Finding Love: Incident at the Candy Apple (At the Candy Apple Series Book 2)

Finding Love

Incident at the Candy Apple

By Elodie Parkes

Finding Love

Incident at the Candy Apple

By Elodie Parkes

Copyright Elodie Parkes 2016 ©

Cover artist Elodie Parkes 2016 ©

Published by Encompass Ink 2016 an imprint of CHBB Publishing House

All rights are reserved.

Contemporary MM Erotic Romance, Gay romance

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. The characters, places, and events in this book are fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

Finding Love

Chapter One

Jake stepped onto the patio. The day had been crisp and cloud free. As he gazed up into the clear night sky, he could see a sprinkling of stars. He was lucky to see them since the city sent out an aura of light. He’d always loved going out into the country away from the light pollution of the city because at night the sky was full of stars. Jake shivered in his shirtsleeves. If it hadn’t been unseasonably cold, he mightn’t even see the faint twinkling that greeted him as he stared up. Some time ago, on a trip to a less populated coast, he’d seen a shooting star. Jake had made a wish then. It hadn’t come true yet, but he held onto the hope that one day it would.

He closed the big glass doors, and locked them before pulling the pale gray, vertical blinds. He was ready to go out into the city. All he needed was his jacket and the usual stuff he stashed in his pocket. The working week had drained him, but he needed to go to the club he frequented. With any luck, the lovely girl he’d noticed there would arrive again.

Jake drove to the Candy Apple and found a park in the lot they provided. There was no valet parking there. The Candy Apple was a semi-secretive place. Once a gentlemen’s club, the building ranged over four floors, though the basement floor wasn’t generally obvious, Jake knew about it. The exterior was verging on vintage, but an incredibly bright awning festooned the entry and extended to the wide first floor window where the coffee bar was situated. Over the top of the awning and around the shallow porch, shocking pink and white neon lights cast their glow onto the sidewalk. The steps leading to the front door shimmered under these lights and when it rained had the appearance of a surreal waterfall. No one entered the club unless they were a member. It seemed that introduction by a current member was the only way to join.

Jake strode along the white paved path leading from the parking lot and that joined the main street sidewalk. He ran up the short stoop of the club building, and met the security on the door. They knew him, but glanced at his membership card anyway.

“Good evening, Sir.”

He grinned at them. “Hi, is the place busy?”

“Not yet. Have a pleasant night.”

He smiled as he took the wide hall that led into the low-lit main room.

Jake sank gratefully onto the couch and stretched out his long legs. He leaned against the sumptuous, leather backrest to wait for midnight. His heartbeat practically matched the low thump of bass in the dance music seeping from the adjacent room. A sudden burst of the melody assailed his ears as the door opened and someone came through. He avoided the glance of the solitary man who passed him and studied the toes of his boots considering Ellie.

For the last five weeks, each Saturday night, Jake had watched her arrive at the club around twelve, sit quietly at one of the tables for an hour, and then leave. Initially, she’d been introduced to the place by a couple who were long-term members of the elite sex club—the Candy Apple. As far as Jake knew she hadn’t hooked up with anyone, and that intrigued him. He’d heard that she was looking for a Dom, but it appeared no one here appealed to her, because he’d seen her decline advances repeatedly. All the same, that rumor had stopped him approaching her so far.
Maybe she’s not looking for a Dom at all, which would be good. Maybe she just needs the right guy to approach her...

He thought about her lovely face and the way her long hair caressed her bare shoulders as she sat at the table as if waiting. She always wore such clingy dresses it was easy to see the shape of her body. He’d watched as she walked, savored the gentle curve of her hips, licked his lips at the sight of her peaked nipples in the air-conditioned room. His fingers itched to roll those peaks. He ached to kiss her pretty mouth.

Jake greeted a small group of people who arrived and said hello. He’d been a club member for almost three years and knew most people. Six months ago he’d split with his longtime girlfriend, who’d introduced him to the club. It wasn’t a comfortable split. Nasty things had happened. He wanted to forget it. She had someone new from across town and they didn’t use the Candy Apple. He was happy about that, because he’d proved his integrity and sincerity to the club owners and couldn’t face giving up his membership in favor of haunting dance clubs and singles bars.

Jake hoped to find someone eventually to take care of, to give them what they needed, to cherish. He’d missed out on love, rode the crushing sadness of a broken heart, but deep down he still wanted love, even though he fooled himself with platitudes such as,
I’ll never fall for anyone again. It will only be sex from now on.
He didn’t acknowledge it, but the desire to be loved drove him.

