by A. L. Brooks
Cheryl grinned and nodded, still panting heavily. She leaned her head back against the wall and eased Mandy’s fingers out from inside her. Her breathing calmed as she did up her jeans, and as soon as that zip was up, she took hold of Mandy’s biceps and flipped her round to face the wall.
“I know what I want to do,” she whispered in Mandy’s ear as she reached round to undo Mandy’s jeans.
Mandy moaned and pushed back against Cheryl, letting her ass settle into Cheryl’s groin. Cheryl gently thrust her hips against her as she worked her hand into the front of Mandy’s knickers and then down onto Mandy’s thoroughly swollen clit.
“God, you’re really close, aren’t you?”
Mandy nodded, unable to speak. The circles Cheryl rubbed with her fingertips over her clit made her lose all train of thought. Then Cheryl pushed Mandy’s jeans down enough so that she could manoeuvre her other hand into the back of Mandy’s knickers and then push two—or was it three?—fingers deep into Mandy’s cunt from behind. Mandy gasped. Who cared how many fingers it was? It felt unbelievably good, and Mandy’s orgasm built rapidly.
Cheryl increased the pressure of her fingers on her clit just slightly, and that was enough. The climax slammed into Mandy from every which way, and she threw her head back and let out a long, shuddering groan of pleasure.
“Oh fuck,” she breathed, slumping forward against the wall, bracing herself there with her forearms. “Oh, Jesus…”
Cheryl giggled in her ear. “Was that good, baby?” she crooned.
Mandy nodded and turned her head slightly to meet Cheryl’s gaze.
“Yep, that was definitely good,” she replied, smiling, chest heaving. Cheryl bent forward and gave her a little peck of a kiss.
“Cool. Enjoy the rest of your trip.”
And with that, she pulled her fingers out of Mandy and turned and walked away, licking her fingers as she went.
Mandy stared after her, a little stunned at the abrupt departure, and then shrugged. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t done that herself a number of times before. She turned, leaned back against the wall, and pulled up her jeans. As she caught her breath, she tucked in her shirt and zipped up. She let her gaze roam around the room.
This was exactly the sort of place she’d been looking for. None of the women in here looked remotely embarrassed about what they were up to. And on the other side of the wall, the main room carried on dancing and drinking.
She smiled wistfully. If only somewhere like this existed back home. Well, if she got her way, one day it would. She took a few more minutes to relax and observe, making note of everything that contributed to the atmosphere—both good and bad—and then strolled back to the main room. It was early, and she was nowhere near ready to head back to her hotel. She hit the dance floor and lost herself in the music.
CHAPTER 7
Manchester, present day
Cassie jumped off the bus and dug her gloves from her pocket. Late October, and the chill was setting in earlier each evening. The clocks would go back tomorrow, and she dreaded it. Bang would go most of her afternoon light—the light she painted best by. She glanced at her watch as she pulled on her gloves. Eight fifteen, plenty of time. The club opened at nine, but Mandy liked them all there by eight thirty to set up.
Cassie had been working there for two months now. She’d got the job by word of mouth—clearly Mandy couldn’t advertise through any normal channels. Between her wages here, which were generous, and her early morning Monday-to-Thursday shifts at the supermarket, she made enough money and still had lots of time for her first love—art.
She’d sketched and painted since she was young. A teacher had picked up on her potential when she was eleven, and all subsequent art teachers had pushed her along, often giving her extra lessons at weekends. And now, after years of hard work and schooling, she was on the verge of her own show at a small gallery in Glasgow. Her abstracts had caught the eye of the owner, and he had a two-week gap between more prestigious shows at the end of the year. Rather than have bare walls, he’d offered her the space to give her a short-and-sweet boost. She’d leapt at the chance. Now she just had to make sure she had enough pieces to show.
She worked in the ‘studio’ tacked onto the back of her cheap flat in Stretford. Studio was too fine a word for the shabby lean-to that was cold in winter and roasting hot in summer. But it was a good-sized space, and the light spilled into it freely all day, making it ideal.
