Passion Flower: 1 Read online

  “That seems kind of menial. Sort of dampens the atmosphere, don’t you think?”

  “I’d be willing to help out with the cleaning, Master Thomas,” said Rhonda.

  Screw that, Natalie thought. Men offering to do housework was not to be refused. Although it did make her wonder about how clean the bathrooms were going to be. She’d seen men do housework before.

  “Thank you, Rhonda, but that won’t be needed. You’ll barely be aware it’s happening, Amber,” said Thomas. “And you really need to be better about your manners, because Kyle is mentally adding to your punishment with every sentence.”

  Kyle walked toward Amber and then circled her. Natalie watched with fascination.

  “Take your clothes off, Amber,” said Kyle suddenly. He had a thick Australian accent that was like Rhonda’s and not like hers all at the same time. With his deeper voice, it was altogether sexy, but that just made him more dangerous. Natalie’s instincts told her to stay far, far away from Kyle.

  “Excuse me, Sir?” asked Amber

  “Take them off or I’ll cut them off you,” Kyle said.

  Amber hesitated and then stood up. Don’t mind me, thought Natalie. I’ll be making myself as inconspicuous as I can. She watched as Amber took her suit jacket off, then bent to inspect the table as if checking to make sure it was clean enough before putting her jacket on it. Then she unfastened the pearl buttons of her blouse, one at a time. She wore a lacy cream bra.

  “Shouldn’t they be naked too?” asked Amber, hesitating on the last button.

  Kyle shook his head. “No. Only you.”

  Natalie was very glad she wasn’t in Amber’s position. But what would happen when they found out she wasn’t a real submissive? Yes, she had some fantasies, and those had helped her as she filled out the forms, although she couldn’t remember half of what she’d put down. But she was bound to slip up.

  Amber pouted but continued to undress. Soon her blouse and her skirt had joined the jacket. And then she stopped, again.

  Kyle moved behind her. A moment later Amber shrieked. Kyle tossed her bra onto the pile and her panties, sliced in two places, fell to the floor. Definitely not a natural blonde. It was a good thing it wasn’t cold. Natalie wondered whether that would have stopped Kyle or if Amber would be as naked in worse weather, although she knew it probably didn’t get very cold on a tropical island like Fleury.

  Kyle snicked his utility knife shut. “Sorry about the interruption, Thomas. I decided my sub would find it easier to show respect if she had less armor on.”

  Thomas nodded. “Good call. Nice looking sub too.” He grinned. “Well then, let’s take you ladies to your rooms.”

  “Amber will be there after her punishment, and after she’s thanked me properly for it,” said Kyle. “You ladies can watch out your windows, if you like.”

  “Can’t we do that in private?” asked Amber, and then clamped her lips tightly as Kyle shot her a look.

  Thomas opened the door and gestured Rhonda and Natalie through. Natalie didn’t think she’d be looking out her window. Even if she wasn’t horribly fond of Amber, she didn’t want to see the woman humiliated. And maybe they’d gotten off on the wrong foot. Everyone had been nervous on the plane, and some people had different ways of showing that than others.

  The room she entered, which she supposed was the living room, was huge. There was a big television on one end, a fireplace on the other. There were two big sofas, one leather and one softer and plusher, and a couple of comfy chairs. Four more chairs were situated around a card table in one corner. A stack of red velvet cushions drew her eye.

  She realized she had stopped to gawk when she noticed Rhonda and Thomas up ahead, waiting for her at the base of stairs that led up to the second floor. She hurried to catch up, wondering if being slow would be punished as an infraction of some unwritten rule, but Thomas nodded to her. Somewhat coldly, she thought, but unconcerned. Well, fine. The less emotional attachment, the better. She hoped to enjoy some of the kinky happenings on the island but really it was just a means to an end. If all else failed, she’d lie back and think of orchids.

  She didn’t think she’d have that problem with Thomas, anyway. He was, at the very least, good eye candy. If men could enjoy boffing a pretty girl for the sheer physicality of it, she thought she should be able to enjoy a romp with a handsome man without emotions having to get involved. Maybe.

