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ChapterNine
Roman
The limousine is waiting for us at the helipad when we land.Ava is more relaxed on the drive back to the Strip, and although she’s far from verbose, she’s noticeably more comfortable with me.
Back in town, I introduce her to a sampling of what Las Vegas has to offer.We ride a gondola at the Mandarin, watch the acrobats perform at Circus Circus, and wander through the Bellagio, where I greedily drink in the delight on her face as we stop to watch the dancing fountains in front of the hotel.I haven’t been on a date or gone to so much effort for a woman in years, and I’m not quite sure why I’ve made an exception for Ava, other than I’d quickly realized last night that it’s going to be imperative to win her trust if we’re going to stay on the show, which I’m determined to do.I don’t care about the money, or even winning, but if we get voted off, my time with her ends, and with it, my chance to see if she could be the permanent submissive I’m looking for, the one who can make me forget the demons that haunt me.
If anything, she intrigues me more now than she did before the auction.She’s easily embarrassed and almost shy when it comes to anything remotely erotic, but when I looked over her list of hard and soft limits this morning, I noticed she’s agreed to just about everything but the most extreme acts.But somewhat surprisingly, given her obvious willingness to submit to the full spectrum of BDSM, she’s listed intercourse as a hard limit.I fully intend to change her mind about that.
I’m also surprised by how much I enjoy making her smile.She doesn’t smile easily, but when she does, it makes me feel like a fucking king.There’s something about her raw innocence that arouses every Dominant instinct in me, and I want to protect her as much as I want to possess her.
“Are we going back to the hotel?”she asks as we walk down the street back toward the Helix.
I thread my fingers with hers, and I’m pleased when she lets me.I’m definitely making progress.“Not yet.I thought we’d go to dinner first.We don’t have to be back until eight o’clock for the meeting.”
“What meeting?”She turns those inquisitive green eyes on me.
“The first official meeting of the games to go over the general rules going forward, the photo shoot tomorrow, and maybe even the first group challenge.”I shrug.“We’ll find out when we get there.”
“The photo shoot?What photo shoot?”
“As a little pregame bonus round, the show has arranged for a photographer to come take boudoir photos of each of the submissives tomorrow.I have a feeling there’s some kind of sponsorship incentive behind it, but it will be fun for the Doms to pose their subs for the photos, and for the subs to show off all the sexy clothing they brought.The photos will probably also be used for hotel publicity in the future.”
She falters, and I stop.
“Ava, I told you what will happen if you’re ashamed of your body,” I remind her.
“It’s not that,” she hedges.“It’s just ...”She takes a breath and then lifts her eyes to meet mine, that little chin tilting up again.“I didn’t bring the right clothes to wear for something like that.”She smiles wryly.“I was at NYU on a full academic scholarship, but they don’t really factor in a bondage-and-lingerie budget for the average college student.”
That explains her shorts and T-shirt during the audition, and that damned flannel shirt that practically covered every inch of her body that she was wearing last night when I’d finally slipped into bed next to her.It also explains why she’s here competing in the games.
“I’ll take care of it.I’ll also make sure you have something appropriate to wear to bed.If I allow a submissive to sleep in my bed, which I usually don’t, I sure as hell better be able to see—and feel—her curves.”
“What’s wrong with what I wore to bed?”She’s indignant, although her eyes are sparkling with a hint of humor.“It’s comfortable!”
“You can be comfortable on your own time,” I say.“On my time, you dress to please me.”
“Yes, Sir.”She gives me a mock salute.
Her smile fades as I pull her forcibly to me, taking her mouth ruthlessly.But when I pull away, her breath is coming in short little pants.
I’ve made dinner reservations at the Barrymore, and we share a bottle of wine on the outside patio near the long fire pit while we wait for our table.
“The man you were with at the pool.Who is he to you?”I ask.
Her eyes dart to mine.“That’s Emmett.He’s my roommate,” she says, suddenly cool.
“In New York?”
She nods, clearly uncomfortable with my line of questioning.
“Are you romantically involved with him?”I ask, my voice harsher than I had intended.
“No.”Her response is quick, and I can see that she’s telling me the truth, but it’s equally obvious that he’s far more to her than just a roommate.
“I looked at your application.He’s also your sometimes Dom?”I add skeptically, cocking an eyebrow at her, daring her to deny the obvious untruth.
“Yes.”She crosses her arms defiantly over her chest.
