Claimed (3 page)

Releasing his hold on her legs, he rested his forearms on his knees, studying her. While Cora had told him that Presley wasn’t a virgin, he hadn’t dug any deeper than that, because he liked to see things for himself. “Since you have a hard time talking about all of this, I’m assuming you have little experience when it comes to sex. How many lovers have you had?”

“One.”

Some of her innocence now made sense to him. She lacked experience in vanilla sex, too. Her purity intrigued him, and he rather liked the thought of removing that innocent edge from her. Having her look at him, somewhat intimidated but also with the heat she’d been offering him, was an appealing thought. “Did this man ever try bondage or spank you?”

“My ex-boyfriend, Steven—” She groaned. “He tied me to the headboard once and spanked me a couple times while we were having . . .
sex
.”

Dmitri fought his smile, since she had whispered
sex
. He wasn’t sure what amused him more: her pinkish cheeks or the slight horror in her eyes that she was discussing this with him. “Did you enjoy that?”

She gave a halfhearted shrug. “I liked the feeling of being restrained, but it was kind of . . .”

“Bland,” he offered.

She nodded. “It didn’t do what I thought it would. I know when I think about all that stuff, I get so hot.” Her eyes went huge, her mouth had clearly run away from her, and she slapped a hand over her lips.

Dmitri dug his fingernails into his palms to refrain from laughing. Her innocence was sweet. “Go on.”

She lowered her hand, giving him a shy smile. “Whenever my ex did that kind of stuff, it seemed like he did it wrong.” She exhaled, long and deep, the blush fading from her cheeks. “I was bored out of my mind.”

Bored because you need to be dominated
.

Part of Dmitri wanted to touch her or say something erotically shocking to see those crimson cheeks again. But the subject matter was too important. “Did your ex-boyfriend ever try to boss you around in the bedroom?”

“A couple of times just for fun, like role-playing, but I couldn’t help laughing at him.” Her eyes twinkled and portrayed a playfulness he thought was about as sexy as her blushes. “He looked rather silly.”

“When I commanded you to kneel, how did you feel?” He deepened his voice, since he’d seen her heated reaction to his baritone. “Did you think I was
silly
?”

The twinkle he spotted faded to something naughtier, something he enjoyed increasing in those eyes. “No.”

“Did it turn you on?” He caressed the side of her neck, and his abdomen tightened at how her pupils dilated further, almost shedding the green. “If I touched you intimately now, would I find you’re wet?”

A blush crept over her chest, carrying all the way up into her face. “Yes.”

“I like you that way, Presley.” Standing from the couch, he offered his hand. “Come on up. Let me get a good look at you.”

She stared at his hand before placing her thin fingers there. Once she was on her feet, Dmitri tugged her into the center of his office, then he circled her purposely slowly. “If I restrained you, would you find yourself
bored
?” He ran his finger along the curve of her shoulder, and she shivered beneath his touch, igniting an equal burn in his groin.

“No,” she rasped.

Trailing his finger down the side of her cami, he inhaled the vanilla scent of her shampoo and stroked along her lower back. “Would you be amused if I told you to strip so I could take my pleasure in you?” She froze, her breath hitching. He walked in front of her, noting that she didn’t blink. “I asked you a question, Presley. You are to answer me.”

Her breath whooshed between her parted lips. “I wouldn’t be amused.”

Images of her panting and moaning while Dmitri pumped into her filled his mind, making his cock ache. Moving his fingers along her collarbone, he then trailed up her smooth neck, decorated with freckles. “Would you become aroused?”

Her eyelids fluttered closed, and when he removed his touch, she wobbled on her feet, snapping her eyes open. “Yes.”

“Very good,” he crooned. Dmitri moved away from her when she swayed, sucking in deep breaths, and he took a step back to give her space. He had coerced responses from her to acknowledge her submissive desires, confirming to him that she reacted under the touch of a dominant man, but he needed her clearheaded now.

“My rules are strict in regards to documentation. You cannot enter the dungeon without an STD test and a police check, so you will need to obtain those. Once you acquire all the necessary documents, you will need to sign the dungeon’s agreement, too.”

The pretty blush filled her cheeks, even darker now. “Right. Cora had mentioned something about that.”

