Since he’d left Abbie’s room the night before, he hadn’t been able to get her out of his head. He’d always found Abbie very attractive, and it was clear she was a well-trained and dedicated staff slave. She’d even been the subject of more than one of his masturbatory fantasies. But until last night, he’d never seriously considered the possibility of more.
While the scenarios she’d chosen after having won the bid had been fairly tame, the sudden flare of genuine passion between them had taken him by surprise.
If she’d belonged to him, he would have switched from the flogger to the cane. He would have bound her spread eagle to the bed and flicked the tender bud of her clit with the tip of a cane until she let go of every last vestige of control. Then he would have claimed her with his cock, giving her the pleasure she’d have earned as a result of her suffering.
As it was, he’d very nearly lost what little control remained to him. If he hadn’t left when he had, he would have taken things too far, too fast. Instead of reining himself in, he’d taken the coward’s way out, ending the scene without even giving her proper aftercare. In all his time in the scene, this was the first time he’d come so close to losing control.
He’d promised himself when he and Ella had started this venture that he would not lead anyone on, ever. Though there had been a number of reverse auctions since they’d opened the resort, he’d never had any interest in putting himself up for bid. But Dylan, a longtime friend and recent addition to the island, had convinced him this time to give it a go.
He had been intrigued, and yes, charmed, when Abbie, usually such a quiet and gentle soul, had upped the ante, producing more play money than she had a right to in order to win him. But in the end, despite how intense the scene between them had been, it was, by definition, just a scene between friends.
Even if this particular friend happened to be a gorgeous redhead with big blue eyes and an adorable spray of freckles over the bridge of her perfect nose. Even if she did have incredibly soft skin, a body toned by years of yoga and a submissive streak a mile long. Even if the connection they’d shared had almost convinced Ryan, at least for a moment, that it could lead to more.
“Earth to Ryan. I asked you a question.”
“What?” Ryan forced his attention back to Ella. “Oh, sorry. I was distracted.” He replayed her question in his mind and then responded, “I hadn’t really thought about it. Maybe I’ll just hang out on the beach and work on my tan.”
Ella regarded him with a thoughtful gaze. “What’s up with you, Ry? You’ve been really distracted all day.”
He managed a small laugh. “Have I? I hadn’t noticed.”
Ella lifted her delicately arched brows, her expression skeptical. “Might this have something to do with a certain staff slave who bought you at auction last night?”
In spite of himself, Ryan flushed. “Stop looking into my head, Ella. It’s really disconcerting.”
She smiled knowingly. “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see there’s something between you two.”
“What?” Ryan asked, feigning confusion, though heat continued to lick at his cheeks. “What are you talking about?”
Despite his protest, Ryan had to admit that Abbie was his go-to girl for demos during seminars and training. And when he engaged in casual dungeon play, Abbie was always the one he looked for. But, until last night, he’d always managed to keep his cool.
“Come on, Ryan,” Ella replied with a laugh. “Cut the crap. I know you too well. I have to say, I’m glad Abbie finally took things into her own hands.” She shook her head in mock exasperation. “Men can be so clueless.”
“Okay, okay,” Ryan admitted. “Yeah, Abbie is something special, but she’s still a staff slave. You know I’m very careful when it comes to getting involved with staff. Even during scenes, I’ll take things only so far. Otherwise, it can get complicated.”
“Complicated isn’t necessarily a bad thing,” Ella countered. “I get it that you’re very focused on the business. So am I. But we’re closing out this fiscal year with a substantial profit. We have good core staff in place and we have a waiting list for guests that’ll keep us in business for the next five years. You’ve given everything you’ve got to getting us to this point. Now, it’s time to shift the focus—to take a breath and see where you are in your life. To enjoy a little…complication,” she added with a devilish smile.
Her smile fell away as she continued, “You’re thirty-four, Ryan. You’re not a kid anymore. We started this place because we wanted to give people a safe, sexy all-inclusive environment for them to live out their BDSM fantasies. But you know it’s about more than that. Desire Island is also a place where people like us—people who live the lifestyle 24/7—can find meaningful connections with likeminded folks. I’ve watched you hold yourself back for a long time now. But this thing with Abbie—whatever it is—it’s about more than that. There have always been sparks flying between the two of you. Maya has noticed it, too.”