Page 42 of Dare to Love Again

Vaguely, she nodded. Other than snuggle time with Phinny, her evenings were always free.

His eyes glinted suddenly. “I can read faces fairly well, and yours is telling me you’re stubborn. Didn’t you say you haven’t cried since college? Yet after meeting me twice, you poured out five years of suppressed grief with a few swats of my hand. Something else we’ll explore as we move forward.” His fingers flexed on her still-tingling and tender behind as he went on. “Already I’ve learned you like moderate pain—despite your protests over a few mild swats—as well as being physically controlled by a man, whether being subdued by his strength, which I did here tonight, or with restraints. You marked strict bondage with cuffs, rope, and leather binders as something you enjoy, and blindfolds, but not gags because you can’t catch your breath. I will help you overcome that issue. Paddles, leather straps, and a good cropping were all in the ‘yes, sir, please may I have another’ column, but you ruled out intense implements such as a knotted cat, canes, and whips as hard limits. Which is a pity since I have an affinity for a well-crafted black snake, shot loaded, tightly braided, and perfectly balanced in my hand.”

Esme shivered at the thought of a whip wielded by this powerful man.

His arms tightened around her. “You’re trembling. Is it from a past experience? A scene gone bad, perhaps?” His eyes trailed down her body. “I saw no scars.”

“No, sir, I’ve never... It’s just too intense and scary.”

“A little fear is good, Esme, the potential of a whip should be respected. But with the right master, who possesses both skill and finesse, who knows how to make the leather dance across your body, whether in a soft caress from the tips, or with the snake’s fiery bite, you’ll realize your reluctance was more the fear of the unknown. Once you get a taste, sweet lass, trust me, you’ll crave it.”

A skilled master—his words reverberated in her head. Finn had spanked her to tears, bringing about the cathartic release she desperately needed. At the same time, rousing her body to a quivering, aching ball of desire. She was powerless to resist his drugging kisses, melting in his arms as if she had no limits. Her mouth opened on a softly indrawn breath as a hunger to experience the sensations he spoke of consumed her.

Was she insane for considering it?

Heaven above, after what he’d done to her so far, things she wouldn’t have thought possible a week ago, she believed he could do just about anything.

His hand rose to her cheek, his touch whisper soft. “Fear not,a stór. We’ll work up to it.”

She saw the unwavering determination in his eyes as he made his bold prediction, and her tongue slipped out to lick her suddenly dry lips.

“We enjoy many of the same things, which is why Master Eric arranged this little introductory session.”

Nudging her chin up, he kissed her once more. To her regret, only a soft brushing of lips. Then he took her hand and pulled her along to the door.

“Unfortunately, we’ll have to continue getting to know one another better next time. Tristan has the room after us and I don’t doubt he’ll try to eject us bodily if we don’t give it up soon.”

The couple waiting had made good use of their time. The tall dom had her pressed against the wall, hands clamped in one fist above her head, while he devoured her mouth.

Master Finn’s, “It’s all yours,” only received a grunt in response while they carried on.

He led her down the rear steps and navigated the always-packed Friday night dungeon.

“You drove tonight, didn’t you?”

“Yes, sir,” she said, breathless from trying to keep up with his long legs and much longer stride.

“We’ll skip a nightcap, then.”

At the gothic doors leading into the lounge, he retrieved her shoes from the attendant. The no-shoes-for-subs rule in play areas seemed bizarre at first, but as she slipped on her work pumps, she didn’t mind so much now. Hours spent in club-appropriate four- and five-inch fuck-me shoes was its own brand of torture. At the short hall to the women’s locker room, he arched a brow in silent question, but she shook her head, pulling her keys from her jacket pocket.

Before she knew it, they were outside, the unusual coolness of the late summer evening welcome after the heat of the crowded club.

“I’ll walk you to your car. And before you argue, I’ll warn you, I may like to turn a naughty sub’s bottom rosy red, bind her in lewd and creative ways, and while I enjoy sticking slippery vibrating things into a variety of orifices, mymathairraised a gentleman. I stand when a lady enters the room, open doors and allow her to enter first, and when I’m out with a woman, I always see her safely to her door, even if it’s a car door, at the end of the night.”

This prompted a laugh. “That sounds counterintuitive, but I get it.”

“That’s because you’re warped like me, sweet Esme.”

“Considering we’re standing outside a kink club packed shoulder to shoulder with 500 other warped people, I have to ask, aren’t we all, sir?”

“Touché,” he said with a grin and offered his arm. “Lead on.”

At her car, he took her keys from her hand and opened her door, but before she slid in, he took her in his arms, plastered his front to hers, and kissed her thoroughly. His hands roved intimately, one cupping a breast, while the other palmed an ass cheek and pulled her hips against his. It was impossible to miss the proof of his desire pressed long and hard against her lower belly.

Despite him sending her away, she knew he wanted her.

The vivid image of him bending her over the hood of her car and fucking her hard right there in the parking lot popped into her head. A plea for him to take what he wanted was on the tip of her tongue, but before either happened, he ended the kiss and eased away.

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