VelvetValentines (2 page)

Pictures of Elise floated behind his eyes and he popped the
button on his jeans. His cock made a desperate bid for freedom, tenting his
dark-green boxer briefs and forcing the zipper down. He slid his hand under the
stretchy cotton and freed his cock, grunting a little at the sensation of skin
on skin. His hand was rough, the skin tough, nothing like the silk of Elise’s
hands.

He imagined her standing before him, her slender body
wrapped in a tight leather corset. It would be white, he thought, the color a
perfect match for her angelic heart, but the leather hinting that if she was an
angel, it was a naughty one.

He ran his hand the length of his dick, strumming his thumb
over the tip as he pictured her perfect breasts lifted high and proud by the
supple leather, her pale-pink nipples darkening to the rich rose of arousal.

A bead of pre-cum glistened on the head of his cock and he
smoothed his thumb over it, using the moisture to slick the sensitive skin. His
other hand drifted down to his balls, which were drawn tight. He palmed them
and slid up and down the length of his shaft.

Her skin was pale and perfect, as fine-grained as a baby’s.
He knew her ass would pinken up so fucking beautifully if he spanked it. He’d
bury his fingers into her tight, wet pussy and flog her ass until it was
criss-crossed with red stripes. He moved a finger to the ultra-sensitive skin
behind his balls, rubbing the spot and moaning as another image took over.

Beautiful Elise, between his thighs while he sat back in his
chair. Her hands tied to the arms of the chair as she used her sassy, sexy
mouth on his dick.

He stroked faster, pre-cum leaking out, lubing his hand. The
fantasy took on a life of its own. Elise, sucking him, tilting her head to take
him down her throat. Her tongue surrounding his balls, licking further back.
Derek spread his legs wider apart and gripped his cock almost painfully hard.
Up and down, up and down, just like she would do with her mouth. He would
instruct, urge her on and tell her what a good girl she was being.

His hips surged. He would push as far into her mouth as he
could, until she was deep throating him, until the pleasure was too much, too
intense, and he came down her throat in an explosion of perfect ecstasy. And
she would swallow every fucking drop, the contractions of her throat drawing
out every last bit, taking him into her, making him a part of her forever.

Opening his eyes, Derek moved his hand up to his stomach,
where he’d spilled himself when he came. Damn. He couldn’t imagine ever going
back into the lifestyle without her. He flat-out didn’t want anyone else.
Vanilla or not, Elise Sanders was the only woman he ever wanted to have sex
with again. The ring in his pocket proved that. He only hoped he hadn’t driven
her away for good with his secret.

February 12th

Two days later, Elise fidgeted anxiously in her chair in the
business office on the third floor of Velvet Ice. She’d waffled endlessly
before calling the club, and afterward she’d picked up the phone a dozen times
to cancel this appointment. But she’d put it down without dialing every time.
Something deep down told her that if she and Derek were going to have a future
together, they needed complete honesty and complete trust between them.

She’d spent hours since walking out of Derek’s house Friday
night online researching BDSM and Dom/sub relationships. She’d never considered
herself to be someone who’d enjoy rough or painful sex—God knew her first
experience with sex had been so rough and painful that it had been years before
she’d been willing to try it again—but the more she read, the more she
understood that it wasn’t so much about the pain. No, the kind of sex Derek
craved required complete surrender and complete trust. Now Elise realized that,
while she’d trusted Derek with all her secrets—all that she was—he hadn’t felt
like he could trust her with a fundamental part of his personality. She
couldn’t believe how much it hurt that he hadn’t felt safe enough to share all
of who he was.

The soft click of the office door closing jolted Elise out
of her musings. Oh. My.
God.
The man who moved behind the desk
was…imposing. And by imposing, Elise meant terrifying. His bald head gleamed in
the watery sunlight that filtered through the skylight and illuminated the
tattoos winding down both arms.

Elise could make out a dragon’s tail coiling below the
sleeve of his black T-shirt on one arm. The other arm was decorated with what
looked like a complete sleeve of Asian art and Chinese script. His ears were
triple pierced, and on any other man the small diamond-and-silver hoops would
have looked ridiculous. On him they were both threatening and sexy at the same
time. He wore a plain silver band on his right thumb and another on his middle
finger. His left ring finger bore a stark barbed-wire tattoo.

It took all her courage to accept the hand he offered her,
but when his long fingers wrapped around hers she was surprised by the
gentleness of his grasp. His appearance was menacing but his touch was so soft
it only proved that you can never judge a book by…in this case, by its leather
and tattoos.

“So you’re the reason we haven’t seen Derek in almost two
years,” he commented as he sat down, facing her across the scarred desk. His
voice was a low rumble that went well with his forbidding appearance.

“I’m Elise Sanders,” she replied, forcibly keeping her voice
level and meeting his eyes.

