Six Signs of Submission (Desire Island 6)

“Excuse me. Y’all done in here?”

Cooper swung his head toward two guys, one in a leather cap, with lots of chains dangling from his clothing, the other naked save for a codpiece. “Yeah, sure,” he replied, switching his mental gears. “Let me just get things wiped down.”

“I got it.” Lainey hopped down from the table. She reached for the plastic container of disinfectant wipes on the counter.

While she saw to the table, Cooper packed his few items back into his gear bag. With a glance at Lainey, he zipped it up and hoisted it over his shoulder. Things were not going precisely as he’d envisioned, but he wasn’t ready to toss in the towel. It was only a little after nine. The ferry back to the mainland ran until midnight. There was still time to bring things back to where he wanted them. If things went his way, hopefully she’d forget all about the ferry.

“How about we go outside for a little fresh air?”

“Sure,” Lainey agreed easily.

Good. She wasn’t running away, at least not physically.

They wove their way through the dungeon toward the exit. As they entered the main lobby, Cooper grabbed a large beach towel from the neatly stacked pile on the reception counter. He stuffed it in his gear bag and they headed outside.

Once on the cool sand, Lainey took off her heels and carried them in one hand. A slight ocean breeze lifted tendrils of her hair, blowing them prettily around her face. She easily kept pace beside him, her long, lithe limbs moving with confidence and grace.

Cooper’s cock twitched in appreciation. He had the sudden, nearly irresistible impulse to throw her down on the sand, tear that dress from her body and take her then and there.

Instead, he reached for her hand, taking it lightly in his as they walked toward the flames crackling and sparking in the near distance. As they approached the firepit, Cooper saw a naked man with his hands folded on top of his head, his back to them.

He recognized Ella Bertrand, one of the owners of the resort, as they got closer. She was wielding a Kevlar fire flogger, the flame bright as she snapped the tips expertly against the man’s back.

“Oh, wow,” Lainey breathed as they stopped on the edge of the circle of spectators. She stared at the scene before them, rapt, lips parted, eyes shining. “That looks dangerous.” A shiver moved through her body.

Letting go of her hand, Cooper put an arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him, her eyes still glued to the scene.

“If you watch closely, you’ll see that the tips of the flogger are barely touching his skin,” Cooper replied quietly, dipping his head close to her ear. “The aim of fire flogging isn’t heavy impact. You just skim the skin with the flame. Which isn’t to say it’s not intense. For the sub, it’s a very powerful experience. Your natural instinct is to fear the kiss of fire. That’s where the skill of the Dom, and trust between the partners, comes in. Fireplay can be incredibly sensual, involving not just the fire, but touch too. See how she strokes the spot with her hand just after impact. That touch soothes the sting and also helps to keep him grounded.”

They watched a while longer, until the flames extinguished themselves. As someone wrapped a wet towel around the man’s shoulders and led him away, Ella turned to the crowd. “Do I have another volunteer?” she called out.

“You interested?” Cooper asked.

Lainey shrank back against him. “No way.”

He grinned, quietly glad she’d demurred, as he wanted her all to himself. He wanted to get to the bottom of what had just happened at the end of their scene. “How about we get a couple of drinks to go at the bar and take a walk along the beach?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Lainey agreed.

They left the firepit and headed to the bar. Armed with a plastic cup of white wine for Lainey and a cup of draft beer for himself, Cooper led her away from the lights and crowds.

They walked for a while in silence, sipping their drinks and watching the silver-edged waves lap at the dark sand.

“So,” he said eventually. “Tell me about what happened earlier. I have to say, I was surprised and a little confused by your reaction there at the end.”

Lainey shrugged. “What’s to tell?” She gave a small, embarrassed laugh. “You definitely got my motor going with all that sexy talk about erotic submission and pushing boundaries. Being restrained and blindfolded definitely made it more intense. The scene was sexy and exciting. I wasn’t expecting it to get so…intimate.” She glanced at him, looking suddenly shy and vulnerable. “You should know, I don’t usually let a guy get so, uh, personal, on a first date, if that’s what we’re having.”