"Sandra." He stood and came around the desk, pulling her into his arms and holding her tight. "How are you?"

She cleared her throat. "My voice still feels a bit raspy, but it doesn't hurt to talk or breathe anymore." She took a deep breath. "Brent, I'm so sorry." She buried her face against his hard chest and closed her eyes tight against the tears she felt building. "You're right. Those people we were ten years ago don't exist anymore, and the fact that you didn't tell me who you really were doesn't matter. I know the man you are now, and that's what counts."

Brent led her over to the couch and sat, pulling her down onto his lap. "I'm sorry too. I should have told you. The woman you are today is all that matters, and that's the one I fell in love with."

Sandra gasped, trying to see if she had heard him correctly. "Brent?"

His expression was wary, but he kept her gaze. "Yes?"

"Did you just say you loved me, or are all the drugs they gave me still messing with me?"

He laughed and held her closer so he could brush his lips over hers and then deepen the kiss so it turned molten.

When Brent finally gentled the kiss and leaned back, she nearly whimpered. She wanted him so much. h.e.l.l, she loved him so much.

Brent looked down at her to capture her gaze. "Yes, Sandra, I'm in love with you. You have a way of distracting me from well-laid plans. Hold that thought." He gently lifted her off his lap and set her on the couch. He stood and walked to his desk, taking out a box covered in blue velvet.

Her heart skipped a beat. It was a long, narrow box. She wondered what it could be.

She had to tell him before they went any further. "Brent."

"Sandra." Brent held up a hand. She couldn't stop now.

"I can't hold it in any longer. I've fallen in love with you, and you're right. I do want your domination, but I also want your tenderness, your love, and I want to be able to take care of you as much as you take care of me."

He sat beside her on the couch and she turned to face him before reaching out to trace his bottom lip with her index finger. He sucked it inside his mouth, sending a flood of heat and moisture straight to her p.u.s.s.y and making her squirm in her seat. It had been too long since he had been inside her and she craved it like a drug. "I don't just want all that s.e.xually with you, but in all ways."

She took a breath, trying to concentrate on what she was saying with Brent sucking her finger and scattering her thoughts. "I'm not sure how exactly that will work. But that's how I feel and what I want. I'm done hiding and running, and denying my feelings. I am who I am and I don't care who knows it. And if you're brave enough to love the woman I am now, then I'm definitely brave enough to love the man you are right now."

Brent shook his head and laughed as he slid off the couch and knelt in front of her. He set the box aside and laid one finger over her lips. "Woman, sometimes you talk too much. I love your mouth, but if you'll give me time to speak, we'll find a much better use for that lovely mouth of yours."

His words sent p.r.i.c.kles of arousal marching over her, and she forced herself to wait patiently for what would come next.

Brent picked up the box and placed it in her hands, but kept his hand on top so she couldn't open it yet.

"Sandra Barry, I know you have a troubled past. I do too." He blew out a slow breath. "But like I said, none of that matters. I have fallen madly in love with you and can't imagine my life without you."

He lifted the lid of the box and Sandra gasped again.

A silver collar studded with sparkling blue sapphires was inside, reminding her of the nipple chain he had given her during their last scene. Nestled next to it was a stunning silver ring with a huge marquis-cut diamond on top, and the sides were studded with smaller diamonds and more blue sapphires.

She looked up and met Brent's guarded gaze. "They're beautiful." She waited, not quite sure what else to say. He hadn't asked her anything. Only opened a box filled with beautiful jewelry. What did this mean?

Brent laughed and shook his head. "I never allow myself to give in to cowardice, but you tend to scatter my senses and distract me on every level." He reached out and brushed his knuckles over her cheek in a gentle gesture that she had grown to love.

"Sandra, inside Club Desire will you wear my collar and allow me to be the only Dom to pleasure you and bring you to new heights?" He traced one finger, first over the collar and then over the ring, making her wish he were touching her. "And will you marry me and be my wife and lover?"

He seemed to hold his breath, making Sandra realize she was holding hers. Trying not to make a fool of herself, she blew out her breath and let her mouth have free rein. "Brent Weston, I will wear your collar and enjoy every second of your domination and love. And I will wear your ring, and marry you and be your wife and lover. And I would love you to be my Dom and my husband." She gave in to the impulse and snapped the box closed so she could set it aside and throw herself into his arms.

Like she had hoped, he kissed her senseless before he pulled back and held her away from him. He picked up the box, lifted the lid, and almost reverently took out the collar and gently wrapped it around her neck. The cool metal settled against her skin, snug but not too tight, as he fastened it at the back. Then he picked up the ring and slid it onto her left ring finger before crushing her to him again.

