Appreciated (Club Indigo Book 3) Read online

  Jim grinned at her and handed her a black plastic bag. "This. Go ahead; I'll wait for you out here."

  "Aren't you going to change?" She gave his jeans and blue shirt the once over. She had to admit that he looked great in every outfit she'd seen him in and the shirt highlighted his incredible eyes.

  "I am." He winked at her and strode away. She followed him with her eyes and hoped he wouldn't look any sexier when he came back, or she would be in serious trouble. She probably was already—here she was at a BDSM Club with a colleague who was eight years younger than she was. What was she doing?

  The door opened and her friend Laura and an Asian woman, who barely seemed of legal age, came in. "—I swear, Laura, Python runs rings around Java."

  "You'll have to prove that," Laura replied. She looked up. "Paula?" Laura exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming to the club tonight? Who are you with? I thought you weren't interested."

  Paula gave her friend a quick hug and replied, "I wasn't sure, myself, until about an hour ago. Jim Cagney is my—um—escort." Date, Dom, what should I call him?

  The women stood a bit awkwardly before Laura pulled herself together. "Julie, this is Paula—she was my maid of honor. Paula, meet Julie, a longstanding member of the club and a total rope bunny."

  Paula shook hands with Julie, who wasn't as young as she appeared now she'd taken a closer look. "Nice to meet you. What's a rope bunny?"

  Julie chuckled. "New to the scene, I see," she replied in a kind tone. "It's a name for a bottom who likes to be tied up, and I'm very lucky that one of the best riggers around likes to play with me."

  Laura laughed out loud. "Come on, Julie, I think Mitch more than likes to play with you. Since I've joined the club, I've never seen him with anyone else."

  Julie shrugged. "You're right. At the club, we're perfect for each other." Paula thought she sounded a bit sad, but she wasn't sure.

  Laura indicated the bag Paula was still holding. "What's in there?"

  Paula had almost forgotten about the order to change. "I don't know. It's what I'm supposed to wear tonight."

  "Wow! Surprise costume! Show us what you got?" Her enthusiasm was infectious and Paula smiled as she opened the bag. She pulled shiny blue silk the color of her eyes from the bag and looked in wonderment at the two-piece outfit.

  "What a gorgeous Arabian Nights costume!" Julie bounced up and down on the balls of her feet and clapped her hands together. "Come on; try it on."

  Paula looked at the costume she was holding. She wasn't sure if she wanted to enter the club looking like a harem girl.

  Laura started to peel off her street clothes, giving Paula some semblance of privacy or at least one less pair of eyes on her. "You know, if your top thinks you're taking too long, you might end up going through the club in your birthday suit," Laura remarked, sounding nonchalant, but her words rang true in Paula's ears and she kicked into action. Used to shifting gears, she had her clothes off and the costume on before Laura was finished undressing.

  "Whoa," Julie whispered, and Paula looked down at her body. The top fit snugly around her breasts like a luxurious sports bra and left her midriff bare. The wide and smooth trousers accentuated her long legs. The sewn-on coins jingled softly as she turned in an attempt to see her backside.

  A knock on the door startled the three women, and as the only one dressed, Paula hurried over. "Hold on." She opened the door a fraction and came face to face with Jim.

  "Don't tell me you're not ready yet," he teased.

  "I just have to get shoes on," Paula answered and she felt compelled to explain. "I met Laura and Julie and we talked a bit."

  Jim smiled. "That's okay; there are no shoes with the outfit, so you can come out now."

  "No shoes?" Paula didn't believe he'd expect her to walk around on bare feet.

  He reached through the opening between the door and the doorframe and pulled her out. "We're not playing tonight, but I want you to experience a bit of the D/s dynamic. First, I want you to use an honorific when you address a Dominant, Sir for a male and Mistress for a female. Second, you're allowed to ask as many questions as you want, but you may not question my actions or decisions. In a regular relationship, the sub doesn't question the Dominant's decisions. She or he understands that the Dom is acting in the sub's best interests. If you ever feel that I'm asking something that will cause you physical or emotional pain, you always have a safeword."

