The Plume: The First Anthology (28 page)

"Yes. A bondage travel pack. It's light and compact."

"Small enough to fit in a purse?"

"Even in an evening bag."

Their gazes locked over the table, the sight of her smile making Mike hope that package arrived first thing.

He had plans for their ten-thirty coffee break.

* * *

Tex had never met a woman who was as insatiable as Tess.

Not only was she beautiful, but she had long hair that hung in waves over her shoulders. He loved long hair. She had a spark in her eye and a bit of attitude, and he had to think that she was going to be haunting his dreams for a while.

She had twenty days left in her agreed contract of captivity at the Plume. Tex had checked. He wondered whether he could persuade her to extend that.

He hadn't thought there were women like Tess, which was why he'd developed a taste for men. Men didn't mind being taken hard; they didn't mind it a bit rough; many of them liked a good tussle and maybe a beating. Women, in Tex's experience, lost interest in the kind of rough play that made the stables work.

Not Tess. If anything, she was getting more horny by the hour.

Tex had waited, letting his anticipation build, but tonight was his night. He'd set Tess loose in the stables, loving that she'd been ready to fight. He'd had roped and lassoed her himself, much to the enjoyment of everyone at the stables.

Now he was striding off with his prize, deciding how to enjoy her first. Tess was bound with his rope, still struggling as he carried her on his shoulder. He reached the empty stall assigned to her and secured the door behind them.

"Just you and me?" she asked, obvious hope in her tone.

"You might not be as happy about that as you think you will be."

Tess laughed and rubbed her breasts against him. "Don't count on it."

Tex went to the opposite wall, where there was an array of harness displayed. He chose the metal spreader bar with shackles on each end. He untied Tess's ankles from each other, then locked the heavy leather bonds around them instead. Her feet would always be an arm's length apart, which would give Tex unimpeded access.

She squirmed, instinctively testing the restraint of the spreader bar, as he set her on her feet in the middle of the stall.

Tex untied the rope that was binding her arms against her torso, but held fast to her wrists. As he'd anticipated, she struggled, but Tex was fast with a knot. In a heartbeat, Tess's wrists were bound together behind her butt.

He tossed the rope over the beam that was overhead and tugged. Tess gasped as her hands were tugged upward and she was compelled to bend forward at the waist.

"Cracked open like a shotgun," Tex drawled, knotted the rope so that there was no tension on her shoulders but that she was captive. He dropped the rope behind her, then tossed it between her knees. He crouched down before her as he tied a knot in it. "Tell me you like it."

She smiled. "I love it."

"And it only gets better." Tex pulled up the rope with a snap so that the knot collided with her puss. As always, he'd judged the distance perfectly. Tess gasped. He gave it a tug so the knot would rub against her clitoris and she moaned, her hips swinging. "Tell me about your master."

Tess's eyes flew open and she grimaced. "Why spoil the moment?"

"Because he's going to come after you and I want to be ready."

Her eyes shone. "So you can keep me?"

Tex smiled, liking that their thoughts were similar. "Something like that. It would be against the rules, though."

"Fuck rules," Tess said savagely. "The Plume is about pleasure."

"Rex won't see it quite that way." Tex eased the rope back and forth, watching how her eyes closed and she trembled. There weren't many women who loved this kind of play as much as he did – but he'd found one.

He wasn't going to let her go easily.

"Then you have to change his mind." Tess looked straight at Tex. "I have to believe you can do that."

Tex grinned. "Tell me," he commanded, watching the knot caress her wet snatch. She was practically dripping, ready to go one more time.

"He likes to fight."

"Sounds like a good match with you."

"But he only likes to fight guys." Tess sighed and a movement of the knot turned the sound into a moan. "He says he doesn't want to hurt me."

"That's not unfair."

"I have five brothers," Tess said tartly. "I don't hurt that easily. And I
like
the struggle."

