Chapter 15 - Explicit content. Must be 18 or older to view

Derek stared, her words ringing in his ears. She’d given herself to him wholeheartedly. As much as he’d wanted to run, as hard as he’d tried to keep his heart separate from hers, he’d failed.

Walking away from Joanne wasn’t possible.

The soft sound of her wounded cry from the bottom of the stairs had chopped through every plan, every ruse, and every denial. Mark had pushed him to stay, but he’d been resolute. Until he heard Joanne’s pain, his only thought was escape.

Now he understood. Her pain was more than he could stand. She’d crept under his skin when he wasn’t watching, making him vulnerable. He needed her. He needed her submission.

Derek unwound her hair from his hand and stepped around her side until he stood facing her, one short foot between them. He stroked one finger down her cheek before reaching for his belt. His already straining cock made it difficult to slide the zipper down and he lifted her chin to watch as he freed it.

“I won’t go easy on you. Understand?”

“Yes, Master.”

She was already wet for him, no doubt in his mind. Creaming and ready to beg for him to take her. The urge pushed him to the far edge of desire.

“You stocked this room?”

Joanne panted at his feet, a lone tear slipping from one eye. “Yes, Master.”

He reached around her and released the leather restraints. “Get rid of those clothes. I want to see your body.”

Just as she had the first time he’d dominated her, she removed every stitch of clothing and folded it into a neat pile a few feet away from her position on the floor.

“Good girl. Now, bring me a condom.”

She was on her feet and at the cabinet in one pulse of his cock. Protection in hand, she went back to her knees before him.

“Put it on me. Slow and easy. Think about what comes next.”

Her nipples beaded tighter than a knot on a kite string and her body trembled as she rolled it down the length of him. A stray thought caught him hard. Was she fearful of or anticipating sex?

“Use your safe word if you need to stop.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Do you remember your safe word, Joanne?”

She leaned back and settled into the submissive pose. “Yes, Master, I remember, but won’t use it now.”

As intentions went, she couldn’t be any clearer than that.

Derek grasped her under her arms and brought her to her feet, her body soft and pliant in his hands. A few short steps took them to the bed. Restraints dangled from the head and footboard, ready for fun and games. Sliding one arm around her waist, he used the other to push her shoulders forward. “Hands on the bed, sub. Feet apart.”

Her gasp egged him on, fueling his need to dominate. It had been a fucking long-ass time since he’d had the pleasure of a submissive under him and the need to savor every minute pounded into him at the same rhythm of his cock.  As soon as she was in position, he slipped one finger in the slit of her ass cheeks and stroked down until he encountered the dew between her lips. He pressed inside and listened for her moan.

He wasn’t disappointed.

A quick grasp of his cock and he was lined up for the first thrust. He took her to her core in one long hard drive and gloried in the extended half-cry half-moan she made as he burrowed deep. When she quieted, he pulled back until only the tip of him remained in her, then went deep again. He set a slow pace, in deep and hard followed by a prolonged extraction. The feel of her body clenching at him with each thrust and retreat lit up his brain like sugar after a long fast.

He had to know if she felt the same.

Pulling free of her, he landed a stinging blow to her ass and said, “On your back, Joanne. Face up on the bed.”

She complied with alacrity and he directed her to raise her arms. He walked to the end of the bed and reached over the metal frame to grasp her hand. Wrapping the leather cuff around one wrist, then the other, left her staring up at him with a hitch in her respirations.

Fear crept into her expression and his chest pinched. “Remember your safe word, use it if you need to. There’s no disgrace in calling a halt. I don’t want you hurt.”

Warm brown eyes met his for a moment and she nodded, giving him the go ahead to restrain her ankles at the other end of the bed. When she was spread out for his pleasure, he stood next to the bed, his tight dick still covered and ready, and surveyed the beautiful woman before him.

He positioned his body behind the headboard, out of her line of sight, and palmed both breasts. Her gasp increased the throb of his cock and slowed his movements. He needed to watch her squirm.

Lifting his hands until only fingertips touched her skin, he circled each nipple in slow spiraling arcs until he brushed over the tight peaks. She panted and he grasped the tips, then squeezed. The more he tugged the more her body twitched on the bed. But she had nowhere to go.

