By Invitation Only Read online

  I told myself this could not be Agnew Winslow. I didn’t recognize the man standing before me. What I did recognize, though, was the pure animal magnetism that pulsed from him. I recognized the chemistry that flared instantly between us the moment my hand had touched his. It registered without a doubt that this man could bring me pleasure beyond my wildest imagination.

  I don’t know how I knew that. I just did. It was like an elemental knowing.

  The room was lit by what had to be a few hundred candles in the hanging chandeliers and sconces on the walls. The air held an odd mixture of candle wax, various perfumes, and sex.

  I didn’t know until that moment that you could smell sex, but I could. And it turned me on. Almost as much as him touching me. It turned me on almost as much as his spicy, exotic scent. I didn’t know if it was an aftershave or simply his own unique scent, but it reminded me of walking through deep, dark woods in the moonlight. Holding his hand and breathing in the array of smells turned me on just as much as the sights before me. Then I looked around.

  No wonder I could smell sex.

  Sex was happening in nearly every scene around me in some way, shape, or form.

  “Don’t let it startle you.”

  Such a deep and rich voice. The timbre made an erotic shiver run through my body. I was almost certain he intentionally made it deeper so I couldn’t recognize him. He tightened his grip on my hand. “It doesn’t. Really,” I replied. His chuckle drew my gaze.

  “Alexandria, please understand. There can be nothing but honesty between us.”

  “Okay.”

  “Besides, I feel how nervous you are.” He caressed my wrist with his thumb. “I feel your pulse racing. Be honest. Would you run back out the door if I let you go?”

  I looked around the large area I found myself in. The room was huge. Men wore the same lounging clothes he did. The women wore the same filmy camisole-type dress I wore but in various colors. Or they were in various stages of undress. There were ropes, tables that were shaped like St. Andrew’s crosses, chains, and swing-like contraptions that hung from the ceiling. Nothing I saw was in any way raunchy or even raw. People moved, kissed, licked, and fucked, as if it was some kind of art form. Not too far away, a woman lay on her back on a high bench, her legs open and up in the air, revealing a swollen pink crotch. A man stood beside her, holding one leg, while a woman on the other side held the other, assisting in keeping them spread. Another man stood between the juncture of her legs.

  He was thoroughly devouring her with his mouth.

  There was no other description for the way he ate her. It was as if he simply couldn’t get enough and she was the most delicious thing he’d ever tasted.

  From where we stood, I could hear his groans. I heard her sighs of pleasure. For a moment, I watched the way he moved his tongue around her. Beautiful, like an artist with a brush. The couple holding her legs caressed her thighs with light, sensual caresses.

  “No, I don’t think so.” I was as honest as I could be in my answer. My pussy was wet. I wanted to feel a tongue on me the way that woman was being devoured. I wanted to feel his tongue, this mysterious admirer of mine who, with just a touch, had ignited an inner fire within me. I wanted his hand, the one that held mine so strong and warm, to caress me. I wanted his fingers inside me, like I’d seen a man do to another woman. I squirmed, the want inside me almost unbearable. I couldn’t watch much longer without getting some action myself.

  I forced my gaze away from the foursome to something equally as fascinating—one of the swings. A woman—naked, blonde, beautiful, and flushed, her eyes closed with an expression of ecstasy on her face—was in the swing in such a way that she was suspended, her legs spread apart so that every part of her was exposed. The man standing before her had his crepe pants down around his ankles. I could only see his back: perfect slim hips, strong thighs, and long legs. He held her thighs and used the momentum of the swing to thrust into her again and again.

  I stood directly behind the man, so I couldn’t see the complete picture, only her swinging action in rhythm with his hip movements. But each glide in felt like a physical thrust into me.

  The man next to me squeezed my hand, drawing my attention. His hot whisper as he leaned closer touched the skin of my neck like a heated feather.

  “Do you think you’d like to try the love swing? It could give you the best of both you’re watching. I could lick you as you swing. Then I could fill you with my cock like he is her.”

