He watched her intently as his thumb rubbed over her nipple. She could feel it bunching and wanted to squirm. “What type of dom? Are you hoping to be a slave?”

Do I look insane? Then again she stood here in the middle of a BDSM club. Maybe she was nuts. “No. But I’d like to find someone who is more than a weekend dom,” she said, and the statement might have been true if she participated in the lifestyle. But she’d left her kinky side behind with college. Respectable R’ Me.

His hands curved around her waist, and the fact that he was working his way…down…created all sorts of funny feelings in her. Would he actually touch her…?

“You marked yes to sex on the trainee form,” he said.

God, talk about getting right to the point. She hadn’t thought it through until Master Z had bluntly explained what she could expect if she checked yes for that option. And she’d decided absolutely not. But during the briefing talks, Special Agent Rhodes, the asshole, had carefully avoided the subject of her having sex, but repeatedly mentioned that all the kidnapped submissives had had public sex in the clubs. She couldn’t afford prudish behavior.

Besides, she’d done incredibly stupid things in her teens and in college, including one-night stands just for a thrill. She could damn well manage to have sex with a few strangers now if it meant she might save Kim.

It still made her feel a little…dirty. I’m not that kind of girl anymore. “Sex is okay. Sure.”

His eyes narrowed. “You’ve just run smack-dab into one of my rules: don’t lie to your dom. If you’re feeling uncertain, say so.” He stroked his fingers down and across her hips. “Try again, Gabrielle.”

“Oh.” She swallowed, trying not to get distracted as his hand massaged her butt. Sex. Right now her body yelled for it. But her head… Dammit, she couldn’t let her squeamish behavior derail this operation. “It’s only nerves, Sir. I want sex.”

“Mmmhmm.” He avoided her pussy and knelt to slide his hands down her legs, hopefully not seeing the dimples and bulges in her thighs. At least she had good calves and ankles. He touched her blue toenails and snorted softly.

A stiff, conservative lawyer. Just like her father.

As he rose and his firm hands ran back up, he ordered, “Tell me about your experience with oral, vaginal, and anal.”

Why couldn’t he show some conservatism with his questions? Whatever happened to modesty? Privacy? With a sinking sensation, she knew the man wouldn’t allow any, either physically or emotionally. Pull up your big-girl panties, Gabi. “Yes to the first two. I’ve… One guy wanted to do the other, and I wouldn’t.”

He nodded. “So you have had some experience. We’ll discuss anal sex some other time.” He stroked a finger over the tender crease between her hip and thigh and then patted her pussy. “I will require you to keep yourself bare with no stubble. Is that clear?”

Her life was changing faster than she found comfortable. Would the Internet have instructions on how to shave down there without slicing off something essential? “Yes, Sir.”

“To continue: how about other doms touching you? Or taking you? Or women? Members can request a trainee for a scene, which might involve anything from light sensation play to bondage, pain, and/or sex.”

“I think—”

He touched her pussy, and she gasped as the low heat inside her turned to flames. He gave her a devastating smile that creased his right cheek. “You’re wet, Gabrielle. I do like that.” He drew his finger up slowly, stopping on the very top of her clit, and she could almost feel it pulsing against his touch. She swayed, grateful for the support of the chains.

He’d only touched her. Hell, she’d had sex with guys and not gotten this turned on.

“Answer me,” he said.

“Damn you, how am I supposed to remember what you asked?”

His chuckle sounded as low and smooth as his voice. “You might not, but here’s your next rule: a submissive is always, always respectful to a dom. Any dom, but especially her trainer…if she knows what’s good for her.”

His damn finger remained right there, making her world spin. “Yes, Sir.”

He caught her gaze. Held it. “I will punish you if you rile me up by being disrespectful, Gabrielle. Am I clear?”

“Yes, Sir.” If she moved, just a little, pushed her hips toward his hand, would he notice? Would it make—

“Stay still.”

She closed her eyes, trying not to whine like a baby. Mean bastard to get her worked up and not finish the job.

“Now answer my question.”

