Chapter 6

Tess

He’s so innocent. Okay, maybe innocent isn’t the right word. But he’s new to this, and I love seeing him learn. He can’t keep his feelings off his face and the looks he has at each play area are priceless. Especially the cross. I can tell he wants to explore that more thoroughly.

When I introduced him to our regulars, he seemed shy. Maybe I do have it right with the word “innocent.” He was actually blushing when he saw their outfits. Granted, his legitimate cowboy getup doesn’t exactly fit in with the decor. Maybe we should get him some chaps. And take away those jeans.

I’m sticking with my Rowdy nickname after the look on his face when I used it to introduce him. I’m not calling him by any other name unless he begs for it now. He is so not a “Parker” anyway. Who in their right mind would let a cowboy walk around being called “Parker”?

He has a hat and everything. I can’t believe he wore the hat too. I’m half surprised he actually showed up in a truck instead of on a horse. He did wear the boots, though. The regulars are really working him over, and it looks to me like he wants to crawl under that hat and never come back out. This is probably the part where I’m supposed to save him.

I let him squirm a little bit more and then go grab him another beer. He declines with the excuse he’s driving home so he can’t have another. So, he didn’t in fact bring a horse and I wasn’t seeing things when I saw him climb out of a truck in our parking lot earlier. I have a little time before I have to go off to my private bookings.

“Okay ladies,” I say to the regulars. “I’m going to take Rowdy here for a more in-depth tour of the place. I’m sure he’ll be back later, and you can get to know him better then.”

They wave their exaggerated goodbyes, and Parker pulls down the brim of his hat as he turns away. I snatch it from his head and then have to hold in my laughter at his tousled hair. It’s everywhere! I can’t help it; it makes me giggle.

“Very nice, Tess. Thanks.”

He doesn’t actually seem angry, and I hand him back his hat. He smooths his hair back and puts the hat back on. His face looked incomplete without it for that moment it hadn’t been on his head. I’ve only known him a few hours, but it feels like we’ve known each other for months.

I bring him around to the play areas again and this time, I talk a little about each one. It’s pretty clear he hasn’t seen most of these things before. Seeing as he’s a grown man, I’m pretty surprised by that. He must be sheltered as a farm hand. I’m gonna have to do some Googling about that dude ranch and see what’s up.

“This is the rope restraints area,” I show him the play area with the couple in the swing, “and there are a few other things we can do over here, as you’re seeing now.”

“Is that a swing?” He stops walking to take a moment to ask.

Maybe he’s not completely clueless. “Of a sort. It’s made to support a little better so that the participants can use different kinds of restraints as well.”

“And the blindfolds?” He seems genuinely curious.

“They help the sensory touch experience. When you deprive one sense, the others are more enhanced.”

“Really?”

I smile. “Yes, really.”

No one is using the next play area, but it’s one of my favorites.

“This area is for harder restraints.”

“What do you mean by harder?” His brows knit together.

“Like handcuffs, not the fuzzy kind, leg shackles, chains, leather straps, locks. Basically, it means things that are more difficult to get out of if you try. The other area is more for fabric ties, silk, rope, that kind of thing.”

“I see.” He looks around at all the chains and other items, then tests out one of the pairs of handcuffs on the floor.

“They’re real!” I giggle. I can’t help it.

“Yes, they’re real, my Rowdy friend.”

He levels a look at me, then points at the next area.

“Are they using leashes?”

“Yes they are. That’s an impact play area.”

“Impact like…” His voice trails off.

A whip cracks, and one of the players on the mat lets out a moan.

“Yes Daddy! Thank you!” she yells.

Parker looks at me, eyebrows now raised like they’re trying to hide in the hat.

“What about this?” He moves over to the wooden X that’s mounted to the wall. His eyes are bright.

“This is a St. Andrew’s Cross.” I tell him.

“Saint?” He’s trying not to laugh.

“It’s because it looks like the cross he used, like the one on the Scottish flag?”

He looks at the X shaped restraining device and then looks off into space like he’s thinking.

“Oh, shit, you’re right!”

“Yeah, see how it’s like an X block letter? It’s just a better name for it than an X rack or something else.”

“That’s true. What’s it for?”

I walk over to the cross and pull out the restraints at the top and bottom on each end of the legs.

“The person is restrained using these and then they’re spread eagled on the rack with their arms spread out above them.”

“And what happens then?”

“That’s up to the people playing on the cross.”

“Playing?” His face is serious but in an exploration’s way.

“Yeah, that’s what most people call it, BDSM play.”

“I always thought of BDSM as, I don’t know, pain?”

“It can be that but when it is it’s more like pain enhancing pleasure,” I inform him.

“That’s real?”

‘Yep. The letters stand for bondage, discipline or domination, sadism, and masochism.”

“See it’s those last two that don’t really line up with the concept of play for me.”

“I get how it sounds, but that’s not the main point.”

“What is the main point?” he ask with a soft tone.

“Pleasure. That’s why we call it playing.”

“I’m intrigued but a little skeptical.”

“That’s valid. I think you really have to experience it to understand it,” I say.

“I’m glad I came down to see you again, but I’m not sure about participating.”

“That’s fine too. You can watch and learn.”

“Learn?”

“The people in these main play areas are used to being open about what they’re doing. For a lot of people, voyeurism is part of it.”

“You’re sure. I can watch people doing this stuff?” He questions, since this is obviously out of his norm.

“In this main area, absolutely.”

“There are other areas?”

“There are private rooms in the back where people book one on one time with the practitioners,” I answer.

“And you’re a practitioner?”

“Some nights. Tonight, I'm hosting first, which means I walk around and help people set up and stay safe in the play areas. I help newbies like you navigate the floor and help the other hostesses keep the social area stocked.”

“So, you’re a bartender too?” he teases with a wink, knowing that’s not the case.

“Don’t be a smartass, Rowdy. The bar is self-serve. I basically assist the dungeon master.”

“Wait, there’s actually someone called a dungeon master here?”

I point to my boss in full gear on the watch platform above the social area. She can see everyone and has a walkie talkie to reach us if needed. Her gear is all leather and chains. She’s in a mask, as well with her hair in a high ponytail coming out the top of the mask.

“Holy shit, she’s actually a dungeon master.”

“She oversees everything we do to make sure we don’t miss anything do everyone is kept safe.”

“Okay then, I guess you should get to work now that you’ve given me the grand tour.”

He smiles that cowboy smile at me and literally tips his hat. I head back over to the couple in the swing and work on securing their ropes again. It’s time for the blindfolds to come off. I look back one more time and see him still smiling at me, leaning against that one couch again.

Tonight, I’m putting on a show, and he’s the only one I want to impress.