Her Darkest Desires (3 page)

She noticed an old-fashioned wooden hairbrush with a wide, flat head lying on one of the nightstands. Claire immediately thought of Kyle’s unseen spanking episode on the way to the lodge, wondering if he’d ever used it on one of the guests. She’d never been spanked, but it was one of those naughty secret longings Lady Gwen had urged her to describe in the questionnaire.

“They are here to provide anything you desire,” Lady Gwen had said. Ever since she heard the sound of his tough palm smacking a bare bottom and the soft moans and cries of the helpless woman across his lap, Claire’s mind had been flooded with visions of Kyle yanking her over his knees. She looked at the full length mirror on the wall alongside the bed and imagined watching herself as he delivered the same forceful spanking, this time to
her
naked ass as she kicked and shrieked. Then he’d stop, meet her eyes in the mirror, and pick up the hairbrush, telling her she’d earned a good long paddling by not lying still…

When his voice boomed behind her, Claire jumped. She’d been so lost in the fantasy that she forgot for a moment that he was here in this room with her. She kept her back turned, afraid he’d see the guilty blush in her cheeks.

“Shall I run you a bath?”

Claire composed herself hastily and turned. “Why yes, that would be very nice.” She wondered just how much of a tip he’d expect at the end of this weekend.

Kyle disappeared through a door near the bed, and Claire heard the sound of water running. She was looking around for her luggage when Kyle came back in.

“Your bath will be ready soon. I’ll get the attire I’ve chosen for you to wear this evening.”

She headed for the bathroom, shutting the door firmly behind her, grateful for a moment alone to compose herself. Anxiety over being seen naked by a strange man for the first time in years warred with erotic images of Kyle ripping off that loincloth to have his way with her.

Okay, the place was isolated, the people dressed weirdly, but wasn’t that the point? This was no different from Caesar’s Palace in Vegas, with its fantasy-themed slave girls running around carrying trays of drinks in the casino. After all, she had done her homework. Before sending in a check, she called two of the anonymous women on Lady Gwen’s list of references. They gave glowing reports of their experience. No details—they both explained they were sworn to secrecy about what went on—but they assured Claire she was in for a once-in-a-lifetime thrill.

“It’s like an X-rated Disneyworld,” Suzanne from Atlanta explained. “Make sure you try all the rides!”

Claire turned to the big Jacuzzi tub, shutting off the water just in time to keep the room from being flooded with bubbles. Like everything else here, the bathroom was outfitted with every imaginable luxury. Scented bath oil, handmade bars of herbal soap, and thick midnight-blue towels. Claire lit three of the fat ivory candles surrounding the tub and slid in. Soft fragrance filled the room. She felt herself relaxing.

There was a muffled knock. “May I come in?” Kyle’s voice came from the other side of the door.

Claire looked down at herself, wearing only a thick layer of bubbles. “What the hell,” she said out loud. “I might as well get into the swing of things.” Then, “Sure,” she called out.

Kyle entered carrying a tray bearing a crystal goblet filled with amber liquid. “This is our special Dark Side Moonshine—named in homage to our Appalachian locale,” he said with a smile. Claire’s heart fluttered. His smile was so warm. For the first time, she noticed how blue his eyes were. She was self-conscious about her naked state, but her nervousness was accompanied by a tingling of arousal. She found herself wondering what he’d do if she invited him into the tub.

Hands shaking a little, Claire took the glass and sipped the potent brew, gasping as fire hit her throat. But a moment later, all she tasted was the sweetness of apples, and all she felt was liquid fire flowing through her veins.

“Wow! So that’s what moonshine tastes like!”

Kyle laughed. “Not all moonshine is this good. What you’re drinking is a little concoction we’ve dreamed up. It’s a mixture of several liqueurs, including the very rare Crema Di Amor, imported from Spain for Lady Gwen by a grateful patron. Enjoy your drink,” he went on. “I’ve set out your attire for the reception. I’ll be just outside the door, waiting to dress you.”

“My attire? I didn’t see my suitcase anywhere. I thought I’d wear my navy blue dress tonight.”

Kyle smiled indulgently, all the while shaking his head. “Your suitcase is in storage, where it will remain for the time being. All your needs are met here. We have very specific attire for each event, which we provide for you.”

