Page 3 of A Dead Man's Pulse
After running a hand through his short hair, Ric waved at a few people and pushed his way through the crowd with Dakota on his heels. She tended to be overlooked in situations like this when most of the people around her stood over six feet tall, and more than once, she’d been stepped on in crowds, so she usually let her friend lead the way.
Toward the back, the mass of bodies opened up a bit as Ric found a group of cops who’d just gotten off shift with them. Dakota greeted them as well and then waited for one of them to flag down the bartender for drinks for the newcomers. Taking her usual beer, she thanked him before glancing around the bar. There was the usual college clique, badge bunnies looking to hook up with a cop, one girls’ night out for a bachelorette, and plenty of others. Her gaze passed over a table full of men and then shot back with interest to a handsome, dark-haired hunk in a dress shirt and slacks. His sleeves were rolled up, showcasing his muscular arms, the top button of his shirt was undone, and his tie was loose around his neck.
Well, well, well. At least something is going my way today. Only took twenty-three hours and fifteen minutes for it to happen.
Shane Littleton was a Dom she knew from Pandora’s Box and, at twenty-seven, was two years younger than her. They’d played together a few times, enjoying the fact neither wanted a relationship outside the club.
But what’s he doing here when he lives an hour away?
When a set of teal green eyes met her brown ones, her gaze immediately and involuntarily dropped to the floor, in silent respect for his title, before rising again. He winked at her and then, using the hand resting on his thigh under the table, gave her a crook of his finger, inviting her over. Giving him a subtle shake of her head, she pulled out her cell phone and located his name in her contacts. The only reason she had the Kissimmee fireman’s number was because they’d made plans in advance to play one night a few weeks ago, and she’d needed a way to let him know if she got held up at work.
Using her forearm to hold her beer bottle against her side, Dakota typed out a quick text to Shane.
Sorry, Sir. Not here. With my coworkers. Just got off shift.
She turned away to acknowledge a question one of her fellow cops asked her as the Dom grabbed his cell from the tabletop in front of him when it lit up and read the text. Moments later, her phone vibrated in her hand.
Shane L.
No worries. Does “not here” mean we can meet somewhere else, or will my favorite sub have to disappoint me tonight?
The corners of Dakota’s mouth ticked upward as she typed in a response. She had no illusions he didn’t have a small harem of favorite subs. Nor was he unaware she enjoyed several Doms at the club.
If you can wait a bit. It would look funny if I left five minutes after walking in.
Seconds passed.
Shane L.
I’d wait for you all night, my little subbie. BTW you look hot. Makes me wonder what you’re wearing under those tight jeans. Hopefully nothing.
One beer and forty minutes of relatively boring conversations later, Dakota said good night to Ric and the other cops and caught Master Shane’s gaze across the still crowded bar. She knew she didn’t have to worry about whether or not he’d had too much to drink to scene with her or drive because alcohol was something he avoided, preferring tonic and lime. He’d told her one night while administering her aftercare following a scene that alcoholism ran in his family, and he never wanted to fall into the same trap, having seen what it did to his parents and grandfather.
When he stood and evidently told his buddies he was leaving, she headed for the door. After a quick negotiation in the parking lot, they got into their respective vehicles, and she followed him to a BDSM club about twenty minutes east of Tampa and forty minutes west of the Kissimmee suburb he lived in. She’d heard of the Pleasure Dome but had never been to it. Shane had told her that even though it was open to the public, it was one of the better non-exclusive clubs in the area. He was friends with the owner and, on the drive there, would be able to arrange a private playroom for them. While she trusted the Dom in more ways than one, having him back at her place was a hard limit for Dakota. She insisted on keeping her sexual lifestyle and her personal and professional lives as far apart as possible. Mixing them could be disastrous, and it wasn’t a risk she was willing to take.
Pulling into the club lot, Dakota parked her SUV next to his truck, and before she had a chance to open her door, he’d done it for her. Holding out his hand, he helped her from the vehicle, and delicious chills went down her spine. This was the only time in her busy life she let a man take over and treat her as a submissive. All other times she spent proving to her co-workers, father, and everyone else that she was alpha enough to hold her own.
Instead of using the front entrance, Shane led her to a side door and knocked. Dakota glanced up and noticed a security camera. The Dom at her side saw where she was looking and said, “No worries. Master Robert is very trustworthy. The cameras are for safety only, and as long as nothing is reported that would make a review necessary, the videos are erased after a week.”
The door swung open, and a huge bouncer held out a hand to Shane. “Hey, man. Been a while.”
The two men shook. “Yeah, it has. I called Rob on the way over. Said he’d hold a room for us.”
“Yup. Room six is all yours.”
“Thanks.” Without further conversation, Shane led Dakota down a dimly lit hallway. Loud club music filled the air, making the floor and walls vibrate around them. Opening a door labeled Room #6, he gestured for her to precede him into the dungeon-like space. Royal blue, black, and gold were the colors of the décor which was a mix of elegance and medieval—at least it appeared very tidy and hygienic. The familiar, citrus-scented cleaner used by many clubs tickled her nose. For some reason, it complimented the smell of sex.
When the door closed behind her again, the music’s volume dropped dramatically, although they could still feel the bass thumping off the carpeted floor. “Strip and present, pet.”
“Yes, Sir.” It didn’t take long for Dakota to shed her sneakers, jeans, shirt, bra, and panties, placing them on a chair next to the door. She then sank to her knees in the middle of the room, placed her upturned hands on her thighs, and bowed her head in submission as Shane took off his tie, shirt, shoes, and socks, leaving his dress pants on. When they’d been negotiating the scene earlier, he’d mentioned he and his buddies had been at a christening that afternoon for his college roommate’s son. It’d been the first time she’d ever seen him out of the leathers he wore at Pandora’s Box.
After placing the duffel bag he’d brought in with them on the bed, he began to rifle through it. She knew it was filled with various adult toys for play, and she felt more aroused as the sensual atmosphere took over her body and mind. And speaking of a body, Shane Littleton had it in spades. With a face and physique that stopped traffic, he’d been featured twice in his department’s annual beefcake calendar, which raised funds for the widows and children of fallen firemen.
After gathering what he wanted from the bag, Shane placed the items on a small table and left the duffel underneath it. Since she was close to the table, Dakota could see what he’d chosen without lifting her head more than a scant inch. The items sent a shiver of anticipation down her spine, and her pussy wept. It had been about six or seven weeks since she’d been at Pandora’s Box, the last time she’d played with Shane. Rarely did she go that long without scening with a Dom. But she’d taken a lot of overtime shifts lately, on top of packing and moving from her old apartment to the condo she’d bought last month. She was finally a homeowner—one more thing that fueled her independence in the world.
“Stand and get on the spanking bench. I’ve been itching to get at that sweet ass since I saw you walk into Chasers tonight.”
And she was itching to have his dominant hands on her ass. Dakota didn’t know why she was so drawn to the lifestyle she’d discovered with a friend about five years ago and had no interest in analyzing things to figure it out. When Brenna had first mentioned she wanted to check out a munch, Dakota thought she was kidding. A munch was a gathering where those interested in discovering more about BDSM could speak to experienced subs and Doms to help decide if they wanted to try it. Surprisingly, she’d been intrigued enough to investigate the lifestyle further. Brenna had also continued to explore her sexual submissiveness and recently moved in with the Dom she’d been collared by last year. Dakota knew an engagement ring was secretly being made for when he popped the question.
