Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 85125 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85125 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Dahlia glanced sharply at Jess’s face, wondering how it felt to be introduced in such a way. Jess was smiling calmly, no trace of embarrassment or discomfort in her expression.
“Nice to meet you both,” Dahlia managed, a little breathlessly. Her gaze moved reflexively to Jess’s ring finger.
The wedding ring was very unusual and quite beautiful. It was a heavy gold band with a small diamond-encrusted O-ring attached. Dahlia couldn’t help but wonder if the O-ring was symbolic in some way.
A glance at Cameron’s ring finger revealed a simple gold band. Dahlia approved. She never trusted married men who didn’t wear a ring.
Hayden put his arm around Dahlia’s shoulders, pulling her close. “Guys, this is Dahlia Simon.”
Dahlia waited a beat, half expecting him to add some kind of possessive claim. How would she respond if he dared to introduce her as his sub girl? When nothing else followed, however, she actually felt a bit let down. Which was crazy, of course. She was nobody’s sub.
She turned her focus back to the couple. She was dying to blurt out that she’d seen them at the Masters Club. If only they knew how often their intense scene had featured in her masturbatory fantasies since that night. She nearly blushed at the thought, glad no one could read her mind.
She was dying to ask a hundred questions. What did it actually mean to be someone’s sub girl? Was there some kind of binding contract? Did Cameron control every aspect of Jess’s life? Did she have to ask for permission to use the toilet? To sit on the furniture? Did she exist solely to serve and please this man standing beside her? Did she have any kind of life of her own?
She kept her mouth shut, however. She wasn’t sure about the protocol, nor did she want to come across like the wide-eyed, mouth-agape newbie she was.
Instead, they talked about the artist, Rowan Georgiou, as they moved together around the gallery, admiring the paintings. Cameron placed his hand lightly around the back of Jess’s neck as they walked, the gesture clearly proprietary. They were just nearing the last of the paintings when an older gentleman approached them. Ignoring both women, he asked Hayden and Cameron if they could spare him a moment, as he had some club business he needed to discuss.
“You’ll be okay, right?” Hayden asked Dahlia, who nodded her assent. She was actually glad for a chance to be alone with Jess, with whom she already felt a rapport.
As the guys moved away, Jess turned to Dahlia. “I think I recognize you from the masquerade party,” she said. “Though the last time I saw you, you had on a party mask.”
“Oh,” Dahlia exclaimed, delighted Jess had turned the conversation in precisely the direction she’d wanted it to go. “I had no idea you saw me. You were, um, pretty occupied at the time,” she added with a grin.
Jess chuckled without a trace of embarrassment. Her hand moved to the pretty necklace she wore. “I’m guessing you’re talking about the bondage wheel?”
Dahlia nodded, the image of Jess bound spread-eagle against the wheel leaping into her brain. Her own limbs actually ached with a sudden longing to experience the taut pull of restraints. She could almost feel the snapping sting of the cane against her exposed flesh.
“That’s not when I saw you. Master Cameron had me completely in the zone by then.”
Master Cameron?
Dahlia gave herself a mental shake. Who was she to judge? Just as Naomi had expanded her world view tonight, so would Dahlia. Who knew, maybe someday she’d address Hayden the same way. Highly doubtful, but then, if someone had told her just a few months ago she’d let her new lover spank her bottom with a paddle until it bruised, she’d have told them they were out of their minds.
“It was earlier,” Jess clarified. “When you guys first got there. I noticed because it was pretty clear from Hayden’s body language that he was into you. I was dying to approach you, because I’ve never seen Hayden with someone other than a club pleasure sub. But Master Cameron had other plans for me and I kind of lost track of things,” she added with a laugh. “And by the time I came down from my high, you guys were gone.”
The gallery had filled with people. Jess glanced toward an older woman who had steadily edged closer to them, clearly intent on eavesdropping. After giving the woman a pointed look, Jess said, “There’s a small room off the main gallery. How about let’s go back there? It might offer a little more privacy.”
Dahlia glanced over at the guys, still huddled in a corner with the older man. “Great idea,” she replied.
They made their way through the throng to the smaller gallery, which had framed black-and-white photos on the walls. A middle-aged couple was moving slowly through the space, looking at the art without speaking. After a minute or so, they slipped away, leaving Jess and Dahlia alone.