Authors: Brynley Bush
Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #Erotica, #Romantic, #Military, #Bdsm, #Romance, #Contemporary
Timeless
TIMELESS
A Black Brothers Standalone Novella
Brynley Bush
TIMELESS
Copyright © 2016 by Brynley Bush
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States of America
Names, characters and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright holder. Please purchase only authorized editions of this work, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
Cover design by Kari Ayasha of
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Formatting by
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Table of Contents
THE BLACK BROTHERS TRILOGY
Timeless
Chapter One
Ariana
“Are you sure about this?" my friend Tori asks, shooting me a doubtful glance as we pull into the drop-off lane at the Austin airport. She frowns. "I still don’t think it’s a good idea.”
"You're one to talk," I tease as I open the door. "I swear I saw rope marks on your wrists this morning."
She has the good grace to blush at that.
I open the passenger door as Tori slams the car into park and gets out to follow me around to the back. Damn, but that woman can be persistent. It's one of the many reasons she’s one of the top FBI agents in the field office where we both work, and why I love being assigned to work cases with her. That and the fact that she’s one of my closest friends, along with Kate, the other female agent in our office who’s the third member of our bad-ass girl gang.
"If you want to see if you like being tied up, fine," she continues as I lift my carry-on bag out of the trunk. "I’m not judging, I promise. I just don't think your first experience with BDSM should be at a weekend retreat out in the middle of nowhere where you don't know anyone. Find a guy you like, get to know him, and then explore your fantasies with him."
"You're the one who told me about the retreat," I remind her.
She rolls her eyes. "I thought you were asking for a case."
I love Tori, but she has no idea what it's like to be me. She's married to one of the sexiest and most self-confident men I’ve ever met, who in addition to being rumored to have singularly erotic tastes, also happens to be charming, wickedly funny, an incredibly talented singer, and completely and unequivocally in love with his wife.
I set my bag down and look her in the eye. "That would be ideal,” I agree, “but men like Drake are rare. You're lucky that you found someone who's not intimidated by your job. Men are only into me until they find out who I am or what I do. After that they either run for the hills or become groveling idiots. After eight to ten hours a day of being a bad ass, I just want someone else to take charge. Is that so wrong?”
Tori sighs. “Of course not. I just don’t know if this is the best way to go about finding what you want.”
"I can’t think of a better way,” I say resolutely. “This is actually perfect. I can explore what it’s like, and what I like, without any strings attached, and I won’t run into anyone I know since it’s in Denver. And you said yourself that your brother-in-law’s friend who organized the retreat is both classy and experienced with this…kind of thing.”
Tori nods slowly. “That’s true. He’s owned an exclusive club in Houston for years and I know he’ll make sure things stay safe and consensual.”
“Don't worry. I’ll be fine," I assure her. "I catch bad guys for a living, same as you. You should know better than anyone that I can protect myself."
"I'm more worried about your heart,” she mutters darkly as I give her one last hug before walking into the airport.
My heart is the last thing I’m worried about. I’ve given up on finding anyone worthy of it, and I certainly have no intention of giving it to anyone. My body, on the other hand, is another story. It craves a man who can own it, who can take my senses, my power, and my choice and give me freedom in return. I want a man strong enough to possess me, a man I can surrender to, who can take what he wants and in the process, pry the world from my tight grip and set me free to just feel and experience.
I sigh. If I didn’t know a man like that existed, maybe I’d be content to settle for less. But I found it once, and that one man who made love to me a lifetime ago has ruined me for everyone since. I don’t even know why I’m thinking about Marcus Dunn now. It’s been ten years since he pinned my hands over my head and drove into me with a force that sent me spiraling into pleasure I’d never experienced before or since. I shake my head, trying to rid myself of the unwanted memory of him—the sculpted hard planes of his tanned face, his powerful body that he worked so hard to keep in prime condition, the way his smile reached his expressive brown eyes, and his naturally commanding presence that demanded respect and deference from everyone he came in contact with.
I shake my head, mentally shoving the memories back into the box distinctly marked
Do Not Open
. I distract myself by talking to the sweet five-year-old seated next to me, and when my plane lands in Denver, I’ve successfully banished all thoughts of the man I shared the best summer of my life with. I’m ready to have some fun, and if things work out the way I hope, some mind-blowing sex!
I pick up my rental car and begin the hour-and-a-half long drive to the lodge that’s hidden in the mountains northwest of Denver. It starts to snow, and I watch the flakes melt on my windshield with awe. Living in Austin for the last two years and Miami before that, it’s been awhile since I’ve seen snow, and it’s absolutely beautiful.
I don’t think it’s quite as beautiful an hour later when I’m standing in it beside the rental car, freezing my butt off while I consider my options. One flat tire, no spare anywhere to be found, nonexistent cell service, and night quickly falling leave very few. I’ve about decided to start walking when I see approaching headlights. Thank God!
My hazards are already on and I step out into the road and start waving my arms. Thankfully, the car pulls to a stop. The middle-aged couple inside immediately offer to take me to the nearest town, and I gratefully climb into the backseat of the sport utility. They look harmless enough and I have excellent instincts, but I have my gun tucked into the waist of my jeans just in case I’ve misjudged them.
