Kitten Around (Shifting Hearts Dating Agency Book 3) Page 4

  Fuck.

  “I thought Mistress Claudia was running this class.” The female moved toward him and he caught himself before he took a step back.

  Oh God. It was her. Before he hadn’t been sure. But now, with those big eyes staring at him, he was certain. And it appeared that she didn’t remember him.

  “She has been called away,” Tyler responded. “I will be filling in. As you would have known if you’d checked the email I sent out.”

  The young woman lifted her chin and met his gaze with a defiant glare. “I guess I missed that one.”

  “Obviously.” He made a show of scanning his list. “You must be Paige. We were just about to begin. Please, sit down.” He pointed to the last chair and handed her a printed sheet.

  He had to put some distance between him and curvaceous female. Jonathan and Lucas were counting on him to teach this class, not flip her over the nearest spanking bench and mark her in front of every person here.

  Tyler’s cat purred at the image and he shot off a filthy reply, disgusted with himself that he could be that close to breaking protocol. Grinding his teeth, he tried to refocus and shut down his raging hard on. The podium stood in the middle of the stage and he stalked toward it, trying for the life of him to regain the control he was known for.

  Buying a moment, he glanced at his notes and tried to clear his head.

  Her face flamed with an attractive shade of scarlet and she slid into the last remaining seat. He checked his notes once again, his eyes skimming over the questionnaires submitted by each student to ascertain knowledge levels. The others he dismissed without seeing them until he landed on hers. Two words stood out, hardening his cock even more and making his mouth water.

  The kitten in front of him had a penchant for paddles and an interest in shibari. Judging by the answers to the rest of her questions, she already had a grasp of the lifestyle and he’d seen her around the club enough to know she knew the rules.

  “On second thought, why don't you come up here?”

  God, he must be insane.

  “But you just had me sit down,” she countered.

  “It’s my prerogative to have you up here.”

  Paige rose from the chair, fury glinting in her eyes. The other students watched with interest as she rose from her seat and flounced up the steps. She was pissed, and Tyler had to admit he was enjoying it. Originally he was going to just dive into a quick review of the basic rules, but now he decided to go the long way around and make her squirm in front of her classmates.

  Late was late.

  His cat shifted restlessly beneath his skin as she came closer and he had to will himself not to react to her scent.

  Almond and vanilla with an added touch of what… was that? Nutmeg. An interesting combination.

  “Well? What do you want to do with me?”

  The real question is what don’t I want to do to you?

  Tyler cleared his throat and sucked in a breath.

  “Never ask a question you don’t want to know the answer to,” he chided, his lips turning up at the edges.

  God. Because what he really wanted to do was drape her over the back of the chair and spank her ass for daring to be a brat, and then peel off her jeans and sink his cock into her sweet, hot pussy.

  His cat purred in response to the more base images that rolled through his head but the human side reared up and took control of the reins once again.

  Not now.

  His cat’s urge to find a mate was becoming more and more troublesome. He was happy he’d connected with Jonathan when the bear shifter had needed help making benches and other items for Ventures. They met via Tyler’s carpentry and restoration work and he felt like the club had become somewhat of an extended family, albeit a kinky one.

  Seeing the place come alive was incredible and to be able to teach the lifestyle to beginners and more experienced practitioners was a joy. His work gave him back the body he’d almost lost to his injuries in Afghanistan. But he hadn’t lost anything near what his sister and niece had.

  Sheree had lost her husband and Pepper had lost her father. A few scars and some physical therapy so he could walk again were nothing in comparison.

  But he was losing his train of thought and the woman standing in front of him wasn’t going to let him forget it.

  She glared at him. “If I didn’t want to know the answer to the question, I wouldn’t have asked.”

  Oh. She did have some sprit. He liked that. Maybe he could push her a little and see where it took them.

  “Sit in this chair and face the class, please.” He indicated a folding chair next to the podium with a dip of his chin

  She lowered herself on to the metal chair, her face a mask of disapproval. No doubt she disliked of his making an example of her. There would be no brats or prima donnas in his class. Even if it was just an hour.

  He turned to the class. “Now…we agree on the time to be in class just like you would agree to a time to meet your dominant or your submissive. Each of you has had some experience in the lifestyle and obviously, because you are here in this class, you are finding out more about it your needs and wants. I am, however, aware that you expected another instructor when you initially signed up.”

  He gazed out across the students and was encouraged to see their rapt attention.

  Good.

  “Your regular instructor. Mistress Claudia, will be back next week. However, I do have sign-ups for my Shibari class on Thursday nights. My first class for the new sessions will be a week from today. If we don’t all get washed away in the storm, that is.”

  The titter of laughter reached his ears and he smiled. He was reaching them. Good.

  Tyler let his gaze rake over every person in the room. “One thing to note if you take classes here at Ventures. If you say you're going to be somewhere, be there. Not five minutes late. Be on time. Respect your instructor’s time as well as your classmates’. The second rule is to be prepared. If an instructor sends you information, read it. You hold up the class if you are ill prepared.”

