Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Rafe walked into Wicked Sanctuary Saturday night at six thirty. Max had called and asked him to come in early to talk. Unsure why he wanted to talk to him, Rafe knocked on Max’s office door even though it was open.

“Hey, Rafe,” Max said, getting up from his desk and gesturing to the chair in front of it.

“Hi, Max.” Rafe sat down in the lush leather chair. “What did you want to talk about?”

Max grinned. “Right to the point.” He sat behind his desk. “I’ve had some members ask about fire cupping.”

“You don’t allow fire play in the club.”

“I don’t, but I also never expected people to want it. Just like Anthony’s knife play.”

“Anthony’s knife play is more of a mindfuck. Mine isn’t.”

“I’m aware.” Max leaned forward. “Before we can make any decisions about this, I need to know how much space we would need, safeguards, and if you’re willing to be our lead on it.”

Rafe sat back. This wasn’t something he expected. He’d joined Wicked Sanctuary, knowing fire play wasn’t available, but it didn’t bother him. “I can help you, but maybe we start with dry cupping first and see how people respond. Fire cupping will definitely mean additional precautions.”

“Which is why I wanted to talk with you.”

“Can I see the area you want to use?”

“Let’s go.” Together, they went into the classroom area. “We don’t need as much space in here as we used to.”

“Membership down?” He thought that might be unusual, but Rafe didn’t know for sure.

“No. It’s steady. The influx of new members has slowed, and that’s fine.” Max led him across the room. “I was thinking this area.”

Rafe looked around. “How much do you want to keep for classroom space?”

“A twelve-by-twelve room would be fine.”

“How big is this now?”

Max frowned. “I’m not sure. I need to ask Zeke or Gabriel, but I believe around eight hundred square feet, maybe more.”

He nodded and walked around the room. “First thing is to add some fire-resistant wood work, then fire-resistant paint.” Max pulled out his phone and started making notes. “Next would be flooring. I’d recommend Class A vinyl flooring.”

“What else?”

“Extra fire extinguishers. Fire blankets, water buckets, wash cloths. Two first aid kits. I’d bring my own cupping equipment.” Rafe paused. “I need to check my equipment bag for the rest, but that’s the main stuff.”

“What kind of table do you need?”

“We can use a massage table covered by fire blankets or wool blankets. And there would need to be a negotiation with the sub and or sub and Dom to do fire cupping. Dry cupping isn’t as in depth as I’d do with fire.”

“Makes sense. It is Risk Aware Consensual Kink.”

“I’m really surprised you’re willing to do this.” Rafe stared at Max.

“I’ve never had an issue with it. I wasn’t sure if it was needed. Members have been asking, and I have the space, and you’re the expert on fire.”

Rafe laughed. “I studied under a master.” He had. He’d spent years learning from Master Deacon. It also helped that he was a firefighter. He’d been fascinated with fire since he was a kid, so his parents channeled that interest in healthy directions.

“That’s the only reason I’m asking; otherwise, I’d tell the members we can’t do it. Just like Anthony’s knife play. He studied under a master, as well.”

“You’re worried about injury?” It was smart to think that way.

Max nodded. “I don’t want anyone to get hurt. I also want our members to be happy and enjoy the lifestyle.”

“Yeah, I can see it.”

“There are some things we will never allow. Blood play, needles, bodily fluids.”

“I trust you’ve talked this out with Damon and Jordan.” They were Max’s partners in the club.

“Yes, and we’ve talked with our subs, or should I say partners, as well. I wouldn’t leave them out of a decision of this magnitude.”

“Understandable.”

“I’ll set up a meeting with Zeke and Gabriel to talk about making the modifications you want. When are you available?”

“Not until toward the end of next week. I work four twelve-hour shifts Monday through Thursday, six in the morning until six at night.”

“Got it. Maybe after work on a Thursday night? The club is less crowded, and we won’t mess up your days off.”

“That works, or anytime on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. My days off tend to be pretty light for me.”

Max nodded. “I’ll talk with them and see what we can set up.” He glanced up when someone walked into the room.

“Hi, Jordan,” Rafe said.

