by Cassie Ryan
He laughed, remembering his last call from his mother. “If your parents are anything like mine, they always include the complaint that you don’t get home often enough, and a reminder that they are still waiting for their expected grandchildren, as in multiple.”
Kate smiled, but her expression was wistful. “I’ll trade you, anytime you’d like.”
He frowned. “That bad?” From Kate’s dossier, he knew her father lived here in L.A. and was also a possible suspect in his case. Her mother had died when Kate was in high school, and she had no other living family.
Kate waved away the question as if it didn’t matter. “Nothing I haven’t heard so often that I don’t have it memorized. I’m sure every kid gets the same riot act. Mine involves the fact that I had no desire to become a surgeon, or at the very least a neurologist.” She shrugged. “Because how embarrassing is it for my father to have to tell his friends that his daughter is a graphic designer and can even do some pinch-hit computer programming? That would be horrifying for any parent.” She pressed her palms against her cheeks and opened her mouth in a mock scream, making Dex laugh.
He signaled Opal for another coffee and latte, then returned his full attention to Kate. “I was lucky my parents never wanted me to go into any specific profession. They are just glad I found one I enjoy.”
Kate’s shoulders slumped, and an expression of sadness darkened her features. He wanted to gather her into his arms but held himself in check, hoping to learn more while her guard was down.
She blew out a long breath, obviously still working through the frustration of the dreaded upcoming phone call.
“I wish it was that simple with my father. But with him, it’s all about appearances. And since I won’t let him run my life, I’m supposed to listen to him complain about it at every opportunity.” She shook her head.
The pain underlying the forced smile was obvious, at least to Dex, who was very adept at reading people, especially subs. Glad the U-shaped booth let them sit close enough to touch, he reached over and rubbed his hand lightly across her shoulder, giving in to his intense need to comfort. “I can tell this bothers you. Is there anything I can do?”
Her mischievous chuckle made his cock harden as he thought about all the things he would love to do for and to her.
She slapped her hand over her mouth, but too late for the unspoken not to hang tantalizingly in the air between them.
“Is that why you came to The Dungeon tonight?” He ducked his head to catch her gaze. Kate looked everywhere but at him, almost as if he had already seen too much. She was shielding herself from revealing any more.
His protective instincts when it came to this woman intensified. He reminded himself that he would have to use any insights he could gain to get information from her, regardless of whether she was involved in the plot or not.
Opal slid a new cup of coffee onto the table next to him and a fresh vanilla latte close to Kate. After gathering the empty cups and trying unsuccessfully to catch his attention, she stepped away and went back to her duties.
Dex realized that resisting his Dom instincts with Kate would be counterproductive to what he needed to accomplish, and gave in to the urge to teach his new sub how to please him.
“I’m sure you know it’s not a good idea to play scenes while dealing with turbulent emotions.” He kept his voice strong, but not threatening or confrontational. She hadn’t agreed to have him as her Dom…yet. Although he soon planned to be, and not only for the case, if he was totally honest with himself.
As he watched, she seemed to rebuild her composure in the space of a few seconds. When her face was smooth and calm again, she raised her chin in the adorable defiant gesture he’d seen earlier and met his gaze squarely in almost an unspoken challenge. “I’m used to my father’s rants. I hope one day he’ll give them up, but I’m not holding my breath.”
Dex gave her a sympathetic look. It had to be tough for a smart, independent woman to deal with such an overbearing parent.
She tossed her head to flip her long black ponytail over her shoulder from where it had fallen over one full breast. “In the meantime, I decided a dozen good orgasms might chase away the father-induced stress from dreading his inevitable next call.” She smiled, a true smile that lightened his concern only the tiniest fraction. Kate was obviously very good at hiding her emotions from those who didn’t bother to look too closely.
“Wow. A dozen orgasms, huh? You’ll end up in aftercare for the rest of the night from climaxing that many times.” Just the thought of a long night spent with Kate in that fashion hardened him further.
“Aftercare isn’t a big thing around here.” She leaned forward and glanced around discreetly as if making sure she wouldn’t be overheard. “That’s not to say it doesn’t happen. It does. But it’s probably not what you’re used to. From what other subs have told me who play elsewhere, aftercare in The Dungeon is a pale imitation of what it is in some other clubs.”
Dex blew out a long, slow breath, reminding himself that his main objective here wasn’t to fix The Dungeon or teach Ed Ralston how to run a club effectively.
Kate licked her lips before continuing. “Anytime we’ve had a new Dom here he’s been overrun by subs in his first few weeks. Subs vying for a spot on the new guy’s roster, so to speak. With all of that attention, I think they are more worried about quantity than quality.”
Dex gave a single nod. “I think I need to get the lay of the land. It sounds like it’s very different here from what I’m used to.”
He glanced around the room, noticing only two other booths filled, and those with people he recognized as actors or politicians, although none of those on his list to check out.
“What would you say to giving me a tour, and then letting me buy you dinner? I know it’s out of the ordinary for a Dom and sub who have just met, but it sounds like I’m already breaking the mold here.” He smiled, hoping she would readily agree. “Feel free to turn me down. I won’t make you break my nose to get me to take the hint.” He grinned at her quick laugh.
