My eyes started to open as the fog began to lift. I looked around, confused by my surroundings, and I fought through the grogginess. It started to make sense now; I had fallen asleep. Slowly, the events of the afternoon started to play back in my mind. Our wonderful reunion sex, revealing my embarrassing childhood spankings, our fight, Oh, my God … the spanking James gave me, and, even worse than that, we had anal sex.

How mortifying, I thought. My first instinct was to try to find my clothes so I could sneak out. No, I can’t do that, I have to talk to James, and we have to work this out. There has to be some resolution to this line that we crossed so everything can go back to normal.

I lifted my head up off the huge pillow and saw James staring at me. He was sitting down at a small, round Victorian-style table in the corner of the master bedroom and was slowly sipping some type of alcoholic beverage. He must have been watching me sleep, because I could tell he was wide awake; he must not have fallen asleep like I did. He was wearing one of the bathrobes that I’d seen hanging in ‘his’ bathroom attached to the master bedroom. I looked at the bedside clock; it was almost five in the afternoon, and I was surprised that I had slept that long.

Gianna and I had stayed up pretty late the night before, having sex, because we knew we wouldn't see each other for a couple of days. But my long nap had a lot less to do with the night before and a lot more to do with the traumatic afternoon I’d had with James.

I’d felt fine before I went to sleep, so what had changed that made me feel so self-conscious now?

He finally spoke, and his voice startled me. “Why don’t you come over here and sit down so we can talk?” he said in a low tone. 

The tension was thick. I hated that I felt tense around him. It shouldn’t be like this, it can’t be like this, I thought. Why do I feel so unsure of myself? “May I use the bathroom first?” I said hesitantly, as if I was verbally walking on eggshells. 

“Of course,” he said, giving me a puzzled look.

For whatever reason, my first instinct was to use the sheet to cover up. A huge portion of the time I had spent with James, I wasn't wearing clothes, and he had seen me naked more times than I could count. Why did I feel the need to cover up? I started to slide across the bed, but then instantly lifted my ass up off the sheets. The painful result of our earlier battle of wills wasn't lost on my very-well-spanked ass. As I got to my feet and took my first step, I felt some pain; it reminded me of the morning that I had worked out while James had slept, only this felt a whole lot worse. The rough anal sex that we had earlier is coming back to haunt me, I thought.

I walked naked across the bedroom with my eyes on the floor. I could feel James’s eyes on me as I entered the ‘hers’ bathroom. Once I was done using the toilet, I turned around, away from the mirror, and looked over my shoulder. Thankfully, some of the redness was going away, but I could still see some of James’s handprints on my ass. I shook my head in disbelief. What did I let him do to me? 

I felt like a disgusting mess. He had come in me twice, and I wanted to take a shower so bad. Should I make him wait by showering? What if he got upset? I felt tears start to form in my eyes, and I quickly wiped them away. I felt like an emotional wreck, but there was no way I was going to let him see me cry. I put on one of the bathrobes and hesitantly stepped out into the master bedroom. James’s eyes met mine as I sheepishly walked towards him.

“Are you okay?” 

I could hear the concern in his voice. “I’m okay,” I said quietly as I looked down, unable to look him in the eyes.

“I can feel your apprehension, Melanie, and we need to talk about what happened.”

“Okay,” I said, still looking down.

“Can you tell me how this started?”

Thank you, James, I thought sarcastically. The last thing I want to do is play back the events of the afternoon in my mind and then make myself even more uncomfortable by talking to you about them. I paused for a moment. “I called you a name, and then you spanked me,” I said softly, looking into his eyes. 

“No, Melanie. You told me about your childhood and the discipline that you received from your father, and I made the comment that you were submissive.” 

“No, James, that’s not true, I ...” I thought about it for a few seconds. Oh, my God, he’s right!

James continued to speak slowly, as if emphasizing every word. “There is nothing wrong with being submissive, Melanie. Being submissive is what attracted me to you the night we met. I've always had to be in control of everything that goes on around me, it’s just who I am, and I have to have people around me who can accept that. We will take things slowly, but you have to be willing to bend to my will.”

I looked down, feeling so embarrassed. I didn't even want to admit what I was going to say next to myself, much less to him. “The things I like, James, like being spanked, are not normal, and I don’t know how to process what you did to me or deal with my feelings that arose when I woke up a few minutes ago,” I said honestly. 

“First, we are two consenting adults, Melanie. ‘Normal’ is whatever you and I choose to do together in this room.“ I contemplated his statement as he continued to speak. “Second, tell me what you were feeling when you woke up,” he said, sipping his drink.

“I felt uneasy, James, and unsure of myself. Your hand-prints are still in my ass and I’m … I've never been this sore after sex.”

