Marcus
Leaning back against the upholstered leather of the couch, I tried to look calm and casual, watching people, smiling, and sipping my drink slowly. Inside, I wasn’t so collected. I’d only been there about twenty minutes.
It was the longest twenty minutes of my life.
I’d been shot at, and had chased down more suspects than I could count, but one young sub was making my heart race and was quickly becoming an obsession. I felt a little like a teenager caught up in the does he like me phase. It’d been years since someone pulled me in like he did, and I wasn’t sure what I was going to do if he didn’t show up.
Normally, I would have relaxed for a while and spoken with friends before heading back to the more private areas to see if there were any demonstrations going on. Sometimes I would make an effort to pay attention to the single subs and see what would happen. That wasn’t the plan this time.
I still wasn’t even sure what I was doing there.
If the hints from Ben were believable, Eric would be coming in soon. I liked the boy and knew there was some chemistry between us, but he was so reserved it was hard to tell how he was feeling. Ben wouldn’t have told me to be here if the boy wasn’t into age play, but the warning signals in my brain kept going off.
When Ben and Conner came out of the hallway, they made no attempt to appear casual. They grinned and came right over to join me in the small sitting area. Ben flopped down in a chair, dragging Conner with him. Once Conner was settled on his lap, Ben looked over. “You decided to come.”
“I thought it might be a nice evening out.” Neither of them bought the relaxed act, but I took a sip of my Coke and looked around the room. It had the feel of an old-school men’s club with dark woods and small, cozy seating areas. The chairs and couches all had high backs and were arranged for maximum privacy. “You’ve got a full house tonight.”
“And the private rooms upstairs are almost completely booked. Usually, that doesn’t happen until later in the evening, but things have been hopping lately. We’re getting business from a lot farther away than we have in the past.” Conner was cheerful, but I could see the stress that was pushing against him. Normally, he was giggly and bouncy, but he seemed tired.
“Is that why you’ve been looking into the second club?” Maybe it was only small talk, but I needed something to pass the time and they seemed to realize it, because Conner kept going.
“Yes. Some of the regulars here have started to complain about the influx of new members. They’re all very well vetted and we’ve had no problems, but we’re just not set up to have this many people on a regular basis. With the way this club is broken up into smaller, private areas, larger crowds are harder to manage.”
“What’s the plan for the second location? Will it be more open?” Looking around, I was trying to picture the club laid out differently, and it was hard.
“That’s the layout I’m playing with right now. We needed more privacy here just for the type of members we get in DC. However, with the second club going up in Baltimore, we don’t think the same level will be needed. We’ve talked to some of the new members from that area, and it hasn’t been a big concern to them. It will give me a chance to experiment with some new ideas and should be easier to staff.”
“Sounds like you’ve been busy.”
A yawn came out of nowhere, making Conner look like a sleepy puppy. “Yes, but the crazy part is almost done. By next week we’ll be telling people about the new club and I’ll be able to focus on that without any distractions.”
“And then you’re going to ease up.” Ben’s voice had a slight growl and a scowl was forming.
“Yes, Sir.” Conner tucked his head down so Ben couldn’t see, then grinned. Someone was enjoying their Dom getting worried and possessive.
Most of the time, I wasn’t jealous of what they had. That just wasn’t the type of person I was, but at that moment, all I wanted was to have a boy to hold. Was Eric thinking the same thing? Maybe not about me in particular, but in general, was he ready? Was he looking for something serious, or planning on exploring his desires but not settling down?
There were a few other littles in the club who were single and enjoyed playing, but the idea of having their own daddy in a committed relationship wasn’t what they were ready for. Where would Eric fall? From the small glimpses I’d seen of his personality, I thought he would be the settle down type, but again, he was so reserved it was hard to be sure.
Trying not to get sucked into my own head, I looked back over to Ben and Conner. “What’s the timeline for getting the new club open?”
Ben wrapped his arms tighter around Conner before responding, “If this one here doesn’t work himself sick, it shouldn’t be more than a couple of months, tops. Once we have the plans finalized, the actual work will go quickly. It’s just a matter of getting the final permits.”
