The Switch Read online

  Her hands repeated their work on his legs, moving up to his buttocks until his hips repeated their earlier pleas. He needed more and this time she gave him the additional stimulus he craved. Her gloved finger circled his asshole, in an erotic dance that echoed through his body.

  His hips swayed eagerly, intent on gaining more attention to this most neglected of erogenous areas. Would his lady accept him here too? His body shuddered in welcome and her finger slipped inside.

  Taken at last by his dangerous lady.

  He thought she groaned something but hearing was the least important sense at that moment. His previous experiences with his fingers or stolid sex toys were no match for this reality. Every fiber was concentrated on her single finger, so warm and supple, slender and elegant as she teased him. By the time her finger left, his hips were slamming against the floor and he could have screamed with lust.

  Her strokes changed to a harsher movement, which pushed away sensuality. Her hands lifted briefly and the glove snapped as it came off, triggering a hot flash of disappointment.

  Sean took a calmer breath as his arousal eased slightly. If this was the first step on the road, would he survive the rest?

  “Roll over, Sean.”

  He obeyed, as if in a trance.

  Beth placed her hand gently on his chest and simply kept it there for a long moment. Sean yielded to his trust in her and closed his eyes.

  Beth showed the same skill and loving care on the front of his body that she had given his back. Chest, arms, legs, groin were all massaged. She dragged her hand over his body, towards his cock but never quite touching it, slowly marking all the points of the compass on his straining body. He couldn’t have spoken as his life force centered in his cock.

  Then her hands worked over his cock, using strokes that built the energy and trapped it, repeating the pattern until he thrashed below her. She pressed hard between his legs and the surge stopped. He dragged oxygen into his lungs, trying to prepare for whatever came next.

  Then she began again on his cock. This time, her hands demanded that he climax. He erupted like a geyser, slamming his hips up between her hands, screaming her name.

  He recovered his senses to find her smoothing his face in a light massage. Then a large warm towel floated down over Sean and he mumbled his thanks before falling asleep in her arms.

  “Wake up, Sean. It’s time for dinner.”

  Beth lightly ran her fingers through Sean’s hair as he blinked up at her. His eyes traveled downwards and he stared in shock at her attire. She was wearing a short black velvet dress that emphasized every line of her delicious body. The cloth wrapped around her neck and left her shoulders and back bare. He was acutely aware of her breasts moving behind the single layer of fabric.

  Beth chuckled slightly and stood up.

  “Your clothes are laid out on the bed. I’ll wait for you in the living room.”

  Sean dressed very slowly. The first item was a black silk thong, soft as a lady’s undergarments. He held it in the air studying it. He had heard of these but had never thought to wear one. He sniffed it suspiciously, finding the same scent as the candles and massage oil. He put on the thong, fussing and twitching until everything was in place, or at least as much in place as possible given the size of what the thong was supposed to contain.

  He looked in the mirror at himself and blushed at its emphasis on his sexuality. He almost looked like one of those male strippers, except that none of them were as big and hairy as he was. Then he slowly reached for the other items.

  Sean scrutinized himself in the mirror for a long minute. The single-breasted black suit, with its Italian label, was cut from the finest wool he’d ever seen. The matching vest framed the white shirt and the narrow line of black silk tie. Even the shoes fit perfectly in their glove soft leather. Money whispered from the beautiful cut and fabric, as well as the monogrammed gold cuff links and the gold watch on his wrist.

  He tugged at the tie, very aware of the unfamiliar constriction. He felt as if he’d been tied up; silly thought, considering that this was less restrictive than his uniform had been. He was flying in some pretty high circles with his dangerous lady.

  All of his embarrassment was wiped away by the look on Beth’s face when she saw him.

  “You look wonderful, Sean. Even sexier than I’d hoped.” She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. “Let’s go have some dinner.”

  Sean offered her his arm and led her out, caressing her hand as it rested in the crook of his elbow. They strolled slowly through the casino, looking at the gamblers’ restless attentions to the garish slot machines. A few people were playing blackjack and roulette.