“Rafe.” Jordan glanced at Max. “People are starting to arrive.”

“I think we’re done,” Max said.

Rafe nodded. “I’m going to go change.” He left the room and went back out to his vehicle to grab his play bag. Having fire play at the club was going to be interesting. His fingers already itched to get started.

* * * *

“You look great,” Ellie said.

Brianna looked at herself critically in the full-length bathroom mirror in her apartment. While she’d finished her classes at Wicked Sanctuary over a month ago, she hadn’t been able to go to the club. Mainly due to Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

The black boy shorts clung to her ass, and her top… Well, she wasn’t showing any more than she would at a beach, so why did she feel so naked? “It’s fine, I guess.”

“You’ll knock some of those Doms on their asses.”

“I don’t want to do that.” Brianna gathered up her hair. “What do I do with it?”

“May I braid it?”

“Sure.” Brianna sat down, and Ellie made quick work of her hair.

“There, out of the way and easy to loosen.” Ellie’s phone pinged. “Logan is here.”

“Okay.” Brianna slipped on a pair of pants, then a shirt, before putting her shoes on. She grabbed the bag that contained her purse, and they walked to the front door. Keys. Snatching them off the table, Brianna locked the door.

They climbed into the SUV. Logan leaned over and gave Ellie a brief kiss before glancing at her. “Hi, Brianna.”

“Hi, Logan.” Since meeting him on Monday, she felt better about letting him drive her to the club. Not that she suspected Logan of anything, it just gave her more peace of mind. “Thanks for the ride.”

“No problem.” He pulled away from her apartment building. “I was surprised to find out you were a member.”

“I couldn’t attend much over the holidays, but now that things have calmed down, I want to see what I’ve gotten myself into.”

Logan frowned. “You did go through the classes?”

“Logan.” Ellie placed her hand on his arm.

“It’s okay. Yes, I did. Noah was my mentor.”

“Good man.” Logan kept his eyes on the road.

“Forgive him. Doms are always looking out for us,” Ellie said.

Brianna nodded, and her heart warmed at Logan’s regard. She’d grown up in a loving family, but they’d grown apart when she became an adult. It had to do with a tragedy that struck when she was nine. Her visits at Christmas were still strained even though almost twenty years had passed.

A shiver crawled up her spine. She wouldn’t think about that night. She didn’t need to. It was in the past. Six years of therapy had helped her to see that.

All too soon, they were pulling up to Wicked Sanctuary. Once inside, it took her and Ellie no time at all to take off their street clothes and store them before walking out. Brianna admired Ellie’s purple and white wristband. Hers was white. A novice. Well, in a way she was.

She’d discovered BDSM years ago before moving to Pleasant Valley. Circumstances prevented her from exploring it. Now, she was ready to delve into the lifestyle she’d heard so much about. The classes Master Max insisted upon were good. They cleared up some misconceptions and, more importantly, made her feel safe in the club.

Hopefully, she wouldn’t run into any of her students’ parents. That thought sent a chill through her heart. While there wasn’t any rule against it in her contract with Pleasant Valley Elementary School, it could make things uncomfortable.

She’d cross that bridge when it happened, if it happened. There was a strict NDA here, so that shouldn’t be a problem, right? Brianna sent a look skyward, hoping fate was on her side tonight.

Logan took Ellie’s arm and then held his arm out to her. Brianna took a deep breath and slipped her arm through Logan’s.

“Shall we, ladies?”

“Yes,” Ellie said.

Brianna nodded. They walked to the door being held opened by a man she didn’t know, and in they went. She stopped just inside the main room of the club. While she’d been through the classes with Noah, it had been very platonic. The club hadn’t been very busy either.

The number of people surprised her. The lighting was low, but not so much she couldn’t see where she was going. Hard tech music played in the background. “Unusual music,” Brianna commented. All the music she’d heard before had a beat, but wasn’t as heavy.

“Not really,” Logan answered. “Look to your right, about eleven o’clock.”

She did and then saw the flogging scene, the strokes landing in time with the beat of the music. “Oh.” Brianna hadn’t seen anyone flogged to music before. Her body heated.

