Both arms came around her, big hands sliding over her behind as he hauled her onto her toes, and up against the hard bulge in the front of his pants. Sealing his mouth over hers, he used his tongue, not caring who might pass by out front and see them in a hot clinch through the glass doors. When she was too muddled to think straight or care if the entire base paraded by, he raised his head a fraction and said against her tingling lips, “I’ll take an ‘I love you’ every time.”

  Epilogue

  Standing just inside the door watching Flynn move around one of the small, private dungeons upstairs, Cassie felt a lump form in the pit of her stomach. It shouldn’t be this way, not with the man she trusted more than anyone, who was the love of her life, and the only one with the power to make her heart race with a glance and set her body on fire with the anticipation of a kiss.

  But it wasn’t him, or even the room which looked like any other dungeon anywhere. Gray slate-colored tiles on the walls and ceiling gave the impression of a medieval castle. Wrought iron sconces with flickering lights cast shadows around the room, eye bolts protruded from the walls at different intervals and heights for cuffs, ropes, or chains, and a wooden set of stocks stood in one corner. There was even a padded bondage table in the center of the room resembling a rack, but none of that bothered her all that much. It was something else.

  This was their first visit to Decadence LA since their wedding six weeks earlier. She’d become Commander Flynn Dalton’s wife on a perfect spring evening in an intimate ceremony with immediate family and close friends only in attendance. The base chaplain, a friend of the groom from way back, had done the officiating,

  Cassie had strung white lights around the arbor where they said their vows, and the only flowers, other than her small fresh-cut bouquet, were the roses in the garden which through her tender care were fragrant and in full bloom. Except for mowing the lawn and mulching four times a year, she had taken over the gardening—and loved every minute of it.

  A beaming Jules had stood beside her, over the moon with happiness for her best friend, and Eric from the club had been Flynn’s best man. Roscoe, who she had fallen for even faster than his master, looked dapper in his black bowtie collar and watched the proceedings from his place at their feet. Twenty in all had witnessed their vows of love and commitment to one another, including her parents who had driven down from San Francisco. Her dad had tears in his eyes when he gave her away, but they were happy ones because he and her mom were thrilled at the idea of Flynn for Cassie coming to that conclusion within minutes of meeting him.

  Following the ceremony, they’d had a small reception with several rounds of champagne toasts, thanks to her boss, Director Foster, who sent a full case in congratulations, and heavy hors d’oeuvres from a private caterer in nearby San Diego, and a small two-tiered cake from the only bakery on the island.

  It was perfect.

  There hadn’t been a honeymoon, not yet. They’d both been too busy at work to take time off. With the success of the training simulators at Coronado, the Navy contracted five more sites around the country. A week after moving in with Flynn, they’d offered her the job as the consultant over all of them. She had graciously declined. It had taken thirty years to find the man of her dreams; she wasn’t about to leave him, or risk what they had in a long-distance relationship. He was in full agreement with her decision although he’d let her come to it on her own.

  Flynn also had his hands full since one of his instructors was injured during a dive and was out for eight weeks of rehabilitation. This left them even more short-handed because another was already off on family leave for the birth of his first child—fatherhood coming at the late age of forty-two since he’d been running around the world serving his country during the two decades prior. A scenario Flynn could relate to. He and Cassie hoped to be in those same shoes shortly since they both wanted to start a family right away.

  With all this going on, neither saw any reason to put off making things official while they waited for the right time to escape on a romantic getaway. Besides, they lived on a resort island and could do touristy things anytime they wanted. The Pacific was only minutes away, they had miles of sandy beaches for romantic midnight strolls, and parks on practically every corner to picnic in, tons of seaside cafes to sample, or, they could simply stay home in bed.

  With their schedules so hectic, they hadn’t found time to make the trip to LA on the weekends, either. Until now.

  “Come here, Cassie.”