  A burning tingle surged through me. Since that one year of kink in college, my only other two intimate relationships had been sex in bed, lights off. No wonder they’d felt boring and the relationships had died off. They’d started off boring and had had nowhere to go. Yes, I liked sex. Yes, it felt good. And I’d neglected it as I’d tossed myself completely into my job. All I’d allowed myself lately were some well-written erotic romance books. This excitement was what I needed, what I craved.

  And this was so much more than I expected.

  This was even better than my college year with my first brush with kinky sex.

  Until just recently, sex for me was like having a plain hamburger off the dollar menu. It really had been dull. When I had any at all.

  I looked around at the couples and groups—yes, there were groups—and saw sex here would be the triple cheeseburger with fried onions and every condiment available, a large order of cheese fries on the side, and an extra-large peanut butter-chocolate shake.

  I met his gaze. “I think I’d like to work my way up to the swing, yes.”

  I found it wasn’t hard to admit. Being incognito definitely helped hide my inhibitions and be a little bold. Everyone here wore a mask. Only the man standing by my side knew me. And I found myself excited at the mystery of that. I didn’t know if I could join in a group like the six I saw across the room in a small alcove. I wasn’t certain how easy it would be to touch another strange man. But the one who now held my hand set a fire inside me that I was willing to add fuel to. Could I take my clothes off in front of these strangers? In front of him? My inhibitions were seriously slipping away. I wore a mask. No one knew me. I owed them nothing. I found myself wanting to take a step into this darker side and try it. I definitely wanted to take my clothes off for him.

  “For now, we’ll take things slow, discover what your hard and soft limits are, as well as learn what really turns you on.” He let go of my hand and took the clipboard from me.

  I had forgotten I even held it.

  “I’ll mark the swing as something to try.”

  I watched him mark on my list.

  “Oral sex?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. Group play?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Okay, perhaps a soft limit. What about sex or being naked in front of an audience?”

  I bit my bottom lip. I watched those around me, all in various stages of undress and performing various sex acts. I wanted to be like them. I wanted to be unafraid. They looked beautiful and made sex look like artwork. I wanted that too. I offered him a small shrug. “Maybe. I’d like to be able to.”

  “Rope or binding or blindfolds?”

  “Yes.”

  “Spanking?”

  “No.”

  He met my gaze. The mask covered most of his face, but I saw an eyebrow raise in question.

  “No pain,” I explained.

  “Okay. What about condom use?”

  “What about it?”

  “Do you require it?”

  I had no idea how to answer him. In the past, yes, I’d always required it. But this felt different. This was different. “Do you?”

  He licked his lips. I watched the motion of his tongue and felt my temperature climb another ten degrees. “I know you’re clean, and I know you know I am as well. Just as I know you’re on the pill. Since we are being honest, I’ll tell you that I always have worn one, no matter what my partners have wanted. Until now. Now, I’d love to ride you bareback, so
I can feel every sweet, hot part of you. I’ve never wanted to feel a woman as much as I want to feel you.”

  My heart felt like it melted. He was talking about fucking me, and I’d swear he was reciting poetry. I wanted to feel him too. “All right. I’d like to ride bareback too.”

  He made some more marks on my list. Then he held up a finger as if he signaled a waiter. “Mavis?”

  Mavis suddenly appeared, moving so sure and smooth it was like she floated.

  “Mavis is really in charge here,” he explained. “She’s the record keeper, the only one who knows who everyone is.”

  Mavis smiled in a sweet but seductive way. I had the feeling it was the only way she knew how to smile.

  “Thank you, Raven. You flatter me.”

  “Would you be so kind as to see that Alexandria’s limit list is placed safely in her file.”

  “Of course.”

  Mavis took the clipboard and left like a woman on an important mission.

  “She takes her job seriously,” I said.

  “Very. We’ll go over more of your limits later, and we can add or change them as we discover more of your likes and dislikes.”

  “Okay.”

  “I’ll have to make sure to add that you like to watch. I see it turns you on.”

  “How can you tell?”

  “Your nipples are beautiful.”

  I glanced down and found them hard and showing through the soft camisole I’d put on. “Oh—” My arms immediately came up.

  “No, don’t hide or cover them up. I meant what I said. They are beautiful.”

