by Lexi Blake
“God, you feel good,” Gideon hissed as he buried himself. Gideon fisted his cock and stared down at him. “You feel so fucking good, I’m going to ignore the way you manipulated me today. I should redden your ass.”
“But I wouldn’t love it the way Jessica does,” he pointed out. The image of sweet, loving Jessica with her ass in the air waiting to take their discipline made him moan and press up. He didn’t want to lose the cock that filled him.
Between the cock up his ass and the hand squeezing his cock it took no time at all before Reid let his eyes roll back. Cum spurted out between them, staining the sweater Gideon still wore. Gideon simply laughed and then groaned as he came. Gideon fell forward and kissed him. He thrust his tongue into Reid’s mouth and they danced and played, lovingly rubbing tongue to tongue. When Gideon came up for air, there was a light joy in his eyes that nearly brought Reid to tears. It had been months and months since Gideon had looked so happy.
“Next time, she’s between us.”
Reid sighed and let the afterglow warm him. “I promise.”
Chapter Four
Two days later, Jessica stared down at the questionnaire in front of her and wondered what the hell a TENS unit was and why she should be concerned about one.
“A contract is especially important in the beginning of a relationship,” the woman at the head of the conference room stated.
Jessica hadn’t actually meant to come to this particular lecture. It sounded kind of boring to her. She’d spent three years running a law office. The last thing she needed was a class on contracts. There was another discussion with subs and Doms on the best places to mix and mingle that she’d wanted to attend. She hoped she could spend a little time with one of the men she’d met the first night. She’d been walking into that conference room when Gideon waylaid her, and she found herself in here. Instead of meeting interesting men, she was staring at an extra-long contract that would outline all the things she would and wouldn’t do with a person she hadn’t even met yet.
The teacher droned on about the importance of vigilance. Jessica stared at the page in front of her, and the words started running together.
The last two days had been weird. It wasn’t turning out like she expected. It started when Reid picked her up to escort her to the mixer. She’d been wearing her best little black dress. It was sleeveless and had a plunging neckline. It showed off her boobs. Reid had picked it out himself when they’d gone shopping not a month before. He’d proclaimed it fabulous then, but that night he’d decided what the sexy dress needed was a cardigan.
“It’s very cold, love,” he’d explained right before buttoning it up to her neck.
For a complete pervert, Reid was turning out to be quite the fuddy-duddy. Now that she thought about it, maybe she should have expected it. He was always protective of her when he took her to clubs back in Birmingham. It wasn’t different here. He’d followed her around, holding her hand and generally scaring off most of the men who might have talked to her. It was only after the greeting speech he and Gideon had given to open the conference that she managed to lose herself in the crowd. She’d been able to meet Erik. Tall, dark, and handsome Erik. There was no way he was seriously interested in her, but he’d been funny. She liked him. It wouldn’t hurt to talk to him. She could hone her flirting skills on the hot Dom.
Only every time she tried to talk to Erik, either Reid or Gideon whisked her away. On three separate occasions, one of the two had interrupted the discussions she’d started with the handsome architect. The first night Reid needed her advice on the wine selection, which was odd because Reid was practically a sommelier and often despaired of her palate. The second day, she’d started to join a group that was going ice skating. Erik had promised not to let her fall. Gideon put an end to that. She was new, he’d explained, and all newcomers were required to attend the class on the rules of the organization.
She never would have guessed a BDSM club would be slavishly devoted to parliamentary procedure.
Breakfast this morning had been a bust, too. Reid had been waiting outside her door. When they entered the dining room, Erik had looked up, and she could plainly see he held a place for her. Reid had wrapped an arm around her waist and settled her between him and Gideon. Despite her best intentions, she was rapidly becoming comfortable with Gideon again. He was sweet and funny. It was easy to remember all the reasons she’d fallen in love with him. He’d taken care of her, making sure her coffee mug was full, getting her another muffin when she mentioned how good they were. His arm had slid around the back of her chair. He’d even run back to her room for a jacket when he noticed her shiver. He was genuinely kind.
