Rite of Passage

Nathan opened the door and, with his hand on her elbow, guided her into the room.

Valerie froze, two steps shy of the doorway, and her eyes widened.

At first glance it looked just like a regular club. A bar along the near wall. Customers sitting on stools in front of it. A dance floor in the middle of the room, filled with couples grinding to the beat of the music. Booths were located along the far wall, some occupied, others empty. A DJ sat on an elevation in the left corner. The place was dark and smoky, and smelled of alcohol, cigars and something vaguely familiar that Valerie couldn't place. Strobe lights pierced the darkness in time to the beat and illuminated the patrons.

The males appeared rich and influential. Dressed in designer clothes and Gucci loafers, they exuded power and authority. Valerie realized the cars outside belonged to them. They weren't what had her frozen in her tracks, though.

Nearby, in the corner, a man leaned with his back against the wall. In one hand he held a glass with a golden liquid that resembled whiskey. His other hand was wrapped tight in the strawberry-blonde hair of the woman in front of him. She rested on her knees, her face pressed against his crotch. Blushing, Valerie averted her eyes.

A beautiful dark-haired girl in a white dress on a stool in front of the bar caught her eye. A gray-haired gentleman stood behind her, keeping her arms up over her head, her wrists gathered in one of his hands. His other hand was caressing her face. Another man had his nose buried in her breasts and his hands hidden beneath her skirt. Her legs were spread, her eyes were closed and although she couldn't hear her over the music, Valerie was convinced the girl was moaning in the throes of passion. "They are-" she gulped at Nathan, her eyes as round as saucers, when yet something else caught her attention and cut her short.

Across the dance floor, in one of the booths, another well-dressed gentleman perched on the edge of the velvet-clad seat. A woman lay facedown across his lap, her pale, naked buttocks reflecting the light of the colored lamps. His hand kept coming down onto her bare skin and Valerie could imagine she heard the sounds of the slaps over the beat. Nathan's remarks during dinner about wanting to spank the actress took on a whole new meaning.

Valerie drew in a shuddering breath, not having realized she had been holding it until now. Her heart thudded in her throat and panic pumped adrenaline in her veins. She turned on her heels to flee this place of horrors and bumped into Nathan whose strong arms around her waist steadied her. "Let me go," she sobbed, struggling against his hold. He didn't relent.

"You promised me one hour," he grunted in her ear. She stopped struggling. That was true. He had asked her to keep an open mind, for one hour. But this... this...

Nathan placed a finger beneath her chin and lifted her face so he could look down on her. "Valerie, trust me," he said, his voice gentle again. "Give me a chance to explain."

Understanding began to dawn on her. Nathan had been so pleased when she had agreed to his little game of tying her up. And he was clearly a regular visitor to this club. Valerie wasn't sure if she were the woman for him if he sought what she thought he did. But she had promised to give him an hour. She had never backed down from a promise before.

"One hour." She glared at him. "And then you'll take me home."

He gave a nod. "If that's what you want."

Nathan led her to the bar and motioned at one of the stools. Valerie was about to climb up when someone brushed past her. "'Scuse us," a male voice muttered. She turned around and her jaw fell. An auburn haired woman passed her. She was being led on a leash attached to a leather collar around her neck. Through slits in the front of her dress -if one could call it a dress- her breasts squeezed out and bobbed as she walked by. Small rings pierced her nipples and sparkled beneath the strobe lights.

Nathan chuckled at Valerie's obvious dismay and she gave him an accusing look. "Don't worry, sweetheart" he said, leaning to her so his breath caressed her cheek. "She's enjoying herself as much as he is. Everyone is." Valerie's stare followed the leashed woman across the room, embarrassed by what she saw and at the same time incapable of tearing her eyes away. "Believe me, everyone came here of their own free will."

Valerie studied him for a while, then nodded. "Okay, I'll accept that," she admitted. "Why did you bring me here?"

He didn't reply right away. Instead, he sought eye contact with the bartender and ordered them drinks. "I'll have a whiskey on the rocks, and the lady here will have an orange juice." Valerie's head snapped up. He knew she liked to drink white wine when they were out. Nathan turned back at her and answered her unasked question first. "I want you sober," he said. "I want you to be fully aware of what you see, of what you feel. I don't want you to make a choice with a brain dulled by alcohol." He paused, took a sip of his drink, then answered her earlier question.