  “Crowds look pretty good tonight. I guess tourism seems to be coming back,” Beth remarked.

  “If you say so, honey. I’ve never been here before.” Sean was much more interested in the slow rub of Beth’s dress against him through his fine clothes.

  The restaurant was small and exclusive, looking more like a private house than a large hotel. Oil paintings lined the walls, gleaming against silk wallpaper.

  A waiter approached and asked for their drink order. Sean looked at Beth, waiting for her response. Was this behavior what she wanted?

  She asked for the wine list and the waiter departed. He returned with another gentleman, who was introduced as the sommelier. The sommelier and Beth engaged in a lengthy conversation over the merits of various wines. The gentleman left, clutching the wine list and looking very pleased with Beth’s decisions.

  Sean sipped the chosen wine slowly, savoring the taste. He’d tried wine in Germany but only rarely. This was both light and complex at the same time, satisfying in its own right even while it hinted at complementing foods.

  “I thought you didn’t like drinking, Beth,” he remarked, glancing at her.

  She raised an eyebrow at him and then smiled.

  “I believe in moderation, Sean. It’s best to be aware of what our bodies feel, not the chemicals in our blood. But one drink tonight, especially of wine, should just set the mood.” Her eyes caressed his body for a moment and he blushed. She smiled and patted his hand on the table.

  “Relax, Sean. Dinner and a little gambling should be fun.”

  He nodded and smiled back at her. Beth began to talk to him about his son, drawing out stories of Mike. Sean lost himself in recounting adventures and successes, paying little attention to the excellent food that Beth selected.

  Beth told a few stories of her own childhood, lingering on her nieces and nephews’ escapades. He laughed out loud over a tale of her nephew’s misadventures at a Japanese kindergarten and answered with a story of his own time at West Point.

  Finally Beth ran her fingers over his hand gently.

  “Do you know how to shoot craps?” she asked. He nodded.

  “Then let’s go. You can show me how it’s done.” She rose to leave. The waiter bid them farewell, including a wish that they would look him up when they came back. Sean suspected that Beth had left a tip large enough to attract attention, even in this jaded town.

  The casino was more crowded this time as they walked slowly through it, dodging other gamblers along the way. Beth attracted many envious stares as they went and Sean swelled with pride and possession. She led the way to a craps table in the middle of the high-stakes area.

  Sean’s eyes swept the room, managing not to stare at the intimate surroundings and exquisite décor. He stood for a few minutes, watching the action at the table. Matters were fairly quiet, as the players spent more time joking with the dealer than rolling the dice.

  “Have you ever played craps before, Beth?”

  “Once with my brother Jason, years ago. Neither of us knew what we were doing.” She glanced over her shoulder and nodded to Paul Graziano, who’d come up beside her. His blue suit was just as immaculate as last night’s gray. “Hello, Paul.”

  “Your usual stake, Ms. Nakamura. Is that enough?”

  “Yes, that’ll do for a start.” Sh
e passed the chips over to Sean and signed the receipt quickly. He looked the chips over casually, then froze when he read the denomination. A thousand dollars per chip? He started to hand them back when she straightened up but she refused them.

  “Use these to start with, Sean.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he responded, recognizing an order however soft-spoken. He could follow her commands in this. He might not know how to read a fancy menu but he’d played craps more than once. He sent up a quick prayer that Lady Luck ride his shoulder tonight, as long as his dangerous lady was on his arm.

  He began to bet on the action as Beth moved close to him. His pile of chips grew quickly and he took over the dice when the current shooter bowed out of the game.

  Beth slid closer to him, near enough that he could smell her exotic perfume even in the crowd. He began to sweat but kept rolling the dice and winning, even while acutely aware of Beth’s warmth and her bare back. He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her even closer, and grinned down at her.

  “You’re bringing me luck, lady!” Sean exulted and she laughed with him, her eyes dancing with excitement. A tremor slid through him, echoing her obvious delight in his actions.

