Authors: Jan Bowles
He guided her up another flight of stairs, and along a narrow corridor. “You can take your pick of the rooms, but this one is the furthest away from mine.” He showed her into a light, airy attic room. “What do you think?”
Kat took in the pleasant surroundings. The brass bedstead and the patchwork quilt looked homely and inviting. The room had plenty of storage, too. She nodded her approval. “I like it. Where’s the bathroom?”
“I’ll show you.” Colt removed the key from the door and handed it to her. His piercing blue eyes held hers as he placed it in her hand. This close she could see his dark lashes curling down onto his cheeks. Her heart rate increased. Why were all the good-looking guys unobtainable? “Keep this key safe because I don’t have a spare.” Any other man she wouldn’t have believed, and she should apply the same rules to Colt, but for some reason that eluded her, she instinctively knew he spoke the truth. He pointed to the door next to hers along the hallway. “This is your own personal bathroom. It has a shower and bath, in case you’re partial to a long soak.”
When they were back on the ground floor, she guessed he’d show her the business end of the club. Now, she’d be introduced to the fetish lifestyle, whether she wanted to or not. Still, working at Club Fusion was better than going hungry or driving out of Fairfax in a beat-up Jeep, not knowing where she would spend the night.
He opened a door, and she followed him inside. Whatever she’d been expecting, this wasn’t it. The place looked like any upmarket bar in any city in the world. Swish seating of chrome and leather lay scattered between mahogany tables. Surprise must have shown on her face because he laughed out loud.
“This is where couples relax and talk with other like-minded people. This is level one. Genitalia must be covered at all times. This means no sex, no BDSM practices allowed. Believe it or not, this is the most popular part of Club Fusion.”
“I’m quite surprised. It all looks so normal.”
He smiled at her as though she were a small child. “You’ve a lot to learn. I’ll show you through to the next level.” Through a set of swing doors they entered a large room. By the look of the floor she guessed this must be the nightclub. “This is called Scandals
,
and it’s level two. Light spanking and humiliation are allowed, and guests are permitted to dress as they wish.”
He led her through another door, and they entered a dark hallway. Doors led off in every direction. “This is level three. Anything is allowed. Everything, that is, except prostitution.” He pulled back a curtain. “This is the pleasure pit.” A large room painted deep red and gold was filled with soft furnishings and seating.
“It all looks very innocent,” she commented as they walked along the corridor. “But I suppose that’s to be expected, when there’s no one here.”
“Working on reception, you shouldn’t really need to come this far into the club. So you probably won’t see very much at all.”
He opened another door and she recognized it as the dungeon she’d seen on the Internet. Her heart banged in her chest when she caught sight of the manacles and restraining furniture scattered about. “Now this looks like a torture chamber.”
“Maybe, that’s one point of view, but don’t forget, Kat, it’s all consensual. Couples get a lot of enjoyment from this type of experience.”
“What do you do at Club Fusion, Colt? What’s your role?” He hadn’t really explained what he did, and she was curious to know more.
“Oh, I just play the Dom role.”
“Are you a real Dom?” She’d never met a Dom before. Although Colt was certainly a very attractive man, she wouldn’t know he was a Dom if she happened to walk past him the street.
“Yes.”
He must have sensed her next question because he said, “I have total control over anything and everything that goes on here at Club Fusion. My word is law. Usually I just oversee the smooth running of the place and see that my guests have everything they require. However, sometimes if I’m minded, I might spank unruly behavior and bring naughty girls back into line. Some guests have subs and slaves that need extra discipline from the Master, and I’m happy to oblige. But, most of the time I’m just a showman, acting the Dom role.”
“Is that all?”
He stopped walking and turned to look at her. “I don’t have sex for money, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you, it’s just, well, I’ve never set foot in a place like this before.”
“I much prefer to get to know a woman over a longer period of time. I like to build up trust in a relationship, that way I get more satisfaction. I recently finished with a long-term girlfriend. It just came to a natural conclusion, and then she went back to Australia.” He smiled. “So, Kat, would working here fill you with horror?”
“No. I’ve seen worse in dead-end bars.”
“Good.” He lifted her chin and she stared into his eyes. All of a sudden she felt like that innocent fourteen-year-old girl Colt had rescued from the bullies at school. “What you have to realize, Kat, is a place like this runs on trust. God knows what you’ve had to put up with over the years because I can tell just by looking at you that you don’t trust anyone in this world, especially men.”
Kat closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip. He was so close to the truth, it hurt. She breathed in and dug deep. Very deep. There was no way she’d let him in. She opened her eyes and stared directly at him. Her voice ground out the words. “I manage fine.”
He stroked her cheek with his thumb, and then let her go. “This is one of the spanking rooms we have.” He opened a door and she peered inside. She could see an assortment of canes, whips, and sex toys used for punishment and reward. She couldn’t imagine trusting any man enough to let them spank
her
.
“So.” He gently touched her hand. “Would you be happy to work here, Kat?”
“Yes.” Just to be able to settle for a few months would be a welcome change. “When do I start?”
“Tomorrow.”
* * * *
Kat made her way down to the reception area, glad for the change of scenery. Her bedroom was quite comfortable, but very restrictive. Staying in her room hour after hour was not an ideal situation, but better than the alternative. A cheap, sleazy motel, would be far, far worse.
Colt was waiting for her, leaning back against the reception desk. He wore a pair of hip-hugging jeans and a white T-shirt that clung to the contours of his broad chest. He looked hot as hell, and her stomach twisted with sexual longing. She had to remind herself that he was just a man. No different from all the other men who’d let her down.
“There you are,” he remarked as she walked up to him. “You don’t have to stay in your room all the time, Kat.”