  The hall upstairs was long and wide, and at the end was a big window through which she could see the ocean.

  Thomas let her into her room first. “Have fun,” she said to Rhonda. She wasn’t sure she meant it. She liked the redheaded Aussie, but she felt a twinge of jealousy to think of her with that pilot.

  “You too,” Rhonda said, grinning and winking.

  “We’ll see you for dinner downstairs no later than six, but feel free to come down earlier,” said Thomas. “I’ll begin your training after dinner.”

  Training. Now that sounded ominous. Natalie nodded. “Thank you.” As an afterthought she added, “Sir.”

  “There’s a safe by the bed where you can keep your passport, keys and wallet and anything else you thought was necessary to bring. You’re not to carry any of that with you. The combination is set to your birthdate; we can reset it if you’ve shared that with any of the other guests.”

  “I didn’t.”

  “Good then.”

  Natalie looked around the room. It was lovely and surprisingly feminine. She supposed she’d been expecting something in black leather, but it was decorated in soft blues and the bed had a lace-fringed bedspread and a canopy. She stepped in and Thomas closed the door behind her. There was an oblong box on the bed, less than a foot wide and a little more than a foot long, with a bow on top. Her clothes for dinner, she supposed. She decided to put off looking at that and took in the old maple wardrobe and matching chest of drawers. It felt strange not having anything to unpack. There was an open door that led to a bathroom and she ventured in. Despite her earlier misgivings, it was pristine. The towels were big, soft and fluffy. Toothpaste and a new toothbrush, still in the package, were laid out for her, as well as scented soap and salon-quality shampoo and conditioner.

  She went back to the bedroom and put her stuff in the safe. She’d added a tiny flashlight and miniature utility knife in case they came in handy. It was dark with the windows covered in navy-blue curtains. Rather than turn on the light, she pulled one back to let some sunlight in. Light streamed into the room. She heard something snap below. She looked down and saw Amber bent over one of the tables. Kyle had one hand on the back of her head, holding her down, and was using the other to spank her.

  She turned away, focusing on tying the curtain back so that it would stay. Part of her was deeply embarrassed for Amber. But what bothered her more was that it stirred a yearning deep inside. She’d been spanked before, somewhat halfheartedly, by a boyfriend she’d convinced to try a little kinky stuff. But it hadn’t been very interesting. Kyle, on the other hand, clearly enjoyed what he was doing. To be spanked like that—and not to have to plead for it to happen—that seemed rather delicious. If she’d had Amber’s body she might not even mind being naked.

  She went to the chest of drawers and opened one at random. A froth of lace and silk confronted her, which she slowly resolved. It was filled with lingerie, actually quite neatly arranged despite her initial perception of disorder. She picked up one of the bras and checked the label. Her size, and the silk was as smooth as could be. The garter belt and the corselette were both her size as well. She wouldn’t be lacking for frilly underwear. No wonder she wasn’t supposed to bring luggage. Panties, presumably, were in another drawer. She opened the next drawer and her eyes widened. It was full of sex toys. Vibrators, dildoes, butt plugs, some Velcro cuffs, a blindfold, a gag and more. She shut the drawer. Good god, but they were well stocked.

  She decided to check out the wardrobe. It was filled with dresses. A few were sheer and long. The rest were far shorter than
anything she usually wore, but then, she didn’t expect to be very covered. Yet another sacrifice for science. She bet Rhonda and Amber would look very good in things like that. She, on the other hand, would be showing off the bruise on her shin.

  All of which made her wonder about the package on the middle of the bed and she went to look.

  * * * * *

  Carter chuckled and shut the suitcase. He’d gone back to the plane to see what was in it and it took him a few minutes to pick the lock. There was nothing in it but some old clothes. Kyle was going to have his hands full with Amber, but it was probably better that she’d been testing him than that she’d actually tried to bring something important with her.