“Shall we go into the sub area?” Ellie asked.

“Please.” Brianna needed to get her bearings. She’d mainly been in the club on Thursday nights, and it was a lot quieter. Her last class had been on a Friday night, but she’d left before eleven. She was grateful to be able to sit down in the sub area with Ellie.

“I’ll be at the bar.” Logan swept a kiss over Ellie’s lips before walking away.

“Are you okay?” Ellie asked.

“I think so. It’s different from class nights.” She looked left and right. People everywhere. She wasn’t claustrophobic. She just hadn’t expected… Brianna took a deep breath. She wasn’t afraid but maybe apprehensive.

Her gaze traveled around the club, noting three primary exits and emergency exits. She was pleased to see several fire extinguishers in the club as well. Master Max had told her they had procedures, and they didn’t allow an open flame on the play floor. That had relieved her fear of a massive fire.

“Busier. Yes, usually Friday and Saturdays are.” Ellie grinned as another woman bounced into the area, wearing a white corset and a thong.

“Hey, Tessa.”

“Hi, Ellie.” She glanced at Brianna. “Who is your new friend?”

“Brianna, meet Tessa. Her partner is Damon.”

“Hi.”

“Welcome to the club. I don’t remember seeing you around.”

“I finished my classes a couple of months ago but haven’t been able to come until now.”

“Glad you could make it. The holidays are a hard time for people.” Tessa smiled.

“Damon on duty?” Ellie asked.

“Yeah. I don’t mind. Gives me a chance to talk with everyone. What do you do, Brianna?”

* * * *

Rafe strode into the club with a grin. It felt good to be back. He’d spent some time at Christmas with his parents, then work picked up. He missed the club. He noticed several of the Doms at the bar, Logan included.

Good. Maybe Logan could give him more information on that teacher from their talk at the school. Brianna hadn’t left his mind since they’d met. He was attracted to her, but didn’t know if she reciprocated. Although she did blush a time or two when he caught her staring at him. Plus, Logan might know if she had any interest in BDSM.

“Hey, Rafe.” Logan tapped him on the shoulder.

“How did the talk with Max go?” Jordan asked.

“Good.”

“And?” Jordan prompted.

“I’ll do it, but only once the modifications are made.” He wasn’t going to compromise on that. Fire and personal safety first. “I do also want to make sure everyone knows it’s RACK.”

“I didn’t think Max allowed RACK,” Dane said, joining the conversation.

Rafe shook Dane’s hand. He’d opened an art gallery in town and decided to stay. His partner, Regina, was one of the subs and always made sure to make everyone feel welcome.

“We’ve been thinking about it,” Jordan answered. “Some of the members have an interest in fire play, and Rafe here is an expert in it.”

“I wouldn’t say expert.” Rafe was surprised by Jordan’s words.

“I would,” Max said, joining the group. “I talked with the master you studied under and still keep up with. Plus, you’re a firefighter.”

“If anyone knows fire, it’s you,” Logan commented.

Rafe nodded. He had studied under the best, but it was more than that. The way flames moved, how a fire burned, what caused a fire to start. You name it, he’d studied it.

Some might call it an obsession, but after watching his childhood home burn down, his goal had always been to help others when needed and learning how fire worked, and being a firefighter was a big part of that goal.

“I’ll set up something up with Zeke and Gabriel next week, since they both worked on the addition, to see how long it will take to get a room ready. Once that’s done, we’ll make a general announcement.”

“If you want, Max, I can do dry cupping here in the club anytime. That might help give us an idea of how many people want to try fire cupping.”

“Dry cupping?” Dane asked.

“Yes. To simplify, it’s the same concept, but I use suction rather than fire to help the muscles. It also helps a people decide if they want to actually do fire cupping.”

“Sounds intriguing,” Logan commented.

“Many find both relaxing. Massage therapists do cupping, and a lot of athletes use it, especially in competition where muscles are strained.”

“I bet it’s better than a massage,” Jordan said, rolling his shoulders.