“You’ll be fine. It’s something you’ll get used to, just like regular sex.”

I looked down, embarrassed by his statement. “I feel like you are opening up a whole new world for me, James, and that’s exhilarating, but it’s also scary.”  

He looked into my eyes. “Do you trust me?”

“Yes, I do, I said honestly. I trusted James from almost the instant that I met him. 

“Then we will be fine. I can introduce you to many new things, Melanie. Some of which you will have a say in, and we can discuss and find common ground.” He paused momentarily before he continued, “Other things will not be negotiable.” 

My eyes opened wide with that statement. I trusted him, but maybe there was some lingering doubt in my mind.  “Can I ask you something?” I said softly.

“Of course you can.”

“Can you give me an example of something that’s not negotiable?”

He thought for a moment. “Yes, I have a twenty-page list that I will print out for you,” he said playfully. My mouth curved upwards in a small smile; he could be such a smart-ass. “When we are together, Melanie, I don’t want you wearing any type of pants or shorts.” He paused momentarily, then continued, “Aside from your workout attire, you’ll wear only dresses and skirts.”

I was okay with this because, most of the time, that’s the type of clothes I wore anyway. The majority of the clothes he’d bought me were dresses and skirts, and I’d just assumed that’s what he liked.

“Also, when we are out, I don’t want you wearing any type of panty or thong.”

This one shocked me a bit. I always wore at least a thong under my clothes, and when I am on my period, I wear panties. I was apprehensive but decided not to fight him on this. Not wearing underwear was something I thought I could get used to, and I had a feeling I needed to save my objections for bigger issues that I knew would be on the horizon.

“Are you okay so far?” he said sternly.

“Yes, I can live with that, James,” I said hesitantly.

“For now, the only other example of a non-negotiable item is the removal of your pubic hair.” 

My jaw dropped in shock. Since high school, I had trimmed, and I normally had a small ‘landing strip’ of hair above my vagina. I knew shaving smooth was getting popular, as many of the girls I hooked up with, including Gianna, shaved their pubic hair. I also remembered that my high-school girlfriend and I shaved everything a couple of times just for something different. I wasn't by any means advocating a return to the 1970s-style bushes that I saw in my dad’s stack of Playboy's that he kept hidden in the back of his closet, but keep it shaved off all the time? “You want me to keep it all shaved off?” I said in a horrified tone.

“No,” he said. “Starting next week, you’ll be going to a dermatologist’s office, and they use a laser. You’ll get between five and seven treatments until nothing grows back.” 

I was shocked and barely able to speak. “What if I want hair there sometime in the future?” I said in an appalled tone.

“It’s permanent, Melanie. I’ve been told the laser destroys the hair follicles. They are also going to treat the areas around your lips and anus.” My mouth dropped open in shock. “I’ll also pay for them to remove the hair on your legs and underarms if you wish. But the removal of the hair around your pussy and ass is not negotiable.” 

I thought about his demand for several minutes, and I was very apprehensive, but in the end, I relented. For whatever reason, he needed this from me to be happy, and he had been so generous with me financially that I felt that I didn't have the right to fight him on this.            

“Are you okay with that, Melanie?”

“Yes,” I said softly. He looked at me approvingly as I stood up from the table. “Would you like a bottle of water?” I asked. 

“Yes, please.” 

I walked to the minibar and grabbed two bottles of water. When I was returning to the table he was dropping ice cubes into his glass and refilling it with some type of whiskey. I handed him the bottle of water, sat down across from him, and took a sip of my water and thought for several minutes.

He took a sip of his whiskey. “What are you thinking about?” he asked. 

 “You said some very cruel things to me earlier,” I said hesitantly, not wanting to make him mad again. 

He thought for a moment. “Some of the things I said earlier were very harsh, but that doesn't make them any less true.” He paused. “What you did concerning your clothes purchases and partying might not have been smart choices, but worse things have been done by college kids,” he said jovially. I looked up at him and smiled. “In many ways, you are very mature, and I forget that you are only nineteen,” he said, “but in other ways, you’re still a little girl, and you don’t think about how the decisions you make now will affect your future.”

I looked down as I thought about what he had said, and the more I thought about it the more I knew he was right. If I had just sat down and discussed this with him, I would have seen that he was right. Instead, I’d let my temper get the better of me when he criticizes my past behavior. I knew that if I had just remained calm and talked to him, like I was now, I would have seen the point he was trying to make. 

He began to speak again, which broke me from my thoughts. “Also, one thing I told you wasn't true and I want to clear the record.” I looked into his eyes anxiously, waiting for him to continue. “I've never seen you use your looks or your body to get what you want. However, once you enter the business world, you might want to re-think that philosophy,” he said teasingly.  

