Masters 01 Master of the Mountain (31 page)

A man in his forties in a black suit stopped beside Rebecca, glanced at the women, then looked down at Rebecca. “Is this your first time here?”

“Um. Yes. I don't know very much about this.” When she met his eyes, she got that sinking feeling almost like Logan gave her, only without the God-I-want-you jolt. “Um.”

He smiled and stepped slightly closer, invading her personal space. Deliberately. Dark brown eyes watched her, reminding her so much of Logan that her breath hitched.

When he frowned, she pushed Logan out of her mind. This Dom stood almost six feet with level, broad shoulders. Silver flecked his neatly trimmed black hair. His face appeared finely chiseled, almost aristocratic in comparison with Logan's rougher features. But he had the very same overwhelming sense of authority.

“Are you here with someone?” His voice was deep and smooth.

She shook her head.

“You look like you'd like to play.” He made the statement and waited for her response.

“Um. Yes. A bit.”
I think
. She bit her lip. He seemed nice and definitely experienced. Not strutting like the first Dom she'd met, and not pushing and touching right away like the second Dom. He had the confident air that Logan and Jake had, like you could toss him into any situation and he'd know what to do.

And he watched her the same way Logan had.

He held out his hand. “My name is Simon. I'm not new in the community if you'd like to ask around first. You need to be comfortable with whomever you choose. And start slow.”

“I'm Rebecca.” She shook his hand and then caught sight of Angela standing a few feet back, watching. The woman smiled and nodded approval.

Simon turned and caught the exchange. “Angela,” he said. As the Domme walked over, Simon tilted his head, glancing between them. “Yours?”

“No. She's a friend who I'm babysitting as she tiptoes into the scene.” She glanced at Rebecca. “He's experienced, highly regarded, and”—she grinned—“strict but fair.”

Simon's lips curved. “Quite a reference.”

Rebecca sucked in a breath. Decision time. He was handsome and definitely a Dom, but she didn't feel any sexual attraction at all. Still, she had to start somewhere. “I think I'd like to try.”

Simon held out a hand almost as big as Logan's. She put her hand in his, feeling safe and scared at the same time, but still nothing sexual. That seemed strange.

To her surprise, he didn't take her toward the equipment but over to a nearby couch. He sat beside her, keeping her hand in his. “Have you done anything related to BDSM before?”

She flushed.

“I'll take that as a yes.” He massaged her hand gently. “Tied up?”

She nodded and kept nodding as he ran through a list: breast clamps, spanking, and toys.

“Anal sex?”

The memory of the thing, the plug, that Logan had put into her made her shudder. “No. Not really.”

He chuckled. “I see. Flogging, whipping?”

She edged away from him.

“It's not something I'd do with a new sub anyway. Not the first time.” He squeezed her bare shoulder, his grip reassuring rather than sexual. “Submission? Orders? Positions?”

“Some.”

“Excellent.” He pointed to the floor. “Show me what you learned.”

She slid off the couch onto her knees, putting her hands behind her back, too embarrassed to open her legs, even though she'd worn panties.

He lifted an eyebrow. “He must have been new to the scene to have taught you so poorly.”

Her face flared with heat, but the idea of him thinking badly of Logan had her spreading her legs open as he'd taught. “I'm sorry, Sir,” she whispered.

“Ah. Modesty rather than inadequate instruction.” He studied her for a minute. Longer. She kept her eyes on her knees. “Look at me, Rebecca.”

She looked up at him. He leaned forward and ran a finger over the top of her bustier, touching her, reminding her of—

He must have seen the flinch she couldn't conceal. His hand dropped. “Tell me about the Dom who taught you. How long were you with him?”

“Four days.”

“Must have been a very intense four days.” He leaned back on the couch, his eyes focused on her face. “When you were learning all this, were you also having sex?”

For a second, she wanted Logan so badly, she could have cried. “Yes,” she whispered.

Simon's smile was faint. “You obviously care about him, Rebecca. Why are you here?”

She looked down. How could she tell a perfect stranger about her doubts? A hand under her chin tilted her head up. He caught her gaze with his. “Answer me.”

