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  Alexander moved a hand down to the redhead’s lower back to steer her toward the elevators, but she’d stiffened at the clerk’s final words. “Welcome to what week?”

  RIGHT AT THAT moment, a young couple walked past Kate. The woman, covered head to toe in black latex, led a smiling man along behind her by a leash and collar. The sight took a moment to sink in, as had Stefan’s final welcome, but when it did, Kate felt her world begin to spin.

  “You knew nothing of the theme for this week?”

  That deep voice was difficult to ignore, but too many thoughts clamored within Kate’s head to give those words the attention they demanded. Had this been the plan all along? Ted had been the one who’d wanted to come here; surely, he’d known of a theme. Then why hadn’t he brought it up when they’d made their plans? More importantly, why had he never mentioned it leading up to their trip. Was it meant as a surprise? A joke? Had he ever really intended to go with her in the first place?

  “Ms. Swansea.”

  The deep voice cut through her thoughts, dragging her back to the present. A strong hand on her shoulder pulled her gently around until she was facing the same man who had helped her. Tilting her head back, a slightly hysterical part of her brain marveled at how tall he stood above her. His dark features were pulled together into a frown that might have made her nervous except, at that moment, her brain was too jumbled to allow any emotion.

  He reached out and put a finger beneath her chin and gave her a level stare. “Were you not made aware of the theme for this week?”

  “My fiancé,” she started, then paused as a pang went through her chest. “Ex-fiancé,” she amended before continuing. “He made the reservations but never said anything about . . .”

  Regret laced the large man’s eyes, and an echoing emotion reverberated through Kate. It was absurd, but she didn’t want to disappoint the man before her. Raising herself to her full height, which still wasn’t enough to get her past the Greek man’s shoulder, she said, “I’d like to stay.”

  Under that scrutinizing gaze, it was difficult not to tack on an extra “please,” but she managed to keep her mouth shut. Meeting and holding his eyes was even more difficult; a huge part of her being wanted to defer to him, let him decide what to do with the situation. Which was absurd—she didn’t know him enough to trust him. Indeed, he’d yet to even tell her his name.

  Anyway, giving up control wasn’t at all her style. Running her PR business, small though it was, kept her on top of everything and didn’t give her any chance to relax. Planning the wedding had been similar; she’d thrown herself into the fray as fully as she did her career, with Ted’s full support of her making all the decisions. If she were honest with herself, she’d resented his unwillingness to help with the details (barring the honeymoon plans), but confrontation had never been his style. Nor was it hers; but she wished she’d been more adamant about getting his input.

  Perhaps if she’d thrown her attention into their relationship instead of the wedding, his surprise text message might have been easier to bear.

  Alexander peered down at her, cocking his head to the side. “You must understand,” he said slowly, lowering his voice, “I need to keep the safety of my other guests in mind. Not all who come to these places wish to have their presence here known to the world.”

  “I’ll be the soul of discretion,” Kate promised, understanding what he meant.

  “Attendance at the orientation this afternoon will be mandatory for you. Also, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask me or any of the staff.”

  She nodded emphatically and was rewarded by an approving crinkle of his eyes. “Then welcome to the Mancusi Resort, Ms. Swansea.”

  “What’s your name?” The words were out of Kate’s mouth before she thought about how uncouth they sounded. “I mean,” she amended, “I’d really like to know who exactly helped me.”

  The words sounded flat to her ears, but the large man turned and gave her his full attention. “I am Alexander Stavros, the manager of this hotel and the one in charge of monitoring this week’s activities.”

  “Oh.” Kate’s face flamed as she realized he very likely came from a fetish background himself and might have been offended by her initial reaction. “Look, I’m sorry if . . .”

  “No need for apologies, Ms. Swansea.” He reached for her hand and lifted it to his lips as before, and once again that burst of heat inside her belly made Kate swallow. “It appears your journey to our resort has followed a very crooked path indeed. Now allow me to escort you to your room.”