Moving to one side, he leaned in close and covered her breast with his mouth. The taut berry hardened even more as he licked and nibbled. She cried out, begging for more and he gave it, moving to the other side of the bed.

Her hips rose and fell in an age-old rhythm while he took care of her breast. When the tip was deep red, he lifted his head for her moan. Eyes closed, she whimpered with need.

“Joanne, you will look at me while I fuck you. Do you understand? I want you to be sure who’s inside you.”

“Yes, Master.” Her eyelids fluttered and then lifted, a warmth and need he hadn’t expected connecting them. “I’m yours to command.”  

 

Private Delights

Chapter 14 continued...

 Hard footsteps sounded on the carpeted hallway and Joanne ducked into one of the ladies rooms on that side of the building. Hiding in a stall wasn’t cool, but the only way to escape questioning.

 The main door remained shut and she relaxed enough to leave the stall and dry her tears. Once composed, she stepped out into the corridor.

Derek’s big body propped up the wall across the hall.

She stopped short, not sure what to say and wondering why he was so obviously waiting for her.

He pushed his body off the wall and turned with a sharp, “Follow.”

With that tone of voice, how could she not?

A swipe of his keycard popped the door’s lock. He held open the door to a private playroom and ushered her inside.

“Why were you hiding?”

Oh, no, he was not going to Dom her into giving him everything and sharing nothing of himself. “Why did you come to my house last night?”

His stare unnerved her. Heat crept up her chest and across her cheeks, a physical reminder of what she wanted from him.

“On your knees, Joanne.”

“No.” She stood her ground, unwilling to forget the conversation she’d overheard. If he was leaving, she wanted the words to come from him.

"When are you leaving?”

“What are you talking about?”

Liar. She wouldn’t let him lie to her. “I heard you. Your conversation with Master Mark was loud enough that it was probably heard in the back parking lot. Tell me.”

Hands on hips, she waited while he stared.

The quick snatch at her arm put her off balance and he spun her around to capture both hands behind her back. Too strong for her to resist, he controlled her wrists with one hand and reached for a nearby drawer. Something soft wrapped around her wrists and tightened until she couldn’t separate her hands.

“Let me go.”

“Do not tell me no, Joanne.” The voice in her ear was dark, lusty, and urgent. “You are mine. Don’t forget that fact. Submit to me or use your safe word.”

The word hung on the tip of her tongue but she refused to give it voice. If he left her, she’d have this moment to remember afterward. If this was all he could give her, she’d take and cherish it. She bit back a reply but writhed in his grip. She wouldn’t make it easy for him.

“Eavesdropping isn’t a good idea. You might hear things you shouldn’t.” A tug on the short length of leather between her wrists pulled her back against him. “On your knees or use your safe word.”

 With only two choices, she went to her knees.

Derek stood before her and growled deep in his throat when she met his eyes.

“I expect submission, Joanne. Don’t make me wait. I’m not in the mood to go easy on you.”

She dropped her chin and waited. The pressure of his hand on her crown soothed more than it hurt, but the tension in his body put her on edge. Something bothered him enough to want to leave and she didn’t know how to help him.

He paced around her, a touch here, a touch there, while she waited for a word or a clue as to his intentions. He stopped behind her and she drew in a rough breath. Fear of the unknown was more powerful than the fear of a man she trusted. In this moment, she feared more for Derek and what was happening in his head than what he would do to her.

 

“Will you obey, or will you use that word? Tell me.”

 

“I will obey, Master.”

“You will not run from me.”

She quivered, her heart a sharp thump in her chest at every command. The change in his demeanor had her off center and confused while she tried to figure out what he wanted from her.

“No, Master.”

“Joanne. Look at me.”

His hand swept over her shoulder and lifted her hair, wrapping his hand in the locks. ”Joanne.”

His sandpaper over velvet voice sent a shiver down her spine. Something had happened last night, but she didn’t have a clue as to what. The pressure on her scalp increased and she lifted her chin to look into his eyes. They were dark, rich with emotion and bald need.

“I’m yours, Master.”

 

His fingers dug into her scalp and she stood ready for whatever he had in mind.

Private Delights

Chapter 14

Derek walked into Mark’s office with a plan, one quickly postponed when he found Steve already seated.

“What’s going on this early?” he asked.

