On the Sunday morning, David collected Grace from her flat at six-thirty in the morning. She’d already been awake for over two hours, her mind racing as she tried to imagine what might lie ahead of her, and how she could summon up the skills necessary to defeat Amber in the challenge for table five.
“Dark circles?” he queried, touching her face with the tips of his fingers. “I hope you haven’t been awake all night?”
“No, although it would have been nice if we could have spent the night together.”
“Unfair to Amber, don’t you think?” he queried.
“You really are totally impartial about this aren’t you,” she said incredulously. “I thought you said you loved me, and that you wanted me to do this.”
He cast a quick sideways glance at her. “I certainly said I loved you, because I do. I think the decision to take on the challenge for table five was yours alone though.”
“But we agreed it would be good for us, for our relationship. We talked about that.”
“Damn these lights, they’re all on red,” was his only response, and she realized that he didn’t want to talk about it.
“David, please tell me that you want me to win,” she begged him. “I need to know that.”
“I’ve known Amber a long time, and we’ve a lot of shared memories, Grace. I’m one of the judges in this competition, and I take part in the challenge. It wouldn’t be fair if I was more in favor of one of you than the other.”
“But…”
“Close your eyes and rest. We’ll be there soon enough and the challenge begins straight away. You’re nervous, which is understandable, and…”
“I’m doing this for us!” she exclaimed. “I’ve missed the first read-through of Fran’s play to be here today. All I want is to know that you’re pleased. Is that too much to ask? What’s happened to you?”
“Nothing’s happened to me, my darling. You’re the one who’s decided on a major career change.”
Suddenly Grace felt incredibly alone. “Please, say something nice,” she begged him. “I’m scared.”
He put a hand on her knee and squeezed gently. “Just remember how much I love you, Gracie. In all fairness to Amber, I can’t say anything more.”
She realized then that her final visit to the Dining Club as a client was to be no different from her first. David had switched off emotionally, his mind focused entirely on whatever the day held for her and Amber.
“I understand,” she said softly.
“I knew you would. That’s part of why I love you,” he said quietly, and finally she felt both comforted and reassured by his words.
There were already several cars in the driveway of the Club when they arrived. Laura opened the front door to them. “Everyone else is already here,” she said to David. “They’re waiting for you both in the drawing room.”
Walking in ahead of David, Grace saw Andrew sitting opposite the door. Glancing round the room she saw Will was there too, and also five other men that she didn’t know.
“Laura, take Grace upstairs and get her changed, then collect Amber and bring them both back to us,” said David, walking across the room to greet one of the men.
Grace’s mouth went dry as she realized that for the men in the room, the challenge had already begun. She followed Laura up the stairs to a small dressing room. “You’ll need to take all your clothes off,” said the blonde twin. “You and Amber have to wear the same outfit for this.”
Opening a wardrobe door she took out a black and gold dress, except that when Grace put it on she realized it wasn’t really a dress. The tight-fitting leather basque was laced up at each side, and the halter neck had a tiny black and gold collar attached to it. Black silk hung from the bottom of the basque to Grace’s heels, but only at the back. At the front there was one thin strip of silk that hung between her bare legs, brushing lightly against her skin.
“You need these too,” said Laura, unwilling to meet Grace’s gaze as she handed over a tiny pair of black bikini bottoms and a black and gold metal bracelet. “The bracelet goes round your left wrist. The pants will feel tight, but that’s how they have to be.”
Once she’d put everything on, Grace looked at herself in the full-length mirror set in the door of the wardrobe. “I look like some kind of slave girl!” she exclaimed.
“We’d better go down now,” said Laura.
“Am I?” asked Grace, fear rising in her. “Is that the theme of this trial? Do we have to be some kind of sex slave to those men down there?”
“I don’t know,” said Laura. “I wasn’t here when the last challenge for table five took place. We must go down now or I’ll get into trouble.”