“Thank you so much,” I say politely. “I wasn’t looking forward to walking God knows how far in the snow at night.”
The woman shudders. “I can’t even imagine, my dear. You shouldn’t be driving out this way alone,” she tsks. “A beautiful young woman like you out here by yourself after dark! Thank goodness we came when we did. We almost took another way home, didn’t we, Herb?” Her husband grunts in affirmation. “Don’t you watch the news? All those stories of abductions and sex trafficking rings and bad things happening.” She shakes her head. “You can’t be too careful nowadays.”
I contemplate assuring her that I’m one of the good guys who stops those bad things from happening, but it might shock the curl right out of her perm if she knew the woman she just picked up on the side of the road is an FBI agent. Most people don’t believe me when I tell them at first anyway. I don’t know what they expect, but it’s usually not me.
“Yes, ma’am,” I say dutifully.
They drive me to the next small town where they seem to know everyone, and an hour later they leave me in the capable hands of a beefy and thickly-bearded man named Clyde who runs the town’s car repair shop and has agreed to drive me back to my rental car with a spare tire.
“He’s good people,” the woman, whose name is Margaret, assures me in a low voice. In the short time we’ve been together, I’ve learned she has a son who lives in Chicago, a daughter with a tattoo who never calls her, a bad case of bursitis and a hankering for grandchildren. “You’ll be safe with him.”
By the time we get back to my car and Clyde changes the tire for me, despite the fact that I assure him I’m more than capable of changing it myself, it’s almost nine o’clock, and I realize with sinking disappointment that I’m going to arrive at the lodge after the evening’s festivities have started. So much for easing into things!
I stop for a sandwich at a small diner, and by the time I pull into the gravel parking lot at the Five Pines Lodge, it’s a quarter past ten. I stare at the cheerfully lit, snow-covered, stone and wood lodge surrounded by mountains for a long minute with excitement tinged with a little trepidation. This is it. Time to find out if there’s any hope for me and my love life. I so desperately want to meet someone who overwhelms my senses and sets my mind and my body on fire. I really do. But I’m starting to wonder if it’s ever going to happen again. I can’t help but feel like this is my last hope.
When every guy I dated after Marcus left me feeling bored and disinterested, I'd started reading romances, trying to figure out exactly what was missing in my own love life. The stories of domination and submission, of ropes and bondage and erotic punishments had been my favorites, and after my last relationship with a perfectly nice but perfectly boring accountant ended, I'd vowed to visit a BDSM club at least once and see if that might be the spark I needed. And now here I am at one. Sort of.
I grab my bag, take a deep breath, and step through the heavy wooden doors and into the lodge. It’s ruggedly beautiful, with walls and ceiling made of exposed pine, a roaring fire in the big stone fireplace that dominates the room, and rugs in jeweled tones scattered over the stone floor adding warmth. If I didn’t know better, I’d think I was about to check in at a typical ski lodge. Then I see a man dressed in black leading a beautiful, exotic-looking woman by a leash attached to a collar that’s fastened around her neck, and another man is sitting on the rich, brown leather sofa in front of the fire, his head thrown back as a woman kneeling between his legs gives him a blow job.
Well, shit. I don’t know what I was expecting—this is a retreat for kinky people after all—but the reality of it is a little overwhelming. Tori was right. I should just leave now, find a nice guy to date, and forget all of this.
And die of boredom. I at least owe it to myself to see if this is what’s been missing, if I can somehow find someone who can make me feel alive like the bastard who broke my heart did. Surely he can’t be the only one who can chart my deepest desires like a cartographer mapping the stars. Besides, Tori had assured me there would be no pressure to participate, and there are some interesting classes I’ve signed up for tomorrow. If it’s really not my thing, I can always check out early and spend the next two days playing tourist in Denver. I’ve got this.
I take a deep breath, tilt my chin up, and approach the check-in desk where a slender, ridiculously pretty man in his early thirties is frowning at the computer screen.
“Hi. I’m Ariana McKnight. I’m checking in for the weekend retreat.”
He looks up and flashes me a smile.
"Welcome,” he says cheerfully, his fingers flying over the keyboard. “I’m Gavin.”
“Sorry I’m late. I had a flat tire.”
He looks at me sympathetically. “Well that’s no way to start your vacation, but no worries. You’re here now! Are you here alone?"
"Yes."
"Are you a top or bottom?"
I frown. "I thought I asked for a private room when I registered. I didn't realize there were bunks."
“I meant sexually," he says, trying unsuccessfully to suppress a smile. "Are you a top or a bottom? A Dominant or a submissive?"
“Oh,” I say, blushing. "Right. I’m, um, submissive."
"Is this your first time with us?"
"It's actually my first time anywhere!" I admit.
He stares at me. "You’ve never been to a BDSM club?”
I shake my head.
He nods knowingly and gives me a conspiratorial wink. “Just some kinky play at home, huh?"
“Not really.” I’m pretty sure the fantasies in my head and my vibrator don’t count.
"Shut up!" he drawls incredulously. “What on God’s green Earth are you doing here?”