It was another hour before they stepped off the elevator onto Bas.e.m.e.nt 2 to play their first scene as a committed D/s couple.

There were murmurs and even a few gasps as they walked around the floor toward their play area.

Then they reached a play area with a large hanging bar with loops for D rings and a toy bag overflowing with blue rope.

She gasped as she glanced back at the large crowd gathering to watch their scene.

He raked his gaze down her body, pausing at the collar and then again at the ring. "a.s.sume the submissive position and remove anything you don't want ripped off. But leave the thong."

Sandra smiled, hoping he had in mind what she suspected. Excitement churned through her as she stripped off her nightie and kicked off her sandals before getting down on the floor on all fours and then leaning back on her haunches, thrusting out her bare b.r.e.a.s.t.s for the world to see.

She scanned the gathering crowd, seeing many people she knew well, and realized that while she was totally naked except for Brent's beautiful collar and her gorgeous new engagement ring she wasn't embarra.s.sed in the least. She was excited for whatever was about to happen. Antic.i.p.ating her Dom pleasuring her until she was flying.

When Brent settled behind her, looping the blue rope around her torso and guiding her up onto her knees, she smiled. She raised her arms so he could wrap the rope snugly so it lifted and plumped her full b.r.e.a.s.t.s, giving her a push-up bra, bondage style. Just like the one she had seen the first night she had been here.

When he was done, he offered her his hand to help her stand and guided her over until she was under the hanging bar.

"Lift your arms and grab the bar."

When she complied, he bound her wrists to the bar's D rings. Then he moved to the side of the set and turned the pulley to raise the bar until she had to balance on the b.a.l.l.s of her feet.

She felt exposed, stripped bare, and excited beyond belief.

Brent moved back into her line of sight and walked forward with the familiar blue blindfold, covering her eyes and heightening her arousal as he began to tease and touch her until she was burning with need. Then he rolled her nipples between his large fingers, building the tightening vortex deep inside her belly. When tight pressure settled around her nipples and stayed, she realized he had attached her nipple chain. Her p.u.s.s.y clenched, begging to be filled.

"Sandra."

She balanced on the b.a.l.l.s of her feet and gripped the bar tighter. "Yes, sir."

"I'm going to turn you around. Are you ready for whatever I give you?" His deep voice stroked her in deep, intimate places and she knew he would satisfy her physically, very soon. "Do you trust me?"

Sandra's c.l.i.t throbbed in antic.i.p.ation. "Yes, sir. I trust you implicitly, sir. Please make me fly."

He laughed and turned her so her back was facing the murmuring crowd. Her skin was still burning with arousal. She craved more sensation, but didn't want to ask for it and earn a punishment, which might ruin the scene. She trusted Master Brent to take care of her.

When the first sting of the flogger fell, she cried out as sensations flowed over her body and edged her closer to her first o.r.g.a.s.m. She laughed as she realized that while she used to wish for just one o.r.g.a.s.m, now multiple o.r.g.a.s.ms within a scene with Master Brent were normal and she had come to expect them.

Another stinging lash snapped against her a.s.s and she gasped, wishing Master Brent would f.u.c.k her. The lashes continued to fall with no discernible rhythm and in no particular place. Both sides of her a.s.s, her thighs, and her back were going to be striped with Master Brent's attentions and she would mourn them when they disappeared.

When the lashes suddenly stopped and Master Brent turned her again, she cried out from the sudden lack of intense sensations. She whimpered, and he nipped at her neck as he turned her.

He lifted her off her feet, and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he thrust inside her hard. As the head of his hard c.o.c.k hit her cervix, she cried out as pleasure flooded through her body, but she still hovered on the sharp edge of her building o.r.g.a.s.m.

Master Brent tugged firmly on her nipple chain while he plunged back inside her repeatedly. Her body tightened and then shattered, pleasure exploding over her in a tsunami of shimmering waves.

Master Brent continued to pound into her, rattling on her nipple chain at just the right times to build her up or send her soaring again.

She lost count of how many o.r.g.a.s.ms she had, and sweat had begun to trickle under her collar and her arms began to ache. She was close to giving Master Brent a "yellow" when he shouted and continued to thrust into her through his own o.r.g.a.s.m.

When he slowed and slid out of her she was left balancing on the b.a.l.l.s of her feet, sweaty and soaring, facing a crowd who watched her with l.u.s.t-filled gazes. It was enough to make her crave another o.r.g.a.s.m.

d.a.m.n, Master Brent hadn't lied. This was extremely addictive.