  Then, before I realized his intentions, his hands were on my breasts. He drew circles around each one, caressing them with his fingers before gently pinching the nipples through the fabric. I sucked in a breath. What I’d said earlier about being able to have an orgasm with just a simple brush to my breasts? It was true. His warm touch was the fuel I needed on the fire inside me. It sent a current through me to my pussy, causing everything in between to clench and shiver as well as make me warm and wet. Amazing. His touch made me want to tear my clothes off. I wanted his sure, strong, and capable hands on my skin. I ached with the need.

  A gasp escaped me, wanting more, wanting everything this man could give me.

  “This isn’t fair,” I panted, barely able to speak.

  “What isn’t fair?”

  I heard amusement in his deep, rich voice and was pretty certain he knew what I meant. “You know me. I don’t know you. I don’t even know what to call you.”

  “Call me Raven.”

  Chapter Three

  Raven

  She was here.

  I had so feared at the last moment she would stand me up, but she was here. Her nipples were beneath my fingertips. I licked my suddenly dry lips, working to maintain my building excitement. Beneath my touch, I felt her nervousness. Perhaps I even felt fear. I would expect as much. She was used to the legal world of business suits and work. Pleasure for her was probably five minutes in the dark lost between the sheets. I knew she took her job seriously. I knew how well she danced about a courtroom, playing by the rules, always by the rules. I knew how she gave her job her all, and I wanted to show her a bit of distraction. I also wanted to know why she never allowed herself to feel anything more than how to work her next case. Something drove her. I knew she could enjoy playing, but first I had to know what pushed her, so I could help her relax through it.

  This was a game on the opposite end of the spectrum for her. I felt her heart racing. Maybe it wasn’t all fear. I hoped not. I hoped it was desire to play the game with me. I felt it safe to assume she would, since she’d agreed to so many things on her list. I let go of her sweet tits and led her farther into the large room.

  I’d always guessed she had a great body beneath the business suit she wore every day, but I had no idea how great. Her nipples made me hot. I could see by candlelight that the silhouette of her curvy figure was lovely, perfect. I needed to feel her legs wrapped around my waist. Her hand in mine was warm. When I caught glimpses of her eyes, they were like melted chocolate, making me want to taste her, all of her. I needed to proceed slowly with her, though, to keep from scaring her away, and yet I wanted nothing more than to press her up against the wall and fuck her hard and fast as my friend, Lion, was doing to his usual shag, Sophie.

  “Raven is not my real name. We choose our names here, since we do not know each other outside of these walls. That is Lion,” I said, pointing him out. “And there is Jax, spelled with an X. He’ll tell you if and or when he introduces himself. I suppose they could be real names. I honestly don’t know. I’m relatively certain Henry the Eighth and Mary who occupy the swing over there have different names by day. Your name can remain Alexandria, or you may change it. Or we could just add to it when you introduce yourself. You could be Alexandria the Great.”

  “Mmm, I like Alexandria the Great. It’s me, but a new me.”

  I squeezed her hand. “We’ll take things slow. I know this is a lot to handle for a first timer. This is the great hall.” I swept my hand around, indicating the room we stood in. “It’s for anyone and everyone who wants an audience. There are also private rooms for groups or couples or even singles.”

  “Singles?”

  “Yes, some people like to play alone. Believe me, there are a lot of toys for one who wants to play solo. There is a movie theater. There are also two swimming pools. There is a dining area where food and drinks are served. Although no alcohol is allowed. All we’re doing right now is looking around, letting you get the feel for the place, see what you’d like to try, what you’re interested in. What we have discussed and checked off on your limit list indicates what we’re doing is kinky sex.”

  “I thought all of it is kinky,” she said.

  I could honestly listen to her talk about sex all day, especially if we played while she did it and I had the opportunity to show her by example. Her deep, throaty voice touched me like a warm, caressing hand. “What some people do here is actually BDSM: bondage, dominance, sadism, and masochism. Since you indicated you’d like to be tied up, that’s bondage, but I have no wish to dominate you, nor do I want you as a submissive to me. We are equal in this relationship. My goal is to give you pleasure, and I know it will please me to do so. You made it clear you want no pain. I admit I don’t care for pain either. If over the course of time, you wish to broaden your horizons and venture into something harsher than kinky sex, you need only suggest to me what you’d like. I meant what I said when I told you we have to have complete honesty. Understand?”

