Secret: Passion (Submissive Romance) (2 page)

             
“I won’t be there,” Mark said. “I will be attending an Exotic Retreat that weekend.”

             
“And that is?” she asked, folding her arms over her breasts. She cocked her head on one side. Maria might have been right, after all.
Exotic Retreat
? That just sounded wrong.

             
“A place to relax, a place to… be myself,” Mark said quietly. “This life… this office is such a bore. Don’t you ever think about being yourself?”

             
“I am always myself.”

             
“No,” he said, pulling up the neighbouring chair and lowering himself onto it. “You’re not. The only time I’ve seen you be yourself is that night we had together. And when you’re here, you turn into such a bore.”

             
“What? That’s not true,” Anna snapped, feeling the colour rising in her face.

             
“It is. And I’m not sorry for pointing it out,” he replied. “I’ve been watching you, and your whole life seems to be here. What – do you mind being watched? You watch me all the time.”

             
“I’ll try to be more subtle,” she snapped a little irritated at his frankness.

             
“Do,” he said. “But before you lose patience with me altogether, I want you to have a look at this,” he pulled a slim leaflet out of his inside jacket pocket. “It’s details,” he said, “of the Retreat I’ll be attending. I would very much like it if you attended also.”

             
“I can’t afford a place like that,” Anna said, glancing at the cover as he put the paper near her hand.

             
“I’ll be paying,” he shrugged. “You need to attend with a member, anyway.”

             
“Who says I want to see you outside work?” Anna asked, but she was smiling as she picked up the leaflet. “You might have been a workplace conquest.”

             
“And I would believe you, if I didn’t believe in that sparkle I see in your eyes,” Mark replied smoothly. Anna blushed. “Still, I expect an answer tomorrow. If you decide to come, you’ll need a weekend bag, with at least one formal dress in it, and a bathing suit if you plan to swim. Towels are provided,” he checked his watch. “Good night, Anna,” he said, getting to his feet. She watched as he left and frowned.

             
Anna picked up the leaflet and turned it over in her hands. She would wait until later to read it.

Chapter Three

The booklet did not explain much. Aside from elegant photographs of the facilities, there was very little to explain what actually happened at the Retreat. Anna was forced to conclude that Maria had been wrong – this looked more like a spa resort than a seedy sex club. The bedrooms were typically hotel-ish, and even the gardens looked uniform and bordering on dull. She sighed and flung the paper into the waste bin. As she took herself to bed, she still was not sure whether she would go or not.

             
It was true – she did fancy Mark. Maybe more than that, but she wasn’t willing to admit that right now. And she did need a break. It seemed ideal, but what would be expected of her? More no-strings fucking? Well, she was ok with the occasional Christmas party fling, but Anna was a steady girl, despite her teasing, and liked being in relationships. She was not sure she could be her boss’ mistress.

*

She pulled the tiny weekend travel case along behind her, aware that curious (and jealous) eyes were watching her. She knocked on Mark’s office door and he opened it, a mobile phone clamped to his ear. Still talking, he beckoned her in and closed the door behind her.

             
“Right, I’ll have to call you back,” he snapped, clicking the phone shut. Anna smiled at the look on his face as he surveyed the case.

             
“Problem?”

             
“That’s a very small case,” he said. “Did you pack something formal?”

             
“Yes, it just needs pressing when we get there.”

             
“Well, I like a woman who can travel light,” he grinned. “You can leave the case here until the end of the day, if you like. The car is picking us up at four.”

             
“Four. Alright, boss,” she said, careful to include that last word. Mark opened his mouth as if to say something else, but then waved her out of the office. Anna avoided eye contact until she gazed at her own reflection in the black glass of her computer monitor.

             
“Are you fucking serious?” Maria asked her during their break. “Mark? For the weekend? A retreat?” her eyes nearly popped out of her head. “Level with me, Anna – is there some sort of history here? Because one minute it’s like he doesn’t know you exist, and the next…”

             
“I wouldn’t call it ‘history’,” Anna snorted. “More like a mistake you don’t regret.”

             
“So you have had him. I fucking knew it!” Maria laughed. “Geez, and I thought I was good at keeping secrets. So how long has this been going on?”

             
“It’s not ‘going on’… It happened. Once. And that’s it,” Anna slopped her coffee as she stirred it. “And to be honest I thought he’d either forgotten or was embarrassed about it.”

             
“Nothing to be embarrassed about,” Maria shrugged. “We’ve all done it. Christmas party, was it?” Anna nodded. “I wondered where you’d gone. Still, makes for a good story. So what’s it like, this retreat?”

             
“It looks like a fancy spa hotel,” Anna replied. “I don’t think you were on to anything with your sex club idea.”

             
“It was only a theory… And I’m sure you’ll turn it into your own private sex club once you get there.”

             
“That’s not why I’m going,” Anna blushed.

             
“Maybe not, but that’s why he’s going,” Maria said firmly. “Trust me – these rich boys know where their bread is buttered. Just make sure you get a few decent presents out of him before this is all over.”

*

Four o’clock rolled around and Anna went down the elevator to the office building lobby. Mark was already waiting, standing beside her small case and his own slightly larger one.