I laughed and thought for a moment, and figured that was as close to an apology as I was going to get from him. When I looked into his eyes, for whatever reason, I instantly thought of my father. “When I was a little girl, my father told me over and over that beauty is skin deep, but ugly goes clear to the bone,” I said softly.

James laughed. “I think your father is a wise man.”

As we talked, I was feeling so much better that things were returning to normal. I continued, “When I’m at a club and a beautiful woman enters the room, she doesn't have to announce to the world that she’s beautiful; everyone around her already knows that. She’s judged on how she treats people, so I've always tried to be kind to everyone until they give me a reason not to.”

“I know you do, Melanie, and that’s another thing that attracts me to you. You don’t act like most of the beautiful women that I come in contact with, and that’s very refreshing.” 

We sat for a few minutes and enjoyed a comfortable silence together as we finished our drinks. Once he had finished his whiskey he looked into my eyes and spoke. “Are you okay now with everything that happened this afternoon?”

“I took a deep breath, “Yes, I am, James,” I said softly.

“Good, let’s get a shower and get something to eat. I have something fun planned for us tonight.” He took my hand and we walked into the ‘his’ bathroom and took off our robes. We stepped into the shower, and I watched as he stood under the hot water. I took a few seconds to admire his wet body. He must spend so much time in the gym, I thought.  James was tall and had long, muscled limbs and a flat, nearly washboard stomach. He had a full head of salt-and-pepper hair that was cut short, a very light matting of hair on his chest, and just a little hair on his legs. I liked that he trimmed his pubic area because I hated getting hairs in my mouth. Of course, what I loved most about his physical features was his cock. He had a large, circumcised head, and the shaft was long and thick and felt amazing inside me.

I felt James take my hand and pull me towards him, which interrupted my admiration of his body. He pulled me under the water with him and we kissed softly, the warm water rushing over our bodies. He broke our kiss and took the loofah, poured body wash on it, and began to run it over my body, being extra gentle with my sore bottom that thankfully had almost fully recovered from my earlier spanking. He carefully washed my breasts and vagina as I watched him drinking in my body while he bathed me. 

He stepped back and allowed me to rinse the soap away. I curiously watched him grab the body wash and pour some into his hand. I watched as he rubbed the soap onto my strip of pubic hair above my vagina, and I began to realize what he intended to do. He reached for his razor as I apprehensively opened my legs wide. I watched as he carefully ran the razor over my small strip of hair until he had removed it completely. Thankfully, I had shaved the small hairs that grew around the lips of my vagina the night before, so he didn't feel it necessary to shave me further. 

He leaned in and kissed me and said, “Thank you for letting me do that, Melanie.”

I wasn't sure of the reason, but obviously, it was important to him that I didn't have pubic hair, and more than anything, I wanted to please him and make him happy. “You’re welcome, James,” I said softly.

I took the loofah and poured body wash on it and began bathing him. As he turned to wash the soap from his body, I noticed that my gentle scrubbing had caused his cock to grow semi-erect. I saw that he was watching me watch his growing erection. He smiled at me, and I instantly knew what he wanted.

I squatted in front of him and put a hand on his muscled thigh to steady myself because I didn’t want to fall due to the slick shower floor. I used my other hand to grasp him and gently pull back and forth, and only after a couple of strokes, he was fully hard, and a large drop of pre-cum had already appeared on the head.

I extended my tongue and ran it up through the slit, tasting the clear fluid that had dripped out of the head of his cock. It reminded me of how much I’d missed having him in my mouth. I felt him scoot back against the wall to steady himself as the warm water of the shower poured over us. He gasped as I took him into my mouth and slowly began to work him in and out.

I felt his hands start to gently run through my wet hair as I worked him in deeper, feeling the head of his cock touch the back of my throat and slide a little way down. I relaxed my throat and worked him the rest of the way in, until I had him all the way to the root and my lips were touching his body. I looked up at him, and he was looking down at me in amazement. Every now and then, it was fun to show off a little bit. 

I worked him back out of my mouth. His cock was wet and shiny with my saliva until the hot water from the shower washed his cock clean. I took him in my hand and gently moved his cock forward until the head touched his stomach. He groaned as I licked up and down the large veins with the tip of my tongue. His testicles swung back and forth gently with the movement of my mouth and I had to give them some attention as well. 

I took one of his large balls in my mouth and gently rolled it around on my tongue as I listened to his low moans of pleasure. I slowly let it roll out of my mouth and replaced it with the other. James was moaning loudly now and I could see the pre-cum drip freely out of the head of his cock. I looked up and saw him smiling, but his eyes were closed as if he was off in another world.

