Chapter 5
Kate felt like she’d been handed a winning lottery ticket.
Alex lifted his arms and stepped forward to hang the chain connecting the cuffs on the hook. The effort had him stretching up on the balls of his feet, a hiss escaping as his battered ass protested the movement.
When his cock brushed against the cold varnished wood, he gasped and yanked his hips back, arching away from the stimulation. Alex rocked back and forth, unable to stand comfortably and unable to lean against the door for support.
Perfect.
She walked to her duffle bag to retrieve the deer hide flogger, watching Alex for any signs of distress.
He twisted back and forth to find his best footing and settled for rocking on his toes to alleviate the slight strain on his arms and down again, arching back to avoid contact with the door.
Kate stroked the fat soft strands, eying her target.
Perfect.
She moved behind him.
He froze in place.
She laid the flogger over his shoulder, relishing the shudders from her touch. Drawing it down over his back slowly, Kate watched him twitch and shake in anticipation.
You never forget your first time.
Kate stepped back.
“Ready?” She always asked permission for the first few times to make sure the situation was acceptable.
His nod released her hand, the strands flying free under her skilled application.
Beautiful.
His flesh came alive under her touch, reddening with each smack of the whip as she worked him over, rotating from his broad, solid shoulders down to his still-sore ass and back. Every few minutes she stopped and let him rest, giving him a chance to safe-word out if he wanted to.
Pushing him to the edge but not letting him go over.
It was a skill, one she’d cultivated over the years.
She admired the way he stood proud under her assault, not twisting to get out of the way of the flogger or trying to dictate where the tails would land. The sweat poured off him, highlighting the irritated stripes as they rose from his skin.
He is so beautiful—
The soft chime brought her out of her own space, reminded her she was on the clock and time was almost up.
She frowned, making sure he didn’t turn and see her.
It was so tempting to ignore the clock, soak a bit longer in the experience.
Not about you.
She forced herself to come back down from the emotional high he was giving her.
All about him.
Alex panted, arms outstretched against the door. His hips rocked back and forth as he tried to avoid brushing against the wood. It’d been an ongoing battle through the entire session, and she saw the pre-come stains on the door, the smeared evidence of his enjoyment.
“That’s enough.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek. “Enough for now. You did well. I’m proud of you.”
Kate reached up and undid the chain holding the cuffs together on the hook, releasing the stress on his arms. Before he could act, she pressed up against him from behind and took hold of each hand. Slowly, she brought them down to his sides, feeling the muscles tremble under her touch.
Alex twitched as she brushed the lace and leather across his inflamed skin. He let out a soft cry as she backed away.
He’d sleep well tonight.
And dream of her.
“Is that—” Alex drew a shuddering breath and rocked back on his feet. “Thank you.” He turned his head and stared directly at her. “Thank you,” he repeated. His blue eyes were wide and unfocused, but she saw him coming back down, the emotional rush subsiding.
So lovely—
Kate caught herself moving in for a kiss and froze. The wave of emotion flooded her senses, catching her unaware.
No.
Not for you.
She bit her lip, holding back a moan. The familiar ache between her legs, a usual visitor after each session, surged forth with a demand for immediate satisfaction.
No.
NO.
Alex frowned. “What did you say?” He paused, catching his mistake. “I’m sorry. What did you say, Mistress?”
She took a step back, breaking the connection between them.
“I didn’t say anything.” Kate cleared her throat. “Hands up.”
He complied without question.
She pulled the cuffs off, the fabric ripping away with ease. The tearing noise sounded like thunder, the only other sound aside from Alex’s strained breathing.
She tossed them toward the duffle bag and focused herself on the aftercare, filing away her emotions. “Come here.” She pushed the bag onto the floor near her feet.
Alex came around the couch and stood there, waiting.
Kate sat and patted the cushion beside her. “Sit.”
He sighed as he settled onto the leather, wincing as his bare skin hit the cool surface.
Kate reached down and pulled an energy drink out of the bag, along with a chocolate bar. She offered them to him.
She’d told him to lay in supplies, but new clients always forgot the first time or didn’t think to have them nearby.
Alex looked at the can in puzzlement.
She couldn’t help smiling. He still hadn’t come back to himself.