The sight of Ellie each weekend fed these delusions about his needs. He thought of her when he couldn’t sleep, picturing her slender thighs, and how he would pull her legs wide apart, and suck her clit until she orgasmed begging for more. He’d give her more. He’d give her so much she’d
crave
his touch. Jake wanted her molded against him, asking him to fuck her. He imagined winding the length of her pretty hair around his hand and pulling her face to his kiss. He planned how he’d strip her, cover her in kisses, and make her wait for his fingers in her pussy, so that when he finger fucked her, the pleasure would be exquisite. Jake teased himself with thoughts of having her writhing with pleasure under him until his cock and his stomach ached. He’d masturbate then, coming so hard his cum spurted high up his chest.

He wanted Ellie so much it scared him. He wanted her to need and trust him, to let him give her the sex she must want since she frequented Candy Apple
,
a sex club. He knew he’d become obsessed with her.
It’s because she’s a mystery.
Tonight he was going to approach her. He’d waited long enough.

A couple he knew passed him on their way to a private room. Jake nodded in a silent greeting. The aroma of coffee filled his head as the door to the small café in the club swung open—and she was there. The light from behind her displayed the delightful contours of her body beneath the scrap of fabric that was her dress. Her long nut-brown hair shone pale in the glow before the door closed behind her.

She passed him as she went to the small area where a number of tables were arranged.

He savored the sight of her shapely thighs as her dress swished high around them when she walked. He imagined stroking along each thigh to the curve of her ass. He wondered if she liked toys. He could show her how to reach such heights of pleasure with a vibrator buzzing on her lubed clit.
What is she waiting for
, he asked himself, as he glanced her way and saw her take a seat at a table.

He knew that sometimes she’d watch as other couples used the area to pet, to kiss, to ready each other for fucking.
Maybe she’s a voyeur.
The sex club accommodated many sexual practices. Swingers and couples simply looking to spice up their relationship used the place as well as those people rigidly following a lifestyle.
They
accessed the special rooms in the dungeon of the club, a place Jake had never been. He wasn’t a member of the Candy Apple
Dungeon.

The club was filling up as Jake waited. One of the owners opened the doors to the dance floor and secured them with metal hooks in the eyelets attached to the wall. A series of still photographs were projected onto the huge white wall on one side of the room. They were pretty and sexy shots of pouting lips, bare asses, stocking tops, with the occasional soft porn pose thrown in to add an element of sexual surprise.

Jake stood and walked to where Ellie sat.

Chapter Two

Jake pulled out a free chair to sit directly in front of Ellie.

“Hi, I’m Jake. I see you here every weekend. Why do you come to the Candy Apple?” He saw surprise in her eyes.

“What’s it to you?” She prickled, and tried to move her chair.

Jake had his feet either side of the chair legs. He’d trapped her there. He laughed at her. “I’m intrigued. Why come here just to sit for an hour alone week after week? Come on tell me. Be brave.”

She looked down at her hands, clasping them on her lap. “I’m looking for something. I don’t know what it is.”

Jake instinctively knew this was the truth. “Why here in a sex club?”

She shrugged and looked into his eyes. “There’s no pretense. People are here for sex.”

A shock of desire flowed over Jake. “Are you here for sex?”

She didn’t answer. She looked away.

Jake wasn’t letting her off that easy. He held her chin and slowly pulled her head around so that he looked into her eyes. “
Are
you
, Ellie?”

She tried to shake off his hand. “How do you know my name?”

He took a deep breath. “I made it my business to know. Answer my question.”

“I don’t know. I’ve already told you that.” Her tone held defiance.

Jake let go of her jaw. Her air of vulnerability intrigued him.
Is she a sub?
Something about the way she bowed her head and shoulders made him try to trick what he thought was the truth from her. “A beautiful girl like you could go to any club, an ordinary dance club, a bar. Guys would fall over themselves to take you home to bed. Why do you really come here? What’s your safeword?”

She cringed.

A frown creased between his eyes. Concern overcame his need to have her answer him. There was only one reason she would wince like that. She’d been hurt and not in a way she wanted or enjoyed. He drew back and watched her intently for a moment. Her hands were shaking. He hadn’t noticed that and inwardly he rebuked himself for his inattention. He put a hand over hers. “Hey, don’t be afraid. I’m sorry. Maybe you need someone to help you discover what it is you’re looking for. Someone you can trust.”

She wouldn’t look at him. “Friends told me about this place. I joined and it feels safe. I could say ‘yes’ here and there’d be someone listening, watching out for me.”

Jake traced a finger gently down her cheek. “I understand that. You’ve been brave already tonight. Try to be brave again. Do you have a safeword?” He couldn’t shake the idea she was a sub even though that would put her out of his reach.

