Safeword: Arabesque (Safewords Book 9) Read online

  Cassie wanted to hug Ethan for spilling something about Sam to make her feel better, and she tried not to chuckle as Sam glared at her husband a few seconds.

  “I think what Ethan’s saying,” Sam said as she turned back towards Cassie, “is Frisco sees his bisexual nature as something private. At some point in the future he may feel otherwise, but right now he compartmentalizes his life. He has emotional relationships with women and sexual adventures with men. He won’t know whether his soul mate turns out to be a man or a woman until he finds him or her, and at that time I’m sure he’ll be honest with that person, as Ethan was honest with me.”

  “Cassie,” Frisco said with compassion in his voice, “people get divorced all the time, for all sorts of reasons. I’m truly sorry you had to go through the pain your father put you through. I don’t know if I’ll ever get married because I don’t know if one person will ever be enough for me. I’m not going to settle for someone who can’t be everything I need.”

  Cassie shook her head and Frisco said, “The only time I’m ever seen with a man is at The Diamond Club, and a few clubs like it in Atlanta and Florida. I don’t date men; I just play with them. That may change someday, and if it does then I’ll come out to everyone, but for now it would be a lie to tell people I date men and women, because I only date women.”

  Cassie’s first thought was horror that Frisco might have caught something from having sex with so many people, but almost as soon as she thought it, Sam said, “And before you ask, he’s a stickler about safe sex, no matter which gender he’s with.”

  Cassie looked at Sam. “There’s something you aren’t telling me. Some reason you’re okay with this, and I think it has something to do with the whole leash thing. You acted kinda crazy that night, and you and Cameron seemed to hit it off too good for you to have just met. Did you already know?”

  Sam glanced at Ethan and he leaned forward and touched Cassie’s hand. “Sam didn’t know before, and neither did I. For a variety of reasons, she understands the kind of adventures Frisco has with guys, so she knew how to make Cameron feel comfortable. Also, Frisco gave Cameron permission to play with Sam that night,” he glanced at Frisco, “and that night only.”

  Frisco smiled and Ethan turned back to Cassie before continuing. “I don’t think he gave Cameron permission to play with anyone else.”

  Frisco responded with, “No, I didn’t. Just Sam.”

  Cassie looked to Sam and back to Ethan. “Permission? There’s that word again. Sam said you gave her permission to fool around that night.”

  Sam pulled her feet into the chair and wrapped her arms around her legs. “Cassie, there’s a reason Kirsten chose The Diamond Club for my bachelorette party.”

  Cassie’s mind starting putting things together…Sam telling her Frisco wasn’t the only one with a hidden kinky side, Ethan saying there were reasons Sam understood Cameron, and Sam saying Ethan had given her permission to flirt and play around the night before their wedding.

  She looked at her friend and couldn’t camouflage the horror she felt as she said, “Oh no. You’re way too strong and opinionated to let anyone put a leash on you!”

  “I’m not sharing details of my sex life with Ethan. The point is, Cameron and I have a lot in common and we had a blast dancing with each other and fooling around. So, yes, I understand how Frisco’s relationship is different with women than men, and why it’s a completely different situation than the one your father landed himself in.”

  Cassie looked at all three of them, and it dawned on her they were all, apparently, quite kinky.

  “So, I’m the only non-kinky person here? I mean, I like playing around with blindfolds and stuff, and I thought that made me kinky, but apparently not?”

  “Well talk kink later, if you want,” Sam said, smiling. “Tonight I’d like to see you and Frisco find a way to be friends again. You wouldn’t look at him during dinner.”

  Right, because she wanted him to do things to her. Things no sane person should want. Her hand instinctively went to her beer and she realized she was about to take a drink as it neared her mouth. She hesitated, but then thought what the hell, and downed half the bottle.

  They weren’t going to let this go, and she didn’t want to have to tell Frisco what was going through her head. At a loss for what to do, she stood, grabbed Sam’s hand, and dragged her to the other side of the pool.