At the top of the stairs, Grace came face to face with Amber, who had Amy with her. Looking at the blonde woman, so poised and confident, her slender, honed body shown to perfection in the same outfit as she was wearing, Grace felt a moment of doubt. How could she hope to defeat such a sexually skilled woman, who even now was looking supremely confident while she, Grace, was filled with fearful foreboding?
Amber’s eyes swept over Grace. “The costume suits you,” she said silkily. “I always knew you were naturally subservient.”
“In that case, I might do well,” responded Grace, as they descended the wide staircase together.
The men had gathered in the hallway, watching the two women with excited anticipation in their eyes. When they reached the bottom step, David stepped forward. “It’s time for me to explain the rules of the competition now. If there’s anything you don’t understand you can ask me, but no questions are permitted once the challenge begins.
“For the rest of the day you will both become our sex slaves, showing total obedience to our desires at all times. You will be allowed sexual satisfaction, but only when we give permission. Should you get satisfaction before gaining permission you’ll be punished. Punishment must always be followed by an expression of your gratitude. You will thank us for showing you the error of your ways. You won’t speak at any other time unless you are invited to do so.
“During the course of the challenge you will both be evaluated by each member of the committee. At the end of the trial a vote will be held in private, and whoever has the largest number of votes will be the winner. Do either of you have any questions?”
“I do,” said Grace, her nerves jangling after hearing him speak of punishments. “What do we do if we want the trial to end?”
“Naturally the normal Dining Club rule then comes into force, and you simply say that you want it to stop,” said David. “There will be no attempt to coerce either of you into continuing if you no longer wish to. Naturally we hope that won’t happen, and that you both complete the challenge. If there’s nothing else you want to know, we’ll begin.”
The men split into two groups. Andrew, Will and one of the strangers gathered round Grace, and a lead was clipped onto the collar around her neck. Instinctively she flinched away in shock, before being led along the hallway into the room where she’d first met the twins, while David and the other men brought Amber along close behind.
Then the leads were unclipped and the two women were told to wait by the door. Grace’s legs began to tremble, until she was afraid they would give way beneath her. David’s words, delivered in a crisp, dispassionate tone, had been a salutary reminder of how intense and challenging the day was going to be, but she knew there could be no going back now.
After a few minutes, Will and one of the strangers came over to them. Will hooked his fingers in Amber’s collar and led her across the room while the stranger indicated with his head for Grace to follow him.
Two deep chairs had been moved into the center of the room. Andrew was sitting naked in one while another stranger was naked in the other.
“Your first task as personal sex slaves is to bring your man to a climax without the use of sex toys. There’s a tube of lubricant beside each chair, which is allowed to be used. Naturally there is an element of competition involved. The winner will be the one who is successful first. Naturally you yourselves are not expected to reach orgasm through this.
“Before you begin, there is something else that needs to be added to your costumes, which Amy and Laura will put in place now.”
Standing naked before the unknown man, who was lean but well-toned, Grace realized he was very attractive, with dark hair and deep brown eyes. However, he had the same detached expression that she’d often seen on David’s face.
Amy was quickly by her side, sliding the tight bikini-style panties down Grace’s legs so that she could reach inside them, and now Grace could feel something smooth and cool pressing against her vulva.
“Excellent,” said David. “You may both begin now.”
Grace hesitated. She’d never touched a stranger in such an intimate way before. For her this act had always been an expression of love and trust, but she knew nothing about the man sitting waiting expectantly, and she didn’t know if she could do it. Then she heard a soft sigh from Andrew, and realized that Amber had already begun.
Seeing that the stranger was already semi-aroused, she swiftly unfastened the halter top of her clothing, then put some lubricant on her breasts before lifting them to form a shelf for his testicles.
He gave a sharp intake of breath as she arched her body, and his testicles slid through the channel between her breasts. Cradling his shaft in the gap between them she stroked his glans with the tips of her fingers, letting her long hair brush his straining stomach. He was breathing heavily now, the testicles swelling and tightening.
