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“Yes, it was.” Her voice was soft, and she leaned close to him. “See you later.” She brushed a kiss over his cheek before she stepped around him and left his store.

  Colby shook his head and carried the leather skirts over to the cleaning table. As he wiped them down, he noted the sizes. He made an educated guess on which size would fit Lara.

  Kase was behind the register. “What do you need me to do today, boss?”

  “Take inventory. We were pretty busy yesterday, and I want to make sure we have enough product.”

  “You got it.”

  After he finished cleaning the skirts, Colby returned them to their spots. He pulled the leather jacket from the rack and then stood there staring at the leather clothing. An idea popped into his head, and he walked over to Kase.

  “I’m going to be in my workroom if you need me.”

  “All right.”

  Colby made his way to his workroom. He usually only worked at night or on weekends, but he wanted to work on this idea now.

  * * * *

  Lara stared at the box like it was a snake waiting to bite her. She plucked the note from under the ribbon and tore the envelope open.

  Lara, after you left the store yesterday, an idea came to mind. I hope you like this. See you tonight. Don’t forget; I’m picking you up at seven. Colby.

  Gathering her courage, she pulled the ribbon and lifted the white lid off the box to reveal white tissue paper. Carefully, she parted the paper and stared at the clothing below.

  Her fingers trembled as she lifted the material from the box. Her breath caught in her throat. How did he know?

  While Lara wasn’t an exhibitionist, she was well aware of the club rules on clothing. Colby as well.

  She held the up the first piece of material. A halter top made of leather that laced up in the front. She carefully laid it on her bed and picked up the second clothing item. A leather skirt.

  Yes, she tried a couple on in Colby’s shop, but she’d found them either too short or little too restrictive, and she couldn’t quite move the way she wanted to. But this one… Her fingers caressed the supple, buttery-soft black leather.

  Lara blew out a breath. How was she to play this? These last few weeks, she and Colby had gone out to dinner a few times and to the classes at the club. He hadn’t pressured her for sex or even play. Tonight was their first night to play in the club if she choose to. She laid the skirt aside and put the box in her closet. Was she really going to wear what he’d sent her? She didn’t know yet, but it wouldn’t hurt to try it on.

  She quickly stripped down to her underwear. Removing her bra, she slipped on the halter top and laced up the front. It wasn’t as stiff as she thought it might be. The built-in bra cupped her breasts and lifted them.

  One down. Picking up the skirt, Lara held it up. This looked different than the ones she tried on in his shop. She slipped the skirt on and pulled it up. It was snug around her waist and framed her hips well.

  She walked around her bedroom before stopping in front of her full-length mirror. Was that really her? Her cheeks were full of color; her blue eyes sparkled. She twisted and turned, keeping her gaze on the mirror.

  While she had done a lot of reading over the last few weeks and talked with Sierra, Crystal, and Tessa, nothing prepared her for how she felt right now.

  Lara had never considered herself beautiful. Passable, yes. But in this outfit… She felt sexy and beautiful. How did Colby know what she didn’t know? The man had unknown depths to him, and she was looking forward to exploring each and every one.

  Shoes. She learned a long time ago she didn’t like heels, but the club had strict rules. She couldn’t really see herself going barefoot. Wait a second, she remembered reading something about… Darn it, she couldn’t remember.

  Walking over to her dresser, she picked up her cell phone and texted Sierra. Within a few minutes Sierra texted her back a note with a picture. Lara looked at the picture first. That’s it. Ballet flats. Okay. She thanked Sierra and started rummaging through her closet and unearthed a pair of red ballet slippers.

  These would work. But there was one more thing. She went back to her dresser and opened the drawer. Regular panties wouldn’t work tonight. She’d need something different.

  She took off her normal underwear and slipped on a thong. She’d bought them on a whim but hadn’t worn them more than once because they were uncomfortable. They didn’t call it butt floss for nothing. Lara consolidated the other items she would take with her tonight into a small purse, excitement flowing through her veins. She was glad the club had lockers for them to put their belongings in, since purses weren’t allowed on the club floor.