"Why did I bring you here? As I said, you're very special. I like to spend time with you. I like that a lot. And I like control. I like... games." He gave a vague wave to take in the whole room.

"I don't," Valerie spluttered.

"Really?" Nathan cocked an eyebrow at her. "I believe you do. I believe you enjoy relinquishing control. You enjoyed me tying you up in my bedroom, didn't you? And you enjoy me taking charge when we make love. You allowed me to decide what you had for dinner, earlier tonight. You even let me determine which dress you'd be wearing tonight."

"Yes, but that was-"

"Different? How? Valerie, the people you see here, they care for each other. They have a mutual agreement. Do you think these girls are creatures without a will of their own, that they are being abused for others' pleasures?"

Valerie nodded. "Yes." It was certainly what it looked like.

Nathan gave a tired laugh. "You're wrong. These girls are as much in control of their fates as any girl is. Do you have any idea how much power a woman holds when she bends her will to a man's wishes?"

Valerie shook no. She had never thought much about it. She protested, "But... that one girl... the guy was spánking her."

"Because she let him," Nathan said. "And liked it."

"What if somebody gets hurt?" Valerie asked stubbornly.

Nathan shook his head. "Won't happen. Everyone will have agreed to a safe word. You know what a safe word is?" Valerie gave another shake and sipped from her orange juice.

Nathan explained. "Nothing happens against the...subject's will. If someone tries to go beyond a girl's boundaries, she will say her safe word. All games seize at once. This is not about pain or power or humiliation, Valerie. It's about fun and games and love. It's exciting."

His blue eyes studied her through his lashes, over his drink. Valerie stared back, then averted her eyes and scanned the room once again. His words made sense, what she saw proved him right. Nobody looked frightened, or resentful, or alarmed. She recalled the woman on the barstool that she had watched when they came in, the way her eyes were rolled back in her head and how she was thoroughly enjoying the attention both men lavished on her. And over there, in the booth, the girl that had been spanked was resting in the lap of her tormentor, curled up against his chest and looking quite content with a dreamy smile around her lips. As Valerie stared, the girl looked up and met her eyes. She gave a proud grin and Valerie blushed, looking away.

The blush wasn't lost on Nathan. He trailed his fingers across her bare arm and was rewarded with goose bumps springing up where he touched her. His hand traveled up her arm and came to rest in her neck where it started toying with the baby down that grew at the edge of her hairline. Valerie shivered. It was one of her sensitive spots, something Nathan had discovered on their second date.

"See?" he said, inching his stool closer to hers. She could smell the alcohol on his breath. "Does she look like a girl who was just abused?"

"No," Valerie replied in a whisper. "She looks... happy."

"Tell me," Nathan continued in a low voice. "Did you enjoy it when I tied you up?"

"Yes," Valerie breathed. Nathan's hand kept playing with the hair in her neck, tugging gently and twirling the strands around his fingers. His other hand had worked its way between their bodies and was crawling up her thigh, the thumb drawing circles on her flesh. Involuntarily, Valerie shifted and her knees parted of their own volition, offering him easier access. She swallowed at the sensations his touch caused to run through her.

"What did you like about it?" Nathan asked.

Valerie tried to remember, wanted to put her feelings into words but his hand between her legs distracted her. He had reached the edge of the satin panties; his thumb grazed across the smooth material, the sensations transported by the thin fabric to the nerve endings in her skin. One of his fingers slipped beneath the edge of the panties and brushed through the curly hair that covered her mound.

"Uhnnn," Valerie moaned. Breathing had become hard, let alone speaking. "I liked. To be helpless. In your power," she uttered in small bursts. His fingers had forced the satin aside and were caressing her pussy lips. Something tightened deep in her lower belly and she shifted again on the stool. She was hot, and tad dizzy. Nathan brought his face closer to hers and nibbled on her earlobe.

"Like now?" he asked, his voice a mere whiff of air in her ear. A finger slipped inside her moist opening, followed by a second. His thumb rubbed her clitoris.

