An Invitation: Alayna's Training

by Jennifer Cole

  “Ariel?” Alayna's voice took on the parental tone she'd given up using when Ariel turned nineteen. Realizing the tone wouldn't work any more now than it did back then, she allowed her concern to ring through. “What is going on with you? And don't try to bullshit me.”

  “I don't like having Dane here. That's all. Let's keep this focused on you. If you're thinking about quitting, why are you calling me? Why don't you tell them 'I'm out of here' and come home?”

  “Well, Rick suggested I talk to someone I trust. I'm thinking about throwing in the towel. And there isn't anyone in the world I trust more than you, baby sister.”

  Rick really was a terrific guy. Alayna wished she could meet him halfway in their sessions.

  “I love you too, Al. But I want you to be sure. Is there any chance you'll be happy if you give up now? Or will you regret not taking this chance?”

  “You know me,” Alayna admitted. “Eventually I would regret not seeing this through. I'm so frustrated here,” she growled.

  “I thought you'd be getting laid like every day.”

  Alayna laughed. “Not once since I've been here. My first obstacle is to learn how to get myself off, but the information Rick gave me on masturbation techniques isn't helping either.”

  “Damn, that sucks!” Ariel spat out. “They gave you brochures? No hands-on stuff?”

  Not enough to help. Alayna groaned, recalling the failed attempts of him helping her to reach climax through masturbation. She leaned forward in the chair. “I'm destined to never come in my life, Ari. Never.”

  “Wait a minute. Are you saying you have a hard time getting off?”

  “Well, yeah, I-I…” As close as the two were, Alayna was fearful of confessing her problem. “I can't orgasm. That's why I wanted to come here. I was hoping someone might be able to teach me. But it isn't working out well.”

  “It's okay, Al.” Ariel sighed. “I'm in the same boat.”

  “Really? Why didn't you say something? Have we never had 'the talk'? How can we discuss everything under the sun but not something as important as this?”

  “Eww, that would be like walking in on Mom and Dad when they had sex.”

  “Nice, Ari. Like I didn't have enough on my mind. Now you present me with that visual.”

  “I love you, Al, but discussing the birds and the bees with your big sister is not my idea of a good time. Have you talked to Rick about the issue?”

  Only every day.

  “Rick's aware, and in the beginning was eager to help me out. But now all we do is talk. I'm supposed to learn about my body and what turns me on before Rick and I can go further.”

  “It's all in the clit.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Well, it is, at least according to Dane.”

  “Dane? You've been discussing this with Dane but not me?” Alayna asked, trying to keep the surprise from her voice. What did Dane have to do with this?

  “I wouldn't exactly call it discussing… Never mind. Listen, don't give up.”

  “Oh no you don't,” Alayna said. “You keep turning this conversation back on me, and I want to know what's going on with you.”

  “It's nothing, I swear.”

  Alayna was far from convinced. “Are you and Dane—”

  “It's between Dane and me, and we're working it out. Kinda.”

  The tone of Ariel's voice mimicked her own frustrations. “Ari, you're struggling with something. Tell me; I'm here for you.”

  “I love you too, sis, but I need to take care of this on my own. I need to figure it out. I don't want you to give up.”

  “You're leaving me feeling uncomfortable, Ari. Do you want me to come home? Because I will; you say the word.”

  “I only want you to come home if you think you can't get what you need there.”

  “If I leave now, down the road I'll kick my ass for not seeing this through. But I'm so frustrated. Maybe I should speak with Dane. If I decide to leave, I have to give notice.”

  “Talk to him.”

  “I will, I promise. I'll let Rick know I need a meeting, and he'll get in touch with Dane.”

  “Sounds good. I want you to be happy, Al. And satisfied with your decision, and not because I'd love to have you back home and the surf bum out of my hair.”

  “Thanks. I want you happy too, but you don't sound it right now. Listen, I know I'm not allowed calls here, but take down Rick's cell number. If you need me for anything, you call it, and he'll get the message to me.”

