Page 44 (1/2)

Chapter 1

Tori

“So, how rough do you like your sex?”

Not sure that the guy across froht I heard, I lower my menu a little and peer over the top into the faded-blue eyes of Stephen Blake, mild-mannered accountant by day and—it appears—closet BDSM enthusiast by night

“Excuse ue just in case I did hear hi We are only twenty minutes into our first date, after all And it’s a blind date at that

“I’, a cat-o’-nine-tails here and there, maybe a St Andrew’s cross—with shackles, not handcuffs, because they don’t provide much room for my woman to squirm around when it hurts Oh, and I do have a new bullwhip I’d like to try Along with the standard nipple clas, of course”

“Of course,” I answer, because who doesn’t like a good nipple cla?

Oh yeah Me I don’t like nipple clas And while I don’t ht, I sure as hell a anyone near me with a bullwhip

“And needles,” he continues, completely oblivious to the sarcasm in my answer

“Needles” I can’t believe this is happening

“I’ my repetition of the word as a call for further clarification “Nothing too severe, obviously, but needles through the nipples are definitely a favorite No water sports, obviously—”

“Obviously” Jesus Christ

I reach for lass of cranberry juice and down it in a couple of quick sishing even as I do that it were so to clean up my act Stuck at a table with the nerd version of the Marquis de Sade in a navy-blue suit with a pin-striped tie and not even a drop of vodka to cushion the blow

“And breath play Have you ever tried it?” His own breath hitches a little as the subject visibly arouses hi your hands around your partner’s throat while they coo frantic at the lack of air, then a little glazed as they start to float away—”

“I have to go to the bathroo noise across the designer concrete floor of this very upscale restaurant that the “very serious, very nice” Stephen has taken me to

“I bet” He eyes ly “Do you want me to follow? I’m happy to take care of—”

“I’rab rabs my wrist before I can take more than a couple of steps

“Take a picture while you’re in there” His voice has gone all dark and authoritarian—and definitely not in a sexy way “And send it to me”

Eeew “Ofto the bathroom?”

“Of you getting yourself off That is what you’re going to do, right?” Before I knohat he’s going to do, he’s pulled my hand into his lap and rested it on what turns out to be his not-very-impressive erection Not that that is exactly a surprise Then again, at this point in the date, I’one, I can get ht here”

I squeeze hard enough toout of his grip and trying to pretend the thought of hi about me hasn’t scarred me for life Then I reach for his untouched Jack and Coke and down it in one long gulp