Mastered: Ten Tales of Sensual Surrender (81 page)

Amazing how Burt set her to twitching. Solie stared down directors of multi-billion dollar companies every quarter when it was time for her vendor review, yet one arched eyebrow from Burton made her as nervous as a bug in a henhouse.

He looked at her just like that, too. Like he wanted to devour her.

“Yep. Definitely in over your head. And you’re talking to yourself in an empty elevator while staring at your reflection in a mirror.” So why the hell was she grinning like she’d just had a shot of pure endorphin right into her brain?

Humans. Such complex creatures. Surely they were the only animals on Earth that could be happy, excited and terrified all at the same time…and like it.

Sigh.

The elevator doors parted with a quiet swoosh. On the other side, Burton stood between her and the exit with an outstretched hand. He seemed to love holding hands. Interesting she hadn’t noticed before. Even when watching his interactions with his ex, he’d never given off this “I want to snuggle” vibe before.

Hard ass mixed with cuddle puddle?

I think I can work with this.

They passed several stations with spanking benches and massage tables, and rooms that appeared to be wide open but could be closed off with screens or by simply sliding the embedded glass doors shut and drawing the curtains.

It was like tooling through a crystal palace in a science fiction movie. There weren’t any scaly, green women up here, but endless white — white walls, white tiled floors and one-way glass. Secrets were safe within; even with all the lights on in the darkness of night, no one could see inside from the street.

Mirrored pillars topped with marble and crystal sculptures reflected light in a mix of rainbow-prism arcs and edges. Muted brilliance filled the room until you swore you were inside a sparkling masterpiece of ice, minus the bone-chilling cold.

A quick glance at her watch. It was still early, especially for a Friday night. No surprise that they passed no one as Burton led her to a semi-open space with three walls.

“In you go,” he said quietly.

Solie took off her shoes. The tile of the walkway was cool against the soles of her feet as she stepped off the main floor and onto the carpet of their play room for the evening. It was almost completely empty. One wall had a number of D-rings and assorted attachments for ropes, cuffs and things. A dark blue, overstuffed chair provided the only splash of color; and looked like it would have been more at home in her living room in front of the big-screen TV. Off to the side was a long table covered with a white cloth. Burton stooped, dragged a huge black duffel out from underneath and set it on the table with a loud “thunk”.

The thoughts in her head were mirthful. She’d seen this man in action, and every time she did it made her equal parts jealous and equal parts happy that she wasn’t on the receiving end. Burton could indeed be a deliciously mean old man.

And it was what she wanted. Craved. God, she
needed
.

Gently, he put a hand on each cheek and kissed her. Then, fingers tensed on her jaw. Soft gentle touch morphed into a firm, unyielding grip. Enough to get her attention but not enough to bruise or cause true discomfort. Something flared in his gaze and Solie found herself facing an entirely different person. In the blink of an eye, this was another man—this was
the
Burton Khrys.

Uh, maybe I should start backing away. Slowly.

Too late.

“I want you to pick ten things out of this bag that you want me to use on you. Put them right here.” He motioned to the table top. “Place them in order with the ones you’re not quite sure of or want to try for the first time on the far left, and the ones you like most on the right.”

She started to nod. Burton gave her the Mr. Spock one-raised-eyebrow look.

Words, woman. Use your words.
Funny she never had this problem with anyone but this guy. Solie opened her mouth with a simple, “Okay.”

“Are you sure? If you’re not ready, we can wait. I think you need this, but in the end you hold the control here…until you give it to me.”

“I’m fine, it’s just I’m not a big impact player like you are and I’m not sure if I can…”

He crowded into her space, cornered her with his big body.

“Baby, I can give you exactly what you need. I’ve got you, okay?” Suddenly she wanted to lower her gaze, look anywhere but at him. But before the thought could complete in her head, Burt lifted her chin with a single finger, looked deeply into her eyes. Captured her gaze until there was nowhere to go, nowhere to look, but right back at him.

Then the man pulled her close, wrapped her securely in his arms. Kissed the wind right out of her sails. Her response, instant and uncontrolled. Leaning in, she took all he had to offer with that mouth, those hands.