  The crowd kept building around them and Beth’s dress rubbed against him, her body plastered to his. Sean managed to pay enough attention to the game that his bets made sense to the dealer, even while his head spun with her nearness. Her hand rested in the small of his back, lightly caressing him while she cheered him on.

  Other people shouted and laughed around them, cheering and cursing the dice. Sean was only conscious of her and the dice as they rattled across the table.

  Finally the pile of chips was a mountain in front of her and his cock was threatening to come out of that silk thong. Sean leaned down to Beth and kissed her on the cheek.

  “Let’s go, lady. It’s time to play another game,” he pleaded.

  She kissed his mouth hard and fast, then drew back smiling.

  “Okay, Sean, let’s find something else,” she agreed.

  He gathered up the chips and they moved away from the table, leaving a trail of laughter and envious comments behind.

  Sean offered the chips to Beth but she shook her head, rejecting them. She scanned the room quickly and Paul Graziano appeared next to her.

  “You might enjoy the far table, Ms. Nakamura. The Chinese gentleman there is an excellent baccarat player,” he suggested quietly.

  “Thank you, Paul.” Beth slid into the only available chair at that table and Sean took up position behind her. Paul Graziano produced more chips for her, before disappearing into the crowd.

  The play began within moments and Beth focused strictly on the game. Sean watched her, admiring her coolness and command of herself. His arousal ebbed, replaced by pride in her ability to beat the other players at the game. Chips accumulated in front of her, always neatly stacked by her elegant fingers.

  Finally there was only the Chinese gentleman playing against her, the table surrounded by a circle of quiet whispers. Sean tried very hard not to see the chips’ denominations. The watchers’ demeanor was more than enough to convince him that a large sum of money was at stake.

  The final hand was dealt and the Chinese gentleman bowed in defeat. Beth bowed deeply in return. Both players rose from the table and Beth turned to Sean.

  “Did you enjoy watching, Sean?”

  “Yes, ma’am. It looked a bit like James Bond at the end though.” Beth smiled at his reference to the most famous baccarat player on film and kissed his cheek.

  “Let’s go then,” she smiled. “Paul, will you cash our chips in please?”

  Paul took the proffered chips with a murmur of congratulations, which Beth acknowledged. She took Sean’s arm and wandered towards the main casino area, glancing at other gamblers as she went. Sean resolved not to learn how much money had been at stake.

  Paul caught up with them as they idly watched a roulette game and discreetly passed a stack of bills to Beth, which she promptly buried in her purse. Another stack went quietly to Sean. He glanced at Beth and she nodded approval. He slid the bills into his pocket, resolving to give them to her later. A cordial goodbye followed and they strolled once again through the casino.

  Beth stopped at the elevators and turned to face Sean.

  “Sean, I need a copy of the Financial Times, an English newspaper. Bring it up to the suite in thirty minutes, won’t you?” It was an order, not a request, although her voice was very unruffled.

  “I’ll bring it to you in thirty minutes, ma’am,” Sean answered, wondering where he would find an English newspaper on a Saturday night.

  Beth patted his cheek. “Empty yourself before returning, Sean. Can’t have any distractions,” she murmured and entered an open elevator.

  Sean stared at the closing doors and swallowed hard. Then he started hunting for the newspaper.

  Sean got off the elevator twenty-seven minutes after leaving Beth, newspaper in hand. He walked down the hallway and checked his watch, catching a whiff of that scent from his cuff. Adam’s bracelet rubbed his arm under the fine cotton. For a moment, he saw Adam’s eyes as they had been on that last night. “Do it for both of us!”

  He snapped off a salute in response, promising silently, “For both of us.”

  He knocked briefly on the door, precisely thirty minutes after leaving her. and went in at her assent. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw what awaited him.

  The suite was now lit entirely by a few candles, with curtains drawn against the neon lights beyond. A blaze of light came from a room on the far side, past a door that had always been closed before. Exotic music spilled out, evoking ancient passions with drums and a woman’s voice. Indian music, perhaps. The aphrodisiacs’ now familiar scent caressed him.

