Out of Oblivion Read online

  "If you're not into BDSM how did your friend end up talking you into coming to a play party?" he asked.

  "She didn't exactly explain what the party was about. She told me it was a party, and she didn't want to go alone."

  Dominic went from being relaxed to hard and the expression seemed to age him a few years. I suddenly felt compelled to defend Alexis.

  "I'm glad though. Now that I know what's going on here, I don't think it would have been a good idea for her to come here alone."

  "That's understandable, but she should have been honest with you. We limit the people we invite here for a reason. My brother's career could be ruined if it became public knowledge he was into this lifestyle."

  I hadn't thought about that. It explained the rule about discretion though. "I won't say anything to anyone. I promise."

  Dominic expression softened. "I didn't think you would."

  My curiosity got the better me. "Why do people like doing that stuff?"

  "Why do some people like roller coasters and others don't?" He shrugged. "Everyone is wired differently."

  "So it's like an adrenaline rush kind of thing?"

  "For some, I suppose."

  "But not for you?"

  He watched me for a moment as if trying to decide how to answer, or whether he should. "I'm not into the play side of things. I'm more into the Dominance and submission."

  "I have no idea what that means."

  Dominic grinned. "I like to be in charge."

  "Oh." Well he definitely wasn't for me. I had no desire to have a man bossing me around all the time.

  When the popcorn finished, he poured it into a bowl and carried it and my drink to the living room. A huge screen took up half of one wall, and the adjacent wall was one huge built-in shelving system filled with nothing but movies and Xbox games. A cream colored sectional leather sofa occupied the middle of the room, facing the screen.

  "Go pick out a movie, and I'll show you how the machine works," Dominic told me, setting the popcorn and drink on the coffee table.

  There was too much to choose from, so I grabbed the first one that drew my attention and handed it to him.

  "10 Things I Hate About You," he said, reading the cover.

  I shrugged. "It's one of my favorite movies."

  "Mine too." He winked.

  I smiled, feeling my face heat up suddenly. Jeez. What was wrong with me?

  His brother's setup was a little complicated, but Dominic arranged it so the DVR was playing. "It's as simple as switching discs now. Here's the remote. If you have any problems, come and get me. Oh, and help yourself to drink refills and whatever else you want."

  "Thanks," I said, then settled in to watch the movie. This was, without a doubt, better than being in the basement.

  *****

  Alexis and Jason interrupted the move with their giggling as they entered the living room, heading towards the stairs to the second floor.

  "Oh. Hey, Haleigh," Jason said.

  I waved. "Where are you two off to?"

  "All the private rooms are full downstairs so we're using Brant's playroom upstairs?" Alexis told me.

  "I thought only known couples were allowed?"

  Jason grinned. "Benefits of being family. Besides we're official now. I just needed to know she was okay with my lifestyle choices."

  "Well, congrats."

  "Thanks," they said together, which started Alexis giggling again.

  I sighed as they headed up the stairs. This would be a long night. I could have called and taxi and went home, but I was reluctant to leave her. Jason was a nice guy, but Alexis had a bad habit of rushing into things without thinking them through. I wasn't sure she understood what she was getting herself into here. To be honest, I wasn't sure either. That could have been what made me so scared for her.

  When the movie ended, I got up to put in another. Someone came into the living room as I was slipping the DVD into the player. I thought it was Dominic coming to check on me, but when I turned, creepy guy was standing there watching me with a smirk on his face. I suddenly had the urge to slap him.

  "May I suggest The Secretary? It's quite educational," he said

  "I think Star Wars will be fine," I said, attempting to sound polite.

  I sat on the sofa, keeping my eyes on the screen and hoping he would go away. I wasn't that lucky. He sat on the sofa closer than was comfortable, and my skin crawled.

  "I need a break from playing," he said. "A movie would be a nice change. I'm Kurt McCray, by the way."

  I ignored him again, hoping he'd get the hint.

