“May I take your jackets?”the hostess asked.
The perfect gentleman, Nathan helped Kelsey before shrugging out of his and turning both over for a claim check.
Nathan placed his hand just above her buttocks and guided her past the plants.As she approached the waterfall, the angle shifted.She stopped to look at it.Then she realized she could see through it as if it weren’t there.
“It’s a hologram,” he explained.
“Wow.”
He put his palm on a pad on the wall in front of them.
Like something out of a sci-fi movie, an opening appeared.
They walked through, and her senses were assailed.
Music thumped in a primal beat.
Women danced sensually in cages seemingly suspended in air.She had to look twice, unsure whether or not they were real.They appeared lifelike, but…
The area was open, with only a few benches scattered around.She didn’t see any windows, and the back wall changed colors while she watched, from purple to green to red, seething in time to the music.
Floors were crafted from rich wood, so dark they appeared black.The room had stunning architectural features—chandeliers and elegant, Grecian-looking pillars that should have been incongruent with the stark equipment, but somehow it worked.
From her online research, she recognized the St.Andrew’s crosses, but they looked bigger, more structurally sound than the ones she’d seen.In a couple of places, people were being bound with colorful ropes.There were a number of sturdy suspension hooks hanging from the ceiling.In the middle of it all was a round pole that had to be at least eight or nine feet tall.Most of it was covered in black vinyl, but the top was glossy wood.
Courage fled, and she stood rooted in place, staring.
Obviously sensing her distress, he guided her to the right, toward a large, private area with chairs, a couple of couches and rows of small, elegant lockers.The top ones had brass nameplates, the others appeared to be available to anyone.Right now, they were the only people in the alcove.
“It can be overwhelming,” he said.
She was glad for the reprieve.
While he dropped his bag onto a chair, she studied the surroundings, seeing a cozy, elegant bar off to the left, with waitresses clad in flowing goth-looking dresses.
“We’ll have a walk around.Let you get comfortable.”
Over here, the music was somewhat muted, and she was able to talk to him conversationally.“I’m not sure whether I can go through with that pole thing.”
“There are a couple of others in more private spaces.”
“That’s not reassuring.”
“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.You have a safe word, and I’ll be watching you.”
She knew that was true.
Pulling out her leash, he asked, “Are you brave enough for this?”
Ice dripped down her spine.
She forced herself to remain calm so she could think.A part of her found it to be a humiliating idea, but she realized she’d be close to him.Then she remembered the way it had looked the other day.“Yes, Sir,” she whispered.
“Fuck.Kelsey.Kelsey, my Kelsey.”He clipped it onto the D-ring, and she curled her fingers around it.“You okay?”
“I think so.”Slowly she dropped her hand.“Yes.”
“We’ll move at whatever speed you’re comfortable with.”
