Out of the Storm Read online

  The next time she’d seen lights headed her way, she’d moved to the center of the road and had begun waving her arms wildly over her head. Just as the enormous black pickup had gotten close, a bolt of lightning hit in the field to her right and the flash had illuminated the startled expression of a man Tobi could only describe as movie star handsome. She’d only gotten a glimpse of his dark intensity before she’d found herself jumping to the side to keep from becoming his newly mounted hood ornament. By the time he’d managed to screech to a stop, she was hopping mad and stalking toward the large black pickup as fast as her short legs would carry her. She was only five foot two, but as she liked to remind those around her, what she lacked in size, she made up for in attitude.

  Tobi had almost reached his truck by the time he finally stepped out, “You almost ran over me. Holy smokes Batman you could have killed me with that monster-mobile of yours. Damn, a drowned rat. My whole life is spiraling out of control faster than a Kardashian marriage I tell ya. Shit, shit, double shit. My car is probably floating toward the lake and my stuff is in trash bags. Trash bags! That’s a whole new level of the wrong side of the tracks, even for me. I’m so wet I’m pretty sure I won’t be dry for a month of Sundays, hell’s fire I’ll probably mold. And you are freaking huge and probably some serial killer on the top of some most wanted list. I’ll end up on the evening news and my brother will never even know what happened to me because he refuses watch the damned news. My crazy ass neighbors will pick apart my apartment before the broadcast is even over and I’ll be a footnote on some unsolved mysteries show a few years from now. And I still don’t know what Lilly West meant by finding me. Damnation this sucks big green donkey dicks I’m telling ya for sure.” When she finally came up for air and realized the tall hunk in front of her was simply staring at her with his mouth in a grim line, all she could manage to do was blush. He had to be at least a foot taller than she was and his dark hair was barely visible under the Stetson he was wearing. His eyes were a deep chocolate brown that was quickly turning even darker. She realized she was staring at him just as he spoke.

  “How do you know my mother?” Mr. Tall, Dark and Intimidating demanded.

  Did he just say mother? That’s it...that is the final straw. I’m officially certifiable and straitjacket ready. “Mother? Lilly West is your mother?” Looking up at the sky, she asked, “You’re kidding me, right, God? First, you put their mom in my boss’s office just as I have a meltdown about the infamous kink masters not returning my calls. And then of all the people on this planet, you let me almost get run over by one of the men I’ve been trying to schedule a meeting with for weeks? Is this some kind of a joke?” Just as the words left her mouth the world around them exploded in light and a crash of thunder that was so immediate she was sure the bolt must have hit right beside them. Holy shit! Reminder to self…do not challenge the Big Guy.

  “Get in the truck, now.” His words had been more growled than spoken and ordinarily she’d be giving him a piece of her mind for thinking he could give her orders, but right now she was more afraid of becoming a crispy critter in the middle of the highway than she was of Lilly West’s son. Tobi briefly wondered whether he was Kyle or Kent as she scrambled into the big black beast when he opened the door and motioned her inside, but judging by his clipped tone she was guessing Kyle.

  She’d done her homework on the owners of Prairie Winds because she’d been hoping to interview them since she first heard about the BDSM club they were building just a few minutes from her home. Sure, she worked for a magazine that spotlighted all things bright and beautiful in the Austin area, but in truth, her interest in the club was much more personal. Banishing those thoughts for the moment, she turned and plopped her soggy ass in the passenger seat and turned to see him staring at her as if he’d never seen a woman before. What the hell?

  Chapter Two

  Kyle West had been speechless after he’d stepped from the door of his truck and almost been steam-rolled by a tiny wisp of a woman who had reminded him of sunshine for some odd reason even though she looked more like a spitting mad wet kitten. Hell, she was seven kinds of pissed and ranting about a variety of things that hadn’t made a lick of sense and he hadn’t put too much effort into trying to sort through it until he’d heard his mother’s name. He knew his brother was meeting with some reporter from Austin Gardens and Homes this evening, but the guy was supposed to have been at the club an hour ago. The beauty he’d been face-to-face with was not how he’d pictured someone named Tobi. Her long blonde hair was plastered to the sides of her face and even wet it was the color of sun-ripened wheat on a hot Texas summer day and he’d found himself wondering what it would look like dry. Would it be white blonde? Was it straight or wavy? Would it feel like silk as it covered his thighs while his cock slid over those plump lips?

  He just stood in the middle of the highway in the pounding rain and let her vent until they had both almost been hit by lightning. Kyle had literally felt the air around them sizzle from the electrical charge so he’d quickly ordered her into his truck. When he’d opened the door and motioned her inside he hadn’t expected her to comply so quickly and he damned well hadn’t expected her to crawl all the way across the truck’s bench seat. That move had displayed her luscious ass in vivid cock hardening detail thanks to the soaked thin cotton skirt she was wearing. The lightweight fabric was molded to her like a second skin outlining every sweet spankable curve. He immediately flashed to her bent over the spanking bench in their private playroom. They would tie her to the bench with silk scarves because she was too delicate for metal or thick leather cuffs. Then they would stand back to admire their handiwork before proceeding. Her ass would be a lovely shade of hot pink from the paddling she’d get for that smart mouth of hers. He wondered if she knew that she was a natural submissive. She might be full of piss and vinegar, but her instant response to his command to get in the truck had been telling indeed.

  Climbing in, he turned to her and asked, “How far back are your things?”