"Yesss," Valerie hissed. She should care that they were in a public place, that people might be watching. But she didn't. All she cared about were those strong fingers buried deep inside her, the warm lips on her temple, and the sensation of utter helplessness at his touch. She was so close to the edge. All it would take was a few good strokes and she would-

"Good girl," Nathan said. He removed his hand and sat up straight. Tears of disappointment burned behind Valerie's eyes. "Here." He offered her his fingers, slick with her juices. Valerie's eyes grew round and she stared at Nathan. She gulped; she had never... He gave her an encouraging nod and much to her own surprise she opened her mouth and sucked in his fingers. The taste of her juices was salty on her tongue, but not unpleasant. She licked his fingers clean. When she let go, he kissed her. His tongue probed, demanding access and she gladly obeyed, parting her lips so he could explore the warm cavern of her mouth. The ache that had been left in her abdomen returned with full force and her clitoris throbbed with unfulfilled desire.

Nathan pulled away. "Your hour is up," he announced. "Shall we go?"

Surprised, Valerie took his wrist to glance at his watch. Nathan was right, they had been inside this place for an hour. An hour and five minutes, even. Time had flown by. She snuck another glance around the room. The woman that had brushed against her earlier, the one with the collar, was dancing with her partner. Her breasts jiggled to the beat of the music, the rings sparkled and she ground her hips against the man before her, until he looked all hot and bothered.

Valerie hesitated. She knew she could walk away without consequences. Nathan would keep his promise; he'd never mention this place again. He would probably still want to go out with her too. However, Valerie knew she would never get to know the true man, the real Nathan, if she walked out now. Besides, the experiences of this night, the things she had seen, had awakened something in her. Something she never knew was there. A passion, a desire, a need to give herself to this man that was waiting for her decision: she wanted to belong to him.

Before she could change her mind, Valerie shook her head. "No. I think I like to stay for a bit longer."

Nathan managed to look smug and relieved at the same time. "I knew you would like it," he grinned. Inwardly, Valerie smiled. Perhaps he had been right, about a woman's power. Affection surged through her at the thought that she had put that grin on his face, when she made the decision to stay.

He pulled her close, kissed her again and hugged her tight. So tight, in fact, that she could feel the bulge that strained against his pants. Valerie realized that Nathan was as aroused by her consent to stay as she had been when he brought her off right here on this stool. Well, almost brought her off, she thought with a sigh of disappointment as she returned his hug.

"Let's dance," Nathan said. Without waiting for a reply, he pulled her with him toward the dance floor. An uptempo song was playing, something from the eighties, Valerie thought. She could sing along with the words yet couldn't recall either artist or title of the song. It didn't matter. Nathan was a good dancer and she felt as if they floated across the dance floor when he led her into the most intricate patterns. The room faded into a blur of color and all she could see sharply was the face of the man in whose arms she rested. She was out of breath when the song finally ended and laughed as Nathan let her go. She tried to catch her breath.

The DJ put on a slow song and Nathan raised his eyebrow. Oh yes, she wanted to dance some more. At least this song would give her a chance to get her breath back. Valerie returned to Nathan's arms and rested her cheek against his chest as they swayed to the music. Around them other couples did the same. Valerie didn't see them. She was only aware of the warm hands on her lower back, his breath tickling the hair on her scalp and the regular beat of his heart beneath her ear.

"Valerie? Take off your panties." The words were soft in her ear and at first she was convinced she had misheard them.

"What?"

"You heard me," Nathan said. "Your panties. I want you to take them off."

"What?" Valerie repeated again, stupidly. "Here? Now?" She glanced around, for the first time seeing the densely packed floor and the people watching the dancers from the booths and bar stools. "People will see..." She drew back so she could look up into his face.

"I know," Nathan said. A smile played around his lips but the look in his eyes bespoke the danger she was in. Valerie swallowed, beginning to understand what her decision to stay would mean, to her, to their life together.

"I-" Valerie began. Another couple glided past them; the woman's dress was hoisted over her hips and she was naked beneath it. The man's hands dug into her buttocks. Valerie looked away, searched for an escape and, finding none, looked back up at Nathan. His expression was unreadable. Valerie gulped. "Okay," she whispered, a crimson blush appearing on her cheeks at the thought of what she was about to do.