  “Thanks.”

  “All right, I've got to go, kid,” Alayna said after Ariel updated her on the happenings around the café. “I love you. Behave. And please, please, please try to get along with Dane until I come home. I'll be back before you know it.”

  “Yeah, yeah, whatever. I love you too, Al. And come home when you're ready.”

  After flipping the cell closed to disconnect the call, Alayna stood and walked toward the window.

  What the hell was Ariel keeping from her? Alayna couldn't help but wonder. The uneasiness in her sister's voice and words played right alongside Dane's lame-ass “everything's fine” comments. Were things that bad between the two of them? She prayed not. In the ten years following their parents' passing, Alayna had always put Ariel first. She didn't begrudge Ariel the love, time, and energy she'd put into her younger sister. Ariel was her life. But right now Alayna had enough to concern herself with here at the mansion. She hoped their time apart would strengthen their relationship, not rip it apart.

  Though lost in her thoughts replaying the strange conversation with Ariel as she gazed out the window over the yard, the sound of footsteps on the hardwood floor out in the hallway gained her attention.

  “Rick?” she called out. When he failed to respond, she turned toward the open sliding doors. “Rick? I'm all finished. Come on in if you want.”

  Still he didn't come into the library.

  Alayna shrugged, deciding her mind was playing tricks on her.

  * * *

  In his office, Logan sat at his desk going over a new proposal for the firm. As usual since her arrival, his attention was elsewhere.

  Earlier, from the shadows, he'd watched Alayna through the half-open doors leading into the library. She'd broken the terms of her contract by phoning her sister and therefore should be punished. Her natural submissiveness called to his dominance as if demanding it be set free. This time Logan had struggled a near-losing battle fighting the beast back. He'd overheard her conversation, heard and felt the anguish in her voice, her words. The frustration she felt tugged at his insides.

  What he had done to compromise Rick and Alayna's training sessions was hurting her at every turn. But as long as she resided in his home, Logan was determined no other man would touch her. If another man touched her, his battle would be lost. The Dom he once was wouldn't stand for it. If another man touched her, there was no way Logan could rein himself in.

  Tackling the mounting paperwork on his desk was futile, so he pushed the files aside. Logan stood from his desk and crossed the room. He contemplated scrounging the fridge for food to appease the growling in his belly.

  Logan wasn't surprised when Rick's knock sounded at the door of his office; actually, he was surprised it had taken so long in coming.

  “May I come in?” Rick asked when Logan opened the door.

  Though Rick's breath was a touch uneven, his gaze held steady, unwavering as it seized Logan's. Without breaking the tense visual connection between them, Logan stepped to the side, leaving the entering of his lair up to his caller. When he'd opened the door, he had hoped his unyielding expression would deter Rick, yet he was pleased to see it hadn't. Rick was clearly nervous, but he walked past Logan and into the office. Logan gave the other man credit: he had done very well with tapping into his internal dominant. Rick's fiancée would be pleased with the effects the last couple of weeks had offered.

  Rick refused to sit when Logan gestured to one of the two chairs in front of his desk. “Ma
y I speak frankly?”

  “Of course, Rick,” Logan replied, his voice carrying a hint of warning to Rick to tread carefully. Logan already suspected what the man's visit was about.

  “What the hell is going on?”

  Logan's hackles rose at Rick's demand. “I don't owe you an explanation for my actions,” Logan retorted evenly.

  “It's clear you want to be in my shoes,” Rick continued. “So why in the hell aren't you the one working with Alayna?”

  Logan crossed his arms over his broad chest and lifted his chin. His eyes narrowed as he glared at the other man. “Once again, I do not explain myself to you. You have some nerve coming to question me. Who in the hell do you think you are?”

  Rick sighed in exasperation and squared his shoulders. “I am a man who was just about finished training with my fiancée when she was called away. And despite what you might think, Logan, I did a damn good job while Sheila was here.”