  His deep voice in the near-empty room startled her from her thoughts so much that she jumped. He angled his head to the side the tiniest bit, a mannerism she learned meant he found something concerning. It also was a warning sign the third degree would start in about three seconds.

  “Is something wrong?” Flynn asked on cue. “You’re uneasy tonight.”

  “I’m a little nervous, I guess.”

  He moved closer, stopping in front of her and gathering her hands in his, bringing first one then the other to his lips for a gentle kiss. Her man oozed charm so effortlessly.

  “What’s to be nervous about? We’ve played, often.”

  “Yes, but not here, not since the first time.” When he frowned, she rushed to say, “Not that it wasn’t wonderful, it was. Memorable, and so freaking fantastic I lost count of the number of orgasms you gave me that night—”

  Two of his fingers on her mouth stopped her short. “You’re babbling, baby. What’s going on?”

  The knot tightened as her eyes shifted behind him, but she didn’t want to spoil his plans, and said only, “You’re right. I shouldn’t be nervous. I’m being silly.”

  “No. You’re tense. I can feel it coming off you in waves. And it isn’t like you to be jumpy. I need to know what this anxiety is about. Do you have bad memories from a scene at a club you haven’t told me about?”

  “I visited a few clubs, but mostly I went to private play parties, and I had—” She stopped before she mentioned her first and only long-term dominant, other than Flynn. Peeping up at him, she noticed the muscle twitch in his tightly held jaw. “You don’t want to hear about the others.”

  “If it prevents triggering something painful, I need to know, whether I like it or not.”

  “I don’t have bad memories, Flynn. Nothing traumatic happened with him, I swear.” It was the truth. In the three months, she’d trained with Master Daniel they rarely left the house. And he wasn’t very active in the community. Twice they had been to parties with others, but that was it.

  Laughter drew her eyes to the open windows behind him, and the curious faces peering in. There were no panes of glasses between them and the onlookers. They would not only see everything that went on, but hear it, and quite clearly since they stood only fifteen feet away if that. It reminded her of the observation habitats at the zoo.

  Flynn’s gaze followed where she looked. “You’ve never done a public scene, have you?”

  Perceptive as always, he had figured her out right away. She shook her head.

  “Every inch of you is beautiful, Cassie. You have nothing to be embarrassed about.”

  “That’s not it, I…” She glanced up at him, but no further than his chin. “You’ve been a member here for a while. I want to make you proud. What if I do something wrong? Or forget the rules. Heck, I don’t even know the protocols. The membership contract I signed didn’t say—”

  His mouth silenced her blathering this time and sent shivers of desire coursing through her.

  “You’re mine, Cassie. I’ll guide you as we go along. Obey my commands and use your safeword if you need too. Those are the only protocols you have to worry about. You could never embarrass me, imp. And anyone who’s got the balls to be critical of my submissive will answer to me. Got it?”

  The image of Elbow Patches flying across the room came back at that moment, and her smile became more confident. “Yes, sir, I got it,” she replied.

  “That’s my girl.” He brushed her mouth again, adding a little touch of his tongue on her lips this time. And his hands moved, soothing as well as exciting her as they swept over her back, hips, and bottom. “There’s a certain excitement in being watched, and I want you to try it, for me. Afterward, if you’re still uneasy or find you don’t like it, we can stick to the theme rooms for private play until you’re ready for more. And we can watch—I know you like to do that.”

  Her face flamed with heat. Sometimes, Flynn was too observant for her own good.

  His smile was tender as his finger traced over her cheeks. “You blush so prettily, let’s give the others a treat by showing them how you do it all over.” He caught her lips again, deepening the kiss, using the commanding mastery of his mouth and tongue until she was dazed, and had all but forgotten the people on the outside looking in.

  “You may find,” he murmured between shorter, yet still drugging tastes of his lips, “exhibitionism is the ying to voyeurism’s yang.”

  Never having considered that before, when he raised his mouth, holding her up when her rubbery legs would have let her fall, she tried to wrap her head around it. “Really?” she asked.

