Pick Your Pleasure (11 page)

Her hand tugged on Ryder’s where
they were linked.

“Maybe after the edge is off,
you’ll dance with me?” He whirled her in circles and ground their pelvises
together to the beat of The Wanted’s “Glad You Came.” He sambaed her in reverse
through the crowd, displaying just a hint of his prowess on the floor.

Though she loved to dance, she
didn’t often get to indulge outside the privacy of her own master suite as she
got dressed for the day ahead or unwound after the day behind. Sedate corporate
gatherings didn’t count.

“That sounds amazing.” She
couldn’t help but notice the hardness he pressed against her belly. “Maybe
while you’re recovering.”

“I like the way you think, Linley.”
Her name sounded dark and a little dirty when he said it like that.

“Though it’ll probably be just
before dawn by the time I need more than a few minutes to get ready for another
round with you.” He leaned forward and bit her neck gently. “You do things to
me.”

“Good things, I hope.” She
laughed.

“Very.” He pouted just a bit.
“Can’t you tell?”

“I assumed you’re a rake with
all the women you meet here.” She dug her fingers into his pecs, loving the
resistance of his toned muscles.

“True, true.” His smile grew.
“But usually I have a tiny bit more self-control. If it weren’t against the
rules, I’d probably already be fucking you right here on this floor.”

“There are restrictions?”
Suddenly she felt as if she were running full tilt in the dark. What did she
know about where they were going or how to behave?

“Even paradise has rules,
sadly.” Ryder explained. “No sex in the main Underground. If being watched is
your fantasy, that can be arranged easily. Right over there is the entrance to
Downstairs. And if you make it through that decadent potluck without being
distracted, there’s plenty more to sample in the Basement.”

Linley peeked over her shoulder.
As much as she enjoyed being pressed to him on the dance floor, she knew there
were far better places for them to be intimate. Besides, she wanted him naked
so she could feel his skin against hers from head to toe.

“I don’t want to wait anymore.”
A few steps later, he’d caught up to her, matching her determined strides.

“Been craving this for a while,
huh?” He slung his arm around her shoulder and steadied her as they began to
descend in unison.

“You have no idea.” She sighed.

“You might be surprised,” he
murmured.

So unlike him, the tentative
rebuttal had her pausing on the landing halfway down the grand staircase.
“Seriously?”

“Yeah.” He glanced away then
back. “Sometimes circumstances in real life make it difficult to be who you
really are inside. At least not without the fear of repercussions for you. Or
your family.”

The flex of his Adam’s apple
intrigued her almost as much as his cryptic comment. Secrets stayed private
here, no matter how close she came to begging him for more details. After all,
she knew the same was true for herself. If the media ever caught wind of this
little foray into darkness, her image would be ruined and her company with it.

Scandal seemed to work for
building the demand for celebrities. Not so much for CEOs.

“Hey.” She laid her hand lightly
on his broad shoulder. “I understand. I’m sorry you’ve had to put up with that
crap.”

His fingers blanketed hers and
squeezed. When he spun around, his rogue’s smirk had recovered. “So, what do
you think of our lovely mural?”

It wasn’t until he turned his
palms upward that she took in the details of the warm colors swirling around
them. Focused on the curtain at the bottom and the hints of flesh she glimpsed
beyond, she’d missed the subject matter entirely.

“Wow.” Her eyes bugged out a
little as she monitored the saturnalia strewn about. “Some of these are pretty
creative.”

Ryder laughed again, the raucous
sound playing with her insides, making them flip. She scanned the oil paintings
of couples engaged in foreplay and sex of all flavors. The skill with which
they’d been rendered ensured they were as gorgeous as they were raunchy.

The true art highlighted to her
the fact that all the acts were natural. Fresh and honest expressions of one of
life’s greatest pleasures.

“Everything you see here is an
option Downstairs.” Ryder erased some of the space between them.

“Even that?” She pointed to a
crowd of the pretty people gathered around a woman on her hands and knees. A
man took her from behind. It might have been a trick of the light, but it
appeared he really did take her behind.

