Page 44 of Winter’s Fire

Logan was quietly impressed. If she was taking this in her stride as easily as she appeared to be, her calm acceptance of the situation gave him a good feeling. “One in each hand, and you set up a rhythm, for either four-point or six-point. It’s easier once you see the pattern.”

“Ah. And you’re going to be doing it to another sub?”

He’d become more clued in to Lucy with each passing day in her company, and though she tried to conceal it, he heard a note of vulnerability in the question. He wrapped both arms around her and kissed her again. “Being on the receiving end of Florentine can be intense. We’ve only touched on relatively light impact play so far—this would be like asking you to run before you can walk.”

Her gaze lowered. With her head tucked against his neck, he was acutely aware of the deep breath she released, and her whispered “Thank you.”

“Lucy, I know you’re only here for the mission. You’d never voluntarily venture into a place like this.”

“That’s just it. The club isn’t what I expected. Logan—Sir, when we get home, can we talk about this, please? There’s so much I’ve learned, it’s overwhelming, and it would really help if I could discuss it with you.”

Her need to talk was almost tangible—she vibrated with it. For a moment, Logan wondered if the mission was at risk, but his instincts told him that what Lucy had in mind for their conversation was something altogether more personal.

“Any time, princess. Do you want to head out now? I’ll tell them to find someone else to give the demo.”

“No—it can wait.” When she smiled at him this time, there was an unexpected sparkle in her eyes. “You gave your word, and I know it’s important to you not to break it. Besides, I’d like to see it, and it’ll also give me some more time to think.”

She was thinking. Again. “So help me, before we’re through, I swear I’m going to get you to live in the moment instead of in your head.”

Oh, he loved the way Lucy flushed.

“With all due respect, Sir, I think you’ve already managed to do that.”

“Temporarily, maybe. I must be losing my touch. How do you fancy stretching your legs and taking another look around the play stations, see if there’s anything new you’d like to experience?”

~~*~~

“So, what do you think of Aegis, now that you’ve had a little more time to take everything in?”

Lucy sipped her orange juice, and considered how she could answer the question without seeming like a drivelling idiot. She was loosely sandwiched between two gorgeous men, who were taking very good care of her while Logan warmed up backstage for his demo.

Prior to disappearing, he’d granted her permission to talk freely to her escorts. At one time, that would have seemed weird, but now she appreciated the structure and formality even more than when she’d expressed her desire for it. Logan had handed her into the care of Master Lee and Tristan, and within minutes she’d felt more comfortable with them than she’d ever have thought possible.

“It’s amazing. I hadn’t really thought much about what the club itself would be like—at least, I didn’t think I had, until I walked through the door. I was surprised at how elegant and upmarket it is.”

“Aegis is all that and more,” Lee agreed. “Especially since the new owner took over.”

“Whoever that might be.”

Tristan, sitting to her left, had been given full permission to join in with the conversation. Lucy found the dynamic between the two men fascinating. Like Sean Malone, Tristan was an unlikely submissive. He had the lean, cut physique of a swimmer, and now that he wasn’t observing protocol, Lucy could appreciate his understated masculine confidence. She tried not to be distracted by his state of semi-undress, in contrast to the formality of Lee’s immaculately tailored three-piece suit.

“You don’t know who owns the club?”

“No idea,” Lee replied. “It must be getting on for a couple of years now, and we’re none the wiser. Whoever it is, they’ve invested a lot in making the club something special.”

“Do you go to other clubs as well as Aegis?”

“We used to, before we found out about this place,” Tristan responded. “You’d have to go a long way to find anywhere half as good as this.”

“Are you planning to apply for membership, Lucy?” Lee asked.

On the cusp of giving an automatic negative reply, Lucy hesitated. She was here as Logan’s guest tonight, but given the organisation for which she worked, could that make her eligible for membership in her own right? And the fact that she was even contemplating the matter gave her even more pause for thought.

“I was about to say no, Master Lee, but the truth is, I’m not sure. I work for Logan’s—Master Logan’s commanding officer, so depending on how much flexibility there is with the membership rules, maybe I could qualify.”

“No ‘could’ about it, you do. Give it some thought, Lucy.”

“I will, thank you, Master Lee.”