Take a Chance (21 page)

“
Anything happening
tonight?” Steve asked. “Parking lot is heavy. What am I
missing?”

“
Most of the traffic is
through the bar. One of the regulars is hosting a birthday
party.”

Steve lifted his chin, his eyes going to
half-mast. “Didn’t know we did that. Are you sending
entertainment?”

Mark’s eyes were all for the new girl while
he answered. “I sent an email around for volunteers. Nothing
official, but I made the membership aware of the situation.”

Completely out of her domain, the woman’s
gaze wandered with no idea of protocol and Mark shifted his focus
to Dena. She should have clued the visitor in on the rules.

“
What exactly did you
suggest, my friend?” Steven Gladston looked like what he was,
former military with a tough streak a mile wide. He was the best
security man in the state and could smell trouble or its potential
from a mile away.

Dragging his eyes off the woman and back to
Steve, Mark caught the man’s eye then tipped his head at the
blonde. “Nothing too explicit. I don’t expect to get any new
members from the party goers, but a little glimpse might boost
attendance at the bar. As long as we don’t get raided, I’m okay
with whatever they want to do.”

Without turning his head, Steve said, “Dena,
introduce your guest.”

To her credit, the woman took one look at her
friend and realized she was out of compliance. Her eyes dropped and
her cheeks reddened.

“
Master Mark, please meet
Kellie Windsor.”

Mark moved closer to the girl and offered his
hand, making sure it was within her vision. Without lifting her
head, the woman grasped his hand. Soft and pliant, her fingers
closed around his for just a moment and he felt a hesitance in her
grasp. Was she nervous or afraid? He threw a quick glance at Dena,
sure she’d said this woman wanted to meet him. If this was some
sort of matchmaker setup for him, he had no desire to
participate.

Ms. Windsor’s chin lifted and he got a clear
look into her mindset when their eyes met. A hint of nervous energy
flickered, most likely from the club’s reputation. She wanted to be
here, but didn’t know what to expect. A subtle touch of defiance
shone in her eyes. Sure of herself, she didn’t plan to stay long
enough to submit to any man.

Interest turned his pilot light from low to
medium. He loved a challenge.

“
Perhaps we should get
acquainted in my office. I’d like to hear more about your project
before I agree to your research.”

Her head swiveled to Dena and she grabbed her
friend’s wrist but before Dena could comment, the young lady’s
shoulder’s squared and her eyes found his again.

“
I’m not sure how much you
know about the workings of Private Delights, so I’ll give you the
short version on the way to my office. Come.” He walked
away.

If she followed, good. If not, her loss.
She’d learn obedience or go home.

“
Participants are labeled as
dominants or submissives, also known as tops and bottoms. Most of
our members prefer to keep their membership private, so before we
wander into any of the public or private areas of the club, I’ll
need you to sign some paperwork. Just a standard nondisclosure
affidavit, along with a few other sub- clauses.”

He stopped to wait for the elevator and
looked at her, expecting a question or comment. Not so. The
hesitance he’d glimpsed was gone and curiosity flavored her
expression more than anything else.

“
What exactly do you expect
to get out of this meeting, Miss Windsor?”

The door opened and they entered the empty
car.

“
It would help me
considerably, allowing me to skip over issues that don’t interest
you or have no impact on your thesis.”

The door closed and he touched the up arrow.
There were two floors available within the main areas of the club.
The basement, reserved for premium members, was only accessible
through a secure elevator situated at the back of the second floor.
“May I call you Kellie?”

“
Sure.”

Without expression, he replied. “Good. You
may address me as Master or Master Mark while we are here in my
domain.”

Her priceless expression caused a heat bloom
in his chest. At first glance, she’d been timid and nervous but
without her friend’s backup, Kellie was stronger than the little
girl he’d expected. Still not quite the academic Dena had described
but much more pleasing to the eye and the senses.

The doors slid open and he stepped out of the
elevator ahead of her, knowing she’d be caught off guard. Common
courtesy wasn’t the same within the club.

Her first lesson would focus on rules and
procedures.

If she got that far.

The upstairs hall was wide enough to allow
four men to walk abreast, with luxurious patterned carpet one might
find in a high-end hotel and tasteful artwork on the walls. Kellie
soaked in the atmosphere and he let her. They were alone and he
wanted her to understand she wasn’t in a back room bordello or porn
palace. His members had high expectations and he stayed in business
by giving them what they wanted.

“
This way, Kellie.” He led
her into his office and closed the door behind her. “I think we’ll
begin on the sofa.” Mark took her elbow in hand, the first time
he’d touched her since they’d shaken hands, and the tingle in his
chest flared again.

He placed her at one end of the short sofa
and sat at the other end, close enough for their knees to touch if
they both turned sideways.

“
Tell me about this
project.” No use sugar coating her reason for being here. He wanted
to get to the crux of the thing, finish the discussion, and proceed
to his suggestions for her.

Kellie popped the clasp of her purse and
pulled out a slim notepad. “I’m researching human sexuality for my
thesis, and with the recent phenomena in the publishing world, I
wanted to focus on the whys and hows of dominance and submission.
I’ve read a few books on the subject—”

“
More than a few fictional
works, I hope?”

“
Umm, yes, of
course.”

“
What area do you wish to
explore, Kellie? Would you like to train as a submissive or as a
dominant? Though, to be honest, before working through Dom
training, you’d need to participate as a submissive first. A
successful Dom needs to have a firm grasp of the mindset and needs
of the submissive he works with.”

“
Oh. I didn’t want to
actually participate. I just have a few questions.”

“
Dena mentioned a tour of
the club, did she not?”

“
Yes, but if that’s not
possible, I understand.”