  Paula tried to swallow, but her mouth was very dry all of a sudden. They'd started and she didn't like it already. "I-I—"

  "Tell me what's wrong."

  "I can't ask about the shoes?" It came out more a question than a statement.

  He tilted his head as if waiting for something.

  Oh right. "Don't ask about the shoes, Sir."

  His hand fisted in her hair and he took her mouth in a languid kiss that had her panties dampening in seconds. Damn, his kisses were potent.

  He pulled away from her mouth and smiled down at her. "Nicely done, Paula. You look stunning in this outfit. This time, I'll answer you. It's club rule that subs are either barefoot or in high heels." The way his eyes roamed her body and lingered on the bare strip of skin between the top and the trousers made her nipples harden and tingle.

  "Tonight, I want you close to me. I want to be able to touch you at all times." He tipped her head further backward. "Since you're not allowed to play, I won't punish you for infractions, but I will be disappointed if you don't follow my orders." He kissed her exposed neck and she thought her legs would have given out if he hadn't been holding her. "You don't want to disappoint me, do you, Paula?"

  "No, Sir."

  "Good, girl," he whispered, and with a brief kiss, he turned them both so they were facing the door. "Let's go."

  As he led her through the hall, he explained how the club was founded by four university friends and that the building had belonged to a relative of one of the founders. "James and Chris did the remodeling. It was one of BlackSmith Construction's first jobs. Downstairs, we have the locker rooms, dining area, and the main room with the bar. Upstairs, are themed and private rooms. We'll start at the bar for a drink, and after that, we'll explore a bit. I want you to tell me about the scenes you see and what you like and dislike about each."

  Paula opened her mouth to explain to him she wasn't comfortable with the whole talk about BDSM scenes, but she remembered his earlier words. 'You don't want to disappoint me, do you, Paula?' Somehow that seemed even worse than talking about people hurting other people. She managed a "Yes, Sir," before falling into stunned silence as the main room came into view. Kneeling next to Henry Cole was an older man she knew quite well. Her jaw dropped as she realized that Jackson Andrews, one of the most respected criminal attorneys in the city, was sitting in a submissive pose. This was the same man who had police officers sweating profusely when they had to testify in a case against one of his clients. She hadn't realized Henry was gay, although she'd suspected it about Jackson. She sure hadn't seen the BDSM coming.

  "Stop staring and keep walking, Paula," Jim admonished, and she followed him toward the bar.

  Jim greeted Henry but didn't address Jackson. Paula studied the man. He looked more relaxed than she'd ever seen him and perfectly content in his position. How strange. It was like Jim and Henry didn't pay attention to her and Jackson, but then she'd noticed Henry's hand at the back of Jackson's head and she became aware that Jim had one hand placed on her upper leg. She looked away from Jackson and noticed there was a mirror at the back of the bar and Jim was watching her while he talked with Henry. She felt better immediately. The bartender came over to them.

  "Jim, you've brought a lovely lady with you. Is she active in the lifestyle?" he asked after greeting them.

  "Bob, meet Paula." Jim leaned back a bit to let them both shake hands. "Paula, this is Bob. You can usually find him behind the bar during the first hours after opening. Bob helped me get my life together after my service and introduced me to Club In
digo. He counsels vets and others with PTSD in his professional life and switches in the lifestyle."

  "Switch? Do you alternate between normal and kinky or something?" Paula couldn't stop herself from asking.

  Bob barked a laugh and she thought she heard Henry chuckle.

  Jim explained, "A switch is sometimes dominant and sometimes submissive, and what you call 'normal,' we call 'vanilla.'"

  "Okay. Sorry, Sir." A squeeze on her leg told her he wasn't upset with her. "Am I allowed to ask Bob questions?"

  "Yes, you are." He turned to Bob. "Are you wearing your Top-hat tonight?"

  "Sometimes it changes during the evening, but right now, I think it's a night to submit," Bob answered. "Kate might do a scene with me later."

  "How does that work?" Paula couldn't wrap her head around it.

