THIRTEEN
THE CAR PULLED UP IN front of a nondescript brownstone in an affluent section of the city. Luke climbed out of the car, coming around to help Claire. She kept a death grip on the cloak as Luke tucked her under his arm and helped her up the stairs to a small door to what looked like someone’s private home.
“Where are we?” She hadn’t been able to get him to tell her anything. He’d been cryptic since they got into the car.
“You’ll see in just a moment.”
Luke rapped the door knocker and almost immediately a slot in the door opened and Luke passed a black credit card through the slot. Seconds later the door was opened by a sexy young woman, wearing a skirt similar to Claire’s and a corset. Instead of the corset holding the woman’s breasts, it sat under them. She wore a gauzy white shirt with layers of ruffles and depending on how she moved, she flashed glimpses of the dusky rose of her nipples. Her thigh high boots zipped up the back and the round swell of her ass was clearly visible beneath her skirt. She was walking sex.
Claire couldn’t help but wonder what she’d gotten herself into, but she couldn’t be jealous. Not with the way Luke kept his hand wrapped possessively around her waist.
“Mr. Masters, it’s so nice to see you again. And I see you brought a guest. Are you participating or watching tonight?”
“Watching,” he said tightening his grip on her.
“Collar or cuff?”
“Collar.” Luke’s voice
The other woman smiled at Luke’s response but Claire stiffened. Trying out her inner sex kitten was one thing, but she didn’t want to wear a collar. Not for any man, but especially not for one as assuming and arrogant as Luke.
“Relax, sweetheart,” he murmured against her hair. “It’s not what you think.”
“Better not be,” she said through clenched teeth.
“Why don’t I let you do this,” said the other woman, handing Luke a black wristband and a strip of intricately worked lace. “And I’ll take this for you.” She reached for the cloak and Claire tightened her grip reflexively.
Luke reached around her neck for the clasp and she had to choose between struggling to hold onto the big velvet covering or letting go of it. She couldn’t figure out a way to gracefully keep it and Luke was right, she was wearing more clothing than the other woman. Her nipples were covered, at least for now, but someone could throw a rope of diamonds at her feet and there was no way she’d bend over to pick it up.
Luke whisked the cloak off her shoulders and the other woman’s eyes widened in appreciation.
“Lovely,” she said, taking the cloak and disappearing, presumably to hang it up.
As soon as she was gone, Claire turned on Luke, squaring her shoulders and giving him a look that would wilt lesser men. It was one she’d used in countless negotiations with misogynistic contractors who thought she couldn’t do the job she’d been hired to do. It had always worked in the past, but it was even hard for her to take herself seriously with half her ass hanging out. And Luke was not a lesser man.
“Spill, Masters,” she said. “I need information now.”
Luke finished sliding the black wristband over his left hand and Claire tried not to let herself get distracted by the way the leather looked cuffing Luke’s tan wrist. She had to get a grip, but the problem was she felt completely ineffectual. If she succumbed to the urge to stomp her foot, her tiny skirt would flounce. Actually flounce. She felt like she should have Juicy or Princess spelled out in rhinestones over her ass. She had no idea how to own her power when she was dressed like an expensive French maid.
That wasn’t true. She’d seen the power she had back in the penthouse. She’d stopped the man in his tracks. Surely she could get a little information from him.
She reached for his hand, running her fingertips lightly over the skin behind the leather band. She saw his amusement turn to heat as she stroked his wrist with a feather light caress. Squaring her hips, she threw her shoulders back, owning every inch of her body.
“Explain the collar to me and this place,” she said, before dragging her plump bottom lip between her teeth. For a moment his entire focus shifted to her mouth and then he gave his head a little shake and grinned.
“I fucking…” he caught himself with another shake of his head. “You’re incredible, do you know that?”
“Flattery isn’t going to get you off the hook, Masters,” she said, smiling in spite of herself. She didn’t want to let herself fantasize about what he’d been about to say before he caught himself, but she loved going head-to-head with this intelligent, amazing man who was more than strong enough to be a match for her. To catch her if she needed him to.
“This is a live sex club, Claire. Very private and very exclusive. Think naked cirque. Tonight we are here to watch, not participate, and the collar,” he said, holding up the lace strip and stepping close enough for her to feel the warmth of him along her body. “Tells everyone that you are mine.”
He turned her so her back was to him. Moving her hair to the side, he bent and brushed a kiss over the exposed skin on the back of her neck. He scraped his teeth over the place where her neck met her shoulder and she let her head tip to the side to give him better access. Her nipples pebbled tight in the confines of the corset and her back arched, pressing her butt against his thickening cock. He slipped the lace band around her throat, pausing to let the warm strong pads of his fingers caress her before he fastened it.
“Anyone who sees this,” he said, stroking a finger over the delicate lace, “will know I’m the only one who will be touching you tonight.”
Claire’s breath caught in her throat, desire licking like a flame through her body. It wasn’t until Luke took a step back and she could clear her head that she saw the attendant had come back and was standing discreetly against the wall staring at them intently.
She wasn’t ready to look too closely at her feelings, but knowing the woman had been watching them, seeing Luke put the lace around her throat tightened things low in her body. She watched the woman, her lips parting as Claire reached up to touch the collar.