“I wasn't sure if what I felt was because of the…the submission stuff or because of him. I thought I should know that.”

He released her. “Amazing insight, pet. And what have you discovered?”

“I think it's him.” The answer felt right and yet opened up all sorts of other problems.

“I think you're right. But you are submissive without a doubt, Rebecca. If it doesn't work out with your man, keep that in mind when you look for another.” Simon leaned back, rested his arms on the back of the couch, and studied her. Sexual or not, she still felt vulnerable under his dark gaze. “BDSM doesn't have to be about sex, you know. Would you like to try some of the equipment without worrying about that?”

“Really?” She glanced at the manacles, realizing the women had left.

He gave a deep laugh and smoothly rose to his feet. “Come along, little one. I'll give you your next lesson.” Grasping her arms, he set her on her feet. “What is your safe word?”

A shiver ran through her as he led her forward, her wrist in his grasp. Not her hand. She wasn't an equal. “Red, Sir.”

“Good choice.”

When she started to face the wall, he turned her around. “I want to see your face, and you need to be able to see mine.” His lips quirked. “It's a different feeling too, seeing who's out there.”

He had commanded her attention so thoroughly, she hadn't realized people were watching. Her face heated, and she took a step away.

His face turned cold, and his voice chilled. “Rebecca.”

She froze.

“If something becomes too much or you cannot tolerate this, use your safe word. Otherwise, you're getting restrained. Right now.”

Oh God, oh God, oh God
. But she held still and let him buckle the cuffs around her wrists. Her breathing sped up, but at least she could move her arms a bit. Even scratch her nose.

He studied her, then walked over to the wall and tightened the chains hanging from the beam. Now the leeway disappeared as the manacles pulled her arms tightly over her head.

The feeling of being restrained and vulnerable sent funny sinking sensations through her with each breath, like the floor she stood on wasn't quite solid. Her thudding heart seemed to have moved up into her throat.

“Look at me, Rebecca.” Simon's body blocked her view of the people watching. His dark eyes were intense as she lifted her gaze to his. “That's a good girl.” He cupped her cheek, his hand warm and comforting.

As she tugged on the chains, trying to get used to the quivery feeling inside, he asked, “Do you like being restrained?”

She wanted to glare at him. Just like Logan, asking impossible questions, trying to plumb emotional depths.

“Rebecca, when I ask a question, I expect an answer, not a glare.”

His reprimand shuddered down through her bones, making the quiver in her stomach worse. “It's scary. I don't know. I…”

“Giving control up can be a need that's not necessarily comfortable, especially at first.” He tilted his head. “And being restrained in public? Do you enjoy being watched?”

She tried to shrug but couldn't move even her shoulders, and that sent another of those weird feelings through her. “It doesn't seem to matter that much.”

He put his fingers into her cleavage, right over the hooks of her bustier. “If I stripped this off, would you feel the same way?”

Naked? Instinctively she yanked on the restraints and got nowhere.

He laughed. “Obviously not. Modest little sub, aren't you?” Rebecca looked past him, out at the crowd. To have them see her without clothing, her big hips on display… Her gaze crossed another's, and her breath strangled in her throat.

Unwavering blue eyes in a tanned, cold face. Legs apart. A leather vest showing off the muscular arms crossed over his chest.
Logan
. Her heart started to pound so hard, the entire crowd must have heard it. Simon surely did, for he turned around to follow her gaze.

Without a word, he walked away, walked right up to Logan, leaving her hanging from the chains. She yanked on the cuffs, and the pit of her stomach twisted. He was here. The surge of pleasure dimmed under the onslaught of questions. What would he think, seeing her like this? Seeing her with Simon?

“Look at her,” Simon said. “She wants to yell for you so bad, she's almost choking with it.”

Logan smothered the red fury that his little rebel had allowed someone else to touch her. “I hadn't expected to find her out trolling for company,” he growled.

Simon slapped his back lightly. “Actually, she's trying to discover if her head-over-heels reaction to you is because she just likes the lifestyle. She wanted to see if she can be turned on by any Dom.”

“You have got to be joking.”