“I’m glad she prepared you.” Realizing his normal procedure wouldn’t work for Presley, he had to improvise. If he made her wait the two weeks to obtain the reports, she’d be a mess of confusion and nerves. He strode over to his desk, grabbed his good friend Mary’s business card from his drawer, and approached Presley, drawn by those lovely nerves and anticipation.

He couldn’t remember a time he’d ever allowed into the dungeon a submissive who not only had no experience but couldn’t even think of sex without turning crimson. Typically, he wouldn’t have welcomed someone so skittish not only because of the time it took to train her; a wary sub also meant one not willing to push on limits. No Dom should be proud of a submissive pulling a safe word, and he wouldn’t set Club Sin Doms up for failure because a sub was too shy or too nervous.

Once he settled in front of her, she angled her head back, gazing up at him with heat. That was why, for Presley, he would make an exception. All this shyness conflicted with the sizzling stares.

She lacked experience, seemed intimidated by him, but without a doubt, was looking for sexual freedom. Seeing her discomfort, he thought she was brave for showing up in the first place, and that bravery he’d reward. He offered her the card. “I’ll contact Dr. Schmidt in the morning to tell her you’re coming. Are you free tomorrow at noon?”

Presley accepted the card, examining the plain white paper with black writing. “Yes, I’m going home to visit my family later this week, leaving on Wednesday, so that works. You’re sure the doctor won’t mind?”

He shook his head. “She’ll take you on her lunch hour and will give you the exam needed for the dungeon; plus, she’ll put a rush on the results.” As the unease deepened on her features, he gave her a small smile. “Mary is a good friend and will do this as a favor to me.”

Her eyes softened. “Oh, okay.”

He thought her sweet for caring and found himself wanting to find out more about her. “As for the police report, would you mind if I used a friend to obtain it? One of Club Sin’s members works for the police force and can get your report by Friday instead of the typical two weeks.”

She hesitated, and he liked that she considered having someone invade her privacy and didn’t hurry her answer. “Yes, that’s fine. Do I need to pick it up at the police station?”

“If you’re agreeable, I can have the document delivered to me.” He waited for her nod before he closed the distance between them. He leaned down to her face and he loved how her breath grew raspy. He craved to rub his hard cock against her thigh. Fighting against that desire, he stroked her cheekbone, enjoying how she pressed her cheek into his hand. “That’s a lovely thing for a sub to do.”

Using her reaction to urge him on and perhaps even his own curiosity, he pressed his lips against her cheek. She jolted as if she’d been electrocuted, and her loud gasp simmered over him in an invitation.

Too bad he had to refuse her obvious request, even if he wanted to take her up on it. Not until she signed the dungeon’s agreement would he go any further with her. Besides, he had to wonder what it was that aroused her. Him, or thoughts of the dungeon, or was she this responsive to any man? Questions he discovered he wanted to find out answers to. He slid his mouth from her cheek until his lips rested nearly on hers, and he whispered, “Now you go home, Presley.”

He pulled away from her and she blinked, staring at him as if she didn’t see him, and her eyes were glossy. No doubt her first few nights at Club Sin would leave her in a similar state—totally unraveled.

The thought amused him. Little bundle of nerves one minute and soft aroused woman the next. A combination that appealed to him far more than he thought it ought to.

After another blink, she turned, and Dmitri grinned after her as she dragged her feet toward the door. The sweetheart had a similar effect on him, making his muscles twitch to go grab her and bring her back to him. “On Friday, you’re to arrive here at seven o’clock with your documentation from Dr. Schmidt.”

“Yes. Here. Document. Seven.”

Part of him wondered if she’d come back. Once she had time to think it all over, would she go through with it? He intended to ensure she did and would tempt her the only way he could.

As she reached the doorway, he called, “Presley.” She turned to him, doe-eyed, and he continued. “Be brave, show up next weekend, and that kiss you’re craving right now will be your reward.”

Chapter Three

Presley stared up at the tray ceiling in the doctor’s office, surrounded by pale yellow walls, and wished for death. The room looked more like a fancy hotel than a sterile environment. An odd scent of roses drifted through the air, instead of the overwhelming scent of hand sanitizer she’d grown used to at her doctor’s office back home in Apple Valley. Even with that pleasant aroma and fancy decor, it couldn’t remove her discomfort at being half-naked, covered with a paper blanket, legs spread wide, with her feet in stirrups.

