Emerald Dungeon (3 page)

“The job is still mine through the end of August?” There was something about Jack

that was very appealing—the easy way he talked, the spark in his eyes. In his emails

he’d mentioned he wasn’t married, but didn’t say if he had a girlfriend. Their chats had occasionally gotten a little personal, but mostly they were business friendly. She

glanced at his left hand and confirmed he wasn’t wearing a wedding ring. Not that all men wore wedding bands.

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He smiled and she wondered if he caught her checking him out. Her heart gave a

little leap. She didn’t believe in love at first sight but she did believe in instant attraction. Either the man was charismatic or her hormones were strung out after the

bizarre scene she just witnessed.

“Yes, through August.” He looked over her shoulder, and she spun around to see

what he was looking at.

Had the man in the robe finally come out?

“Someone with you?” he asked.

She shook her head. “No, no. Just looking around the castle.”

“Ah, ’tis quite a fine, old place. I can show you now if you like.”

“No!”

He grinned. “Another time, perhaps.”

“Yes, thanks. I should get to my cottage and unpack. I thought I’d drive into town

for groceries then take a walk in the forest.” She didn’t want to ask for her harp now.

Mr. Donegal said it was in the castle.

“Lots of bogs in the forest behind the cottages. Careful if you decide to go on that

walk. Stay on the trails.”

“Thanks for the tip,” she said with a hint of sarcasm. Did they think she was from

the city and never took a walk in the woods?

“You’ll be wanting your harp?” he asked.

Dana panicked. She wanted to say yes, but she didn’t want to go back inside the

castle.

“I’ll bring it to you. It’s in my cottage.”

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After Jack brought Dana’s harp to her cottage, he drove into town to work at the

store. Later, as he crossed the meadow toward home, haunting harp music drifted from

Dana’s place. The melody he recognized as one of the songs from the show. Standing

now on the gravel walkway in front of her porch, he was mesmerized by the smooth

precision of her music and the sensual flow of the notes. An accomplished player, not an amateur.

She was as beautiful as her music. She should be performing in a large symphony

orchestra, not a small medieval dinner show.

While he listened, the stress of the afternoon eased from his shoulders. It had been a disappointing day. Another loan application turned down. He was running out of

options. The thought of returning to his old job in the wool mills wasn’t appealing. The last seven years he’d been running his uncle’s store, pulled it out of near bankruptcy and now his uncle planned to sell it. The money from the sale would be his uncle’s

retirement. If Jack was the new owner, his uncle could continue working part-time. But if Jack couldn’t get a loan to buy the store, his uncle would be forced to look for another buyer and would lose his part-time job. His uncle couldn’t afford to hold a loan for Jack.

The music stopped and Jack found himself holding his breath. Was his private

concert over? Why would she come all the way to Ireland for a summer job? Nothing in

their emails had given him a clue as to why.

The music began again, a difficult classical piece for as much as he knew about

music, not part of the show. He was a singer, not a musician. Closing his eyes, he got lost in his private performance. His mind wandered and easily imagined Dana playing

the harp naked, then incorporating a pattern of rope bondage for that scene, allowing only her hands and arms free to play.

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Someone who was that skilled at an instrument had to be regimented and

disciplined. A master of her harp, had she ever allowed anyone to be her Master in the bedroom?

Dana reminded him of a sub he once knew at the club Unfettered. Usually focused

and in control in her normal life, but under the careful attentions of a Dom, she would surrender to her sensual side and completely let go. During their many chats online, he wondered if Dana had picked up on his Dom nature. At first emails were business

related, discussing the dinner show and where she’d be living, then progressed to

friendly teasing and a little suggestive chat.

His cock hungered for the opportunity to train a sub, to have her surrender her

physical self to him. There was something very enticing about bringing a novice into the lifestyle. She’d either be curious enough to ease into it or be scared off. Jack couldn’t deny who he was—a sexual Dominant looking for a woman willing to take on the role

as his submissive.