As long as she didn’t sleep with him.
“It is essential to outline exactly what you’re comfortable with and what you, as a submissive, are unwilling to do,” the teacher explained. “You should use this list as a template. This is a detailed list of the major areas of BDSM play. Everything should be negotiated before entering a relationship, or even deciding to perform a scene at a club. It is your responsibility to mark the boundaries. Don’t expect your Dom to read minds.”
“I thought there weren’t supposed to be any boundaries between a Dom and sub,” one of the men said. He sounded disgruntled. “This shit takes all the fun out of it.”
“Tourist,” Reid whispered, pulling up the chair beside her. “We need to check our screening process.”
The disgruntled man and the teacher were discussing the situation, but Reid took the pen out of her hand and started marking up her questionnaire. “No, yes, only a little bit of that, oh, hell yes. Absolutely not.”
“Hey,” she whispered, trying not to disturb the rest of the class. She pulled the paper out of his hands. “Shouldn’t I be making those decisions? How do you know whether or not I would like…” She looked down and picked one of the categories he’d marked as an immovable NO. “… Scat games. What are scat games?”
Reid leaned in and whispered in her ear.
“NO. That’s a firm no, Reid. Can we highlight that one?” She believed in tolerance, but there were definitely some things she wouldn’t be trying.
Reid laughed. “I promise it won’t come up, love.” He still looked entirely amused as he stood and reached for her hand. “Kelly, dear, I need to take this one with me. Master Gideon needs a guinea pig. I offered up my own sweet sub.” His hand curled around her hip, and she felt as though he was showing her off. It made her feel entirely sexy.
The instructor nodded and she found herself on her feet being led out.
“I am so not your sub,” Jessica complained as they entered the hallway. She tried not to think about the way her skin tingled where he touched her. “If you keep telling people that, no one is going to approach me. I read the rules. No touching other Doms’ subs. I’ve been here for three days, and I’ve only managed to talk to one Dom.”
“Yes, that was a slipup,” he muttered under his breath as he hurried her down the corridor. He stopped in front of one of the smaller conference rooms and took both her hands in his. “Has it really been so awful for you, darling?”
It hadn’t and he knew it. It had been wonderful. Being with Gideon and Reid again made her remember how nice it had been to work with them. Of course, it hadn’t all been work. They’d had dinner together, the three of them, more often than not. During the time she worked for them, she felt like they were her family. It was why it had been so hard to lose Gideon. “I’ve enjoyed spending time with you.”
He pulled her right hand gallantly to his mouth and pressed his lips there. “And I love being with you. It’s been nice just the three of us.”
She remembered the night before when they sat around the fire in her suite and shared a bottle of wine. It had been lovely, and she’d gone to bed alone. Of course, in her dreams, they’d ordered her to go to bed with them. She shook off the thought. “Yes, but I have to mingle. I can’t hide behind you and Gideon forever.”
He looked inex
plicably cheerful. “I don’t see why not. It sounds like a perfectly nice way to spend the rest of your life.”
She opened her mouth to refute the statement, but a sign caught her eye. There was a large sign saying Do Not Disturb. She knew what that meant. It was a scene room. There were discussion only sessions, and then there were scene sessions. Scene sessions could include anything from mild nudity to outright sex.
“What did Gideon need me for?” She could hear the breathlessness in her voice.
“He needs a female sub to partner with. Don’t worry. I’ll be there, too. Gideon will explain the process, and you and I get to be the visual aid. You trust me, don’t you?” He looked very serious. His emerald green eyes stared down at her. He really was a work of art. He brushed his thumb along her cheek. “You don’t have to do this, you know. But I think you’ll enjoy it. Have I steered you wrong, yet?”
