Passion Flower: 1 (6 page)

He looked up at her and grinned. “You’re lovely when you
come. I’ll be hearing that scream for a long time.”

“Oh my god, I can’t believe I— How will I face the others?”
She wasn’t entirely sure that she could even face him after his comment about
the scream, but given that she was tied up in a chair, she really didn’t have a
choice.

“Considering what they’ve probably been up to, I doubt it
will be a problem. Leave that embarrassment for the outside world. Sex is no
sin, and taking pleasure from it is a gift. Here on Submission Island there’s
no need for shame. This is paradise before Adam and Eve realized they were
naked.”

“I wonder when people did start worrying about that sort of
thing.”

“Hmm?”

“When did we decide we couldn’t just have sex out in the
open? Why did shy people thrive at the expense of exhibitionists? It’s not that
way for chimpanzees. I suppose it has something to do with the evolutionary
advantages of monogamy.” This was much safer ground than talking about her
orgasm or her embarrassment and she warmed to the topic. “Sex outside the
monogamous relationship has to be furtive, to avoid complications over whether
the man is protecting his own genes or someone else’s. And that desire to
protect only one’s own children becomes connected to jealousy, and jealousy to
violence, and violence over sex to more furtive behavior. People who had sex in
public were probably increasing their chance of getting killed by someone.”

“Or maybe it’s cultural?”

“Maybe.” Most cultural things had some sort of biological
advantage, in her opinion. Especially if they were connected with sex.

He smiled. “And did you come here to enjoy yourself, or to
study the biological imperatives behind Dominance and submission?” He undid the
ropes around her legs.

That was too close to the truth for comfort. She shrugged as
well as she could without moving her hands. “Enjoy myself,” she said, as firmly
as she could.

“Just checking.” He freed her thighs. “Although if you make
any progress on the other question, be sure to let me know. I know what I am
and what makes me tick. And I’m very grateful there are women who enjoy it.
Maybe that’s biological reason enough.”

She’d enjoyed it all right. But she was better off keeping
the discussion about science and not about her. “Maybe so. I’m guessing though,
that a big Dominant man is a good protector, and so being such a man’s natural
counterpart has some evolutionary advantages.”

“Doesn’t explain submissive men. Or Dominant women.”

“It doesn’t, does it?” Maybe it was a more complicated
puzzle than she’d thought at first. A few papers in that for someone. Someone
else, because she wasn’t interested enough in Dominant women or submissive men
to explore it. Humans were too socially complicated for biology alone to hold
the answers anyway, even if it could point in the right direction. Orchids, on
the other hand, were right down her alley. And she still needed to find a way
to get to hers some night.

How long has he been staring at me?
She wasn’t sure
when he’d unbound her wrists either. She’d gotten lost in thought again. He
massaged her wrists, which felt lovely.

“Want to explain what you were really doing last night?” he
asked.

“No.” She knew a simple no was admitting she had something
to hide, but she’d run out of remotely plausible explanations. If he’d asked
her when she was on the edge of coming she could have made a game of it,
holding back the answer as if he was doing an interrogation scene. Now though,
she had nothing but a straight denial. She worried about what he’d do next.

“Get up and stretch,” was all he said. He didn’t even seem
particularly perturbed. More disappointed, which made her feel worse than if
he’d been mad. Angry was his problem. But she didn’t want to disappoint him for
some reason.

She got up and stretched like he told her to, aware of his
gaze on her. He’d done a good job with the ropes. She didn’t feel the tingle of
loss of circulation she would have expected. He’d had plenty of practice, she
supposed. The thought of him tying up a whole series of other women made her
stomach clench. Jealousy. She’d just been talking about that. It didn’t serve a
biological purpose here, that was for sure. He was only hers for the duration
of the vacation, if for that long. Partner switching seemed the mode here.
Maybe she’d get into that at some point, but she sure wasn’t now.

“We’ll go downstairs and join the others. When you’re ready
to tell me, let me know. You’ll find I’m a very good listener.” He turned and
walked toward the door.

