Discovering Pleasure Page 13

  “Yeah, my father was surprised as well, but all ten cabins are booked and we have reservations for an additional seventy-five people for the opening,” Rose told Joe, wedging the phone between her chin and shoulder. It still felt a bit strange to use the word ‘father’ but over the past months, Rose had begun to grow accustomed to having a family. She’d yet to meet her brother, but they had talked several times on the phone. At first the conversations had been stilted and awkward but now, as they’d got to know each other, they were easing into a more relaxed relationship.

  “Nathan and I arrived about an hour ago and Dad’s already put us to work making sure all the glasses are polished and the tasting room is set up,” she continued.

  “Sounds great, Rose. I’ll be picking up Alicia and Maverick later this afternoon and then we should be heading down that way first thing tomorrow,” Joe answered.

  “I’m glad you talked them into spending the night at your house. I know they said they were fine driving straight down from the airport, but that has to be exhausting.”

  “It is. Besides, I have a special surprise planned for Maverick,” Joe continued.

  “Oh?”

  “The curator of the St. Louis Art Museum is a regular at the bar and I’ve arranged for him to give Maverick a personal tour of the museum,” Joe informed her, sounding terribly proud of herself.

  Rose laughed. “He’s going to love it. Are you sure Vincent’s parents don’t mind watching Cain for another weekend? I’d say you could bring him with you, but this really isn’t the place for a child.”

  “Are you kidding? Vincent’s mother practically salivated when I asked her. She’s been baking cookies since Tuesday and his father’s already planned a trip to the zoo. Trust me—all three of them will have a fabulous time together.”

  “I guess we’re all set then,” Rose answered. She looked up as the bell over the door jingled. “Hey, I need to go. Customers just came in.”

  Rose automatically smiled at the two men who entered the tasting room and said, “Welcome to Hidden Blue Winery. Would you like to try a tasting?”

  “We certainly would like a taste,” the dark-haired man replied suggestively as the two meandered up to the counter.

  Both men wore faded blue jeans and T-shirts depicting what Rose assumed to be heavy metal bands. The one who had spoken had long, black hair that fell to his shoulders in greasy waves. He was a bit on the heavy side and his voice betrayed a slight Southern accent. The other man had blond, neatly trimmed hair with piercing blue eyes. Rose shivered slightly and glanced towards the back room, hoping either Nathan or her father would appear.

  Placing two glasses on the oak-topped counter, Rose handed each of the men a wine list.

  “Do you prefer sweet or dry wines?” she asked.

  “Dry,” the dark-haired man replied.

  “In that case, let me start you out with our Norton. It’s made from the Cynthiana grape, which is the state grape of Missouri but also grows well here in Illinois,” she explained, pouring a sample into each of the glasses.

  She waited as each man swirled his glass, sniffed the aroma then sipped.

  “I understand you have a grand opening this weekend,” Dark Hair said.

  “We do,” Rose acknowledged hesitantly.

  “And is it open to the public?”

  Rose frowned a moment. Her father had been advertising the grand opening in various kink-friendly venues—clearly stating the adult nature of the resort and that advance reservations were necessary in order to assure compliance with local law authorities. Other than that, he had not made any public announcements. If the man had seen the advertisements then surely he must have also seen the requirements.

  “Why don’t I see if I can reach my father so he can explain the details?” she offered, reaching for her cell phone, which was lying next to their wine glasses.

  Dark Hair quickly captured her wrist in a claw-like grasp and pinned it to the bar.

  “I asked you the question, not your father. Now answer me,” he growled.

  Blond Hair stood back and grinned.

  More angry than frightened, Rose glared at the man and, using her free hand, grabbed a full bottle of wine by the neck. As soon as the man’s skin had made contact with hers, she had seen a vision of a crying woman whose naked body was covered by bruises. The man’s darkness and cruelty infuriated her. She’d seen and endured enough abuse as a child. True, Nathan often spanked her and one of her best friends proudly called herself a slave, but that was by choice. Neither man abused his woman nor ever forced her to do anything she truly didn’t want to do. Once Nathan had accidentally left a bruise on Rose’s wrist, which she had laughed off, pointing out her fair skin easily bruised. Nathan, on the other hand, had almost cried from remorse. Nathan, Maverick and Vincent were gentlemen and placed the happiness and welfare of their women above all else.

