Dancing with Deception (22 page)

Blinking back the tears burning at the back of her eyes, Joelle took a deep breath. She was going to enjoy each and every moment she had with them before she was pulled back into the firestorm she’d created. If her discovery didn’t hold so much hope for such a deserving population, she might be tempted to walk away and let other researchers follow up her research. None of it had ever been about recognition. It had always been about preventing others from losing the people they loved far too early. She’d wanted to prevent other children from knowing the pain of losing a parent, a husband or wife from losing the other half of their soul, or friend from losing the one person who could always make them smile. In Joelle’s view, the recognition was more of a detriment than a reward.

“Minx, you’re a very intelligent woman—I’m sure you recognized Master Ryan’s comment for the command it was. Tell us what you’re thinking.”

Ryan was enthralled
with the complicated woman standing in front of him. Her delectable body and sharp mind battled each other on a level so deep the struggle was holding her back in every aspect of her life. Her career had stalled because she’d tried to be compliant when told to shelve a project she passionately believed in, and her personal life was stalled because she’d lost the only person who had ever loved her unconditionally. And he could almost feel her fear now—she was worried about losing them.

Most women in her social and economic bracket learned at a young age how to hide or at the very least camouflage their emotions. The social functions a woman in her position were required to attend ordinarily gave them a lot of practice masking their feelings. But Joelle hadn’t fallen prey to that never-ending circuit of parties and teas. She’d spent that time studying and researching, buried in books and hidden in laboratories searching for answers to one of the most important medical questions in history.

Standing back watching her fight back the tears threatening to fall as she fought an internal battle was one of the hardest things Ryan had ever done. He wanted to pull her into his arms and promise everything in her life would be smooth sailing from this point forward—but that wasn’t a promise anyone could make. She needed to know that he nor Brandt would ever make promises they couldn’t keep. For now, he was going to have to be content with listening every word she said—and to those she left unsaid as well.

Joelle stepped into
the circle of women she now counted as friends just in time to hear Tobi’s exasperated complaint. “Yessirree, every woman’s idea of a perfect party accessory…a sparkly piece of remote controlled plastic shoved up her butt. I’ll bet they are on every debutante’s must have list for their coming of age party. Heck, I’ll bet they are going to be featured in Vogue next month. And that lovely wicked locking ring thing clamped around my clit? I’m pretty sure I read about that on a website devoted to Middle Ages torture devices.” Joelle choked on the drink of water she’d just taken and tried to hold back her laughter.

“I think we need to expand our business to include more devices designed to
enhance our Doms’ experience.
I swear if I hear that expression used one more time while my Masters are clamping something to my pink parts I’m going to need a shovel and an alibi.”

Tobi looked up and grinned. “Well, welcome back, Gracie. Where the hel..ck have you been? That Stepford Wife that was hanging around here was about to bore me to distraction.”

Jen leaned in and whispered, “Keep it up you two and we’re all going to be in deep doodoo, and I for one want to get this show on the road. Having the hood pulled back on my clit is making me want to do the nasty with one of those wacky little statues you all have hidden everywhere. And doing it with a concrete cherub is just
wrong
on so many levels.”

Joelle and Coral both burst out laughing as the other three women looked on in confusion. Regi walked up grinning, laughter in her voice, “Oh this has all the makings of a great night. You two laughing and the Three Stooges over there looking baffled, like they don’t have a clue why. Nobody’s falling for that b.s. by the way.” She started to sit on the edge of a planter but winced and stood back up quickly. “Okay, the perfect evening scenario might have a few flaws.”

Coral looked down at herself and groaned. “One of those bumps in the road might be the fact I look like a boiled egg wearing rubber bands. I might have gotten a good tan laying on the beach, but I gained so much weight I’m not going to be able to fit into any of my clothes back home.”

Joelle looked over at her friend and it did seem as if she’d gained some much-needed weight. “You look wonderful, you really were too thin before. Now you look healthy and so happy I keep expecting you to break out singing
Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.
any minute.”

“Ha and Jen’s going to sing
Kiss an Angel Good Morning
,” Regi laughed.

Jen groaned. “I thinking this is a night for something a little less subtle. I’m thinking
Sexual Eruption
or
Give it to Me
.”

“I think my Masters should put us in charge of the play list, I’d go for
I Wanna Sex You Up
or
Red Light Special.
We really need to make a list of all the sexy songs we like.” Tobi was practically bouncing with excitement and Joelle laughed at how contagious the woman’s energy was.

“I like
Afternoon Delight
, damn the Starland Vocal Band’s harmonies are heaven sent.