  “I won't argue that,” Logan agreed. “Both Keegan and Dane's reports were above favorable. So?”

  “I was prepared to pack up and go home with Sheila when she left, but when approached with Dane's proposition to assist Alayna, I readily agreed to extend my stay. I was honored Dane thought enough of me and my ability for the responsibility.”

  “Upset because you aren't fucking her?” Logan sneered.

  “I don't want to fuck Alayna!” Rick stopped. He inhaled a deep breath and exhaled it slowly before continuing. “I want to help her find the person inside her that she wants to find. That's all. She is an incredible woman, Logan, and I consider myself lucky to have the opportunity to get to know her. We've developed a friendship which will continue long after our stint in this place.”

  Logan growled low, but Rick held his position in front of him.

  “You've tied my hands where Alayna's training is concerned. And I don't think I can fulfill what has been asked of me.”

  “That's not very confident talk coming from a master,” Logan chided.

  “The corner you've backed me into isn't fair to either her or me,” Rick countered. “But especially not to Alayna.”

  “You are a Dominant, Rick. This is what you've been training for.” Logan shrugged, arms still crossed.

  “I'm a Dominant for my Sheila, Logan. I never pretended to be anything else.”

  Rick was talking semantics, and Logan ignored him. “So I've placed an obstacle or two in your way. Use the skills you've acquired and work around it,” he challenged.

  Rick traded a glare with him as several moments passed between them in silence.

  Logan gave Rick points for standing his ground.

  “You should know I've requested time with Dane for Alayna,” Rick said. “She's considering leaving.”

  Regardless of the fact he'd just overheard her tell her sister that very thing, Logan felt himself waver as his mind raced. Hearing the words leave Rick's mouth affected him more than he liked. To mask the weakness in his legs at the thought of Alayna leaving his bed and his domain for good, he adjusted his footing and maintained Rick's angry gaze.

  When Logan refrained from commenting, Rick snorted. With a shake of his head, he stormed from Logan's office and slammed the heavy wooden door behind him.

  Chapter Ten

  Day Seventeen

  Two days later, in front of the mirror in her room, Alayna recited the points she intended to discuss once she entered Dane's office. She wiped her sweaty palms on the thighs of her jeans. She was already nervous, and she hadn't even left the room yet. After running through her speech one last time, she turned away from the mirror and strode across the floor.

  The house seemed eerily silent that morning, which only contributed to her mounting anxieties. She'd overslept and therefore missed breakfast. Her belly growled its displeasure. After the meeting, she'd raid the fridge.

  Her conversation with Ariel two days earlier had shed the light Alayna had been looking for. Last night, as she had attempted to lose herself in a romance novel and failed, she'd made her decision. Now she needed to share that decision with Dane. She appreciated his efforts, but the time had come to put an end to the charade.

  Rounding the corner to the offices, Alayna glanced at the closed door to Logan's before turning her attention to Dane's. She inhaled a deep breath and held it for several heartbeats. Then she slowly exhaled.

  With a sharp knock, she rapped on the wooden door.

  “Enter,” Dane called from inside his office.

  She turned the knob and pushed the door open.

  “Alayna, please have a seat,” he said after she entered. “My apologies for you having to wait until today to meet.”

  “It's all right, Mr. Reese,” she said, seating herself in one of the comfy wingback chairs. “I'm certain Ariel isn't making it easy for you at the restaurant.”

  “That's an understatement.” He chuckled. “And please call me Dane.”

  “Oh hell,” Alayna groaned, recalling the tension in her sister's voice from the call she'd sneaked a couple of days before. Though she felt twinges of guilt for breaking the rules about contact with the outside world, she decided to refrain from admitting she'd made the call. If Dane brought it up, then she'd address it. “What's she up to? Give it to me straight.”

  “Nothing I can't handle, I assure you,” he replied, rubbing at his shoulder with a grin. His expression seemed a blend of satisfaction and amusement, but if he was thinking of her sister, she doubted he'd have such a cat-in-cream look. Ariel brought a more drenched, pissed-off-kitty scowl to men's faces.