“I didn’t want to intrude.”
“The ranch spans a hundred acres. I assure you, you won’t be intruding. Anyway, are you comfortable with what’s required here?”
“Of course.”
“My guests won’t be wearing much. I hope that won’t bother you?”
Kat laughed. “I’m not a shrinking violet, Colt. I can handle myself.” She raised a brow as her gaze swept over him. “I had thought you would be wearing a lot less yourself.” Her flippant remark almost made her blush.
“Thought or hoped?” He smiled when she didn’t answer. “I just monitor what’s going on, see that everything is legal and aboveboard. I don’t get involved with the customers.”
“Oh?”
“No, as I said, I like to get to know someone first.” Colt glanced at his watch. “The first of our guests should be arriving soon. If you need me during the evening, I’ll be around making sure everything is running smoothly.”
Two hours into her shift, Kat realized she was enjoying herself. The guests were friendly, and the time slipped by quickly as she took their coats and answered any questions they had. When a prospective new club member telephoned with a query she couldn’t answer, she went in search of Colt.
The heady beat of the music drifted through the club as she went first to the bar and then the nightclub. Everyone looked happy, the occasional laughter bursting through. Colt had been right. The bar was the most popular area, where groups of people congregated, apparently deep in conversation. Surely they couldn’t all be talking about sex? He wasn’t in either place, so she took a deep breath and pushed open the door to level three.
All sorts of moans and groans came from every direction. She peered in the pleasure pit, guessing he wouldn’t be there, but looking all the same. It was very dark. All she could see was group of naked writhing bodies joined together. Her attention was drawn to a door opening behind her and as a man wearing just a pair of leather shorts stepped out, she could see into the dimly lit punishment room. A woman lay over a soft bench, having her bare butt spanked. By the sound of the moans coming from her, she was enjoying it, too. She knew she shouldn’t stare, but she couldn’t help herself.
“Kat, I didn’t take you for a voyeur.” Colt’s sudden appearance at her side made her spin around to face him. Startled, she held a hand to her mouth.
“I was looking for you.”
“I was behind the bar.”
“Sorry, I didn’t see you. There’s a telephone call for you.”
The woman being spanked became more vocal, and Kat motioned with her thumb over her shoulder. “I can’t believe she’s enjoying it.”
Colt smiled. “You’d be surprised, Kat. I’ve spanked women to orgasm before now.”
Kat just stared at him. For a woman who’d always had unsatisfactory sex, the idea that she could be spanked to climax seemed far-fetched. “Colt, your ego must be huge. It’s impossible to spank a woman to orgasm.”
He leaned down and whispered in her ear. “Believe me, honey, I could have you begging for sexual release without any problem whatsoever.”
The idea of Colt administering a spanking on her bare butt made her pussy go wet. Then reality struck home. Colt was just teasing her. With her hands on his chest, she playfully pushed him away. “Well, thankfully you’ll never get the opportunity to try it, Mr. Overblown Ego.”
As she walked away, she could hear him laughing. “Maybe not, but I know the idea turns you on.”
Chapter Five
One week later
“I’ve finished tidying the reception area. Is there anything else I can do, Colt?” Kat asked as she walked into the bar.
He smiled. She’d been working at Club Fusion for a week now, but she still appeared wary.
Colt handed her a cloth. “Here, help me dry these glasses, and then place them on the shelf ready for tonight.”
Her shoulders were stiff as she picked up a glass. Unable to resist, he asked, “Are you happy working here, Kat?”
“Yes.”
Colt withdrew a tray of steaming glasses from the machine and placed them on the drainer. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, why do you ask?”
He shrugged. “You just seem to be holding back, that’s all. I did tell you you’re more than welcome to use the facilities at the club, but so far I’ve barely seen you.”
Kat picked up another glass, and began to dry it. “I don’t mind my own company. I’m used to it.”
However much he tried to cajole Kat into conversation, she refused to open up to him.
There was something about her that aroused his senses. Yes, she was independent, strong-willed, and well able to look after herself, but she was clearly vulnerable, too. His inner self, the part that made him a Dom, wanted to tap that vulnerability. He wanted to dominate her, and bend her to his will. He figured a woman like Kat wouldn’t be easily mastered, but that would give him even greater satisfaction when he finally tamed her. Ah, yes, taming Kat Masters would prove the perfect aphrodisiac.
He guessed she was gripping the glass too tightly, because it broke in her hand cutting her badly. Immediately, she ran her cut finger under the tap. Her blood colored the water red. “How stupid of me.”
“Here let me see.”
“No, I’m fine.”
“For god’s sakes, woman, stop being so independent.” Disregarding her answer, he took hold of her hand and looked at the cut. It wasn’t too deep. He dried the wound with a piece of tissue, and then found a plaster. “You’ll live,” he said.
“Thank you.”
Her gaze connected with his. She was so close her could smell her perfume and feel the heat from her body. He noticed her pupils dilate as she looked at him. Fuck, he wanted to kiss her.
She must have sensed his next move because she stepped away, saying, “I must get on with my work.” He smiled to himself as she picked up the cloth and began drying the glasses once more.
Was it fear or desire he’d seen in her hazel eyes? Maybe it was both. If that were the case, then he may have found the perfect woman.
* * * *
One month later
Colt strolled through the reception with the last of his guests. “Now, y’all come back soon. Don’t be strangers.”
“We sure will, Colt. We’ve had a great time as always,” his guests replied.
He waited until the couple had reached their car before closing the doors and locking up. After rubbing a hand over his face, he glanced at his watch. It was just coming up to five in the morning, and the sun had started to appear over the horizon.