Inside the Lines: Without a Trace series, a contemporary erotic romance novel (3 page)

The candescence of pink light softens the room. The hazy glow turns the blood red decor into a deep maroon. This hotel made a splash because of its “red suites;” they’re swanky and beautifully styled. And for this evening’s pleasure, they seemed like the perfect fit. I’ve remade the suite’s bedroom with the softer bulbs, draping scarves, red boas, and a few well-placed, cotton restraints.

Someone knocks, and I hope it’s Stephen. But when I open the door, it’s Ari.

“Oh, God, am I too early?” Her blue eyes go round as she takes in my cut up t-shirt that falls artfully, exposing my shoulder, and stops just shy of my wine-colored skinny jeans.

“Well, it’s not quite—” I check my phone for the time but also see a missed text, which makes me frown. “What the...” Apparently, I nudged the ringer off, and with setting up and moving around, I missed the vibration of a new text. One that says Stephen can’t make it. “Un-fucking-believable. You asshole.”

Ari stares at me, wide-eyed. Her white-blond hair shimmers in a short, wispy cut that frames her heart-shaped face. A professional dancer, Ari has the slight build of a ballerina, but with more softness and curve.

I shake my head. “Not you, love. Come in. You’re about a half hour early, so I haven’t changed yet. Come in,” I say again when she pauses at the door. One of the ongoing problems with Ari is her hesitance. It’s taken me nearly six months to get her to this point. I’m going to kill Stephen for ruining it.

I check the text so I can read the whole thing.

Sry, dove, I’m sick. And u don’t want my snot ruining a sexy scene. Found a replacement, tho. Fin. Trust me, u will luv him. xoxo.

I receive a second text as I’m standing there.

Hi. It’s Fin. Stephen sent me. I’m here at the hotel. What room?

Un-fucking-believable. I text him the floor and say I’ll meet him. Then I return Stephen’s message:
you better die of this illness. Or I promise, you’ll wish you did.

“Ari, I’ll be right back. Make yourself comfortable. Remember what we talked about. Deep breaths, center yourself—”

“Envision, and repeat mantra.” Ari’s light voice finishes for me. “I know.” She smiles, but the corners of her mouth flicker with nerves.

Inwardly, I sigh. Then I shower her with smiling confidence and step into the hallway, closing the door snugly.

When the elevator opens, another couple gets off, wheeling luggage behind them. The doors start to shut, but then a strong hand holds them open. The man that steps off is very tall, well over six feet, and when his aquamarine eyes meet mine, he grins.

“Lux, I take it?” His deep voice holds a heavy Scottish burr. He wears jeans and a nondescript black t-shirt under a black leather jacket, and if I weren’t so mad, I’d be swooning. Dear God. His shoulders and chest are broad, but not thick. He’s built more like a soccer player, with wavy auburn hair with hints of chestnut. He has a crooked smile, and when I stand there staring for a moment, I get a glimpse of perfectly straight teeth and a dimple.

Holy Christ. Stephen sent me an underwear model.

“I know you. You’re the guy from that ad. Th-the new Monsieur line. You’re on the goddamn billboard in Times Square in bikini briefs.” Monsieur is a male clothing boutique on Fashion Avenue; they’ve been making quite a stir with their advertising of everyday men—e.g. not celebrities or models, though you’d be hard-pressed to find one that isn’t ripped— wearing their new underwear line.

His cheeks blush, which on him, is highly attractive, and I get more of that uneven grin. “Aye, well, that might’ve been me.” He scratches the back of his neck. “Stephen said ye needed a bit of help tonight.”

And with that, I remember how pissed I am. “Stephen is a goddamn asshole. Do you even know what you’re doing here tonight? Did he give you the details?” If there is one thing I’m sensing, it’s a distinct lack of kink. Fin looks like he should have a blonde wife, 2.5 kids, and a house with a white picket fence.

“Well, he wasna very specific with details, but he did mention that ye needed a cock.” His eyes crinkle even more at his bald language, his face turning brighter pink. “Seein’ as which I have one of those, I should be able to help ye.” His brogue thickens with his embarrassment.