“Hey, buddy. Long time no see,” Steve said.

Derek sat in the other chair and waited for Mark to bring him up to speed, wishing he’d thought to bring a mug of coffee. Sure, he’d had most of a pot at home this morning, but he needed something to do with his hands.

“Steve found some information about a member I’ve already approved. We might have a problem.”

“What kind of problem?” Derek asked.

“History of violence.”

Mark raised a hand. “Possible history of violence. No charges, but more than one incident.”

“Won’t happen here.” Derek got up and went to the fridge for a bottle of water. He needed something in his hand, anything.

“True. We’ll keep a close watch, and I’ll be sure to have a heart-to-heart with him before the club opens.”

“Anything else?” Derek asked.

“Matter of fact, yes. Steve’s fucking Simon Lindsay’s baby sister.”

Derek laughed. He’d known the Lindsay family for years and had worked for the old man long before he joined the army and met Steve. “How in the hell did you manage that?”

“Here’s the kicker,” Mark said. “She doesn’t know about the club, or our friend, here’s proclivities.”

“Vanilla? Really?” Derek asked.

At least Steve had the ability to laugh at himself for a minute.  “Yes, well. I plan to convert her to my wicked ways. Give me a little time and she’ll be squirming under the whip.”

“I look forward to watching,” Derek said, wondering how long he’d have to wait for a private conversation with Mark.

“Well,” Steve said, standing and cracking his back, “I have a job to do, so I’ll be back here later this afternoon.”

Finally. Derek slapped him on the back. “Office still quiet?”

“Nothing Ella and I can’t handle for a few more days.”

When the door shut behind Steve, Derek turned to Mark. “Got a minute?”

“Sure,” he said. “Follow me out.”

 The lights were on and music piped through the building in soothing waves as Joanne made her way through the main hall and into the staff locker room. The final installation of lockers beckoned, providing a safe place to store her belongings while she worked.  The club was almost complete and every day more and more employees joined the ranks.

Today had been set aside to train wait staff and she and Derek would work together, teaching the new staff the etiquette of the club and its patrons, the attention to detail expected from the staff, and the basics of dominance and submission.

Working with Derek was a major perk for her. She’d come to appreciate the man and his intensity. His strong attitude and the way he controlled her with only is voice made her anticipate seeing him every day. He hadn’t replied to her message last night and she had no idea why he’d been outside her home. At some point, she planned to talk to him about it but, doubted he’d have much to say.

He was like a big teddy bear with a broken paw, and the need to repair him tugged at her heart. When she left the employee lounge, she knew he was in the building. Master Mark was in the second floor hall, his voice resonating in the mostly empty space, and from his tone, he and Master Derek were arguing.

“No. I need you here for the next month. Forget it.”

Derek’s voice punched back. “I’m a partner here, not an employee. I can come and go as I please.”

“You have an obligation to complete the tasks you agreed to when we came up with the plan. Don’t bail on Steve and me when we’re so close to the end of the job.”

Joanne stood fixed beside the banister. Derek wanted to leave. A cave formed in her chest at the idea of not seeing him every day. Moisture matted her lashes and she turned away, her feet moving without direction until she found herself leaning against a wall in the dark recesses of the lower floor.

Maybe he’d come by to say goodbye last night.

Would he turn her training over to Master Mark and never look back? She was nothing more than an employee and a plaything. It was the nature of the business and she should know better than to let emotions get in the way.

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

   

Derek rolled over, sleep evading him in the darkened room. Her message pushed him to change his mind, change the way he thought his life should run, and change the way he responded to her easy sensuality. But then the urge to run, to leave town until the club was complete, filled his head.

He never should’ve taken on her training. Mark was an ass and had no right to force the issue. Derek balled up the pillow and crammed it behind his head, propped up in the dark bedroom while he put off sleep.

What the hell had happened to his backbone when Mark insisted he train her? Snapping back and standing his ground would’ve been the best option. Now he was stuck.

Or was he?

Most of the work left to do at the club was minor. In the morning, he’d tell Mark he had an offer to assist in a club in Vegas and bail for a few weeks. Mark would finish Joanne’s training and when the club opened, she’d be ready and he could watch from the sidelines. Just like he had for the last few years.

