Page 62 of Masters of Control

“I would like to scrub that from my brain.” Q rubbed his hand over his face as if he might actually be able to scrub away the thoughts now invading his head. He and his dad’s very awkward birds and the bees talk when he was a teenager had included a lot of information but definitely nothing about kink. As far as he was concerned, his parents were one hundred percent vanilla, and he didn’t even like to think about that.

Poor Mitch.

He wouldn’t think too much about Mitch because that would remind him that tonight’s show was Mitch’s parents, which would make him think about his own parents…

“They own a club up in Pittsburgh, right?” Sam asked. It took Q a moment to get his head back on straight and realize she was talking about Mitch’s parents again.

“Yeah,” Freddy answered as he picked up their menus and stepped out from behind the podium to lead them into the main room. “The Outlands. It’s undergoing some renovations right now, which is why they’re down here visiting. It’ll be reopening soon.”

“Are there clubs everywhere?” Sam asked curiously, following Freddy through the door into Marquis’ proper. They weren’t the first to arrive for dinner, but the booths were only about half full at the moment. Not everyone came for dinner beforehand. Some viewers wouldn’t arrive until just before the show.

“Oh, yeah, all over. There’s an amazing island resort called the Hideaway I’ve always wanted to go to, and there’s some Daddy ranch out in Montana and an actual castle in Ohio⁠—”

“Ohio? A castle?” Sam blinked owlishly, nearly stumbling over her feet. Q moved quickly to catch her. She wasn’t looking at him, though, her entire focus on Freddy. He had to admit, a BDSM castle in Ohio sounded pretty out there.

“Yeah, Jessica, Justin, and Chris went there for their honeymoon. You should ask them about it.” Freddy smiled as he came to a halt beside one of the tables. “Now, let’s get you two seated so I can get back to the front.”

Q helped Sam into the booth. She had a rather thoughtful look on her face. He did vaguely remember hearing something about them going to a place called The Castle for their honeymoon, he just hadn’t realized it was in Ohio. He’d thought, like, England or somewhere foreign.

Freddy put down their menus and gave them one last smile before striding back out to the lobby.

Once they scooted around to the back of the booth, so they had a clear view of the circular stage in the center of the room, Q leaned back and ran his arm along the top bench behind Sam. He didn’t need to look at the menu—it was the same food they served downstairs in the restaurant, and he already knew what he wanted. Instead, he watched Sam looking over the menu, sticking his hand in his suit jacket pocket for the box he had tucked away.

Next to her corset and leather skirt, he felt a little overdressed, but he’d wanted a pocket to carry the box in and… well, she’d once made a comment about how much she enjoyed seeing a man in a well-tailored suit.

Their server came by to take their drink order before whisking away again. One of the things about the Marquis serving staff, they knew to make themselves discreet.

Looking down at the menu again for a long moment, Sam then glanced over her shoulder at him when she realized he still wasn’t looking at his menu and smiled.

“Already know what you want?”

“Yes.” Q smiled wolfishly at her, turning his answer into an innuendo, and her eyes lit up with appreciation. “Also, what I want for dinner.”

Her pink tongue flicked out, swiping across her lower lip as heat filled her eyes.

Yes, this was a dinner date, but the very location of the date made everything feel erotically charged. He wasn’t entirely sure what was going to happen after dinner. He’d reserved the Dungeon room for them. It was their favorite, with all the standard kinky dungeon equipment, but he didn’t know who would ultimately end up being in charge.

“Naughty.” She breathed out the word, letting her hand drop from the menu down to his thigh and squeezing his leg. His cock, which had been half-hard since the moment she’d taken off her coat, swelled with interest at her touch.

“Shh, don’t say that too loud or Santa will take me off the nice list.” He winked at her, and she laughed.

“I don’t think either of us are going to make the nice list this year,” she teased, leaning back to snuggle in against him. Shifting toward him on the seat, knee bending, she rested the top of her leg against his. The flirtatious position gave him access that he hadn’t had before, and now it was his turn to rest his hand on her thigh, stroking his hands over the bare skin between her stockings and skirt.

Sam’s quick intake of breath and the way she shifted her hips toward him gave him all the encouragement he needed. Catching and holding her gaze, he stared into her eyes as his fingers slipped between her skirt and found her bare, wet, and ready for him. His cock throbbed against the front of his pants as he slid his fingers along her pussy lips teasing her.

“Yes, I can see you’re very naughty,” he murmured, leaning closer to her. Close enough to kiss, yet only teasing her with the promise of one as much as his fingers were teasing her sensitive pussy. “I’m going to help you with that.”

“Oh, you are?” Sam raised her eyebrow at him, tilting her head so her lips brushed against his as she moved. Her body shifted again, her breast brushing against his arm in front of her.

“I am.” He moved his arm away, reaching into his jacket pocket. “I have a little something here for you.”

To his surprise, her expression immediately changed, going from sexually charged and happy to a frown. Q straightened in his seat a little.

“I didn’t get you…” she started to say.

He immediately realized what the problem was. Her and her damn pride about money. But he wasn’t going to let her turn this down.

“Trust me, pretty girl, this is for me.” He smiled, pushing the box at her.