  “Oh, yeah.”

  “I hadn’t thought of that. So, you’re into putting on a show while others watch?”

  “I’m into getting you off, a big finish for myself is part of the package. I told you we’d test the waters and see what you like. There’s more to explore in BDSM than bondage and spanking, much more.”

  She considered the crowd at the window and the steady hum of excitement emanating from them. It stemmed from more than conversation; some looked on without speaking at all. It was as if a current had electrified the room: part curiosity, part arousal, and partly pure unadulterated lust. It was similar to what she’d felt when they’d toured the main playroom earlier and watched others at play. It was comforting to know they were voyeurs, like her.

  “Okay, I’m ready to try,” she whispered.

  “Remember, you have a safeword you can use—always.”

  She never had to with Flynn. Still, she agreed. “Yes, sir.”

  “Say it, baby. For practice.”

  Her whisper was barely audible.

  “Again, and this time as though you’ve had enough and want me to stop.”

  “Grinder!”

  He chuckled, as amused as he was when she’d chosen it weeks ago. “That’s more like it, and it will get my attention. It’s the same as a candidate ringing the bell. Say it, and we’re done. Except for us, it only ends our scene, because you’re never quitting me, Cassie. Not ever. Got it?”

  “I do, Commander. And I love you for it.”

  A steamy, sultry, toe-curling kiss followed, then he released her.

  “Since we’ve settled that, the dress is stunning on you, but I want it off. When you’re finished, climb up on the table. I’ll be with you in just a bit after I gather what I need to make you scream.”

  As he walked away, expecting her to do as he directed, she glanced once more at their growing audience. Soon they would witness firsthand just how loud she got when Flynn made her come. It dawned on her suddenly; she liked the idea. Let them know what a skilled dominant her man was, and how lucky she was to belong to him. And, it helped stake her claim on him. Unlike Jules, she had no problem using her claws, and a few other moves she’d picked up at BUD/s training to educate any submissive who dared to think otherwise.

  Flynn couldn’t know her possessive, rather bloodthirsty thoughts, and she was glad for it, although he mistook it for further reticence on her part.

  “After months together, with me having seen, touched, and tasted every square inch of your delicious body, it amazes me you can still blush. It’s sweet, but we need to rid you of this shyness. If tonight goes well in front of an audience, I’ll eventually want to play on the main floor. Some equipment in the stations isn’t available in the private rooms. And, who knows, you might like playing in front of others so much, you’ll get brave enough to go up on the carousel one day.”

  She hadn’t seen it yet, but Jules had described it in detail. A slowly rotating six-station round platform that rose high in the center of the main floor, where everyone could see—five hundred members to be exact when at full capacity. Each submissive was secured to a bench, face up or down, however their dominant dictated. Then, under their Master’s watchful eye, they rotated through each station, manned by a different Dom with a different intent. Perhaps to use a toy or an impact implement, for a finger fuck, or a tonguing. Often, the Master joined in, so the sub was busy serving two dominants, one at each end.

  And, sometimes, a dominant or a Master could sentence a sub or a slave to the carousel for a public punishment session, which happened almost every Saturday night. The sentence, ten minutes per station, which meant the naughty recipient received an hour-long ride on the wheel of pleasure and pain. Hand spanks, crops, paddles, and leather straps weren’t the only items in play, plugs, clamps, fingers, mouths, and cocks. According to Jules, anything was permissible, as long as it was negotiated by the Dom, or injured party beforehand.

  It was an effective deterrent for brattiness and disobedience because for those subs who were on the shy side, like Cassie, it was a dreaded punishment. Others at Decadence LA, where ménage, polyamory, and group play were common, looked forward to it. Jules told her the carousel kept busy on punishment Saturdays, often running for several hours straight just to get all the bad girls’ and boys’ punishments carried out.

  “Believe it or not,” her friend said, “many of the bottoms act out on purpose hoping to earn a ride.”

  “Cassie, are you with me?”

