Played
by the Master by Opal Carew
Jacqueline
adjusted the straps on her snug black dress, ensuring they hiked up her ample
bosom, then stared at herself critically in the large mirror in the elegant
hotel lobby ladies’ room.
She
was here on a mission and she’d pulled out all the stops. Low cut black dress that hugged every curve
of her body. Shockingly high stilettos
that made her legs look even longer than they were, and accentuated her rounded
butt. She turned in the mirror and
glanced at her backside. Her cheeks
flushed at the sight of herself in the short, tight black dress, all her assets
blatantly on display, but it was important she succeed and she needed to use
everything she had going for her. She
had even pulled her long, chestnut hair up and clipped it neatly behind her
head to stop it from obscuring her cleavage.
She
turned back to face the mirror, her gaze dropping to the sparkly diamond star
pendant grazing the tops of her pushed-up-thrust-forward breasts. (Her brother had given it to her and it was a
constant reminder of how he’d always taken care of her, and believed in her. He’d told her she’d be a star in whatever she
did.)
Three
women entered the washroom, chatting.
Jacqueline reapplied her deep red lipstick, then dropped the tube in her
evening bag and walked back into the lobby.
The
hotel was lavishly elegant. Crystal
chandeliers glittered from the ceiling as she walked along the marble floor,
her heels clacking on the surface. She
walked to the concierge desk and opened her small, sequined bag and pulled out
a black and red poker chip with the Danner insignia on it.
He
glanced at it and nodded.
“Go
to room 2403.”
She
smiled as she turned and walked to the elevator. Room 2403 was where she would find Mr.
Danner. Billionaire owner of Danner
Industries. She had to see him and
convince him to help her sister.
She’d
tried calling his secretary to arrange to see him in his office so she could
plead her case, but he was harder to get an appointment with than the president
of the United States. So she’d talked to
a friend of hers, who knew that Danner ran a high-stakes poker game once a
month. No one knew where it was until
the day, and it was extremely exclusive.
Danner didn’t worry about the details of deciding who could play. He had staff to check out potentials, but
Jacqueline’s friend had an in and had obtained one of the poker chips that
would allow her in the door.
Every
player had to go with at least two hundred thousand dollars they were prepared
to lose, which she didn’t have. But she
didn’t intend to lose. She smiled as she
walked onto the elevator and pushed the button.
Because
she intended to cheat.
* * *
Race
Danner stared out the window of the luxury hotel room over the lights of the
city reflected in the lake below as he poured himself a drink. The other players were continuing the game
behind him, but he’d stopped to take a break.
He sipped the seventy-five year old scotch and sighed.
Even
these poker games, that he’d arranged to break up the boredom he’d been
suffering from over the past year, had stopped giving him the excitement he was
seeking.
Travel,
women, extreme sports. None of it gave
him exactly what he was looking for.
He
turned back to the game, watching the intensity in the eyes of the card players
at the table.
The
problem was, he didn’t know exactly what he was looking for.
But
he had a feeling he’d know when he saw it.
A
knock sounded at the door and Renaldo, one of the hotel serving staff
overseeing the game, answered it. Race
heard a young woman’s voice, then the Renaldo opened the door and she walked
inside.
His
breath held as he stared at her.
The
little black dress—and he did mean little—and the fuck-me shoes she wore
showcased her stunning body, but he could tell she wasn’t used to wearing such
a revealing outfit. She carried herself
with confidence, but he could read people and could sense a hesitation in
her. She glanced around, as if wondering
if anyone was gazing at her, but not in a look-at-me way.
Her
hair was swept up and held in place by a glittery butterfly clip, which meant
it was long. He liked long hair. He smiled to himself, deciding that before
the night was over, he’d see her hair hanging loose and free. And he’d ensure he soon get the chance to
coil her tresses around his hand and hold tight.
Renaldo
was talking to her, and Race knew the man would hustle her out, since she was
not one of the people on the invitation list for tonight.
Race
would not let her slip through his fingers, however. He walked toward them.