With increasing confidence she closed her mouth over the tip while letting her left hand stray beneath him so that she could lightly caress his perineum. His hips jerked and she tasted the first drops of pre-ejaculatory fluid in her mouth. Encouraged she swirled her tongue around the tip while at the same time pressing her breasts tightly around his straining shaft.
Small sounds of rising excitement escaped from his mouth, and his hips moved upwards, pushing his erection further into her mouth, but still he didn’t come, and Grace could hear Andrew moaning with ecstasy.
Then the stranger’s testicles tightened and she knew that within a few seconds he would come. Relief surged through her, but to her horror, just seconds before he did Andrew gave a loud shout of pleasure and she realized that she’d lost. She wanted to weep with disappointment, but remembered that the stranger’s pleasure was still paramount.
Flicking her tongue over the tip of his glans she moved her right hand until it enclosed his shaft, so that she could stimulate that as well. Immediately his body jerked and shuddered and then he was spilling himself into her mouth, groaning with pleasure, and immediately she felt a surge of power and excitement.
Settling back on the carpet, Grace now became aware of an intense, vibrating pressure against her vulva. Pleasuring the stranger had aroused her, and she didn’t want any more stimulation. Confused, she started to move a hand to ease the pressure.
“Don’t touch anything, Grace,” said David, his voice harsh in the silence of the room. “Your vibrators are controlled by us, and you must both learn to cope with the stimulation. Regrettably you lost the trial to Amber. What do you want to happen to her, Lucien?”
So she’d been right, thought Grace. This man was David’s business partner.
“She was very good,” said Lucien. “Excellent in fact, but unfortunately she did lose, and a losing slave girl reflects badly on me. Three strokes of the whip will be sufficient, I think.”
Before Grace had time to protest, Will lifted her up and placed her facedown across Lucien’s thighs. With the pressure of his thighs against her body, the incessant, insidious arousal caused by the vibrator and the added stimulant of fear, Grace was terrified she’d climax during her punishment and then be punished again.
Lucien was mercifully quick, and within seconds he’d pushed the black silk away from her buttocks and three sharp, burning blows of a riding whip fell on her exposed buttocks. Pain streaked through her body and she couldn’t stop herself from crying out, but as the vibrator continued to pulsate the pain changed to a strange, dark pleasure, her nerve endings jangling as a result of the different sensations.
Abruptly, Lucien pushed her off him and she tumbled to the floor, but she was grateful that her belly was no longer being stimulated, and slowly the orgasm that had been building abated.
“Lucien is waiting,” said David.
Only then did Grace remember the rules. “Thank you for punishing me,” she said, shocked to find that suddenly she was perilously close to tears. “I’m sorry I failed you,” she added.
Lucien said nothing. It was as though she no longer existed. Feeling strangely bereft and lonely she pulled up the halter neck of her dress and looked around her. All the others had left the room leaving her alone with Amber, but neither woman spoke.
Eventually the door opened and the twins came in. “Massage time,” said Amy. “Follow us.”
This time they were taken to a high-ceilinged fitness room that Grace had never seen before. Andrew was standing by two massage tables, while the other men were standing close by, their eyes watching the women closely. “You first, Amber,” said Andrew. “Up on the couch, this won’t take a minute.”
Grace watched as the blonde woman lay flat on her back, her head supported by a small pillow while Andrew pushed her feet up toward her body until her knees were pointing to the ceiling. Then he pushed her knees sideways, drawing the length of silk cloth to one side, leaving her sex fully exposed to the watching men.
“This little internal massager works very well,” he explained to them, parting Amber’s sex lips. “It consists of three small gold balls on a cord. During exercise, the pelvic muscles will massage the women internally. It massages them with any movement, but exercise increases the sensations.”