  Paige fidgeted in the chair and he bit back a smile.

  “I want you all to look at the first page of your hand out. It lists rules we all abide by in this lifestyle. If you are already a member here at Ventures, you will no doubt have had some exposure to this.” He spanned the crowd and noted a middle-aged man with a good physique. “Read the first line. You, the man on the edge of the first row. Can you tell us your first name and how long you’ve been interested in the lifestyle.”

  “I’m Barry and I’ve been reading about BDSM since by wife made me watch that movie. She seems to really be interested so I thought I’d find out more.”

  “That’s wonderful, Barry. Can you read us the first line?”

  “Safe. Sane. Consensual.”

  “Good.” He pointed to a young blonde woman in the second row. “Can you tell me your name and what you think safe means? Other than the obvious.”

  She cleared her throat and tucked some hair behind her ear. “I’m Lux. Always know where you are, what to expect, and who you're playing with.”

  “Yes, that's definitely part of it. What about the next one? And, please, tell us your name.” He pointed to a young Asian woman a few seats over.

  “Ah. I’m Amy and I’ve been on the fringes of the lifestyle for a few years. When I met Jonathan and Lucas, they made me want to know more. I started coming here on the weekends. Sane means to be sensible in your actions. And don’t take risks with another’s safety or your own.” The woman’s serious dark eyes met his and Tyler nodded.

  “How very true.” He glanced out at the group. “How many of you agree with what this young woman just said?”

  Most of the group raised their hands, including the very lovely submissive sitting next to him. Or at least, he thought of her as submissive and he very rarely got that wrong.

  “Okay and what do you think the last phrase means? Your name and what you hope to gain from this class.” Tyler
pointed to an older man in the back row.

  “I’m Roger and I’ve been interested in this lifestyle for a number of years. My first wife taught me what it is to love the cane and I’ve been enamored ever since.”

  “Wonderful.”

  Roger gave him a tight smile. “Consensual means consent. You're here to be with someone who wants to be with you. Nothing like experiencing something you didn’t agree to, to make that point clear real fast.”

  “That's exactly right. Those are the three basic rules this lifestyle. Safe because you make agreements and you communicate before anything ever happens between anyone. Sane because you don't do things that are harmful to yourself or to another person. Period. Dominants, in particular this matters most for you. Although the submissive in many ways guides what happens in your play, you as a dominant are responsible. You are obligated to keep your submissive safe, help them reach their goals, and make sure that they don't push themselves too hard and harm themselves.”

  A woman raised her hand toward the back of the class. “What about sub space? I've read about that. What is it and is it harmful?”

  “That's a good question. It is not harmful. Basically, this is what happens when you reach a certain point where pain and pleasure come together. The sensation can be compared to a trance, and you have to watch the sub to make sure they don't drift too far in for too long and be ready for aftercare with something to eat and drink.”

  “Like what?”

  “Chocolate and some water are always good to have on hand.”

  Another woman raised her hand. “Is there something called Dom space?”

  “Yes,” Tyler acknowledged with a smile. “There is and dominants have to be careful of it. It's easy to let yourself go too far in the moment if you aren’t paying close attention. It is essential that you remain in control at all times and keep the submissive’s safety your ultimate concern.”

  “One other thing you must be aware of, consent. Before you enter into any play, you have to at least have a conversation about that person's triggers, health issues, or anything that could possibly cause problems during your session.”

  Tyler gestured toward Paige. “For example, this young woman has signed up for this class and by doing so has given consent to learn what I, or whatever instructor is here, was going to teach. Bondage basics. It covers quite a few areas and we only have six weeks.”

  He cleared his throat and continued. “It would behoove me to start you all out with a short lesson on submission and form. But beyond that, I encourage you to visit the gift shop. There you will find several reference books on basic BDSM. Do yourself a favor and pick one up so you’ll be prepared for future lessons. Mistress Claudia and Rory should be back next week and she’s asked me to give you some questions to consider. I will email them to you at the end of class.”

  He stepped in front of the female cat shifter and again was seized by an overwhelming urge to give in to his animal’s urges and claim her. Instead he forced his beast down and hardened his resolve to get through the class without incident.

  “You have been going to the club for a while. Do you know how to pose for submission?”

  Paige nodded and then dropped her eyes toward the floor. A pretty flush covered her cheeks but he wasn’t fooled. He was playing with fire and part of him wanted to see how far he could take the burn before it snapped back and singed him.

  His cat paced beneath his skin, the urge to mark this woman as his nearly overwhelming.

  No.

  “Please rise and show the class a typical submissive pose.” His voice sounded even. Tyler gave himself props for that, if nothing else.

  A tightening of her lips was her only response and then she rose from the chair, lowering herself onto the stage. Resting her body on her knees, she placed her hands behind her back and kept her eyes fixed on the ground in front of her.

  “Very good,” he said. “Notice how the submissive has her gaze lowered to the floor, her breasts out for inspection. The knees are supporting the body and can be spread as wide or as little as the dominant wishes for whatever delicious torment he would like to begin their session with.”

