Hold Me Close (7 page)

"Thank you." Bonnie probably needed to offer her a tip at this point, but she had no cash in her purse at all. She wasn't good about using anything other than her debit card these days. "I'm sorry I don't have anything to offer you for a tip."

The woman smiled larger. "That's okay. I would have refused it anyway. Here on Eden, none of the staff accepts tips. We don't work that way. You are our guest and as such everything is taken care of for you."

Bonnie tried to hide her surprise. "Is there anything else I need to know about this Eden? This trip was kind of a surprise and I have no idea what I am supposed to be doing in a place like this."

The pilot opened her door and started to climb in. "Don't worry. Eden is all about figuring out what you need and providing it. Just relax and go with whatever happens." With that, the woman disappeared into the plane and a moment later the engine started up and she pulled away from the dock.

Bonnie was more confused than ever. What the hell did she mean Eden would figure it out? She thought Eden was the island not a person. She shrugged and turned away. It didn't matter. She needed a shower and a bed. That's all she really cared about now. Whatever happened after that, she'd deal.

Another woman greeted her at the end of the dock, loaded her bags onto the cart and off they went. This employee however was not chatty. Other than her obviously scripted welcome message she had little to say. Soft music played from the cart radio and they made the trip to the mansion in mostly silence. For the first time in several hours, Bonnie felt some of her muscles relax. She'd been in overload mode since finding out about this surprise trip Gabe had sprung on her, and now that she was back on firm terra forma, she was ready for this vacation she'd been promised. All she needed was a hot bath, a good book and about seven hours of sleep.

"We're here."

Bonnie roused herself from her thoughts and looked at the small cottage sitting in front of them. "But I thought—" She turned in the seat and saw the mansion now loomed behind them. She'd been so absorbed in her own thoughts, she'd not even realized they were bypassing the main house.

"Don't worry, ma'am. You'll find our cottages are as well thought out as any of the suites located in the castle. "The Master has left nothing off the list of possibilities and every guest’s stay will be more than they ever hoped for."

"The Master?" That certainly got her attention. Was this some sort of BDSM resort? That might have been the kind of information she would have liked to know in advance. Was this a working vacation for her? Damn Gabe and his cryptic note.

"Yes, the Master of the island is the creator of this spectacular haven. He is a man with incredible vision. I've never seen or worked anywhere like it. Trust me, you are going to love it here." The woman removed Bonnie's bags from the cart and pulled them behind her as she led Bonnie up the walkway to the front door. She entered a code at the door and then asked, "If you'll press your thumb to the screen here, you'll create your key-pass to the cottage and all other access doors on the island. Such as the main house, the gardens, the pool house and even the dungeon."

"The dungeon?"

"Yes, ma'am. This is a full service resort and you have access to anything and everything you'd like to do, including the activities at the dungeon."

After Bonnie touched her thumb to the pad, the attendant opened the door and walked inside. "For more complete information about the services available to you, be sure to check out the brochure on your dining table. If you think of something not on the list just let me know. You've had a long overnight trip, so I took the liberty of ordering you breakfast and anything else you need can be located in the master bathroom.

Bonnie perked up. Heck yeah. Shower. Finally.

“Thank you.”

“Here is my card. I will be your personal concierge for the duration of your stay. If any of our services interest you, please dial the number on the card from any of the house phones and I’ll take care of everything.”

Bonnie took the offered business card with the Eden logo and the name Michelle printed below it. “Wow. Okay. All I can think of right now is a bath and some sleep.”

“Of course. Let me get that started for you.” The woman disappeared into another room before Bonnie could stop her, leaving her standing alone in the magnificent space. The floor to ceiling windows to her left beckoned her and Bonnie walked over to them. The cottage sat on top of a small bluff, with the ocean not far below it. From this vantage point the water was breathtakingly blue and the sand looked like a soft fluffy white blanket she longed to walk on with bare feet. This was only the second time in her life she’d seen the ocean and she wanted to explore. Maybe later, after she’d recovered from her trip. With the position of the sun, she realized this view faced west and tonight she’d be able to watch the sun set over the water.

“Everything should be ready for you now.” The concierge headed towards the front door and Bonnie followed her out. “Please call me if you need anything.”

“Thank you, I will.”

With one last smile the woman turned and walked down the path to the golf cart they’d arrived in. When the cart disappeared through the trees, Bonnie finally turned back and headed into what she assumed had to be the master bedroom. The sight of the enormous king sized four-poster bed draped in a filmy pale pink material made her stop and gape. There were a dozen or more pillows all in soft shades of green or blue that made the whole area look like an oasis. Part of her wanted to jump in the middle of all that softness and sleep like the dead. But the part of her that wanted a hot bath won out. She reluctantly turned away and headed into the adjoining ensuite. The pure decadence continued in there. Shockingly white and as big as the bedroom her gaze didn't know where to land. Until she saw the big — no, huge — bathtub in the corner of the glass wall overlooking the ocean below.
 

Steam curled from the already running water and the surface softly roiled from the jets below the surface. She dropped her purse on the floor and immediately stripped her clothes. In her haste to leave the club she'd worn very little. A pair of capri pants, a bra and a black t-shirt emblazoned with Purgatory across the chest in fire red colored crystals.
 

Last was the old pair of Converse sneakers she kept in her locker to wear home every night instead of the impossibly high heels she wore in the club. If she wore those shoes on the city streets or even in the parking lot out to her car, someone would probably mistake her for a hooker.
 