  Beth watched him from the distant room, surrounded by light. Scarlet silk caressed her body like a lover, leaving one shoulder bare and showing a gleam of ivory leg. Her hair was twisted at the back of her head and secured by gold combs. More gold hung from her neck and wrists, delicate chains with hanging jade charms.

  Sean’s breath caught in his throat with a rasp.

  “I am a priestess of the goddess Ishtar,” Beth announced calmly. “I embody the goddess on earth at this moment. You are a warrior who has done well in the past. Now you must leave the mundane world behind, with its petty quarrels and dangers. Here you will be tested for your suitability to celebrate life with the goddess.”

  Sean nodded, overwhelmed by the appearance of his fantasy. The Twentieth Century disappeared and he became entirely a servant of the goddess, trusting the priestess to lead the way to fulfillment. The paper dropped unheeded to the floor.

  “You will call me ma’am at all times. I will call you ranger.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Strip to the skin, ranger, and place your clothes neatly on the coffee table.”

  Sean obeyed promptly and then waited for the next order. All his blood seemed to be flowing to his crotch.

  “You may approach me now, ranger.”

  Sean marched into the far room, careful to maintain a steady pace and keep his eyes in front. Old skills awoke and he observed as much as he could of his surroundings.

  It had been a bedroom once but was now an exotic nest. Incense and red and white candles blazed, all casting the odors of musk and exotic flowers into the air together with their light. Red and white roses spilled across the bed and every other surface.

  A dagger almost as long as his forearm lay, cradled in blood-red roses, on the table next to her. Candlelight danced along its slender, rippling blade and emphasized the cruel edge. Was it there for appearance? What if she used it to taste his blood?

  Heat pooled in his groin at the thought.

  “You are a warrior and must have a care for yourself, ranger, that you may serve the goddess again in the future.”

  Sean concentrated hard. What was she leading up to?

  “If anything occurs to sound an alarm, then
you must speak immediately, ranger. When you say the word “alarm,” then I will stop your test and consider how best to proceed.”

  Safeword?

  “Do you understand me, ranger?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He saw no chance of opting out, not with Beth. She was too skilled and considerate for him to worry about harm.

  “Listen up, ranger!” she snapped and he came fully alert to meet her admonition. “You have a duty to the goddess to speak if there is any chance of physical or emotional damage. A good warrior always warns of a threat. Stay silent and you will have failed. Do you understand me, ranger?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he responded contritely.

  “Now tell me how you will sound an alert, ranger.”

  “Alarm, ma’am.”

  “Very good.” Beth pointed a finger at the floor in front of her. Sean promptly knelt at her feet, bowing his head to the ground, thankful that his years of martial arts training made this movement easy.

  “Sit up, ranger, so that you may be attired suitably to serve.”

  He sat back on his heels but kept his eyes straight ahead, reflecting the attitude learned in the Army.

  Beth held up a scarf for him to see and nodded approval, when recognition lit his eyes. It was the scarf that she had worn into the bookstore and that had pleasured them both. She wrapped it around his neck then tied it carefully in front with the knot against his Adam’s apple. The soft silk caressed his throat from chin to collarbone, with the golden ends brushing his chest.

  Then she tied a red and gold scarf around each of his upper arms. They hung down, stroking his arms while the delicate tips danced against his wrists.

  “Now kneel down with your hips up in the air. Keep your knees spread.”

  Beth walked slowly around Sean and then knelt down behind him. She caressed him slowly, stroking his legs. Her touch traveled to the inside of his thighs. He choked back a gasp at a particularly intense sensation.

  “Do not keep the sounds of your pleasure from the goddess, ranger,” Beth snapped.

  “Yes, ma’am,” Sean answered, then sighed when her fingers stroked him again. He knelt in a trance of utter pleasure as her hand explored him, gliding forward to tickle his balls from underneath.