She shook her head, trying to look unaffected by his close proximity. He’d been her guide as she explored this freaky side of herself. He’d taught her the uselessness of shame and the joy of accepting who she was. She trusted him implicitly. “I’ll do it.”
He smiled and winked as he opened the door and guided her in.
“Excellent. Our couple is here.” Gideon seemed to be in full-on professor mode. He stood at the front of the room, dominating it with his presence. “You all know Master Reid. Our pretty submissive is named Jessica. She’s brand new. You haven’t had a true D/s relationship have you, sweetheart?”
“No.” That one night with Gideon didn’t count. She felt Reid’s hand tighten on her arm. Gideon’s eyebrow had shot up. Jessica remembered what she was supposed to do. “No, Sir, I have not.”
She looked around, and there were seven men in the room. Two had female subs at their feet.
“Master Reid, will you bring your sub front and center, please?” Gideon gestured to the center of the room.
Jessica took a deep breath and moved forward.
Reid seemed to grow a couple of inches. She’d seen it before. For the most part, Reid was her playful friend. When they entered a club, though, he became a Dom. His eyes took on a harder glint, and his voice made her sigh. It was deep and dark. When Reid was in that mode, he would envelop her. She sometimes thought Reid and Gideon had ruined her for any future D/s relationships. She doubted the sex could ever be as good as it had been with Gideon. He was tireless at bringing a woman pleasure. She also seriously worried that she would never feel as safe with anyone as she felt with Reid.
She kept her eyes trained on Reid as she stood where Gideon instructed her to stand.
“Jessica, this is a ropes class. I’m teaching a specific design and how to make the experience pleasurable for your submissive,” Gideon explained. “A few of the couples in here don’t believe that a long time spent tying up a sub can be pleasurable for both partners.”
Reid snorted as if to say “amateurs.”
“I’ve passed all my ropes courses but Sylvie gets bored easily,” one of the Doms explained.
“A spanking would take care of that,” another of the Doms cracked. “Step up and be a real Dom.”
Gideon’s eyes narrowed. “That, Master Matthew, will get you kicked out of this conference.” He stood in front of the room, staring them all down. “Master Joe is being a real Dom by trying to find a way to serve his submissive. I understand that everyone practices differently, but we’re tolerant here and embrace the experience. If you can’t do that, you should leave.”
Master Matthew nodded. “I apologize, Master Joe.”
Master Joe shrugged. “He’s a dick. He can’t help it. He’s been that way all his life.”
Reid leaned in. “They’re brothers.”
Gideon’s head shook. “Then let’s get on with it. I’m going to give you a demonstration on how to keep your submissive entertained while doing elaborate designs. Jessica, remove your clothing and kneel.”
Jessica felt her eyes go wide with panic. He wanted her to get naked? In front of a room full of strangers? In front of him? She swallowed. The last few nights had gone a long way in repairing their friendship, but she wasn’t sure she was ready for this.
“Is there a problem with my instructions, Jessica? Was I not clear?”
The words were a challenge. A momentary anger flared up. What right did he have to challenge her? Then reason took over. How did she intend to explore this world if she couldn’t handle a little nudity? Besides, it wasn’t anything Gideon hadn’t seen before. Reid had seen her, too. No one was going to laugh, and no one was going to jump her hot body.
She shakily pulled off her sweater and jeans and handed them to Reid. When her bra came off, Gideon walked over and fingered the little gold rings at her nipples.
“Pretty,” he growled and tugged one lightly.
It was like there was a direct line from her nipples to her pussy. Her pussy went soft and she could feel herself getting wet as she whimpered.
Gideon turned. “You see, this sub is very sensitive. Her skin is fine and fair. She needs to concentrate on the sensation of the ropes winding around her. She needs to feel my intent.”
“As we’ve said time and time again, communication is the key,” Reid explained. “In some cases, the very act of tying a submissive up will be enough. In others, you need to talk through the experience. It’s all about figuring out what the sub needs.”
