Double Down (7 page)

“She’s very much in demand for it, as a matter of fact. She was really juiced last night. Put her sub through a lot of paces.” He rubbed his jaw. “I tell you, she wore a pair of white latex pants laced up the back that showed the flex of every muscle in her fine ass. She was magnificent, Branch, in full control of her subs at all times.”

“Subs?”

He lifted an eyebrow, but that wasn’t the only thing in his body that reacted. Imagining Lee in her mistress outfit conducting her performance with two subs had his cock thickening and pressing against the fly of his dress slacks.

“Yes, two of them.” Max grinned. “And very willing. She had an attendant oil their bodies so the light would reflect from them, although I understand she makes it a habit to oil her subs from head to toe before she begins playtime.”

“And what type of games did she play with them?” He hoped his voice was casual.

“Wondering what she’ll choose for you when she gets you on your knees for her?”

“Hah!” Branch barked the word. “Never happening, you know that.” He wiggled his fingers. “Come on, give. I want to know what turns her on so I can turn it around on her when I get
her
on her knees for
me.
”

“You should come and watch for yourself next time. But I will say she uses very effective ball gags on her subs when she’s performing, and she enjoys a variety of restraints. Cock rings attached by a thin strip of leather to collars are among those she prefers.”

Max paused to take a swallow of his coffee. “Last night she added a little something extra to one of her subs, a strap running from the cock ring down to his balls and up through the cleft of his ass to attach to the back of his collar. Then she really worked them over. It was very evident, even though they were unable to speak by the time she was through with them, that they would do anything for a climax.”

“Jesus!” Branch shifted in his chair, his own balls reacting to the image and a throbbing pulse beating in the vein that wrapped around his penis.

“I wouldn’t want it for myself,” Max continued, “but I can tell you there were a lot of Doms watching who were stimulated enough by it to get themselves off in the dark of the viewing area.”

Branch had often been tempted to do that himself when a performance had been so outrageously outstanding. He’d always managed to keep himself in control, but the air around him often filled with the scent of male release.

“Anyway….” Max set his now empty mug on a coaster on Branch’s desk. “Just thought I’d let you know you might have bitten off more than you can chew here.”

“Forget that.”

“No kidding?” Max cocked his head. “If you’re so damn confident, maybe you’d like to double the bet.”

“You’ve got it.”

The words were out of his mouth before he had a chance to think. Still, what could he lose? He was confident he’d come out on top. Literally.

His friend laughed. “I’ll be happy to collect on your failure, my friend. You’re on.”

After Max left, Branch sat in his chair, staring out at the view below him but not really seeing it. He’d have to ramp up the game sooner than he’d planned. Saturday night’s plans needed changing. If she went for it, he’d be halfway there. He was counting on her sensual nature and natural curiosity, as well as her extreme confidence to control things, to make her say yes.

This call he made to her cell phone. He didn’t want it going through her system or his.

“Find that you’re going to be too busy to fit me in tomorrow night?” she asked when she answered, that same amused tone in her voice.

“On the contrary. I was wondering how adventurous you are.”

“Adventurous? That sounds interesting. In what way?”

“I had planned to make dinner reservations at Bellissima, you know, that new Italian restaurant that opened in Alamo Heights?”

“I understand reservations are impossible to get. Don’t tell me even the fabulous Branch Colby doesn’t have enough influence for that.”

“On the contrary,” he teased. “I have it under control. I just thought maybe we ought to do something a little different.”

“Different?” The hesitation in her voice was obvious. “Like what?”

“I keep a small powerboat at the Canyon Lake Marina. The drive’s only an hour, so if I pick you up in the afternoon, we can get out on the lake before the sun sets.”

A pause. He was getting used to her pauses as she chewed things over.

“Dinner on the boat,” he added. “I wouldn’t want you to think I’m trying to cheat you out of a meal.”

She laughed, that low musical sound that he was becoming addicted to, that turned him on as it vibrated across the connection.

“A sunset dinner on the water,” he went on, wondering if she was actually going to turn him down. She was cautious, this one. Nobody’s plaything, that was for sure.