  "The polite thing to do when someone introduces themselves is to introduce yourself back to them."

  He sounded almost angry, so I decided it would be best to placate him. The last thing I needed was for some weird stranger to freak out on me.

  "Haleigh," I said, inching away from him without taking my eyes from the screen.

  "That's a beautiful name."

  "Thanks." I sighed. He wasn't getting the hint.

  "So why are you hiding up here instead of having fun downstairs?" Kurt asked.

  "I'm not interested in all that stuff. I'm here so my friend wouldn't be alone."

  "The little blond I saw you with?"

  "Her name is Alexis, and yes."

  Either he was inching closer again, or it was my imagination. I moved again, hard against the arm of the chair. The only way I'd get away from him now was to move to another seat or leave the room all together.

  "Aren't you the slightest bit curious? If you have questions, I'd be happy to answer them."

  I folded my arms across my chest. "No, I'm really not interested."

  "There's nothing to be afraid or ashamed of. Society places so much negativity on anything sexual, but when people let go and be themselves, it can be blissful. BDSM is all about sexual freedom."

  I closed my eyes and bit my lip. Why couldn't he leave me alone? "I have no hang-ups about sex. I'm just not interested in all that other stuff."

  "What stuff specifically?"

  "The spanking and the weird medieval torture stuff."

  Kurt laughed. "There's nothing weird about it. All that 'stuff' as you say, enhances sexual pleasure. How do you know you don't like it if you're not even willing to try it?"

  "I don't need to try it to know I'm not into it." This guy was beginning to annoy me. I glanced over my shoulder, hoping to see Dominic there.

  "Did you ever refused food based on what it looked or smelled like?"

  I shrugged. "Yeah."

  "Did you ever try it later and find you liked it?"

  "Once or twice."

  "Don't you think it's better to at least give it a taste before deciding you don't like it? If you try it and don't like it, you don't have to have it again. But if you like it, you won't miss out on something wonderful."

  I could see where he was heading with this. Wasn't he breaking the rules of the party by trying to coerce me into this? "This is not the same thing."

  "It is. I think the real reason you don't want to at least try it is because you're afraid."

  I pressed my lips together to stop myself from telling him off and didn't speak until I calmed myself. "What could I possibly be afraid of?"

  "The vulnerability you experience when submitting to someone is scary. That's what's making you unwilling to try."

  Was this guy for real? "Or it could be possible I'm not interested, and I'd like to change the subject."

  Kurt held his hands up in a placating manner. "I was only making conversation. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. In my experience, every woman I met who had reservations about BDSM ended up enjoying it once they tried it. But perhaps you're different. So what kind of movies do you like besides Star Wars?"

  "I like a lot of things," I said, letting myself relax a little. "Comedy, romance, action, sci-fi and especially Disney movies. Those are some of my favorites. As long as it has a good story, I will like it."

  "Do you e
njoy reading as well, or only movies?"

  "I love to read. I read about four to six books a month on average. It depends on my workload at school."

  Kurt folded his arms in front of him and leaned back in the chair, looking eerily triumphant. "What are you studying?"

  "Graphic design, although I'm not sure if I'll stick with it."

  "Why?" he asked.

  "I'm a decent enough artist, but graphic design isn't what I expected. I'm not as good at it as I thought I would be, so I'm considering focusing on my art."

  "I would love to see your work."

  I smiled. Once he got off the subject of BDSM, he didn't seem so bad, and few people showed interest in my art. Not even Alexis. She wasn't into art. It would be kind of nice to show it to someone.

  "So what about you?"

  He glanced at his watch. "While I'd love to tell you about myself, I need to meet with a client."

  It was eleven at night. What kind of client would he be meeting so late?

  "Would you like to continue this conversation over coffee tomorrow evening?" Kurt asked.

  "I'm not sure that would be a good idea." Even if I was more comfortable with him, he had to be at least ten years older than me. I wasn't into older guys.

  "Why?"