Something about the way he said it had me curious. “Are you having problems getting them?”
“Not exactly, some people have just been dragging their feet about getting back to us. There’s nothing they can do to stop the club, but you’ll always have a few people who don’t understand. I think we’ll have all that squared away by the end of next week.” Ben seemed confident, but frustrated.
The struggles they were going through made me value my privacy all the more. I didn’t have people looking over my shoulders, and I only had to share my preferences with the people I wanted to. I had a feeling Ben and Conner had been under a microscope lately, trying to get everything ironed out.
“I’m not sure what help I could be, but let me know if there’s anything you need.” I was a cop, not a builder or government whiz, but if they needed something, I’d try. They were always there for everyone else, so it was the least I could do.
They both smiled, and Ben shook his head. “Thanks, but no, it’s coming together.”
“Good. Well, the offer still stands.”
“Thanks.” Conner smiled and then glanced over toward the door, his grin widening and looking a little more wicked. “I think you guys’ new friend just came in.”
Ben and I both looked over to the door so quickly I’m surprised we didn’t get whiplash. Standing there, looking around hesitantly, Eric was clearly not sure what do next. Last week he had instructions from the dick; this time it was probably overwhelming.
Raising my hand, I waited until he noticed me and waved him over. His measured steps were slow, and he was obviously debating the merit of coming to sit with us. I’d like to have thought I won because of his attraction to me, but I thought it was more likely he didn’t have any other options. My pessimism was showing, so I shoved it back in the box where it had escaped from.
Ben reached out to shake Eric’s hand as he got closer. “Good to see you again. I wasn’t sure if you would make it tonight.”
Eric’s gaze wandered over to me for a second before flashing back to Ben. He shrugged and tried to appear casual. “I figured I’d try it out again. This time without the drama.”
“That sounds like a plan. I’d like you to meet my partner Conner. I think I mentioned him the other day.”
Conner laughed and shoved his elbow into Ben. “You’d better have. He’s too cute.”
Eric laughed shyly, a faint blush coloring his pale complexion, and sat down on the couch. I was ridiculously pleased. He might have sat all the way down at the other end of it, but at least he hadn’t picked one of the other chairs. The fact that I was taking it as a positive sign made me question my sanity.
He tried to look relaxed as he sat back. “He mentioned you right away, no worries.”
Conner sat up and rubbed Ben’s head. “Who’s a good Dom?”
Ben cocked one eyebrow and frowned at him. “Who’s looking for a spanking might be the better question.”
“Me!” Raising his hand like a kid in class, Conner obviously thought it was a great idea.
Eric looked back and forth between them like he couldn’t decide how to respond. Was he expecting something more serious? It made me curious to discover what kind of exposure he’d had to the community. Was Samuel the only one he’d met in person? Most people started their research online, but that sometimes gave a one-dimensional view of the lifestyle.
“Then behave, or no spanking for you.” Ben was trying to be serious, but the gleam in his eyes gave him away. They would have fun tonight.
“How good do I need to be, Master?” Conner seemed to have forgotten about their audience as he wiggled his ass on Ben’s lap.
Ben gave Conner a quick pop, low on his hip. “Behave.”
“But that’s not as much fun.” Conner pouted prettily and Ben laughed.
“Must I remind you that members are not allowed to play in the lounge? There are private and semi-private rooms for that kind of behavior, gentlemen.” Shaking my head, I tried to be firm, but glancing over to Eric, I gave him a wink. “They can’t be trusted to remember the rules.”
Conner huffed and cuddled back up to Ben. “It was one time. I’ve been very good lately.”
“It’s every time you drink, my sweet.” Ben gave him an indulgent smile. “But nobody else minds.”
Eric looked confused, although he seemed too polite, or shy, to say anything, so I answered his unasked question. “Conner isn’t allowed to drink often because it goes right to his head. One glass of wine and he’s dancing on the tables. He’s well-coordinated, though.”
Conner smirked and laughed, “I’ve seen the videos from the security cameras. I’m a fabulous stripper.”