  “Yes.”

  “Is there something else besides what we listed you know you’d like to try?” I was fucking glad my voice didn’t shake when I asked that question. I was really wishing she’d look up at me with her gorgeous chocolate eyes and say, “I’d like to try it all!”

  First things first.

  “In the event something—anything—makes you uncomfortable, you are to say the safe word moonlight and all activity stops. Always. And if you ever hear it from another player with whom you might be involved, you are to immediately stop whatever you’re doing. Provided, that is, you decide to do any group action.” I wasn’t certain I could watch her within a group, even if we were together doing it, but I thought it best to explain.

  “Okay.”

  I led her farther into the great room, hoping to entice her further so that she didn’t decide to turn and flee.

  I already knew she was intrigued by the swing. Would she be willing to try it, knowing that others watched and fucked along with the rhythm of the swing? From the moment I had issued her the invitation, my plan was to quickly whisk her off to a private room. I hadn’t planned anything further than that. But I liked that she liked to watch. I thoroughly enjoyed watching others too. We shared voyeurism in common. My experience at the Castle had definitely shown me that people came up with new ideas all the time. I had learned a lot simply by watching. In fact, once I became more or l
ess a permanent fixture here, probably 80 percent of my time was spent watching others. In these last few months, especially, the only thing I had participated in was watching while I waited for Alexandria to be with me.

  I noticed she was watching Cleo and Tony as they held Suzy Q’s legs up on the bench not too far away. While I was drawn to the way R.R. (which stood for Rough Rider) used his tongue and devoured Suzy’s sweet pussy, I couldn’t help but notice Alexandria wasn’t focused on the tongue action happening there. She watched Cleo’s and Tony’s hands on Suzy’s legs. Interesting. Maybe she was into massages. I planned to definitely find out. I wouldn’t mind caressing her all over before I sent her into orbit with my cock. Valentino joined the group. He leaned over Suzy and kissed her passionately on the mouth.

  I saw Alexandria slowly lick her own lips, as if in anticipation of such a kiss. I didn’t hesitate. Hell, there was no sense in prolonging the torture of waiting the time it took to reach a private room. I decided if she stopped me, even muttered the word moonlight, I would stop, and I would get her to a room as soon as possible. Beneath my fingertips on her chin, her skin was soft, lovely. I couldn’t remember being turned on by a simple touch so much before. Gently I turned her to me and brought my lips to hers as sweetly and passionately as Val had done to Suzy. Slow, steady—isn’t that what wins the race? I explored her mouth with mine. I made certain my tongue tangoed with hers. She tasted of chocolate mint. She smelled of something exotic and flowery.

  I slanted my mouth over hers as I continued my exploration, pouring everything I had into the kiss. My heart raced. I was finally kissing her, something I’d dreamed about for a long time. Her heat melted into me and made me feel whole. I hadn’t even known before how much was missing from my soul. Her nipples brushed against my chest. I moved a hand and caressed a nipple. I gave it a gentle touch, like Cleo and Tony had done to Suzy’s thighs. Beneath my fingers, her nipple hardened.

  My dick did too.

  I was determined not to push or rush her. And yet, the need I felt in her pulsed like my racing heart. I’d lived this lifestyle for a few years now, and I’d never felt so connected to anyone as I was at this moment. I know I was taking a chance, that I might even scare her by going too fast, but I couldn’t stop. The kiss grabbed my heart and took us together down a new, faster path. I gave her sweet breast a quick squeeze. The moan she let out didn’t resemble the word moonlight in the least, and I took it as permission for me to continue moving forward. I slid my hand down her stomach. The filmy material of her camisole mixed with her heat sent a tingle right up my arm. I reached under the short hem. The lace on her panties excited me even further. I loved feminine underthings. I slipped my fingers into the side edge of her panties at the leg opening. Her skin was softer than any I’d ever felt. Her warmth set me on fire. I felt a shiver run through her. Then I had two fingers inside her.