“It’s just . . . I . . . ,” she said, stumbling over her words.

“You feel uncomfortable that this turns you on,” he said, his tone gentle. “This room is usually used for scenes that involve power play.”

“Is that a fancy way of saying ‘pretend rape’?” she asked, her stomach knotting.

He frowned. “No, not at all. What’s speaking to you is not a rape fantasy. Rape means non-consensual, and I doubt you desire a true loss of consent.”

She shuddered. “No way.”

“So, it’s a dominance/submission fantasy. A cop is a classic role of authority and dominance, the prisoner the counterbalance to that. It’s role-playing mixed with D/s—like most of these rooms. Nothing to be ashamed of.” He laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “As long as everyone is aware of the risks and it’s consensual, you can embrace whatever desires you have here. Even the dark ones.”

She nodded, absorbing the power of his words, the freedom of such a concept. Maybe this was the answer to her present situation. Exploring her most forbidden fantasies in a no-strings-attached, safe environment, while still keeping her comfortable situation at home.

She cleared her throat. “So does this mean I should try the BDSM route?”

“I would say it’d be a good place to start,” he said, amusement glinting in his eyes. “The important question is, in your fantasy, which role are you playing? A cop or the prisoner.”

Her eyebrows scrunched. Huh. She hadn’t even considered being in the cop role. That didn’t seem nearly as enticing. She glanced up at him. “The prisoner.”

He smiled. “Well, that answers a lot. I think The Ranch is going to be able to provide exactly what you need.”

“Really?”

“No doubt,” he said, ushering her back toward the door they’d come in originally. “And I already know a few members who could be perfect at providing it for you.”

Anticipation rippled through her. This was either going to be the most exciting or the most idiotic decision she’d ever made.

Unfortunately, based on her track record with men and sex, odds weren’t in her favor.

EIGHT

Jace tilted back his root beer and watched as other members started to drift into the main room. It would probably be a busy weekend considering The Ranch had been shut down for a few days this week.

Andre flipped through the packet of papers he’d picked up for them at the door. “There are five new female subs tonight. Well, Tessa isn’t new. She apparently had a falling out with her boyfriend and wants a new master.”

Jace set his bottle on the table. “Are the other four guests or new members?”

“Two guests, two new members. So only two are going through the mandatory public display of submission,” Andre replied, still going through the pages. “Are you up for that tonight?”

Jace shrugged. “I’m not a big fan of demanding submission before I’ve even talked to the chick.”

Andre chuckled. “Conversation, then fucking. Got it. You’re such an old-fashioned guy, Jace.”

“Bite me.”

Andre cocked his head, his smile challenging. “That could be arranged. But only if you beg.”

“Uh-huh. Why don’t you hold your breath and wait for that to happen?” Jace had never been one for limits and labels, so he had no issue being sexual with Andre within the ménage dynamic. But after living a childhood with a father who dictated every damn thing in Jace’s life, he didn’t do submissive. “Just tell me about our two possibilities.”

Andre turned the page. “Okay, candidate number one has been in a D/s relationship twice before, but is currently single. She has very few limits and is really into pain play. Open to ménage. She’s hoping to find a long-term master but is fine with short-term things as well.”

Jace leaned back in his chair and grimaced. “Ooh, I don’t know.”

“Yeah, if she wants serious pain stuff, neither of us is the right kind of dom for that.”

“Plus, the open-to-relationship ones always have an agenda. Even if they say they don’t. I’m not here to spend the weekend cuddling and getting to know each other.” He didn’t come to The Ranch looking for relationships. He didn’t go anywhere looking for that.

Andre smirked. “You know, not every woman here is out to trap you with her white picket fence. You’re not that great of a catch, anyway. Now me, on the other hand . . .”

Jace flipped him off. He knew Andre was open to finding a steady relationship eventually, but his friend’s bisexuality and penchant for ménage tended to get in the way of any lasting plans. It was only a matter of time before Andre would figure out that the whole “till death do us part” thing wasn’t meant for people like them. Plus, why put your heart in someone else’s hands and give them the power to crush you?

Jace had learned his lesson on that one and didn’t need a refresher course. D/s would never again be anything more than fun and fucking for him. Period. “Just tell me about the other woman, smartass.”

Andre turned another page, reading for himself before saying anything. A smile crept to his lips. “Here we go. This woman is a D/s virgin. Shows tendencies toward the sub role and is looking to explore that. Grant wants her to have a master who has gone through the full training here—score one for you. She has a cop fantasy—score one for me. Not seeking anything permanent because she’s already in a committed relationship.”

“Uh-oh, is she married?”

He shook his head. “Engaged, but it says she’s here with her partner’s consent.”

Jace leaned back in his chair. “Yeah, sure she is.”

“What, you think she’s lying?”

“If she’d been married for a few years and was doing it with consent, I may be able to buy it. You know, getting bored, wanting to branch out. But engaged? That’s when people are shitfaced in love with each other. No dude willingly lets the girl he’s engaged to go fuck around on him on her own. Could you imagine Reid sending Brynn out here by herself to fool around?”