  Chapter Two

  WHAT HAD SHE gotten herself into?

  Kate stared at the scallops-and-shrimp pasta, whose description had made her mouth water only minutes before, but her brain wouldn’t allow her to enjoy the sight or taste. Too many questions clamored for attention, and she didn’t know the answers to any of them.

  Why did I stay here, she wondered for the umpteenth time, giving a quick glance around the room. It all seemed so normal: hotel guests down in the five-star resort’s dining room. Sure, the couple in the corner couldn’t keep their hands off one another, and the woman two tables over was being fed by the man. But if you squinted, they looked like any other young lovers.

  The problem was, Kate didn’t know what to expect. The orientation she’d been required to attend, hosted by a Mistress Francesca, who introduced herself as a Domme, had been a real eye-opener as to what sorts of things she might see over the next week. Dressed in neck-to-toe red-and-black leather, Francesca had been more than a little intimidating herself.

  “Our goal is to provide a safe environment for those whose tastes are anything but vanilla, where you can explore without any judgment or ridicule. There will be consensual activities that may involve nudity, but do not expect that simply because you are here, you will participate. No means no, ask before you touch.”

  The Italian woman’s accented voice echoed through Kate’s head, and the sudden idea of being groped by a stranger killed what appetite she had left. “Can I please get a to-go box?” she asked when she flagged down a passing waiter.

  A lot of her anxiety, she realized very quickly, had to do with her own inexperience with all things sexual. There hadn’t been many encounters with boys before she had met Ted; maybe some light making out and a few nights that didn’t leave much of an impression. If she was honest, sex with Ted had never been all that intense, either, but she’d convinced herself that was how she liked it. Maybe that was how she liked it, though; perhaps she was the “vanilla” Mistress Francesca had described earlier.

  How depressing. This is going to be a long week.

  Kate gathered her paper container of leftovers, dug around for a tip, then headed for the lobby. The desire to get up to her room was first and foremost in her mind. The fact that her room was palatial, sporting every amenity she could think of, probably had a big part to do with it. When they’d entered her room for the week, she had to pinch herself twice before believing it was real. While it wasn’t the Ritz, the presidential suite had two living rooms, a huge, four-poster bed with canopy, and a bathroom with mirrors taller than she was. It also had a panoramic display of the shoreline, the sight of which had taken her breath away. The floor-to-ceiling windows afforded little privacy but offered an absolutely breathtaking view at which she could stare for days and never grow tired.

  Alexander had delivered herself and her luggage to the room and graciously shown her around. He had kept it strictly professional, and a big part of Kate had been disappointed when he bowed and closed the double doors to the suite behind him. Hoping for anything more had been a silly fantasy, Kate knew, as the reality of someone that beautiful wanting her was wishful thinking. But if she had to dream, why not dream big?

  Exiting the restaurant, Kate headed across the lobby to the hallway leading toward the elevators. Then she heard giggling coming from the outside-pool area. Kate stopped dead at the sound, riveted to the floor by the craziest tempta
tion: to go see what was so funny.

  It’s not even my business, she admonished herself, clutching the container of food to her body. The warmth of the food through the paper was no distraction from the sound of amusement wafting in on the gentle ocean breeze. All I want is to be left alone to lick my wounds in peace.

  But what if they were doing . . . something?

  A myriad of ideas flowed through Kate’s mind about what could be happening, each thought more salacious than the last. The images going through her head surprised her, but most shocking was her body’s reaction to the pictures her imagination produced. She swallowed, her stomach muscles clenching as her belly caught fire in response.

  Another laugh, deeper and very male, then a squeal from the woman, and Kate’s feet were moving of their own volition toward the sounds. The hall was empty, everyone either in their own rooms or elsewhere in the resort keeping themselves busy. The merriment was in a public place, Kate reasoned; she’d just peek to make sure nothing untoward was happening.

  Riiiiiight.