  He didn't sound convincing, but she was hardly in a position to question. “All right. But only if you're sure.”

  “Promise. So, what can I do for you?”

  “I have to be honest, Dane, things aren't working out here like I thought they would,” she said. Things weren't working out at all, in her opinion.

  “How so?”

  “Well, I wasn't expecting a miracle, but I'm even more frustrated now than I was before I came here. Sexually and otherwise. I told you there was the odd time I could bring myself off through masturbation, but since being under Rick's tutelage, I haven't come at all,” she told him.

  “So you have need for release and Rick is denying you?” he asked, leaning forward in his chair. His blue eyes gazed steadily into hers.

  “Yes. No. No, it isn't that,” she said, shaking her head with annoyance at her own indecision more than anything else.

  Across the desk, Dane sat silent.

  “I want out,” she said. “Don't get me wrong. Rick is terrific. We talk, and he's a really funny guy. I like him as a friend, but he doesn't do squat for my sexual submissiveness. He's barely even touched me. Says he can't. You promised I would find my inner submissive and experience a part of myself that I've repressed.”

  “And you can—”

  Alayna shook her head, cutting him off. “I don't think so. I'm pretty sure it's me. I give off some kind of vibe. I'm cold, frigid. I've been told that before. Hell, Rick doesn't even put his hands on me. What am I supposed to think?”

  “Alayna, believe me, it's not you—”

  “It is. Hell, I can't even make myself come without going at it for, like, forever, and even then I'm let down.” Alayna sighed deeply. “It's me. It always is. I am just not destined to enjoy submission like you think I am. Or like I want to. Listen, there's no sense in wasting Rick's or my time any longer. I want out. I need out. I just don't think this is for me. I'm really sorry.”

  Dane nodded. “As per the terms in your contract, you owe me twenty-four hour's notice, Alayna. Will you allow me that time to search out a solution?”

  “Dane, please. This is embarrassing enough for me,” she said, squirming in her seat.

  “There is no reason for you to be embarrassed. I chose the wrong master for you. Even though it wasn't my choice to make, I made it. And for that, I owe you. The choice of a suitable master was for you to make, not me.”

  “Dane, please—”


  “The contract states either party must provide the other twenty-four hours notice, Alayna. Allow me that.”

  Several moments of silence passed between them before she conceded. “All right. Twenty-four hours, and if I still feel the same way, you'll let me go?”

  “You have my word.”

  * * *

  Logan stood at the window in his office, watching Alayna walk across the yard. In her hand she carried a towel, and he knew she was heading toward the pool. It pissed him off that once she ventured over the hill, he wouldn't be able to see her anymore. It pissed him off even more that there was nowhere around the pool area he could observe her unnoticed.

  The sound of his office door slamming into the wall drew his attention. Taking his time, Logan turned to find Dane had entered.

  “Something I can help you with?” he asked, frowning at his friend.

  “Alayna wants to leave,” Dane said.

  Logan's heart plummeted. Yes, in the beginning he would have been relieved for her to go back home to her life and he to his. But the thought of her actually leaving his home when she belonged here was something he hated to consider. “Why?”

  “Because she isn't getting what was promised her.”

  “She has two weeks to go,” Logan protested as he vacated the spot at the window and crossed the room to his desk.

  Dane shrugged. “You're aware of the release clause written into the contract. Her expectations have yet to be met. She wants out, and I'm inclined to let her.”

  Logan didn't respond.

  “I've heard you've made it difficult for Rick to give one-hundred percent to her training.”

  Logan refused to acknowledge the accusation.

  “You do realize that by threatening Rick you've essentially reneged on our contractual obligation to Alayna, right?” Dane continued.

  Logan dismissed Dane with a grunt and a wave of his hand.

  “Damn it, Logan,” his partner said with a shake of his head. “I know she's the one that has your balls in a twist.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” Logan snapped.