“And why are you here, Elise Sanders?” There was nothing
unfriendly in his voice or expression, but Elise somehow got the feeling she
was being weighed, judged and found wanting. For some reason it bothered her,
though there was no reason for her to care what this Hell’s Angel stand-in
thought about her. It made her more determined than ever to follow through with
her plan. If she couldn’t face this stranger, how would she ever be brave
enough to give Derek what he needed? What she suspected they both needed.

“Two nights ago I discovered an invitation to Velvet Ice’s
Valentine’s party buried in Derek’s desk. When I asked him about it, he claimed
that part of his life was over, he didn’t need that aspect of his sexuality
anymore.”

“You don’t believe him.”

“No. I don’t.” Elise took a deep breath and took the plunge.
“I love Derek and I want a future with him, and I know the only way we can have
that future is if he shares this part of himself with me.”

“And you think you’re strong enough to handle what he needs
to dish out?” Again his voice and expression were perfectly bland, but she
somehow knew that he didn’t for one second believe she could handle
Master
Derek.

“I know I can,” she insisted. “Maybe not from any other man,
but I know Derek would rather die than hurt me, so I’m ready for whatever he
has to offer.”

“Oh, but Elise, hurting is what it’s all about. Inside these
walls, the Doms’ and Dommes’ entire reason for existence is to portion out the
pain that leads to their lovers’ pleasure.” Sea-green eyes raked over her
dismissively. “You’re a pretty little thing,” he conceded in his low, gravelly
voice, “but you’re light years too soft for what Derek needs.”

Light played tricks with the black ink scrolling up the back
of his skull as he shook his head. “Go home, Elise Sanders,” he said, his words
like a slamming door. “Take what Derek gives you and be grateful he cares
enough to protect you.”

“I won’t do that.” The man’s words played on her
insecurities, but more, they pissed her off. “I
can’t
do that. You don’t
get to decide what I can or can’t take. And you don’t get to decide what sort
of relationship I have with the man I love.” Those intent, sea-colored eyes
narrowed on her. “The only thing you get to decide is whether or not Velvet Ice
will be a part of our relationship.” She raised an imperious brow in his
direction. “I suspect I could give Derek what he needs in the privacy of his
own home, but this place was important to him once, and I don’t want to rob him
of that.”

“You may not like who he is with a whip in his hand.” He
leaned forward. Elise knew he was playing the intimidation game. She’d
witnessed it every day at her job—as a prosecutor she’d used that same face
countless times in court.

“I assure you, Mr. Ryder, there is no part of Derek that I
don’t love. I just have to show him.”

Brady Ryder wasn’t going to talk her out of what she needed
to do. Like Derek, he thought she was too soft for the D/s lifestyle. Brady
didn’t know her well, but Derek did, and he should know better. She hadn’t
become one of Detroit’s most successful prosecuting attorneys by being soft.

And neither man knew how she’d reacted to her research. The
more she’d read, the more intrigued she’d become. She’d even browsed the Velvet
Ice website. Of course, she hadn’t been able to access the private, members’
only forum, but just imagining it left her breathless and aroused. The final
push to make this appointment had come when she’d found the online diary of a
submissive.

The woman wrote about the sex games she and her lover
engaged in, and the stories had left Elise’s pussy wet and aching. But what
left her heart aching were the thoughts the submissive shared about the depth
of her relationship with her Dom. The depth of the trust between them.

Elise wanted that relationship with Derek. She needed it.
And she would face down Brady Ryder and ten more like him if that was what it
would take to get it.

“So you’re determined?” He still looked skeptical but Elise
thought she saw a hint of resignation in those cool, emotionless eyes.

“Very.”

“All right, then.” He leaned over and picked up the phone.
“Get me Sin,” he rasped into the receiver. After a brief pause he scowled and
snapped, “You’re on my time, Sinclair.” Another pause and he gave a pained
sigh. “I don’t want to hear it. I do not want to know. I have a job for you.”
Those assessing eyes roved her face again. “Master Derek’s…girlfriend,” he said
the word in the same tone Elise might have said “pet gerbil”, “Wants to arrange
a Valentine’s surprise for him. Talk to her and set it up.”

He hung up the phone without waiting for a reply and focused
all his attention back on Elise.

“Master Sin will take care of any arrangements you need to
make. I trust that you will keep to the non-disclosure policy and that you will
remember the liability waiver you signed and just who instigated this whole
experiment when you get more than you bargained for.”

Brady Ryder leaned back in his chair and watched Elise
follow Master Sin from the office. Brady glared at the door, brooding. He
didn’t know Derek well, but the Dom had always struck him as a good man. Brady
knew better than most how a good man could be twisted when his sub was too weak
for the games they played. He hated to think of that happening to Derek, but as
he watched Elise sway out of the room he couldn’t help but compare her to
another beautiful blonde submissive who’d thought she could handle what her
Master brought to the table—or to the bed.