“I’ll be there in a moment,” she said. “Should I find
something to wear or do you pick something out?” She was skating close to the
edge enough without screwing up on protocol. “Um, Sir?”

“You can cover your secrets or your body, Natalie. Not
both.” He opened the door and gestured her forward. “After you.”

For a moment she thought of using her safe word. She really
didn’t want to walk down to join the others stark naked. She couldn’t even
pretend her lack of clothing was like being at a nude beach after they’d heard
her scream.

She took a deep breath. She’d save it for something that
would actually harm her. She could do naked for science.

Ha. I’m doing it for him.
And for that, she had a
very definite biological explanation. Big and strong, check. Protective? Yes,
that too, despite sending her downstairs in her altogether. “Will you stay with
me? Keep me safe?”

He grinned so widely she felt manipulative for having asked
the question. She’d struck a chord in him with that for sure, but she’d asked
because she wanted to know.

“Yes, Natalie. I will stay with you and keep you safe. All
you have to do is follow directions.”

So simple. She walked past him out the door. He closed it
behind them and put his arm around her waist as they walked downstairs
together.

Everyone was there already. Rhonda, dressed in a see-through
yellow baby doll and a thong, was glaring at Amber, who was wearing just
panties. Which, Natalie noted, made her the only completely naked woman there,
although the others didn’t have on much. Both were sitting at the card table
with plates and toast in front of them. Kyle was dressed only in karate pants,
no shirt, and Tom had on jeans and a T-shirt, and they were standing.

“I have to say I agree with Rhonda this time,” Kyle said.

“You would,” snarled Amber, and then added, “Master,” with
far more sincerity than Natalie would have expected.

“I think you’re both crazy,” said Tom.

“Natalie!” yelled Rhonda. “Come, help settle this. You’re a
neutral party.”

“Uh-oh,” said Carter under his breath. “I wonder if I’m
needed to protect you already.”

“Good idea,” said Amber. “Come here, Natalie.” She looked
smugly at Rhonda. “You’ll see.”

Natalie wandered forward. “What is it?” she asked with a
mixture of curiosity and trepidation. Both women had something brown on their
toast that looked decidedly unappetizing.

“Marmite versus Vegemite,” pronounced Rhonda. She cut off a
piece of her toast and put it on an empty plate. “Which is better?”

Amber cut off a piece of her toast and put it on the plate
as well, then crossed her arms and looked smug. Natalie had seen that look last
in high school—the I’ll-make-the-cheerleading-squad-and-you-won’t look. She
shrugged. The girl she remembered seeing it on got knocked up by an offensive
lineman.

“I don’t suppose there’s eggs in the kitchen?” She’d never
had either, but they looked like sludge and she’d heard bad things. She wasn’t
really interested in judging the battle of the hydrolyzed yeast spread.

“There certainly are,” said Carter. “How many?”

“Two, please?”

“You got it.”

“My hero!”

He grinned. “How would you like them?”

“Can you do over easy?”

“Sure. The eggs, or you?”

She wasn’t sure whether it was Rhonda or Amber she heard
snickering. She had a sudden vision of being fucked on the table and him
flipping her over to her stomach, her ass and pussy equally open to him. She
wondered if that was what he had in mind. “As you wish,” she said, her cheeks
hot.

“Come with me to the kitchen then.”

She followed him. The other Doms had been gentlemen, not
staring or making her feel uncomfortable in her nakedness. Then again, maybe
they didn’t find her worth looking at with Amber and Rhonda about. She
preferred to believe they were being considerate.

“Nice outfit, Natalie,” said Amber to her back.

Well, not everyone could be considerate.

Chapter Five

She’d been on her best behavior all morning. She’d said Sir
with every sentence, well, almost every one. It was difficult being naked in
front of everyone, and she blushed every time attention was drawn, but she’d
soldiered through and she had to admit she found it kind of hot when she wasn’t
feeling too embarrassed. She’d helped in the kitchen, making everyone
sandwiches. While they ate, Carter had put his hand on her thigh, his fingers
curling around so that they were a couple inches from her pussy, and she was
getting very wet.