  He supposed he was procrastinating. Amber was far too confrontational for his liking, but from the forms they filled out Natalie and Rhonda were perfect subs. He was beginning to conclude that the whole setup of Submission Island really wasn’t for him, although he’d been an eager participant at first. He enjoyed a woman who gave him a little pushback, and someone for whom everything was new. Of the two, Natalie was clearly the less experienced, and the fact that she had an advanced degree in the sciences made it likely she’d be an intelligent conversationalist, but he’d played rock-paper-scissors for her with Tom and he’d lost. It hadn’t bothered him at the time.

  Rhonda was a looker from the picture, and that turned out to be true in real life as well. Both women, as far as he could tell from what they’d written, were eager to please. Maybe that was the problem. There wasn’t any seduction with a woman who already wanted to do anything and everything.

  It wasn’t until he’d caught Natalie coming off the boat that he’d cared much one way or the other. He couldn’t put a finger on what it was, exactly. It certainly wasn’t grace or agility. Unlike Amber’s act with the suitcase, the fall hadn’t been pretense, he was sure. Maybe it was the moment before, when she was considering whether to toss him the suitcase, a gleam of mischief in her eye. Most of the women who came to Submission Island were either like Amber, full of entitlement because they’d paid big money to come, or like Rhonda, eager to please. But Natalie he couldn’t quite read.

  From the plane he’d had a good view of the mansion, his pilot’s vision making out details that would probably be too far away for most. Rhonda had watched almost the whole scene between Kyle and Amber, not even turning away when Kyle had the blonde suck him off on the porch. Humiliation, that was what Amber had said she wanted. Every decision made for her. Kyle was perfect, as long as she didn’t mind a heavy dose of corporal punishment along with that, and she’d consented to being spanked, flogged and caned in her form. He didn’t know whether Rhonda wanted what Amber was getting or whether she was a voyeur, but it had been a hard scene to turn away from, even for him.

  Natalie had watched for about three seconds and turned away. Why? Well, she was Tom’s concern. His job was Rhonda, who seemed like a nice girl and who had paid good money to get the best D/s experience he could provide. He wasn’t going to let her go unsatisfied. He shoved the suitcase back in the overhead storage and hopped back down to the dock. He shut the door of the plane behind him and headed back to the mansion.

  Chapter Two

  Natalie walked downstairs quietly, wearing a too-short black dress with a neckline that dipped way too low in front for her to wear a bra. That and heels had been all that was in the box. It could be worse, she supposed.

  There was a window in the living room that opened up on the other side of the island, and she hoped to at least get a good look at the jungle beyond. Spotting her orchid—she had started thinking of it as hers the moment she’d applied for the grant—was unlikely, and she wasn’t sure she’d even recognize it while there was still light out. Of course, she’d had to use some creative wording to describe how the grant money was going to be spent in the cause of science. “Trip to kinky resort” just wouldn’t fly as a line item.

  Carter was at the foot of the stairs and had obviously been planning to ascend. He stopped when he saw her, his gaze sweeping her from head to toe. She wasn’t used to that much male attention and, to her surprise, she found she kind of liked it. She tugged at the hem of the dress and kept moving, suspecting he could see her panties from the angle he was at initially.

  He stepped aside to let her pass. She wanted to come up with an excuse to stop and enjoy his gaze but she couldn’t think of anything until he spoke. “A word, Natalie.”

  “Huh? Me?” She knew it was a lame remark. She was acting like a schoolgirl with a crush, wanting to pose for her would-be beau. And worse, he was assigned to Rhonda, not her.

  “Yes. You’re the only Natalie here, I believe. I rather doubt striped cotton panties were in the box that was on your bed, so I’m going to suggest you get them off before Master Thomas decides they need to be removed very publicly.”

  She blushed. So he could see. That only made her want to keep them on more. “But the dress is too short!”

  “It’s just right for you. You have lovely legs.” Carter shrugged. “Well, suit yourself, I’ve warned you. Perhaps you want that sort of treatment, but I don’t believe it was on your form.” Carter turned and went up the stairs, leaving her to look at him and his tight ass. She kept watching until he disappeared.