I let the other ball drop out of my mouth and slowly licked over the head, hearing a low moan escape his lips. I began to work his cock in and out of my mouth quicker and I could feel him start to tense up. I locked my lips around the head of his cock and stopped moving, letting him control the pace. His hips started to buck in short hard thrusts and I felt splashes of his hot cum hit the back of my throat. My mouth began to fill up and I had to swallow several times to get it all down. When I could tell he was starting to recover, I let his cock pop out of my mouth and gently licked around the head to clean the remaining semen that I had missed.

After I washed his cock again, we exited the shower and leisurely dried each other off.  “I need to look through my garment bag and figure out what I want to wear,” I said, remembering that it was still by the front door.

“Why don’t you look in your walk-in closet, I’m sure you will be able to find something in there,” he said jovially.

I gave him a perplexed look until I realized that he must have bought me more clothes, and then a grin spread across my face. He smiled at me and then continued combing his hair.

I walked into the master bedroom and opened the door to the attached walk-in closet, and my mouth dropped open in surprise. Of course, I expected to find clothes, garments similar to ones he had purchased before, but what I saw hanging up in front of me was definitely much more risqué.

I began thumbing through the clothes on the rack and realized he had purchased extreme club-type clothing, and my hands started shaking. The first dress was a glittery plum-colored plunge dress, and the neckline was so low I knew it would expose my navel and much of my breasts when I wore it. The next dress was a strapless, wet-look, black vinyl minidress. It looked so small; how would this fit me? I thought. I answered my own question when I pulled on it and it stretched. Oh, my God, I thought, this will hug my body like a second skin. The next dress was a black matte halter dress with a plunging neckline that would come down several inches below my breasts. The next was a red spaghetti-strap halter dress that also had a plunging neckline, and the back was exposed except for a small amount of material that looked like it would barely cover my ass.

Flipping through each dress I could see that they all had one thing in common; each was very low-cut and very short. There were some differences, some of them had see-through mesh and see-through lace around the stomach and back areas, but all of them showed so much skin.  How could I wear these anywhere? I thought. I had some very revealing club clothes, but nothing like this. When I shopped for club attire, I always passed on dresses like these. The only type of girl that would wear these dresses was …

I jumped as James gently touched my shoulder. “What do you think?” he asked casually.  

I stammered, “J-J-James … I, I, d-d-don’t know if I can wear these,” I replied in a voice barely above a whisper.

“You can wear them,” he replied nonchalantly, “and you will.”

He reached into the center of the dresses hanging on the rack and seemed to pick one at random and handed it to me. “This one is my favorite, and you’ll wear it tonight,” he said matter-of-factly, looking into my eyes. It wasn't a threatening or even a cold stare that he gave me, but, it was the end of the discussion. He smiled at me again and then turned and walked away to finish getting ready.  The words he spoke earlier instantly came back to me. “You have to be willing to bend to my will.”

I knew that the next time he saw me I was either going to have that dress on or there would be another round of me going over his knee. I very quickly chose the dress. I hung the dress back up and walked into the bathroom. I blow-dried my hair and began styling it. I put my long blonde locks up in a very elegant style, remembering how much he’d loved it last month at the Paris. After I was done with my hair, I began to apply my make-up. I was meticulously checking my look in the mirror over and over until I knew it was perfect, and I realized that any further delay was just a stalling tactic.

I let out a deep sigh and walked back into the closet and pulled his favorite dress off the rack and looked it over. It was a black satin corset-dress that was low-cut, but fortunately, it would cover most of my breasts. The back of the dress had laces from top to bottom like a corset, hence the name. I squeezed into it and was able to reach around to the back and loosely tie the laces. As I looked in the mirror, I tried to remain calm, gently pulling the hem of the satin material lower as if trying to make more of it appear somehow. Oh, my God, it’s so short, maybe a couple of inches below my ass cheeks. This is something you wear in the bedroom, I thought, not for an evening out.

I picked out a pair of black pumps that he had bought for me last month and put them on, completing this, do I call it ‘a look’? I wasn't wearing a thong and the dress wasn't made to be worn with a bra, which made me feel even more naked. I looked at the mirror in the closet one more time. I shook my head in disbelief and I felt like I would cry at any moment. I looked like I should be picked up by my pimp and delivered to the street corner. I had seen other girls in the clubs wear clothes like this, but I had never been brave enough until tonight. But my motivation for wearing this dress wasn't exactly bravery. Very hesitantly, I walked out of the closet and into the great room of the suite. James was sitting on the couch and he instantly looked up at me, drinking me in. He gave me a huge smile. 

“Melanie, you look beautiful,” he said, gushing. I tried to force a smile. It made me feel a bit better because I could tell he was happy and he approved of the way I looked. He spoke slowly as he studied the dress. “Something’s not quite right, though. Come here and turn around.”