“Let’s talk about it as soon as we finish our drinks.” She raised her cup in a mock toast.
He didn’t see any telltale signs that she was looking for a way to say no. Only that she wanted to continue talking, and wasn’t yet ready for a venue change.
She confirmed his thoughts when she pierced him with a curious gaze. “You said your day job was as an analyst, so are you a PI or something at night?”
Dex clamped down on his instinctive surprise. Her asking about him being a private investigator hit very close to home since he was here undercover. He would have to be careful in case she knew more than she should in that arena.
She went suddenly silent before continuing with what she had been saying. “You implied earlier you had a night job, but you seem much too astute to be teaching computer programming or anything along those lines. Besides, not many people would’ve realized I was about to crack Balkins’s nose just from my stance.”
She gave a forced smile, showing him it was more than pure curiosity that drove her to ask. He wondered what had made her fall silent so suddenly. Why had she specifically asked if he was a PI? He was pretty sure his cover was tight, but he would have to mention the possibility of a breach to his team so they could be on alert with a backup plan.
Dex leaned back, relaxing, and hopefully putting her more at ease. “I teach self-defense classes. In a couple of my old dungeons, I taught one every Wednesday night.” He noted the interest in her expression. “I’ve found a few places here in L.A. that might need an instructor.” He shrugged. “I enjoy it, so if indefinite turns into anything more set in stone, I might apply.” He doubted this case would take that long, but if it did, taking on a class or two would lend credibility to his cover story.
“That explains a lot.” She brightened, and a flicker of relief flashed across her features before it vanished. “What type of self-defense do you teach?”
He wondered about he
r quick flash of relief. He would have to be on the lookout for why she would be concerned about a private investigator.
As for her insight into self-defense, he smiled inwardly. Most people didn’t realize there was more than one kind. Most knew there were several types of martial arts, but thought of self-defense as one large bucket. Dex did have martial arts experience, and mixed that in with what he taught, but that wasn’t the case for most classes.
He resisted the urge to reach out and trace Kate’s plump bottom lip with his finger. She was a beautiful woman as well as an intriguing one. “My classes are a combination of karate and judo, with a healthy dose of street fighting thrown in for good measure.”
Her interest sharpened immediately, and she made a “hmmm” sound. “Any upcoming classes?” she asked playfully.
“Not yet, but I do offer private lessons.” He grinned at the flash of desire in her eyes.
Kate cleared her throat. “Have you asked Master Ralston about teaching a class here? I know several subs who would be interested.”
Dex mentally ground his teeth. His quick intro to the details of this case had told him that his support team had asked Ed Ralston if he thought a class would be a good addition to the activities at The Dungeon, at least for as long as he was here. Ralston had assured them Dex would find few, if any, students here. Although the man had been very cooperative in placing Dex as a Dom long enough to complete the investigation.
“I’ll have to touch base with Master Ralston on that when I talk to him next. If you know enough people who are interested, I’m very willing to teach the class.” Dex clenched one fist under the table where Kate wouldn’t see it. It would be a great opportunity to get to know the other submissives so they might open up about any useful information they had.
Kate cleared her throat. “I’ll ask around. In the meantime, maybe we can talk about those private lessons.” Her cheeks flushed at the same time Dex’s cock hardened to an almost painful state.
She dropped her gaze, looking suddenly self-conscious. “I meant…you’ll have to let me know when you start teaching.” Her words were husky, her eyes glazed with a combination of desire and embarrassment, as if she hadn’t meant to say that out loud, but it had slipped out anyway.
Every time she blushed, he found it endearing. Dex surrendered to the obvious signals she gave off and reached over to trace one finger over her bottom lip, something he’d been wanting to do all along. When a shiver ran through her, he said, “I could definitely show you some moves if you would like.”
She blew out a quick breath, her expression making it clear she was just as affected as he was but trying to keep the growing attraction at bay. He knew why he was attempting to keep some distance, but he wondered at Kate’s reasoning, since most subs didn’t resist getting close to their Doms.
“It’s been a while since my self-defense classes in college, and I wouldn’t mind brushing up on my skills and…learning some new moves.” She smiled, and then nervously nibbled her bottom lip.
“Where did you go to college?” He wanted to keep the conversation going, although he already knew the answer from her dossier.
“UCLA,” she answered easily, although her expression still showed her arousal. “I enrolled as pre-med to appease my father, but soon transferred to a combination of Media Arts and information technology. My bachelor’s degree is in Media Arts.”
Dex smiled at the vibrant woman. “I went to Arizona State and studied Information Technology.” Which was true as far as it went. He had majored in Criminal Justice with a minor in IT, but he had studied it, and since graduating, had honed his skills.
Like Kate, he could pinch-hit on some programming when the need arose. Or read the code to find out where something was happening that shouldn’t be. Skills he had used more than once as an FBI analyst.
“A fellow technology geek.” A small smile curved her lips. “My father thinks of Information Technology as an entirely boring field with no prospects unless you want to work at one of the big software houses. But it’s much more versatile than that.”
