‘Maybe that’s what I want.’ She lifted her head up and cast a long, slow, sensual smile at the men and women who glanced her way. ‘I came here for something and I’m not going to leave before I’m ready to. If you want to go, then fine, I’ll manage on my own. Not like anyone’s going
to try and force me. You saw the rules when we walked in. We had to sign off on them, remember?’
‘Like that will protect us if they try something. I’m not buying it and I’m not staying.’ Mags stepped away, shaking her head. ‘You can come with me, or not, but I can’t handle this place.’
‘I’m staying.’
Mags opened her mouth to say something and then shook her head, turned and left, one hand raised in a backward wave.
‘Shit,’ Cathy muttered under her breath. She hadn’t actually expected her friend to go through with her threat. She took a step, and then two, half wanting to follow Mags out through the door, but then stopped. No, she’d come this far and she wasn’t going to back out now. If she did, there’d be no second chances, no coming back to try again.
It was now or never.
‘All alone?’ A deep, rich male voice spoke behind her.
She turned, her breath hitching in the back of her throat. She swallowed hard, trying to put her thoughts in order before she answered. ‘Yes.’
‘A crime.’ He didn’t touch her. He didn’t even take a step toward her, but she could feel the passage of his gaze over her body, taking in every inch of who she was. ‘First time here?’
‘That obvious?’ Her cheeks burned and she shifted her weight from one foot to the other.
‘To me, yes. The gear gives it away. You’re trying too hard.’ He gave her another long, slow look. ‘But it looks good on you.’
‘Thank you.’ She lowered her gaze for a moment, but when it rested on the outline of his semi-erect cock against his pants, she quickly lifted it again.
‘See something you like?’ He grinned, a dark light dancing within his gaze.
‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to look.’
‘Ah, and you avoided my question. No matter, you’ll tell me eventually.’
‘I’m Cathy.’
‘A pleasure.’ He smiled and took a step toward her. ‘So, why here?’
‘I’m curious, I guess.’ Wasn’t he going to mention his name? ‘OK, who are you?’
‘Drake.’
‘Is that a real name?’ The words escaped before she could stop them. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just I’ve never met anyone called Drake before.’
‘It’s a scene name. Most of us use them. You might want to think about choosing one for yourself if you plan on visiting places like this on a regular basis. Unless, of course, you’d like your dominant to choose one for you?’
‘My dominant?’ She shook her head trying to avoid his gaze. There was something about the way he looked at her. Her skin tightened beneath his gaze, nipples pebbling under the black leather bustier. Her heart raced and a deep-seated warmth built between her thighs. ‘I don’t have one.’
He jerked his head at the surroundings. ‘And yet this lot hasn’t scared you off the way it did your friend.’
‘No, why would it?’
‘Newbies can be easily scared. But let’s test how interested you really are.’ He moved in closer, settling one arm around her waist, his grip firm but not painful as he walked her away from the bar towards one of the alcoves where a small group of people had gathered.
Cathy tensed but didn’t fight him. The gathering had spiked her curiosity and the small sounds that reached her ears before they found a space where she could see, only added to her interest.
Heat flushed across her cheeks and she didn’t know where to look when Drake stood her in front of him so she’d have a clear view. There, in the middle of the alcove, was a spanking bench with a nearly naked woman tied over it, bottom up, exposed for all the world to see, except for a thin strip of material between her buttocks that had to be a thong.
‘Oh …’
‘See something you like?’ He leaned in close, encircling her waist from behind with one hand.