She stepped into the steaming water and moaned. The heat sank to her bones and for the first time in too many hours to count she really started to relax. Maybe this whole vacation thing wasn't a bad idea after all. She sank to her butt and leaned against the built in pillow to cushion her head and neck. Her eyes rolled back in her head as the contours of the tub hugged her body. Oh yeah, she could definitely get used to this. Now if only she'd thought of bringing a book with her. Surely the concierge could scrounge up a book or two. Normally she'd have her ereader in her purse and no need to carry around any paperbacks. But she’d forgotten to charge it the night before, so she’d left it at home on her nightstand.

She shifted her feet and placed them in front of the two lowest jets at the far end of the tub. After first the sensations tickled and then when she adjusted, it began to feel like someone massaged her feet and legs. One of these bad babies would be perfect in her apartment. That thought made her laugh. A tub like this probably cost more than her rent for an entire year. Not to mention would it not only
not
fit in her bathroom but there wasn't a room in her tiny place that could handle something this big.

As the jets worked their magic on her entire body, her thoughts drifted back to Dex and the scene at Purgatory. She'd never experienced anything like him and she didn't know how to process it. Sex had been her one absolute no-no for the last several years and he’d been the one to break through it. Jim had understood her fears of that kind of intimacy and had never breached her limit.

Bonnie sighed. Dex didn’t just breach it, he steamrolled it and blew her mind. Now she wanted to do it again and maybe again after that. A huge grin spread across her face as she slipped under the water. For a few long seconds she floated under the surface and let the jets work over her muscles. The force of water stung in some of her more sore spots, while others felt divine. When she shifted to surface one of the jets hit between her legs and Bonnie jerked upward, gasping. Masturbation had become such a regular part of her life over the years she had no idea why this felt different but it did.

Her hyper aware cells fired to life and blood rushed to her sex. Feeling more than a little naughty, Bonnie lifted her legs and scooted closer to the jet until the water pounded against her perfectly. With the sensation building in her core, her mind forced her back to the scene with Dex. The entire thing had happened in both fast and slow motion and many of the details had been lost in pleasure. But one thing she’d never be able to forget was the look of fierce lust stamped across Dex’s face. When he’d stood away from her and removed his clothes it felt as if her heart had stopped beating. Tattoos covered nearly every inch of him, emphasizing all of his glorious muscles. He’d grasped his cock and pumped it a few times before pinching the head and rubbing the moisture into his skin.
 

Bonnie couldn’t contain the strangled cry at the memory. With every fiber she’d wanted to be the one capturing that drop. And for the first time in her life she wanted something real inside her. A vibrator easily got her off but it never created the longing she’d felt in that moment. She shoved forward and cried out when the water pulsed against her clit. Not quite the same as Dex filling her, but it was no longer hard to imagine him between her legs, commanding her to ask for what she wanted.

In a way he’d forced her to acquiesce and yet he hadn’t. He’d threatened more than once to stop if she didn’t say it and she fully believed he would have hidden that glorious cock away from her and she’d have missed the singular most amazing experience of her life. Thank God he’d pushed hard.
 

When he first stopped and told her she was too tight she almost cried in frustration. She’d have done anything for him to just keep going. To her relief he did. A confession from her about how she hadn’t had anything more than a toy inside her for over six years would have killed the moment and their night would have ended far differently.

He had filled her though and made her feel consumed. Her stomach flipped at the memory. The sensations between her legs traveled up her body making her breasts tingle and her head buzz. She could almost feel him there, stroking her until she gasped. One minute it felt good and the next she couldn’t breathe. Bonnie jackknifed forward and screamed as the release overtook her. Her arms shook out of control as the electric shock of pleasure consumed her. When the last wave of sensation passed, Bonnie fell back against the tub on a rough exhale.

Shit. Could she not even take a bath without thinking of Dex?

As her body calmed from the explosion some of the euphoria deflated. Somewhere along the line she’d gotten too attached to a man who made no commitments to anyone. She’d heard the women talk around the club and Gabe had warned her not to expect any more than club scenes from the man. At the time it felt like the perfect solution. She didn’t want to replace Jim, only relieve some of the tension she couldn’t shake. Transitioning from his care to being on her own had proved quite a challenge.
 

Bonnie quickly washed and stepped from the tub, grabbing a towel before walking over to the mirror. At the sight of her reflection, her hand flew to her neck. Oh my God. How could she have forgotten? She still wore the slim leather collar Dex had placed on her the night before. She traced the smooth leather with her finger. It felt so different from the simple link chain she’d worn before. Where her previous collar had made her feel feminine and special, this one made her feel owned. That was all Dex.

No matter how temporary, he had wanted everyone in the club to know she was available only to him. She stood riveted, unable to take her eyes off of it. Now she needed to take it off and make it part of her past. Had she given Dex half a chance after their scene, he would have removed it before she left the club.

She reached for the clasp under her hair and unlocked it. Then she stopped. She owed something to him. While she wasn’t sure what that was she refastened the clasp and left it around her neck. He’d helped her more than she ever thought possible and he deserved something special for that. The least she could do was keep it on for the rest of the day as a show of respect. Next week when she returned to Purgatory she would offer her apology with the return of the collar and hope for leniency when it came to her punishment.

Naked except for the collar, Bonnie bypassed the suitcases and went straight for the bed. The events of the night before, the flights and another orgasm courtesy of her memories of Dex, had all taken their toll. She covered her mouth to stifle the yawn as she climbed under the soft white duvet. Her body sank into the pillow of a mattress and sleep crept over her. Soon enough she’d find a way past Dex and then she could begin to rebuild her life into something new.

Chapter Six

Dex looked out over the angry ocean from his spacious bungalow and waited for some serenity to wash away his irritation. He’d arrived at Eden that afternoon under blue skies and bright sunshine, but in the last few hours the weather had taken a turn as an early evening storm moved by the island. Despite being a thousand miles from home, thoughts of Bonnie plagued him.