While he was talking, Will slid a small pillow beneath Amber’s hips, making it easy for Andrew to slide the gold balls inside her until only the end of the cord remained outside her body. “There, that’s done,” he said, pressing his hand against her vulva until Grace heard the other woman’s sharp intake of breath. “Yes, working well,” he added. “Your turn now, Grace.”
Grace obediently took Amber’s place. She wanted to close her eyes, to blot out the watching men and hide her shame at being exposed in this way, but she knew it would count against her. Andrew expertly eased the balls inside her and she relaxed a little. Then, when he pressed against her vulva she felt a coiling sensation in her stomach, and her eyes widened in fear as she realized exactly how stimulating they were. Finally, released from the couch she stood next to Amber, her eyes cast down as seemed right to her given the role she was playing.
“You may look at us now, Grace,” said David, and she obediently raised her eyes, hoping that Amber had been looking at them all the time. “I’m sure you’ll both be relieved to hear that this time you may climax as often as you wish. The winner will be the one who manages the most orgasms in forty-five minutes. You will both begin by using the treadmill, but we’ll remove your costumes first as they’re not suitable for this test.”
Silently, with total obedience, Grace let Will and David remove her costume and then walked naked to the treadmill and David switched it on. “Naturally we control the machines,” he added.
As the speed of the treadmill increased, and Grace’s muscles had to work harder, she could feel the first tingles of pleasure deep inside her, and within only a few minutes she shuddered as her body contracted in a deep, satisfying orgasm.
Immediately she was moved across the room and made to sit on a large exercise ball. She struggled to stay on it, forced to tighten her muscles in order to keep her balance, and this time the balls pressed heavily against her G-spot and her body went into another spasm of blissful release.
She lost track of what was happening to Amber as she was made to ride the exercise bike, return to the ball and then finally ordered to lie on the couch again. She no longer knew how many orgasms she’d had, but she felt exhausted. Her last spasm had been painful as well as pleasurable, her tortured muscles forced into yet another climax.
Now, lying on the bed, she felt hands moving over her hot, sweat-soaked body. They teased her nipples, stroked her stomach and kept her whole body aroused. Shamed by her capacity for pleasure she was relieved to be told to close her eyes.
She was aware of Amber lying on the adjacent couch, but had no idea how the other woman was doing. Slowly the last embers of arousal began to die away and then with shocking suddenness, a drop of ice-cold liquid fell on her breasts and she screamed with surprise.
“Stay silent,” said Andrew.
Tensely she waited, eyes closed, but for a long time nothing happened and then, just as she thought it was over, another drop fell, landing just above the dent of her belly button and making her lower body jerk. Now the drops came more frequently, sometimes singly, sometimes two or three at a time. She began to ache between her thighs and realized that every time she jumped with shock, her muscles contracted and the massage balls worked their insidious magic on her. She wanted, needed, to come yet again, but the stimulation wasn’t quite enough. Frantically, with no thought for the watchers, she pushed her hips upwards, trying to make one of the drops fall between her needy thighs.
Then someone pushed a cushion beneath her hips, her legs were parted by firm hands, another pair of hands held her sex lips open and she waited longingly for a drop of the cold water to fall. When it did, it fell directly onto her swollen clitoris and she screamed with ecstatic delight, writhing on the couch and moaning “Yes, oh yes!”
As soon as the words were out of her mouth she felt the sting of a crop falling over her unprotected breasts, and stifled a moan of pain as the crop fell four times as punishment for her cry of pleasure.
“Forty-five minutes,” said Lucien. Immediately all hands were withdrawn and Grace was left alone.
“She’s wonderfully wanton!” said one of the men. “I hope she’s mine for a time this afternoon.”
“We draw lots I’m afraid,” said Andrew.
“Dress quickly,” said David, his voice clipped. “There are only two hours before we make our decision.”
Once dressed Amber and Grace had to stand in the middle of the room again while David looked at his notes. “We have a clear winner for this trial,” he said briskly. “And that winner was Grace. Amber, you…”
“It can’t be!” exclaimed Amber. “Someone’s made a mistake. I’ve always been multiorgasmic. I had numerous orgasms.”
