Going Deep (Mustangs Baseball) Read online

  He pulled from the parking lot into the late evening traffic. The closer he got to home, the more certain he became. Denying his sexual needs wouldn’t cut it, especially now that he knew he could fulfill those needs in a safe, private way.

  The next morning, he tossed two of the books into his suitcase. He would have plenty of time on the road to read. He wasn’t sure he was ready to share this part of his life with his brother, but since they would be roommates, he didn’t see any way to hide his reading material from him. He wasn’t looking forward to that conversation, but it had to come sometime. No more of that mind reading, twins always know stuff shit. He and Jeff were close, but last year that kind of thinking had almost cost his brother the love of his life. So to avoid future problems they’d vowed to actually voice their thoughts instead of relying on the proven unreliable DNA network.

  * * *

  “I’m not surprised,” Jeff said.

  Jason stared at his brother who sat on the other bed in the hotel room they shared, thumbing through a book that outlined a Dom’s responsibilities to his or her sub. “What?”

  “I said I’m not surprised. You’ve always wanted your way. In everything, not just sex. Though I can remember a time or two when you insisted on getting your way with Megan. Sometimes I went along if it suited me, too, and if she was okay with it. But there were other times….”

  He thought about the year and a half they’d spent in a three-way relationship. His brother had a point. He had tried to control many of their encounters. “I didn’t see it then, but I can see it now. Our relationship wasn’t ever going to work. She just isn’t the kind to follow orders.”

  “That’s true,” Jeff allowed, still thumbing through the book, pausing here and there when a photo caught his eye. “Though there’s some stuff in here I wouldn’t mind trying with her. After the baby comes.”

  “Here, give me that!” Jason grabbed the book.

  “Hey! I wasn’t through.”

  “Yes, you are. I’m not going to have your wife blaming me for putting ideas in your head.”

  “It’s not like she’s never been tied up. She likes that kind of stuff.”

  “I remember, but she always knew she could get loose with a flick of her wrists. This is different.” He shifted to hide his instant erection from his brother.

  “If I used real handcuffs on her, she’d kill me the minute she was free.”

  “Damned right she would.” Jason stretched out on his bed and opened the book.

  “But there are women who like this?”

  “Yeah, there are.”

  “Huh.” Jeff pointed the remote at the television. “Whatever floats your boat, bro.”

  Yeah. He had a pretty good idea what floated his boat, now. Reading the first chapter of the book he’d confiscated from his brother, he realized there was a whole protocol to this kind of sexual encounter he knew nothing about. He tuned out the sit-com rerun Jeff had settled on and read. He wanted to be up to speed the next time he went to the Dungeon. Knowledge was power, and power was something he craved.

  Chapter Four

  She wasn’t going to another munch. Three times was supposed to be the charm—only it hadn’t been, so why would she think four would be any better.

  Carrie deleted the email, sighing at her dismal mood. She opened the next email, sighing once more. Work. That, at least, was a place she felt comfortable, secure in her ability, confident of her talent and worth. It had taken years, but her reputation as an investigative reporter was rock-solid, providing her a nice income and her pick of stories. She scanned the message, noted the possible story, then moved the email to the folder marked “ideas,” and moved on to the next email.

  She’d nearly made her way through her inbox when her cell phone rang. She found it across the room, buried beneath a magazine. Working mostly from home had its disadvantages sometimes. One glace at the caller ID and she smiled.

  “Hi, Brooke. What’s up?”

  “Can you meet me for lunch?”

  Hallelujah! Lunch with her best friend was just what she needed—time away from the computer, and better yet, time with someone who understood her personal dilemma. Her southern socialite mother constantly asked if she had a boyfriend and had made it clear she didn’t understand why her beautiful, talented, successful daughter didn’t have a string of men vying for her attention. The truth was she’d turned down dates with dozens of men over the last few years, and not for any reason she was willing to share with her mother. She played the fictional conversation over in her mind.

  “What happened to (insert name here)? He was such a nice young man.”

