The Plume: The First Anthology (32 page)

"Make the next lap tighter," Mike commanded as Joanna wrapped another round. "And the third is tightest of all. Make sure it's secure. My sex slaves don't wriggle free."

Joanna liked the sound of that. She found it very satisfying to tie up Louise.

"Scream," he instructed Louise when Joanna was done, and she managed only a moan. "Keep making that sound; it reminds all of us that you're helpless." Mike laughed darkly at Louise's struggles, then picked her up and threw her on the couch so that she bounced. Louise's eyes widened in surprise.

"Ankles, beautiful," he said to Joanna. "We don't want this one doing anything unpredictable while we have our fun."

Joanna was thrilled at his attention to her. She taped Louise's ankles together, anticipation making her move quickly. She crossed Louise's legs so that her knees were wide and her glistening sex was displayed. At Mike's gesture, she taped Louise's ankles to her wrists, leaving her hog-tied and wriggling on the couch.

"Very good, beautiful," Mike purred. His fingertips trailed over Joanna's shoulders and upper arms, making her melt with desire. How could she deny him anything he wanted – or demanded of her? He speared his gloved fingers through her hair and drew her closer. "Now your reward, beautiful."

He carried her to the mirror in the foyer, positioning her in front of him and presenting another tea towel. "I want you silenced, too," he murmured against her ear. "Exactly the same way." Joanna swallowed, liking how dangerous he looked in the mask. She put the double knot in her mouth, biting down on the soft cloth. Mike slid his hands over her body, caressing her breasts as she worked. She also liked the look of his black gloves on her skin, the feel of those leather gloves on her nipples.

She wished Louise hadn't come home early.

Joanna wrapped the length of the cloth around her head.

"Nice and tight?" he murmured, kissing her neck, and she nodded. "Then seal it in place." Mike unfurled some tape and handed the roll to her. Joanna passed it over her mouth, securing the cloth in place. He dropped his hands to her breasts again, massaging them and teasing the nipples, trusting her to silence herself.

Rex found it exciting for a slave to bind herself, but the truth was that Joanna found it exciting too. It was more than submission and compliance. It was a request.

A service to her master.

A willing surrender.

She wrapped the tape around her own head three times, making sure it was tight but not too tight. When she was done, Mike tugged her arms behind her back and crossed them behind her waist, the way they had been in her restraints, then taped each wrist to the opposite elbow. When he was done, he grasped her shoulders and looked at her in the mirror, flexing his fingers to show her that she was entirely in his grasp. Joanna liked the look of what he'd done to her and was excited to think about what he'd do next.

Would he spank her or take her? Either would be good. Both would be better. She remembered the duffle bag and swallowed involuntarily. The idea of Mike keeping her captive in a dungeon was a thousand times more sexy than that of a stranger like the Master having done so.

Mike smiled a little as he surveyed her, then leaned forward to whisper in her ear. "Whenever I command it, you'll go to bed naked and gagged like this. Ready and waiting for me. You'll tape your ankles together, too." He pressed a kiss to the inside curve of her shoulder. "I'll take care of your wrists when I arrive."

Joanna shuddered in his grasp.

"The code word is 'tonight'," he added, running his hands over her. "When you answer the phone and hear that word, get the tape. Understand?"

Joanna nodded.

Mike grinned. "Get ready for a rash of break-ins in this building. If you're not very good, beautiful, there will be a theft as well."

Joanna made a little moan of surprise and Louise groaned through her gag.

Probably trying to draw Mike's attention again.

"Now, beautiful, it's time for your punishment." He scooped her up and carried her back to the couch, setting her beside Louise. He turned them both over so that their butts were in the air and Joanna knew then what he'd do. She felt surprisingly competitive with and jealous of Louise, as well as possessive of Mike's attention.

Could she bear to share him frequently with other lovers?

Could he be satisfied with just one?

Her worries made the prospect of their shared future seem slim, which both saddened her and made her determined to enjoy this moment as much as possible.

Mike got the belt from his jeans, looking dangerous and sexy as he strode back toward them. He grinned and smacked the leather once against his palm.

