Alpha Male Romance(10)

So it was no surprise that what he'd laid out for me to wear tonight wasn't one of the outfits I'd left over here, but rather something new. I didn't know designer names – those sorts of things tended to go in one ear and out the other with me – but I'd been with Tanner long enough to know quality when I saw it.

A deep, rich green that made my eyes practically glow. Silk that caressed my skin as I slipped it over my head. The crisscrossed halter top had enough built-in support that I, surprisingly, didn't need a bra, only the matching barely-there panties Tanner had also provided. The top left wide strips of my back and stomach bare, then connected with a skirt that went to the floor. The slits on either side were cut high enough, however, that I was still in danger of flashing my panties should I move wrong.

Then there were the heels. Six inches and matched so perfectly with the rest of the outfit that I knew they'd either come together or Tanner had ordered them that way. Either one was possible with him.

He'd also set out jewelry. Gorgeous, but not ostentatious. A twisted rope of gold for a matching necklace-bracelet set, and plain gold stud earrings finished off the outfit.

I kept my hair down, the way I knew Tanner liked it and went with minimal makeup. He always said that one of the things he loved about me was the fact that I didn't try too hard. I was who I was, and that was it. Sure, I liked to dress up and look pretty, but I never went for so much make-up that it was impossible to tell what I looked like without it.

Tanner was like that too, in his own way. Not hiding behind a mask or pretending to be anything he wasn't. He was rich and had friends in high places, but he never behaved that way. He was as down-to-earth as anyone I'd ever met.

A knock at the door caught my attention.

“Come in.”

Tanner gave me an appreciative once over as he stepped inside the bathroom. That was another thing I loved about him. We'd been together long enough that we were completely comfortable seeing each other in various stages of undress. We were far from the honeymoon stage where everything still had to be nice and neat, but we never barged in on each other when in the bathroom or when one was dressing alone. There was always a knock first, the courtesy of waiting for the other to answer.

“You look amazing,” Tanner said.

“So do you.”

He was wearing my favorite pair of dark jeans, the ones that really showed off what a nice ass he had. His shirt was the same color as my dress, and I was pretty sure it was silk too. It clung to his torso and made me want to rub my hands across the defined muscles I knew were there. Tanner was in the best shape of anyone I knew, but he didn't go the whole personal trainer route. Instead, he played racquetball and basketball and tennis and swam and did a hundred other things that kept his body in deliciously fuckable shape.

He held out his hand to me and I took it, loving the warmth that spread across my skin as he laced his fingers between mine. Neither of us spoke as we made our way outside to where he had a town car waiting. Most of the time, he drove everywhere, but when we went out, he liked to have a driver in case he had a little too much to drink. His mother had been killed by a drunk driver when he was nine, so he never took that risk.

Yet one more reason to admire him.



* * *



Black Masque was one of San Antonio's best-kept secrets. Beneath one of the city's finest and most expensive restaurants, it could have played into the whole 'dungeon' aspect of this world. Instead, it was tastefully decorated in reds and blacks, set up to look more like a social club than anything else. Instead of a packed dance floor with writhing, sweating bodies, membership was steep and well worth the price.

The main area was carpeted, with booths lining three of the four walls. A long bar was at the far end with hallways on either side. One hallway led to a discreet back-alley exit. The door behind the bar led to the kitchen, directly under its upstairs counterpart. The other hallway led to the club's private rooms. Clean and well-stocked, they were nothing like the seedy S&M places I'd imagined when Tanner first suggested bringing me here.

The hostess was dressed in a long, elegant dress that alternated black silk and sheer red lace, allowing glimpses of her skin beneath. Everyone employed here was dressed in the club colors, with varying degrees of skin showing. Some had piercings. Some had tattoos. All were tasteful. Some of the members here liked to wear leather and chains, but even those weren't garish.

The main thing that made it clear Black Masque wasn't a normal club or restaurant, however, was the circular raised platform in the center of the room. While they didn't always have a show going, it was Friday night, so there would be very little pause between acts. At the moment, it looked like Tanner and I had come just as one act was ending and another was preparing to take the stage.