  The form again. There had been hundreds of questions, which she had to rank from one to five, with one being “Never” and five being “Please!” She’d been afraid every “one” she entered would decrease her chances of getting on the island, but there had been a lot of twos—“Not desired unless required”. She didn’t remember anything as specific as having her panties taken off in public, and she probably would have put a two down anyway, but right now it felt decidedly a one. Dammit.

  She could run back upstairs to change, but there wasn’t anyone in the living room and she didn’t know how long she’d have to look outside before someone took an interest in what she was doing. She didn’t want to be too obvious, after all. Although it was green and lush out there. Surely it was normal to want to see? She hooked her fingers into her waistband before her nerves failed her, pulled her panties down and put them behind the stereo. Hopefully she could retrieve them surreptitiously later.

  She pulled back the curtain and looked outside. There were flowers aplenty, in pinks and blues and purples at the edge of the clearing, and a trail that went into the jungle. It all looked normal enough, as normal as an isolated ecology on a small tropical island was likely to be. And it was beautiful. She couldn’t wait to walk down that trail. There was a door leading to a swimming pool on that side as well, and if she slipped out and walked around the pool she’d be in among the wild growth. Why they put a pool in with the whole ocean around them was beyond her, although she supposed it might be safer for inexperienced swimmers, or ones distracted by sexual tension.

  She could smell food—steak and vegetables of some sort. Carter wasn’t the cook, so that left Kyle or Thomas. She hadn’t realized she was hungry before. If Kyle was still on the porch with Amber, the men were all accounted for. So tempting.

  The beachside sliding door opened and Kyle and Amber walked in. Kyle had a fistful of Amber’s hair, which seemed to have rendered the blonde docile for the moment. The haughty woman of the airplane was gone, replaced by a considerably more disheveled facsimile.

  Natalie decided she’d made the right move to take off her panties. She definitely wanted to obey the rules and stay out of trouble.

  Kyle smacked Amber on the butt. Amber yelped.

  “Go upstairs and fix your makeup. Brush your teeth, if you like,” Kyle directed. “But you can ignore the box on your bed. No clothes for you until I say so.”

  Natalie expected an argument, but “Yes Sir,” was all Amber said. She ran upstairs. Her ass was bright pink.

  She wondered if Kyle was going to give her the once-over like Carter had but he barely glanced at her. Instead he walked to the television and flicked it on. On the screen a ball bounced off the ground and toward a man with
giant shin guards swinging a flat wooden bat.

  I’m less interesting than cricket. Got it. That’s pretty low on the totem pole, but let’s keep it that way. Now she had to make two other men uninterested in her so that they’d let her explore in peace. Surely it couldn’t be too hard to be boring?

  She looked back out the window at the lush green beyond. Just because there weren’t likely to be any major predators didn’t mean there might not be dangerous snakes or spiders. Australia, miles to the south and west, was full of them, and evolutionary logic didn’t always seem to apply. There were things in Australia that had fifty times the poison they needed to kill any prey, and why they’d developed such a high level of toxicity was still a mystery to biologists. She needed to know more about what was out there, without seeming too curious, before venturing off on her own. Maybe she could play the frail femme and pretend to be horribly scared of things that creeped and crawled. Men bought that every time but she’d never thought fondly of women who played that up to get attention. No, she’d just ask straight out.

  “Kyle?”

  Kyle grunted without turning around. “That’s Master Kyle to you.”

  She rolled her eyes and realized she’d have to hold that in check. It was a good thing Kyle wasn’t looking at her. “Sorry, Master Kyle. What’s in the woods?”

  “Trees.”

  Lovely. “I mean, animals and stuff. Anything dangerous?”

  “Yes! Six!”

  “Excuse me?”

  Kyle turned to her, looking annoyed. “Nothing big. We’ve got some spiders that’ll lay you low, but they won’t kill you. I imagine Tom will take you down the trail, or maybe he’ll have Carter do it, and they can handle anything. We’ll keep you safe.” He smiled, and it wasn’t a pretty sight. “The most dangerous thing here is us.”

  Yay. That didn’t sound too comforting, but it was good there wasn’t anything fatal.