  "I don't want to date while I'm in school. It's too much of a distraction." That sounded like a plausible excuse.

  "Well, what if it's not a date. Would it be okay to go out with a friend?"

  "If it's just as friends, you wouldn't mind if I brought Alexis along?"

  He stiffened, but the smile never left his face. "Sure, that would be fine. There's a cafe on the corner of Bancks Street and Mortin Drive. Why don't you meet me there at seven?"

  "Okay, I'm familiar the place." My friends and I went there often.

  "It was nice to meet you, Haleigh," he said and left.

  Dominic walked in as Kurt left. He watched until I heard the front door close, then joined me on the sofa.

  "I hope you don't think badly of me, Haleigh, but I overheard some of your conversation with Kurt."

  "You should be a spy instead of a web designer," I suggested. "Or maybe you are a spy and that's your cover."

  Dominic's lips pressed into a tight grin, and I wondered if I had offended him.

  "I'm kidding."

  "It's not that. We've just met, and I have no right to say this, but I'm concerned."

  "About what?"

  "I don't think you should go out with Kurt, Haleigh."

  Was this concern or jealousy? Dominic showed little interest in me until he realized Kurt had asked me to go to coffee with him. But if he had been listening to the conversation, he'd know we were only going out as friends to talk.

  "Alexis is coming with me. It's not even a date."

  "I know, but he's new to the area, and I've heard stories about him."

  I rolled my eyes. "Hasn't anyone told you, you shouldn't believe everything you hear?"

  "I know. I'm sorry, but he gives me a bad feeling. I saw the way you looked at him at first. You can't deny you sensed it too."

  How could he see that? "It'll be fine. We probably won't see each other again after that anyway. I'm not interested in him. I'm just being polite."

  Dominic sighed. "Being polite does not require you to go out to coffee with someone, or to do anything for them at all, Haleigh."

  Why did he care so much? If he asked me out, I would reconsider seeing Kurt, but Dominic had no interest in me. At least Kurt had shown interest in me and set aside the BDSM stuff for me. I doubted Dominic would do the same. No. I wasn't being fair. He had offered me an out when he saw I was uncomfortable, and he wasn't forcing the BDSM topic down my throat, but still. It made little sense he'd care who I went out with. Like he said, he didn't know me. We weren't even friends. It could have been his need to boss people around.

  "Look, Dominic. I appreciate the warning, but I can take care of myself. I have no interest in getting involved with Kurt."

  Dominic nodded. "Just be careful, okay?"

  "Yeah, I will."

  Chapter 3

  Alexis looked awful when she woke the next morning. Her face was pale with dark circles around her eyes and a red nose like Rudolph. Every time she spoke she had a coughing fit, and when she did manage a few words, her voice was nasally. I considered not going to meet with Kurt that evening, but I there was no way of contacting him to cancel. It would be rude to stand him up with no explanation. So I figured I would go for one cup of coffee and leave.

  Kurt sat waiting for me when I arrived at the small cafe. Suddenly my gut twisted in knots, which tempted me to leave, but he turned and spotted me. I took a deep breath and took a seat across from him at the little table.

  "Hello, Haleigh. It's good to see you again. Where is Alexis? You said you'd be inviting her."

  "She's sick, so I came alone."

  "I'm glad you did." He grinned. "Well, I suppose it's my turn to tell you about myself. My taste in movies is similar to yours. I'm eclectic in my music choices as well. I don't read as often as I should, but I enjoy it occasionally."

  We compared more of our likes and dislikes until the conversation became more serious. He asked about my goals and dreams in life.

  "I just want to find a good paying job doing what I love. Not very ambitious, but then I'm not a very ambitious person. What about you?"

  He took a breath and said nothing for a moment. "I guess you can say I enjoy helping people discover their potential. People have a tendency to hide their true potentials."

  "So, you think I'm hiding my true potential?"

  Kurt grinned. "Your potential is hidden deep down. Perhaps one day I could help you bring it to the surface."