Ryder choked on his sarcasm.
“I’d be willing to sacrifice for you, wildcat. Sure.”

Her eyes went wide. Embarrassed
to admit she’d considered the possibility, she blushed because the thought
didn’t completely repulse her. “Does it feel good?”

“If I do it right.” His
shoulders broadened as his chest puffed up. “I’ve been told I’m not a slouch at
pleasing my women. I can be smooth when it’s called for.”

A woman passing by stumbled then
turned toward them. “Honey, you have no idea how good you’ve got it tonight.
He’s being ridiculously modest.”

“Don’t rat me out, Eva.” Ryder
cleared his throat.

“Trust me.” The woman pointed at
Linley’s guy for the evening. “He’s never lonely around here. Enough said.
Enjoy.”

“I will.” Linley nodded at the
retreating guest.

He whistled innocently, as if he
hadn’t overheard the entire exchange.

“Quite a reputation, sir.” She
pinched his arm to get his attention.

“Careful, wildcat.” He growled
against her neck from where he’d swallowed her in his embrace. “Power exchanges
with a little sensual pain tossed in are one of my favorite ways to play.”

The solid erection he sported
proved his promise. Steely and thick, he made her long to cut to the chase.
“Show me the rest.”

“Greedy.” He stole another
drugging kiss before smiling against her lips. “I approve.”

“Thanks,” she muttered.

“But you’re not quite ready—”

“I am!” The assertion escaped
before she could stop it.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” His
voice turned gravelly. “I was referring to your clothes, though. Once we pass
the curtain, there’s a dress code. Or maybe an
undress
code is a better term.”

“Oh.” Again she’d flashed her
naiveté.

“I get the sense you didn’t head
out with this in mind. So you have some options. You can leave your dress and
shoes at the coat check if you like your underwear well enough. Or you can
strut around naked, which I highly recommend.” The selfish smirk reemerged. “If
neither of those options appeal, there are some branded items you can take from
the lockers in the corner over there. You would make a hell of an advertisement
for anything sexy, this place especially.”

“I’ll stick with my own
lingerie, thanks.” She refused to think about it as parading around in her
underwear. Thank God she’d worn something hot. Just in case…

They continued until they were
beside the storage area. An attendant nodded to Ryder, who didn’t hesitate to
strip his fitted black T-shirt over his head. She was almost too entranced by
the landscape of his pecs and defined abs to notice when he shucked his shoes
and socks.

Leather whipped through the
loops on his jeans when he removed his belt. With it curled over his knuckles,
he made her knees weak. But it was when he unzipped the denim and revealed his
bare hard-on that she nearly had a heart attack.

“Close your mouth or I’ll give
you something to suck on.” His smile softened the command, though part of her
imagined he wasn’t entirely joking.

“You’re…” She licked her lips.
“Whoa.”

There went that laugh again.
Rich and boisterous. It ensnared her heart a bit more every time she brought it
out of him.

“Thanks.” He brushed the pad of
his thumb across her dampened mouth. “Your turn.”

Linley’s fingers fumbled at her
hem. Could she do this? No one else seemed particularly disturbed by the
gorgeous, very naked man in their ranks. What would it matter if there was an
almost-nude woman joining him?

Other than the fact that she’d
never been so bold.

Sure, she’d had lovers. Not
many, and none she’d stripped for outside the dim light of their bedroom. Plus,
that had been years ago. In her college days. Before she’d gotten rusty and the
stakes had climbed so high.

She needed to find that old
sense of adventure and have some fun.

“Do I need to help you?” He
clasped the edge of her dress in his strong hands and walked it up her thighs.
He hummed when the tiny triangle of lace covering her waxed mound came into
view. “Very pretty, Linley. I can see your wetness decorating them from here.”

She whipped her gaze to the
attendant, who feigned disinterest as he stared across the lobby.

“Show me your tits.” Ryder took
her hand in his and lifted it to where he’d gotten her started. The stroke of
his fingers over his erect shaft emboldened her. He certainly liked what he saw
so far. There was no lying about that.