Damn it to hell, the woman was enchanting,
even with her shaking hands and the firm set to her mouth. For the
first time in a few years, he was excited about the prospect of
introducing a woman into his lifestyle. If Kellie Windsor had
enough inner strength to come here with her questions, she’d be a
hell of a submissive.

He retrieved the folder on his desk, along
with a pen, and brought them back to the sofa, settling close
enough for his thigh to rub against hers. Holding the sheaf of
papers in front of her, he pointed out the pertinent clauses while
observing her response to his proximity. Since he would be
responsible for her presence in the club, any sign of arousal would
be tracked. If Miss Windsor was oblivious to the atmosphere, he’d
leave her alone and let her do her little project and move on.

But if what she witnessed brought out a spark
of sensual interest, she’d be his. The decision was made in a split
second but he’d wait to act on it. He was in no rush to push her,
so he enjoyed the momentary contact, then pulled back. The instant
relaxation of her body lit another flare under his skin.

“
Are you willing to sign, or
would you prefer to have your attorney read through the document?”
he asked.

“
I don’t have a problem with
nondisclosure. I don’t plan to share any personal information
related to the people I see here. I’ll sign.”

Mark slipped his cell from a pocket and
pushed a button. A door opened and his personal assistant arrived,
pen and ledger in hand. Mildred had the woman officially cleared
and the document notarized in no time and promised to have a copy
prepared for Kellie before she left.

“
Now, I’m still not
completely sure what you hope to see here, but I think a tour of
the facilities might give you a better grasp of what goes on in my
establishment.” He stood, but didn’t offer his hand to help her to
her feet. “Before we leave this room, we need to discuss the
mandatory courtesy protocols. Since you’re not a member, you’ll
have some leeway while with me as escort, but it’s considered rude
to address a Dom without permission or to look him or her in the
eye.”

“
Her? There are women
dominants?”

“
Of course. Each person
takes on their own role and sometimes they switch back and forth
depending on their mood. If you become a member you’ll have the
same option.”

She muttered under her breath, nothing he
could make out.

“
I didn’t get that. Could
you repeat it?” he asked, damn sure she wouldn’t tell him what she
was thinking. He’d already filled her head with information she
hadn’t expected. “Will you follow these rules?”

“
And if I don’t?” she
asked.

“
There will be
consequences.”

“
What?”

“
Here, as in life, if you
break the rules, you’re punished. For today, I suggest you stick to
the rules and see where they take you. On your next visit, if there
is one, you might explore consequences.”

A noticeable shimmy rolled down her body and
Mark let his eyes follow the movement from the top of her head to
the waving edge of her skirt. He made a mental note to have Steve
thank Dena for her little gift. Showing Miss Kellie Windsor the
best of Private Delights would be the highlight of the night.

Kellie threw her shoulders back and
straightened her spine, wishing she had more control over her body
and its asinine response to his every insinuation. Master? Maybe
master of pain or master of illusion. If he showed her anything, it
would be how belittling his little house of horrors was to women.
She lowered her eyes and followed him back to the elevator.

“
We’ll start downstairs in
the common rooms. You may look at anything you like, anything that
interests you. If you have questions, feel free to ask. Remember.
Do not make eye contact with any of the doms unless they ask you to
look at them.”

Kellie nodded, avoiding the use of his title.
When the door opened, she waited for him to go first. From the
reception desk, he led her through a set of frosted glass doors and
into a space she hadn’t expected. A huge open concept room spread
out before her, thick eggplant carpet as far as she could see, with
rich green and ochre upholstered sofas scattered in subtle
groupings.

For one split second she thought she’d fallen
through a wormhole and into an elite country club. The attire of
the patrons, or lack thereof, clued her to the truth.

“
This is the primary meeting
room. Members often spend most of their time here, socializing with
other members or entertaining their partners.” Master Mark gestured
with his hand but didn’t touch her as he led her across the rug.
Soft classical music eased out of hidden speakers and tastefully
dressed waiters carried trays of appetizers and drinks.

Not what she’d imagined. He led her to a
seating area where her friends sat. Kellie blinked twice at the
sight of Dena on her knees between Steve’s size thirteen shoes. The
jacket her friend came in wearing had disappeared, leaving her in a
blouse and a short skirt. The modest top now acted as a jacket,
opened to Dena’s waist and showcasing her bare breasts.

Two other men sat nearby, one with a woman on
his lap, the other alone and sipping on a bottle of water. Dena
looked up at her for a minute, not a trace of embarrassment in her
face, and then focused all her attention on her man. Reluctantly,
Kellie kept her eyes on Dena instead of Steve, since she didn’t
want to get kicked out of the place too soon. When Steve stroked
Dena’s hair and cheek, the emotion in his caress took the air out
of Kellie’s chest. She’d seen them together before, but never with
the deep connection she witnessed now.

A warm hand on her back pulled her away from
the moment and Mark led her toward another group. Everywhere she
looked, men and women were talking, touching, and socializing with
friends. It was the epitome of a relaxed country club with the
exception of occasional nudity. After the third topless woman they
encountered, Kellie stopped noticing.

A dark voice flowed just above her head. “Not
what you expected is it? This isn’t a strip bar or a bordello. The
members aren’t dangerous or wild. They just prefer their sex a
little differently than the mainstream.”

“
Why are so many people just
sitting around?” she whispered.

“
There’s a certain sense of
anticipation that makes the sexual act more intense. The more a Dom
builds that anticipation, the better the release for both Dom and
submissive.”

He led her to an alcove filled with two
overstuffed chairs upholstered in dark green and canted together
with the arm rests meeting at the end. A slim triangular table had
been set into the gap between them, a bowl of wrapped mints placed
at the opposite end. A second glance changed her mind.