“Precisely,” Gideon replied in a distinctly academic tone. “Off with the panties, pet. This is not for disciplinary use, though naturally you can tie up a sub as a punishment. Today we’re exploring the pleasurable uses of ropes and how it can enhance your relationship with your submissive. This can be a deeply intimate act if you choose to make it so. Let’s begin.”
Was she really going to do this?
“Knees, love,” Reid commanded.
She sank to the proper position. It was one of the things Gideon had taught her that night they spent together. He’d shown her how to sink back onto her feet and place her hands on her thighs, palms up. She remembered how pleased he’d been when she got it right. She forced her knees open, displaying her pussy for all to see. She felt a wash of nerves until Gideon placed a hand on her head, acknowledging his pleasure in her submission.
“Lovely, Jessica,” Gideon breathed. “Do you wish to serve your Master? I know I’m not your permanent Master, but for the purposes of today, I would be honored if you would acknowledge me as such.”
“Yes, sir,” she replied quietly. This was what she craved. She didn’t have to be insecure here. There was no place for it.
Gideon and Reid began explaining types of ropes to use, lengths, and the proper protocols, but it kind of went over her head. They were talking about the differences between jute and silk and hemp, but all she could think about was how she was naked. Super naked, and hot guys were talking about how to tie off portions of rope and using words she didn’t really understand.
It didn’t matter because Gideon wouldn’t do anything physically to hurt her. In the whole time she’d known him, he’d only ever once even hurt her emotionally.
She felt a warm hand on her shoulder as Gideon kept talking. Reid knelt behind her and she could feel his lips moving against her ear.
“Relax,” he whispered. “You’re thinking too much and that’s not what this is about. Or maybe you’re thinking about the wrong things. I want you to stop being in your head and enjoy your body for once.”
Her body? She rarely enjoyed her body. But wasn’t that what she was trying to learn? How to be comfortable with herself? How to accept the things she needed?
She took a deep breath and let the moment flow over her. It was time to stop thinking about how other people would feel about her and start thinking about how she felt and not on an emotional level. Her brain was always going, but didn’t her body deserve some time, too?
She nodded gently, letting Reid know she would try, and he kissed her cheek and stood back up, rejoining Gideon.
What w
ould it be like to be their sub? To truly be in between those two men and know that they loved her and wanted her.
Nope. That was exactly what she shouldn’t be doing—dreaming about something that wasn’t going to happen. She needed to stop always thinking about the future and spend a little time enjoying the moment.
The air was cool on her skin. She felt different being naked. Her body was the same, but without the encumbrance of clothing, she could concentrate on the physical. She could truly think about the way the carpet felt under her knees. It was soft and plush. They’d taken care with the room they’d chosen for this particular session. Most of the other conference rooms had flat, utilitarian carpeting. This space had been made for the comfort of a person who would be on his or her knees.
They kept it warm, but not too warm. She liked the feeling of cool drafts mingling with the heat. Her nipples were nice and hard, and she could feel the rings against her flesh. She’d loved it when Gideon had fingered and tugged on them.
She relaxed and let his lecture flow over her, simply allowing herself to be for once. She breathed and settled in, feeling the air fill her lungs, the blood flow through her body. Time seemed to slow as she relaxed and for once it was a good thing. She was impatient, far too eager to get to the next thing. She often forgot how to enjoy the thing she was doing.
She felt the strength of her spine, how her legs grounded her even when they were folded and in a submissive position. There was power here if she was smart enough to see it. Power and something far softer, something she needed. Trust and pleasure.
“Jessica, I need you to stand now.” There was something about Gideon’s tone that let her know it wasn’t the first time he’d given her the command. He didn’t sound annoyed, though. Amusement sparkled in his words and when she glanced back there was an indulgent look on his face—the one he used to give her when she did something wrong, but he found it slightly adorable. “Have I lost you?”