Get Off Easy (Noble House, #1) (15 page)

“Ready?”

She attempted to not appear too eager as Saint waved the tickets under her nose, but the way he smiled pleasingly, she knew she’d failed. They strolled through the large museum hand in hand, discovering new galleries that Grae couldn’t bear to rush through. Saint seemed perfectly content adopting her pace, answering questions she had that the information placards didn’t contain.

“How many times have you been here?”

“More than enough that I’m not willing to embarrass myself by telling you the number.” He pointed to the end of a long hallway they were standing in. “But I will say the section we’re coming up to is one of my favorites.”

A loud roar sounded just as they stepped around the dividing wall. A large group of children clapped as the roaring noise grew louder. A swirling vortex ribboned through a clear enclosure that stood at least three stories tall. The museum worker positioned nearby smiled as he was encouraged by the children’s pleas to crank up the velocity of the churning winds.

Grae found herself drawn to the case, sharing the crowd’s enthusiasm for what was happening. “It’s gorgeous.”

“It is. They’re trying to show the science behind the technology the storm chasers in the Midwest are using to get better data on what they risk their lives studying. The kids get an impressive display without realizing they’re learning.”

Grae thought about the movies made depicting the high-risk profession. Working on such a movie that required complex computer graphics. “I don’t think I could do that. Chase storms.”

“Sounds good in theory. But, yeah, wouldn’t catch me out there. I’ll stick to the science of submission.” Saint winked as he tangled his fingers with hers, and they continued exploring.

Grae waited until they were alone again, in a hall depicting the mechanics of artificial limbs. Certainly not as showy as the tornado display, but no less interesting. “How did you get into this anyway? Not the technology. That I understand. You were rarely without a computer all through college. So no real surprise there. I meant the lifestyle.”

As they passed a row of tall windows, sunlight flashed in Saint’s absorbing eyes. “Orgasms?” He chuckled at her wry smile. “The choice wasn’t the easiest thing to come to terms with. Luckily, I was in the relationship with someone who was willing to explore and learn with me. I didn’t know how to handle what I kept wanting or thinking about. For a long time, I kept it to myself because I was afraid of what Boyce would think about my desires.”

He gestured through the entrance doors, and they made their way across the street to a park. They wove their way through the trees to a row of carts where vendors were selling food. Saint bought sandwiches and drinks before guiding her to a picnic table tucked away in a circle of trees where they had some privacy.

“My thoughts were...
are
dangerous. If it was dirty, kinky, messy or naughty...I wanted it.” Saint shrugged. “When I finally found the courage to talk with Boyce, I learned he had some of the exact same thoughts. It wasn’t perfect, and we stumbled a few times along the way. But we found a stride we make work for us.”

Grae had wondered. “So the whole switching deal between you two isn’t an act?”

“No.” It wasn’t the first time someone had asked. “Alternating between Dominant and submissive suits our needs. And helps us better understand what the other person is feeling in any given scene. It’s not a choice that is right for everyone. Most people feel they have to identify as Dominant
or
submissive.”

They’d certainly found a way to make it work for them. Spectacularly so.

Saint leaned closer to brush his mouth against her cheek. “But it certainly seems to work for you. Doesn’t it, angel? You are submissive to your core.” When she turned her head to answer, he captured her mouth. His lips were hard and soft at the same time. She opened for him, sighing as his tongue slipped into her mouth like luscious silk, sliding against hers, over and over, her core pulsing and aching. Needing.

Lord, this man could
kiss
.

If she hadn’t been wet before, she was soaked now.

When she’d started out on this little spontaneous adventure to Northern California, she hadn’t been prepared for the rush of emotions. Whenever she’d been at home, watching a scene with Saint and Boyce, she’d assumed her reaction was because she’d been recalling the passionate night they’d shared. That she longed to relive their very heated, very satisfying night.

This was all becoming so much more than she’d bargained for.

Saint broke away, sharing the heated air of their quick breaths for a few seconds before speaking. “Come to Noble House tomorrow, Grae. Let me put you on display. Share you. Show you off.”

The compelling, husky tone of his requests made her want to curl into him with every fiber of her being. Almost...except for the part filled with fear. If she sucked up her courage, went to the club and allowed herself to be displayed before all the cameras...
gah
.

The thought made her stomach ache.

“Look at me,” Saint demanded quietly, a dominant edge to his tone. If he’d told her to kneel, right here in the middle of the park, she’d have gone right down. Without hesitation. The idea caused a small panic in her gut. Submitting to Saint and Boyce came so easy. Almost...too easy. Saint brushed his thumb against the pulse point in her wrist. “You know you’re in good hands, right?” She bit her lip as she nodded. “Need to get out of your head, baby. Just let it all go. End up your own worst enemy if you keep this up.”

“Believe me, I’ve tried.” Saint leaned in close, the faint scent of the woodsy cologne Boyce wore wafting over her. Despite her apprehension about his chosen topic, she smiled. He smelled so good. The combined scents of Saint plus Boyce reminded her how much she wanted from these men.

Saint cupped her face, his gaze steady, those vibrant clear green eyes assessing. Commanding, yet loving. She wanted more than anything else to belong to him. To them.
Oh, my, yes.
She shivered at the thought.

“Is that why you’ve never been at any club for longer than a few months?”

The glow that had been spreading through her vanished. “Should have known you’d look through my files.”

“It’s my responsibility to.”

Grae should have appreciated the fact Saint was so thorough, but her annoyance was too riled up. “What else did those notes say?”