With trepidation, she put her hand on his cock, giving it a
squeeze through his jeans. Maybe it wasn’t the most submissive thing to do, but
from the grin Carter gave her he didn’t seem to mind. So she kneaded his cock,
feeling it grow in her hand.

“How may I serve?” Rhonda asked Tom.

“How about under the table?”

“Yes, Master.” Rhonda moved her chair back and crawled under
without hesitation. Obeying was automatic for her. But she didn’t especially
look as if she was enjoying it, nor did she seem to mind. It was just a thing.
Ho-hum, I’m going to give a guy a blowjob at a table, with everyone watching.

“Isn’t she lovely?” said Tom. “So responsive.”

The sound of a zipper opening was audible. Kyle nodded.
“Just your type. I like them a bit more of a struggle, myself.”

What did Carter like? Obedience or a challenge? Natalie
tried to tell herself that pleasing him was just a means to an end, a way to
get access to the orchid. Okay, and maybe have some hot sex along the way. The
kinky stuff was fun. She’d always had fantasies but she’d enjoyed being tied up
by Carter more than she thought she would. But enjoying kinky sex didn’t make
her submissive.

She remembered going down on Carter next to the pool, and
remembered how much she wanted his pleasure. Maybe she was a little bit
submissive, or maybe she just had enough empathy to enjoy his release. Empathy
served a vital biological function, helping the species protect the genes of
the group.

“Penny for your thoughts,” said Carter suddenly.

“Me? Oh, I was thinking about schooling fishes. Or herds of
grazing mammals. How the group is protected, even though the individual may
die.” It was sort of true, even though human empathy wasn’t the same thing
really. And it was much better than saying how much she had wanted Carter to
come.

Carter chuckled. “If you’re thinking about that, I’m not
doing my job.” He pulled her from her chair and onto his lap. Putting his arm
around her waist to stabilize her, he grabbed her plate and moved it over. “Now
then. Carry on. Eating and thinking about animal survival.”

She might have been able to pull it off, but the moment she
brought her sandwich obediently to her mouth, he pushed her legs apart and
cupped her mound. His middle finger brushed against her clit. At least the
others couldn’t see what was happening.

Except for maybe Rhonda, under the table. She could hear the
other woman’s breathing and maybe it was her imagination but she thought she
could hear Tom’s cock sliding in and out of Rhonda’s mouth as well. Maybe
Rhonda would be too busy to be looking between her spread legs at what Carter
was doing with his fingers. She could hope.

In any case, his touch was making it very difficult to
think. She could feel her nipples tighten in response. Her pussy was getting
even wetter. She took a bite of her sandwich and barely tasted the ham and
mustard. “Sir,” she whispered. She didn’t know any other words to add, didn’t
know if she wanted him to continue or to stop. She wasn’t used to having a
man’s touch feel so good, or to wanting it so badly. It made her feel
powerless, and that made her scared. It made her feel that maybe power didn’t
matter, and that she could give in and let go. She wanted to.

With each rub of his finger, the pressure built in her core.
She put the sandwich down and grabbed on to his shoulders for balance, her
hands digging into his skin as his touch made her toes curl. He didn’t object.
Her breath started getting irregular and she felt pleasantly lightheaded. She
didn’t care what Rhonda or anyone else saw anymore. She spread her legs open
farther. More and she’d come in front of everyone.

He stopped.

“Let’s take a walk. There’s a path through the jungle and a
cove on the other end of the island that’s rather peaceful.” He smiled. “No
herd animals, I’m afraid. Maybe we can catch sight of a salamander or
something.”

It should have been exactly what she wanted to hear, and she
felt guilty that it wasn’t. It was progress. Not as good as going at night, but
it probably made sense to scout it out in better light first anyway. But all
her attention had been focused on his hand and she felt like arguing,
No.
Fuck me, instead.

He knew exactly how close she was, she was sure. His bland,
innocent expression couldn’t convince her otherwise.