  “You will let go of me and leave immediately,” she said quietly.

  “Awful uppity for a submissive, aren’t you?” he sneered.

  “What I am is none of your concern. I will say this only one more time. Release my wrist and leave,” she instructed, her voice hard as steel.

  Rather than taking the rather direct hint, Dark Hair pulled her wrist, forcing her over the bar. Without thinking, Rose smashed the wine bottle down onto the bar mere centimetres from the man’s arm, the glass shattering and the wine splattering over both of their skin.

  “Whoa,” Blond Hair whispered, stepping back slightly, the smirk leaving his face.

  Dark Hair jumped and released his grip.

  “You crazy fucking bitch,” he screamed. “Someone needs to teach you some manners.”

  In a flash, Rose saw Dark Hair’s head smashed tightly against the bar and Nathan’s strong arm pressing against the man’s neck. Blond Hair was face first on the ground, her father kneeling on his back.

  “You got that backwards, asshole. It’s you that needs the lesson in manners,” Nathan ground out. “You hurt, baby girl?” he asked without taking his eyes off the man.

  “I’m fine,” she answered.

  “Apologise to the lady,” Nathan instructed.

  “You’re all fuckin’ crazy. The bitch is a submissive. She’s supposed to do my bidding,” Dark Hair snarled.

  Nathan grabbed the man’s hair and pounded his head onto the bar.

  “Try again,” he warned.

  “Okay, okay. I’m sorry,” he pleaded.

  Nathan yanked him upright by his collar while her father forced Blond Hair to his feet as well.

  “Listen, you son of a bitch,” Charles said, giving the man a good shake, “that lady your friend just insulted is my daughter and if you or he ever come anywhere near this place or her again, I’ll fucking kill you. Got that?”

  Rose saw the fury on her father’s face and knew he wasn’t bluffing.

  “Now both of you, get the fuck out before I let Nathan beat the shit out of you. Neither of you are welcome here again,” he warned as he pushed the man towards the door.

  “I ever find out you’ve bothered any woman, let alone mine, you will regret ever having taken your first breath. Understood?” Nathan added to Dark Hair.

  “Yeah. I got it,” he answered, holding a hand up to his bleeding nose.

  As Rose watched the two men stumble out of the winery, she realised she was still holding the broken wine bottle. Slowly, she lowered her arm and let the jagged glass drop to the floor. Before the shaking began, strong arms enfolded her and pressed her head gently to a quickly beating heart.

  “Rose…” her father whispered, kissing the top of her head.

  “I’m okay,” she assured him.

  “God, child,” he rasped, his voice catching in his throat, “I just found you. I’ll be damned if I’m going to let any harm come to you now.”

  “Dad, really, I’m fine,” she said, pulling away slightly so that she could look up at him. Concern and love had replaced the fury in his eyes. Rose stood on her t
ip-toes and kissed his cheek.

  “I can take care of myself, but I gotta admit,” she grinned, “I was happy to see you two.”

  “Goddamn, girl,” Nathan swore, “that whole incident took about ten years off my life.”

  Rose giggled. “Well now, we can’t have that, can we? After all, I want you around for a very long time.”

  “She laughs,” Nathan whispered as he slowly sank down into a chair and rubbed a hand over his face. “Scared the shit out of me and she laughs.”

  Seeing his paleness, Rose went to him, sat on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.

  “Oh, Nathan,” she murmured, “I love you.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Sparkling Rosé—A sweet pink rosé filled with tiny sparkling bubbles to tickle the nose and the fancy. Best shared with a friend.

  “It’s splendid,” Maverick announced decisively.

  “Glad you approve,” Rose answered. “I think it is too.”

  The winery glowed with soft candlelight. Fresh flowers graced every white cloth-covered table, filling the room with a heady scent as patrons sipped wine. A popular rhythm and blues tune pumped out of the speakers, causing many people to sway or dance in time to the music.

