In the Blind Read online

  “It will be all too soon. I’d like to lie here with you in my arms for as long as I can.”

  She pressed her hand to his chest and tried to memorize the feel and shape of him. He explored her backside. She wanted the moment to last, and it did for a couple more songs.

  The music stopped, and a voice rang through the speakers. “Escorts will be coming for the ladies in two minutes.”

  The music came back, but it was altogether different. The rhythm was gentler and the volume was considerably lower, which made it easier to talk, if you had something to talk about. She knew she’d regret not saying anything. In this moment, she needed him to know how he’d affected her.

  “We aren’t supposed to exchange any information, and I’ll respect that, but I’d like to thank you for tonight. I needed this.” She caressed his cheek.

  He pulled her on top of him, and they wrapped their arms around each other. This was nothing but a night of fantastic sex, not a moment to get choked up. His hold tightened with such strength that she couldn’t and didn’t want to pull away.

  “It’s time to go.” A new touch stroked her shoulder, and then her robe landed across her back.

  She lifted her head enough to give her mystery man a kiss on the cheek. Inch by inch, she pushed herself from him and his hands fell away. He couldn’t stop her if he wanted to, but he didn’t have to want to, she reminded herself. She pushed at the ache trying to grow and forced her mind to remember the pleasure and only the pleasure from this strange and perfect night.

  A moment later, she was in the locker room shielding her eyes from the bright light. They were told to dress quickly. The men wouldn’t be allowed to leave until all the women left the building or had made their way into the club upstairs.

  Some of the ladies dressed quickly and left. Most, including Jane, took quick showers in the simple, but well supplied facilities. The women talked about their orgasms and nothing more, a perfect reminder of how to remember the evening.

  Chapter Two

  Jane woke Monday morning with a new appreciation for sex and thanked her lucky stars she’d had a day to recover. She’d spent Sunday soaking in her tub and reading a new release from one of her favorite authors. Her muscles may no longer ache, but the memories from Club Blind were seared in her thoughts.

  She stretched and shook her limbs in a dance of joy. She’d had sex. Not just any old sex. Not plain Jane sex. Nope. She’d had heart-thumping, multiple orgasm, soaring sex. She rolled around in her sheets. Just like yesterday, her thoughts from that night were exactly how she needed to remember them.

  Her hands explored all the places he’d touched. She remembered the wicked things he’d done to her clit. The nub woke under her fingers. Her free hand caressed her breast and pulled the nipple. Warmth spread over her pussy and aided her sliding fingers.

  She remembered his strong arms and the way he took control. He didn’t hesitate. Reliving her experience would keep her fantasies going, but she wanted more.

  Maybe she should sign up for another night at Club Blind. If only they could guarantee she’d get the same experience or the same man. No, she couldn’t go there. Her next step was back to blind dates and eventually, maybe to Club Voyage. A bright warning sign lit her nerves. There was a good chance she’d compare any future lovers to her time at Club Blind.

  Did her mystery man have similar reasons for going to the club? He probably went there all the time. Intuition told her he wasn’t a frequent visitor. Her fingers traveled across her lips. Was she on his mind this morning? Maybe he wanted more from her. No, she couldn’t go there. Those questions weren’t allowed. They’d had simple, no strings attached sex. That’s it. That’s all it was. Besides, expecting more than a man was able to give was what had broken her heart in the first place.

  Disappointment ticked away at her happy mood. She’d never be with him again. She’d never know who he was. Jane had a habit of over-complicating relationships. Guys often knew how to let go and at the moment, she envied them. In the last few months, she’d lusted over an unavailable guy and now a nameless guy she’d never seen and never would see. She needed to let them both go.

  Jane decided to mix her fantasies together instead. It was important to have a fantasy life. She knew the difference between fantasy and reality, but right now she could use the escape. At least in her fantasy, everything could go her way. The guy she’d met a couple of months ago, the fantasy, would be ready to move on, and her mystery man from the club would want to see her again.