Tom moaned, and that didn’t make it any better. He was
coming, she was sure of it. She wasn’t sure when Amber and Kyle had left the
table, she’d been so wrapped up in what Carter was doing to her.

She hopped off Carter’s lap and headed toward the stairs.
She wanted to be away. Away from her libido taking control of her. Away from
Tom and Rhonda’s swallowing sounds.

Carter moved quickly to catch up and put his arm around her
waist, steering her toward the door to the swimming pool. He opened it with his
other hand. As far as she could tell, it wasn’t locked. So maybe she’d escape
that evening. That was it. She’d focus on science.

“I’ll make love to you when we get to the cove,” Carter
whispered.

Her knees went weak.
So much for that.

“Shouldn’t I get some clothes on if we’re walking through
the jungle?”

“Oh, it’s a nice clear path. Made sure of it myself a few
days ago. Nothing out there’s going to hurt you, even dressed as nature
intended. We won’t be hacking our way through the bush, as Kyle would say.”

Damn.

“Stay still.”

She chewed on her lip but did as he asked. What was he going
to do to her?

He opened a big plastic box like an ice chest near the
swimming pool and took out a rolled-up beach towel and a bottle of suntan
lotion. Carefully, he applied the cool lotion to her skin. As his hands brushed
against her nipples, they hardened and she was sure he noticed, even though he
didn’t linger. He didn’t skip anyplace, but he focused on getting her covered.

“Spread your legs more so I can get the insides of your
thighs.”

She did, feeling he could probably see how wet she was. But
he didn’t comment. He rubbed lotion into her, the sides of his hands brushing
against her pussy when he got to the highest part of her legs.

“All good,” he told her. “The jungle’s sheltered but the
cove not as much. Better safe than sorry, especially as you’re on the fair
side.”

“You mean I’m pale.”

Carter frowned at her and she wished she hadn’t said
anything. “You don’t take compliments well, do you? I happen to think your skin
is quite lovely. Live with it.” He picked up the beach towel and tucked it
underneath his arm.

She stepped forward. The air was warm but not hot, humid
without being sticky. She breathed in the freshness of it, enjoyed the feeling
of the warm concrete on her toes.

He let go of her waist and took her hand but he didn’t drag
her along. Instead he walked with her side by side, leading the way without
getting ahead. “I’ll carry you if you don’t feel comfortable walking in your
bare feet.”

Being carried sounded pretty attractive. She didn’t doubt he
could do it either, although she wasn’t exactly the light-as-a-feather type.
Warm, safe, protected—but the chances to see the flora and fauna would probably
be better if she was in control of her own steps. “I’ll walk.”

They had to go single file once they got to the path.
Walking naked into the wild made her think of the earliest humans. Of course,
they were probably quite a bit hairier, but nonetheless they must have lived in
places like this, full of natural beauty and gentle climate, at first. The line
between them and the animals wasn’t defined by clothes and gadgets but by
cleverness.

But they also had to hunt and search for their food, and
every day survival was always at stake. She was safe. She trusted Carter not to
take her into the jungle unless he could guarantee her security. Her
imagination shifted from the evolutionary model to the legendary.

This is like being Eve.

The jungle that surrounded her wasn’t a tropical rain
forest, quite. That would have required rain all year round. Fleury Island got
a lot of rain but it was seasonal, and this was the dry season. Tall eucalypts
dominated the forest, not quite thick enough to stop the occasional beam of
light from getting through. In crooks in the trees where water could gather,
orchids thrived, their purples and pinks and reds glorious against the backdrop
of green. The very fact that the flowers were out during the daytime meant that
they weren’t the plant she was after, but it was impossible to ignore their
beauty. On the ground, a variety of plants grew. It was too shady for grass to
take hold, but there were little shrubs and creeping vines and bright green
lichens everywhere. The air felt extra-refreshing, full of oxygen, and yet
there was also a heavy, wet, sweet scent behind it.