  Once that was done, Lara slipped on the ballet slippers and walked into her living room.

  She had about ten minutes before Colby was to arrive. Oh wait, she needed a coat. There was no way she could walk around like this let alone… Maybe she better drive tonight.

  There was no way she could ride Colby’s bike in the skirt. Opening the hall closet, she pulled out her long raincoat. Her doorbell rang. She looked out and saw Colby standing there.

  She slipped her coat on. Something inside her wanted to surprise Colby. After buttoning the garment closed, she opened the door.

  The disappointment on Colby’s face was priceless. “Did my gift not work?”

  Lara’s lips turned up. “You’ll just have to wait and see.”

  His eyes flared with desire. “Are you sure you want to tease me this way?”

  She shifted from one foot to the other. “Since this is the only time tonight I’m going to be able to do this, yes.” Once they were in the club, he was in charge. A tremor of anticipation flowed through her veins.

  “You and I are going to have fun.” He leaned over and brushed a light kiss over her lips. “Ready to go?”

  “Yes, but I was wondering if I should drive. I don’t think I can ride your bike in this outfit.”

  “No worries.” He gestured to the small green SUV sitting in front of her duplex. “I borrowed one of Damon’s vehicles. I knew it would be difficult for you to ride my bike. We’ll work something out so you won’t have to worry next time.”

  Colby guided her down the steps and into the vehicle. Feeling a little devilish, Lara allowed her raincoat to part and show her legs as she climbed in. Colby caressed the inside of her knee as he pulled the fabric back into place. “Just wait till we get to the club,” he said, his voice husky.

  He closed the door, and Lara put on her seatbelt. Her skin tingled from his brief touch. “So, what are we going to do tonight?”

  “It depends on what you want.” Colby expertly drove through town and out toward the club. “Since this is your first night in the club after the classes, I figured we would at least walk around and watch some of the scenes together and discuss which ones you’d like to try.” He reached across and entwined his fingers with hers. “There’s no rush and no pressure. Tonight is to get you comfortable being in the club.”

  Lara thought for a moment. “What if I would like to try something tonight?”

  “We will discuss it, and I will decide if you’re ready to try it or not.”

  She frowned at him. “You will decide?”

  “As your Dom, it is my responsibility to make sure not only that you are safe, but that you’re not jumping ahead into something you’re not ready for. I don’t want you to run screaming from the club.”

  “If I was going to run screaming, I would’ve done it by now.” Nothing she’d seen so far made her afraid; if anything, it made her excited.

  “Remember, I read your questionnaire. There are some hard limits on there.”

  “True. But I wouldn’t pick one of those.”

  “I didn’t think you would, but what about being bound to the wheel, nude, and having me flog you with a cat o’nine tails?”

  She let out a sigh. “Since being nude is a hard limit, you won’t violate that. But I get it. I would not be ready for the other things you men
tioned.” A tiny icy finger ran up her spine. She trusted Colby, and she trusted Max and the others in the club. She’d watched the night she catered the party and throughout the classes. Everyone seemed at ease with everyone else, and the dungeon monitors watched everything. “Don’t you have to work tonight?”

  “Just from eight to ten. Jordan is going to take my ten to twelve shift.”

  “That’s nice of him.”

  “He understood that we’d want time together tonight.”

  Lara glanced out the window and watched the trees as they drove by. She was excited, yet a little apprehensive. Her emotions were all over the place tonight. She was going to push her own boundaries tonight.

  A little bit later, Colby parked outside the club. There were only a few cars. “We’re a little early, but I wanted to give you time to do whatever you needed to do before you’re ready to enter the club.”

  “Thank you.” He helped her from the car, and together, they walked inside. Ralph signed them both in and handed Lara a new wristband. This one was purple and white.

  “What do I do with my old one?” She’d worn it during her classes but that had been it.