  Appreciative noises came from the class but his cat hissed in displeasure. His mate should be for his pleasure alone and no one else’s.

  The flush on her face indicated she was less than pleased at being made an example of. Too bad. She shouldn’t have been late to his class.

  “You may rise and resume your seat.”

  She complied and he deliberately looked away from the way the sweater molded across her breasts.

  A young black woman raised her hand. “What about contracts? I’ve heard they get used a lot. Would you have to have one in place to start a relationship with someone?”

  “That's a good question.” He turned back to the black woman. “It helps but isn’t absolutely necessary. What you need to have is an agreement, so if it makes either party feel more secure then, by all means, do so. You can find a basic contract online. Or, I can have your instructor go over one with you when she returns. What it is, in a nutshell, is a list of hard and soft limits that make it very clear between the dominant and the submissive. It’s a list of what is fair game between two parties and what isn’t.”

  Tyler considered the time and as Lexi, one of the subs from the club came by, he waved her over. He’d covered the basic tenants of the lifestyle, and that was what the instructor had intended for this first session. It made sense for the class to have some practical experience.

  “Why don’t we all walk over to the spanking benches for the last thirty minutes? I want everyone to have a little hands on today. I also want to remind everyone that the Slave for a Night Auction will be held tomorrow night, along with a book signing with the author and artist of the Dungeon Land graphic novels. Proceeds of this auction will go to local victims of Hexen attacks. Information on times and other vendor participation can be found at the front desk.”

  He noted several of the group began talking in animated whispers and he smiled. This auction was a big one for Ventures. It was a shame the storm hanging over their heads had the propensity of ruining it.

  “Lexi, would you mind taking the group and showing them some of the paddles and impact implements? Paige and I will be along presently.” He glanced down at the feisty young woman when she didn’t budge from her place, her chin set at a defiant angle.

  “Of course, Sir.”

  The students rose and followed the attractive young woman toward the benches, until it was just Paige, a chair, and a very naughty idea that came barreling into his brain.

  Oh yes. He was going to enjoy taming this cat. One delicious step at a time.

  Chapter Three

  “A re you going to get up and follow the class or do I have to make an example out of you again? You don’t remember me?”

  “Should I?”

  Paige seethed, heat creeping up her cheeks. She glowered up at Master Blackburn, determined to stay right where she was and ignore his power play when her cat began to purr like a pussy in rut. The urge to shift and wrap herself around his ankles was nearly overpowering and she had to dig her nails into her palms to fight the feeling off.

  Mate.

  Her inner feline was being decidedly unruly and threatening to upend whatever balance she’d managed to hold on to. Letting loose on her control was not an option. No complications. That was her golden rule. And definitely not males with mating on the brain. But it seemed like it wasn’t just him. Her cat had ideas of her own, too.

  Her beast yowled, stoking the heat blazing through her veins. It was all there in his eyes, and it scared the holy mother shit out of her.

  What was worse: her human side wanted him, the bastard. Even if it was only to see how hard they could come together.

  Master Blackburn stepped in front of her. He leaned in and she sucked in his spicy scent, the earthy male aroma sending a pulse of want between her thighs.

  “I’m waiting, ki
tten.”

  Her cat mewled and a whisker popped free, causing her to gasp.

  No, no, no, no, no….

  Oh for fuck’s sake.

  Now?

  She had been with dozens of dominants at the club and while they got her juices flowing for a while, no one had quite gotten under her skin like this prick had in the last thirty minutes.

  Just listening to the timber of his voice as he spoke to the class spun her insides into molten gold. Not. Good. And now she’d popped a whisker. Mortification surged through her and she staggered to her feet, slapping her hand over her face before he could see. At least she hadn’t done it in front of the class.

  How had she lost so much control?

  “I’m leaving.”

  “Already?” He stepped back to allow her space and his lips quirked up in a delighted smile.

  She started to spew out an acid wielding barb but all the came out from behind her hand was a mumbled threat that was barely understandable.

  The man was a pompous ass. When did he get off thinking he could treat her like this? Embarrassing her in front of these people and making her sit there like a naughty child, and now she was supposed to follow him like she was at his beck and fucking call for the rest of class? Not a chance. She was out of here. Jonathan was going to get an email with a piece of her mind.

  Except, everything in her wanted to stay. Only once before had she ever felt a sliver of what she was experiencing now.

  Mate.

  A surge of desire rocked her to the core and she groaned as another whisker popped free.

  “Shit,” she mumbled, staggering to her feet and pushed past him.

  “Where are you going?”

  “I have to leave.”

  Paige stalked toward the edge of the stage, her fingers tingling, her mother’s latent magic threatening to push her over the edge. One mismanaged burst of power and she wouldn’t just pop a whisker. Hell, Paige could shift before she could summon the force of will to stop it.

  Her cat prowled so close beneath her skin and in her head she knew and understood what was happening. It was all chemistry, shifter style, and it pissed her off as much as it made her desire to turn around and climb the man behind her like a freaking jungle gym.