I walked over to him, my heels clicking on the marble floor. Once I was in front of him I turned around and felt him untie the black strings on the back of the dress, then pull on them hard, cinching the entire dress up tight. I instantly felt the satin material hug my body, pushing my breasts out and pulling my stomach and sides in, giving me an hourglass look. I saw my reflection in the window, and my jaw dropped open as I let out a gasp. “That is perfect. You look stunning, Melanie,” he said as he examined me from head to toe all over again.

Again, I tried to force a smile. “Now that I have my corset on, I just need to go find a dress to put on over it,” I said sheepishly.

He laughed at my little joke. “Nonsense, it looks perfect, now let’s go.” 

I wanted a couple of shots of James’s whiskey before we left to settle my nerves, but decided against it. I just quickly put the dress out of my mind and tried to act confident, even though I clearly didn't feel it. I tried to get my mind off the little dress by concentrating on what James was wearing. He was in a pair of black slacks with a pressed white shirt. He also wore a black sports coat without a tie, which gave him a casual yet formal appearance. I could tell that he had his clothes tailor-made and he looked impeccable. His salt-and-pepper hair was combed back, and I could smell just a hint of light cologne. He always looked so handsome, and seeing him all cleaned up and ready for an evening on the town made me want him all over again.

- - - - -

I tried to forget about my nervousness and trepidation as we walked through the casino. James had his arm around me, pulling me tight against him, and aside from the dress my world felt perfect. The more time I spent with him the more I realized how much I had missed him during the month that we were apart. I had tried so hard to forget about him and concentrate on my school work and my burgeoning relationship with Gianna, but once we were back together those romantic feelings I had tried so hard to suppress were coming back with a vengeance.

It also felt like something had changed after he spanked me and I tried so hard to identify that feeling. It was as if there was a connection created that wasn't there before. It was similar to what I felt in my childhood with my father, except, there was an obvious sexual component now. Maybe my friend Samantha was right and I was trying to work out my daddy issues with James.

We reached the valet stand, and James approached the window so the attendant could retrieve his vehicle. As he walked back up to me, I smiled brightly at him. His short hair was blowing a bit in the gentle breeze. He looked so handsome, and I was so happy to be at his side.

“Are you having them bring around your shiny convertible sports car,” I said, gently teasing him.

He chuckled. “Actually, I took a page out of your playbook and rented an SUV for this trip, but we aren't taking that tonight.” I gave him a puzzled look. “I have arranged alternate transportation for this evening,” he said, while breaking into a little smile. Just then a large black limousine pulled up in front of us. My jaw dropped in shock as James smiled at me. I could see that he was feeling impressed with himself.

A large African American man stepped out of the limo, walked around to the back, and opened the door for us. He was very tall, well-muscled, and dressed immaculately in a black suit and tie; he looked more like a bodyguard than a driver. “Good evening, Mr. Moretti,” he said in a deep, gravelly voice.

“Good evening,” James replied to the driver.

I smiled at James as he extended his arm, motioning for me to enter the limo first. I slid into the back of the limo and sank into the luxurious leather seats. I felt James slide in next to me and I adjusted my dress by pulling it down the best I could to cover a small portion of my tanned thighs. This dress is so short, I thought. I was used to wearing revealing club clothing, but this dress rivaled most of my club-wear in the skin that it exposed. I felt comfortable when I was standing or walking, but when I sat down it rode high up my thighs and made me feel very self-conscious, especially since I wasn't wearing a thong.

I felt the limo lean slightly to the left as our driver got into his seat.  He then turned and looked over his shoulder at James. “We’ll arrive at our destination in about twenty minutes, Mr. Moretti.” 

“Thank you,” James said.

I watched as the driver raised the glass partition that separated the front seat from the back, giving us privacy. I surveyed the inside of the limo. It had black leather seats and deep-cut pile carpeting on the floorboards. The black interior was broken up by a mahogany wood finish, and there was even a fully-stocked bar in front of me and to the left of where I was sitting.

The only other time I had been in a limo was my senior year in high school, when my boyfriend’s parents had rented one to drive us around the evening of our senior prom. As I felt James close beside me, I thought this limo had to be twice as luxurious as that one. 

The car pulled forward, and in just a couple of minutes, we were driving north down the Las Vegas strip. I felt James’s hand rest on my thigh. I smiled at him and then looked out the window at the hordes of people walking on the sidewalks from casino to casino. It always amazed me how the bright flashing lights turned the night into day; I saw the seemingly endless flashing casino billboards advertising everything from the various gaming that was offered to the headlining acts that were performing inside.