“Christ. I’m glad Stephen narrowed the whole evening down to a male organ.” I glare at Fin. “Men.” I turn and storm away, leaving Fin to follow. I feel like I have an enormous shadow behind me, and I realize I have to have this conversation away from the room’s door, or Ari will hear it. So I turn on my heel and confront him mid-hallway.

I crane my neck to make eye contact. “Never mind. Just go home. I’m canceling this nightmare before it gets out of hand.”

He lays a hand on my shoulder as I turn away, his heat searing my bare skin. “Wait, now. Look.” He drops his hand and stops a beat until I meet his gaze. “I ken I’m not the charmer Stephen is, but I ken a fair bit about what he does. I think I can handle it. And he mentioned that ye were a Dominatrix, and that ye’d be runnin’ things, so ye can just tell me what to do.” He bites the inside of his lip. “I’ll do it.”

The cheer in his eyes pisses me off. “This is a joke to you. You can barely keep from laughing.” I shake my head at him, my temper undoubtedly turning my own skin pink. “This is not funny. The woman on the other side of that door,” I point down the hallway, “is terrified of letting herself go. She has a hard time enjoying sex because of assholes who ridiculed and abused her rather than making her feel beautiful and aroused. I will be damned if I will let you anywhere near her. Not when you think this is some kind of goddamn joke. You are—”

“Lux, I’m sorry. I wasna laughing at ye or anything about this.” He steps closer, and I get a whiff of some kind of creamy, spicy cologne mixed with...him, probably. And it’s delicious. “But ye have a feather here,” his hand reaches towards my hair and plucks something from it. “And it wiggles, the angrier ye get.”

I glare at the offending feather and snatch it from him. It’s from one of the props I brought with me, and the delicate fringe crushes easily in my palm. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. If I cancel this, Ari will be heartbroken. I’ve fielded half a dozen texts from her already this week, thanking me for doing this and asking nervous questions. After six months of meeting with her, we’re finally at the point of fulfilling her deepest fantasy. And there are worse-looking men to have in your fantasy than this one.

“You cannot, I repeat,
cannot
fuck this up. You listen to me, you do exactly what I say, and you never step a toe out of line. Am I clear?” Even to my ears, I sound like a total ass, but surprisingly, Fin only nods.

“Aye.”

“You will call me Mistress Hathaway, as none of my clients know my real name.”

“Of course.”

“You’ll strip down to your underwear when we get inside, and you will not approach the bedroom or Ari until I say so. Got it?”

He nods, his face solemn, though I can still see the laughter in his eyes. “After ye, Mistress,” he says with a small bow.

Chapter 4

Three’s a Crowd

After I’ve briefed Fin on his role in tonight’s scene—with hopefully less ire than I displayed in the hallway—I retire to the bathroom to change into my own garb. I selected a deep scarlet corset with black thigh-high nylons and black stilettos. I tie my hair in a side ponytail, the long, inky curls relaxing over my breast. Satisfied, I join Ari in the bedroom.

I introduce her to Fin, who was waiting in the separate living area. He is just as devastating out of his clothes as he was in them. Muscles borne of hard work bulge beneath a light tan, and if I weren’t on the clock, I would totally drool. This is a job. And I am, if nothing else, a professional. Even if I do notice that he has a phenomenal ass.

“Ari, you’ve asked for this experience today because you wish to embrace your submissive side. This means that no matter what happens here, you are safe. You will be obedient, do what you are told, and you will be pleasured. If at any time, you want us to stop, you may use your safe word. Do you remember it?” It seems like a silly thing to ask, but nerves can ruin memories.

Ari takes a deep breath before answering. “Pepper, Mistress.”

I smile my approval, but glance at Fin to make sure he’s paying attention. His focus is on the discussion, and he nods slightly to me.

“Any questions, Fin?” Ari doesn’t know that he’s a substitute. As far as she knows, he’s exactly whom I planned to be here.

“No, Mistress.”

I quell the doubts in my gut. “Then we begin.”

Ari chose a stunning bra and panty set, a peachy-pink netting accented with luminous beads. In my heels, I tower over her small stature, so it’s easy for me to draw her to me. She’s shaking, and I hold her close, letting her relax. After a few minutes, her breathing slows, and though her fingers are still cool with nerves, she turns her head up eagerly as I tip her mouth to mine.