  “I couldn’t look at him because I’m suddenly so fucking attracted to him I don’t know what to do with myself. I was sure if anyone had seen me looking at him, they’d have known how I felt! What the hell is wrong with me? This is horndog Frisco we’re talking about! And I’m not kinky! Why did it turn me on so much to see him with a human on a leash?”

  Cassie let Sam hug her, and stayed quiet while Sam apparently processed this new information.

  Finally, Sam said, “Frisco isn’t into kink with women, just men. Would you be okay dating someone who whips men? Paddles them? Keeps them in chains and makes them clean his house and wash his car?”

  “Well, sure.” Cassie pulled out of the hug. Just thinking of watching Cameron have to wash her car brought a smile to her face. And what else could Frisco make the beautiful, sexy man who moved with such uninhibited fluid gracefulness do? She knew she beamed a goofy grin, but couldn’t rein it in as she added, “As long as he made them give me a massage when I’m sore, and wash my car, too.”

  She hesitated as she realized she’d need a little more. The grin faded and she stipulated, “And as long as I met all of them, and got to watch sometimes.”

  Sam shook her head, looked across the pool to the men, and back to Cassie. “You’ve turned him down how many times? Does he even ask you out anymore?”

  Cassie shook her head. “Not since I saw him with Cameron.”

  Sam laughed. “Figures. Okay, do you want me to stick my nose in and tell him you’re interested, or should I butt out?”

  Cassie shook her head — horrified at Sam telling Frisco anything, but just as horrified he may never know how she felt. “I have no idea what I want.”

  “Figure it out.” Sam smiled and rolled her eyes. “Tell me what you want me to do and I’ll do it.”

  Cassie leaned forward and spoke into Sam’s ear. She didn’t care how far away the men were, she couldn’t say this out loud while looking into her friend’s eyes.

  “I wanted to be Cameron on the leash. Is that wrong?”

  Sam’s arms enveloped her in another hug as she said, “No, it isn’t wrong.” She patted Cassie’s back and added, “But you need to understand that our lifestyle requires you to be completely and totally honest with your partner about everything. I can break the ice for you with Frisco, but you’ll need to tell him what you told me if you ever want it to happen.”

  “But he said he doesn’t do that with girls.”

  Sam backed out of the hug. “I’m not sure where he draws the line. I know he doesn’t get rough with girls, but I don’t know if there’s any power play or not.”

  “Power play?”

  “The mental parts of it.”

  “How can I learn this stuff? I tried to look it up online after your party, but it all seemed so mean. Not like you and Cameron looked when you danced.”

  Sam sighed and shook her head. “Most of the internet stuff is staged, so there’s no emotion. Look, if you’re truly interested I can talk to you about it, but so can Frisco. Why don’t I take you back and tell Frisco you’re turned on by the kink and you need someone to explain it. Let’s start with that, so the two of you can get the conversation started. Okay?”

  As much as Cassie didn’t want to admit she was turned on by what she’d seen, she was so turned on she couldn’t think straight, and admitting to it was probably easier than telling Frisco she wanted him to put a collar and leash on her.

  She felt herself shaking her head as she said, “Okay, that sounds good.”

  Yeah, she acknowledged she was conflicted, but it would do no good to examine
her thoughts and feelings now. There’d be plenty of time for psychoanalysis later.

  The two walked back hand-in-hand. As they neared the men, Sam grabbed a seat cushion and tossed it on the ground a few feet in front of Frisco.

  “Cassie, drop to your knees on the cushion.”

  Cassie started to protest but was halfway down before the first word formed, so she closed her mouth and stayed quiet.

  She was so terribly vulnerable, on the ground in front of Frisco. Her insides heated, her heart sped, and she felt much as she had while watching Cameron stand so quietly while Frisco held his leash.

  Sam’s hands touched Cassie’s shoulders and she didn’t feel so vulnerable.