After a short drive, we were in the historic downtown district, and we pulled up in front of the Carson Kitchen. I remembered reading about it in the latest issue of one of the local food magazines. It said it was supposed to be the hottest new gastropub in town.

The limo came to a stop, and the driver walked around and opened the door for us. James and I stepped out onto the sidewalk. I looked off into the distance and noticed my large apartment building a few blocks away, and I thought of Gianna, who was probably inside my apartment. I smiled to myself as I thought of her. 

James put his arm around me and pulled me against him, which instantly brought me back to reality. I noticed that there was a fairly long line of people on the sidewalk near the entrance of the restaurant, apparently waiting their turn to get a table.

James saw the look of disappointment in my eyes as I surveyed the long line, thinking that we were in for at least an hour’s wait. Just then a man in a very dapper pin-striped suit appeared from inside the restaurant and walked towards James with a huge grin on his face. They shook hands as they happily greeted one another.

“James, how have you been?” he asked warmly.

“I’m doing fine, Mike. I’d ask how you are, but I can see from the line that things must be going very well for you,” James said in a playful tone. 

“We got a couple of very favorable reviews from some local magazines since our grand opening and the place has been packed ever since; I feel very fortunate.”

“Congratulations. I knew this place was going to be a success, but I obviously underestimated the degree,” James said jokingly.

Just then Mike turned to look at me, which changed the course of their conversation. “And just who is this lovely young woman?” Mike said, smiling warmly at me.

“Mike, this is Melanie,” James said, introducing us.

We simultaneously extended our hands, and I felt Mike shake mine warmly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Melanie,” he said as his eyes locked on mine. 

“It’s very nice to meet you too. Mike,” I said, smiling brightly at him.

“I hope both of you are hungry,” Mike said as he released my hand and turned back to James.  “If you’ll follow me I’ll show you to your table.”

I noticed the look of disgust on a few of the people’s faces who were waiting as we cut the line and walked into the restaurant, my heels clicking on the beautiful brown ceramic tiles. The pub had a modern yet rustic look. The walls were mainly brick, broken up by wood columns, and the ceiling had large wooden planks, giving it a bucolic, unfinished look that added to the chic, modern charm of the restaurant. 

Mike sat us at our table and then told James that if there was anything that he needed to just ask for him.

I looked at James and smiled at him across the table. “You didn’t really think we were going to wait in that line, did you?” he said sardonically, returning my smile.

“Of course not,” I said as he reached out across the table and took my hand affectionately.

I looked around, surveying the packed restaurant. It was a very young crowd that looked to be mostly college-aged kids who I thought were probably a mix of locals and tourists. There was an amazing vibe to the place; the restaurant felt fresh and hip, exactly how the article I’d read described it.

Because it was a younger crowd of people my age, I felt very comfortable, and the majority of the women were dressed like me, wearing short, sexy evening wear-style dresses, so I didn’t stand out the way I did in James’s restaurant in Summerlin last month. I surmised that the majority of the patrons in this restaurant were eating dinner and getting a few drinks before they headed out to the clubs and bars on the strip.

After the waitress took our order, James asked, “So what do you think of the place?”

“I really like it, and Mike was very nice,” I said enthusiastically.

“He’s a good guy. I met him when I was in college, and he’s done very well for himself. He has two other restaurants here in Las Vegas, and another in San Diego,” James said as he intently surveyed our surroundings. 

“I get the feeling this isn't a purely social evening out,” I said playfully.  

"No, it isn’t,” he said matter-of-factly. “My business partner and I are going to open a gastropub in West Hollywood, and Mike’s is so successful, I wanted to see this place for myself so I could size it up and maybe get a few ideas.”

“I didn’t know you had a business partner,” I said, sipping my wine.

“I own all of my restaurants except the two that I own with my partner,” he said thoughtfully. “These types of trendy restaurants, like gastropubs, are much riskier and less likely to return a steady profit. However, when they are done right they can be very lucrative. Because they are so risky, it makes better business sense to share that risk with someone, hence my partner.”

He was so smart and business-savvy. Intelligence was a huge turn-on for me, and James had that in spades. Our conversation was momentarily put on hold as our server brought us our dinner. I had ordered a chicken sandwich that came with a small side salad and James had ordered a steak sandwich with a baked potato instead of fries. 

The food was delicious, and we continued our conversation while we ate. We talked about my classes and his restaurants. The more he talked about his restaurants in Los Angeles, the more I thought of how much I missed my family there. I have three older brothers. My oldest brother’s wife is pregnant with their second child, and my second-oldest brother had told me a few days before that his wife is pregnant with their first child. 

My two elder brothers were very stable, both had wives and were starting families, but my youngest brother was a much different story. He was the classic pretty boy and very few women could say no to him, including a lot of my friends in high school that he had bedded. I teased him constantly, telling him that he was a man-whore and an affront to all women. 