“It can be. Depends on what you’re looking for.” Rafe hadn’t thought about the Doms wanting to do cupping; he figured it was for the subs. Why he thought that, he didn’t know. “I’m open to any Doms who want to try it. Max, before I do any cupping, I want to make sure everyone understands RACK.”

“No problem. We can do a demo of dry cupping, and you can explain what you’re doing and RACK at the same time.”

“So you’re changing the rules?” Dane said.

“A little.” Max ran his hand through his hair. “I still won’t allow blood play, bodily fluids, or needles. Those have way too many bio hazards. After talking with Rafe, we can minimize the fire play risks to the participants, and also to the club.”

“I like it,” Jordan commented.

Rafe wasn’t surprised the Doms liked the idea of it, but he had to wonder about the subs. How many of them would enjoy it? A lot of people did. It helped remove the toxins from the body, but it could also make one feel relaxed and sensual.

“Who’s the new sub?” Dane asked, tilting his head toward the area where the subs gathered.

Rafe turned his head, and his eyes opened wide. Brianna? What was she doing here? His heart pounded.

“That’s Brianna,” Logan said. “She’s friends with Ellie.”

“She finished her classes with Noah right before Thanksgiving. This is her first time back since before the holidays,” Max said.

Rafe kept his gaze on Brianna. She was into kink? This quiet, shy, second grade teacher? He was making assumptions, wild assumptions. Well, maybe not really, she was in a BDSM club, after all. But his body took note of the black sports bra she wore. Another Dom stepped into his field of vision, blocking him from seeing the rest of her outfit, but he’d find out soon enough. Damn. He’d grown hard just staring at her. He needed this woman. In his arms, on his play table, in his bed.

“He’s salivating,” Jordan said.

Rafe jerked his head around. “I am not.” Well, maybe he was. Hard not to with beautiful Brianna sitting in the sub area. Was she ready to play? God, he hoped so.

Everyone laughed, and Rafe shook his head. “Come on, buddy.” Logan slapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll take you over. It’s time I took Ellie around the club.”

The pair walked away from the group. “It’s not like I need an introduction,” Rafe muttered.

“No, but it would make Ellie feel more comfortable, and I bet Brianna too. Remember, she’s very new to this.”

“I will.” Won’t be easy, but I will. Rafe kept his gaze on Brianna’s face as they approached. She chatted with the other subs, and seeing her comfort made him happy. When he and Logan stepped into the space, all talk stopped.

“Ladies,” Logan said. “My Ellie, shall we go walk around?”

Ellie glanced at Brianna, who was looking at Rafe. “Sure. Sir.”

“Brianna, you remember Rafe?” Logan asked, helping Ellie to her feet.

“I do.” Her voice was soft.

Logan eyed her for a long moment, glanced at Rafe, and nodded his head. “Come on, Ellie. Let’s go have some fun.”

Arm in arm, they walked off. Tess had left a while ago with her Dom, but there were still other subs sitting in the area.

“Brianna, would you allow me the pleasure of your company?” Rafe held his hand out.

He heard the oohs that came from the other subs. “Yes, Sir.”

That “yes, Sir” sent a shaft of awareness through his body, almost setting his blood on fire. She placed her hand in his, and he helped her to her feet. “Shall we go into a quiet area and chat?”

Brianna nodded.

Rafe led Brianna over to a smaller area. No one was there right now, so they’d have some privacy. She took one of the overstuffed chairs, so he adjusted the other chair and sat in front of her.

Her gaze darted around the club. Was she nervous or something else? “Brianna,” he started. “You don’t have to talk with me if you don’t want to.”

“I want to, Sir.”

While the Sir made his skin tingle with anticipation, he had to take things slow for now. “Rafe. Drop the Sir for now.”

She nodded, her gaze settling on his face. “I didn’t expect to see you here.” Her voice was soft.

“Likewise.” Rafe glanced at her wrist. Unattached Novice. “How long have you been a member of the club?”

“Not long. I finished my classes up before the holidays, then took a break.”

“I took a break during the holidays, as well.”

“How long have you been a member?”

“Several years. Did Ellie tell you about the club?”