  “I’ll check with Max, but if you give it to me, I can make sure it’s cleaned and is as good as new.” Colby guided her down the small hallway and stopped outside the ladies’ bathroom. “If I’m not here when you’re ready to go into the club, just let Ralph know, and he’ll come find me.”

  “All right.” He released her hand, and Lara walked into the ladies’ room. A smile tilted her lips as she walked in. This was so much more than the ladies’ room. There were showers, heated towels, benches to sit on, and of course, the lockers. She’d been amazed when she first saw it.

  “Oh good, you’re here,” Sierra said.

  “It’s so good to see you.” Lara walked over and embraced Sierra. “Thank you for helping me out earlier.”

  “No problem. I love the red.” Sierra gestured to her shoes.

  “They were the only ones I had.” She moved over to one of the lockers and set her purse inside, then unbuttoned her raincoat, slipped it off, neatly folded it, and put it into the locker.

  “Holy heck,” Sierra said. “Has Colby seen you yet?”

  Lara locked the locker and turned to Sierra. “Not yet. Do you think he’s going to like it on me? He made it.” Lara was proud of Colby’s leather skills.

  “Lara, he’s going to be corralling all the Dom’s tonight. Good thing you’re wearing a purple and white wrist band.”

  “Is it too much?” She hadn’t thought about how other men would see her. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.

  “It’s perfect,” Sierra said, touching her on the shoulder. “I know we’re more acquaintances than friends, but I’ll sit with you tonight while Colby is working. That way, you’re not alone, and you can ask me any questions you want.”

  “Sierra, I do consider you a friend. You came into the café shortly after I opened it. And later, you brought your friends.”

  “That makes me happy.”

  “Oh good, Lara can join our group,” Tessa said, walking into the room.

  “Group?”

  “Yes,” Sierra said. “For years, it’s just been the three of us. Tessa, Crystal, and me. But since we’ve now all started coming to the club, we’re open to expanding our girl group.”

  “That sounds like fun.” Lara had never had a lot of girlfriends. She looked forward to spending time with the women.

  “Great,” Tessa said, stripping off the long coat she wore. “You need to join us for book club night as well.”

  Lara blinked. Why hadn’t she heard of any of this stuff before? Maybe because she’d been concentrating on her business. But the idea of a women’s book club sounded very intriguing. “When do you meet?”

  “First Wednesday of the month, usually,” Tessa said, turning around.

  Lara’s eyes grew wide. While Sierra was dressed in boy shorts and a baby doll top, Tessa wore a skirt that barely covered her butt and a pretty purple bra. Lara almost felt overdressed.

  “Where do you meet?”

  “Kleinman’s.”

  “Isn’t that the adult store?” Lara remembered hearing something about it over a month ago.

  “Yep.” Tessa smiled. “Damon owns it.”

  Lara blinked. Oh yeah, that had been mentioned in the article she’d read after the press conference.

  “We better get going,” Sierra said. “You know the guys get impatient, and they might storm the bathroom to find us.”

  “One of these days,” Tessa said, rolling her eyes before linking her arm through Lara’s.

  Sierra linked her arm through Lara’s other arm. “Let’s go surprise our men.”

  Arm in arm, the three of them walked out of the ladies’ room. Lara’s confidence soared.

  Chapter 7

  Colby paced the small hallway while Max and Damon watched him. Both men had big grins on their faces.

  “You haven’t even played with her and already you’ve fallen,” Max said.

  Colby stopped and stared at Max. “I’m not sure I’ve fallen or anything like that yet.” He was attracted to Lara, and he’d like nothing more than to have her in his bed. But fallen?

  Movement caught his attention, and he turned toward the ladies’ room. Three women walked out. His gut clenched when he saw Lara.

  He never envisioned how she would look in the clothing he’d made. The halter top cupped her breasts and lifted them, making his mouth water with all her exposed creamy skin.

  The just-above-the-knee length leather skirt clung lovingly to her hips, and he was sure to her ass as well. The red slippers she wore gave the outfit a splash of color and made him think that there was fire—hot, hot fire—beneath the calm, cool exterior Lara showed everyone.