“Be silent!” said David. “As I was one of the people watching you, you’re suggesting that I made a mistake. Clearly you’ve forgotten your place and you’ll be punished for your outburst after lunch, when you’ve had time to recover some of your strength. You must both be in the dining room in fifteen minutes,” he added, and with that he left the room.
Fifteen minutes later Grace and Amber arrived at the entrance to the dining room. During the short break, Grace had reminded herself that in two hours’ time it would all be over. It seemed a very short time in which to achieve her aim of ousting Amber, especially as they were equal at the moment, but following her victory in the fitness room her confidence had improved.
She knew that what she needed to do in order to win was actually become a slave girl in her own mind. Invest herself with a background story, as actors had to do. She must imagine how a female slave in Roman times would have felt when fondled and used by her master and his friends.
The twins led them in and told them to serve the guests. All the food was on a side table, and Grace immediately collected a plate and placed it in front of David, who was sitting at the head of the table.
Without looking up at her he idly pushed the piece of silk that was between her legs to one side and caressed the inside of her smooth thighs. “Remember, your pleasure is only to be obtained with permission,” he reminded her, and as she moved away she felt the vibrator that was pressed against her sex lips start to throb gently.
As she and Amber moved along the table, the men all let their hands touch the exposed areas of their bodies, and as the meal progressed so the vibrator’s pulsations increased.
By the time Grace poured the dessert wine for Andrew, her eyes carefully downcast, she was highly aroused. Pulling her onto his lap he tipped the contents of his glass down her left side, so that it trickled into the spaces between the tight lacing, then licked at it with the tip of his tongue.
The sensation was intense, and she shivered with excitement. She could hear the buzz of conversation around them, but was only aware of his delicate tongue, and the incessant arousal of the vibrator, now pressed even more tightly against her vulva by his hard thighs.
“You want to come, don’t you?” he whispered in her ear. “I can tell you’re ready. Tell me the truth.”
“Yes, I do,” admitted Grace.
“What a shame that I forbid it,” he said, abruptly pushing her off his lap.
Grace scrambled to her feet, picked up the decanter and keeping her eyes down, moved on to serve Will. He contented himself with caressing her breasts, his fingers tweaking her nipples so hard that she struggled not to cry out. Passing Amber she saw that her adversary’s top lip was beaded with sweat, and realized that the ordeal was proving just as difficult for her.
When all the men had been served she went to put the decanter back on the sideboard but then David spoke. “My glass needs topping up, Grace. Pay attention.”
Swiftly she went across to him, and this time he too pulled her onto his lap, parting her legs so that she was balanced on his left thigh. Casually he slid a hand up under the bottom of her tight-fitting basque, spreading one hand wide over the base of her stomach. His fingers were firm and she wriggled to try and ease the rising spirals of excitement.
“Keep still!” he ordered her.
“Forgive me,” she begged him and he glanced at her in surprise.
“I think I will,” he murmured. “Would you like to come now?”
Grace was totally lost in her role-playing, and words flowed easily from her. “Only if you wish,” she replied subserviently.
“I do.”
As he spoke he pressed the heel of his hand hard into the base of her stomach, and the pressure there combined with the sensations from the vibrator were enough to trigger her climax. With a muffled groan of pleasure her body trembled violently.
As soon as she was still again she was ordered to continue her work, but she nearly stumbled as she moved away from him, just regaining her balance before she fell. At that moment she heard Lucien give Amber permission to come, and watched her opponent’s head go back as with a loud cry of satisfaction she climaxed, standing in front of him.
Clearly they had both been watched and judged by all the men during their brief moment of pleasure, but the thought no longer worried Grace. She was proud of what she’d done, and elated that she’d clearly surprised David by her response.
“Time for the final test,” said Andrew, pushing back his chair, “and then the vote will be held.”