  Owing to local regulations, fetish wear was acceptable in public areas of the winery, but total nudity and penetration were strictly limited to the privacy of the cabins. Rose looked at Alicia with awe and marvelled at her friend’s beauty. Her long hair hung loose, reaching all the way to the soft curve of her lower back. Her luscious breasts spilled over a tightly laced lavender corset and the bottoms of her cheeks could be seen peeking from beneath her short black skirt. A rosy glow accentuated the skin and Rose knew Alicia and Maverick had enjoyed a pre-party soiree. Rose raised her eyebrows in amazement that Alicia could not only stand upright, but walk gracefully in the five-inch heels. The only pieces of jewellery she wore were a slave anklet, which she never removed, and a diamond-studded choker. Attached to this choker was a silver leash that Maverick held loosely in his left hand, identifying her slave status. Before meeting Alicia, Rose had believed a collar and leash would degrade a woman, but now, she thought the adornments added to the confident, gorgeous woman’s dignity and allure.

  Hearing a familiar laugh, Rose turned and caught sight of Vincent lifting Joe off her feet, kissing her soundly, slapping her ass then placing her back on the floor. Rose had known Joe for years and couldn’t remember a time when she’d seen her friend happier than during the past last year. Tonight, Joe radiated happiness. She had spiked her short blonde hair and tipped the ends with a bright blue, which matched her outfit perfectly. Her form-fitting, sapphire-blue dress hugged every curve and nuance of her body, making it obvious that she wore nothing beneath the silky fabric. Vincent looked equally handsome in a pair of black slacks and a dark blue, long-sleeved shirt. He’d left a few buttons open, showing off a bit of masculine hair on his well-formed chest.

  Continuing to glance about the room, Rose noticed more corsets, leather and shiny vinyl clothing than she’d ever seen before. Many men and a few women had floggers or paddles attached to their belts and several others sported collars and cuffs. She grinned at one woman who appeared to be required to either stand or sit on her Dominant’s lap but never on a chair. The plump woman blushed and giggled happily while her man gently patted her bottom. Another man held his lady’s glass for her when she sampled the sparkling rosé. What struck Rose as most interesting, however, were the relaxed, happy expressions everyone in the room wore.

  “Checking out the competition?” a deep voice asked.

  “Yep,” Rose answered, tucking her arm around Nathan’s waist, “and I gotta say, some of them are quite hot. I mean, did you see the guy over there wearing the black leather pants and vest? Oh my God! His muscles have muscles!”

  Nathan scowled down at her and ruffled her thick hair.

  “But none, my Lord, as sexy or handsome as you,” she acknowledged as she held his hand and kissed his palm adoringly.

  “Girl, you keep that up and we’ll be missing the rest of this party and heading back to our cabin. Besides, I can’t really attack you like I want with your father manning the bar right behind us,” he warned.

  “Promise me later then?” she asked, brazenly sucking on each of his fingers, enjoying how his eyes darkened with need.

  Nathan groaned. “Promise. But not until we see the show.”

  “Show?” Rose asked, suddenly confused. “What show?”

  “The one Alicia and Maverick are about to put on,” he explained. “Now don’t worry—they know all the rules about public play here and will stay within those boundaries.”

  “Does my father know about this?”

  “Sure does. We just wanted it to be a surprise for you. Now behave yourself and watch.”

  Maverick tugged gently but firmly on Alicia’s leash. She bowed her head and knelt before him.

  “Greet me,” he commanded.

  Alicia, mindful of her surroundings, nuzzled and kissed his crotch until he reached down and grasped a handful of hair. She then sat back on her ankles and looked up at him.

  “Are you ready, my love?” he asked.

  “I am, Master,” she responded.

  “You know your safe word?”

  “I do, Sir.”

  “And do you swear to use it if necessary?”

  “I do.”

  “Then we shall begin.” Maverick motioned to Joe, who adjusted some dials and the driving sounds of heavy metal music reverberated through the room.