She stiffened. “I don’t want to get her in trouble. I know we’re not supposed to talk about…all of this.” She waved her hand to encompass the club.

“She’s allowed to discuss the club just not the members.” He was impressed with Brianna’s honesty.

She let out a breath and relaxed against the back of the chair. “The NDA for the club is quite extensive.”

“Max likes it that way.” It had expanded since he’d joined. Max insisted everyone sign a new one. “What do you know about the lifestyle?”

“A bit.” She shifted. “I lived in Seattle before Pleasant Valley and learned some there.”

Interesting. “How long have you been in Pleasant Valley?”

“About three years.”

“Why did you move from Seattle?”

“I wasn’t happy with the school district.”

He nodded. “Tell me more about how you got to know the lifestyle.” He wanted to get her talking and find out more about her. While he would ask her for permission to look at her questionnaire, he wanted to hear it from her.

“In college, my roommate and her boyfriend were into kink. I was curious, so she loaned me some books, and we chatted about it.”

“What kind of books?”

“BDSM for beginners, BDSM for the novice, Dominance and submission, books on those subjects.”

“What did your friend tell you about kink?” Was her friend into safe, sane, and consensual? He thought yes based on the books, considering the actual book BDSM for the Novice was written by Max under a pseudonym.

“She told me how everything is consensual. If someone doesn’t ask specifically for consent, then a sub should walk away. She also said how relaxing and stress relieving it was for her. She was able to forget about work and just be herself.”

“With the right people, the lifestyle is very beneficial.” He was glad her roommate had a good experience. So many people didn’t.

“Did you go to any clubs in Seattle?”

“I went a couple of times.” Her chin lifted, and she crossed her arms over her chest.

“What happened?” By her defensiveness, something had happened.

“It wasn’t for me.”

She wasn’t giving him much. “Tell me more?”

Brianna sighed. “The truth? Most of the men were assholes.” Her arms fell to her sides, and she leaned forward. “I felt like shark bait, and it wasn’t a good feeling.”

“None of the men asked for consent?” It was a guess, but he had a feeling they hadn’t.

“Not a single one. After the fifth guy made demands, I walked out. Some of the men’s comments to me were not nice.”

Rafe’s temper flared. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” She waved a hand in the air. “I don’t feel that way here.”

“Good. Max strives for safe, sane, and consensual.”

“With the extensive classes, background checks and stuff, I’m not surprised.”

Rafe smiled. “Once in a while, someone will slip through. I’ve heard Max used to rent out the club to other kink groups, but he stopped the practice after some issues. Max values his club and his members.”

“He does. He talked with me at length before he even agreed to let me fill out the paperwork to join. It made me feel safe.”

“If you decide you want to hang out with me and I do anything, anything at all, that makes you feel unsafe, tell me. I’m pretty good at reading clues, but we all miss stuff.”

“Thank you. I appreciate that.”

“Good. Let’s talk about limits.”

Her eyes widened a bit. “Okay. I’m really new to this, so I have a lot of hard limits.”

“Do you have any objection to me looking at your questionnaire?”

“None at all. Am I allowed to look at yours?”

“Of course you are.” Rafe glanced around the club. “I see Max by the bar. I’ll be right back.”

He stood and crossed over to Max, explained what he needed, and Max grinned. “Sure. I’ll get them and bring them to you so you can get back to your sub.”

“She’s not my sub—yet—and I can wait.”

“I don’t think so.” Max pointed in Brianna’s direction.

Rafe turned his head. Noah was sitting on the arm of Brianna’s chair and talking with her. Brianna was smiling and chatting happily. Oh no, that was not going to happen. Without a word, Rafe marched over to the pair.

“Rafe,” Noah said as he approached.

“Noah.” Rafe took a seat in the chair across from Brianna.

Noah stood. “Great chatting with you, Brianna.”

“You too. Thanks for the words of encouragement.”

Noah gave Rafe a hard look before walking away. “What was that about?” Rafe asked.

“Noah was my mentor/trainer. He was checking up on me; that’s all.”

