Page 77 of The Thief

But I shook my head.

“No way. I want to be sober for this. I don’t need alcohol to fuel this night with you, Tyler.” I brushed my lips against the shell of his ear as I spoke. “I told you, I want the full Tyler Evans experience, remember? And I want to remember ever second of it tomorrow morning.”

He grinned and chuckled. “You surprise me every day, Jessica Porter. I knew you were a wild cat when I first met you, but I think I underestimated how wild you could be... if you have someone willing to show you the ropes, that is.”

I smirked back at him. “You have ropes? Where do I sign up?”

“You’re already signed up,” he replied. “You came here with me.”

Our eyes were like magnets, holding each other’s gaze as we finished our drinks, and then Tyler took my hand and pulled me through the crowd on the dance floor, taking the quickest route possible to the staircase that led to the first floor.

“Are you sure about this?” he asked as he mounted the first step. “Because once I take you upstairs, there’s no going back.”

I walked up the stairs beside him and replied, “I think you need to ask yourself if you’re ready. You don’t know how much of a handful I might be.”

He shook his head, grinning.

“I’ll take a handful and then some. I’ll take everything you’ve got to give. I’ve waited a long time for you, Jessica Porter. And tonight, I’m all in.”

“Ditto,” I replied, smiling, and he reached to the side to cup my cheek.

“Fucking love your dimples,” he moaned.

“You’ll love more than my dimples after tonight,” I shot back.

We got to the top of the stairs and the security guy gave Tyler a nod and stood aside.

“So, what’ll it be, beautiful?” Tyler asked as we stood in a corridor, with only a handful of people around us. Each door was closed but held so much promise behind it. “Do you want to try the dark room?”

“The dark room sounds fun,” I said, biting my lip in anticipation. “But I think I want to see you. I’ve spent too long in the dark.”

He nodded, understanding, and asked, “What about the mirror room? Or the voyeur room, maybe?”

“That sounds... intriguing. But before I decide, what else have you got?”

“We have playrooms and a communal room.”

“Playrooms,” I repeated. My eyes lit up when he said that. My body did too. “I like the sound of that. Maybe we can start in a communal room and move to a playroom? Can we do that?”

Tyler pulled me by the hand down the corridor.

“Of course we can do that. We can do anything you want. I own the place.”

I got a tingle of pride hearing him say that. Pride and attraction. It turned me on that he was being so commanding. In my world, I called all the shots. I liked that he was taking charge.

He stopped outside a door, and reaching into his pocket, he took out his wallet, opened it, and pulled out a key card.

“These rooms are all secured. Only exclusive members can access them,” he told me, and then he used the key card tounlock the door.

The door opened to a small hallway, with another door at the end. Tyler closed the door behind us, bathing us in the red light from the minimal lighting overhead. Then, holding my hand tight, he whispered, “We need a safe word. If you feel uncomfortable with anything tonight, just let me know or use your safe word and we’ll leave.”

I peered up at him, the hazy lighting making him look even more God-like than ever. He was so beautiful, I’d have followed him anywhere, done anything for him. Not to mention how fantastic he was to me. A beautiful man inside and out.

“Do I really need a safe word? I feel safe with you already,” I told him, and he smiled.

“I know you feel safe, and I’d never hurt you, but sometimes it’s easier to use a word if other people are around. Plus, I don’t know your boundaries yet. We’re learning about each other. And that includes knowing how far we can go. I never want you to do anything you’re not sure of or comfortable with, so yes, you need a safe word.”

I sighed a contented sigh. He always knew what to say.