Ellie shook her head. “Not any more.” Her voice was a whisper.

The urge to drag her into his arms and comfort her hit him hard. He ran his fingers along her bare shoulders and saw goose bumps raise where he’d traced. He wasn’t able to give a sub what they needed, but maybe she wasn’t one anyway.

She finally gazed into his eyes.

Jake saw desire and it forced his hand. He
just had
to kiss her. “I’m going to kiss you now.” He took her face in his hands and brought his mouth to hers. He half expected her to fight him off. He would have stopped kissing her if she had, but she didn’t. He kissed her gently until she started to respond.

She brought her hands up around his neck and clung to him. She kissed him hungrily.

Jake’s stomach clenched. His cock stirred. He kissed her hard as she murmured incoherently. When he finally broke away, he rested his forehead on hers to whisper.

“You
are
here for sex. There was real desire in that kiss. I can give you what you need. I’d like to. Trust me, even if it’s just for tonight.”

She didn’t draw away from him, but she whispered, “I don’t want to be a sub.”

A smile wreathed his face as he considered that. “Well then, just be yourself. Do you want to go to a private room with me?” He couldn’t let her leave. He knew he pushed, but he ached to possess her. He could give her what she needed. She didn’t have to be a sub for him to take care of her. “I’m not looking for a sub.”

“Will you let me go if I get scared?” Her tone betrayed her desire.

She wants to be with me but she’s so afraid.
I shouldn’t do this.
“Of course.” His words just fell from his mouth as his need to be with her overrode the thought. He stood and held out his hand to her. He hoped there was a private room free. It was early in club terms so there probably would be.

Her whisper made him pause. “I want surveillance—audio and visual. I promised myself I’d get to know someone at least a little before I did this sort of thing.”

There was no such thing as true privacy in the club. He’d had to sign a few forms agreeing to that safety aspect of Candy Apple
.
For her part, the owner promised discretion and confidentiality. Jake had shrugged. It was only sex … well, the ordinary stuff he’d engage in anyway, Jake thought, as he fleetingly imagined what might happen in the Candy Apple
Dungeon
.

He answered Ellie with information he hoped would settle her nerves.

“It’s already on in all the rooms. I won’t adjust any settings. It’s my policy to be seen and heard. It sounds as if you’ve had a bad experience, but you’re not the only one.”

She gazed up into his eyes. “What was it? Your bad experience,” she qualified, as he stared at her wishing he’d not mentioned anything of the kind.

Jake sighed heavily. “Seriously, I’d rather not talk about it just yet. We can stay here if you’d prefer.” He hoped she wouldn’t want that. It had been a number of weeks since Jake had sex. No one had attracted him since he’d set eyes on Ellie.

“I’ll go to a room with you.” She put her small hand in his and let him lead her.

Halfway there he stopped and picked her up. She kissed under his jaw and nestled against his chest. Her instant affection nearly drove him to his knees and his cock jerked. He knew he needed to go slow for her and any way taking his time heightened his senses. Already, every nerve in his body throbbed with sexual anticipation. He set her down on her feet and opened the door of the second room along the corridor that had a vacant sign showing. He led her inside and closed the door.

She stood with her head bent a step away from him.

Jake went to her and scooped her up into his arms. His hand slid under her ass and contacted bare skin so soft, tingles shot through his balls. He strode to one of the long padded benches and sat with her on his lap. He slid his hand between her legs as he kissed her. Her panties were damp.
She’s already wet for me.

He murmured against her mouth. “Let’s get you out of this dress. I want you naked on my lap. I’ll give you what you ask for. Tonight is about you finding out what you need.”

She radiated sexuality. She pressed against him. “I need to … to come.” She pushed her pussy onto his hand as he stroked her mound through the lace panties.

He wanted to make her come hard and fast … to show her he was sincere … to capture her affection. He held her waist and helped her stand. He unzipped her filmy dress and let it drop to the floor in a shimmer of fabric. He pulled her panties down to her ankles and she stepped out of them. She wore no bra and she stood naked before him except for her shoes.

Jake smiled at her calmly, but his heart raced at the sight of her. His cock hardened, but he held onto his composure. “You must tell me if you want me to stop. I want you to feel safe. I’m not a predator. I need you to want me, too.”

“I’ll ask you to stop if I need to. I need to come. Is that okay?”

She was more confident and it made Jake smile again. The desire to be more to her swept over him. He already enjoyed her so much.

Jake’s cock bulged in the front of his suit pants. He took off his jacket and threw it to one side of the bench. He rolled up his sleeves and reached for her. “It’s perfect.”