Chapter One
I shouldn’t be here . I looked around the room and my stomach fluttered with nervousness. I bit my lip and turned to walk out. No matter what my body thought it wanted, my head was pushing me to leave the club. I almost made it to the door when my phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Elli, don’t you dare leave.”
“Monty? Are you here?” I couldn’t see her, but the club was crowded. How did she know I was going to leave?
“No. But I’m well versed in the ways of Elli. Give it a chance. You’ll never learn if you want this if you don’t try.”
“I should’ve never told you about my fantasy.”
“Yes, you should have. That’s what friends are for. Now go find a table and sit down. Tell me all about it tomorrow.”
“Okay.” I resigned myself to sitting in a corner for a few hours and going home. I hated social situations and the only reason I was here was because of some stupid flyer and talking to Monty about what I’d thought I wanted.
I hung up the phone and waded through to a dark corner.
The ad said Dark Encounters was the place to be if you were into BDSM. Tonight was some kind of mixer to attract new members. Once I’d seen the flyer my body had gone on alert. Then I had to go and tell Monty how the idea had intrigued me. She’d talked me into this hair-brained scheme, and she hadn’t even had the decency to come with me. No, she’d made up some lame excuse about her boyfriend needing her for something.
I was lost in thought when he showed up. He wasn’t the most attractive man I’d ever seen, but he exuded power and strength with his every movement, he owned the room. His hair was short and black with a little silver weaved through it. He must have been close to forty. That wasn’t too bad against my thirty-five. I couldn’t really tell what colour his eyes were. They were hidden in the shadow. The man was tall and stocky with a square jaw and high cheekbones, rugged in appearance as if he’d forgotten to shave. The shadow of a beard fit his over all look.
“Is this seat taken?”
I had no words. His voice was smooth with just a hint of rough. Like he smoked. Kind of raspy. I shook my head and he took the seat next to me.
“I’m Renaldo Higgins. You can call me Ren . And you are?”
God, he wanted me to talk. I wasn’t ready for this. Now I was being silly. He just wanted my name, not to fuck me over the table.
“Elizabeth Conner.” I spoke so softly he had to lean closer. God, he smelt brilliant. A musky spice that had to be some sort of cologne. It fit his look—masculine and raw.
“What brings you to Encounters, Elizabeth?”
“Elli. You can call me Elli.” I hesitated. “I—I don’t know.” I wanted to be honest and this man made me a little nervous.
“Elli. That suits you. You’re very beautiful, Elli. And uneasy.” Ren moved closer to me.
I fidgeted in my chair and put my hands on the table. I undoubtedly should have ordered a drink. Anything to keep my hands busy. I picked up a coaster and played with it until Ren put his hands over mine to settle them. This really wasn’t a good idea. There had to be an exit around here somewhere.
“I should go,” I whispered.
“No. I don’t think you should.”
Who did he think he was? I didn’t know him from Adam. Sure, this may have been a BDSM club, but did people really just fall in line? What if I wanted to be the one in charge? Hell, who was I kidding? Not myself and obviously not Ren . I wondered if I had a sign on my forehead that said, ‘Please tie me up and have your way with me’. That thought did little to comfort me.
“Calm down, little one. I can see your feathers ruffling. I just think you need to give yourself more time. Check the place out before you leave. See what you might be missing. Let me be your guide.”
“I’m not going to sleep with you,” I blurted out.
Ren threw back his head and laughed. It was deep and rich, like a good brandy.
“I said I would
I shouldn’t be here . I looked around the room and my stomach fluttered with nervousness. I bit my lip and turned to walk out. No matter what my body thought it wanted, my head was pushing me to leave the club. I almost made it to the door when my phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Elli, don’t you dare leave.”
“Monty? Are you here?” I couldn’t see her, but the club was crowded. How did she know I was going to leave?
“No. But I’m well versed in the ways of Elli. Give it a chance. You’ll never learn if you want this if you don’t try.”
“I should’ve never told you about my fantasy.”
“Yes, you should have. That’s what friends are for. Now go find a table and sit down. Tell me all about it tomorrow.”
“Okay.” I resigned myself to sitting in a corner for a few hours and going home. I hated social situations and the only reason I was here was because of some stupid flyer and talking to Monty about what I’d thought I wanted.
I hung up the phone and waded through to a dark corner.
The ad said Dark Encounters was the place to be if you were into BDSM. Tonight was some kind of mixer to attract new members. Once I’d seen the flyer my body had gone on alert. Then I had to go and tell Monty how the idea had intrigued me. She’d talked me into this hair-brained scheme, and she hadn’t even had the decency to come with me. No, she’d made up some lame excuse about her boyfriend needing her for something.
I was lost in thought when he showed up. He wasn’t the most attractive man I’d ever seen, but he exuded power and strength with his every movement, he owned the room. His hair was short and black with a little silver weaved through it. He must have been close to forty. That wasn’t too bad against my thirty-five. I couldn’t really tell what colour his eyes were. They were hidden in the shadow. The man was tall and stocky with a square jaw and high cheekbones, rugged in appearance as if he’d forgotten to shave. The shadow of a beard fit his over all look.
“Is this seat taken?”
I had no words. His voice was smooth with just a hint of rough. Like he smoked. Kind of raspy. I shook my head and he took the seat next to me.
“I’m Renaldo Higgins. You can call me Ren . And you are?”
God, he wanted me to talk. I wasn’t ready for this. Now I was being silly. He just wanted my name, not to fuck me over the table.
“Elizabeth Conner.” I spoke so softly he had to lean closer. God, he smelt brilliant. A musky spice that had to be some sort of cologne. It fit his look—masculine and raw.
“What brings you to Encounters, Elizabeth?”
“Elli. You can call me Elli.” I hesitated. “I—I don’t know.” I wanted to be honest and this man made me a little nervous.
“Elli. That suits you. You’re very beautiful, Elli. And uneasy.” Ren moved closer to me.
I fidgeted in my chair and put my hands on the table. I undoubtedly should have ordered a drink. Anything to keep my hands busy. I picked up a coaster and played with it until Ren put his hands over mine to settle them. This really wasn’t a good idea. There had to be an exit around here somewhere.
“I should go,” I whispered.
“No. I don’t think you should.”
Who did he think he was? I didn’t know him from Adam. Sure, this may have been a BDSM club, but did people really just fall in line? What if I wanted to be the one in charge? Hell, who was I kidding? Not myself and obviously not Ren . I wondered if I had a sign on my forehead that said, ‘Please tie me up and have your way with me’. That thought did little to comfort me.
“Calm down, little one. I can see your feathers ruffling. I just think you need to give yourself more time. Check the place out before you leave. See what you might be missing. Let me be your guide.”
“I’m not going to sleep with you,” I blurted out.
Ren threw back his head and laughed. It was deep and rich, like a good brandy.
“I said I would
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