This time the women were led down to the basement room, and Grace tensed. She’d hated the shadowy darkness and claustrophobic atmosphere there. Two long couches were in the middle of the room, and the twins swiftly stripped the two contestants of their clothes before pushing them toward the beds.
“You must both lie on your backs, and keep your eyes open during this trial,” said David. “We will draw lots for who is to make love to each of you. As he does, you must keep perfectly still, moving only when you’re moved by your partner, never visibly or verbally responding to what’s being done to you. You must behave as though you’ve been drugged, and are totally helpless, and can only climax after your partner. Such self-control is needed by anyone who believes they are suitable to be in charge of the Dining Club.
“However, before we begin, Amber will receive her punishment for this morning’s outburst. Andrew will administer that.”
Amber stepped forward, looking mutinous. Watching her, Grace knew that no slave girl should ever look like that, which boosted her confidence.
Andrew ordered Amber to kneel on all fours, then trailed a leather strap the length of her spine, so that her slender figure began to quiver. Grace watched wide-eyed as the strap fell with considerable force across Amber’s buttocks, and the blonde woman gave a cry of pain.
Swiftly and dispassionately, Andrew let the strap fall three more times, leaving four clear and separate red lines on her golden skin, and then he moved the strap underneath her, pulling the ends up tightly above her back, trapping her breasts beneath it.
The watching Grace realized that Amber was now trembling with excitement, not distress. “Don’t come,” said Andrew, “or you’ll be punished again. Now apologize.”
He was twisting the ends of the strap, so that Amber’s breasts were squashed hard against her body, yet still she seemed to find it impossible to utter the words required of her.
“You have ten more seconds to apologize,” said David, standing watching in the shadows. “If you don’t, the challenge will be over.”
“I’m very sorry,” said Amber quickly. Andrew released her, but neither her expression nor her tone of voice had made the apology seem sincere. However, as she was clearly aroused by the punishment, Grace hoped this would be to her advantage.
As the two of them lay on the couches, the men drew lots, then Grace heard someone approaching her. She waited anxiously to discover who had drawn her name. With eyes wide open as instructed, she didn’t dare turn her head, but then sensed a figure standing beside her.
“Time to begin,” said a familiar voice, and she realized that it was David who would decide her fate. David, who knew her body so well, and wouldn’t hesitate to use that in order to make things even more difficult for her. Keeping her gaze fixed on the low ceiling she waited for him to begin.
The silence in the room only added to the tension as his hands roamed over her shoulders, skimming the sides of her neck and then moving down the insides of her arms. She tried not to think about what was happening, but it was impossible. When he lay down naked next to her she longed to wrap her arms round him, but all she could do was lie motionless.
“So beautiful,” he murmured, tracing patterns round her breasts. “And so wonderfully responsive as well.” Lowering his head he licked beneath her armpits, and she struggled to keep still. With diabolically cruel slowness he covered her whole body with butterfly kisses, then dipped his tongue into the tiny dent of her belly button. This always made her body jerk with rising passion, but she switched her mind to Fran’s furious response when she’d let her down and slowly the reaction to his caresses faded.
Moving down her body he opened her unresisting legs, parted her outer sex lips and let his tongue move up and down the damp, aroused flesh beneath. It was impossible to stop her body from trembling, but she didn’t move a muscle or utter a sound.
“I know how much you like this,” he murmured. “Your clitoris is very swollen. I’m sure it would like to feel my tongue against the side of it.”
Grace wanted to cry with despair. His words were driving her out of her mind with excitement, and there was a tingling beginning in her toes that she knew would soon spread upwards.
With a superhuman effort she managed not to move or make a sound as his tongue flicked at the aching little nub, and then she felt his fingers stroking the top of the inner creases of her thighs. As he pressed more firmly there she wanted to cry. It wasn’t fair, because only he knew that this could sometimes trigger an orgasm for her.