  The next thing he knew, he was standing in front of her, not even realizing he’d moved. Sierra and Tessa had stepped aside. Colby stared at her. “I may have said this before or maybe not. But you take my breath away. You are so fucking beautiful.”

  Her skin flushed, and she ducked her head. “Thank you, Sir.”

  The sir had his dick pulsing and pushing against khakis. If this kept up, he wouldn’t be able to hide his erection. Not that it mattered in the club, but he didn’t want to make Lara uncomfortable. He was vaguely aware of their friends striding away. “I’m going to have you sit in the green area while I work.”

  “That’s fine, Sir. Sierra said she would keep me company and answer any questions I have.”

  “Good. Just remember who you belong to.”

  “And who is that, Sir?”

  He saw the twinkling amusement in her eyes and could not hold back his own grin. “You belong to me. Until you tell me you don’t.”

  “Of course, Sir.”

  He drew her arm through his, and they walked into the club. Heads turned, and Colby glared at the men, who hastily turned away. A soft giggle reached his ears, and he looked down at Lara.

  “Don’t scare everyone tonight, Sir.”

  “Witch.” Colby led her over to the green area. Sierra and Tessa were already waiting there. The Neanderthal in him wanted to stake a claim, and Colby didn’t blame him.

  He curved his hand around the back at Lara’s neck and drew her to him. His lips captured hers in a hard kiss. Her arms curled around his waist, and her tongue traced his lips.

  Colby groaned as he broke the kiss. “Later, sweetheart.” He released her and turned to do his job. But it wasn’t going to be easy, not with her waiting for him.

  * * * *

  “How are you still standing?” Sierra asked.

  “I don’t know.” Lara sank down onto the sofa. That kiss. Oh, that kiss. It was one of passion and possession. Anyone seeing it would know she belonged to Colby. Did she? Her lips tilted up. Yes, she did belong to him, at least for now.

  “I’m glad Colby found someone like you,” said Tessa.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Tha
t came out the wrong way. You’re perfect for him, Lara. The two of you together, I don’t know. You just fit.”

  Lara relaxed. “Thank you, Tessa. Tell me more about this book club.”

  The book club was what she thought, reading hot romances. It sounded fabulous, and Lara couldn’t wait.

  A little while later, Lara stood up and stretched. While her clothing was comfortable, she needed to stretch every now and then. A man approached the back of the sofa.

  A tall man with serious brown eyes and short-cropped black hair stood there, smiling at the women. “Good evening ladies. And who is this new one?”

  “Good evening,” Lara said. Good manners dictated she at least acknowledge him.

  “Are you willing to play with me?” His voice was soft and slid over her skin like a silky caress.

  Wow. Talk about a smooth talker. Lara pasted a smile on her face and held up her wrist. “I’m taken.”

  “I’m sure he won’t mind if I borrow you for little while.”

  What the heck was going on here? She didn’t expect to get hit on here with her wrist band and all the rules, let alone that her Dom was a monitor. Meanwhile, Sierra and Tessa were giggling. What was that about? “I would mind.” Lara stared him down. He looked familiar, but she couldn’t quite place him. “I’m sure there are some very lovely, unattached, women here for you.”

  “You wound me, dear lady.” He placed his hand over his heart. “I only want to play with you.”

  Lara couldn’t help it, her lips twitched. “Again, I’m taken, and I don’t cheat.”

  This time, Sierra and Tessa burst out laughing. “Give it up, Zeke.” Sierra said.

  “Zeke?” His name was familiar. “Wait a second. Don’t you own Riggs Construction?”

  “At your service.” He gave her a little bow, which caused Sierra and Tessa to start laughing again.

  “You can stop with the flirting; it doesn’t work on me.” Actually, it might have, if she wasn’t with Colby. But that was neither here nor there; she was faithful to the man she had a relationship with.

  “You just had to try, didn’t you?” Colby asked as he walked up to Lara and put his arm around her waist.