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Be still now. Ride the feeling, keep it going, but dont let it go. Not yet. He flashed teeth at her, more tiger than man, showing how he fought his own desire. His voice was a low rumble. Weve found that starting the carnival with unreleased desire is one of the best ways to enjoy it. To ensure the body and heart override the mind.
Chloe became aware that Marguerites stroke on her back had become more calming and on the outside of her T-shirt, though she vividly remembered the touch of her fingers under her bra strap. Tylers arm was still braced behind her, his body and male heat so close. Oh I think Im there, she said. If I saw a puppy about to be run over, or Brendan naked, that puppy would be a greasy spot. She gave a nervous little laugh. I dont know whether to be embarrassed now, or awkward, or
What would you like to be? Marguerite dropped her other hand from the top of the chair to rest on Tylers forearm. With Chloes hand still on his biceps, they formed a reassuring, connected circle.
Id like to not have to say anything. To think about it, or not think about it, and just be kind of worried it happened. A nd flustered, in a good way. Why did you guys do that?
To help you understand, give you a taste of what it will be like, Marguerite said. So you dont have to worry over it so much. Instead, you can think more about the possibilities.
Thats her explanation. Tyler shrugged. I saw two beautiful women twined together and went from there.
Despite herself, Chloe laughed. He gave her a lazy grin. But when he straightened, reaching for the carafe of sweet tea that Sarah, their housekeeper, had left on the side table with the lemonade, Chloe slid off the lounger. I think I will go help with those stuffed bears. Because if she didnt go do something, she was going to melt into a puddle of sexual frustration. Particularly if she hung around the two of them, with those pheromones still zinging like electrons around their nuclei. Her clit was astonishingly swollen, giving her a sense of the discomfort a man felt walking with an erection.
She wanted Brendan so badly right now she could almost smell his scent on her skin from a few days ago. Whatever other thoughts she might have about the carnival, she knew that she wanted to see him. It could have been a root canal marathon for charity. She would have happily attended if he was going to be here.
She turned and backpedaled. So the carnival starts at midnight tonight, right? Is there an opening ceremony before we get to play and visit?
Yes. Tylers gaze held amusement, and a male awareness of her state that had her nipples tightening up almost as much as his wifes had been under his clever, hot mouth. Theres a welcome speech, very brief, and then the unattached submissives, or those willing to be shared by their Masters or Mistresses, are auctioned as the first fundraising event. We even have a couple Doms who will offer their services up for bids, since all the money goes to the battered womens shelter.
Do you know when Brendan will get here?
Tyler paused, glanced at Marguerite, then came back to Chloe, meeting her eyes with a steady look. Youll first see him on stage. Hes one of the slaves being auctioned.
Chapter Nine
To someone else? Yeah, he said hed be here in the capacity ofa sexual submissive. But hed wanted her to be here. Hed asked M to put her on the guest roll. To watch him have another woman do What the hell would they do to him?
&nb
sp; Marguerite was not a chatty person, so Chloe knew everything shed said earlier had meaning, significance. A s she got ready that night, she thought over those words, her emphasis on simply experiencing.
Shed have to accept this, see where it was going to go. There was no way she could outbid anyone for him, even if she thought she had the nerve to do that. A s shed told Brendan, just to be here was ten thousand dollars per person, unless you were a special invited guest, like Chloe. Or him. Of course, now she knew what he was doing to pay his way, right?
Stop it. She closed her eyes. Shed learned that some Zone club regulars, like Brendan, volunteered to be floating slaves for those who attended unattached. Was it like going to a boyfriends job and hoping for the chance to make out with him on breaks? She felt ungrateful and catty for even having the thought, but damn it, the excitement shed felt at seeing him tonight had a big black cloud hanging over it. She wasnt sure if shed rather just go home. Why hadnt Marguerite told her earlier?
Resigned, she gave herself a look in the guestroom mirror. Shed been told that dress code ranged from anything tonothing. Literally. So shed been encouraged to wear something festive, but whatever made her feel most comfortable. Tonights opening sounded a little dressy, though. Five hundred exclusive guests with ten thousand dollars to blow, plus auction money and whatever else they anticipated spending on the events? The couple of nearby hotels were booked solid, plus temporary private quarters had been set up across the back lawn. Lovely colorful pavilion tents like for a knights tournament, in case guests didnt want to leave over the two nights the carnival would be held.
Shed worn one of her favorite dresses, made of a soft wine-colored viscose fabric, a Renaissance style creation with a diamond neckline and vine embroidery that flowed down to the first of two satin inlays. There were touches of lace here and there, but the arms were left bare, and then there was a flowing crepe hem. She wore silver upper arm bands with Celtic scrollwork that matched a similar choker style necklace, and shed piled her short set of curls on her head, enhanced her eyes with dark kohl. True to herself, shed left her feet bare except for Indian silver anklets on each foot. They jingled with soft music beneath the flowing hem. Shed also added toe rings with yin and yang symbols on them. If nothing else, her feet would be spiritually balanced.
The dress was definitely feminine and yet sexy at once, the thin fabric giving glimpses of the outline of her body, the diamond neckline generous with the curves of her breasts and cleavage for anyone who cared to look. Though it was one person in particular she cared about, if he wasnt too busy serving some other woman.
Curling her lip, she gave her chosen outfit another tug. On the bright side, she certainly hadnt had any time to have nightmares these past few days. Though she still felt like bolting, it was for entirely different reasons now.
* * * * *
The view of the side and back lawns was breathtaking. Shed been part of the set up, but the final result was like an array of fairies had come and sprinkled the whole Carnival with glittering magic dust to give it that finishing touch, an enchanted look. Everything had lights. The Ferris wheel, the tents, and even the lawn had strands of tiny lights crisscrossed and stretched between poles. A breeze was coming off the water. The stage area was down by the oaks, framed by their long, gnarled branches, the wispy strands of Spanish moss. It was impossible not to be affected by the fantasy of her surroundings, allow it to transport her mind to a place where many things were still possible. A s she came down the hill, a tendril of the joie de vivre that shed once spun into her own unique form of magic flickered to tentative life.
Chloe had never worried about class status before, and she was determined not to start tonight when she had enough worries on her plate.
Besides which, the few faces that turned toward her as she approached the back tables were curious, but not unfriendly. Of course, she couldnt imagine Tyler and Marguerite tolerating a guest who was anything less than classy.
Her stomach tightened as she saw the opening remarks were just concluding, Tyler turning over the microphone to another man. She was sorry shed missed that, fussing with her appearance, but she knew her increased tension was because the auction was the first event scheduled for the evening. Shed arrived just in time to see what role Brendan would be playing tonight.
Shed have expected the auctioneer to be Tyler, since the main purpose was to raise money for the battered womens shelter. Chloe could well imagine the bids Tylers combination of Southern charm and commanding presence would elicit from his audience. But he and Marguerite were seated at one of the candlelit tables near the front, Tylers chair pushed back so he could comfortably speak to friends at an adjacent table.
Marguerites fingertips barely touched his where both their hands rested on the cream tablecloth, though Chloe could almost see the arc of kinetic energy that flowed through the small space.
She slid into an empty chair, choosing to stay in the back. She gave a courteous nod to the two closest tables when the occupants glanced her way. One table held three people. A woman with hair like the spun gold that Chloe thought only existed in books wore a white full length beaded sheath and silver heels. The man next to her was in a tuxedo. In contrast, the third man wore jeans and a dress shirt with cowboy boots. He looked as if he played professional football. Since his face seemed familiar, she thought it was possible.