I’ve made love to Ari before. She was the first client with whom I broke my rules. Then and now, she tastes faintly of raspberries, and as I deepen our kiss, she mews in the back of her throat. I hold her hands behind her back, using my other hand to outline her jaw and neck. When I pull back to gauge her reaction, her eyes open slightly, but she’s completely relaxed. I lower my mouth to hers again, exploring her with my tongue.

Fin steps beside us, his body emanating heat as he trails his hands along Ari’s shoulders and back. Pressing kisses against her neck, his hands brush mine, and I feel a bit of a thrill deep in my stomach. Whatever else Fin may be, he knows how to tease and caress a woman. Ari moans softly as I kiss her cheek and jaw.

With gentle pressure, I nudge her towards the bed, Fin stepping back to make room. I stand her between us, then return to her mouth as he unhooks her bra. I cover her small breasts with my hands, their centers rising against my palms.

“What do you want, Ari?” I whisper in her ear.

She whimpers as my fingers lightly pinch her nipples. “To be tied down, Mistress.”

I know how hard it was for her to say that, and she vibrates a bit as I edge her towards the bed. But she lies down on it obediently, centering herself on the king mattress. I’ve already prepared the soft restraints on either side of the bed. I glance at Fin, his signal to confine her one wrist while I tie the other.

Properly subdued, I step back and admire the symmetry of Ari’s bound wrists and the glow of her skin under the soft lights. She’s truly beautiful, but when I glance over at Fin, he’s peering at me with an odd intensity. I resist a shiver, though my core quivers despite my determination to remain unaffected.

I slide up beside Ari, teasing her with kisses as I straddle her. “Are you ready to come for me, Ari?”

Bending to her nipple, I draw it between my lips, sucking it hard as she arches against my mouth. “Yes, Mistress. Please,” she groans between breaths.

With a quick exchange of looks, Fin joins us on the bed, on Ari’s other side. He kisses her, his large hands holding her face. I continue to torture her breasts until he moves down beside me, Ari’s body writhing as we each tease a nipple.

My fingers drift over her stomach, outlining the edge of her panties. I leave Fin to her breasts and divert my attention lower. Sliding her panties off, I nudge her thighs apart, letting my fingers graze the edge of her outer lips. Ari’s sharp intake of breath is quickly followed by, “Please.”

“Please what, Ari?”

Moments pass while I circle her sensitive skin with my finger, refusing to give her more until she answers me. Fin surprises me by moving to her mouth, kissing her deeply before encouraging her. “Ye must answer yer Mistress, love.”

She finally whispers, “Please fuck me, Mistress.”

With her obedience comes a reward, so I slide my fingers into her wet pussy, her juices coating them as they move against her. I use my thumb to tease her clit, and her whole body thrums with arousal, her hips bucking against my hand as her arms strain against the cotton ropes. I lower myself between her legs, lightly nipping the tender skin of her inner thigh. When my mouth covers her, she cries out, and I hold her hips in place so I can lap her clit with gentle strokes. A glimpse of movement distracts me as Fin moves down Ari’s body to worship her breasts again.

My fingers fill her once more as she twists and moans. When she finally reaches her release, Ari is nearly hoarse with her cries. I press my tongue hard against her, my fingers penetrating even deeper, as she shudders and gives in to her rapture. I stroke her thigh, the silky skin covered in a sheen of sweat. When she’s recovered her breath, I stand, giving Fin room. He strips out of his briefs, powerful muscles shifting as he stands before me.

The back of my throat goes a bit dry at the sight of him—gorgeous men are always appealing. But he’s built, with visible abs and a narrow waist. If I wasn’t already wet, I would be from the sight of him. His gaze meets mine, his mouth pulled into a knowing grin. Remembering myself, I straighten, then bend to Ari while Fin readies a condom.

“You did well.” I press a kiss to her lips, and she surges into me, mouth hot and hungry. Her excitement assures me that this is going well, so I pull back. “You are ready for what comes next.” I say it, rather than ask, though I’m watching her expression to make sure.