“Good night.” Michael ran his knuckles down Lacey’s arm and smiled at the man with the smug grin standing across from him. “Say hi to Shiloh for me.”
As he expected, the grin became a scowl and Vaughn muttered, “Smartass,” as he vanished into the crowd.
The night was picking up and more people were entering the building. Michael had thought he’d remain in the public area for at least an hour, giving him time to mentally prepare for what he was about to do. In retrospect, when faced with the prospect of numerous conversations about Brian, Trevor, Aly and Conner, he wanted to get as far away from the regulars as possible.
“Lacey.” He bent until his mouth was against her ear. “We’re about to go upstairs. Since it’s a steep incline, I’m going to carry you.”
She nodded and he gave her one final out before there was no going back.
“If you don’t want to do this, you can remove your blindfold and say red. I won’t hold it against you. I’ll take you back to the limo and you can go home.”
When she shook her head and lifted her arms, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest. He held her longer than he meant to, rocking from side to side, creating a mental snapshot of how perfectly she fit against him. Sadly the moment—no matter how fondly he looked back on it—couldn’t last forever.
He nuzzled the top of her head as he carried her from the club, hoping like hell that it wouldn’t be the final time, and walked toward the stairs.
Chapter Sixteen
This is it, Michael had said. Whatever it was, she was ready.
She’d already paraded around perfect strangers in her underwear. Even with the blindfold, she’d felt the weight of their stares. It was unnerving but Michael had remained beside her the entire time, comforting her with his touch, calming her fears.
The volume in the club had increased, telling her more people had entered the establishment.
She was grateful when Michael lifted her into his arms, walked for a bit and started carrying her up the stairs he’d told her about. The sounds changed, going from casual conversations to groans and passionate cries. He continued walking for several paces, stopped and shifted her slightly as she heard a door open.
To her surprise, it sounded as if they’d returned to the area they’d just left. Several conversations were taking place, as if they were seated at a normal bar on a Saturday night instead of a BDSM club.
“I’m going to put you down. Feel for the floor.”
She did as he said and placed her feet flat on the ground. She felt him move in beside her and it sounded like he took a seat.
“Here’s what’s going to happen. I’m going to put on your heels, remove everything but your stockings and bend you over the bar we’re in front of.”
All night she’d tried to maintain her composure—even with the damn plug up her ass that she felt every time she moved. Sure, it hadn’t been easy, but walking around in a corset that covered most of her body made things a little easier to accept. But this? The mere mention of him stripping her naked for the entire world to see petrified her.
“You’re hesitating. Do you want to call it a night and remove the blindfold?”
Damn, damn, damn!
This wasn’t fair. She’d made it so far, only to turn and run now? She’d told Michael she wasn’t interested in getting kinky in front of others but she wasn’t quitting. Who cared if people saw her imperfections? Browsing the web showed her that submissives came in all shapes and sizes. Hell, Dominants did too. It was no different than the nudist beach in San Diego she’d been brave enough to go to on a dare from Candice. If she could face all of those people in her birthday suit, she could do the same here.
“No, Master.”
He turned her toward him and started working the snaps of the corset free. Her heart was racing, she was trembling from head to toe but she refused to back down. When cool air hit her breasts, she felt her nipples go hard.
Michael unlatched the clasps from her stockings and started pulling down her panties. As embarrassed as she was, she was also soaking wet, her underwear nothing more than a barrier to collect her juices. He took her hands, placed them on the bar and moved into place behind her. Then he lifted her feet one at a time to slide her heels on.
“What can I get you?”
The unexpected voice had her lunging backward and into Michael. He wrapped his arms around her waist, keeping her close.
“Water, please.” Michael’s voice was a husky rasp against her head.
Oh dear god.
There was a bartender right in front of them, watching the entire time.
She felt a flush spread all over her body. How many other people were directly beside them or watching from tables? She couldn’t hear any close conversations but that didn’t mean anything. A crowd could be directly beside her and she wouldn’t know it.
“You can still take off your blindfold, angel,” Michael said. “You can end this here and now.”
She shook her head.
“If you want to continue, I need to hear you say it.”
Michael lifted his hands and cupped her breasts. He pinched her nipples between his fingers and tugged at the stiff beads.
“No, M-Master.” Warmth spread from her belly to her pussy. Somewhere in her family line there had to be a total harlot. Because right here, right now, she wanted his hands all over her body. She didn’t care who might see. All she could focus on was the large man pressed against her back. “Don’t stop.”
He removed his hands, leaving her quaking in her heels. “Lean across the bar.”
The counter was so cold against her breasts it made her nipples ache. She held back a wince, determined to remain quiet as people continued talking all around them. Michael’s weight settled on top of her and she felt the whisper of his breath against her face.
“I’m going to fuck you, Lacey. I’m going to take you hard and fast against the bar. When I do, I’m going to turn on the vibrator in your ass and you’re going to come for me— just for me. I’m going to make you shiver. I’m going to make you melt. I’m going to show you what you’ve needed in a man has been in front of you this whole time but you’ve been too blind to see it. By the time I’m finished you’ll be so consumed by the two of us that this entire room will disappear.”
And then she knew what he wanted, what he planned.
He was going to have sex with her in front of God and everyone.
What was wrong with her? She knew she should say no, scream for mercy and rip off the blindfold. No self-respecting person would do such a thing. Even as the voice cautioned she was about to do something she could never take back, another voice reminded her that Michael had promised he would never do anything to embarrass her.
Which was right and which was wrong? She didn’t know, and she didn’t have time to decide.
“Do you want to take off the blindfold now? Have you had enough?”
Had she had enough? Almost. What he was about to do wasn’t something she fantasized about, forcing her to step over an invisible line she didn’t want to cross. Yet there was something in Michael’s voice, as if he expected her to remove the blindfold shielding her view of the room. She wouldn’t do it, no matter how guilty or remorseful she might feel after the fact.
“No, Master.” She didn’t stammer, her decision made. If she wanted Michael, she had to give him what he asked for.
No more doubt.
No more insecurity.
Only trust.
She heard the distinct rip of a zipper being undone, followed by the crisp sounds of a foil wrapper being opened. If she was going to remove her blindfold and cry uncle, the time was now.