Unfortunately, the troupe couldn’t afford to be without a harpist. His priority was

to help Donegal, the owner, find a temporary harpist, to replace Jane while she had her babe, not find a new slave for himself. The summer was their busiest season and he

didn’t have time to hire and train someone new.

“Taking a nap are you, Jack?”

Jack shook himself out of his musing, opened his eyes and looked at Damon. The

fellow troupe member and friend studied him with devilish dark eyes.

“Nah, listening to the new girl play. She’s good, isn’t she?” Jack answered.

Damon, the violinist, tilted his head toward Dana’s cottage. His long dark hair was

damp, and a large duffle was slung over his shoulder. “Yeah, she is. Is she coming to the meeting tonight? She needs to get her costume,” Damon said.

“I don’t know. She didn’t say.”

“You met her then. Is she cute?”

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“Very.” Jack couldn’t stop himself from smiling.

“Ah Jack. I know that look. You’ll be wanting to tie her up and do unmentionable

things to her.” Damon narrowed his eyes. “But don’t scare her off now. We need a

harpist for the summer.”

“I know,” Jack groaned. He could listen to her play all day.

“You could go to Unfettered and find a willing lady.”

Jack shrugged. “For the night, yes, but I want more. A woman in my life, not just a

one-night partner. I’d like what you and Shannon have.”

Damon nodded. “I understand. Shannon and I are going to get something to eat

before the meeting. Want to join us?”

“I’ll pass, thanks. I think I’ll check on the harpist.” He gave Damon a wink.

* * * * *

“Dinner?” Jack asked, an easy smile greeting her at the opened doorway to her

cottage.

“Jack! Hi.” Dana’s stomach gave a bit of a flutter. She knew he was probably

looking at her opened suitcases with clothes piled all over the bed. Once she’d had her harp, she’d given up unpacking to practice. It’d been over two weeks since she’d

played. Usually if she went more than a day she started climbing the walls. “What?”

Sometimes when she played her harp she’d get so disconnected from the world. It took

her a second to understand what he was asking. “A little early for dinner, isn’t it? I was going to find a market in town for groceries. I can cook something here.”

His eyebrows rose. “It’s twenty minutes to town. I doubt you’ll have time.”

“I have all afternoon.” She checked her watch. It was nearly five p.m. “Oh my God.

I was playing for four hours.” She suddenly realized she was hungry. “I guess I’ll have to go after the meeting.”

Jack shook his head. “Bet you didn’t have lunch either.”

She didn’t answer.

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“Follow me,” he ordered, walking off her porch, not waiting for her to answer.

“Hang on, let me get my sweatshirt.” Dana sorted through the clothes on her bed

and found her sweatshirt and put it on. She slipped the room key in her pocket and felt a piece of paper. Her grocery list? She pulled out the paper but it was a business card.

On a crisp white card was typed in black ink: 1-800-DOM-help. Weird. She didn’t

remember anyone giving her a business card. She turned it over and nothing was

written on the back. The idea that someone must’ve slipped it in her pocket was

unsettling and a little annoying.

“Dana?” Jack called from her porch.

“Coming.” She ripped up the card and tossed it in the trash, then rushed out of her

cottage. “Where are we going?” she asked Jack.

He didn’t answer and kept walking. She hesitated for a moment then decided to see

what he had in mind. Jack had to go to the meeting too. Maybe he knew a local place

where she could get a quick bite. Grabbing her purse, she closed and locked her door, then ran to catch up to him.

“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?”

“Jack’s place.”

“And why are we going to your place?” she asked. He gave her a sexy grin and her

pulse kicked up a few beats. The sexy voice she remembered hearing on the phone

certainly matched the rugged good looks of the man before her. Following him gave her a nice view of him from the back, from wide shoulders, to the tight ass in snug jeans to boots.