Joanna closed her eyes and hoped that the first blow would strike her.

She lifted her butt higher to invite his touch and wiggled it, moaning with delight when the leather cracked across her cheeks.

She would have him more times tonight than Louise did.

She would prove that she could satisfy him alone.

* * *

Mike found that the game lost its luster when Louise joined their play. It was still hot and still sexy. He still enjoyed it and he still played his role.

But the game had been infinitely more potent when it was just himself and Joanna. He could have played that game all night along and every night of the week. This was too much like the Plume, too focused on mere sensation. He wanted the emotional connection with one person and the attunement to her needs and pleasures.

Could he bear it if menage was one of Joanna's regular fantasies?

Could he convince her otherwise, if it was?

Mike only knew that he had to try.

Chapter Four

"Now I understand the satin ribbons in the trash," Louise said when she came into the kitchen the next morning.

Joanna jumped and pretended to not understand. "Excuse me?"

Louise yawned and poured herself a coffee. She leaned one hip on the counter and watched Joanna as she cradled the mug in her hands. "Just before you started to date Mike – or before you told me about him – there were all these purple satin ribbons in the trash. They'd been cut up and I wondered what the heck you'd been doing with them." She took a sip of coffee and purred contentment. "He'd tied you up, hadn't he? I'll bet you had to free yourself. Incredible to think of you having a secret life. Well,
this
secret life." Louise smiled, then turned to rummage in the fridge.

Joanna stared into her coffee cup, not at all sure how much she wanted to admit to her roommate.

"And that story in your newspaper," Louise continued. "Mike wrote it, didn't he? He knows about that Plume place, has probably been there, but wrote from a woman's point of view to really stay incognito." She dropped bread into the toaster and chuckled. "I don't blame him. I wouldn't trust a pseudonym to protect my privacy."

"I guess you're right," Joanna admitted. She didn't like lying to Louise, but didn't want to confess that she'd been the one to visit the Plume – much less that she'd written the article.

"So, you two decided to play a bit," Louise concluded as she buttered her toast. "Good for you, finally taking a chance on something."

Joanna forced a smile, disliking the implication that she was conservative. Probably because it was true. Did that make her boring? "Seems to be working out all right."

Louise leaned against the counter again to survey Joanna. "So, when do we play the burglar game again?"

Joanna knew she should have expected Louise to want more, and for her friend to assume that more of the same was okay. But Joanna didn't want to share Mike all the time. She took a big gulp of coffee, then dumped the rest in the sink. "I don't know. I have to ask Mike."

Louise grinned. "Right. He's the dom and you're the submissive." She nodded and sipped her coffee. "I never would have imagined you had it in you. Don't you love it? The eye candy is fantastic. I'd love to get inside that Plume place. I can just imagine how good everyone looks, dressed up in their lace and latex." She bit into her toast with satisfaction. "I should ask Mike to get me in."

"It's okay," Joanna said. "I'll ask for you. I'm meeting him for lunch in an hour."

"Excellent!" Louise smiled with genuine pleasure. "Tell him I'm theirs to command."

But Joanna had an even better idea, one that would serve both her and Louise.

She just hoped that Mike agreed.

* * *

Mike watched Joanna over the table and knew there was something troubling her. If she'd really been into the threesome the night before, he didn't know how he was going to tell her that he wasn't interested in that becoming part of their routine. Once in a while, maybe it would be fun to mix things up, but that idea had been more appealing than the reality. He preferred when it was just himself and Joanna.

But he'd make concessions to ensure that she wasn't disappointed.

Maybe she'd sensed his lack of enthusiasm.

"Come on, tell me," he urged and she cast him a smile. "Was it last night?"

She spoke with care. "Did you like it?"

Mike shrugged, feeling that he was on thin ice. "Impulsiveness is fun."

Joanna grimaced, then heaved a sigh. "Okay, I'll say it. If you want that, I'm not sure I can do it again. I want you to be satisfied and I know I'm not three hundred women and I know it's probably inconsistent but – "

Mike grinned, reassured. "You didn't like it."