Even though we traded barbs constantly, I loved him dearly and I was closer to him than my other two brothers. I knew all his secrets, and unlike the rest of my family he knew all of mine. In truth, we were much more alike than I cared to admit. We both constantly bed-hopped with women and we seemed to refuse to settle down with anyone. Maybe Gianna is changing that for me, I thought. 

My thoughts then turned to my father. We spoke at least twice a week, and I knew how much he missed me and wanted me to come home and visit more, but it seemed like my absence from him couldn’t be helped. My mom and I could barely be in the same room with each other most of the time, much less be civil and hold a normal adult conversation. It was just easier to stay away than see her and fight constantly. Unfortunately, that kept me from seeing the rest of my family.

Just as we finished eating, Mike came to our table and asked how our dinner was. We both agreed that the food was delicious and James teased Mike about attempting to steal his chef. James paid the check and bid goodbye to Mike, and we started to make our way towards the door. As we were walking, James very roughly and possessively pulled me towards him until it felt that he was crushing me against his body. At first, I wasn’t sure why he pulled me to him, then I noticed that a lot of the college-aged guys at the bar were staring at me as we were walking through the restaurant towards the front door. I looked straight ahead, ignoring their lustful gawking until we had exited the restaurant.

As soon as the driver saw us, he got out of the limo and walked around to open the door. James and I slid into the back seat, and James instantly put his hand on my leg as I tried to pull the hem of my dress down in an attempt to cover some of the acres of my thighs that were being revealed.

James looked at me thoughtfully. “Did that bother you?” he asked.

I knew exactly what he was referring to, but I decided to tease him a bit. “Did what bother me?” I deadpanned back, keeping a straight face.

“The men in the bar,” James said, looking at me incredulously.

“I didn’t notice them, what were they doing?”

“They were very blatantly checking you out, Melanie,” he said in amazement.

“They were checking you out, James, not me,” I said, giving him a stone-cold look. “We have a very active gay community here in Las Vegas, and you have a really nice ass.” 

His eyes got wide as he looked into mine; I could no longer keep up the charade, and I broke out in a fit of laughter. James shook his head and smiled at me. “Any more of that, young lady, and I’ll put you over my knee right here in the back of this car,” he said, smiling as he leaned in and gave me a passionate kiss.

These were the moments that I’d missed most during our month apart, when we laughed and joked and it felt like we were a real couple. He made it so hard for me to keep an emotional distance. 

I thought for a moment, focusing on his original question. “It doesn't bother me, the way they look at me,” I said seriously. “Especially when I’m wearing a dress like this, I think it’s almost to be expected. It’s fairly easy to ignore the looks, but the catcalls from drunken guys in the clubs, that can be a little more difficult to handle.”

He looked at me, deep in thought. I looked into his eyes and thought about this complex man who at times was so mystifying to me. I wanted so much to ask him how it felt as they gawked at me? Why did you crush me against you when they looked at me the way they did? You made me put on this dress; did you think they wouldn't look? Or was them looking at me the point? Did it make you jealous? I pondered that last question. James, jealous?  No, that wasn't him.

Then it dawned on me that the answer wasn't that complicated. He was just being the Alpha Male. When he pulled me against him, he was just telling the rest of the pack that this one was his, this one was taken, this one was property, this one was owned. I felt a tingle between my legs when I came to the realization that, like his car or one of his restaurants, I was his possession.

- - - - -

We drove for a few more miles in silence. Even though I felt comfortable and relaxed, there was still a bit of tension in the air because I didn't know what James had planned for the rest of the evening. I felt his hand as it rested gently on my thigh; his gentle touch always seemed to steady me and give me confidence somehow.

We pulled onto Industrial Road. It was an area of Las Vegas near the strip, but one I hadn’t ever really been to. The name of the road seemed to describe this section of town perfectly as we drove by small construction companies and rental supply businesses. For being so close to the lavish Las Vegas strip, this area of town looked dank and dirty, and I was starting to get an uneasy feeling about where James was taking me until we started to pass by one gentlemen’s club after another, which gave away our destination. The limo started to slow down and we pulled into the parking lot of the Sapphire Gentlemen's Club. I remembered hearing guys in the dorms talk about going to strip clubs, but I had never been in one myself. Guys seemed to love going to them, and I guess being a woman, I was supposed to hate them.

I remembered my roommate Rachel fighting with her boyfriend for three days straight because he’d gone to a bachelor party for one of his friends in a strip club without telling her and she somehow found out. To be honest, I felt sorry for the poor guy; she yelled at him for a full week and I know he didn’t get laid for at least a month. That was a pretty big price to pay to see some breasts, I thought.