With each pass of his tongue against hers, Solie sank just a bit further into her need. Burton buried his fingers into her locs as he deepened the contact. He pulled gently. Tilted her head a bit to the left. Solie sighed into his mouth, loving that all she had to do was stand there and let him direct her where he wanted her to go.

Mmm. He tasted of chocolate decadence, coffee and a touch of mint. The flex of muscles in his arms ratcheted up her anxiousness. Not because she was afraid, but because she hadn’t realized—or wanted to admit—just how much stress she’d been carrying around until she’d started to let go of some of it.

He pulled harder, just enough to cause her to gasp at the bit of sting at her scalp. A moan edged up out of her throat at the delicious trail of dampness left behind as Burton nibbled his way down one side of her neck and up the other.

By the time he reached her opposite ear, Solie was damn near panting.

Teeth tugged on an earring and then he whispered. “Strip. Keep the panties on. Ten minutes.”

Once again he turned to leave, but not before he pulled a pair of shoji screens into position at the arched entranceway to give her some privacy.

She tossed her shoes off to the side. Must have had too much sugar given the way her fingers trembled as she undid the clasp at her neck that held up her dress.

A quiet tap on the screen.

“Sols, it’s me. Can I come in?”

Mac.

“Of course.” Solie turned, holding her dress up with one hand. “Whatcha up to? Doing a scene with Landon tonight?”

“Nope.” Mac dropped Solie’s personal play bag next to the blue cushy chair.

“First you appear to magically mediate negotiations and now you have my play bag? Woman, when the hell did you manage to get your hands on that?” Solie demanded. She knew exactly what was in that bag, and right now she wasn’t sure how she felt about it.

Mac grinned and attempted to look innocent. She failed miserably.

“I stopped by your house on my way over here to drop off a casserole. This was sitting in the hallway all lonesome and such.” She motioned to the royal blue and black designer bag on the floor while she dropped her ass into the chair. “Oh, I checked your back door, which you’d left unlocked by the way. And I fed your horse-sized dog, too.”

Solie snorted and rolled her eyes. “And I did not leave my door unlocked, and my German shepherd is supposed to be horse sized. The better to bite your backside with.”

“Need help with that dress?”

“Nah.” Solie paused. “You look awful comfy. You staying?”

“Yep. I’m your protector tonight, so I made sure to bring all the goodies.”

Dress forgotten, it fell of completely and hit the floor as Solie braced her hands on her hips. Temper flared as she glared at her best friend. Understanding dawned in her mind —she’d been blessed…or something, with the two most caring, nosey ass people in the universe.

“And who the hell decided you were going to look after me while doing a scene? In fact, who said I was playing tonight at all?” Solie snapped.

“You did.”

“Excuse me?”

Mac was up out of that chair and in Solie’s face, standing toe to toe…or boots to toe. Whatever.

“You heard me, woman. You chose me as your protector the moment you said yes to Burton Khrys this morning!”

Solie’s grumble became a growl. “He told you about that? What are you two, a couple of teenaged girls who talk on the phone at all hours of the night?”

“If being a teenaged girl means Burton cared enough to call me this morning to ask me to be here in case you needed me, then fuck yes, I’m a teenaged girl,” MacKenzie snapped right back.

Really?

“Mac, you’re a fucking mother hen, is what. Isn’t it enough that you feed me several times a week, damn it?”

“You’re my best friend, Solie Shaw. And I love you to pieces. And so what if I feed you several times a week? You’re always working and it’s what you need, damn it. Now move your ass. You’re down to six minutes.”

Aw hell. And she hadn’t chosen a single thing out of Burton’s stuffed-to-the-hilt bag.

Solie stepped out of the red and black fabric puddle. Mac swiped it up, walked her sexy ass back to the oversized chair and started pulling stuff out of Solie’s personal bag. “I’ve got your fluffy blanket here for after, as well as some chocolate and plenty of water for you. So take care of your task. I’ve got the rest of this. Oh, and take off the jewelry, just in case.”

Handing over her watch, earrings and necklace, Solie hustled over to Burt’s bag and grabbed five things she was familiar with. The rest, she just guessed at their purpose and quickly laid them out on the table in the order she’d been instructed to.