  "It's hard to explain. I think it depends on my mood, but it also depends on my play partner. I'm always dominant with other men, but I like to submit to some women."

  "So you're bisexual?"

  "Not really. I'm what we in the lifestyle call heteroflexible. A person who is mainly straight but finds the same gender appealing sometimes. I stick to women for about eighty or ninety percent of my activity, but I top men on occasion."

  Henry added, "It's great when Jackson has earned a special reward and he gets a cock at both ends." He pulled Jackson's head back by his hair and placed a possessive kiss on his mouth. Paula watched with rapt attention at the display of dominance. Gay interaction did not appeal to her, but this was sexy as all get out.

  "Do you have more questions?" Bob wanted to know.

  "No, no, thank you, Bob." She was embarrassed she had been staring at the lawyer couple again. The evening was young and already confusing and she hadn't seen any BDSM play. What would happen when they pulled out the whips and chains?

  Bob lifted his hand to greet someone behind her and she turned to see James, Laura, Julie, and another man enter the main room. The quartet walked up to them, and after some sort of signal from Jim, James gave her a peck on her cheek and introduced her to Mitch, the man Julie had been talking about earlier. Laura looked up and smiled at her but remained silent.

  "I would love to stay and get to know you, Paula, but I need to go and take over from Kate. The Mistress doesn't take kindly to delay and I prefer my balls the way they are." Mitch grinned and walked toward the entrance.

  James kissed his wife's hand and pulled her against him. "You've been tense ever since Josh's confession. I'm going to remedy that tonight." James nodded to Jim, and he and Laura walked over to the other side of the room.

  "Good," Jim remarked. "Let's get a drink from Bob and then move closer to the scene. What do you want to drink?"

  "Coke Zero, if they have it, please." Paula turned slightly and felt her eyes widen. Laura was naked and sitting on the ground with her knees spread wide apart and her hands resting on her legs with her palms up. The feminist part of Paula insisted it was demeaning and vulgar, but another part of her—probably her lower half—thought her beautiful and confident. James was cleaning a wooden x-frame on the wall.

  Jim helped her off the barstool and handed a glass to her. He picked up a bottle of water from the countertop and placed a hand at the small of her back to guide her toward a couch close to the open area that looked a bit like a dance floor.

  "James needs some time to prepare. In the meantime, tell me a bit about your reaction to Henry and Jackson," Jim said quietly.

  Paula closed her eyes as she thought about his request. "I was surprised at first. I didn't know they were an item, and I never would have guessed they were into BDSM." She paused. Would he be satisfied with her answer? She guessed not. "At first, I was uncomfortable seeing Jackson on his knees, but as I studied him, I realized how relaxed he was. I never noticed how tense he is in normal life." Jim nodded and it was a bit easier to continue. "I saw how Henry kept contact with him, stroking his head and neck, while the two of you were talking. I-I also noticed how your hand was on my leg and you were watching me in the mirror behind the bar."

  "You have good observational skills." Jim smiled at her. "For many submissives, it's like it is with Jackson. They have demanding, maybe even dangerous jobs. When they are in the care of their dominant, they can let go and just be and feel."

  "What about dominants who have high-powered jobs? Don't they get tired of being in control all the time?"

  "I never really thought of it that way. It's so rewarding for me to have a submissive in my care that I've never considered it from that point of view." Jim rubbed his jaw, making a sexy rasping sound. "When I'm in control of a submissive, I can concentrate entirely on her and I know her focus is on me. I don't have to watch my back. Her responses will be one hundred percent genuine and honest. I find it both relaxing and energizing to be with my sub. Some people play in clubs or the bedroom, and some people have a more intense power exchange. Every couple has to figure out what level of kink fits in their lives. Time to watch."

  Paula returned her focus to the scene in front of them. "Oh, my—" James had Laura strapped to the frame. Her friend was wearing wide black leather cuffs around her wrists and ankles. And it looked very…appealing. James had taken off his shirt and was holding something. "What's that in his hand, and what's that frame thing she's on?"