A folded afghan lay under the coffee table. It was a handmade one, from the way it looked, striped with low muted colors. She had an emergency blanket in her bag but preferred to use the client’s materials as much as possible to keep them comfortable.
Kate put down the snack and pulled out the crocheted blanket. She wrapped it around Alex’s shoulders, noting his shuddering at the simple touch. He leaned in toward her instinctively, seeking the comfort.
In this, he was just like all her other clients.
She put her arm across his covered shoulders and pulled him in.
He moaned, face buried in her corset. It wasn’t a sexual sound—it was one of exhaustion.
“You did well for your first time.” She stroked his damp hair. “Lovely. I’m so proud of you.”
The answering sigh caressed her ears, hushed her need for the time being.
She reached down and picked up the chocolate bar. Kate pulled the wrapper open with her teeth and handed it to him. “You’re dehydrated. Eat. Then drink. Don’t rush.” She warned him, “I don’t want you to get sick.”
Alex bit down on the bar and slowly chewed.
Kate opened the drink and took a light sip before offering it to him. She was exhausted but had to take care of Alex first. The lukewarm drink helped resurrect her flagging energy, and she watched carefully as he finished both off.
She picked up her phone and tapped in a second code, telling the office she was fine and taking care of Alex. It was understood that she’d stay as long as she had to. She wasn’t going to rush off until she knew he was okay and recovered from his experience.
It wasn’t an unwelcome chore.
Finally, he stirred, and she saw the focused pupils, the shift in attitude showing he’d come back down.
Kate reached into her duffle bag and pulled out the key.
Alex’s lips curved into a pout, and she chuckled.
“Stay still.” She reached behind and unlocked the collar. It took a few seconds to undo the buckle and pull it free.
She snapped the lock shut again and placed the leather strap on the table, leaving the key in the lock.
He sighed and leaned on her again, finishing the transition.
She felt the shift in his muscles first. He rolled his shoulders back and stretched his arms and legs out before sitting up.
He reached around the corner of the sofa and tugged a plastic bag into sight. As Kate watched, Alex extracted out an iced coffee and snapped it open. He downed most of it in a pair of gulps before offering it to her.
She took a few sips before returning it, letting him take control.
Alex finished off the drink and crushed the can in his fist before dropping it into the plastic bag. Kate saw there were another five, plus a box of granola bars.
He was prepared.
Nice.
He settled in beside her again. They sat in silence for another few minutes until she felt it was time to move on.
“Okay.” Kate cleared her throat. “Okay. Same time next week?”
“Yes. Next week.” He looked at her as if she were a new problem to be solved, the curious look mixed with exhaustion. “What’s the usual procedure from here?” Alex frowned. “I seem to have forgotten what I read in your information packet.”
Kate reached for the riding crop where it lay on the floor. “You pay me, and I leave.”
“Yes. Right.” Alex stood and gave himself a shake as if he’d just woken up. He dropped the blanket as he strode across the room to where his pants lay, neatly folded atop the pile of clothing. “Is there—I mean, do you want some coffee?” He fumbled with his wallet. “Can I get you something, Mis—”
“I removed your collar. Just Kate.” She wrestled the crop into the bag. “No, thank you.”
“I understand.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Just that I wouldn’t have a problem if you wanted to stay for a few more minutes until you’re fully recovered as well. I can leave you alone if you’d like.” Alex gestured toward the computer table, a weary smile rising. “At some point I need to get back to work. No rest for the wicked.”
Kate yanked on the zipper. It was tempting to take advantage of his offer, his politeness downright adorable. She was tired, and it wouldn’t take much more to convince her to stay, maybe ask him about his current projects.
But she couldn’t.
Kate gave him as soft a smile as she could. “The rules. It’s time for me to go.”
He nodded with a wan grin, and she desperately wanted to touch him again, pull him into her arms and back down onto the couch.
Go far, far beyond what she gave her other clients. There was a thin line between generic aftercare and moving onward from that to the emotional and physical finale most relationships demanded.
For example—
Her attention dropped to his erection, firm and ready to go despite his exhaustion.
One touch, and he’d erupt in her hand.
She knew it.
It took all she had not to reach out and touch him, grip his cock and pull him close.
One leg around his hip, and he’d slide in so quick and easy—
“Kate?”
She blinked and saw Alex holding out his credit card.
“Thank you.” She snatched it out of his hand and picked up her phone, keeping her head down to try to bring it back together.