He rolled over in bed and relaxed, his body sprawling in the cool sheets. The shadows moved in the hall, floorboards squeaking, night noises settling in for the duration. A breeze floated across his chest, warm, delicate, like the whisper of early spring in Galveston when the water heated and the sand began to bake. His body baked, too, ached with need, and unfulfilled desire.

Slipping into the room, her soft footsteps brought her to him.

Her hair was up, piled on her head, exposing the delicate column of her throat. Long bare legs were showcased by her standing submissive posture, her hips barely covered by the oversized shirt she wore.

His shirt, he realized. He must have left it in the club and she’d taken it home. Was she feeling the urges he had, the pull of attraction?

Did she want him as deeply as he craved her?

Her hands moved up her body, cupping what he knew to be full, rounded breasts, and his mouth watered with the need to taste, to suckle, and to nip until she cried out. He wanted her begging for more.

She shouldn’t be here chipping away at his reservations, his need to control his body and preserve his memories.  When her hands lifted to her hair and removed the combs, all the air in his chest left in a rush. Russet locks tumbled free and he was on his feet, ready for whatever she offered.

She moved to within inches of his chest and he reached for her hair, wrapping it around his fist and tugging her closer. The feel of her body against his fueled his need to possess.

“Remove the shirt.”

Her fingers went immediately to the buttons and in moments the shirt was a pool of gray on the floor. He cupped her breast, the feel of her nipple pressing against his palm a heady reminder of her submission at the club.

“Why are you here, Joanne?”

He had to hear the words, wanted her submission and her heart.

“I’m here for you, Master.”

Private Delights

Chapter 12

 It was early evening before Derek completed the paperwork for Joanne’s project. When she came in the next morning, he’d have contractors waiting to talk to her about materials and schedules. Budget in hand, he pushed through Mark’s waiting room and into his office.

“Thanks for ratting me out,” he told Mark, tossing the single sheet of paper onto the desk.

Mark didn’t skip a beat. “Joanne thought she was about to get fired and wasn’t sure what went wrong.”

“Ah, shit. Didn’t know I scared her that bad.”

 “I don’t know what happened. One minute we were laughing and talking, the next, Mary was asking for our order.”

“What?” Mark asked, leaning over his desk. “That’s not possible, we both know that. Tell me you know she’s gone, man.”

“I know,” Derek sighed. “Maureen has a new waitress, and when she walked up to the table, I saw…I thought I saw Mary.”

A few long minutes of silence rubbed at his ears before he heard Mark’s office chair squeak. Derek looked up to see a strange expression. Worse than concern or sympathy. Worry.

“Buddy, I know you don’t want to hear this, but you need to see someone.”

“I don’t need a damn shrink. It’s just grief. I’ll get over it.”

“It’s been three years. I watched you go through the process, but I haven’t seen you move on. Mary would—”

“Don’t tell me what she would want. I don’t need to hear it.”

Mark surged to his feet. “Dammit, man, you need to listen. It’s way past time for you to get back to the business of living. While you limp through a half-life, you’re leaving the people who care about you in a bloody wake.”

“You and Steve can handle it.”

“Sure,” Mark said, easing back into his chair. “but what about Joanne?”

“Fuck. I screwed up.” Derek dropped into one of the chairs in front of Mark’s desk and leaned back to stare at the ceiling. “I didn’t mean to hurt her.”

“Not completely done. It’s salvageable. She’s still speaking to you?”

“Hmm, yeah, she is.” He closed his eyes, knowing his buddy would get a kick out of the next little bit. Humility wasn’t Derek’s strong suit. “I apologized.”

“Good for you. How’d she take it?”

“She’s a decent woman. She accepted it and changed the subject.”

“Damn,” Mark laughed, “I could fall in love with her myself.”

“Don’t. She’s too good for you.”

“Helluva comment from the man who just screwed with her head,” Mark replied.

Private Delights

Chapter 11

Desperately in need of a few quiet minutes to put herself together, Joanne perched on the ugly orange chair that had missed the first furniture purge and wiped the tears from her lashes.

What had she done? Her submission in the bar had pleased him and he’d been clear in his praise. The conversation in the car had been pleasant and friendly. Hell, Derek was almost flirty. Then, with no warning, he’d become cold and distant. She riffled through the interlude to find a reason for the change but couldn’t.