  Her wandering fingers swept across her skin, taking her back to the day she’d met Rob. She’d first seen him on the bus the morning of the Tech convention. He’d tried to give his seat to an older woman, only the woman had taken offense. For ten blocks, she had listed off all the reasons she was strong enough to stand and finally suggested he keep his condescending comments zipped. You could have heard a pin drop at the front of the bus, poor guy. However, at the back where she was sitting, there were plenty of muffled giggles.

  His second attempt for a good deed had happened minutes later when she almost missed her stop. He’d forced the bus door back open for her. She’d thanked him, and together they walked into the convention center. Once inside, they’d gone in opposite directions, and she’d kicked herself for not talking to him.

  She’d set up her table the night before in the jobs fair section of the convention. She remembered the weight of her exhaustion, but at least she hadn’t had to get up before the sun the morning of the event. She’d still been reeling from her breakup from Adam earlier that week. Her recruiting business needed exposure, and technical conventions like that one were perfect. Plus, she needed a distraction from her healing process that had been struggling to begin.

  The morning had flown by. In between the lectures and demonstrations, the jobs fair room had overflowed with people. She’d been glad she’d remembered her extra box of business cards. Her inbox had a fairly steady influx of new resumes to review ever since.

  Once the lunch rush had cleared the floor, she’d placed her “be back in 15-minutes” card in the center of her table and made her way to the elevators. She’d hoped one of the food trucks was still out front.

  Many of the vendors had the same idea. She barely made it onto the elevator. From her smushed spot at the front of the car, she’d spotted her hero from the morning commute in the back corner. Her position changed when a mass exodus at the next floor was exchanged for a new group.

  Lost in the shuffle of feet, she’d almost been pushed right into her hero. She’d had to brace herself on the wall to her left.

  “Hi,” she’d said to her morning savior. The crowd continued to push her closer to him until she’d raised her right foot and pushed against the back of the elevator car. It appeared she was trapping him in the corner. Her crazy position had her mere inches from him. Fortunately, she’d had pants on and wasn’t on the verge of tearing her skirt or exposing her panties.

  “I’m glad you found me again.”

  “Yes, I was hoping you’d walk past my table.” Her right knee and upper thigh brushed against him. “I’m so sorry.” Heat had washed over her. What must he think? The crowd had pushed against her back, and her pussy got ever closer to her white knight.

  “Would you be offended if I offered you help?”

  “No.” She’d laughed. “But I’ve got this.” Sweat had rolled down her neck.

  The elevator had dinged its arrival. The crowd had dissipated before she could prepare herself, and she had fallen on her ass.

  “Ouch.”

  “It’s not our lucky day. Is it?” He’d reached out, presumably to help her up, but all she’d seen was the ring on his finger.

  “I guess not. It’s okay. I can get up myself.” She brushed her hands down her pants and used her withering strength to stand. She didn’t even know him, but he was taken and her heart had stung from the discovery. She wasn’t ready for someone new anyway, was she?

  “I wish that
’s all she’d said.” He’d reached down and picked up her purse.

  “What?”

  “The woman on the bus this morning, I was trying to be nice.” He’d handed her bag to her.

  “I’m sorry that happened, but it was so funny.” She’d walked out of the elevator first while he held the door open.

  “I didn’t dare laugh. I pinched my thigh every time I was tempted.”

  “Smart move. She might have taken a swing at you, if you had.”

  “I think I actually pulled out some hair from my leg.” He rubbed at a spot on his leg.

  “Last week I heard a woman yell at a man for not giving up his seat.”

  “My mom taught me to offer my seat and open doors. I don’t know how to be any different.”

  “That’s sweet.”

  “Are you laughing at me again?”

  “No.” She buried her giggle as she pretended to look in the other direction. “Seriously though, I can respect a man who remembers what his momma taught him. I’ll admit to quoting my grandpa actually.”