Like ripping off a hangnail, she
opted for quick. No way to take it back when she whipped her dress over her
head and thrust it at the suddenly ready attendant. Bored her ass.

“Damn, you’re gorgeous.” The
scorching laser of Ryder’s gaze swept her from head to toe then made a return
journey.

“No, I’m horny.” She practically
panted. “Don’t make me wait much longer. Please.”

She might have imagined the
attendant’s muttered, “Jesus.” She didn’t think so, though.

“Come.” Ryder snagged her hand
and led her toward the curtain. “You’re killing me.”

“Me?” She concentrated on
evening her respiration. “You’re the one strutting around like a sex god.”

The smile that spread slowly
across his face rewarded her plenty for her honesty.

“Thank you, Linley. Let’s make
this tour fast so you can pick your pleasure.”

“I’m fairly sure that as long as
I’m with you, tonight is going to be unforgettable.” She lifted their joined
hands and kissed his knuckles.

“Ditto, wildcat.” They burst
through the curtain to Downstairs perfectly in synch.

All around them, sensuality
abounded. Couples clung on furniture of all varieties. They clustered around
pairs actively engaged in intercourse of all shapes and sizes. Plenty of men or
women treated their counterparts to oral pleasure as they observed others or
were the focus of attention.

Ryder didn’t hesitate. He led
her toward the back of the room, past a row of doorways. They were marked with
various fantasies. The Toy Chest. Peeping Toms, Vanilla, The Grotto, Costumes
‘R Us, and Ties That Bind

Each had a vacant or occupied
light illuminated on the front. They went on for as far as she could see until
the portals turned a corner. She didn’t doubt as many or more lurked around the
bend.

Naked waitresses and equally
buff waiters served the clientele when they needed refreshments. All around her
the sounds of sex reverberated.

Imagining herself in place of
the woman draped over a sofa while her partner devoured her caused her to
stumble. Ryder had her wrapped in his arms in no time. Instead of letting her
go, he lifted her and carried her effortlessly across the room.

A dark spiral staircase made of
something that looked like ebony caught her eye…and her imagination.

“You’ve gotten a glimpse at what
you can expect Downstairs.” Ryder cupped her sex as he spoke, distracting her
with the promise of what he’d show her next. “But the Basement is a whole new
level of fun.”

More than this?

She craved knowing what that
might be like but couldn’t imagine something better.

“You can have multiple partners.
I have friends. I’d give you that.” He whispered to her between nibbles on her
ears and neck. “Or bondage. Have you ever wanted to be tied up, Linley?”

Her knees wobbled but he
steadied her, impaling her on several of his fingers at once. “Maybe. But…
Didn’t we pass a room for that here?”

“Yes. Ties That Bind is a
lighter version of the cuffs, shackles, spreader bars, and bondage equipment
you’ll find in the Basement.” Ryder smiled. “I like it all. If you want to
test-drive the place first, I’m fine with that. I know you’ll be back for
more.”

“Like what?” Linley could hardly
breathe past the anticipation strangling her.

“There are rooms for all sorts
of fetishes.” He promised her the world and everything below it. “I’ll take you
wherever you’d like to go. What’s between us won’t change. This heat. Damn it,
I like you Linley. Tell me what will make you happy.”

She blinked back unexpected tears
at his generosity and his ferocity. The same washed over her. Intending to
please him in return, she considered.

“Pick quickly. I can’t wait much
longer.” He growled. “Do you want me to play with you here? Or should I take
you to the Basement?”

If Linley picked
Play Downstairs
click
here
or search for
3C - Play Downstairs.

If Linley picked
The Basement
click
here
or search for
3D - Take Me To The Basement.

“The Toy Chest is open,” Linley
whispered. A shiver ran through her.

“Hell, yes.” The pressure of his
fingers on her cheek tipped her face toward him. Chase stole a deep kiss. He
ended the sweet yet dirty meeting of their mouths prematurely. “Come on, before
someone beats us to it.”

They practically hurdled the
couch in their haste to abscond to the fantasy chamber. When they drew up short
in front of the elaborately carved hardwood, Chase paused with his hand on the
knob.