Just say the word, Zoë. Let me know how you feel. Tell me what you want from me?”
She took a deep breath, unafraid to hold his gaze. “I want what you’re offering, Hunter. It was always gonna end this way.”