  “Really?”

  “Absolutely. He’s one of the smartest men I know.”

  “You’re lucky to still have him around.”

  “I guess we’re both lucky to have family around to guide us.”

  “I’m Rob.” He’d stopped his forward movement and turned to her.

  “It’s nice to officially meet you.” She’d shaken his hand. “I’m Jane.”

  He’d gripped her hand tightly.

  They’d continued walking side by side, all the way to the last food truck on site. Over pulled pork sandwiches, they’d talked about her recruiting business and the changes in his career. He’d been working as a consultant since his company was sold and taken apart. He missed working on a team and the opportunities to improve his skills, but he enjoyed setting his own hours. He’d finally relented and stated he’d consider any job description she sent his way.

  She’d almost forgotten to head back to her table. The charming, unavailable man had made her as comfortable as drinking sweet lemonade on Navy Pier on a warm summer day.

  He’d followed her back to her table. She’d taken his card and promised to call if she came across a position for him. As he walked away, she grabbed hold of her table. He belonged to someone else. All he could be was a friend, a fantasy at best.

  He’d gotten half way across the room before he turned and came back. A flutter of impossibility filled her belly. He stopped his forward movement once, but then continued until he was a foot from her table.

  “I’d really like to see you again, but—”

  “You’re married.”

  “What?”

  “It’s okay. I saw the ring earlier.” She’d shoved her hands into her pockets.

  “Oh, that.” He’d played with the ring. “My divorce has been final for a few weeks, but I can’t seem to take it off.”

  “I’m sorry.” She’d reached out to him, but pulled back. “I have no idea how hard that must be.”

  “Is it strange the divorce should feel more natural than the marriage?”

  “Big changes, no matter how natural, take time to cope.”

  “Wise words.” An easy smile had lifted the strain from his face. “Did you get that one from your grandpa?”

  “I did.” She nodded her head.

  “I may not be ready to change my work situation, but call me, if you find something. Maybe I’ll be ready when you call.”

  “I’ll do that.”

  “Thank you, Jane.” He’d reached out his hand. “It was really nice to meet you.”

  She’d taken hold of his hand, squeezed hard, and let him go.

  The memories from that day replayed regularly in her mind. Once she started her string of first dates, they were all compared to Rob. Not a one made her smile as easily or left her needing more like he did.

  Jane whistled while she made her morning coffee. One step at a time, she was taking back control of her life. She may still wish Rob had been ready to move forward, but the fact was, she hadn’t been ready to move forward either. Adam had been a poison to her self-esteem. If only she’d listened to her instincts sooner. He’d blinded her with the material things he offered, and she’d completely misread his intentions.

  The night she’d brought him home to meet her family, her grandpa had warned her. He hadn’t liked the way Adam had talked over her and dismissed her points in conversations. She should have seen it then, should have seen his demanding tone and flippant ways weren’t anything like the dominant men she desired.

  The hardest part of it all was no longer being able to trust her decisions. She could see now that she’d been trying to be the type of woman Adam would desire. Wanting to make him happy hadn’t been a crime, but buying into his judgment was a cruelty she’d allowed. She didn’t need to change who she was, and she didn’t need to hang onto any of his hatefulness.

  Regardless of the time wasted and the sting from not listening to her grandpa, Jane was proud she’d gotten herself out of the relationship. She took her favorite coffee mug from the drying rack and filled it. Her thoughts flirted with her old fairytale dreams from her childhood. She’d always believed a handsome young man would sweep her off her feet.

  Life wasn’t a fairytale. It was complicated and messy.

  She breathed in the rich smell of her favorite morning tradition. She made a mental note to call her grandpa later. The tension slipped away as strength tiptoed back in.

  One step at a time.

  She took a sip as she settled in front of her laptop. She wanted to take her little company to the next level. It had been a year since she’d opened for business. It was time to push her career forward. First up, find the finances to hire another recruiter. She wasn’t sure how it was going to happen. She didn’t even have money for rent on her tiny office space.