Dex gave a nod, thinking of his own career path. “Much,” he agreed. “And yet your main focus is in graphic design. I’m always impressed by those who thrive in that field. I can barely draw a straight line, let alone design the look and feel for sites.” He thought of the one class he had taken in graphic design. He had wanted to stab himself in the eye with a pencil by the second day of class.
Unable to resist touching her again, he ran his fingertips along her jaw, which rewarded him with a hitch in her breath and a large smile. He cleared his throat to distract himself from how good her silky skin felt. “Any current projects you can talk about?”
He knew a few of the larger clients she designed for from paper trails the analysts had found. Were there any others the FBI didn’t yet know about? If Kate was in any way involved in the larger plot, he needed as much information as he could get.
Most companies had confidentiality agreements from all of their consultants, so he hoped that asking her in this manner would reinforce his credibility as someone familiar with the industry.
She shrugged. “I have a few clients who want monthly or weekly changes depending on their current promotions. Nothing glamorous, but steady work. I don’t make millions, but I do well enough, and I enjoy my work.”
It was a vague but honest answer. Her discretion did her credit.
Dex loved the happiness that sparkled in her lovely green eyes when she spoke about her work. “That’s always important. Most people spend their lives working in professions they hate, just to pay the bills. I would rather do something I love that keeps me interested and intrigued. I still earn enough, but I won’t have ulcers when I hit forty because of job stress.”
Kate shifted in her seat, her full lips parting as she nodded.
He nearly smiled at her obvious arousal. Since he felt it too, it was time to see if she was ready for the next step. “Kate.” He said her name firmly, switching to Dom mode.
She jumped and snapped her gaze to his. “Yes, sir?”
This time he didn’t bother to hold back his reaction. Hearing that honorific from her lips was erotic as hell. “I think we’ve been dancing around this long enough. We can move the tour to tomorrow if you’ll show me where the locker rooms and aftercare are.”
Her pupils dilated, making him want to thread his fingers into her hair and dislodge her tight ponytail while he showed her what pleased him. And discovered what pleased her.
“Sir?” Her voice was husky, her eyes glazed.
He gave a soft laugh. “I love to hear that word from your beautiful mouth, Kate. I’m asking if you would like to play a scene with me.” He grinned when her nipples hardened against her thin V-necked top.
She raised her chin, and her expression slowly smoothed and relaxed, giving the outward appearance of utter calm. “I would enjoy that.”
He wondered if she heard the smoky quality that invaded her voice more with every passing minute. “It’s my job as your Dom to make sure you do.”
Chapter 4
Kate squirmed in her seat. Master Dex hadn’t been cocky and overtly suggestive the way she was used to with a lot of Doms. But she was still damn close to the first of those dozen orgasms she’d told him she needed. If he could cause that reaction in her body from simply talking and getting to know her, what could he do with an actual scene?
At that thought, a shiver ran through her, followed by searing heat. Both headed straight between her thighs, where she was already slick and ready for anything Master Dex might dream up for her.
Dex cleared his throat. “Let’s discuss your preferences and limits. I like to make sure the information I’m working with is up to date before I make a plan for a scene.”
Kate wrestled her thoughts out of the endorphin haze they were caught in. “My safe word is pickle,” she blurted, since she wasn’t sure where to start.
Dex raised a brow, looking genuinely curious.
“I’ve heard a lot of interesting safe words since joining the lifestyle, but that’s a unique one. Is it something you’ll remember in the heat of passion?”
She nodded. “Yes, sir. I’ve had the same safe word since I entered the lifestyle. I know it sounds silly, but it’s from a cheesy British zombie movie my friends and I watched until we had it memorized.”
Dex laughed. “That was Shaun’s mother’s pet name for him in the movie, wasn’t it?”
“You’ve seen Shaun of the Dead?”
“Many times. It’s a classic.” His expression and demeanor showed her he was being honest and not just humoring her.
Kate was sure she looked surprised. “I’m not used to Doms admitting to having actual likes and dislikes that don’t sound like their answers have been developed specifically for a press release.”
She took a sip of her latte, watching him over the rim of the white porcelain cup. “In college, my friends and I started using pickle as a word that meant ‘stop’ or ‘I don’t like that.’ It began as a joke between us because we were all so glad our parents didn’t dub us with ‘Pickle’ as a pet name.
“When safe words were explained to me, my first Dom demanded a word that I would use automatically if I wanted all play to stop. That was the first word that popped into my head.”
Dex gave a quick nod of approval. “Good. That’s one we’ll both remember. Now what about your limits?”
She tried and failed to hold back a smirk. “No cricket bats during play.”
He laughed at her direct reference to the weapon used in the movie to kill zombies, and she joined him, loving this nonsexual connection with a Dom outside of a scene. She wondered what it would be like to have a Dom she played with as a friend, rather than just as the equivalent of a human sex toy. Not that any Dom would appreciate being called that.
She looked past Dex at the far wall behind him. Talking about her limits was her least favorite part of negotiating with a new Dom. Although she hoped she wouldn’t have to argue with Master Dex that her limits were reasonable, and that she meant them.