Liz almost laughed. This was one problem that none of her employees could do anything about. She’d spent nearly every waking minute, despite working herself to death, convinced her visit to Rawhide had been a mistake. And if she went back, she’d make another one. Alex Wright was related to important clients. Establishing a D/s relationship with him, even if they kept it to the confines of Rawhide, was fraught with every kind of danger.
“Liz?”
She blinked and focused on Scotty, who was still waiting for some kind of answer.
“I’m sorry, Scotty. I’ve just had a little trouble sleeping. I thought extra work would tire me out.”
He shook his head. “If you say so. Just…try to take it easy, okay?” He walked away, his boots clicking on the concrete.
Easier said than done. And what do I do tonight? Show up? Not show up?
She shivered at the memory of the session Wednesday night. She and Alex had made an instant connection, one that was too strong for her to deny. But her last two relationships had ended very badly. If this one blew up it could affect her livelihood.
Shit, shit, shit.
Why had she gone in the first place? Damn Katie and Reece for talking her into it. She sighed and went back to work on the horse.
Just to frost the cake and add to her personal turmoil, she had been in a state of constant arousal since her session with Alex. Every time she remembered being in that room with him, her cunt quivered and cream gushed into her panties. She could have relieved her itch with one of her battery-powered toys, but his words kept echoing in her head and her submissive nature wouldn’t permit her to disobey his final instruction.
By the time six o’clock rolled around, she was a bundle of nerves, edgy enough that she took herself off to the house. She had enough problems with the staff. She didn’t need to keep taking her attack of nerves out on them.
She wasn’t the least bit hungry, but she made herself eat a sandwich standing at the sink and swallow a soft drink. Then it was decision time. The real problem was, she actually wanted to go. She’d forgotten how arousing and satisfying D/s play could be. With the right person.
Liz stared at herself in the bathroom mirror. How was it others found that one right person to share the lifestyle with permanently, but the two times she’d tried had been a disaster? Was she destined for noting more than interludes until she was past the point of being wanted? Desired?
You’re scared because Alex Wright touched something inside you.
Damn right I am. People who touch you emotionally have the power to hurt you. Reject you.
“No!” She smacked her closed fist on the vanity countertop. “Quit overthinking everything, Elizabeth Gillibrand. You wanted a good time. Sexual release. Go and embrace it. And when you see Alex Wright in public, you can just be smoothly polite to him. You know how.”
Shoving her doubts back into a deep corner of her mind, she stripped off her clothes, turned on the shower, and stepped under the hot spray, letting it wash away the dirt and stress. An hour later, lotioned and perfumed and dressed in her best sub outfit she nervously pressed the bell at Rawhide.
“Good evening.” The hostess swung the door open to admit her.
Liz pulled the tiny gold card from her purse that Reece had given her, but the woman waved it away. “Mr. Halliday has put you on the permanent list. Go right in.”
The permanent list? Well, thanks, Reece, but—
Stop it! This time will be a different. Just enjoy.
She smiled. “Thank you.”
“I believe someone’s waiting in the lounge for you,” the woman said. “On one of the corner love seats.”
Alex! He was here already. Now she was twice as nervous. What if when he saw her again, he changed his mind? Decided he didn’t want her at all?
Since when did you let all these insecurities consume you?
Since—
“Good evening, Elizabeth.”
She found herself standing in front of the love seat, Alex rising to take her hand.
Liz bowed her head automatically. “Good evening, Sir.”
“Your hand is trembling.” He sat and drew her down next to him. “Let’s sit here for a few minutes. Is something bothering you?” He frowned. “Have you changed your mind? It’s all right, you know. Sometimes people just don’t click. Although I thought last time—”
“You thought right,” she said hastily. “I haven’t changed my mind.”
“But you’re nervous.” His hand lazily stroked the bare skin of her arm. “Did I do something to cause that?” He frowned. “Did I give you reason not to trust me?”
“No.” The touch of his hand was soothing, easing her nerves. Her body, tuned again to the role of submissive, began to relax. Her nipples were so sensitive the leather vest felt scratchy against them, and her pussy was already incredibly wet, moisture dampened the inside of her thighs.
His hand trailed around to the nape of her neck, gently massaging the muscles she knew were tighter than tight. He leaned close to her, his mouth directly at her ear. “Elizabeth, are you afraid of me? Tell me the truth, darlin’, because if you are we need to stop this now.”
Afraid of him? No, it was herself she was afraid of. Afraid of losing her head and maybe her heart and ending up a mess like the last time. Because Alex Wright definitely struck a chord deep inside her. It was more than the fear of meeting him on different turf and hoping no one would catch any silent messages between them. It was the terrible fear of being cast aside. Again.
She shook her head. “No. Not afraid.”
Of you. It’s me. I’m afraid of me.
“Tell me what it is,” he urged, “or we’ll just have a pleasant drink and that will be the end of it.”
The end of it? Not have a session together? Now that she was here, that was all she wanted. To be stripped naked and dominated by him. To feel the pleasurable sting of the flogger. Maybe even the short-tailed whip. To have him strip away everything but her basest emotions and drive her to the peak of erotic fulfillment.
Why am I being such an idiot?
“Forgive me, Sir,” she whispered. “I’m still…I just haven’t been in the scene for such a long time. Until the other night.”
“I understand.”
How could a man have such a warm Texas drawl and still sound so dominant?
“Well, then. Let’s see if you followed my instructions. That’ll tell me a lot about what happens next.”
One warm hand slid beneath the hem of her short leather skirt, up the surface of her thigh until he reached her cunt. A slow smile crept over his face.
“No panties. Good for you. And that sweet little cunt is dripping wet. Just the way I like it.”
His praise warmed her but not as much as his fingers at her wet folds, just barely brushing her clit. Liz did her best not to react to the charge of electricity that surged through her. Alex licked the edge of her ear as he lightly pinched her clit.
Liz forced herself to sit still, not to move except on his command. All the anxiety that had plagued her for two days disappeared like smoke. She could focus only on the man who controlled her pleasure for the evening.
“Let’s see your breasts, Elizabeth.”
Okay, he was definitely in Dom mode and she felt herself automatically slipping into subspace. His fingers were warm on her flesh as he tugged the zipper of the leather vest down partway. His hand slipped past the fabric to touch and caress her skin, his palm cupping one breast, his thumb rubbing the nipple.
Liz bit her lip, pleasure heating her body. Did he mean to remove the vest completely out here in the lounge? Many Doms liked to expose their subs to others, like displaying a prized possession. She knew it gave them a sexual charge to know others admired what only they could possess.