Finally giving up the search, she repaired her face as best she could and went to find Mark. Wrong move, all the way.

“What happened?” He didn’t wait for an answer, just walked right up close and touched her cheek.

“It’s nothing. Just a misunderstanding.” The idea of discussing one boss with another was anathema, guaranteed to make her job disappear in a heartbeat. She’d never been there, but had seen it happen too many times to count.

But Master Mark was a pit bull.

He didn’t back away, and he didn’t take her answer at face value.

“What did he do?”

“Nothing. I misunderstood, that’s all. It’s fine.” She turned to the long table in his office with an eye to tidying the stacks of paper but he caught her arm with a warm palm around her wrist.

“Don’t walk away from this, Joanne. Tell me what happened. Better yet, let me tell you what I think happened.”

Oh, hell. What had she gotten involved in this time? And how could he know what happened at lunch, unless Derek had already told him. She turned accusing eyes at him, but he shook his head, sympathy pooling in those dark brown depths.

“I haven’t seen or heard from Derek, but I can guess what happened. He was flirting, teasing and friendly, dominating you to the edge of sensuality, and suddenly went cold. Am I close?”

Her free hand floated behind her hip to find the chair she knew was close by and when Mark let go of her arm, she sank into it.

“How did you know?” she asked, her words a thin whisper.

Mark perched on the chair across from her, his elbows braced on his knees and his hands hanging between his calves. “It’s not the first time, but it’s been a while.”

“Whether or not you get involved with Derek, your job is secure. We have high expectations for job performance in the mainstream fashion—theft, violence, and the like aren’t tolerated. Having a mutually satisfying relationship with someone you meet here will not be reflected on your yearly evaluation. Understand?”

A deep exhale lightened her heart. “Yes, Master Mark. Thank you.”

He nodded. “Good. Now, we still have a shitload of things to take care of before we open in two weeks.”

“Umm, can I ask a question?”

“Of course. Shoot.”

“Are you planning to upgrade the restrooms? I was in the ladies downstairs and it’s clean but on the far side of ugly.”

“How ugly?” His brow furrowed as he picked up a yellow notepad and a pen. “Show me. I never gave a thought to the public restrooms, since all the private rooms have a full bath. Damn.”

They started on the second floor and once inside the ladies room, Mark agreed to refurbish. “Even to my eye, it’s bad. You know what women expect in a high—end salon. Talk to Derek and have him set you up with his general contractor today. We need new tile, mirrors, chairs.”

He made a few notes and said, “You’re in charge of the bathrooms. Get a bid from the contractor for all of them and run it by me, since I keep the money. Let’s take a look at the men’s before we get carried away.”

Half an hour later, Joanne found herself back in the bar, sitting on a barstool while Derek finished his last interview. He’d acknowledged her with a nod when she arrived, polite and polished as always. When the applicant left, Derek rose and walked to the long bar and stood next to her.

“I owe you an apology, Joanne.”

She ducked her head. “I talked to Master Mark.”

Humor licked at his words when he said, “Turn me in with the boss?”

“No. He asked...he noticed that I was upset and before I could explain, he told me what had happened.”

“Great.”

His tone belied his comment, dark with a hint of pain, and her heart squeezed. “He helped me understand that it wasn’t my fault.” Dammit. Not the right words at all.

“It was never my intention to blame you.”

“I know. Can we change the subject? Master Mark asked me to take care of the refurbishing of the public restrooms and he told me to ask you for an introduction to the main contractor so I can get a bid.”

Derek tipped his head back and laughed. “Perfect, sweetheart. I’m the managing contractor. Show me what you want to get done.”