And how the hell did one take off one's panties while slow-dancing on a packed floor? Nathan began to lift her dress. "It'll be easy," he said. "Don't worry about anyone else." Valerie gulped again, her throat suddenly turned to parchment, and a slight nausea began to build in her stomach. What had she gotten herself into?

However, at the same time a familiar tingle began to manifest itself in her lower belly, where her legs joined her body. Her clitoris, denied satisfaction earlier, began to throb painfully at the mere thought of what Nathan requested of her. She felt fresh moisture begin to form in her folds and it horrified her. What if she took off the panties? Nothing would keep the moisture from trickling down her legs or seeping through the fabric of her dress.

As if he could read her thoughts, Nathan pushed her away a little and sternly looked down upon her face. "Valerie. I want you to do what I said." He had lifted her dress almost to her hips and if he pulled it up even higher, Valerie knew, the peach colored satin would be in full view of everyone that cared to look. She nodded her consent, reached down so she could slip her fingers beneath the hem of the dress, and hooked them under the edge of the panties. Here goes nothing, she thought, and pulled the material downward. It stuck briefly against her moist crotch, then let go.

When she came to the end of her reach, the panties were only halfway down her thighs and clinging to her skin. She looked back up at Nathan. He had allowed the dress to drop along with the panties and Valerie thought her actions so far might have been covered by it. Or so she hoped.

"You'll have to bend," Nathan informed her, almost cruelly. "Or lift your feet." Her cheeks glowed even redder when the blood rushed into them. She shook her head. "What?" he asked. "You want to walk around with your panties half-mast?" Valerie shook her head again. "Valerie, nobody cares about what you do. Except me." His voice had grown gentler as he became aware of the depth of her embarrassment.

She took a deep, shuddering breath, nodded, and bent over to slide the panties down the rest of her legs as quickly as she could. In her haste she got them tangled up with the high heels and only Nathan's quick action kept her from falling face forward onto the floor. That, she thought as she tried to regain her balance with his hands helping to steady her, would have been the epitome of shame.

"Easy does it," Nathan chuckled. He pulled her close to his chest and Valerie tried to calm her ragged breathing. She kept the panties balled up in her fist. Her head hung forward, her hair covering her face. When her breathing was more regular and her cheeks didn't burn quite so hot anymore, Nathan asked, "Hold them up to me." Her head snapped up. He couldn't be serious, could he? The look on his face told her he was as serious as hell. Her blush must have spread all over her body - it certainly felt that way: she was glowing from top to toe. Keeping her eyes trained on Nathan's chest, she held up her flimsy string for anyone to see. Nathan gave it a few seconds, nodded in satisfaction, accepted the panties and, to Valerie's utter relief, stuffed them into the pocket of his slacks. She had half expected him to display the garment in the breast pocket of his jacket.

Nathan smiled, a smile full of affection, and pulled her back into his embrace. She let him, feeling safe within the circle of those strong arms, hiding from the derision that no doubt waited outside them. But after several minutes her feelings began to change. Had she really just done what she had done? She, Valerie Grant, assistant in a small real estate office? Wow. A sense of elation came over her and she let out a breath. She lifted her eyes and searched Nathan's face. He smiled down at her.

"You've done great, Valerie," he whispered, his tone filled with fondness. "I know that was hard. I'm so proud of you!" Valerie felt herself swell at his praise. Nathan was proud of her. Hell, she was proud of herself! Never had she done anything so daring.

"Thank you," she muttered. He planted a kiss on the top of her head in reply.

When the song was over, Nathan guided her to one of the booths. His hand rested on her lower back and his fingers spread out across her buttocks. The warmth of his touch seeped through her dress and contrasted starkly with the rush of cooler air on her bare pussy as she walked. Both sensations made Valerie extremely aware of the fact that she was completely naked beneath the dress. The thought was arousing and her pussy began to glow with renewed heat. Her nipples perked up and strained against the dress. She hoped nobody would notice.

"I'll get us some new drinks," Nathan said as he guided her to sit in the booth. He gave no indication that he had noticed her aroused state. He walked to the bar and Valerie followed him with her eyes. She admired his strong back and well formed shoulders, barely hidden by the jacket. He was pleased with her, she could tell, and that thought made her happy. She wondered when and where this evening was going to end, when he was going to allow her the release her body craved so much. Being pantyless only increased the itch in her groin.