  Alicia stood and followed Maverick, her head bowed, to the centre of the room where a single rope dangled from a pulley. Alicia meekly waited while Vincent brought out several lengths of neatly coiled rope. Maverick unrolled one silken coil and pulled Alicia’s arms behind her back. Carefully and neatly, he secured her wrists with an intricate set of knots that looked more like lacing than bondage. Next, he snapped his fingers and pointed to the floor. Alicia immediately dropped to her knees and crossed her ankles. Rose wondered at her grace and balance, fascinated by the performance.

  Again, Maverick laced another rope around her delicate ankles, firmly but gently securing them. Alicia didn’t move while Maverick checked to make sure her bonds were tight, but did not cut off circulation. She knelt with her back perfectly straight, her arms and ankles bound together. Maverick stood before her, lifted her chin with a finger and kissed her deeply. When he raised his face from his slave’s, Rose could see the pride shining in Alicia’s eyes. Next, Maverick nudged Alicia’s knees further apart and placed a cushioned spreader bar between them, buckling it into place. He continued his ministrations by attaching the centre rope to her bound wrists, walked jauntily to the wall where the opposite end of the rope was secured to a hook and slowly pulled. Inch by inch, Alicia’s arms went up, forcing her to bend at the waist, her hair falling forward and creating a curtain that hid her face. When her head rested on the floor, her arms pointing upward, Maverick secured the rope, thus holding her in place. Then, he stood next to his wife, bent down and gently patted her head. He whispered something to her and she wiggled her fingers and toes. Rose assumed Maverick was again checking for pain and proper circulation. Finally, Maverick waved his hand over Alicia’s bent form and bowed.

  Rose added her applause to the rest, marvelling at Alicia’s flexibility and endurance. She looked perfectly beautiful.

  “Why is he holding her hand?” she asked.

  “To make sure she doesn’t lose blood flow or feeling to her hands. Also, it’s a bit loud in here so if she does say her safe word, he may not hear her. This way, she can squeeze his hand if she needs to and he’ll be able to respond immediately. Within seconds, he can loosen every knot. If he thinks she’s in any real danger, he has a quick-release knife hooked to his belt,” Nathan explained.

  “How do you know all this?”

  “Maverick and Alicia outlined the whole scenario to your dad and me beforehand. That way we’d know what
was going on and could help if needed or if anyone else had questions. Ingenious, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, but how long will she stay like that?” Rose whispered.

  “As long as Maverick chooses or until she uses her safe word, I’d imagine,” he answered.

  “That’s amazing. Almost like a living sculpture,” she responded.

  “It is,” he agreed, “but what’s even more amazing, girl, is you.”

  “I am pretty amazing, aren’t I?” Rose stated smugly. “A year ago I was completely alone and struggling to survive against the loneliness. Now, I’ve discovered a family I never knew I had, new friends and the love of my life. That is amazing.”

  “You ‘bout ready to blow this gig and head to our cabin for our own show?”

  Rose smiled, “Why yes, my Lord, I believe I am.”

  Nathan threw his head back, let loose a loud, roaring laugh and swung her up into his arms. Rose caught Joe’s wink and waved to her just before Nathan carried her out of the building.

  Also available from Total-E-Bound Publishing:

  Conquest of a Fairy

  Marie Haynes

  Excerpt

  Chapter One

  Saoirse gazed at her own reflection in the crystal lake, mesmerised by the sadness deepening her emerald eyes. Then she sensed a presence next to her and saw a second set of eyes shadowed with concern, shimmering in the depths just behind her own. She gave a watery smile as her mother’s hand came to rest upon her shoulder.

  “I feel a great loneliness in my spirit,” Saoirse sighed. “An incompleteness.”

  “I’ve sensed it, my daughter,” Morganna commented as she sat beside her daughter. ”You are now twenty years old and are embarking upon the age of Love. From now on, your body will age very slowly, allowing you to experience and enjoy life for a very long time. Why, in the world of the mortals I would be quite old—at least to some. I’d be fifty!” Morganna laughed. “Nonetheless,” she continued seriously, “you have reached a difficult time for any Sidhe. I don’t know how to assist you, but I feel something within that frightens me. I want only your happiness, but for that you must follow your own path, as we all must.” Her slim hand gently stroked Saoirse’s long hair. “For you, though, that path will be rocky, uneven and filled with danger.”