  Tiptoeing out the doors, careful not to be noticed, Kate made her way outside toward the sounds of laughter. A hint of twilight still played across the Mediterranean sky, but the lights surrounding the pool had been switched on in preparation for darkness. The cool ocean breeze cut through the remaining warmth of the day, sending a light shiver down Kate’s back, but it didn’t stop her progress. Drawn to the sounds like a moth to a flame, she rounded the corner and peeked through the pillars and ivy.

  A large hot tub full of people, the foamy water lazily swirling around their bodies, sat next to the empty pool. Five different men sat around the edges, surrounding a topless blonde woman in the center. None of them made a move toward the woman as she slowly circled inside the pack. Slim body gliding through the water, the woman moved toward one of the men, her hands reaching under the water. Kate watched, fascinated, as the man’s body jerked, and he let out a truncated groan.

  The woman released her hidden grip and moved to the next man, repeating the unseen gesture with similar results. The black man she was fondling reached out to grab her, but she danced away with a teasing laugh, moving on to her next target. This time, her eyes lit up at what she found beneath the surface, and she gave a saucy smile.

  “Well now, aren’t you a big boy,” she purred, wrapping her arms around his neck and straddling his lap. When he put his hands on her hips, she didn’t protest, lowering herself on him as their lips met in a searing kiss.

  Kate’s jaw dropped as she realized what was going on. The breath in her throat stuttered as the naked blonde woman gyrated her hips, then threw her head back, exposing her breasts. They looked too perfect to be real, but the man beneath her didn’t seem to care; he buried his face between them before moving to lick and suck one small nipple.

  Desire burned through Kate as she leaned forward to get a better look. She had never watched porn before, never even had the inclination, so this voyeuristic tendency was new to her. Watching the blonde woman ride the man, listening to the wild cries, Kate could feel her nether regions clench in need. An answering ferocity grew within her, the likes of which Kate had never before experienced. Breathing grew difficult as an ache settled between her legs, the sensitive skin screaming to be touched.

  “Would you like to join them?”

  A startled cry choked in Kate’s throat as she whirled around at the man’s voice. Alexander moved in behind her and watched the hot-tub action as Kate tried to settle her nerves. Despite the warm air still circling the covered patio, Kate’s body trembled at the large man’s proximity. He wasn’t touching her; his eyes still on the vocal group in the hot tub, but she could almost feel the warmth emanating from his body. Having him this close made her dizzy, especially in her current state. Kate drew in a shaky breath. “I was just heading up to my room,” she started.

  “Would you like to join them?” Alexander repeated, and when he finally turned those dark eyes on her, the sight stole Kate’s remaining breath. In the dim outdoor lighting, his features were even darker, his black eyelashes rimming his eyes and making them flash. He looked like a Greek statue, her own private Zeus, and the urge to touch him was overwhelming.

  Over at the hot tub, the woman’s vocalizations changed pitch, and Kate glanced back. The black man in the tub had moved behind the gyrating blonde woman. Muscles rippled across his torso, wet flesh reflecting the light streaming out over the pool area. He was tall and very obviously naked although nothing untoward showed above the water; the foaming pool of liquid swirled low on his hips, highlighting a taut backside and as much groin as could be considered proper.

  Of course, “proper” had no place here. He proved this by wrapping his large hands on her waist, dipping slightly in the water to grind his hips against her backside.

  The blonde woman let out a groan, twining her arms up and around the new man’s neck. “Fuck me,” she moaned, arching her shoulders in toward his chest. “I want you both inside of me.”

  The man behind her didn’t immediately comply, rubbing himself against her again as his hand curled into her hair. Suddenly, he yanked back on the woman’s head, eliciting another cry from the blonde, and a jolt of need rocketed through Kate’s body.

  IF THE LITTLE sub knew how her responses were enflaming him, she’d surely run away, so Alexander held himself in check.

  Barely.