Elise’s hair was more fire than sunlight, but she had the
same elegant, well-bred air that had surrounded Grace. Brady only hoped she
didn’t share the other woman’s fragility.

Brady closed his eyes on a vicious curse. No doubt he’d just
made a huge mistake.

* * * * *

Valentine’s Day

Derek paced restlessly around the first floor of his home,
feeling claustrophobic and trapped in spite of the large, airy rooms. He hadn’t
drawn a deep breath since Elise had walked out on him three nights ago, and he
was very much afraid that if she didn’t come back, he might never draw a deep
breath again.

He was fucking suffocating without her.

She’d called on Saturday morning while he was at the gym.
The damn woman knew his schedule better than he did—she’d deliberately called
when she knew he wouldn’t be home. Her message had been brief and to the point.
She loved him, didn’t want to end things between them, but she needed time to
think, time to accept that he’d kept important secrets from her.

Dammit! Why couldn’t she realize that his so-called secrets
weren’t as important as she was to him?
Nothing
was as important as her.

Derek prowled his house like a caged animal, pausing from
time to time to pull the black velvet box from his pocket and look at Elise’s
ring.

He’d dressed up for the evening, calling himself all kinds
of fool for it. Elise wasn’t coming back—there was no reason to make the
effort. Still, he’d deliberated over elegant black trousers and a cream
button-down of such fine cotton that it felt like silk against his skin. Elise
liked the shirt, purred in his arms as she stroked her palms over his chest,
savoring the rich fabric. He’d chosen his tie with her in mind as well. The
deep burgundy and pale gold silk was patterned with a tapestry of hearts and
fleur-de-lis, and had been an early Valentine’s gift. She’d teased him that the
judges he faced in his work as a criminal lawyer would be so overwhelmed by his
romantic presentation that they’d instantly dismiss any case he brought before
them.

Derek tried not to imagine how the rich colors of the tie
would make her ivory skin glow as he wrapped it over her eyes, an impromptu
blindfold.

He was reaching for the phone—again—to try to call
her—again—when it rang. He snatched it up, glancing at the caller ID. He froze,
glaring at the number displayed as if it were a striking snake.

“Derek Thomas.” He could barely force the words from his
tight throat and the buzzing in his ears almost obscured the voice on the other
end.

“Master Derek.” The ball of barbed wire in Derek’s gut
tightened. “This is Sinclair Martin, with Velvet Ice. A woman named Elise
Sanders used your gold coin tonight to gain admission to the Valentine’s
Bacchanal.”
Oh no, she didn’t
. “She spent a short time on the third
floor in the public areas before accompanying someone into a private room.”
Oh
hell
no, she didn’t
.

“Because she’s not on your approved guest list,” Martin
continued, “Master Brady thought you should be informed of her presence.”

“Master Brady was entirely correct,” Derek gritted out. “How
long has she been in the private room?”

“Less than ten minutes.”

“I’ll be there in five.” He already had his coat and shoes
on and was reaching for his keys.

“Good luck, Master Derek.” The amusement in Martin’s voice
almost sent Derek over the edge.

“Fuck luck,” he growled.

* * * * *

Elise looked in the mirror for the tenth time. Her hands
were shaking as she checked her hair again. She’d managed to curl the
strawberry-blonde mass and pile it atop her head, leaving soft tendrils to
frame her face. She pulled at her red velvet skirt trimmed in gold lace, which
just barely covered her ass. She’d never worn such a short skirt in her entire
life. The matching red velvet bustier pushed her breasts together and up,
giving her more cleavage than she really owned. On her wrists were matching
velvet cuffs. Her legs were encased in white stockings and three-inch white
ankle boots.

Oh yeah, she definitely looked like a naughty Ms. Cupid.

There was a brief knock on the door before it opened. A
gorgeous redhead dressed in white came through the door.

“Hi, Elise. My name is Ty and I’m here to help you with the
rest of your preparations. Derek is on his way.” She approached Elise, looking
her up and down with a discerning eye. “That man is going to go crazy when he
sees you,” she murmured with an infectious laugh.

“I hope so. I’ve never worn anything so…revealing.” It was true.
Elise wore business suits to court all day and when she was at home she
preferred jeans and a T-shirt.

“I understand. Before Sin I never would have dressed in
anything that revealed any part of my body.”

Elise couldn’t imagine the woman dressed in something plain.
Her outfit hugged her ample curves, emphasizing a lush, sensual body. Her
confidence was apparent in the way she carried herself.

“Now, let’s see. Where should we pose you?” Ty murmured
aloud. Elise watched as the other woman explored the room. “Ah, I have an
idea.”

Ty crossed the room. On the wall was a small panel. She
opened the door and pushed a button. From the ceiling a long, black bar
attached to chains descended. With a naughty smile, she moved to the bar and
beckoned Elise to join her.

Elise followed her, trying to still the butterflies in her
tummy. She couldn’t quite tell if they were caused by nerves or arousal. Both,
she thought.