Claire felt a flash of annoyance at the high-handed treatment, but it faded as the glow from the potent brew took over.

“You have about 20 minutes before we need to begin. There is a selection of makeup in the top drawer of the vanity. Don’t worry about doing your hair. No one will see it.”

Okay, now what the hell did
that
mean? Was everyone going to be blindfolded again? Claire hurried through her bath, polishing off the strong drink with a couple of deep swallows. She gasped again as the fire hit her stomach, but it was followed almost instantly by the sweet taste and warm glow.

She dried off with one of the thick, soft towels, trying not to look at her naked reflection in the mirror. Jim was right. She had let herself go, packing on about 15 extra pounds over the last few years.

Liar, liar, pants on fire,
chanted the woman in the mirror.
You know damn well you’ve gained exactly 21 pounds.

Yeah, but it’s evenly distributed,
Claire argued with her reflection, trying in vain to console herself.
A little bigger around the waist and a bigger ass, yes, but my tits have gotten bigger too. And my legs are still as shapely as ever.

Deliberately ignoring the nagging woman in the mirror, the one that followed her around at home, pointing out every fault, every imperfection, Claire surveyed the selection of blushes, lipsticks, and eye makeup. Darker, bolder colors than she’d ever worn. Picking out a lush black mascara and chocolate eyeliner, she took extra care with her eyes, remembering how Jim used to say they were her best feature. Funny, but she couldn’t remember when she’d stopped caring about makeup. For a long time, she’d worn only a dash of powder on her nose and a swipe of pink lipstick hurriedly applied at a stoplight on the way to work.

When I realized I wasn’t ever going to have children, did I subconsciously quit seeing myself as a woman?
Claire asked herself.
Have I felt unworthy of looking feminine?

Claire shook her head, uncertain of why these strange thoughts were popping into her mind. She never dared to question the woman in the mirror back home.

She carefully outlined her lips with a liner, slowly applied bright red lipstick, and then stepped back to look at the finished product. A vaguely familiar, attractive face stared back at her, a face she hadn’t seen for a long time. Claire smiled, and she was shocked to see the woman in the mirror smile back, finally silent.

Another soft tap at the door brought her back to the present. “Claire, it’s time to dress.”

She looked down at herself, stark naked, then checked around for a robe. No robe—and nothing else either. Apparently Kyle had carried away the clothes she arrived in. The only things bigger than a washcloth in the room were the bath towels.

Wrapping herself modestly in one of the huge towels, Claire opened the door a crack. Kyle stood next to the bed, holding some sort of turquoise garment. He had taken the opportunity to change as well. The loincloth was gone, as was the bow tie. Now he wore only a tiny black thong. Claire flushed with embarrassment when she saw that his butt cheeks were bare, with a flimsy string around his waist, and another disappearing down the crack of his ass. She stood there for a moment, guiltily taking in the sight of his nearly naked body.

“Last time I saw a guy as hot as you, I was back in college,” she blurted out, suddenly seized with the desire to reach out and give those tight cheeks a playful squeeze. “Oops, did I say that out loud? That drink must have been stronger than I realized,” she said, giggling.

Kyle turned. “Come here,” he said, holding out the dress. “Stand with your back to me and drop that towel. I’ll slip this over your head and arrange the sash.”

Claire hesitated for a moment, and Kyle’s voice took on a firmer tone. “Do as you’re told, Claire. I don’t want to punish you for disobeying me. We’ll be late to the reception.”

“You wouldn’t do that!” she cried out, shocked.

“Oh, but I can—and I will. Remember, I’m here to fulfill your every desire—including that naughty secret desire you have to be put over my knees for a good spanking.”

Claire blushed. “How did you know that?”

“Lady Gwen shares the questionnaires with the companions chosen for each patron. How else could we assure you that your deepest erotic hungers will be satisfied? Now come here. I’m not going to tell you again.”

Shivering with a mixture of nervousness and excitement, Claire hesitantly walked toward Kyle, turning her back and letting the towel drop to the floor.

