Page 14 of Teasing Flames (Luxe Escape #1)

A little taste of everything

I wake up feeling anxious the next morning. I dread making a fool of myself, and am seriously tempted to cancel the dinner with Brianna Davis.

Unlike the night of the New Year’s Eve party, I won’t have the luxury of a stunning dress or a beautiful mask to hide behind.

I’m just going to be…me.

I also realize that Brianna and I are going to be having a frank discussion about BDSM amidst a sea of elegant diners.

What could possibly go wrong?

With all that on my mind, I move through the day feeling distracted, and struggle with several of my students who don’t normally give me trouble. By the time I’m headed toward the hotel for dinner, I start second-guessing this meeting.

However, I’ve been determined to eat at this restaurant ever since I was turned away. Unwilling to pass up this opportunity, I quell my rising anxiety as I walk into the hotel. Heading straight to the ma?tre d’, I introduce myself in a formal tone, “I’m Sophie Lane. I’m dining with Brianna Davis tonight.”

The woman smiles warmly. “I was told to expect you. Let me escort you to the table. Please follow me.”

I feel out of place as I walk behind her into the upscale restaurant. The tables are covered in black table linens, and the seats and booths are all black leather. Above me, the recessed ceiling has deep red lighting that highlights the gold accents throughout the dining area. I spot a second onyx dragon at the back of the restaurant. This is a smaller version of the one in the lobby, but it has its wings spread wide and looks like it’s watching over the diners as they eat.

I take in everything as I follow a few steps behind the ma?tre d’. To my delight, she leads me into the open kitchen bustling with staff and escorts me to the private chef’s table.

I’m stunned when I see the woman standing up to greet me is the Quiet Beauty herself from the New Year’s Eve party!

She smiles graciously, holding out her hand to me. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sophie.”

I start sweating profusely as I shake her hand, praying that she won’t realize I was the creepy gawker at the party. “Thank you for agreeing to talk with me, Brianna.”

She sits back down on the luxurious bench seat and scoots over, gesturing for me to join her. “We have so much to talk about!”

After I sit, the ma?tre d’ unfolds a red cloth napkin and hands it to me. “Can I order you something to drink from the bar, Miss Lane?”

Not a big drinker by nature, I shake my head. “No, thank you.”

Brianna pipes up, “I know this is unconventional, but we’re going to be chatting here for a while. So, I was toying with the idea of having a small hot chocolate to start off the night.”

I shiver, still feeling the chill from the drive here. “Hot chocolate sounds wonderful.”

The ma?tre d’ nods to Brianna. “I’ll have those sent out shortly, Mrs. Davis.”

I look down at the table, admiring our beautiful dinner setting. The red plates, crystal glasses, and golden utensils are extravagant and perfectly match the decor of the restaurant. “I don’t think I’ve ever been to a place this fancy,” I admit.

“The man behind this restaurant is extravagant by nature,” Brianna replies with a cheerful laugh.

I raise my eyebrows. “You know the owner personally?”

Her smile broadens when she answers, “I’ve enjoyed the pleasure of his company.” She stares at me, then tilts her head questioningly. “Have we met before?”

Although I would rather save myself the embarrassment, I come clean. “We didn’t speak, but I saw you at the New Year’s Eve party.”

“Oh, yes! I remember now. You were wearing a beautiful white dress.” She tilts her head again, looking at me more intently. Her scrutiny makes me nervous, and I nearly jump out of my skin when the server shows up with the hot chocolate.

But the man’s timing couldn’t be more perfect!

“This is made with imported chocolate,” Brianna informs me as she picks up her dainty cup.

I follow suit, sighing with pleasure when I breathe in the delicious aroma of the lush chocolate. Taking a small sip, I swear it feels like I’m drinking a melted bar of the most decadent chocolate I’ve ever tasted. “That’s amazing…and very rich.”

She grins. “That’s why I ordered the small cup for us. We wouldn’t want it to ruin our dinner.”

“Agreed!” I glance at the kitchen staff hustling to get out the constant stream of dishes. “I’ve been excited to eat here, because I’ve heard only good things about this place.”

“It’s well deserved,” she assures me. “I’ve been able to sample all of the dishes since my stay, and I promise that you won’t be disappointed no matter what you choose.”