Eric’s mouth dropped open, and he looked at Ben, questions dancing in his eyes. Ben laughed and kissed Conner on the head. “But you’re my naughty drunk stripper.”
“All yours, Master.”
Eric was still and I could almost hear his brain whirling so I leaned over, letting my hand rest on his shoulder. “Every couple in the lifestyle does things differently. Some play in public, some only in private. Each has different rules they use to make their relationship work. Ben and Conner never play with other people, but Conner is an exhibitionist so they play at the club quite a bit. People are supposed to keep their playing in other parts of the club, but some naughty subs can’t seem to remember that when they’ve had adult beverages.”
Conner peeked up at Ben, then grinned. “I know one of the owners and I’ve got good blackmail material on him. I’m not worried.”
“Blackmail material, huh? I wonder if those pictures would—”
Conner put his hand over Ben’s mouth. “Who said anything about blackmail?”
“Pictures?” I didn’t care, but it was fun to watch Conner squirm.
“Pictures were never mentioned. Besides, I think you have a sexy sub beside you that needs attention.” Then Conner wiggled a little, rubbing his ass on Ben’s lap. “And I have a sexy Master that needs to take a walk with his sub.”
“A walk, huh?” Ben gave Conner a wicked grin.
“A long, very thorough one, Master.”
“All right then, if you say so.” Ben turned to Eric and me. “Sorry we have to run, but something’s come up. Eric, feel free to give me a call if you have any questions or issues. I have a feeling Marcus will take good care of you.”
Watching as Ben and Conner walked toward the back of the club, Eric looked over to me. His body was still but he looked like he was trying not to squirm. “They’re very…”
He couldn’t seem to figure out how to explain his thoughts, so I stepped in. “They tease and have fun, but they’re very committed to each other.”
Eric looked down at the drink in his hand and shifted. “I guess I expected something…different.”
“Like I said, every couple is unique and does things differently. That’s the beauty of the lifestyle. You get to make it something that’s just right for you.” I paused for a second, then decided to keep going. “Take me, for example. I’m a Daddy Dom. I want an age play relationship where I can take care of my submissive. I would still be his Dom, but there’s more focus on caring for him and letting him get away from the responsibilities of being an adult.”
Eric was quiet but eventually nodded. “I think I get it.”
Wishing he was ready to share more, but realizing we weren’t there yet, I tried to find a more neutral topic. It was turning into the most awkward attempt to get to know a sub I’d ever encountered. But something was pushing at me not to give up.
“Would you like to tour the rest of the club? I don’t think you got to see too much last week.”
There was caution in his eyes, but something else too, I just didn’t know what. “Sure. That sounds interesting. Walking around by myself was…intimidating.”
“I bet. I felt the same way the first time I came.”
He barked out a laugh and gave me a thorough look. “I’m having a hard time believing that.”
I shook my head. “It’s been a while, but in the beginning, I was convinced I would see people I worked with or that I’d met through my job. My biggest fear was walking up to a sub and realizing I’d ticketed him for speeding, or that the Dom running a demonstration would be someone from the precinct. It took coming several times before I moved past the lounge, so you’re doing better than me.”
“So you noticed I walked around last week.” His grin was cheeky, and he seemed more confident.
Giving him another wink, I smiled. “How could I not have noticed you? Sexy, cute, and just a little nervous. A Daddy Dom’s dream.”
Eric didn’t respond to the compliments but didn’t discourage my interest, so I took that as a positive sign. Standing, I decided to push my luck again and reached for his hand. He looked at it for a long moment before taking it in his and standing. “Thanks.”
I wasn’t sure if it was for showing him around, being nice in general, or for the compliments, but I smiled anyway. “Welcome. Let’s go wander around. I think there’s supposed to be demonstrations tonight. Let’s go see.”
“Okay.”
His hand was warm, fitting inside mine perfectly. When he had been sitting down, I’d guessed he was nervous. But when we touched, I could feel the little shivers racing through him. I couldn’t tell if he was anxious in general or if it was something specific. Keeping that in mind, I didn’t step any closer, but I also didn’t let go of him. He needed to know I was there for him and that I wouldn’t rush him.