  His fingers lightly caressed the skin of Kate’s exposed arms and neckline, getting her used to his touch. The blonde in the hot tub was stunning, but her wanton cries didn’t enflame him as much as the slow, quiet burn from the little redhead before him. The soft smell of vanilla wafted to his nostrils, and he bent his head, breathing in her scent. His cock jumped, and he closed his eyes briefly to keep himself from grabbing her right then and taking her against the wall.

  This had to be done slow, at least for the moment.

  “Are you wet, little cat?” he whispered in her ear, and felt her body jolt again. “Do you wish that was you in the hot tub?”

  The woman in his arms shook her head emphatically but said nothing in response, and Alexander stored that information away for later. “Does watching them make you hot?”

  She audibly swallowed, and her breathing sped up. Those generous hips rolled against his hardness, and he bit back a moan all his own. God, he ached to be inside her, ached to fill her and revel in her need for him. It had been too long since he’d wanted a woman this badly, and he wanted everything at once.

  Unbidden, an image of Christina flashed through his mind, and he couldn’t help but compare the two women. Red hair, it seemed, was the only thing that connected them. While his previous sub had been as vocal and public as the blonde in the water, the trembling woman under his hands enflamed him in new and exciting ways. The memory of her flushing, the soft color that suffused her whole body when he’d picked up that corset, made him feel suddenly protective. Mine.

  He threaded his hands through her curls experimentally and was rewarded when her breathing escalated. “You like that, don’t you?” Alexander purred, cupping her elbow and pulling her flush against him.

  “Oh God, fuck my ass,” the blonde in the water cried, grabbing both Alexander’s and Kate’s attention once again. The woman’s hands gripped the edge of the hot tub, hips straining back toward the man behind her.

  Alexander slid a hand down a soft stomach, skilled fingers deftly opening the snaps to Kate’s jeans. The panties beneath the denim were slick like silk, and although he couldn’t yet see them, Alexander would bet anything they were red. In his arms, Kate stirred, his touch serving as a distraction from the action in the water. Although Alexander was desperate to feel her wetness, he didn’t move his hand any lower.

  “Should I take you from behind?” he murmured. “Do you too wish to be fucked hard?” When he didn’t get an immediate answer, Alexander tightened his grip on her hair and pulled her head back. “Answer me,” he commanded, as she gave a small cry.

 
EVERY NERVE IN Kate’s body was on fire, every sensation amplified. It was difficult to think straight; the ache in her belly was a burning need, drowning out rational thought. The dominating tone in his voice undid her; all she wanted to do was fall to her knees before him. That she barely knew the man didn’t seem to matter, and Kate was helpless against the response that ripped from her throat: “Yes.”

  Her own whispered plea echoed the cries of the woman in the water. The black man laid a kiss on the blonde’s shoulder and dipped lower into the water. The woman shuddered as he rose again, and Kate watched his hips roll, thrusting up inside her.

  There was no way the woman could be with both men at once, at least not in the normal way. He’s inside her, her . . . Kate couldn’t complete the thought, never having imagined there could be a sexual position or option. Then the view of the hot tub disappeared as Alexander rolled her sideways into a dark alcove surrounded by stone and ivy.

  A thick hand pushed down against Kate’s pubic bone, then fingers caressed her through the thin layer of panties. Kate gave a breathy moan as the jeans fell from her hips, then an arm snaked around her torso and pulled her back. Alexander’s hard shaft, still trapped behind the layer of his pants, pushed against her backside as his teeth closed over her ear in a not-so-gentle nip. The delicious sting rocked through Kate’s body, and she collapsed against the smooth, marble wall.

  The next stroke between her legs was a long, probing finger. It teased and tormented, gliding along the sensitive skin of her aching core. There was a whisper of cloth, then Kate’s panties were pulled down over her backside. All too soon, the finger was removed and replaced by a much thicker, blunter body part. Kate arched her hips back to allow better access. Alexander rested his hands on her waist, sliding himself between her slick folds before retreating again. Kate gave a mew of frustration, and the hand in her hair tightened its grip. “Put both hands on the small of your back.”