  Jim had been stroking along the elastic of her top, but now his hand snaked under the top and pinched her nipple. Ouch, that wasn't a playful pinch . She batted at his hand, but he easily caught her arm with his other one and pulled it away. "How do you address me?"

  "S-sir," she gritted through clenched teeth and breathed in relief when he let up the pressure.

  "It's called a flogger and she's on a St. Andrew's cross. You can look it up when we get home. Neither James nor Laura are into pain, so this flogger is made of heavy strands and soft material like suede or deerskin." He had let go of her nipple and was back to stroking her again, but he hadn't removed his hand from under her top. "Watch and stop thinking so hard," Jim whispered in her ear.

  He ran his tongue over the rim of her ear and she shuddered. Since when was that an erogenous zone?

  She watched enthralled as James worked Laura over with first one flogger and then another until his back glistened with sweat and hers was covered in pink stripes. James reached around Laura to her pussy and she moaned out an orgasm.

  "Stay here, while I give him a hand, Paula," Jim ordered, and he stood up to help James unbuckle Laura and throw a blanket around her shoulders. James and Jim exchanged a few words she couldn't hear, and after giving Jim a pat on the shoulder, James hoisted Laura into his arms and carried her to another couch. Jim busied himself with rubbing down the cross and collecting the implements James had used before walking back to Paula.

  She was grateful for the reprieve it had given her. Her thoughts and feelings were all jumbled up. The scene had been hot, but she couldn't get her head past the fact that James had beaten his wife and she'd liked it enough to get off on it.

  Jim came back to the couch, but instead of settling in next to her, he picked her up and sat back down with her on his lap. She wiggled a bit, unsure if she wanted to get down or get more comfortable and chose to do the latter.

  He pressed her head against his chest and she sighed, feeling the strain draining away. Had she been that tense?

  He chuckled and she felt his chest moving. "It seems like you need more aftercare than Laura does."

  She lifted her head a bit and peeked over at her friend, who was in a similar position. "Aftercare, Sir?"

  Jim nodded and settled back a little bit more comfortably. "Yes, aftercare. It's the time a Dom and a sub spend together after a scene, connect with the real world again. The Dom can take care of physical needs, like giving water or food and tend to bruises and emotional needs."

  That sounded kind of nice. "I expected to be disturbed by seeing her getting whipped, but it was beautiful," Paula volunteered and then fell silent.

  "Go on," Jim prompted.


  "He wasn't really hurting her and he kept stroking and fondling her." She felt it was easier to talk to him sitting on his lap instead of being face to face. "He made it arousing instead of painful. I liked the connection between them and it was really hot when he got her off."

  "I thought so, too," Jim said, and he pressed his pelvis up so she could feel the evidence of his arousal. He chuckled again. "But it also helps to have you on my lap. How about a bite to eat?" Right on cue, her stomach started to rumble and they both laughed.

  After a comfortable meal in the empty dining area, they went upstairs to the themed rooms. "Scenes downstairs are more on display; the rooms upstairs are more private," Jim explained to her.

  A masculine groan reached Paula's ears, and Jim grinned at her. "Let's see what's piqued your interest."

  They looked in one of the rooms and saw Bob shackled to a cross like the one downstairs. Kate was standing next to him, and from the look on his face, she was giving him a hand job. Jim nudged her lower back to go in.

  "I think Mistress Kate is doing sounding and sensation play with him," Jim said with a quiet voice. "We can watch the scene over there." He pointed out a big throne-like chair with a large cushion on the floor next to it. "I want you to follow me and kneel beside the chair." Paula felt her nipples stand to attention and her pussy getting moist. Why is that so arousing? She followed Jim and settled beside him on the ground. Jim bent down to her. "You look lovely like this. Clasp your hands at the small of your back—I want access to your breasts—and part your knees a bit further."

  He wanted more? In her mind, she was already indecently exposed and she remembered how Laura had looked. At least she had clothes on. She adjusted her legs and placed her hands as he told her. Jim pressed a kiss on the junction between her neck and shoulder. "Good girl; now watch."

  Kate played with Bob like a cat played with a mouse. She teased his dick with her hands, her mouth, a feather, and what looked like a paint brush.