The path was clear, although the lichen managed to find
little footholds, like green veins streaking through the gray-brown of the
dirt. Here and there a tree root surfaced too. It would be easy to trip at
night, or even in the daytime. She’d have to watch her step. The dirt was moist
enough to stick to her feet but it wasn’t mud, and she soon became accustomed
to the feel of it underneath her.

She stopped to look at a tiny green lizard that was skipping
through the brush on the side of the path. It was brightly colored, but against
the lichen, that might have been protective coloring. Curious, she bent down
for a closer look, slipping her hand out of Carter’s grasp. He stopped and
crouched down with her and they watched together.

Try as she might to remind herself how natural it was for a
member of Homo sapiens to be naked in a jungle, it was impossible for her not
to be aware of how sexual she felt being unclothed in close proximity to him.
Him being naked too might make it more natural, but it wouldn’t reduce the
charge that built up between them.

The lizard slipped out of sight, behind a shrub that
reminded her of a hosta but wasn’t quite the same. Its broad and plentiful
leaves, however, provided plenty of shelter for the hiding reptile. She, on the
other hand, couldn’t hide at all. Heat grew in her face as she was aware of
Carter’s gaze shifting from the wildlife to her.

“Yes, I’m naked, what of it?” she said crossly.

“Just as I want you,” he said smoothly. “Such lovely breasts
and welcoming thighs. And a nice round ass that I’ll make pink in a little bit.
By the time I slip my fingers into your pussy it’s going to be nice and wet.”

Make pink.
She was in for another spanking. She
wasn’t a primitive or even Eve. She was a city girl wandering about naked with
a very sexy man who was completely in charge. And she was wet
now
. There
was no way she was going to get any useful research done with him around. She
stood up and he put his hand on the small of her back, guiding her to continue
on the path, moving her in front of him. His hand slipped to caress her bottom.

“Why am I going first now?”

“Because I like to look at you. And the path is clear enough
from here.”

She walked forward slowly, aware of his gaze on her. She had
a heightened awareness of her body, and no attempt to concentrate on her
surroundings could change that. Her heart hammered. The jungle might be safe,
but walking naked through it seemed absolutely crazy.

It had seemed quiet at first, but now she was aware of the
rustling of the leaves and little
tap-taps
and
click-clicks
that
might come from lizards or insects. She looked about for orchid plants that
weren’t in bloom, but there were so many vines and other plants that grew in
and about the eucalyptus trees that she couldn’t really pick out any likely
contenders. She’d have to come back at night sometime.

The path came to an end not even a mile from where it began.
The dirt changed to sand and the trees found no purchase in there, nor did the
shrubs grow. It wasn’t much of a beach—a strip at most ten yards wide that
stretched for fifty yards of shore perhaps. Mangrove trees grew in the shallow
water here and there, thriving where other trees would die. They provided shade
but left most of the beach brightly lit. She had to shade her eyes with her
hand. The bright tropical sun was a sharp contrast from the dark woods they’d
been traveling through.

He put his arm around her again. The way his hand settled
comfortably on her bottom made her pussy tingle. With his other hand he flipped
the beach towel to unroll it and then let it settle to the ground.

He patted her butt and then sat down on the towel, facing
the long side of it and the ocean. “Come lie across me,” he said, indicating
the length of the towel with a sweep of his hand, “and I’ll give you a
spanking.”

“Have I done something wrong?”

He shook his head and smiled. “Not at all. I want to spank
you because you enjoyed it the last time.”

“I did—” She was about to say “not”, but stopped herself.
Her body had given itself away. It was useless to deny it, although she
certainly wasn’t going to admit it. Then she realized by stopping the sentence
where she had, she had. She felt the heat grow in her face.

He raised his eyebrows and waited.

To follow his directions, to kneel on the towel and then
stretch her body across his lap, would be a further admission. He wasn’t
forcing her, after all. But she didn’t want to go without either. She wanted to
feel his hand on her backside, whether it was spanking her or groping. There
had to be something smart she could say that would make making herself
available less submissive, less obvious in her desire. But she couldn’t think
of anything.