“Then why…” Rafe shook his head. Max liked to meddle in the budding relationships of his members. Where he found the time, Rafe didn’t know. “I’m glad it was Noah. He’s very gentle.”

“And you aren’t?” Brianna grinned at him. “I saw you with the kids. You’re sweet, gentle, and patient.”

“Hey, I have a reputation to uphold.” There was laughter in his voice.

“Here you go,” Max said and handed Rafe and Brianna each a folder. “Just give them back to me when you’re done.”

“Thanks, Max.” Rafe stared at Brianna. “Our questionnaires. Shall we read them and then chat some more?”

“Sure.”

Rafe settled back in his chair and opened the file.

* * * *

Brianna stared at the folder. Why did she feel like she was having trouble holding her own with Rafe? Maybe it was because she’d been so surprised to see him in Wicked Sanctuary. Her reaction to him wasn’t normal for her. Was she ready for this?

Yes, she decided. Ellie trusted Rafe; otherwise, she never would have allowed Logan to introduce Rafe to Brianna. She opened the folder and skimmed over his application and faltered when she reached fire under sensation play.

Fire play was checked off. Brianna vaguely remembered Max mentioning fire play wasn’t part of the offerings when she signed up. Not that she cared. Fire was not her thing. Fire never would be her thing. Ever.

She bit her lip to keep a bitter laugh from bursting free. Her gut clenched. Was she really going to get involved with a firefighter? Everything inside her told her to get up, tell him she was sorry, and leave.

Yet she still sat here, focused on what she was feeling. Excitement, apprehension, desire, hope. Hope? Yep, hope was there. Hope she’d found someone who would allow her to be herself.

Rafe would understand if she wasn’t interested in fire play. Plus, she had nothing against firefighters, one had saved her when she was a child. She’d never know if BDSM was for her if she didn’t try with Rafe. That’s what she was here for. Fire play didn’t have to be included in their time in the club.

Brianna took a breath and finished reading his questionnaire. She closed the folder to find Rafe staring at her. “Is there something wrong?”

“No. A question. You put a hard limit on fire play, may I know why?”

“It’s not something I’m interested in.” That was the only answer she was willing to give at the moment.

He nodded.

“If we’re not compatible, that’s okay.” A dagger made its way into her heart as she said the words. At this moment, she couldn’t see doing anything in the club unless it was with Rafe.

His green eyes darkened. “We’re compatible.”

Brianna nodded. She thought so too. While there had only been a couple of questions and reading, her nerves were wound tight over the negotiations. Her mood lightened, and she giggled. What made her think it would be easy?

“What was that giggle for?”

“I was thinking how negotiations were harder than I thought.”

“They are never easy in the beginning. Neither one of us wants to make a mistake.” He shifted her folder from one hand to the other. “Let’s give these back to Max and then walk around for a bit and talk some more.”

“I’d like that.” It would give her nerves time to calm down.

“May I have your permission to touch you if we stop and watch any scenes?”

“Yes.” She could handle touching.

“Thank you. Protocols are back in place now.” He stood and held his hand out to her.

“Yes, Sir.” She allowed him to help her from the chair, and he kept his arm around her waist as they walked across the room to where Max sat at the bar. Sierra was standing between Max’s legs, and he had his arms around her waist.

“Thanks, Max,” Rafe said, handing him Brianna’s file. Brianna relinquished Rafe’s, as well.

“You’re welcome. Honey, would you run these back to the office for me?”

“Yes, Sir.” Max kissed Sierra’s temple before she took the folders and left.

“All good, Brianna?” Max asked.

“I’m fine, Master Max.” Brianna wondered why he was asking.

Max nodded but stared at Rafe.

“We’ll be fine,” Rafe said, before leading her away.

“What was that about?” There was something about the exchange that bothered her.

“Max being Max. He’s protective of all the subs.”

“And what does that have to do with us?” She was a sub, but she wasn’t completely uninformed, and Max knew this.

“He’s just making sure you’re comfortable with me. Max is aware your hard limit is fire play.”

“Oh.” Her eyes widened. “But you’ve accepted that, haven’t you?”