What the hell had he asked? Oh, other doms, touching, taking, women. “The thought of doing anything with a woman squicks me out. Didn’t I mark that?”

“I like to double-check what subs write,” he said. He straightened, moving closer until she could feel the heat of his body, until his eyes filled her world. “You’ll scene with different doms, you realize. How about more than one man?”

“I expected the variety of doms.” Master Z had warned her, again and again. “But I’ve never had two at the same time.” Except once. The horrible memory shriveled everything up inside her. Could she tolerate more than one man touching her? And yet, what if she liked the men? A tiny bit of excitement slid through her, and she couldn’t tell if her shiver came from disgust or anticipation.

His keen eyes didn’t miss her reaction. “If I put you between two doms, what will you do, Gabrielle?”

Hell. She bit her lip. “I’m not sure… I guess I’ll try?”

His smile warmed her right to the bone. “Good answer.” He tugged on her hair, still smiling. “You had any experience with flogging? Canes? Spankings?”

She swallowed hard. “Spanking. A really soft flogger. Not…the rest.”

“All right. You had question marks beside most of the impact play. When I see question marks on a limit list, I take it as a request to explore further.”

Her hands went damp. She’d seen a lot of scary stuff on the application, and yet, as he watched her with utter self-confidence, she figured—maybe—she might manage okay. Somehow he made her feel as if she could trust him not to go too far.

But she hadn’t seen him angry yet. How would he react when she disobeyed him? She had to behave like a bratty submissive; that was the whole point.

“Spread your legs,” he said.

Wanting to get a hint of how he’d respond, she scowled and said, “I thought you told me not to move.”

Although he slapped her thigh lightly, the sting ran right to her clit. “Best apologize, and do as I asked. I do not like and I will not tolerate bratty behavior.”

Oh God, he wasn’t going to give her much leeway at all for acting as a decoy. Her worries ratcheted up another notch. “I’m sorry, Master Marcus.”

Her thigh burned, and despite her anxiety, excitement fizzed through her veins, even more than when he’d touched her clit. More? Because he’d swatted her? Please tell me I didn’t like getting whacked.

As if he had all day for her to think about things, he waited with his arms crossed. When she finally opened her thighs, he gave her an approving smile. Curving his fingers over her hip, he got a firm grip. His other hand touched her pussy, and she tensed as her anticipation ratcheted up a notch. His fingertips grazed over her lightly, spreading licks of flame that converged on her clit.

He slid his finger between her labia, opening her more, and pushed firmly inside her. She gasped as pleasure zinged across her nerves, sending her up on tiptoe. She tried to jerk away. Too intimate. Too much.

His grip only tightened as he thrust farther, in and out, side to side, each movement increasing the seething tension growing in her body.

Dammit, he was studying her again, like a specimen, and she shook with the feeling of being just some object. Can I do this?

“Easy, sugar,” he said and released his grip on her hip to cup her cheek instead. With his hand cupping her pussy, his finger still inside her, he brushed his lips over her mouth, and she sighed at the gentleness. How could he act so…ruthless and yet comforting at the same time.

“I’m only checking your size, your response.” His lips curved, creating a dimple in his left cheek. “I do hate to get the wrong size toys.”

Toys? Her vagina clamped down around his finger, and he laughed.

“Took a shine to the idea, did you?” After pulling his finger out, he pushed in two, stretching her. Then three.

Too much. She squirmed, unsure if the fullness felt erotic or just uncomfortable. He set a hand on her bottom, holding her there for a minute as her pussy throbbed around him.

“You have a snug little pussy, sugar,” he murmured and withdrew. After licking his fingers as if tasting a new kind of ice cream, he smiled. “And you taste very nice.”

Something inside her relaxed. He liked her taste. And wasn’t that another one of those stupid female fears? Why didn’t guys ever worry about things like that?

At least his touch lessened some of her concerns, not only about sex with strangers, but about sex, period. It hadn’t interested her in quite a while. But if Master Marcus wanted to take her now—and the tailoring of his pants couldn’t disguise his huge erection—she was completely ready.