I looked out the limo window to the parking lot, which was packed with cars. It was definitely Friday night in Las Vegas. The limo pulled up underneath a large canopy that covered the front door, and our driver once again exited the vehicle and walked around to open the door for us. I could hear the music from the moment the limo door was opened. It was a sensual, erotic R&B song, perfect for sexy, slow grinding on the dance floor, and I could only imagine how the girls inside this club were dancing to it.

I was trying to be strong because I wanted to be adventurous, sexy, and confident for James, but inside I was terrified. Once out of the limo, I clung to James and I felt his arm wrap securely around me, which made me feel better. His strength was giving me confidence. We walked inside and were met immediately by a young man, who I was sure had seen us pull up in the limo.

“How may I help you, Sir?”  he asked politely, a professional smile on his face.

“I’d like a VIP booth and a bottle of your best champagne,” James said curtly.

He positively beamed, delighted that James obviously had money and wasn’t afraid to spend it. “If you’ll follow me, Sir, I will seat you and have one of our hostesses bring a bottle of Krug Brut, vintage 1988, to your table,” the young man said.

We entered a large room filled with tables and booths. It was very smoky, like any other club, and the place just oozed sex. The music was loud and the erotic R&B song I’d heard from outside was just ending. There was one main stage in the middle of the room and two smaller stages off to each side. Three girls were working the poles, dancing and gyrating, and I heard thunderous applause as the song ended.

We reached our booth with the young man still smiling broadly at James. We both sat down and I slid securely up against him. “May I get you anything else, Sir?” the young man asked over the voice of the DJ who was now talking because the song had ended.

It must have been because I was experiencing something new, or because of the nearly naked bodies everywhere, but I felt so uncomfortable and nervous. There were so many men here and so few women. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but this was nothing like a regular club that I was used to where the ratio of men to women was closer to equal. I needed something a bit stronger than champagne to take the edge off. “Let’s get some water, James, and maybe a few shots of Tequila,” I whispered in his ear.

James looked directly at the young man. “I need a bottle of Patron and a couple of bottles of water,” he said, and he handed the young man his credit card.

“I will have your order brought to your table directly, Sir,” he said as he turned and scurried quickly away.

I again surveyed the scene. Another song started playing; a heavy metal song from the 80’s that I remembered my older brothers listening to over and over when they were growing up. As the singer sang about ‘Cherry Pie’ the three girls who’d been working the poles on the stages were now mingling among the tables, and three new girls were up on the stage taking their places.

I looked at James, who was not looking at the nearly-naked women but looking at me. “What do you think so far?” he asked.

“Do the girls ever take off their G-strings?” 

“Not at this club,” he said matter-of-factly. “Gentlemen's Clubs can either serve alcohol or have the girl's dance nude, but not both.” He thought for a moment. “I take that back. One club was grandfathered in when Clark County changed the ordinance.” He smiled at me softly. “Now that I know you prefer to drink alcohol and watch nude girls dance, I’ll know where to take you next time around,” he said jokingly.

I felt my face blush deeply at his comment. He’s such a smart-ass, I thought. I turned my attention to the main stage as a pretty black girl was grinding and swinging around on the pole. I could see every hungry eye in the crowd of men following her every move as she elegantly danced in time with the music, while the men near the stage stuffed money into her G-string as she mercilessly teased them. I also noticed that there were very few other women here besides the dancers. I counted only two other women in the entire club and they appeared to be here with their husbands.

As I looked around at the rest of the patrons, I really appreciated James getting us a VIP booth. It gave us a bit more privacy than the tables set up on the club floor. We weren't quite as close to the girls on the stage, but it was close enough for me and I was glad we weren't out among the masses of men.

Just then, a pretty blonde girl carrying a huge tray appeared in front of us and started to gracefully set down our order of drinks on the table in front of us.  She was wearing tiny booty shorts and a tank top that looked to be about two sizes too small for her breasts and had very obviously been augmented. I tried not to stare at them, but they looked so oversized for her tiny, petite frame, and they looked like they were seconds away from exploding the seams in the little tank top that she wore.

She smiled seductively at James as she passed him the receipt for the credit card and then watched him sign it. James handed back the signed slip of paper, and her eyes got big when she read it and gave him a big smile. “I’ll be back in a few minutes to check on you,” she said sweetly as she gave me a wink and then sauntered away.

I smiled at James. “I think you just made a new friend,” I said teasingly.

“Big tips always make for quick friends in a place like this,” he said, returning my smile.

I thought of making a snide comment like ‘James had better keep his skanky new friend away from me’, then I thought better of it. She was only doing her job, and I’m sure those balloon-sized breasts probably helped her get better tips and make much more money in a place like this.

To be continued ...