  "I would like that," I told him. Even my parents had accused me of underestimating my abilities. It was nice to finally meet another person who recognized that trait in me. "So what do you do for a living?"

  He was quiet for a moment. "I help women with their relationship problems."

  "Like a counselor or psychologist?"

  "Not exactly. I help them in more practical ways."

  What did that mean? I started to ask him, but he cut me off.

  "Would you like another cup of coffee?"

  "Sure," I said, suddenly unsure about him again as he headed to the counter to order our drinks. I brushed away the unease. He said he helped people. Did it matter how he did it? Besides, he seemed like a nice guy. I didn't even understand why I found him creepy to begin with. It might have been my imagination. When I considered what Dominic had said about the rumors, it annoyed me. What kind of man set out to discredit someone he had met once?

  I grinned when Kurt returned, setting the fresh cup of coffee in front of me. I was glad that Dominic hadn't asked me out now. Not that I would be jumping into anything with Kurt. I still wanted to be friends, but I didn't want to be with someone who spread rumors either. I'd had enough of that in my life.

  "You have a beautiful smile," Kurt said.

  I blushed. "Thanks."

  "You shouldn't be embarrassed when someone pays you a compliment. You should accept it gracefully."

  I nodded, though I had no idea what he meant.

  "I like you a lot Haleigh. It's not often I meet a woman who is beautiful and smart. Someone I can have an intelligent conversations with. I'd love to see you again."

  "As friends?"

  Kurt frowned. "What exactly do you have against dating?"

  "Well, nothing. It's just, I don't know."

  "You know, but you don't want to tell me."

  He was right. "I don't want to seem rude or make you feel bad."

  "I promise not to be offended if you're honest with me."

  I sighed. "Okay. I'm not comfortable dating older men."

  "That's it?" Kurt said, grinning. "So if age wasn't a factor, you'd date me?"

  "I guess."

  He leaned back in his chair taking a sip of his coffee. "You guess?"

  "You're a
nice guy. I'd consider it, but it's not something I'd jump into."

  He considered that for a moment. "So what's the problem with older men?"

  "I don't know. I guess it feels weird."

  "How old are you?"

  "Nineteen."

  "So there is a nine year difference between us. Is that really much older?"

  I shrugged.

  "Well, how about this? I'm only asking for a date. It's not a marriage proposal. How about you try it? If it feels too weird, we can just be friends."

  "Okay." That sounded reasonable enough.

  We spent the rest of the evening talking about my art. I didn't understand how passionate I was about it until that moment. It's possible he possessed a talent for helping people discover their hidden potential.

  *****

  It was after eleven when I returned to the dorm. I hoped Alexis was still awake. Just barely, but she perked up when she saw me walk through the door.

  "How did it go?" she asked.

  "It was amazing. I can't believe I had any reservations about him at all."

  "You like him, don't you?"

  "I think I do," I said, then frowned. "I still kind of like Dominic too, but he confuses me, and I'm not entirely convinced he's a nice guy."

  "Jason thinks he's great. He looks up to him and Brant."

  "Well, even if he is, it doesn't matter. He's not interested in me. He only seems interested in bossing me around."

  "Well, he is a Dominant. They do tend to be bossy."

  "Kurt isn't though. He seemed that way at first, but when I put my foot down about not being interested in BDSM stuff, he stopped. He respected me enough to back off."

  "And yet, you still think you like Dominic too? So who do you like more?"

  "I don't know. Kurt is older and more mature, and at least he's showing an interest in me. I mean he asked about my art and everything, but I'm more attracted to Dominic. Attraction isn't everything though."

  "Sounds like you're trying to convince yourself, and you haven't answered my question. Who do you like more?"

  I sighed. "I just don't know. Dominic, I guess, but what's the point in pursuing someone who only seems interested in telling me who I shouldn't be going on dates with. He hasn't asked me out. He hasn't even tried to get to know me."