             
“The car’s here,” he said, taking hold of both cases and carrying them, rather than wheeling them to the boot of the vehicle. Anna did not have a head for cars, but she recognised that the sweeping black metal and gleaming chrome said ‘expensive’. This was confirmed by the creamy leather interior and bottle of champagne on ice in the passenger seats behind the driver, who wore an old-fashioned peaked cap.

             
“Usual place, sir?” the driver asked as Mark climbed in the opposite side to sit next to Anna – the champagne between them.

             
“Thanks, Giles,” Mark reached for the bottle and corked it with a muffled pop. “Do you drink?” he asked Anna as he reached for a glass.

             
“I will do, thanks,” she said as a pale yellow fizz settled in her glass. The windows of the car were tinted, so she only had a vague idea of where they were going. “Whereabouts is the Retreat?” she asked. “There was no address on the leaflet.”

             
“That’s because it’s very exclusive,” Mark said, draining his glass and making a face. “This is a terrible vintage,” he remarked dismissively. “You have to know someone who is already a member to get in, and so it’s been as far back as when the place was set up – you can’t join without a referral, and so the only people who know how to find it are already members.”

             
“Or their guests,” Anna added, sipping her drink. She didn’t see what the fuss was about – it tasted fine to her. “I’ll know where it is.”

             
“Do you know where you are now?” Mark nodded at the window. Anna looked out. They had only been driving a few minutes, but already the countryside was looming and she wasn’t exactly sure of her bearings.

             
“No,” she said honestly.

             
“Then the secret is safe,” Mark said. He put the bottle and glass down and took hold of Anna’s hand. She felt a flush of heat run through her body as her skin remembered his touch. He stroked the back of her hand. “I hope you enjoy yourself this weekend,” he said softly.

             
“I’m sure I will,” she replied, giving him a gentle smile. As she looked into his dark brown eyes she was sure she saw a spark of lust buried somewhere and allowed herself to drink in his gaze for as long as she dared.

             
The car wound its way through the fields and trees of the country, occasionally hitting the motorway and eventually, as the light started to dim in the sky, peeling off onto a slightly bumpy country lane flanked by high hedges.

             
“What if another car comes?” Anna asked – there was only enough room for a single car to fit down the lane.

             
“Single file,” Mark replied. “Cars coming and going might attract attention.”

             
“There’s no one around,” Anna looked behind her.

             
“That’s what you think,” Mark said, adjusting his tie.

             
The car bumped down the lane, and then turned sharply. Immediately the view that had been hidden behind the hedges was revealed – a large, white country house with at least twenty windows on the front wall stood proudly; a fountain roared in front of the sweeping, circular driveway and several shiny cars were parked in front of it.

             
“Welcome to Exotic Retreats,” Mark said, planting a chaste kiss on Anna’s cheek. The place his lips made contact burned with feeling and Anna’s legs were still trembling as the car pulled up and she stepped out into the night air.

Chapter Four

“Checking in, Mr. Peyton?” the woman behind the desk seemed to recognise Mark by sight. She tucked her red hair behind her ears and wrinkled her freckled nose cheerfully.

             
“Plus guest, today, Gail,” he said as Anna looked around the lobby. The place hummed with some sort of music and activity, though there were no other guests around. A porter came and took their cases, and they followed him to the second floor, where the door was opened into a huge, cream and white, sumptuous bedroom.

             
“This is beautiful,” Anna twirled as the porter was given a tip and asked to leave.

             
“You think? It’s a little old fashioned for my taste,” Mark smiled at her delight. “The bathroom is through that way… I did take the liberty of ordering a double suite,” he flung open some double doors to reveal a second king-size bed and identical furnishing. “I didn’t think you’d want to feel obligated to bed-share.”

             
“That’s… I really appreciate that, Mark,” Anna nodded. She felt a weight she hadn’t realised she was carrying fall from her shoulders. Maria was so wrong – this weekend wasn’t all about sex.

*

She had her dress, steamed and fresh delivered to the adjoining room as she got ready that evening. Mark had promised her drinks and then they would have some time alone – she was pleased there was no pressure, and twisted her hair into an elegant topknot and pulled the pale blue dress on, admiring her own figure as the dress showed off her cleavage and made her blonde hair seem to shine even brighter.

             
“Ready?” Mark called from the larger room. She walked through, striking a pose that made him crack a grin. “Beautiful… Now, we’ll take in the sights,” he said, offering his arm. Anna looped her pale arm through his jacket clad one and they made their way to the bar.

             
Anna was slightly surprised to see the red-headed girl at the desk was wearing a much tighter fitting uniform than she remembered. The woman also seemed to be talking to someone hiding under the desk in a fierce voice.

             
“Is she ok?” Anna whispered to Mark.

             
“I expect so,” he replied. They went through to the bar, which was full of elegantly dress people. A few of them nodded at Mark, but most of them seemed to be in their own small groups and happy to remain that way.

             
The couple settled at the bar and Mark ordered a crisp, clear drink that tasted vaguely of apples. Anna took a mouthful and looked about. A man in a very expensive-looking suit was holding onto the wrist of the woman he was with, but she did not seem to mind. A woman wearing a very tight dress was looking down her nose at the whole room, as if she was a shark looking for prey. Anna noticed she was wearing the highest, sharpest pair of heels she had ever seen.