“I have.”

“Then I don’t see the problem.” Besides, it wasn’t available in the club anyway, so she didn’t have anything to worry about.

“Sir,” he said gently.

“Sir,” she answered, shaking her head. She’d forgotten so fast.

Rafe tipped her head up until her eyes met his gaze. “It’s all right. We’re just beginning. Don’t berate yourself for slips.”

That simple statement rolled through Brianna like warm cocoa. He cared for her peace of mind.

“No punishments. Yet.”

She might have freaked out a bit, but the laughter in his eyes brought a smile to her face. Rafe crooked his elbow for her to slip her hand through, then he rested his other hand atop hers on his arm. This felt comfortable. Good. Right. Brianna smiled up at him.

A few hours later, she and Rafe were back in the quiet area. It was nice to walk around and see the different scenes and who was in the scene. Doms and subs of different sizes, nationalities, and communication styles.

She knew communication was important, but it really showed tonight. He’d kept it very casual. He would run his fingers up and down her arms, over her bare abdomen, the back of her neck. Each touch made her skin heat, and she was surprised how strongly she reacted to his touch. It wasn’t like someone hadn’t touched her like that before.

“Would you be okay sitting in my lap while we talk?”

“Yes, Sir.” That was one thing she was still getting used to. Consent. If he was doing something they hadn’t talked about, he would ask her permission. If they continued on together, and she suspected they would, she would tell him that, unless it was pushing a soft limit, he had blanket consent. She’d not left even one blank spot on her questionnaire.

Rafe sat and pulled her gently onto his lap. That was another thing. He kept his touch and gestures soft and gentle, as if he was afraid of hurting her. It warmed her heart, but she wasn’t a fragile flower. “I’m not glass, Sir.”

“Oh?” His eyes gleamed in the low light. “Are you saying you want me to be rough?”

She bit her lip. “No. It’s just…” Lord, she had no idea how to say this, and hesitation wasn’t like her. How had Rafe made her lose words like this?

His fingers trailed from her temple over her cheek to her shoulder. “What did you mean?”

Brianna closed her eyes and gathered her thoughts. “If we’re going to continue after tonight, you don’t have to ask for consent on everything, Sir. If you’re going to push my soft limits, then ask. Talking about what we’ll do before a scene also. But that’s really it.”

“I see. After tonight, I’ll take that into consideration. But you have the power to revoke consent at any time, okay?”

“That’s acceptable, Sir.” She relaxed against him.

“Good. What did you see tonight that you’d like to try?”

“Tall order, Sir.” It was. “The bondage scene was interesting, as was the flogging scene.”

“You didn’t like the web?”

“Web?” It took her a minute to remember which one that was. “Oh, that one, Sir. It looks uncomfortable, and I wouldn’t want to be spun around.”

Rafe nodded. “What was interesting about the bondage and flogging scenes?”

Another tall order. Brianna took a breath and let it out. She hadn’t talked with a man like this before. Not even when she’d played a little bit in the Seattle clubs. Initial negotiations, but that had been it.

“The bondage scene looked so sensual, Sir.” It had. The Dom and sub were great together. “I liked how Dom Dane took his time with Regina, Sir. He didn’t rush anything.”

“A good Dom doesn’t rush. He makes sure his sub feels every touch, every tingle of excitement. What about the flogging scene?”

A shiver went up her spine. “Is it always so sensual, Sir?” That was the only word she could think of at the moment.

“Depending on the couple, it can be.” He shifted and tightened his arm around her shoulder. “What made it seem sensual to you?”

“The way Dom Damon touched Tessa. He checked in with her often and…” How to explain this? “There was something in her eyes, something more than love, Sir.”

His lips turned up. “They’ve been together for a while now, and yes, they’re in love.”

“It shows, Sir.”

“As it should. You’ll see that between several couples here, but you’ll also see satisfaction and pleasure.”

Brianna nodded. She’d never really observed scenes at the club in Seattle, but then again, Seattle had been more about hooking up and not necessarily about embracing the lifestyle and all it had to give.

“My next question: Would you like to try anything tonight?”