He glanced over his shoulder and shot her a dark look from blue-gray eyes. “Trust

me.” His smile was warm and sensual. His cottage had the same layout as hers—the

kitchenette was at the front of the cottage, the bed with a red patterned duvet and a loveseat in the back. It was neat and organized except for several boxes stacked in one corner, a laptop computer on the small dining table and a bicycle propped against a

wall. A wide window overlooked the forest behind the cottages.

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In the kitchenette, he took out pots and pans, sliced brown bread and removed an

enormous amount of food from the refrigerator.

“I don’t want you to go to any trouble,” she said.

“Soup and sandwich is no trouble. It’s dinner. Have a seat. It won’t take long. But

this kitchen is too small for two people.” He handed her silverware and pointed to one of two chairs at the small dining table.

“Thanks, Jack.”

After he finished cooking their meal, he brought out bowls of steamy vegetable

soup with warmed roast beef and melted cheese sandwiches. The creamed soup was

flavored with herbs and the bread tasted homemade. “Good?” he asked.

“This is great. You didn’t bake the bread, did you?”

He laughed. “No. I’ll take you to the market in the morning and show you around

town, including the bakery.”

“That’s really nice of you.” She glanced around his cottage. “How long have you

been doing the show?”

“Couple years. It’s a part-time job. I also manage my uncle’s store.”

“What do you sell?” She was devouring the soup and sandwich. Have to love a guy

who could cook.

“Woolens and leather goods.”

“I’ll have to stop by and check it out. I’m sure I could use a sweater in this weather.

Ireland’s summers are cooler than I’m used to.” Something about the way the man was

looking at her made her squirm in her seat. Not in a bad way. He had the most

gorgeous blue eyes, sensual, intense but at the same time calming. “Not the season for leather though. Too warm and too much rain.”

Jack smiled. “Leather never goes out of season.” The look he gave her spread heat

and longing through her. It was a very bad idea to get involved with someone

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considering she was going to leave in three months. “Leather goods provide our largest sales in the summer.” His voice lowered. “Some of our clientele have special requests.”

The way he said it made her feel strangely aroused. Her nipples tingled and

hardened and her pussy throbbed. “Should I ask?”

He shrugged. “Fetish wear and bondage equipment. More soup?” He got up and

spooned another serving of soup into his bowl.

She swallowed. “No, thanks. I’ve had enough.”

His gaze locked with hers as if he was testing her, waiting to see if she’d react to the comment about leather goods. This reminded her of a business deal. Was he playing

games with her? If he was, she wasn’t going to let him rile her. “Interesting. And what’s your best-selling SM device?”

Smiling he said, “Floggers, then various restraints. A lot of people enjoy pain.”

“Mmmm.” She said it in a tone as if they were talking about the weather or a

favorite movie.

“What do know of the SM scene?” He was serious, the teasing tone gone.

She took in a breath. Images of the couple in the castle’s dungeon flashed in her

mind. Heat flowed through her like warmed honey. Her pussy felt wet and achy. “Not

a lot. I read some about it. Curious, I guess.”

He smiled. “Fantasized then?”

She choked on the last spoonful of soup. “Wow, this conversation got personal.

From groceries to bondage to sexual fantasies.” Her voice was shaking and her whole

body was on fire. Exhilarated by the topic, she pressed her thighs together as her pussy clenched and pulsed. Damn, this man had her worked up now, and she’d only just met

him. “Why didn’t you mention this in your emails?”

“You mean about working in a store?”

She laughed nervously. “I mean about the SM products you sell.”

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He shrugged. “I didn’t want to scare you off. We needed a harpist and your cousin

highly recommended you.”

“I don’t scare too easily.” She smiled. God, was she flirting? Yes, she was flirting

and wasn’t he her coworker?

“What does scare you?” He shot her a self-satisfied grin.

Her mind went to the couple in the dungeon. Had they brought leather items from

Jack’s store? Was she scared by what she’d seen? Or intrigued? This time she shrugged.