A fast swipe through her card reader, and she handed it back to him, avoiding further eye contact by busily typing in her safety code to tell the office she was done.
Done but not done. Not by a long shot.
It was going to be a long, frustrating ride back to her place.
Alex put the credit card back in his wallet and picked up his briefs. He hesitated, and she knew why.
He was as hard as a rock, and there was no way he’d be putting those on right away.
Kate allowed herself a smile despite her own internal struggle.
Mission accomplished.
She packed up her gear in record time and grabbed her coat. The black slicker fell easily over her clothing, hiding the sweaty leather-and-lace outfit.
Alex watched her in silence. He obviously wasn’t going to try to start a conversation again.
Good.
There was nothing more uncomfortable than trying to extricate oneself from an appointment without seeming impolite or, worse, silly. When it was over, it was over, payment rendered and a polite good-bye issued.
Strictly business.
“I’ll see you next week,” Kate said as she headed for the door. She strode through and pulled the heavy wooden door shut, trying not to imagine what was going to happen on the other side.
It was a long walk to her car, and she considered sitting in it for a few more minutes to torture him more.
Or torture herself.
Kate gritted her teeth and turned the key in the ignition. She was not going to be a slave to her emotions, giving in to her baser needs.
Strictly business.
Alex resisted the urge until the door clicked behind her, cutting him free from her spell.
He groaned as he reached down and touched himself, the oversensitized skin leaping at the mere brush of his fingers.
He’d almost come a number of times in the past hour. The only thought that had sustained him, pulled him back from the edge, had been the fear of Kate’s disapproving look.
She would stop the session, stop giving him what he wanted.
Anything but that.
Alex mentally relived the past two hours, squeezing and intensifying his grip on his cock.
The spanking, the flogging—it’d been everything he’d envisioned and yet nothing like what he’d expected.
The heat spreading out from her contact, twisting and turning through every fiber of his being until he was at the edge of crying, of breaking under her touch.
She’d stopped then. Right on the edge.
He’d recovered, and it’d started again. Slow, methodical, as if she were rewriting his lines of code, slipping new data next to the old and meshing them together perfectly.
Grinding his teeth, biting his lip, mentally running through programming quizzes helped him stay off the edge as much as possible.
But after over an hour of teasing and taunting, he was ready to come and come hard.
He sighed, remembering the last few minutes he’d hung on the wall. His shoulders had ached, but he hadn’t wanted to tap out, say the words that would have stopped her.
He’d held on to the end for her, pushing himself to stay strong even as every touch became torture, every brush against the wooden door agony for his straining balls and cock.
The kiss on the cheek had almost sent him off the emotional cliff.
But he’d held on.
He would have thought cuddling on the couch would have dampened his urge, the sheer exhaustion killing his libido.
It’d only enhanced it, exaggerated it to the point of sheer pain. He remembered the smell of her perfume, of her sweat as they sat together, his head on her shoulder.
He wanted nothing else other than to lick the beads of moisture from her neck and keep on going.
Instead, he’d bitten down on a chocolate bar.
Alex sighed and waited to hear the car engine start up. There was no way he was going to do anything before she was gone. He wouldn’t put it past her to come back and check on him just for the sheer torture of it.
He grabbed his underwear and covered his hand before taking hold of his cock again. Alex gasped, almost going over the edge by the simple contact.
Not yet.
An engine revving signaled Kate’s departure.
His mind raced, dragging the last few minutes into an alternate reality.
He still had the collar on.
Kate pulled the blanket off and tossed it on the floor. Slowly, she removed her boots, carefully placing them to one side and giving him a full unrestricted view of those beautiful, delicious legs.
She stood up from the couch and faced him, her hands on her hips.
“I think it’s time for this to come off.” She gestured at the black corset and stockings. “I’m finding it rather restrictive for what I want to do. And have done to me.”
“May I remove it for you, Mistress?”
She nodded with a sultry smirk.
He hesitated. “I’ll have to touch you.” Now it was his turn to grin. “May I touch you, Mistress?”
“I hope so. I think it’s time to let you off the leash. Let’s see how you can pleasure me.” One eyebrow rose. “I expect nothing but your best.”
“And you’ll get it,” he promised.
“Good.” Kate smiled. “Let’s see what you have. And if you’re good, I’ll consider giving you my own private collar.”