"Message received," Tex said, quickly tying a loop knot in the end of the rope. "Open wide." Tess's eyes widened in uncertainty but she opened her mouth. He pushed the loop into her mouth, tightening the loop around her chin. Her eyes widened more as rope checked the length of the rope, pleased to find that again he'd estimated perfectly.

"Now lift your chin," he instructed and Tess gasped as her move drove the knot against her puss.

Tex smiled at her. "Very good." He stepped back and removed his chaps, tugging the wide leather belt free and casting the chaps aside. He folded it and slapped it against his palm. "You need to take care of that, because I have work to do." He leaned close and looked her right in the eye. "Drop the rope and I'll deliver you back to your master immediately."

Tess's eyes flashed and he knew she'd do exactly as she'd been told. She wriggled in her bonds as he strode behind her. One look at that sweet ass made him wonder how long he could resist her.

Until it was pink, at least.

He'd never last until it was red.

Neither, he suspected, would Tess.

Tex swung the belt so the leather loop snapped against her butt with a satisfying crack. Tess jumped, then she moaned.

Then she stretched her butt backward, inviting more.

Tex was only too happy to deliver.

* * *

The promised package did arrive on Monday. Joanna opened it in the washroom, locked into the end stall. The bonds were light, made of nylon fabric, but the adhesive bands were wide so that they's be secure. She tried one on her wrist and realized immediately how effective it would be.

She shoved it all into her purse in its travel case, then ensured that the wrappings were buried in the trash. She'd already peeled off the mailing label before retreating to the washroom.

That was when she saw the note in her purse. When had Mike put that there? She unfolded it and read his instructions.

She swallowed, then dutifully removed her underwear, tucking the panties into her purse.

She walked back out into the office, feeling as if she had a potent secret. She was already wet and Mike hadn't even come near her. He'd commanded her to wear the corset every day with stockings and garters, and now she had no panties on either.

She glimpsed Mike at the other end of the corridor, talking to their senior editor, and her heart leapt. She returned to her desk and started to work again, not really surprised when Mike leaned into her cubicle.

His eyes were dancing and she knew he was up to something. "Want to grab a coffee?" he asked and she knew that wasn't what he had planned.

She made a show of checking her cup, which was empty. "That would be great."

"Let's go down to that coffee shop at the corner and get some real java," he said.

"Good idea. I'm due for a treat." Joanna grabbed her coat and her purse and followed Mike toward the elevator. Their newspaper's office was on one of the upper floors of the older building, and the elevator was slow.

"Busy morning?" Mike asked lightly.

"Crazy," Joanna agreed, aware of the receptionist not far away. "It'll be a late night tonight, I think."

"I think so, too. All the more reason for caffeine early."

They didn't look at each other, Mike watching the display of the elevator's location and Joanna studying her shoes. To her surprise, he pulled out a package of bubble gum. He offered her some, which she declined, and he took four pieces. He chewed quickly. Joanna was sure she'd never seen him chew gum before.

Which meant he was up to something. She tingled in anticipation.

Mike reached out as the elevator door opened, ensuring that the doors remained open. He gestured Joanna into the space, then winked at her when it was clear that they'd be the only ones in the elevator.

The doors closed and the elevator began to descend.

Mike immediately removed the gum from his mouth and stuck it to the lens of the security camera. To Joanna's surprise, Mike produced the key to the control panel from his pocket. He winked, then inserted it in the panel.

The elevator lurched to a halt.

"Fast and furious," he murmured before he reached for her and gave her a deep kiss. Joanna closed her eyes and leaned against him, feeling her body quicken to his touch. She was hot and horny already, filled with anticipation of their using the travel kit. "Don't give us away," he whispered in her ear. "Stay silent, or I'll really have to punish you."

Silence was golden. Joanna nodded understanding.

Mike reached into her purse and removed the kit, dropping her purse on the elevator floor. He fastened the restraints on her wrists and bound them together behind her back. He toyed with the gag from the kit, then decided – to Joanna's relief – to use it. She didn't trust herself to remain silent when he was bent on driving her crazy. He tugged the gag tightly and secured it with a flourish.