  “All Doms have different preferences, but this is probably one of the more common ways to kneel.” Sam’s voice was gentle. Soothing. Calming. “Arch your back and rest your weight on your heels. Spread your legs, push out your chest, and settle into the position.”

  Cassie followed instructions and discovered the position much more comfortable. She felt as if she was there for a purpose, a reason. Posture was apparently as important in kink as in martial arts.

  “Nice,” Sam said from behind her. “Now you can either rest your hands on your thighs or grab your elbows behind your back.”

  Cassie put them on her thighs, then at the small of her back. Behind her felt right, and she took a deep breath and relaxed into the position even more.

  Sam kissed Cassie’s temple and pulled away from her ear to tell Frisco, “Cassie was so turned on by Cam’s leash she hasn’t been able to think of anything else. She’s been asking questions about the kink because she’s curious, not because she’s horrified. She needs someone to teach her about these feelings and show her how to be safe.”

  Cassie felt Sam’s lips on her temple again, and then her friend stood and gently removed her hands. Cassie’s shoulders missed the warmth, but she kept sitting up straight, no matter how much her body wanted to shrink into the ground.

  Sam and Ethan went to leave, and Ethan told Frisco, “I’ll unlock the playroom and open the door, just head downstairs and you can’t miss it. There are clean sheets on the playroom bed; you’re both welcome to stay the night.”

  Chapter Four

  Frisco was speechless.

  He didn’t play power games with women.

  He treasured them and put them on a pedestal, and he had no idea what to do with a woman on her knees before him.

  However, he knew what to do with a submissive, and right now he needed to see her as one. She’d really put herself out there and if he rejected her submission she may never recover emotionally.

  He leaned forward and she looked up, and when their gazes met Frisco wanted to swear and stomp away. But he couldn’t.

  Instead, he touched her cheek and said, “You’re beautiful on your knees. You look as if you’re comfortable. As if you want to be there?”

  Cassie nodded and he pulled her up and embraced her. She looked so small and so nervous, he couldn’t leave her on the ground for their talk.

  “We’ll get you back on your knees, but let’s talk a little first.”

  He moved to a bench and had her sit next to him, turned so they faced each other.

  “Do you want me to explain this to you with words, or show you? Ethan offered us the playroom downstairs.”

  “What’s in the playroom?”

  Frisco laughed. “I have no idea. I picked up on the fact they were kinky, but I’m not privy to any of the details. It may have a bed and some paddles, or it might have all kinds of scary stuff.”

  Frisco figured the latter was more likely, from what he’d heard of Ethan.

  Cassie seemed to think it over before saying, “I’d like to see the playroom, and talk about some of it, and then maybe you can show me?”

  “Okay, but let’s talk just a little before we go down, okay?”

  She nodded, and looked so damned submissive. Shit. He wanted to wring Sam’s neck for putting him in this position.

  “Okay,” he said, careful to keep his voice even. “Kink should always be consensual. Before I do anything to you, I’ll let you know what I plan and you’ll tell me if it’s okay. I know you like blindfolds, and Sam said you liked the idea of the leash?”

  Cassie looked down, embarrassed, but she nodded. He wouldn’t make her look at him and admit it. She probably wasn’t up to telling him her other kinks and turn-ons yet, either.

  The safeword talk should come next, but he’d never played with a woman where a safeword was necessary and had no intention of starting now.

  “If you don’t want me to do something then tell me to stop, or say no.”

  Frisco had no idea what to do with her, or how far he should go. He refrained from the sigh trying to escape and decided on a few questions. He touched her chin and put just a touch of energy behind it. She lifted her face and he smiled. She was a natural.

  Shit. She was a natural.

  Ignoring his inner dialogue for the moment, he asked, “I assume you aren’t a virgin?”

  Cassie laughed and said, “No.” But then thought of something else and added, “Well, I mean, not…” She looked flustered and finally spit out, “I’ve had normal sex, just not the, ummm, back door kind.”