“It’s
I Want Your Sex
by George Michael for me. That’s a wet panty song if there ever was one.” Joelle had always loved that particular song, its lyrics about the beauty of sex and monogamy brought a deeper level of emotion to what was already a seductive melody.

Just then the music coming from the poolside speakers changed and Bob Dylan’s
Lay Lady Lay
drifted around them like a warm caress. Gracie laughed. “I’d say that’s the guys in the control room letting us know we forgot one of their favorites.”

Coral tugged on the PVC tape Sage had strategically wrapped around her new curves. “None of these pieces are very darned long. I don’t have a good feeling about this, I gotta tell ya. I’m pretty sure my round self is going to be bouncing out in the open before long.” Yeah, Joelle had the same feeling, but the good thing was they were all in the same pickle.

Looking over where the men stood laughing and talking amongst themselves, it was fascinating to watch as each one of them subtly tracked their sub’s every move. The scientist in her couldn’t resist testing her theory. She’d only managed to take three steps toward the door of the club before a strong hand gripped her elbow and Brandt’s warm breath brushed the shell of her ear, “Where are you going, minx?”

Before she could answer, Kyle West’s voice boomed over the music. “Your attention, please. I believe we’re ready to start. In celebration of the upcoming Olympic Games, we’ve designed a few games of our own. Subs if you would please all move to the other side of the pool, Master Nate from Mountain Mastery will help you prepare for this evening’s festivities.
Prepare? I’m not sure I’m going to be able to take any more preparation without melting into a puddle.

“Go on, minx. Master Nate knows exactly how you are to be prepped.” She must have looked worried because he pulled her back and pushed her hair behind her ear with gentle fingers.

“This evening is all about fun, baby. You’ll have a great time if you just allow your mind to let go of everything you’re convinced you are supposed to be thinking about. Just let go and roll with it.” She tried to smile at Ryan but felt her teeth biting down on her lip as nerves threatened to send her running back to their bungalow.

“I’m terrible at games. I’ve always been a hazard to anyone close when physical activity was involved.” She’d grown up in a home that was more of a museum than a place to live and academics had always taken precedence over play. She’d wanted to learn to dance, but her father had insisted swimming was the only athletic skill she needed since it might one day save her life. As a result, the only place her lack of coordination didn’t endanger others was while suspended weightless in water.

Taking a big breath, Joelle tried to corral her rioting emotions. Looking at the men who had been so patient and supportive she felt a pang of guilt. She seemed to be doing a lot more taking than giving…and she needed to stop before they decided she was more trouble than she was worth sooner than necessary. Leaning forward, she kissed them each on the cheek. Their startled expressions let her know how little she’d been putting into the relationship and she vowed to change that from this point forward. Even though they would probably only be together a few more days, Joelle wanted both Ryan and Brandt to know how much their time together meant to her. “I promise to try, not because I think I’m going to suddenly turn into an Olympic athlete, but because you are worth it.”

They’d both heard
the emotion in her voice and first one and then the other pulled her into a prolonged hug. “Love, we don’t need your thanks. What we need is for you to open your heart. We aren’t fair weather boyfriends who are going to walk away because things are challenging for a while. We want much, much more from you, but we’ll have plenty of time to discuss that on the drive to Houston.” He’d seen her eyes widen at his change in pet names for her, and he hoped the subtle change set the tone for what they had planned for her later.

As Joelle hurried off to join her friends, Brandt shifted trying to ease some of the pressure as his erection pressed painfully against the zipper of his leather pants. “Damn, everything about her makes me want to pound my chest like fucking Tarzan and scream ‘
Mine!
’ at the top of my lungs. I’ve never had a reaction like this to a woman.” Brandt didn’t consider himself particularly prone to emotion, but Joelle brought out feelings in him he hadn’t even realized he’d been missing. The need he felt to protect her was a given, but in all honesty, he felt that same urge with Coral, Charlotte, and his mother. But there was something different with Joelle, a deep seeded need to help her reach all of her goals—to ensure that when she reached her twilight years, she looked back on their time together and knew he’d supported her in every way he could.

“I’m right there with you. I knew there was something special about her the first time we met and I hated leaving the country before I could explore it further. But now I know it was probably divine providence—I might not have completed medical school and you wouldn’t have had the time to develop a solid foundation with her.”

Brandt could almost feel the power of Ryan’s attraction to Joelle pulse around them, the air was practically electrified with their combined desire for the woman who was disappearing into the darkness of the hedges surrounding the pool. Ryan shook his head and grinned. For just a second, Ryan looked like the kid Brandt remembered—the boy raised in the city but who felt more at home on his uncle’s ranch. The rich kid who hadn’t fit in with the other kids at his private school but who’d made friends easily each summer in Montana. The teen who had earned his bachelor’s degree before he was old enough to drive.