“And what time would we be getting back?” she asked.

Okay. Not until morning if he had his choice.

“Whenever you’re ready to head back in. Your call.”

More silence. Then….

“All right. What time should I be ready?”

Yes! Branch had to resist the urge to give a fist pump.

“Two-thirty okay? That’ll give us plenty of time to get there, get out of the marina, and find a place to drop anchor. That work for you?”

“I’ll be ready,” she assured him.

“Bring a bathing suit and a sweater,” he added.

She laughed again. “That’s an odd combination.”

“The suit so you can lay out in the sun and the sweater because it gets cool in the evening.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

Branch disconnected the call and sat there, a kaleidoscope of thoughts running through his brain. He’d seen Lee Sullivan—what—three times? He didn’t know how it had happened, but, suddenly, she’d become a different kind of challenge to him, one he wasn’t entirely sure he was comfortable with.

At least a dozen times Lee was on the verge of calling Branch Colby and cancelling. She wasn’t an idiot. He might think he was concealing it, but there was no mistaking the underlying sexual innuendo in his invitation. What she had to decide was if she was ready to entertain accepting it.

There was something so intriguing about him, something beyond just the dynamic of the self-made millionaire. Even in the meeting with her boss, she’d caught that same hint of darkness, of underlying eroticism. She was sure he’d be incredible in bed, probably even addictive. There were two problems with that, however.

She had discovered that casual relationships outside Infinity didn’t work for her. She hesitated to involve herself with a man who had not one submissive tendency. She’d become an expert at sensing it by now, especially with the alphas like Drew who were so in control in every other aspect of their lives. Some of them, again like Drew, battled that submissive need, but when they finally gave in to it, the rewards were so rich and, strangely enough, made them only stronger.

The dynamics were so unbelievable and so difficult for people in the vanilla life to understand. Not that they had a real understanding about the D/s lifestyle anyway, but that was a major reason why she kept her private life completely that. Private. As she grew older, she reluctantly came to the conclusion that she might never find the sub she’d be picking out drapes with or shopping for a home with.

Still, she was happy with her life. And maybe a “side trip” with Branch Colby might not be so bad, as long as they both understood the rules.

But what if she’d misread his signals? What if she was reading more into his invitation than he meant?

Jesus, Lee. Is this your first date?

She gave herself a sharp mental smack. By the time the doorbell rang Saturday afternoon, she was through dithering and ready to just enjoy herself, whatever happened.

When she opened the door and Branch stood there in shorts and a tee shirt, she had all she could do not to drool. He was freshly shaven, and the scent of his aftershave tantalized her nostrils again. The breadth of his shoulders and the musculature of his arms and chest were even more defined than in the other clothing she’d seen him in. The sculpted muscles were just as evident in his strong legs, his calves, and the masculine thighs that disappeared into the legs of the shorts.

Lee hoped she wasn’t drooling. If only she could convince him of the sublime satisfaction of submission, but she knew how futile that would be. The desire was either there, or it wasn’t. She swallowed a sigh and put on a smile.

“All set?” he asked.

“I am.” She lifted her tote. “Bathing suit and sweater as ordered.”

He took it from her hands. “Then let’s get to it.”

The drive to Canyon Lake, just over an hour, was pleasant and easy. Branch asked her what her preference in music was, found a station on satellite radio, and kept it on low the whole way, so music was a quiet hum in the background. Lee thought she was an expert at guiding the course of a conversation, but Branch Colby made it an art form. She nearly found herself telling him the story of her life, until she reminded herself what that story was.

When they arrived at the marina, he parked his SUV and led her along the dock to where his boat was berthed. Boat? She stopped and stared at it. Small powerboat? Lee had seen plenty of boats before. Businessmen in San Antonio had invited the mayor to small gatherings on their boats, and often her presence had been required. Those were small powerboats. This thing? Forty-eight feet if it was an inch.

“Problem?” Branch touched her elbow.

“You said a small powerboat. I’d hate to see what you think of as big.”

He chuckled. “I’m glad I didn’t take you to the really big one.”

“You have another one?” Dummy. Of course he did.