As she walked away from the bus, she ran her schedule through her head for the hundredth time that day, calculating just how many hours per day she could paint in the next few weeks before transporting the pieces up to Glasgow. Which reminded her, she needed to call her eldest brother and ask—beg, plead—to borrow his van for that trip.
But first, another Friday night shift at the club.
When she’d first got offered the job, Cassie had been unsure about working there. She wasn’t necessarily comfortable with such a club, but she needed the extra work. This job paid well, and that meant she could buy bigger and better canvases.
At the all-night grocers, Cassie turned off the main road and walked past the block of flats, then down towards the railway bridge. When she reached the black door, she stretched up to press the buzzer that only the staff used. The door release clicked, and she pushed the door open. The lights were up, as usual before opening, and Mandy’s office light spilled out into the hallway too. She stuck her head around the door to say hello before she continued to the tiny staff room at the end of the hall.
“Hey Cassie, how’s things?” Mandy called out. She was always very pleasant—something that Cassie had misjudged. She’d assumed that to run a place like this one would have to be some kind of hard bitch, but Mandy was the complete opposite. She always asked after them all, wanted their feedback on the vibe of each evening, and sought their honest opinions on how things could be run better. She genuinely seemed to care about the clientele and their experiences.
“Can’t complain,” replied Cassie, walking back into the office to speak face-to-face. She nodded a greeting to Dee. “Had a good week, actually. I haven’t said anything about it before, in case it all fell through, but I’ve got a deal with a gallery to show some of my pieces after Christmas. Just for a couple of weeks, but it would be my own show for the first time.”
“Wow, that is good news. I’m really pleased for you.” Mandy smiled widely and patted Cassie on the shoulder. “Good for you!”
“That’s awesome!” said Dee, looking up briefly from the laptop screen in front of her.
“Thanks.” Cassie blushed a little at the praise. “So, am I in Green still?”
“Yes, if you don’t mind,” said Mandy. “One more week, and then I’ll put you in the rotation, if that’s okay? But remember, like I’ve said before, if you’re not comfortable in either of the other rooms, you just say. It’s not a problem.”
“I think I’ll be fine,” said Cassie, grinning. “I’m a big girl now.”
Mandy chuckled. “Well, let’s see how you feel about that after you’ve done a Saturday night in Red.”
Dee snorted.
“Okay, whatever,” Cassie mumbled and left the office to the sound of Dee and Mandy’s gentle laughter behind her.
It was a little running gag between them all that Cassie had no experience with BDSM, either as a participant or spectator, and on her first day had openly expressed concerns about working in Red. Although, after reading that anthology of lesbian erotica her best mate had given her, she wasn’t sure that was still necessarily true… She’d been a little taken aback—actually, make that a lot taken aback—at her body’s reaction to the handful of Dom/sub stories. She’d ended up so wet after reading the first one that she’d guiltily put the book away for a few days, deeply uncomfortable with this new knowledge of herself.
But like an enticing dessert that she couldn’t help taking just one more bite from, she’d gone back for more. Late into the night, she’d read and re-read, trying to understand
what it was about the dynamic that turned her on so much. Despite feeling that it was wrong somehow, she couldn’t shake it. And the orgasms she’d brought herself to after reading had been some of the strongest she’d ever experienced.
* * *
Nina rushed down the street. She was late—again. Well, on time for opening at nine, but it was a quarter ’til now, and Mandy always liked them there by eight thirty. She didn’t know where the fucking time had gone. One minute, she had two hours to get her homework finished, and the next, she was sprinting for the tram and cursing her inability to keep an eye on a fucking clock.
While she’d never regretted giving up her full-time job at the gym to become a mature student of Business & Finance at the age of twenty-eight, sometimes she did question her sanity. Then, she would remember why she was doing it, remind herself of the money that was coming her way when her gran’s estate was all sorted out, and the cafe that she would open with it. That always made her smile, take a deep breath, and bury her head in her books again.