I would have released him if he’d moved away, of course, but his hand stayed tightly in mine. “Nothing happens that you don’t want to. If something we see makes you nervous, we’ll leave and find another demonstration or we’ll come back here and hang out. Okay?”
His gaze dropped, but he stayed close to me. “But won’t you…”
His voice trailed off, but I knew what he was trying to ask. “I’m having fun just being with you. There is nothing I need to see, and nothing I would find more interesting than you. If you hadn’t guessed, I find you intriguing.”
Eric blushed and nodded, shoring up his courage. “Okay.”
Guessing his comment was the best I was going to get, I started leading us toward the back of the building. He held tight to my hand and slowly closed the gap between us so that our sides were almost touching, his smaller body tucked close to mine. I got a cute look from him as he peeked up at me to make sure it was okay. Giving him a smile, I squeezed his hand, trying to casually let him know it was a welcomed choice.
He broke eye contact and may have blushed. In the dim lighting at the back of the club it was harder to tell. The one thing I could see was the sexy way he was nibbling at his bottom lip. It took entirely too much self-control to stop myself from reaching up to caress it—but we weren’t there yet. So I settled on letting my thumb caress the side of his hand, back and forth gently.
He shivered. This time it didn’t seem to be out of fear.
The lights were kept low at the rear of the first floor. There were brighter lights in the demonstration areas, giving the impression of mini stages encased in darkness. It made it feel almost intimate, even though you were surrounded by people.
I’d done several demonstrations over the years as favors to Ben and Conner, but the exhibitionist nature of it didn’t appeal to me personally. My favorite space was the second floor, but I wasn’t going to take Eric there tonight.
I had a feeling the first level would be stressful enough for him.
Keeping him close, I wove our way through the crowds of people. The two sides of the bottom level almost felt like two different buildings to me. While the lounge area had a relaxed old-world feel to it, the back was modern and more minimalistic. The walls were a muted gray color, making the shadowed areas even darker.
It was intimate, and the noises made it immediately sexual. Hearing the unmistakable sound of a flogger and the needy cry of a submissive, I leaned in to whisper to Eric, “Do you want to see someone getting flogged or would you like to walk around more?”
His mouth opened and closed several times like he couldn’t decide how to answer. Or maybe he couldn’t figure out what he wanted. This was the naughty version of an amusement park and it was always hard to pick what you wanted to do first…see first, in this case. Watching Eric, I thought the analogy worked pretty well.
“Um…”
“We can see a flogging another time, if that’s what you’d like.”
That earned me a smile. I thought that it wasn’t so much because he got to avoid it. Coming right out and saying I wanted there to be a next time had to have caught his attention. He nodded and squeezed my hand. “Next time.”
“All right.” Steering us away from the crowd that was watching, I headed deeper into the club. It was deceptively small from the outside. As you walked in the building, it gave the impression of a compact space, but the actual building was long and fairly narrow.
As we reached the next area, I knew this one would appeal to Eric. There was also a good chance it could make him uncomfortable, though. It would hit pretty close to home, unless I was mistaken.
The bones of the area were a bedroom. A twin bed with a wooden frame was the biggest piece, but a nightstand and long, low dresser also filled out the space. It was the rest of the stage that changed weekly. Sometimes it was decked out very femininely. Sometimes it was set up like a college dorm. There were a variety of looks that made it a fun area for role-playing.
When I’d walked through earlier, I’d seen that it was decorated like a boy’s bedroom. With cars and trains scattered all over the floor, it looked like someone had been having fun. I could see Ben and Conner’s hand all over it, and for once, I was grateful for their meddling. I just hoped it wouldn’t be too much for Eric.
“The next area changes every week. It’s laid out like a bedroom, but depending on how it’s decorated, people do different role-playing activities in it. Let’s try it.”
Eric took a deep breath and nodded. “Last time it was girly, and a guy was doing his makeup in the mirror as another man came up behind him. I…um…I didn’t stay to watch.”