  “Oh, you know, Mom,” She would say, dismissing (insert name here) with a wave of her hand. “He didn’t want to spank me.”

  Yeah, that would go over well. She’d imagined a million ways to tell her mother that not just any man would do—especially not some country-club-going, golf-club-toting, pastel-wearing, pasty skin momma’s boy. At sixteen, she had compiled a list of qualities she wanted—no, make that—required, in a man, and in the decade since, she’d seen very few who came close to meeting those specifications.

  Brooke’s Dom, was one of them.

  She envied Brooke. The owner of a successful specialty cake bakery, she spent her days making decisions and shouldering responsibility. She was good at what she did, and the success of her business was a testament to her ability. She didn’t envy her friend’s workload. It was the way Brooke spent her nights that turned Carrie green.

  She spent her evenings in subservience to her master. The man had it going on, and the few times he’d invited her to join them, she had obeyed without hesitation. He was thoughtful and considerate, and very much in control. Just remembering his voice commanding her made her knees weak. Being mastered by him had been a pleasure, and she sincerely hoped another session was the reason for the lunch invitation. Her panties grew damp at the prospect.

  Happier than she’d been in weeks, she powered down her computer and set out for her lunch date.

  Thirty minutes later, she entered the sandwich shop and spotted her friend, who waved to her from a booth in the back. Brooke was one of those rare creatures, as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside. Her beauty queen looks turned heads, but it was her personality that drew people to her. She gave generously of herself and her time, qualities that earned her respect in the community. Carrie was one of the very few who knew just how much of herself Brooke was willing to give to the right person.

  She wove her way through the crowded restaurant and slid into the seat across from her friend. “It’s so good to see you,” she said. “You look great!”

  Brooke beamed, and stroked her shoulder length blonde hair. “You like it? Todd says the highlights make my eyes look brighter.”

  “He’s right. The gold streaks match the flecks in your eyes. The man knows what he’s talking about,” she said, squashing down the slight twinge of envy.

  “I know.” Brooke sighed. “I’m a lucky woman.” Her smile disappeared, and Carrie squirmed under her pitying look. “I wish you could find someone, too.”

  “Me, too. Believe me, I’ve tried. I’ve been to every munch in the last six months and spent more hours than I can count sitting in the social area of the Dungeon, hoping a Dom would come in, take one look at me, and decide I need to be spanked.” She waved off the protest on the other woman’s lips. “Hey, Marilyn Monroe was discovered at a soda fountain.” She shrugged. “It could happen.”

  “There’s another way to meet a Dom,” she said. “Todd has a friend.”

  Her pulse leapt. “Go on.”

  “He thinks you and his friend might get along. I agree.”

  “You’ve met him?” she asked. Brooke’s gaze dropped to the menu on the table in front of her, silently telling her how they’d met. “Oh. You’ve played with him.”

  Their gazes met and she saw nothing but sincerity in her friend’s eyes. “Once. Only once. His name is Jason, a
nd he’s new to the lifestyle. Master invited him to join us to see if he was as interested as he thought.”

  “And was he?”

  “Oh, yes! He was masterful. Very much so for someone who’d never topped before. His commands were clear, and his voice was kind. It seemed very natural for him. He didn’t spare me, but he knew when enough was enough. And, Master would never have given me to him for even a minute if he didn’t trust him.”

  Oh God. This could be it. She wiped her damp palms on her skirt and tried to quell the butterflies in her stomach. “And you think he would be interested in a novice like me?”

  “I do. Would you like to meet him?”

  The butterflies felt more like a flock of seagulls now. She pressed a hand to her midsection in an effort to calm the riot going on inside. This was real. All she had to do was say yes. “I trust you, and Todd has been nothing but kind to me, so….” She took a deep breath and let her answer out with it. “Yes. Yes, I would like to meet your friend.”

  Her friend’s face lit with excitement. “I’ll tell Todd, and he’ll arrange it.” She placed her hand over Carrie’s. “I’m so happy for you.”