At least she’d finished that economics paper, leaving her weekend free. College commitments and helping Mum out at the gift shop had seen her “me time” disappear these past few weeks. So, this week, she’d worked extra hard, determined to have one whole free weekend to do whatever she bloody liked with. Well, apart from working at the club Friday and Saturday nights, but that didn’t really feel like work. More like a voyeur’s free ride.
She rang the buzzer and apologised to Mandy when she popped her head round the door. Mandy frowned, but there was a sparkle in those amazing blue eyes.
“I know, I know—I’m sorry!” said Nina, rushing past to throw her jacket and bag into her locker.
“You’re lucky you’ve been here the longest,” called Mandy as she headed back to her office. Nina grinned sheepishly, closed her locker, and then sprinted back down the hall. She waved at Dee, who blew her a kiss.
“I’m sorry,” she said again, meeting Mandy’s gaze. “I was cramming an economics paper, and I don’t know where the fucking time went.”
“Oh God, I know,” exclaimed Mandy, clutching dramatically at her chest. “Those economics papers do it for me every time too.”
Dee guffawed, and Nina laughed, a big, loud snort of a laugh.
“Fuck off!” she said amiably and walked off to the sound of Mandy’s laughter ringing down the hallway after her.
She reached the door at the end of the hall and took a pause. She smoothed her hair, pushing the loose strands back into her ponytail and tightening it, then checked down her clothes to make sure she was all tucked in and everything was clinging where it should.
Cassie was on the other side of that door, and Nina didn’t want to look anything but her best. She had no idea if her crush was reciprocated, but she planned to do something about finding out soon. Thoughts of Cassie kept her awake at night, especially on Fridays and Saturdays after working in Red during the evening. The action here fuelled her imagination. What she wouldn’t give to have Cassie to play with for the night—or many nights. That woman was so fucking gorgeous it left Nina breathless. And Cassie had no idea how lovely she was. Her innocence was so attractive to Nina; it had her in a complete spin.
Satisfied with her appearance finally, she reached for the handle and opened the door.
* * *
Mandy chuckled, as Nina preened before entering Green. It was sweet, really, watching the two of them. They’d clearly been attracted to each other from the minute they met, but so far it looked like neither one of them had done anything about it. Somehow she didn’t think that would last much longer. There was no way Cassie would make the first move, and Mandy hoped Nina didn’t go in too hard, too fast. Cassie needed careful handling—she wasn’t fragile, but she was vanilla. Nina was definitely not vanilla.
She smiled to herself, hearing Rebecca’s voice in her mind.
Here you go again, mother hen to your little chicks.
She sighed. Yes, she was at it again. She couldn’t help it; she’d always cared about her staff—the ones that mattered anyway—as if they were her little flock. Not her children; it wasn’t a maternal thing. More like a big sister.
She pictured Rebecca laughing gently at her, shaking her head. The image was so powerful it left her breathless for a moment, and her heart lurched.
The ringing of her mobile phone broke her reverie, and she turned quickly towards the office to answer it.
* * *
Cassie smiled as she flipped the lights up and did her quick check for cleanliness and order. Satisfied, she dimmed the main lights and turned up the bar lights.
The door swung open, and Nina, who ran the Red bar, walked in. Cassie’s stomach did that little flutter again. She’d reacted like this since she’d met Nina. Nina wasn’t the physical type that Cassie would normally go for—she was the same height as Cassie but thinner. Her face was more angular, and she wore her jet black hair in a long ponytail, whereas Cassie kept her golden-blonde main cropped short. Normally, Cassie was attracted to something softer, rounder, more curvaceous. But there was something about Nina… Cassie went a little weak at the knees every time Nina looked at her. She left her breathless and unsure of herself.
“Hi Cassie, how’s it going?” Nina’s face lit up when she smiled.
Cassie stopped fiddling with the bottle opener in her hands and laid it on the bar. “Good, how about you?” She blushed slightly as her voice came out a little croaky. She cleared her throat. “Just confirmed that I’ve got a gallery showing after Christmas.”