“Thank you, Mistress.” Alex hesitated, waiting for her final gesture to release him, let him fulfill his final goal.
The answering nod launched him at her.
He pulled Kate into his arms, peppering her face with kisses as his hands roamed free over her body. The leather-and-lace corset took only a few seconds to undo with the tiny hooks gouging his fingers, but he didn’t care. He had to have her and have her now.
He growled as he pulled it open and fell on her exposed breast, sucking the bare nipple with unabashed hunger.
Kate gasped and arched back, her creamy white skin hot to his touch. She latched on to his short hair, tugging and pulling.
As he feasted on her, his hands moved lower to play with the garters, the fastenings providing only a moment of distraction. He snapped the left one free with a deft twist of his fingers.
Alex brought his head up and kissed her hard as he pulled Kate’s left leg up and began rolling the stocking down that delicious limb teasing him for the past hour. The slender muscles twitched as he stroked her bare thigh, moving south to caress her ankle. The thin nylon bunched under his fingers as he slid his other hand under her black thong and tore it off, giving him total access.
A quick twist and a flip, and she was horizontal on the couch, panting as he gazed down at her. She smiled, keeping a tight grip on the back of his neck.
He undid the second garter and kissed her again, hard.
He couldn’t wait any longer.
Alex settled himself between her thighs and slid home, gasping as he sank into the wet heat. His hands reached around to the small of her back and pulled her up against him, her answering mews driving him onward.
The car’s roar as it raced onto the street almost matched his own as a second later, he came hard and almost painfully, pumping into his briefs with unrestrained need.
Alex knelt on the floor in exhaustion, arms sore and feeling like he’d run a marathon. He glanced over at the leather collar and felt it on his neck again, felt recent memories wash over him.
Wow.
He rolled onto his back and groaned, staring up at the ceiling as he tried to focus.
One week.
He had to wait a whole week before seeing her again.
Insanity.
But the good type.
The accident had been cleared off the highway, allowing Kate an unobstructed drive home.
If only her mind was as clear as the road.
Kate squirmed in the seat, trying to tamp down her arousal. Her foot pressed on the gas pedal a bit more, pushing the speed limit before her mind took control and forced her to ease up.
The last thing she needed was to be pulled over by an enthusiastic cop looking to meet his ticket quota. The raincoat hid her outfit well, but there was always the chance of being asked to get out of the car, and that would lead to questions, the wrong type of questions if he got curious about her clothing.
There were some things you didn’t want to explain. Or even try.
Legal or not, she didn’t need to begin discussing bondage to a policeman.
At least not without getting paid.
The sun beat down on the lake as she cruised along Lakeshore Boulevard. Tourists sauntered along the cement paths, buying ice cream and hot dogs from the street vendors looking to grab the last bits of summer profit.
A couple snuggled into each other, propped up against a tree. He nuzzled into her neck, whispering as she giggled and stroked his back, sliding her hands up under his shirt.
Kate caught herself rubbing her thighs together as she pulled into her parking lot.
Damn. Got me going bad.
The arousal wasn’t unwelcome and unexpected. It was an accepted perk of the job and almost required. If you didn’t feel some emotional connection during the scene, the sub wouldn’t and the visit would disintegrate into a basic robotic routine of spank and flog, tweak and tease, and the client would be unhappy and not know why.
That wasn’t her job. She was getting paid to bring fantasies to life.
Her getting off was just a side effect.
It took a few minutes to gain control, but finally Kate threw the car door open, confident in her ability to deny herself.
I need a drink.
She slung the duffle bag over one shoulder and headed for the elevator, pushing her mind onto distractions. Alex was a sweet thing, but she had a deadline coming up on some art commissions.
She didn’t have the time to think about him more than any other client. Move on to her next assignment, her next sub looking for some pleasure tinged with pain. A chance for him to move out of his reality, to let her take charge of his life for a short time.
Her mental appointment book flipped open to remind her she had Brian tomorrow.
As the elevator doors closed, Kate made a note to check on her nipple clamps.
Brian was a problem—he’d asked for the clamps but had already safe-worded out twice within seconds of her placing them on him. She’d moved from her regular ones down to the softer, less-tension beginner-level ones, but Brian still hadn’t been able to handle them, and he wasn’t ready to admit defeat. He insisted on including them and then derailing the sessions when he safe-worded out.
