She closed her eyes and imagined herself in the woman’s place. Hands and feet restrained. Ass in the air. The swish of the paddle before it made contact with flesh. And behind her, James. It had to be James. She couldn’t imagine anyone else with the force of will to even get her down the stairs.
“You like the idea of being restrained on the bench,” he whispered in her ear. A statement, not a question.
Lana startled at his sudden presence behind her and then blushed, embarrassed at her obvious reaction. “Where did you come from?”
“Hell. But now I’m back. I didn’t expect to see you in here.”
She gripped the railing in front of her. “I was…curious. Trixie said Master Tony wouldn’t mind if I watch for a few minutes as long as I don’t go down onto the floor.”
“First time for everything,” James muttered under his breath. “He’s causing all sorts of trouble today.”
Lana gave him a sideways glance. “So…you play here?”
“Sometimes.”
Her heart stuttered in her chest. “With someone…special?”
He peeled her fingers off the railing one by one and brought her hand to his lips. “No.”
“Why not?” Her already heated body flamed as he kissed his way down her arm to the sensitive crease of her elbow.
“I never met anyone I wanted to bring here.” His lips travelled higher, over the strap of her sleeveless dress to nip the sensitive tendon between her neck and shoulder. A soft, breathy moan escaped her lips.
“Not even Christine?”
He hesitated for the briefest second, and then stepped closer, his fingers curving over her left hip, his lips brushing over her ear. “No, babe. Wasn’t her thing.”
She bit her lip, unexpectedly shy and embarrassed in front of the man who had stripped her naked on her desk only a few hours ago. “Were you…going to bring me in here?”
His hand slid over her hip to squeeze her ass while with the other he pulled her against him. Highly aroused, partly entranced, she was only vaguely aware of the fact they were on a balcony and clearly visible to everyone below.
“I hadn’t decided, but I should’ve guessed you would find your way here. You have a nose for trouble.”
Lana trailed her fingers down his arm, admiring the corded muscle, imagining how it would flex if he held a paddle in his hand. Or a flogger. Oh God.
“James? Would you…” Her words caught in her throat as he smoothed his hand down her spine, making her arch toward him and sending a ripple of pleasure through her body.
“Anything.” His hands were everywhere now, as if the room had somehow inflamed his desire. He caressed her back, gently at first, and then he kneaded his way down to her ass with firmer strokes. A groan escaped her when he buried his lips in the sensitive juncture of her neck and shoulder, his breath hot and heavy on her skin. Their hips melded together and she could feel his erection hard against her stomach.
“I’m not into the lifestyle but I enjoy playing with the right person,” he murmured against her heated skin.
A thrill of fear jolted her body and a low moan escaped her lips.
“That excites you.” His voice dropped to a low, husky growl.
“I…don’t know. It’s only something I’ve read about. Imagined.” She looked up at him and her brow creased. “Maybe I like it in theory but not in practice.”
James laughed and kissed away her frown. “You won’t know until you try. Other than the bench, what else interests you?”
Her insides turned liquid, but her answer came without hesitation. “That…post.”
A shiver ran down her spine as she pointed to a tall polished wooden pole with black leather cuffs hanging from a chain clipped to an eyebolt at the top—so similar to the pole that Fang, the Wolverine leader, had chained her to after one of her more daring escape attempts. And yet, when she thought of James restraining her on the post, it wasn’t fear that made her shiver, but something else.
Therapy, Jackie would say.
“Do you want to try it?” he asked quietly.
Her mouth went dry and she had barely squeaked out a “yes” before he was leading her down the stairs.
By the time they reached the post, she was trembling so hard she almost welcomed the support of the cuffs as James buckled them to her wrists. Grabbing the loose end of the chain, he pulled her hands up over her head, leaving her enough slack to just touch the ground with the balls of her feet.
“That will definitely keep you out of trouble.” The warmth in his eyes and his wicked smile drew some of Lana’s tension away.