Staring up at the ceiling she concentrated on how their life together would be once she took over from Amber. Removing herself mentally from what was happening she began to make plans about the future of the Dining Club and the changes she’d make.
“What a clever girl you are,” said David as she remained motionless. “Only one trick left, I fear.”
With that he rolled her over onto her face, lifting her knees up so that he could enter her from behind. This was her favorite position for sex, because he always reached round her body and teased her clitoris with his fingers as he thrust in and out of her. It never failed to bring her to a climax, but this time she knew that she had to make sure he climaxed first.
With the top half of her body flat on the couch, he positioned himself against her, stroking her buttocks with one hand, then entering her slowly, while at the same time caressing her clitoris with his free hand. She remained totally still, desperately fighting back the wonderful sensations that were threatening to overwhelm her.
“You may speak now. Tell me how much you want to come,” he said, his voice as caressing as his fingers. “I need to know.”
Grace didn’t want to speak, she needed to concentrate, but had to obey or she would fail. “I’m so close that I want to come more than ever before, but I can’t because I love you,” she admitted despairingly. To her relief and astonishment her words proved to be the final trigger for him and with a loud groan he spilled himself into her.
“You can come now,” he whispered, slumping against her, and when his fingers pressed the side of her clitoris she finally relaxed and a wave of pleasure so intense she thought she might pass out swept through her tight, frantic body.
“Your usual clothes have been left here,” said David, his voice controlled once more. “Get dressed when you’re ready, then wait with Amber in the small drawing room.”
As she slumped onto the bed, her muscles aching with the power of her orgasm, she realized he’d gone, taking the other men with him, and leaving the two women alone together.
They dressed in silence, before Amber led the way to a small, sunny room on the first floor. Exhausted, Grace sat down in one of the plush, red, high-backed Regency chairs. Amber was the first to break the silence.
“Even if you win, David won’t be yours, you know. He can never be what you want him to be. He may love you, but you’ll never be the center of his world. His work, this Club and extreme sexual pleasure dominate his life. Because I’m not ‘in love’ with him, he can never disappoint me. He’ll always be disappointing you. Why can’t you settle for being a part of his life, instead of wanting to invade it all?”
“It’s because I’m in love with him that I want to be part of his entire life,” explained Grace. “I have embraced and understand everything about him, and in a strange way I’ve fallen in love with the Dining Club as well. I’ve learned so much about myself here. I believe that I can make it even more exciting for him and everyone else too.”
Amber shook her head. “You may tell yourself that, but deep down you think this is the only way you’ll keep him interested in you, but you’re not like me. You don’t truly love all the aspects of sexual pleasure that he does. Your capacity for pleasure pain is very limited, as you’ll discover if you get your way and replace me.”
“I know I’ve still got a lot to learn,” admitted Grace, “but that’s part of the excitement. He loves me, I know he does, and he’ll enjoy teaching me, just as I’ll enjoy making changes here.”
“Changes?”
“Yes, I’ve got a brilliant idea for…”
At that moment David and Andrew came into the room together. Both women tensed, waiting to hear the result. Grace couldn’t remember ever being as nervous before. She felt as though she couldn’t breathe as they waited for the verdict. If Amber had won, then all her hopes and plans for a future with David would be destroyed, and everything she’d learned here at the Dining Club would have been for nothing, because in order for her dreams to come true, Amber had to lose.
“It was a close vote,” said David quietly, “but we do have a clear winner.” He paused, and Grace felt physically sick. “That winner,” he continued in the same even tone that gave nothing away, “is Grace. Amber, unfortunately you’ll need to pack your things and be ready to leave by tomorrow morning. A house will be available for you to live in until you find new employment, but your time at the Dining Club is over.”
As Grace tried to take in what he was saying, she heard Amber gasp.
“Why did I lose?” she cried, clearly close to tears. David didn’t reply.
“The problem was that you failed to look or behave like a true slave girl,” said Andrew gently.