“Problem,
Renaldo?” Race asked.
Jenna’s
Punishment by Ruby Foxx
My
gaze fell on the forbidden door and curiosity poked at me. I knew he had a stash of keys in his kitchen
drawer and I bet one of them was for the lock on this door. I bit my lip, toying with the idea of
grabbing those keys and looking inside.
What
would it hurt? He’d never have to know.
And
I really wanted to know what was
inside.
I
turned and walked into the kitchen, then grabbed the keys and returned to the
hallway. The third key fit in the lock.
I
hesitated, knowing I shouldn’t really do this.
But
curiosity won out and I turned the key.
I pushed the door open and peered inside, but it was dark in the
room. Were there no windows?
I
reached along the wall, searching for a light switch. My fingers found it and I flicked on the
light.
My
eyes widened. The room was big and at
first I couldn’t even comprehend what I was seeing. I stepped inside.
There
was a black leather couch and a big black cupboard on one wall. There was strange furniture around the room
that I didn’t really understand, but many had big steel rings fastened to them,
some with leather straps attached, and others with chains.
There
were chains on the wall, too, at just the right height for a person. In the corner, there was a tall, narrow cage.
I
walked to the cabinet and opened one of the doors. Inside, I was shocked to find what looked
like floggers, riding crops, and paddles in different shapes and sizes. I reached out and touched one of the suede
floggers with one-inch wide strands. It
was a beautiful shade of purple, and the suede was soft under my fingertips.
“I
told you not to come in here.”
I
twirled around at the sound of Cade’s voice.
He stood in the doorway looking big and menacing.
“I’m…
uh… sorry.”
There
was no way to explain away what I’d done.
I had blatantly defied his wishes, and now I’d been caught.
He
frowned as he stepped into the room.
“Now
you must think I’m some kind of freak.
Or pervert,” he said.
“No,
of course not. I would never think that
about you.”
His
eyebrow arched. “Then what do you
think?” He raised his hand and gestured
around the room. “About all of this?”
I
turned back to the cupboard and touched the suede flogger again, loving the
softness of it.
“I
think that it shows you’re adventurous in the bedroom. That you like to try new, exciting things.”
He
closed the door behind him and stepped toward me. “And what about you, Jenna? Do you like exciting, adventurous things in
the bedroom?”
As
he approached, like a panther stalking his prey, my heart raced.
“Well…
uh…” I drew in a breath. “Sure, I guess so.”
As
I glanced around the room at all the strange equipment, however, my stomach
fluttered in uncertainty. But I knew
deep inside that I totally trusted Cade.
“You
don’t sound too certain.”
“Well,
it totally depends on who I’m with.”
Then I smiled seductively. “With
you, for instance, I would be very adventurous.”
He
stopped in front of me and placed his hands on my shoulders.
“You
know, Jenna. I told you that you and I
wouldn’t happen. Remember?”
Disappointment
flooded through me and I nodded.
“And
I told you not to come in this room. Right?”
I
nodded again, feeling very sheepish.
“Say
‘yes, sir’ so I know you understand.”
“Yes,
sir.”
Then
his hand glided along my shoulders and down my arms, sending tremors of
awareness through me.
“Since
you chose to ignore what I told you, I think there have to be consequences.”
Consequences? Was he going to fire me?
But
the heat in his eyes and the velvety tone of his voice assured me otherwise.
“Like
what?” Then I added, “Sir.”
A
slow smile spread across his face.
“I
will have to punish you.”
Resistor by Madelynne Ellis
“Let’s go into the party suite.”
It was only a few short steps across the hall. Spook
tried the door handle, then ushered her inside. The huge room was all decked
out for when the auditorium emptied. Tables and chairs set out around the
edges, canapés on the bar, and row upon row of filled crystal glasses waiting
to be served.
Spook grabbed a glass off the nearest tray and downed
it in one long gulp before reaching for another.
“In need of Dutch courage?” she asked.
“Guess so.” Second drained, he went for a third.