I watch in silent admiration as the kitchen staff work in unison while the head chef calls out orders and inspects every dish before it goes out. Listening to the low din of the bustling kitchen, it dawns on me how perfect this table is for having a risqué conversation.

Emboldened by that, I confess to her, “I’m a little nervous because I’ve never spoken to a submissive before.”

She laughs lightly. “Are you so sure?”

My eyes widen, realizing she might be right.

I notice amusement in her eyes when she tells me, “There’s no reason to feel nervous with me. We’re just regular people.”

I blush, feeling a bit foolish, and take another sip of hot chocolate.

Brianna graciously steers the conversation by asking, “So, how did you become interested in taking the course?”

I meet her gaze, charmed by her honey-colored eyes. “It was by accident, to be honest. The course was suggested to me without any context, and I was told to contact Mr. Wallace.” I chuckle as I think back on the conversation. “I had no idea when I spoke to him that the ‘STC’ on the card stood for Submissive Training Center.”

She laughs. “That must have been quite a surprise.”

“It certainly was.”

Brianna surprises me when she shares, “Like you, I took the course because it was suggested by someone. After checking out the website, my curiosity was piqued and I applied.”

Smiling warmly, she adds, “Something I didn’t expect was that I would end up becoming lifelong friends with all of the graduates in my class.”

Inspired by that, I feel the need to ask, “I hope this doesn’t offend you, but I heard rumors that you are dating the Headmaster of the Training Center you attended in L.A. Is that true?”

“Actually, we’re married.”

“I didn’t realize slaves got married.”

I catch the twinkle in her eyes. “I’m not a slave. However, I am a full-time submissive to my Dominant.”

“I have no idea what that means.”

“I didn’t either until I took the class.” She sighs contentedly and sits back with a wistful smile on her face. “That course allowed me to experience more than I could have ever imagined…and the best part?” She leans forward when she tells me, “I’m still exploring and discovering new things after all these years.”

Finishing the last of my hot chocolate, I ask her, “I always assumed a submissive had to be a weak person to be subservient to someone else’s needs. But you don’t seem weak at all.”

Brie chuckles. “A lot of people think that way, but at the Training Center, I learned firsthand that the submissive ultimately holds the power in the Dom/sub dynamic.”

I furrow my eyebrows, confused.

“You’ll come to understand,” she assures me, then smiles over the rim of her cup. “I’ve never experienced anything like the unique exchange between a submissive and a Dominant. It’s very empowering.”

Before I can ask what she means, another diner marches up to our table and interrupts our conversation, openly staring at Brianna. “Excuse me. There is something I have wanted to tell you for a long time—”

Bewildered by the unexpected interruption, I stare open-mouthed at the older woman, while several of the staff rush up to our table to intervene.

“You don’t understand…” the woman cries as one of the male servers pulls her away.

I stare at the woman in fear, concerned for our safety. But Brianna calmly gets up from the table and gently stops the man.

Addressing the intruder, she says in a soothing voice, “It’s quite all right. What did you want to tell me?”

The woman looks as if she’s about to cry. “I’m sorry I bothered you, Brie. I just wanted to sneak in here for a second so I could tell you that I’ve been a big fan of yours ever since the first documentary. You literally changed my life!”

Brianna smiles appreciatively while she guides the woman out of the kitchen area herself. She spends the next few minutes talking with her in an alcove off the room before giving her a long hug.

Charmed by Brianna’s kindness toward the stranger, I ask when she returns to the table, “What did the lady mean that you changed her life?”

Gracing me with a modest smile, she explains, “I’ve produced a couple of documentaries about the Training Center that resonate with certain people.”

I instantly perk up. “Really? Where can I download them?”

I’m surprised to see the flash of pain in her eyes as she answers, “Although my first documentary would have been relevant to you, there were….issues with the production team…and it was scrubbed from all media channels.”

I respond with sympathy, “That must have been heartbreaking.”

“It was necessary,” she states with conviction. Looking back at the kitchen staff, she abruptly changes the subject. “What would you say to ordering all of the most popular dishes they serve, but in miniature bites?”

“I love the idea!”

Time flies by while the two of us sample an incredible array of international foods. At the same time, I pepper her with questions about the course. Near the end of the meal, she picks up a miniature medovik cake and smiles at me. “I have to admit, talking about the Training Center tonight has me feeling nostalgic. I almost wish I could go back in time and take the course again just so I could relieve the whole experience.”