  “No,” she said succinctly, coming abruptly back to the present and finding him in front of her, a pair of her white leather cuffs in one hand.

  “What did you say to me?”

  “No, to the carousel, sir. I’m making that a hard limit. They’d hear me yell grinder all the way to Tijuana if I had to ride that thing. I swear, Flynn.”

  He considered this for a moment. “I didn’t think so.”

  She blinked, perplexed. “Then why did you suggest it?”

  “Because despite your experience, you’re like a newbie with me. Something you disliked in the past, may be different with me. Do you know why?”

  “Because I trust you?”

  “Yes, what else?”

  She thought for a moment. “Because you love me, and you’re really hot… sir?”

  “I was going for the first part, but I’ll accept both. I’m also proud of you for setting a limit, but that doesn’t mean I won’t try to coax you up there for solo play.”

  “What’s that?”

  “You and me, and five other couples, but no sharing, Cassie. We keep to our station, and I do whatever I want to you. With five-hundred pairs of eyes watching, however.”

  “Grinder, sir,” she whispered as a shudder rushed through her.

  “Your nipples are hard, baby. We’ll see.” He gave her a smarting smack on her backside and moved her to the table in the center of the room. “Now then, enough talking. Get your clothes off. I only reserved this room for two hours, and the clock is ticking. I have things I want to do to your delectable body.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Her fingers trembled with excitement, rather than nerves, as they rose to the neckline of her mini-dress which Flynn had selected for her. She hadn’t minded; he had excellent taste. Made of a stretchy figure-hugging material, the lace panels up the sides were as sexy and revealing as the sweetheart collar was feminine and demure. Without a zipper or fasteners of any kind, all she had to do was push it down and wiggle out to be completely undressed, since her Dom hadn’t provided underwear.

  He patted the leather covered table on his way to some switches on the wall. “I want you on your back, feet flat, heels to ass, knees spread wide.”

  She had no qualms about undressing in front of Flynn and climbing stark naked onto the table. The next series of orders: legs bent, feet up against her behind with her knees apart exposing herself from stem to stern wasn’t as easy. But she did so, counting on the rewards for her obedience paying off soon.

  “I didn’t reserve this room because of the dungeon equipment. Look up at the ceiling, Cassie. It’s time for some Decadence magic.”

  The sconces dimmed as the ceiling illuminated. What she thought were slate tiles were actually mirrors. Covering the walls from corner to corner, and the ceiling from end to end—they were everywhere. She could see everything, from every angle, and it meant that the voyeurs watching could too.

  She found she couldn’t look away from the image of the naked blonde on the table staring back at her. Movement from the side became Flynn’s gorgeous face as he leaned in staring down at her. She hadn’t heard him approach over the pounding of her heart.

  “Take a deep breath. This is going to be fun. You trust me don’t you?”

  “Yes, sir, very much.”

  “Then keep your eyes on the mirrors. I want you to see what I do. You’re incredibly responsive, not only to my touch but also to the sound of my voice. Look how your gorgeous breasts have swollen in anticipation, the tips pebble-hard and I haven’t even touched you. But that ends now.” As he spoke, he moved his hand over her body, lightly stroking what he described. After a moment at her breasts, his hand slid down her belly. “Let your knees relax and fall open. I want you to watch as your pretty pink pussy becomes wet with need.”

  Flynn trailed his fingers over her hips and down her thighs, bypassing the pink he mentioned. When he moved to the end of the table, she glanced down, seeing him between her bent knees. He reached for her hips, and before she could guess his intention, dragged her down the table until her bottom was at the edge. Next, he pushed her knees to her chest and bent his head, but instead of the hot lick of his tongue she expected, Cassie felt the rush of warm air blow in a stream over her exposed flesh.

  “I love how the little pucker between your cheeks contracts as you struggle to maintain control. I wanted you to see what I see when I look at you, my gorgeous submissive. I’ll never tire of watching you.”

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19