Joanna was flooded with that wonderful sense of futility. Mike was completely in command.

And she was his to take.

Mike backed her into the corner and reached beneath her skirt. He made a sound of approval when he discovered that she was wearing stockings and garters as instructed, and smiled as he fingered her until she squirmed. "Good girl," he whispered, his lips against her ear, and she melted with desire for him.

Mike unfastened his jeans, caught her butt in both hands and lifted her off the ground. He surged into her, filling her with his hardness, and she heard him catch his breath. "Go ahead and struggle," he murmured. "You know we both like it."

Joanna wriggled. She found the bonds and she tried to scream. She knew that Mike had completely secured her, and wasn't surprised that she couldn't escape. Once again, though, she was surprised by how much it excited her to be his willing captive. He drove himself into her, moving slowly and with power. She thrashed. She kicked. She flailed.

And he took both his time and his pleasure.

He dragged himself against her clitoris, making sure she understood that he was in charge. "Coffee every morning at ten-thirty," he whispered in her ear and she thrilled at the prospect of doing this every day. "You'll be in the copy room alone at two every day." Joanna thought of the copy room, all its horizontal surfaces. There were dozens of rolls of packing tape there, and the door could be locked.

Mike growled against her neck, thrusting into her with power. "You'll take the stairs when you go home, the ones to the left of the elevator. You'll be ready for me every time, and I'll take you whenever I want. It won't be up to you. Moan if you know you're mine."

Joanna moaned and quivered.

Mike smiled. "You won't be able to think of anything but the feel of me inside you." He pulled back and looked into her eyes. Maybe he saw that she already could think of little else because he grinned. Joanna gasped. She ground herself against him. He rubbed himself against her and made her tremble with desire, "And every night, you'll call me and beg for more."

Joanna cried into the gag as she came. It was all true. Mike crushed her into the corner as he came immediately afterward and he laid his head on her shoulder for a moment, catching his breath.

Then he winked at her, unfastened her wrists. He untied the gag with gentle fingers, and kissed her temple with the tenderness that made her pliant. Joanna bent to pick up her purse as he fastened his jeans, then turned the key in the elevator panel. She shook out her hair.

She knew she had to be flushed and she was wet. Who would have imagined uptight Joanna getting it on in an elevator? She certainly would never have imagined she'd enjoy it so much.

And again tomorrow. Joanna could hardly wait. She met Mike's gaze and fought the urge to laugh out loud at how bad they were.

That was before he blew her a kiss.

* * *

Rex managed to keep the truth from Mark until Wednesday. He was quite proud of his feat, knowing that the delay had ensured that Tess had had time to enjoy the many delights of the stable.

Mark had been fuming ever since Tess's disappearance, but Rex had admitted nothing. Tex had been lucky in that no one had seen anything – which was the benefit of the abduction having occurred in the corridor leading to the offices. It was more showy to stage an abduction in the bar itself, but the captivity never lasted long that way.

Rex was amused by the other man's outrage, but knew that he had to ensure that Mark had a full head of steam, so to speak, for this to work. He professed to be doing all that was possible, and pretended to know nothing about Tess's fate.

He was enjoying a glass of merlot in the bar of the Plume, watching the two slave girls who looked so good together, when someone rapped on his shoulder with a hard finger. Rex turned to find Mark, glaring at him.

Behind him was Athena, smirking.

This would be the moment of truth. Rex sipped his wine, as if unconcerned, and surveyed his business partner. Athena was wearing black and gold, as striking and dramatic as ever. Her long red hair was loose, her nipples displayed by her low cut black latex tank top. She was wearing black pants that hugged her curves and tall black boots. Broad golden slave bracelets adorned her wrists and she wore a thick leather collar.

As if anyone here would dare to claim her as a slave.

Rex smiled, knowing one man who would. It was as if Athena had sensed his plan and dressed appropriately. He knew she had no idea of the truth, because she would have been screaming in fury if she had guessed.

"Athena says you must know where Tess is," Mark said angrily.