“Really? I think the problem might have been that you decided to change your mind and vote for Grace,” said Amber, her quick temper rising.
“Before the vote we had a general discussion, which is where the comment Andrew has mentioned was made,” said David smoothly.
Amber looked directly into his eyes. “You’ll miss me,” she said quietly.
The watching Grace saw his expression change for a moment as he considered the beautiful blonde woman’s words, but then he moved away and stood looking out of the window, his face hidden from both women.
With a shrug, Amber walked toward the door, pausing as she passed Grace. “Be careful,” she whispered. “At the moment you’re a novelty, but one day you’ll be in my position. No one can hold his interest forever.” Andrew followed her out of the room, and Grace’s first instinct was to rush into David’s arms, but instead she stood very still and waited for him to come to her.
Turning to face her he smiled warmly. “You did incredibly well, my darling. You were amazing. I was so proud of you. Even Andrew voted for you, and I wasn’t expecting that.”
“Why not?”
“I’m not stupid, Gracie. I know he’s attracted to you and asked you out. He could have got his revenge by voting for Amber, but the prospect of working alongside you as manager was clearly a more attractive alternative. Plus it was clear you deserved to win, of course.”
Hearing his words Grace took a step toward him, and finally he took her in his arms. His grip was tight, almost possessive, and he kissed her passionately as he whispered words of love and desire.
Despite all that had happened throughout the long day, Grace both wanted and needed him. When he finally led her upstairs to the suite of rooms where it had all begun and started to make love to her, he was more tender and gentle than ever before, and afterwards she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep in his arms.
Later, as they were drinking champagne in the small drawing room where she’d waited for the result of the contest, he looked thoughtfully at her. “So, do you have any suggestions about the future of the Dining Club yet?”
Grace hesitated, unsure for a moment as to how he would react if she told him. Then, knowing that she had to have confidence in her ideas if their new relationship was to work, she nodded.
“Yes, I do,” she said eagerly. “I think it should be expanded. Perhaps there could be a small, private hotel in London, hidden away in an exclusive back street, where people who’ve enjoyed the Club experience can go for a whole week at a time.”
“A hidden hotel? Yes, I like that idea,” he said, leaning forward.
“And I think it would be exciting to have themes at the hotel. There could be a Victorian week or an Ancient Roman week, for example. It would open up a whole range of exciting new sexual possibilities.
“Also, schooling women to prepare them for those weeks could take place here at the Dining Club beforehand.”
David’s eyes darkened with excitement. Putting an arm round her waist he kissed the side of her neck. “Brilliant!” he exclaimed. “The possibilities are endless. No wonder I fell in love with you!”
Later that night, Andrew came to see them leave. “I’m pleased you’ve decided to stay on,” said David, shaking him by the hand. “I think you’ll find your work even more interesting from now on.”
“I’m sure I will,” agreed Andrew. “I’m hoping to introduce a guest of my own before too long. In fact, I’m off to the King’s Head in Islington to meet up with her now.”
“That’s great news,” said David to Grace as they drove away. “I wonder what she’ll be like?”
“I’m sure she’ll be interesting,” said Grace, knowing perfectly well who Andrew meant, but uncertain how she felt about it.
David glanced at her. “Lucien liked you,” he said. “What did you think of him?”
“He was interesting,” she admitted.
David raised an eyebrow. “Interesting? Well, the interest is definitely reciprocal.”
“I didn’t feel attracted to him,” she said hastily.
“My darling girl, there’s no need to worry. I thrive on challenges. Tomorrow morning I shall start looking for a suitable building for our hidden hotel.”
His excitement was contagious, and Grace was overwhelmed with love for this handsome, complex man, who had finally committed himself to her.
* * *
As their car sped through the night, Amber picked up her bedside phone, wondering who could be calling her at such a late hour. “Lucien? I never expected to hear from you again. What do you want?” she asked and then, as she listened intently, a slow smile spread over her face.
The End