Kate suspected he’d never be able to take them. That in itself wasn’t necessarily a bad thing; everyone had their weak spots.
The problem was that they were both getting frustrated, and that wasn’t a good thing.
Kate considered handing him off to Julie, who had more patience than she did at these things. She’d talk it over with Brian tomorrow, depending on how things went, and see if he agreed about being reassigned.
It wouldn’t be difficult—give her one less client. She could afford the loss, and it’d be the right thing to do.
Hooded Pleasures understood some pairings didn’t work out in the long term. If you couldn’t give the client what he needed, you passed him on to someone who could.
A flash of heat shot down her spine as she recalled the last few hours.
She’d never give up Alex.
Unless he asks, the inevitable nag said. Or finds someone he likes better. Remember, he’s already got the club membership. As soon as he gets his nerve up—
Kate slapped the mental imp down as she unlocked her front door and walked in. She dumped the bag of toys in its usual place and headed for the computer to turn it on and try to turn off her mind.
And her desire.
The well-worn track pants and ragged T-shirt lay on the bed where she’d placed them before leaving, part of her pre-meeting preparation. Having them ready and on hand helped her transition back down from the emotional high of an appointment, the simple clothing a welcome change after the leather and lace.
Kate stripped off her clothing, feeling the arousal built up from visiting Alex start to finally wane.
Flog ’em and leave ’em. The story of a paid Dominatrix.
Kate shrugged on the shirt and pants, enjoying the softness on her bare skin. She padded through to the kitchen and started a new pot of coffee, choosing a lovely hazelnut blend to reward herself for a job well done. A handful of cookies, and she was ready to settle at her art desk to get some work done.
She couldn’t shake off the last remnants of the appointment, Alex’s eyes burning a hole in her mental armor as she recalled how he’d looked coming down off the hook.
Gorgeous.
She reached for the coffeepot, letting the heat singe her fingers and bring her out of that train of thought.
Alex was a client.
Alex was—
Different.
She’d never felt this sort of connection before, not with any of her other clients.
Not since—
Kate grabbed at the memory, slapped it silly and pushed it into a mental box at the back of her mind.
Enough of that.
There would come a time when he’d get his nerve up to go to the club, and she’d be out the door with a smile and a wave of her hand.
Kate poured herself a mug of coffee and headed for the living room, where she’d find her sketchpad and her computer, both waiting for her attention.
Between working on her art commissions and a few hours of meaningless carnage online, she should be able to detox herself from those lovely blue eyes, that firm body craving and needing her touch.
Until the next time.
She suppressed a shiver and sipped her coffee.
It’d taken the better part of an hour for him to get enough energy to climb into the tub, but he’d managed it, tipping most of a box of Epsom salts into the hot water to help the muscle aches. Inspection of his back via a full-length mirror showed only reddened and raised skin, nothing like what he’d worried about finding.
He felt like he’d run a marathon when the truth was he’d only moved from the ground floor to the bathroom upstairs.
It was sort of embarrassing.
Alex made a mental note to increase his workouts.
The water lapped at the edge of the tub as he reached for an energy drink he’d left here for this exact purpose. He suspected he’d need a hot soak after his first appointment.
He’d done his research. Alex knew what the aftereffects should be, what he had to worry about and prepare for after Kate’s visit. He knew she’d take care of him. He knew everything that was going to happen to him.
But he never knew or expected it’d be so—
Intense.
Overwhelming.
Liberating.
He drained most of the drink, the revelation washing over him.
Yeah. That.
“Kate.”
Alex shocked himself by saying it aloud, the single word echoing off the bathroom walls.
Kate.
He started to get hard again at the recent memories.
No, Alex berated himself silently. That’s enough for now.
He rolled his head back against the cold ceramic tiles and sighed.
For now.
After an hour, he forced himself out of the cold water and got dressed, wincing slightly. The bath had done a lot to soothe his aching muscles, but there was only so much it could do.
His mind laid out the simple math as he pulled on the bathrobe and a pair of sweatpants.
Work equals money equals another session.
With Kate.
The thought of Kate visiting again had him racing for his desk, refreshed by another energy drink and a series of power bars.
Work equals money equals another session with Kate.
He wondered if putting the equation up as his screensaver would be a little too daring.