  “I don’t know how to thank you,” she said over the tears choking her. “If this works out….”

  “I know. Trust me, I know exactly how you feel. Before I met Todd, I was lonely and so alone with my needs. Then…everything changed. I’ve never been happier.”

  Carrie nodded and dug a tissue from her purse to dab at the corners of her eyes. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

  “You’re excited, relieved, anxious. I’ve been there, remember? Look, I have no idea if this will work out, and you have to tell him if you don’t feel right about it. He’s not the only Dom out there, so don’t think you have to submit to him if it’s not for you.”

  “I know,” she said on a shaky breath. “If it doesn’t feel right, I’ll say something. I promise. Tell me about him. I want to know everything.”

  “I don’t know much. Todd is a very private person. He never talks about his vanilla life, and it’s not my place to ask.”

  “I’m not interested in his vanilla life. Tell me what this guy was like as a Dom. Did he…you know?”

  “No. Master has rules when he shares me, just like the times you’ve been with us.” She hesitated. “Are you sure you’re okay with this? I mean, he played with me. I don’t want this to affect our friendship.”

  Carrie paused. Did it matter? “It won’t. I’m actually grateful. I’m so new to this. It’s reassuring to know someone I trust can vouch for him. I understand trust is the fundamental issue between a Dom and his sub, but to put myself at his mercy without knowing anything about him? I won’t lie. That scares me.”

  “Don’t be frightened,” she said. “Let’s eat then we’ll go somewhere more private and I’ll tell you everything about my time with him. You’re my friend. I’d never recommend someone I didn’t trust myself.”

  Her stomach was knotted so tight she didn’t think she could eat a thing, but she picked up the menu anyway. “I know. I trust you. And Todd has been very kind to me. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed the times he invited me to play.” She sighed and dropped the menu back on the table. “It’s the memory of those times that keeps me going. I know what it’s like to submit, to place my entire self into someone else’s hands. It’s the most incredible feeling I’ve ever experienced.”

  Brooke grinned. “Master enjoyed those times, too. And so did I, but anything that pleases him, pleases me. Once he figured out my desire to watch and be watched, he’s made sure to arrange suitable scenes.”

  Carrie blushed at the frank talk, her mind going back to the Dungeon and the feel of leather landing on her skin, Todd touching her, working her to an incredible orgasm. She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I want that for myself. I want someone who sees my need and will take me there. Someone who won’t let my fears stand between me and my pleasure.” She worried the edge of the menu with nervous fingers. “Is that too much to ask for?”

  “No, it’s not. There’s nothing wrong with wanting the things you want. We’re just like everyone else. We crave intimacy, that special connection with another human being.”

  “You’re right. It’s, you know…hard. My other girlfriends don’t understand. My family wouldn’t understand. They all wonder why I haven’t found a guy and settled down by now.”

  Brooke leaned over the table. “Todd and I have discussed taking our relationship outside the Dungeon,” she whispered.

  “That’s wonderful!” She grabbed both of Brooke’s hands and squeezed. “So, this is serious between you two?”

  She nodded. “Yes. I love him. I really do. I can’t imagine my life without him. But I’m scared, too. I don’t know anything about his vanilla life. Nothing.”

  “Nothing about his personal life?”

  “Not a thing,” she confirmed. “He’s taking me to his house this weekend. He said we’d talk then. I think he may be more nervous about this than I am.”

  She was glad to see her friend’s smile return.

  “It’s kind of cute, you know? Him being so in control all the time, then being nervous about taking me to his house.”

  “I’m so happy for you. I want to hear all about it next week.”

  “Promise,” she said, opening her menu. “Now, let’s order and get the heck out of here. I want to tell you about Jason.”

  Carrie flipped open her menu and pretended to read it. She really was pleased things were working out for her friend, but her mind spun with thoughts of this new Dom. Would he like her? Would she like him? She trusted both Brooke and Todd. If they said he was a good match for her, then he was. She shut the menu. “I’m having a salad. No cooking.” She grinned.