“That’s better,” he assured her, his voice pleasant once again. “You’ll get everything you’ve ever dreamed of—and more—here at The Dark Side of the Moon. But all in good time. After all, anticipation increases arousal. At least, I’ve always found it to be so. Haven’t you?”

Claire mumbled a response, her voice muffled by the garment Kyle slipped over her head. A soft jersey fabric, it was the color of a tropical ocean just beyond the reef, the deep turquoise that hints of secrets hidden in its depths. The dress was sleeveless, ending at mid-thigh, with two pieces of fabric shaped like wings sewn on at the waist. Kyle wrapped the wings around her, crisscrossing them in front between her breasts and tying them around her neck in back, where they trailed halfway to the floor.

He guided her to a seated position on the bed, then slicked back her hair with gel. Next came a headdress that reminded Claire once again of Vegas—a glittering fan of gold beads and tiny feathers in all shades of the ocean, from deepest blue to pale aqua. She slipped her feet into a pair of high-heeled gold sandals and took his hand as he led her to the full-length mirror.

The woman staring back at Claire looked like an exotic bird. Naked under the flowing robe, she was stunned to see how the fit of the simple garment lifted and supported her full breasts and showed off her shapely legs, while subtly skimming the waistline. Her dark brown eyes looked huge thanks to the chocolate eyeliner and several coats of mascara, and the bright red lipstick was perfect.

“You’re a beautiful woman, Claire,” Kyle said, meeting her eyes in the mirror. “I can’t wait to show you tonight just how beautiful—and sexy—you are.”

He tied a floor-length black cloak around his neck, ignoring the attached hood to leave his head uncovered, then took her hand and led her out the door.

Chapter Three

They headed down a wide flight of stairs off the entry foyer into a lower level. The room was equally as large as the great room above, but the ceiling here was only about nine feet tall. It was painted a deep midnight blue. The walls were a few shades lighter, with thick walnut crown molding and baseboards. Wall sconces placed evenly around the room gave off a soft glow. With its dark color, the ceiling seemed to disappear in the dim light, giving Claire the feeling that she was outdoors under a boundless night sky.

One wall was made up entirely of French doors, separated by panels of charcoal grey damask. The curtains were open now, allowing a view of the wide expanse of open lawn and the faint outline of deep purple mountains in the distance against the darkening sky.

Small tables and chairs were arranged in a circle around the perimeter of the room. In the center of the circle stood a lone piece of furniture—a padded leather bench about three feet long and eighteen inches wide, the seat approximately the height of a bar stool. Several spotlights around the room were trained on the bench, illuminating the scene from every angle.

A bar was set up against the wall opposite the stairway next to two buffet tables laden with a tempting array of finger foods and tiny, decadent desserts. Kyle led Claire to a seat at one of the tables, then headed for the bar. “What would you like to drink?”

“No more of that moonshine for me!” Claire declared. “I’ll just have a glass of white wine please.”

“You may change your mind later,” Kyle replied with a wicked grin. He went off to the bar, and Claire took the opportunity to survey the other occupants of the room. Across the room, Melody stood near a table, accompanied once again by the young female attendant. She wore a bright red dress in the same soft fabric as Claire’s. The sashes on her dress were crossed in front to wrap around her tiny waist and tied in a large bow at the back, like the kimono of a geisha. Melody’s hair was slicked back as well, but her head was bare.

Her attendant was dressed in the same attire as Kyle, wearing only a black thong, black cloak, and high heels, once again naked from the waist up. Claire could see that her nipples were painted a bright cherry red that matched Melody’s dress.

Her other traveling companions were arranged around the circle too, with wide spaces separating them. Each of them wore a gown of the same soft, flowing fabric. Every dress was a different rich shade, accented with a matching feathered headdress. Claire couldn’t help thinking they looked like an exotic flock of birds, nesting here as darkness gathered.

Lady Gwen appeared on the stairway. Tonight Gwen had on a full length dress in the deep color of a mellow Cabernet. It was cut in a low V in the front, showing off her magnificent cleavage. She headed down the stairs, gracefully putting one foot in front of the other in another pair of gorgeous stilettos.

No wonder she’s going so slowly. I’m surprised she can stand upright in those heels, Claire thought. They were what the girls at the office called “fuck me” shoes.