He looked slightly embarrassed, so I tugged his hand so he came closer, letting our arms rub up against each other. “You came back on your own last time and looked. I think you should be proud of yourself.”
There was enough light now to see the faint blush that was covering his face. “Thank you.”
Walking us around the crowd, I found an open space where we could stand against a wall. We’d be able to watch, but it would afford us some privacy as well. Leaning against the wall, I pulled Eric so he was tucked in front of me, his back to my chest. I leaned down and whispered, “Is this all right with you?”
Before he could answer, he noticed the scene and froze. Wrapping my arms around him, I tightened my grip. I wanted him to know he was okay and that I was there for him. But he was already lost in the fantasy that was unfolding before us.
It was friends I had dinner with occasionally. They had a fairly traditional relationship during the week, but on the weekends, they were Daddy and Boy exclusively. I’d hung out with them at different times and enjoyed their company no matter what roles they were in. For the scene, Robbie, or sometimes Boy, was on the floor playing with toys as Daddy—Marshall—watched over him.
Eric was frozen.
I tilted my head to be able to see his expression better. His eyes were wide, and he was munching away at his bottom lip. Nothing was giving me the impression it was upsetting him, so I relaxed a little. Marshall and Robert were more natural exhibitionists and were at the club on a regular basis. They would be a good couple for Eric to meet once he was more comfortable.
Gradually, the scene began to develop. Marshall put down the book he was pretending to read and called out to Robbie, “Time to put toys away.”
Robbie frowned, ignoring the command. Marshall spoke out in a deeper voice, “Robbie, time to put them back where they belong.”
“No.”
It was a simple response, but something about it made Eric jump. He moved his hands so he could grip my arms. Aside from his reaction to Robbie, he seemed to be into the fantasy, so I kept my hold tight and let him continue to watch.
They went through the instructions to put the trains and cars away several more times and after every one, Robbie would refuse to cooperate. Everyone in the audience knew what was coming, and I could feel the nervous energy radiating from Eric.
When Marshall had enough of the naughty behavior, he stood up and walked over to where Robbie was playing. “I think it’s very sad that you’ve decided to be a naughty boy.”
Reaching down, he took Robbie by the waist and helped him to stand. Robbie stood there looking down at the floor pouting and frowning, but the obvious tent in his pants gave his true emotions away. Robbie liked playing the “naughty boy” and loved getting a spanking. He was calm and gave the impression of being in charge during the week, but when he got to be little, his inner brat reared its head.
“I’m sorry, Daddy.”
“You don’t seem very sorry, Boy. It’s time you remembered your manners and how to follow directions. You knew it was clean-up time and you refused to do what you were told. I think my boy needs a spanking.”
Robbie may have been squirming and aroused, but Eric was still and so quiet I wasn’t sure he was breathing. Cocking my head to see his face, I watched as he was completely absorbed by the scene in front of him. It was one thing to watch porn at home, but seeing a live version of it with a loving couple was different.
“Yes, Daddy.”
We watched as Marshall took Robbie’s hand and led him over to the bed. Marshall was talking to him in a low, sexy voice, telling him what a bad boy he’d been and how he needed to listen to Daddy. Then the lecture took a sexy turn as he began telling Robbie how he was going to spank his bare bottom.
Eric’s fingers were gripping my arms so tightly I knew there would be bruises there the next day, but his gaze was so intent I didn’t want to disturb him. He was utterly captivated as Marshall sat down on the bed and pulled Robbie across his lap.
His sharp inhale as Marshall pulled Robbie’s shorts down and bared his bottom made me fight not to smile. Unconsciously leaning forward, Eric’s attention was completely focused on the pair.
“You were a naughty boy, weren’t you?”
Robbie squirmed and pushed his ass up, giving the audience an incredible view. “Yes, Daddy. I was a bad boy. I’m sorry.”
“I’m not sure you are, but you will be, Boy.” Then Marshall lifted his hand and brought it down on Robbie’s bottom.