“I can see why Dmitri rushed to get your tests done,” Dr. Schmidt said. “You’re very cute.”

Presley nearly groaned but restrained herself. The last thing she wanted was a doctor saying
that
while getting an exam. “We’re just friends.” Or whatever he was to her, but she would
not
go into it with the doctor.

Turning her head to the side against the pillow, she focused on the painting of a creek that was hanging on the wall and prayed this would soon end.

After Dr. Schmidt finished the exam, she stood from her stool at the end of the examination table and tossed her gloves into the garbage. “Friends you may be, but you’re the first woman he has requested I skip lunch for.”

Presley lowered her legs from the stirrups, covering herself with the blanket, able to look the doc in the eye again. “I’m sorry about that.”

Dr. Schmidt smiled, crinkling her soft brown eyes as she tucked a fallen strand of dark hair behind her ear. “Don’t be. I’m happy to help Dmitri.”

From the laugh lines around Dr. Schmidt’s eyes, Presley assumed she was in her mid-fifties, and while she doubted Dmitri had a personal relationship with the doctor, what did she know? Dr. Schmidt was older but beautiful, with womanly curves, and Presley could see how a man would find her attractive.

The doc grabbed the swab containers off the examination table and strode toward the wooden desk across the room, where she used her pen to write something on the sides. “Dmitri told me you’re new to the scene.”

Presley blinked, totally shocked that
that
had come from her mouth. “Um . . . yes . . . I am, Dr. Schmidt.”

“Please call me Mary.” The doc turned to her, swabs in hand, and her eyes warmed. “I know it’s very nerve-racking. I remember when I was first in the scene, too, and how uncomfortable I felt.”

Presley shifted against the table, the paper rustling beneath her. “Oh, you live the lifestyle?”

“My husband and I did.” Mary approached and leaned a hip against the side of the examination table next to Presley. “Did Dmitri not tell you?”

Presley chastised herself for being so shocked. Of course Dmitri would send her to someone who lived the lifestyle. He probably associated and trusted them most. “No, I’m sorry, he never said.”

“Not surprised.” Mary shrugged. “He’s such a private person that I doubt he’d freely offer up any information about others.”

Oddly enough, Presley had relaxed in this woman’s presence. “Do you both belong to the dungeon?”

Sadness swept over Mary’s features, darkening her eyes. “I’m afraid my husband, Charles, died four years ago.”

“I’m so sorry.” At Mary’s soft nod of thanks, Presley wanted to reach out to comfort her, but instead, she asked, “Are you a member?”

Misery etched into Mary’s features and she shook her head. “When Charles, my Master, died, so did my need to play in a club. I have no desire to scene with anyone else.”

Presley’s heart clenched. Mary portrayed kindness, and she was still so young to spend the rest of her days alone. Yet at the same time, it all confused Presley. Why would Dmitri trust Mary about a dungeon matter if she didn’t belong to the dungeon? “If you don’t mind me asking, how do you know Dmitri?”

Mary gave a warm smile. “Through Charles.”

Presley wanted to push more yet didn’t think it right, considering Mary hadn’t offered more in her explanation. Besides, Dmitri’s life wasn’t hers to dig in to, even if the man behind Club Sin made her curious. “Thank you for seeing me on your lunch hour.”

“You’re welcome.” Mary returned to the desk to grab the swabs. “I’ll send the swabs and your blood tests off today. You can pick up the documentation on Wednesday.”

“I’m actually heading away until Friday.” Presley shifted on the bed, hanging her legs off the side. “Do you mind if I come then?”

Mary turned to her, and a pain she clearly couldn’t hide shadowed her eyes. “Friday works fine. The receptionist will have the documents for you at the front desk. If you need anything else, please don’t hesitate to contact me. A friend of Dmitri’s is a friend of mine.” She winked. “That means discounts on your bills.”

Presley’s heart reached out to the woman, and she wished they hadn’t spoken of Charles. Mary had helped her out, and all Presley had done was remind her of her loss. “Speaking of that, do I pay the receptionist now or on Friday?”

Opening the door to the examination room, the doctor gave a sad smile. “By discounts, I mean you don’t pay.”