He gripped her chin in his strong fingers, forcing her gaze to arrow in on him. A clear signal he was the one in charge. Inarguably. Utterly. He said quietly, “Avoiding my question isn’t going to negate the need to answer.”

She couldn’t stop the trembling shudder that rippled through her.
Damn it
. She couldn’t understand why this was happening so damn fast, or how. This man scared her while making her burn. Accepting the offer to scene at the club was one thing, but Saint wanted to get inside her head and find out what made her tick.

Maybe she’d been wrong and they weren’t looking for friendship with a heaping helping of sex.

“Grae,” Saint muttered sternly.

Fine
. “The other clubs were good enough. Just...not the right fit. I wasn’t going to join Noble House, but the concept of a hybrid club appealed to me.”

“I’m glad you found a place that suits. And I’m glad you decided to let Boyce and I know you were around.” He touched her cheek, nose, chin, caressing her as he smiled. “I still want to show you off to everyone.”

She longed to experience the amazing sensation of being at their mercy before hundreds...maybe thousands of gazes. All watching the beauty of the men working together with a submissive. If she was still at home, she would be all over that scene. If she thought too much about the fact she would be the submissive in the scene...well, she just wouldn’t.

She needed more. Needed them.

And if in front of an audience was how she got them, however briefly, she’d take it.

“All right.” Grae gathered her courage, and jumped. It was time. “I’ll come to the club for a public scene.”

I
shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t be doing this.

Even as Grae repeated those words over and over in a head, she handed her card to the bouncer smiling at her. Those damn words had kept her awake nearly every night since the trip to the museum. But here she was, front and center, at the entrance to Noble House.

Again.

The days since her scene with the men had been nothing short of incredible.

She’d spent time with the two men doing the most ordinary things. Dinner at a cool, casual bistro. A picnic in the park across the street from their place. For Pete’s sake, she’d even gone grocery shopping with them. The most mundane of all tasks.

Normal.

And it had been wonderful.

Just like the kiss Saint had branded her with in the park. Their date. She’d spent time with the men alone during college, obviously, but the trip to the tech museum had been the first chance she’d gotten to spend with Saint by himself since she’d thrown caution to the wind.

As much as she adored being with the men together, she loved getting to know Saint on his own. Seeing the kind of man he’d become. Hearing about the business he’d started from nothing because he was tired of generating money for someone else.

When he’d asked her to come to Noble House tonight, she’d been unable to resist that charming smile. Those mesmerizing eyes. So here she was, cinched up tightly in a deep-green corset that Asha had helped lace her into. Grae couldn’t breathe, but the tight nip in her waist made her feel soft and feminine.

Grae couldn’t put her finger on it, but something about the two men made her want to spend time fussing with her hair, clothes, and makeup. She wasn’t normally the type of woman who got dolled up, but Grae suspected it also had something to do with the club. With the men. She’d always enjoyed wearing outfits during play that she wouldn’t normally consider. As though pretty bras, lacy panties, and boned corsets allowed her to strip away who she was on a daily basis. Even for the date with Saint, she’d chosen an outfit she’d bought and promptly stuck in the back of her closet when she’d gotten home.

As Grae stepped into the lounge area, nodding to some members she recognized from the Keep, she spotted Boyce. His mouth curved up into a grin as she approached where he sat on the far side of the elevated bar. Fruit juice, energy drinks, electrolyte-infused concoctions, and coffee were the only things served at Noble House. It was one of the aspects that had attracted her to the club long before she’d forked over her personal information, limit list, and dues.

Clearer heads prevailed during scenes. She’d rather experience the haze of subspace from a well-trained Dom than take the edge off with a few glasses of liquor.

“Have a rough day?”

“I look that bad, huh?” In truth, despite the way she’d prepped for the night, events earlier in the day wouldn’t allow her to relax. Despite her argument the day before, the producer was still convinced his scene change was the direction to go. And he wasn’t happy with the decisions the director had made in regard to the promotional images she’d been working on. The studio bosses had assured her that while her work was stellar, the cut wasn’t the mood they were looking for.

A summer blockbuster release wouldn’t be treated the same as a Christmas release. Even though she’d delivered the tone they’d requested. Though it meant she would be able to charge them a bit more for her billable hours, especially because they wanted a rush date. But it also meant she needed to get back home to her office. The standard laptop she’d brought on this impromptu trip wouldn’t cut it if she needed to retool everything.

It was set up with the basics such as email and internet. Not her complicated, and very large, graphic programs. She’d need something beefier to handle that.

“Where’s Saint?” Boyce gestured over his shoulder to an elaborate pair of doors. The sign hanging over the frame confirmed her fears. “Court?” Which meant, if she decided to scene with them tonight in hopes of getting what she desired the most, she’d have to be in front of all those cameras.

Saint had said that was exactly what he intended to do, but once again, knowing made it far, far more real and frightening. Suddenly the tightness of her corset wasn’t sexy. Her breathing felt labored and shallow.

Still...though she was concerned about the attention, she was mildly curious how everyone went about ignoring the presence of the cameras. Wasn’t it distracting?

The knot of worry in her gut grew heavy.

Were her desires that important?

Were the men that important?

“Grae?”

“Sorry.” She shook her head in an effort to remove the fog. “Off in my own little world apparently.”

“I can see that.” Boyce leaned closer. Charisma flowed off him in waves. It wasn’t something he did intentionally. It was just a natural part of his makeup. Grae found it hard not to be attracted to him despite her worry for the scene that was about to take place. Whatever had clicked years ago between them had been reawakened. The potency of the connection made her dizzy. Sweaty. Highly stimulated. “Scared?”