She stared at him. "Did you?"

Mike shook his head.

He could immediately see Joanna's relief. She wrinkled her nose and leaned across the table toward him. "It made me jealous to watch you two."

Mike moved so that they were almost nose to nose. "It was like the Plume. I prefer you and me, alone together."

Joanna smiled and flushed. "Really?"

"Really." He ran a fingertip down her cheek. "You're the one with the power to make all my dreams come true."

Joanna blushed pink then, and Mike remembered how flushed her skin had been after he spanked her. He was thinking about spanking her again and the idea was giving him a huge hard-on, when she propped her chin in her hand and looked serious.

"But the thing is that Louise wants more."

Mike eyed her. "So, you want to compromise what we have to make your roommate happy?"

Joanna shook her head and her eyes started to twinkle. "No. I had this idea, actually, but I wasn't sure you would like it." She patted the banquette beside her and he moved around the table so that he was right beside her.

It didn't help him get control of his erection, not to have her pressed against him and her perfume flooding his nostrils. He put his hand on her thigh, wrapping his fingers around her and squeezing slightly as she whispered excitedly in his ear. The smell of her was driving him crazy, as well as the soft brush of her hair against his skin, and he could barely comprehend what she whispered to him.

"What do you think?" she asked when she was done, sitting back with an expectant expression.

Mike smiled at her. "I'm thinking that you're very naughty for even considering someone else's pleasure before mine. We're going to have to go right home from here and do something about that."

She caught her breath in obvious anticipation, and Mike kissed her quickly. "I also think you're brilliant. It's a great idea." He shook his head as he moved back to his seat, feigning concession. "I had no chance, really. Beautiful, smart..." He smiled at her. "You had me at hello, even without the boots."

"And you've got me now," Joanna teased. Their gazes locked and held across the table, the crackle of sexual tension between them enough to make Mike burst his jeans.

"So, got any plans for next weekend?" he asked lightly.

"I might be tied up," Joanna said and he chuckled. "Why?"

"I wondered if you wanted to go to a club with me."

Joanna glanced up, her eyes alight. "Anyplace I've heard of?"

"Oh, I think maybe. It's private, but pretty famous."

"If it's the one I think you mean, I've been there."

"Maybe so." Mike took another sip of coffee. "Interested in going back?"

Joanna sat back, her expression confused. "Not really."

"Trust me."

"You're up to something."

He grinned and saluted her with his mug. "Pretty much always."

"Okay, I'll trust you."

"The limo will pick you up at nine Friday. I think you might know what to wear."

Joanna smiled, her expression surprisingly wicked. "
Nothing
," she mouthed and he nodded, getting harder at the thought.

"Make sure you bring your purse," Mike added.

Joanna caught her breath, her eyes sparkling with anticipation and delight. Mike couldn't stand it any longer. He had to get her back to his place and taste heaven again. "Can we get a bill here please?" he asked the waiter.

He didn't mind the way Joanna laughed.

Especially not when he considered the lesson he'd soon be teaching her.

* * *

On Friday night, Mike had Rafe stop the limo in front of Joanna's building. He was barely out of the back when she appeared in the doorway, her hair shining and loose over her shoulders. She was wearing a raincoat and the high black boots he'd given her. She had on black leather gloves and there was a scarf at her throat. Perfect. She smiled at him, drawing his attention to her very red lipstick.

"Hey, you're ready." He opened the door.

"I thought you could tighten my corset in the limo," she whispered as she ducked into the back and Mike's cock leapt to attention.

She'd worn the corset?

He was both surprised and pleased. She'd look amazing. Mike followed Joanna and shut the door, then Rafe pulled smoothly away from the curb.

"Is that Raphael?" she asked and the driver waved two fingers in the rear view mirror.

"Good to see you again," he said.

"Are we really going to the Plume?" Joanna asked.

Mike smiled. "In a way. You remember when we met at the Plume, Rex was challenging you."

Joanna licked her lips and nodded.