  She’d work hard and then figure out her other want in the romance department. Heat flooded her system with thoughts from Saturday night. Maybe it was time to listen to Anne’s other suggestion, but the thought of submitting to a Dominant at Club Voyage kept spiking her heart rate.

  Even with their training program, she couldn’t imagine opening herself so widely. Her instincts told her to go for it, but her instincts had also convinced her Adam was the one. Vulnerability raced like a brisk wind over her skin, leaving her shivering.

  She reminded herself she was moving on, living the life she wanted. Club Blind was the first step, and she’d need to make a second step. If she couldn’t find the courage to trust herself, she had no idea how she’d find the courage to trust a Dom.

  As if on cue, Anne called, probably searching for details on how her night had gone. They’d been friends since preschool. Although Jane didn’t have any siblings, she had a sister in Anne. A happy smile warmed her all over.

  “Hi, Anne.”

  “Sorry I didn’t call yesterday. Keller had me at the office all day, and I was exhausted when I got home.”

  “We really need to talk about how he treats you.”

  “I know. So, how’d it go?”

  “Just as you said. Well, better.” Memories of his strong hands holding her filled her thoughts. She pressed her hand around her warm mug. “It was exactly what I needed.”

  “I knew it, I’m so glad you went. Your ex has no idea what he missed out on. You deserved this, Jane.”

  “I can still hear his voice in my head.” She took a deep breath and imagined she could still smell him on her skin. Rich tones of musk pushed her further into sweet recall.

  “He talked to you?”

  “Yes, it was much more than I expected.” He’d made the night special, with his touch, with his words.

  “Jane.”

  “I know I shouldn’t, but I wish—”

  “Jane, stop right there, get the thought out of your head right now. You are not supposed to fall for this guy. He was your transition guy. Now you know it wasn’t you. Adam was wrong.”

  �
�I know you’re right, one step at a time, but what if—”

  “No buts, Jane, the club will never give you his name.”

  “I know.” She shook her head. “I know you’re right. You might need to wake me up again though.”

  Her shoulders slumped, and she looked down. She’d already dug herself out of this dank hole once today. Now, she felt like she’d gotten the wind knocked from her sails, like she’d been dumped and couldn’t stop herself from getting dumped over and over again.

  Her expectations kept changing without her approval. He’d made her feel special. It wasn’t crazy that she’d want to experience it again. She’d need to keep talking to Anne. She’d keep her on track.

  “Since I was right about you enjoying Club Blind, I think you should start seriously considering Club Voyage, or at least sit down and talk with Mistress Charlie about the training program.”

  “Maybe. I’ll keep thinking about it.” Jane wondered what was next for her mystery man.

  “I’ll take that as a step in the right direction. Change of subject. Keller has a job for you.”

  “Okay.” It was the exact news she needed, but her heart couldn’t change gears that fast.

  “Jane, I’m coming over after work. We’ll go out for drinks and talk everything through.”

  “Are the guys who frequent Club Blind usually in transition, too?”

  “Nice try, Jane.”

  “Right, sorry. It slipped out, honest.” She pounded her fist on her thigh. “My emotions are kind of a mess this morning. I seriously need another cup of coffee.”

  “Hey, what are friends for? I’ll watch out for you, promise.”

  “I’d be lost without you, Anne.” She took a deep breath. “Keller really has a job for me?”

  “Yes. In fact, he’s waiting for me to transfer you. Are you ready?”

  “Yes, I’m ready.” Regardless of how much sense Anne made, Jane couldn’t stop thinking of her mystery man. She pinched her arm to stop herself from going back down the dead end. She’d be black and blue before the day ended.

  Work was where she needed to focus. If Keller was giving her another shot at recruiting to fill one of his open positions, she couldn’t afford to waste it.