“You liked it that much?”

“Absolutely! I discovered so many different things about myself in that six-week course, and it opened up a whole new life for me.” Placing her chin on her hand, Brianna sighs happily. “Some of my biggest discoveries happened on auction days…”

“Auction days?”

Her eyes light up when she explains, “They’re the most exciting feature of the Training Center. You take what you’ve learned during the week and get to apply it in new and interesting situations.” She winks at me. “I don’t want to spoil the fun for you, so I won’t say more. But just know I’m jealous of all the students taking the course here in New York, because they get to travel around the world.”

Brianna puts a hand to her mouth and looks remorseful. “Oops! I shouldn’t have let that slip.”

“That explains why a passport was required as one of my two forms of ID for application…I was wondering about that!”

Brianna looks at me apologetically. “Please forget I said anything.”

Grateful for her slip-up, I run my fingers across my mouth. “My lips are sealed.” Even though I prefer being a homebody, the possibility of living my Mediterranean fantasy in real life is alluring.

“Whether you decide to take the course or not, I’m glad we had this time together,” Brianna tells me.

“Me, too,” I agree, feeling sad that our night has to end.

“You know, I’ve found that you can tell a lot about a person when you share a leisurely meal, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed myself tonight.” She leans closer, adding, “You radiate good energy, Sophie.”

I smile. “I feel the same way about you.”

Brianna glances to her left, and her eyes widen in excitement. “It looks like I’m needed.”

I turn to see Handsome Stranger gazing at Brianna from the entrance to the dining room. My pulse starts to race, remembering how our eyes met when I was openly staring at him during their passionate kiss.

Brianna waves to him and tells me, “My husband felt it was important that we talk alone so you would feel more comfortable.” She chuckles lightly. “Even though he is far more knowledgeable about the Training Center as the former Headmaster of the L.A. Center.”

Glancing back at her striking husband, I mumble, “I admit I would have been tongue-tied if he had joined us.”

“Sir is a very thoughtful and wise man,” she states proudly, then immediately blushes, her eyes darting in his direction. “Oh no, I think he read my lips.”

I look back and notice his expression has changed. He’s now staring at her with a roguish smirk. I find the interaction between the two charming, even though I’m unsure what just transpired between them.

Grabbing my purse, I pull out my wallet. “Do you mind if we go Dutch?”

Brianna squeezes my hand. “I told you before that I’m close friends with the owner. He would never allow us to pay.”

“Are you sure?” I ask, slowly putting my wallet back in my purse.

“A hundred percent,” she assures me. Standing up from the table, she warns, “I’m a hugger. Is that okay?”

“I am, too!”

It turns out that Brianna gives really good hugs, and I feel a rush of confidence as I follow her out of the kitchen area. But I catch my breath when I notice her husband walking up to meet us.

Too embarrassed to look the man in the eye, I stare at Brianna when she introduces us. “Thane, this is Sophie Lane.”

Brianna then turns to me and says in a formal tone, “Sophie, this is my husband and Master, Sir Thane Davis.”

I cautiously meet his gaze. To my mortification, I get tongue-tied and stand there in silence, gawking at the man again.

Taking pity on me, Mr. Davis holds out his hand with a humorous gleam in his eye, “It’s a pleasure to see you again, Miss Lane.”

I giggle nervously, worried he’s about to call me out on my uncouth behavior at the party. “Thanks for letting me steal Brianna from you this evening.”

“I trust you had your questions answered.”

I just nod.

“Would you like us to walk you to the hotel entrance?” Mr. Davis offers, gesturing toward the doors.

Anxious to get out of there before he has an opportunity to mention my social gaffe, I tell them both, “I’ve taken up enough of your time. I’ll just see myself out.”

“Very well.”

He glances at Brianna again and holds out his arm to her.

She looks up at him with a playful smile and asks, “Were you reading my lips?”

The teasing smirk returns. “That would be a wise assumption, babygirl.”

A blush colors Brianna’s cheeks as she stares into his eyes.

I smile to myself as I turn to walk away. After getting this chance to meet the couple personally, I find the two even more intriguing than I did on New Year’s Eve!