 

 

Chapter 10 Warning: Adult content

Chapter 10

Joanne clamped her lips tight and attempted to relax, but the sting in her nipples continued long after his hands went on to other endeavors.
This job would ruin her for any other sexual encounter. Just the thought of vanilla sex was abhorrent right now, the pulse of her arousal filling her head with a persistent drumbeat of need.
Beside her, Derek’s cowboy boot sat mere inches from her, and if she cut her eyes just right, she could see his jean encased hip and watch his thigh flex while he spoke to the applicant. She blinked a couple of times and refocused on the wall several feet in front of her. Aside from the table he used for the interviews, Master Derek had placed her in plain sight and she could only wonder what the potential employees might be thinking.
The rumble of Master Derek’s voice keyed her into what was happening beside her, pulling her out of her musings and into the reality of her place in the room. Chair legs scraped and footsteps moved away. Master’s hand stroked her head and crooned his pleasure while different footsteps approached.
They were quicker, or maybe the length of the step was shorter. A woman? The sensual overload played havoc on her perceptions of the area around her. And if it was a woman approaching, what would she feel about Joanne’s place in the room?
Derek’s voice interrupted her thoughts.  
“Private Delights is a private BDSM club,” he told the woman. “The bar will be open to the public, but wait staff may be asked to serve in the main club. This is an example of what you might witness on the main floor. Is this something you can handle on a daily basis?”
“That depends,” a female voice said. “Is this a choice or is this woman being coerced in some way?”
“Joanne, will you answer her question?”
“Yes, Master Derek.” A cleansing helped her focus on an answer. “I choose to be submissive, and my Dom provides for my needs. I have the right to deny him but choose to obey.”
“This is your decision, not his?”
She didn’t sound convinced and Joanne didn’t blame her. The lifestyle was a long leap from a traditional relationship. “My choice. Not one everyone might want to try, but it works for me. And for many others.”
The woman took an audible deep breath and let it out slowly. “Okay, as long as it’s consensual, I’m fine with it.”
He conducted two more interviews before calling a break, instructing the applicant to close the door on his way out. Joanne hopped it meant she’d be allowed to stand up. Her knees ached from the wood flooring and her back was stiff.
The door clicked shut and rough hands grasped her under her arms and pulled her upright, then onto Derek’s lap. Fingers dug into the tense muscles below her shoulder blades and she moaned in pleasure.
“I’m proud of you Joanne. You handled that woman’s question perfectly.”
“Thank you, Master Derek.”
His thumbs loosened the muscles and moved lower. “Stand for me.”
She eased to her feet and stretched then shivered when his hands settled at her waist and those hard thumbs massaged the small of her back. Just when she thought it couldn’t get any better, he stopped and leaned to the side. Straightening, he set her bra and blouse on the table.
“Turn around.”
Her perception of nakedness turned on a dime, much like her body did. Bare from the waist up and in the submissive pose was one thing, facing him with her tits in his face was another. Her face warmed and she attempted to keep her respirations shallow, but knowing he saw every inch of her chest as it rose and fell disarmed her more than being completely naked in the playroom with him.
He held out her bra. “Arms.”
Her heart pounded in her chest but she put her hands through the straps and fought to stay still while he settled the cups against her breasts. This wasn’t sex, this was intimacy, and she had no frame of reference for this man’s version of intimate behavior.
“Turn.”
He drew the clasps together and asked, “Too tight?”
“No, Master.”
“Turn, and breathe, Joanne. I won’t bite.”
Oh, God, she didn’t need that visual, since her body was already half way to completion.
She faced him again and he slid her blouse over her head and helped with the sleeves.
“Now, since you’ve been a good sub, I’m going to feed you. We have time to get some lunch. Follow.”
Did she have a choice? Not a chance.
The voice and the attitude pulled her into his wake and kept her feet moving in his direction. Besides, the view from the back was almost as lip-smacking good as his captivating face. He put her into the passenger seat of his car and they left the lot. For all she knew, they could be on the way to Mexico, but she knew better than to ask. Instead, she sat silent and waited for the next instruction.
“Do you have a preference for lunch?” he asked.
“Not really.”
“Joanne. This isn’t a test. If you don’t want to have lunch with me, say so and I’ll take you back to the club.”
Turning to face him, she caught the glimmer in his eyes and she wasn’t sure what it meant. “I’m not sure what my place is here.”
He grinned, a smatter of a laugh escaping before he spoke. “Nothing earthshattering, just a friendly lunch with a little dominance thrown in, that’s all. Now, what do you like to eat? Or better yet, what won’t you eat?”
“Unfortunately, I’ve yet to find something I won’t eat.”
“Good. I can push your boundaries while we eat and we can talk about your duties at Private Delights once we open.”
“May I ask a question?”
Derek nodded. “Of course.”
“Will I be required to be naked when the club opens?”