  Frisco smiled and kissed her cheek. “No worries. I only do the back door stuff with men so you’re safe with me.” He leaned back and told her, “I don’t know what’ll happen, but if things progress and you aren’t comfortable or think you may regret doing something, you need to tell me, okay?”

  Cassie nodded and looked as if she had something to say, but was deciding. He sighed and said, “Say it.”

  She looked down and asked, “Why do you only do that with guys?”

  “I told you before. I treat men different than I treat women.” He lifted her chin again, and when he had eye contact he added, “Women are to be treasured and protected.”

  She shook her head, ever so slightly, and asked, “But what if I want you to treat me like you were treating Cameron?”

  Frisco didn’t want to get into it so he only said, “Let’s head downstairs and see what equipment they have, and figure out what we’re doing from there.”

  Chapter Five

  “Sam and Ethan must be really kinky,” Cassie said as she stepped into a room created for torture.

  She recognized the big cross from a few of the online videos she’d watched, and every woman in America knew what the table with stirrups was for.

  Most of the other equipment’s purpose was easy to guess, but she walked to a huge, floor-to-ceiling spider web made from rope and chain, and turned to look at Frisco in question.

  “You can tie people onto it in hundreds of ways, in almost any position.”

  Cassie stepped away from it, not sure she was interested in being tied to a spiderweb, and walked to a wall of floggers and whips.

  “We won’t use any of those today.”

  She was both relieved and disappointed, but kept her back to him to ask, “Why not?”

  “Those kinds of things are personal. Ethan is letting us use the equipment, but we’d be abusing their hospitality if we used their toys and tools.”

  She turned to look at him and he answered her unasked question. “Some things are more generic, like rope and paddles. I know what I’d be comfortable with others using, so…” He shrugged and changed the subject. “Which piece of equipment appeals to you?”

  “Not the spider web.” She shuddered and looked around. “I don’t know. I’ve seen the cross on videos, and I’m not sure about it. I guess it depends on what you’re going to do to me?”

  * * * *

  She wanted the submissive experience, it was time for him to give it to her.

  “Let’s start by seeing how well you can follow orders. Take your clothes off, walk to the mat in the center of the room, and kneel the way Sam showed you.”

  She stood and looked at him, frozen. He counted to ten in his head and said, “You don’
t have to do anything I tell you. We can both go upstairs, say goodbye, and continue on as friends from this day forward.”

  He hoped she’d take his offer, but she turned and walked to the bondage table, took her clothes off in stops and starts, turning as she did to try to keep him from seeing her private parts, and then walked to the mat and went into a perfect submissive kneel.

  Of course, she’d situated herself so he viewed her from the side and not the front, but he hadn’t specified which direction she should face.

  He suppressed a grin as he walked to her, and then had to decide what to do with his face as he circled her. The strict Dom expression he used for Cam wouldn’t work, but a lover’s face wasn’t right, either.

  He finally settled on something in between, circled her twice, and went to the wall with the rope.

  Ethan had smooth, inexpensive rope on a huge spool. He apparently went through quite a bit of it. Frisco made a mental note to order some rope and have it delivered here, and he cut off a section long enough to create a body harness and attach a leash to it.

  He created the harness as he would for a man’s chest, and it framed her breasts a little more than he intended. No pressure on them, it wouldn’t hurt, but it just looked…wrong.

  And right.

  He kept his sigh in check as he attached the leash portion to the back and ordered her to hands and knees. He had her crawl to the edge of the mat and then walk to the gynecological table. Yeah, he’d have made Cam crawl on the concrete, but couldn’t bring himself to make her.

  He held the leash up as she reclined, and draped it over her shoulder, onto her chest.

  “Hold onto the rope with both hands.” God, she was so sweet, with those big doe eyes. So trusting, so… shit. He’d have to get through tonight and find someone else to lead her into the lifestyle. Someone who wouldn’t hurt her.

  Damn, could he trust anyone? Everyone he knew in the lifestyle was a fucking sadist, and no way could he turn her over to someone who’d deliver actual pain to this sweet submissive.