“Oh, that’s awesome! I’m so pleased for you.” Nina laid her hand over Cassie’s, and Cassie thought her heart was going to pound through her ribs. Oh my God, what is it about this woman? Nina’s eyebrows arched ever so slightly, and a hint of pink crept across her cheeks.
“Yeah,” she continued. Nina’s hand still covered hers. “It’s a great opportunity.”
How long would Nina leave her hand there? Maybe she’d like to move it up Cassie’s arm, over to her breast—Jesus, stop already! She pulled her hand out from under Nina’s and took a step back. A look of disappointment flitted across Nina’s face. Or did she only imagine that?
“Well, um, I’d better finish setting up. I’ll see you later, maybe?” She blushed again and hated herself for it. She was reduced to a ridiculous puddle of nerves—and arousal—every single time.
Nina smiled then—a slow, utterly sexy smile—and nodded, her gaze boring into Cassie. “Yes, later.” She turned and walked towards the door with the small red light above it.
Cassie laughed at herself and shook out her arms to break the tension in her body.
“Way to go to make a tit of yourself.”
And at that, she went back to setting up for the evening.
* * *
Fridays were usually quieter than Saturdays, but for some reason it was buzzing tonight. By eleven, Green was as full as Cassie had ever seen it. Interestingly, she had heard some German accents tonight, from a group of three women who had arrived together just after ten.
She’d seen her first threesome in action too. A couple who’d arrived together, then paired up with another woman. One finger-fucked her from behind while the other knelt in front of her, tonguing her. When she came, she wandered away, and the couple then fucked.
She often found herself musing on the lives of the clientele outside of the club, their reasons for being here, and whether it lived up to their expectations. Like that stunning woman who came in almost every Friday—short, dark hair, nicely toned body, with a hint of sadness hanging over her that made Cassie want to wrap her up in a big hug and ask her what was wrong.
That night, her thoughts drifted almost continuously to Nina through the evening. She’d been unable to shake off the excited tension that had infused her body since their interaction earlier. Nina—and fantasies of what she’d like to do with Nina—filled her brain. That bloody book hadn’t helped. Not to mention the things she saw at work each week. T
he thoughts that came to her shocked her in a way she still wasn’t quite comfortable with.
Up until now, with her handful of female lovers, Cassie hadn’t been the initiator, content to be led, to take direction. Her thoughts about Nina, however, were anything but passive. If she allowed herself to dwell on it—which she rarely did—there was something about Nina that made Cassie ache to assert control over her. She wanted to subdue Nina, take back her power. She wanted to pin her down, tie her up, and listen to her beg for mercy…
God, she was so wet.
At a quarter to two, Mandy remotely flicked all the lights in the club a couple of times. That signalled a last call of sorts. At that point, the women had about ten minutes to finish and get themselves presentable for the journey home. Cassie’s last couple had left shortly after one, and she was well ahead on her closing duties. She gathered empty bottles and glasses from around the room, straightened the furniture, and wiped down everything with a sterilized towel to pass the time until closing.
The last few women to leave started drifting through from Blue and Red. Cassie was careful not to make eye contact. They were expected to be politely professional, and on no account were they to be anything more than that with the clientele, no matter how tempting the offer. Tracey had been aggressively propositioned only once, and that woman had been evicted. Each bar had a panic button that went through to the office, and Mandy had responded in a shot, strong-arming the woman quietly and efficiently out the front door before she knew what had even happened to her. Mandy did not have the build you might expect of a bouncer, but apparently no situation fazed her.
Eventually, Tracey and Nina wedged open the doors to their respective rooms, signaling that their parts of the club were empty. She did the same to her door through to the hallway.
Cassie finished clearing up, bagged up her takings, and went to Mandy’s office to hand over the cash. Tracey joined her and said a quick goodbye to both of them before dashing out the door. The beads on her braids clicked against the doorframe as she swished through it. Dee had left at one thirty, which was normal for her. As far as Cassie could tell, Dee’s main job was to be a second presence at the front door, just in case. At a little over six feet tall with close-cropped hair, she could look really intimidating.