“Nervous?” Mac asked. “Okay, never mind. I know that ‘duh’ look when I see it, Solie. We knew you’d be a bit nervous after your recent not-so-great experience and that’s why Burt asked me to be here. Just to be reassurance for you. You know, a second set of eyes and ears.”

“I appreciate it, Mac. I do. This is all just so intense and so very…I don’t know.” She sucked in a deep breath and tried to relax. It wasn’t working so she did the next best thing—she changed the subject. “What I’d love is to watch you and Landon. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen you two play.”

Marcais hadn’t ever wanted to come to the club on the same nights as her friends. She’d never noticed just how much he’d separated her from the people who cared about her. Controlled where she went and with whom. And so smoothly, Solie hadn’t noticed until Mac mentioned it some months back.

But Solie had started paying very close attention and had been shocked at the corner she’d allowed herself to be manipulated into.

Then she’d gotten out. Fast.

Just not quite fast enough, damn it.

Some of the deepest wounds a person could inflict on another were the kind that were unseen—like words that cut to the bone. Solie only hoped she was strong enough, healed enough to choose to accept this chance to have who and what she really wanted.

Mac was her favorite kinky bitch on heels, and occasionally submitted to her husband in the sack. Yet as much as she admired her good friend, Solie didn’t want what Mac had. She didn’t want to Top her man. She didn’t want to be in charge in the bedroom. Actually, she didn’t want to be in charge at home, period. Running her office and all her consultants was enough, thank you verra much.

And speaking of “in charge”, where the hell was Burton?

“Good grief, woman, will you stop pacing? Your boobs are very distracting bouncing around like that.”

Solie rounded on her friend, but the expression on Mac’s face brought her up short. The woman was sprawled, one leg over the arm of the big chair, with a huge teasing grin on her face. Busted. Solie was indeed pacing. Definitely not the norm for her, but it seemed her feet were trying to catch up with the fucking pterodactyls flipping around in her gut.

And why was she so nervous? This wasn’t her first rodeo, after all. And she was going to be playing with a man she’d known for years and years. So…what was she so concerned about?

Perhaps she really was messed up in the head?

“No you’re not,” Burton said from the doorway.

Shit. Had she said that out loud?

“Yes, Solie. You said that out loud. Mac, give us a minute. I’ll call you in when we’re ready to get started.”

Without a word, Mac nodded at Burton, winked at Solie and showed herself out.

Burton came fully into the room and for some reason, Solie couldn’t meet his gaze. A part of her felt…diminished. Not quite herself. Unsure. Unsettled.

Unworthy.

Burton sat in the chair while she stood off to the side. Here she was, damn near naked, in a pair of red and black polka dot panties that showcased her body to perfection. Yet in her head, she stood at a wall with her face practically wedged in a corner.

“Come here, Solie.”

Her brain said, “no wanna” but she forced her feet to move anyway. When she was just a few inches away, he motioned to his lap and simply said, “Sit.”

She sat stiffly on one of his knees, her gaze focused on the table full of toys that she wasn’t sure she could enjoy tonight. God, but she wanted to. She really did.

Arms wrapped around her, he pulled her back against his chest and nuzzled the top of her head as he spoke.

“This isn’t about sex, Sols. It’s about you. Understand?”

She nodded.

He smacked her lightly on her ass. “Words, Solie.”

“Fine. Bossy ass…”

He smacked her again.

She yelped, “Yes. I understand.”

“Good. Give me your wrist.”

Without lifting her head, she held up one hand. Her thoughts scattered at what felt like a stiff leather cuff being tightened and secured. She shuddered.

She tried to remind herself why she was here, why she’d agreed to be his, to be with Burton.

I want this. I want him…

But you’re not good enough. Even a sociopath didn’t want you.

“Look at your wrists. Look at how the leather seems to fit just right.” Words, quietly spoken. The breath warm against her forehead.

She glanced up and stilled.

They did fit just right…because they were hers. Mac must have slipped them to Burt when she wasn’t looking. Boy, when those two conspired, they really went all out.