He stepped close as the scent of musky citrus filled her senses. Master Brent gently pulled on her nipple chain, shooting sensation straight to her aching c.l.i.t. "I love you, Sandra. With all my heart and soul. And I pledge to always take care of you and pleasure you for the rest of our lives."

Sandra sucked in a breath. "And I love you, Brent. But my mind isn't coherent enough to tell you how much."

He firmly yanked her nipple chain and then his slick finger rubbed firmly over her c.l.i.t, making her explode once again. She rode out the flowing ripples that raged through her and then gave herself up to subs.p.a.ce.

Epilogue.

Sandra walked hand in hand with her new husband along the bank of the Thames. Since he had business in London, they had decided to tack their honeymoon onto the two-day business trip.

She had never been outside the country, so she was loving every minute, especially the afternoon teas!

He guided her into a small cafe and ordered wine for both of them, and she gave a happy sigh at the whirlwind the last few days had been.

Since neither she nor Brent had any immediate family aside from those at Club Desire and a few from her old dungeon in New York, they had held a beautiful wedding down in Bas.e.m.e.nt 4 with dancing, wonderful food, and all the tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs.

The justice of the peace who had come to perform the ceremony had been decidedly reluctant to come inside the Club, but after he had been a.s.sured that the wedding would be entirely G-rated, he had relented, and after the ceremony had even joined in the celebration and dancing.

Her old roommate, Darla, had been her matron of honor and Mich.e.l.le, her bridesmaid. Dex had both given Sandra away and had acted as Brent's best man, with Jake, Logan, and Cameron standing up with him as well.

It was more beautiful than Sandra could ever have imagined, and she had been stunned to find out that being Brent's wife meant that everyone considered her an owner of Club Desire as well.

She supposed since Arizona was a community property state that was true enough, but that didn't explain everyone's att.i.tude change toward her overnight. They treated her as if she now understood all the inner workings of Club Desire just as well as Brent and Dex and had the same decision-making power. She had a lot to learn to fulfill that new role, along with her day job, but Brent was mentoring her and seemed excited about having her as his business partner as well as his wife and sub.

She was happier than she had ever thought possible, and her past memories seemed farther and farther away with each pa.s.sing day.

When the waiter returned with their wine, Brent turned to her with mischief dancing in his blue eyes. "How about a light lunch? You'll need your energy for later," he teased, hinting at their plans for tonight.

She smiled and nodded, giving the waiter her order and gazing into her husband's adoring eyes.

Tonight they were visiting a local dungeon. A friend of Brent's had recommended the place and had contacted the owner to get them in as VIPs.

Sandra had her bag with her that contained her collar, her nipple chains, and some of her other favorite toys, and she couldn't wait.

She turned her head to look at her new husband as he sipped his wine and her heart swelled. She still couldn't believe that he was hers in every way. But that didn't stop her from enjoying the h.e.l.l out of it.

When he caught her looking at him, a large smile curved his lips and he pulled her to him, capturing her mouth, expertly plundering her until she was breathless, uncaring about who saw them.

"Hmm, my beautiful wife. I think we might need to head to the dungeon now rather than later. I don't think either of us can wait too much longer."

Even though they had made love in the shower and then again on the bed before they left the hotel room several hours ago, Brent was right. She needed him. After all, this was their honeymoon and they had to take full advantage of it.

"Let's go."

In loving memory of Judi Thoman/Brit Blaise, who was my inspiration to branch out into the erotic genre, as well as my longtime friend and mentor. I wouldn't be here if she hadn't befriended me back in 2003 and started our wonderful b.u.t.terscotch Martini Girls critique group.

Acknowledgments.

Huge thanks to my critique group, The b.u.t.terscotch Martini Girls, and especially Cheyenne McCray and Kayce La.s.siter for all the brainstorming, laughter, and wonderfully insightful and honest critiques. You guys keep me sane.

For the love of my life, Jon, and my wonderful son, Darian. Thank you for all your love, support, and patience with a woman who lives in her own fantasy world, and talks to and argues with imaginary characters. I love you both dearly.

To my wonderful agent, Paige Wheeler, for always believing in me, even in the tough times.

To my terrific editor, Sue Grimshaw, who gave me a shot at getting back into the game!.

BY Ca.s.sIE RYAN.

Seducing the Succubus.

The Demon and the Succubus.

Club Desire.

My Obsession.

Writing as Tina Gerow.

Sleeping with Shadows.