“I often entertain on the water. I need something to accommodate larger groups.” One corner of his mouth quirked up in a smile. “Want to take that one instead?”

“Uh, no, thanks. This will be just great.” She winked at him. “Cozy.”

His laugh was like a shimmer of warmth sliding over her. “Come on. Let’s get on board.”

He helped her up the ladder someone had put in place then followed.

“Let me show you around before we cast off.”

Carrying her tote in one hand, the other at her elbow to guide her, he walked her around the deck, pointing out the best areas to sun, indicating where the wheelhouse was up four steps, then urging her down a short flight of steps into the interior.

“Galley, salon, two cabins. Just your basic little powerboat.”

She burst out laughing. “That’s like saying the Ritz Carlton is just your basic hotel.”

“Oh, I think the Ritz is a little bigger than this. Come on, Lee, relax. Pretend this is just a rowboat.”

“I’ll do my best.”

He settled her in the guest cabin, suggested she change into her bathing suit, and said he’d see her on deck when she was ready. She changed quickly but took a moment to check herself out in the mirror. Damn! Her nipples were like two hard points against the soft fabric of the bra. No concealing that, unfortunately. And slim hope that Branch wouldn’t notice. He was a man who observed everything.

She adjusted the miniscule bottom that barely covered her mound and gave thanks for her recent waxing session. Her legs were smooth all the way to her mound, no stray little curly hairs peeping out from the edges of the material. Okay, then. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and grabbed her lotion and a beach towel. The engines were already rumbling, the boat vibrating by the time she climbed the short flight of stairs again.

She waved up at Branch, who sat relaxed in the cockpit, and spread her towel out on one of the lounge chairs. No matter what else happened, she’d get a good layer of tan accomplished.

*****

Branch congratulated himself on his behavior all afternoon. The moment Lee had emerged in that teeny, tiny bikini he’d wanted to lay her down on the deck and fuck her brains out. Instead, he motored them out of the marina, out onto the water, and gave thanks for the smooth surface of Canyon Lake. He took a moment to bring up the iced margaritas he’d had stocked in the fridge and served them both drinks, then dropped anchor away from the main traffic and stretched out beside Lee Sullivan’s very tempting body.

As the sun set, he brought up the dinner he’d ordered—salad, cold lobster, and cheesecake—and they ate a leisurely meal. Now, though, he was through waiting. His cock was so hard and thick it nearly pushed a hole in his shorts, and, unless Lee was blind—which she wasn’t, she couldn’t avoid seeing it. He thought of all the casual ways he could lead into this, but he was way past casual. He just needed to keep reminding himself this wasn’t a session at Ultra. That she had no idea about that side of him.

They were standing at the rail, watching the last of the sun dip below the horizon, so he simply turned her into his arms and took her mouth. Her lips were lush and full, and she tasted of margaritas and lobster and cheesecake and woman. His tongue slicked against hers, dancing with it, sliding into the corners of her mouth and licking up every flavor. He waited a heartbeat to see if she’d push him away, but, no, she’d apparently come here as intent on this as he was. He freed her ponytail and wound his fingers in her hair, sifting the silk of it before clutching her head in place. Her arms wound around him, her fingers stroking the nape of his neck, lighting his nerve ending.

And, just like that, he was on fire.

With some effort, he broke the kiss. “Let’s take this downstairs.”

Fire danced in her eyes when she looked at him, and, when she spoke, her breathing was uneven.

“All right. Yes. Okay.”

He was glad the bed in the master stateroom was king-sized. He liked a lot of room to play. He stood her at the side of the bed and untied the strings of the bathing suit top and tossed it to the side. Then, stripping back the covers, he deposited her on the sheet and lay her back against the pillows, hair spread out around her like a dark cloud. Her breasts were creamy mounds with tips a deep, rosy color. He bent low and took one into his mouth, sucking on it hard before scraping it with his teeth. He was rewarded with a gasp of pleasure from Lee, so he gave the same treatment to the other nipple. By the time he finished with both of them, kneading her flesh while he sucked and nipped, she was panting, and he hadn’t even moved below the waist.