  Brooke laid her menu aside, returning Carrie’s smile “We’ll be out of here in no-time!”

  * * *

  “I’m not sure I’m ready for this.” Jason said, pitching his voice low to be on the safe side.

  “Don’t worry so much. You handled yourself well the other night.” Todd eased himself into one of the seats they’d commandeered in the rear of the plane. “You have a knack for this. Just focus on the sub’s pleasure and you can’t go wrong. I’ve played with this girl. Her needs are pretty straightforward. A little pain will make her wet, and with your looks, you’ll have her eating out of your hand, or your pants, in no time.”

  Jason held his response as a teammate ambled down the aisle to the lavatory in the back of the plane. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure they were alone again. “About that. I’ve been thinking. I make the rules, right?”

  “Right. What you say goes.”

  “She can’t see me. Rule number one, she wears an eye mask all the time. I’ll tell her it’s to heighten her other senses, and that’s true, but I don’t want her to know who I am.”

  Todd shifted his frame in the seat meant for anorexic people and glared at Jason. “How the fuck are you going to accomplish that?”

  “I’ll figure it out. I just need you to make sure she’s blindfolded before I get there tonight. Then you can leave. I’ll take it from there.”

  Todd shook his head, gazing up the aisle, stretching the silence an interminable length of time.

  Jason shifted in his seat. Maybe he’d gone too far, but he didn’t think so. Until he knew this girl, it was the only way he felt at ease. Besides, he rationalized, it was for her protection as well as his. If thing went wrong, the media would be all over both of them. She couldn’t hardly comment on their relationship if she didn’t know who she had a relationship with. Todd would see he was right. Eventually.

  Jason leaned across the empty seat between them. “You’ll do it, won’t you?”

  “Yeah, I’ll do it. What makes you think she would know you anyway?”

  He flopped back in his seat, letting out a pent-up breath. “I don’t know. Maybe she wouldn’t, but I don’t want to take that chance right now. My career
has two toes over the edge of the cliff already. A sex scandal would do me in.”

  “So, you’re going to ask her for her complete trust, sight unseen literally, and you aren’t going to give her even the most basic level of trust?”

  “It sounds really fucked up when you put it that way, but she won’t regret it. I’ll make sure she enjoys every minute she spends with me. I know how to please a woman, and if she’s willing to explore the darker edges of her sexuality, I can guarantee her more pleasure than she’s ever had, sight or no sight.”

  Todd smirked. “So, you think you’re more than just a pretty face?”

  “I know I am.” He gazed out the window, trying to find a comfortable position in the cramped confines of the seat. “When I’m sure of our relationship, I’ll take the blindfold off, but not until then. If she can’t agree to those terms, then I’ll find someone who will.”

  “We’re getting the cart before the horse here, aren’t we? You haven’t even seen her yet.”

  “You said she’s pretty. I trust your judgment. Besides, I’ve never seen a woman’s body I didn’t respond to, and that’s what this is about. Pleasure. Hers and mine. It’s not like I’m taking on a mail order bride. I don’t want to marry her. I want to fuck her.”

  “Okay, okay. I get your point. But aren’t you asking her to take a lot on faith?”

  “Maybe. She’ll have the option to walk away tonight. After that, I’ll make sure she has an out if she ever feels she needs it.”

  Todd stretched his left leg into the aisle, nearly tripping the player returning from the lavatory. He muttered an apology then stuck his leg back out, rubbing his thigh. “Damn, I’m getting too old for this shit. Next time you want to talk, do it somewhere else. From now on, I sit in a bulkhead seat.”

  Jason smiled at his friend’s grumbling. “I’ll be there at seven. Tell her to be there at seven-thirty. She’s to wear a knit dress—something slinky. No bra, no panties, and high heels. Any color dress will do. She’s to leave her hair down. You did say she has long hair, didn’t you?”