“Reid would burn the place down first. But you never know. I’ve heard some guys get off on that whole girl cheating on them thing. Cuckoldry or whatever it’s called.”

Jace sniffed. Maybe guys who’ve never actually had a woman step out on them could get off on that, but he knew there was nothing remotely sexy about the humiliation of the real thing.

Andre lifted his hand at someone behind Jace and waved him over. Jace turned in his seat to find Grant sauntering their way.

“Evening, fellas.” The owner shook each of their hands. “Good to see y’all out here. It’s been a while.”

“Yeah, things have been crazy,” Jace said. “But we figured we’ve earned a break.”

“So what can I do for ya?” Grant asked, turning to Andre.

“This new member, Sasha. Her bio says she’s engaged but is here with the guy’s permission. How do we know that’s true?”

The corner of Grant’s mouth hitched up. “I don’t have them put anything on that sheet that I haven’t verified. It’s unusual, but the fiancé is actually the one who purchased the membership for her as a gift. Apparently, he prefers vanilla, so he’s letting her work a few kinks out of her system before they get married.”

Jace snorted, almost choking on his drink. “Seriously?”

“You bet.”

Jace set his bottle down. “Is the guy an idiot? If this woman discovers that she truly is a sub, she’s not going to want to go back and be vanilla for the rest of eternity.”

Grant shrugged. “I know that. And you two know that. But I figure it’s better for them to find that out before they take the plunge instead of after.”

“Well,” Jace said, “you’re better than anyone I know at determining it. Is she really a sub or just playing around?”

“She’s sub. I’d bet the vineyard on it.”

Andre grinned. “Guess we found our girl for the night.”

“Ah, fellas, not so fast,” Grant said, tapping the papers on the table. “You must’ve not read all the way down. She checked no for ménage.”

“You’ve gotta be freaking kidding me,” Jace said, grabbing the packet to read it for himself.

“You could always take her on yourself,” Grant suggested, a hint of challenge in his eyes. “She’s over there in the back corner chatting with the other available subs.”

Jace grimaced, the idea holding no appeal. Since his divorce, he hadn’t had any interest in taking on a sub solo. One-on-one just felt too serious, too intense. He came here to have fun and ménage ensured that things stayed light. “We’ll just find someone else.”

“Have a nice night, guys. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Grant said, moving away to go talk to another table.

Andre smirked. “I’m guessing that doesn’t rule out much.”

Jace tossed the papers back on the table in frustration. “Looks like we won’t be taking on a newbie tonight.”

“No big deal. I saw that Melissa chick earlier, and she was hinting that she’d be interested in joining us later. It’ll still be a fun night.”

Jace rolled his shoulders, trying to fight the tension gathering there. He wasn’t interested in Melissa. She was a pretty girl, but he knew none of it was God-given—fake tits, fake lips, spray-on tan, and enough makeup to put a porn star to shame. That didn’t do it for him. He preferred women who had that natural, girl-next-door type of beauty. Girls who you’d never guess had a kinky streak if you saw them out in the world. Unfortunately, that was sometimes hard to find at a place like The Ranch.

“Here we go,” Andre said, pointing at the front part of the room.

All the rest of the members had taken their seats around the room—some on the plush couches and others at the candlelit cocktail tables. The lights were turned low except for those shining on the staging area at the front. Grant opened the double doors, and the initiates were led in blindfolded with their arms bound behind their backs.

Even though Jace knew none of the initiates were for him, the erotic sight of women stripped down to the barest essentials and volunteering for submission had his cock twitching in his jeans. The beauty of a woman who knew what she wanted and was brave enough to trust someone else to give it to her was unmatched in his book. He never took for granted the gift the sub gave by putting her trust in his hands. And he made damn sure he thanked her thoroughly for that submission by driving her to whatever heights of pleasure she was capable of.

He shifted in his chair. Damn. He’d been looking forward to indulging that side of himself tonight. Maybe he should reconsider the girl who’d listed being open to short-term even though she was ultimately looking for long-term.

Andre craned his neck, looking toward the back of the room instead of the stage. “Doms are already heading over to the single subs area. I can’t see her face, but if the brunette’s the one who’s open to ménage, we should go for her. She’s hot.”

Jace turned and squinted, trying to make out the figure in the darkened back corner of the room. Candlelight lit the outlines of the men and women quietly chatting. A petite brunette had her back to them, but even in the dark, Jace could see the delicate curve of her bare shoulder and the sweet column of her uncollared neck. Something about her called to him in a way that no other woman had so far tonight.

“I’m in,” Jace agreed. Maybe an Evan look-alike could purge the fantasies that’d been stalking him since South Padre.

Jace stood, a little surge of hope going through him. Maybe the night would turn out to be interesting after all. Andre joined him as they headed toward the back of the room. They weren’t the first to reach the brunette, so they stood back a ways as Colby, one of the other doms and a friend of Jace’s, talked to her.