“Course it’d help if it was something stronger than pissing sherry.” He slammed
the glass back down against the tablecloth, then looked a little sheepish,
possibly over how much force he’d used, though equally it could have been over
his treatment of her. Perhaps indicative of its quality, the glass remained
intact.
“OK!” He paused to drag both hands through the front of
his hair, which left the blond strands sticking up. “Yeah. I’m sorry, I —”
“I’ve driven you to drink,” she remarked, casting a
glance at the row of empties.
“Demented,” he corrected her. “You’ve driven me
demented, as if the band didn’t do that already.”
“Pretty impressive of me, given we haven’t spoken for
months.”
He took a deep breath and sighed, but faced her
straight on. “I thought about you. A lot. Maybe too much. Definitely too much.”
“Nice things?” she asked. Yes, she was fishing for
compliments, but hey, five minutes ago she didn’t think they’d ever be having
this conversation.
“Depends on your definition of nice.”
“Naughty,” she replied. “As in things that turned you
on, and maybe got you sweating a little, and hard.” She flicked her gaze down
to his loins and back.
Spook gave a groan. “I’d be lying if I said otherwise.”
“So, why didn’t you call?”
His hand shot out to seize another drink. Alle curled
her fingers around his outstretched arm, making him pause. Slowly, he released
the stem of the glass and steadied his gaze upon her face again. “Because this
can’t be.”
“Why not? Is there someone else?”
“No — hell, no!” His brow furrowed. “There’s nobody.”
“Then you’re making no sense. What’s wrong with us
enjoying some adult fun?” She sought his hand to link their fingers together.
Spook’s frown only deepened at the sight of their palms
pressed together so tightly, but, she noticed, he didn’t pull away. “Alle, I
can’t be who you want me to be.”
The ludicrousness of the remark surprised a smile out
of her. “You are who I want you to be.”
“No.” He freed his fingers from her grip and used them
to cover her mouth. ‘I’m not. I know you think you’ve found the person who’ll
give you what you’re craving, but I’m not that man. I can’t… I’m sorry.’
‘Did I imagine you tanning my arse?’
‘No.’
‘Am I supposed to believe you’re not interested in
doing it again?’
‘Of course not.
“Then what? Why? If you want it and I want it… Spook,
we want the same thing, don’t we? Why are you so dead against exploring that?”
He clammed up, lips pursed, deep, ocean-blue eyes
downcast as he turned his hand to cup her cheek and chase a tear of frustration
that tracked down her face.
“It was good between us, Spook.”
“Yes, it was. Better than good.”
She blinked, trying to clear her eyes, and not crumple
into a blubbering heap. She was stronger than that. She didn’t cry, not with
four brothers who’d mocked her mercilessly for it. Tears had never got her what
she wanted, quite the opposite. At home, her tears were what had marked her as
a girl and had stopped her from getting her the same deal as the rest of her
siblings. She couldn’t wipe the salt tracks from her skin though, without
knocking Spook’s hand out of the way, and no matter what, she wouldn’t break
that contact.
“I’m not worth crying over.”
“I’m not crying.”
He caught another tear on his fingertips and brought it
to the tip of his tongue. Mesmerized, she watched him taste it, and felt her
panties get wet. Sweet mercy! She could see him doing that after he’d pushed
her to the limits of her endurance and she was just a breath away from
numbness, sunk deep into a sort of sub-space of stretched nerves, surrender,
and bliss. Her gasp left her lips gently parted and the remainder of her breath
caught in the top of her lungs.
Spook’s gaze fixed upon her breasts, then lifted slowly
back to her mouth.
She was going to kiss him.
She didn’t care if he pushed her away.
She was going to kiss him.
Kiss him now.
Luscious by T.J. Michaels
Mac was an alpha to the bone. In her case, alpha
didn't mean bitch...well, unless some bitchiness was required at the moment. It
was simply her personality and style, and allowed her to successfully run a
thriving business in a field dominated by men, and deal with emergencies with
ease.