  “I…I don’t know for sure. Maybe a quarter of a mile.” He could see that she was starting down the slope toward an adrenaline crash and he wanted to get her to the club before that happened, so he quickly turned and headed back the way he’d come. When he’d seen her small hand move to the door handle as the bags came into view he’d told her to stay in the truck and he’d get them. “One has my laptop. It’s really old, but it’s all I have so please be careful with it.”

  “Will do.” He’d tried not laugh at her because she looked so sweetly sincere, but he was fairly sure the computer was probably already beyond repair. The thin plastic sacks she’d wrapped everything in would have done very little to protect the sensitive electronics of a laptop. The lost look on her heart-shaped face caused him to stop and put his palm along her jawline and stroke his thumb over her cheek. There was something about her that made him want to shield her from anything that might cause her pain or unhappiness, and that certainly wasn’t his usual reaction to an untrained submissive. “What’s your name, kitten?”

  “Tobi. Um…Tobi Strobel.” Her voice was airy and he wanted to shout for joy at the way she unconsciously tilted her face and leaned into his touch. Oh baby girl, you are a sub to the bone.

  “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Tobi. I’m Kyle West. I believe my brother, Kent, was expecting you quite some time ago.” Nodding toward her car in the water-filled ditch, he went on, “It’s pretty easy to see why you missed that appointment and I promise to keep him from punishing you for being late, okay?” He didn’t give her time to respond to his comment about punishment even though he’d clearly seen her pupils dilate when he’d mentioned it, instead he forged on. “Now, I’m going to get your things while you wait here.” As he walked away from his truck he thought back on how her beautiful green eyes had widened in alarm a split second before they’d dilated with lust at his comment about Kent punishing her. It had taken a herculean effort on his part to not pull her onto his lap
and crash his mouth over hers. He wanted to feel her lips opening at his demand and then he’d explore every corner of her mouth with his tongue before exploring the rest of her in the same way.

  After he’d placed her small bags on the floor in his backseat, he climbed behind the steering wheel once again and headed to Prairie Winds. She didn’t say anything and he’d noted that she had started shaking. After he’d turned off the main highway, he’d pulled to a stop before peeling off his rain slicker and wrapping it around her small shoulders. When she’d looked up at him, he realized her eyes weren’t just green, they were a brilliant shade of green that bordered on neon. He just stared at her for long seconds before speaking, “We’ll be at the club in a couple of minutes and then we’ll get you dried off and you’ll feel better—I promise.”

  She’d just nodded before whispering, “Thank you. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m not usually this pathetic. But I feel like I’m sliding down a steep slope and there is nothing at the bottom to catch me.”

  He leaned to her and kissed the tip of her nose, “I’ll catch you, kitten. Now sit back and try to relax. We’re almost there.” Before he started the truck, he grabbed his phone. Grateful when he saw he once again had reception, he quickly typed a text to his brother letting him know that he had Tobi and asked Kent to meet them in the garage—alone. He knew Kent would wonder why he would ask him to meet them, particularly when he specified he didn’t want him bringing any of the staff with him. But Kyle knew his brother would figure it out soon enough.

  ****

  Kent West was pleased to see a text from Kyle because he’d been worried about his brother traveling in the storm. Hell, he was already wondering what the hell had happened to that Tobi guy his mom had made him promise to talk to. All of their communication had been via email, but the guy had seemed solid enough that Kent hadn’t expected him to blow off an interview he’d been badgering them to schedule for several months. He’d just gotten to the large garage they’d built behind the club when the door to Kyle’s bay started to slowly ascend.

  As soon as the truck was parked, Kent pushed off from the concrete column he’d been leaning against and approached the truck and wondered why the guy was waiting as Kyle walked around to the passenger side. Kyle was completely soaked, he’d shed his suit jacket and his white dress shirt was so wet it was almost transparent. Kent noticed the passenger’s door still hadn’t opened and for just a second Kent wondered if the reporter had been hurt. But Kyle’s shit-eating grin was in direct contrast to that concern so he’d let it go. Kyle gave an almost imperceptible jerk of his head telling Kent to follow him.

  When Kyle opened the passenger’s side door Kent was completely stunned when he looked at the most breathtakingly beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on. Kyle had taken her small hand in his and helped her out of the tall truck. Kent unconsciously stepped forward and tried to hold back his smile at her confused expression. Even people who knew they were twins were usually shocked the first time they met he and Kyle in person because they really did look like the same person. Very few people could consistently tell them apart. As far as Kent knew, their maternal grandmother was the only person who had never confused them.

  “Tobi, this is my brother Kent. Kent, meet Tobi Strobel, the reporter mom talked to you about.” Kent looked up at Kyle and blinked in surprise. “Yeah, I’m right there with ya. Might want to have a chat with mom about the idiosyncrasies of information sharing.” Kyle’s soft chuckle had let Kent know he wasn’t really annoyed with their mom, but he’d likely point out her error by omission the next time they spoke.

  Kent wasn’t used to being speechless and it had taken him a few seconds to recover his infamous charm. He took in Tobi’s appearance and that seemed to bring him back to the moment. She had started to shiver, so without saying a word Kent leaned down and scooped her up in his arms, then started for the door leading to the back elevator that would take them directly up to their apartment. He heard Kyle chuckle again behind him as he said, “I’ll grab the her things and meet you upstairs. Kitten, let Kent get you into a warm shower and I’ll find something warm and dry for you to wear.”

  Kent looked down into the started face of the woman in his arms and smiled. “Sweetness, you are shivering and soaking wet. My brother and I would be remiss in our duties as the owners of a BDSM club if we didn’t take care of you. Besides, neither one of us wants to explain to our mother how the reporter she seems to have taken a shine to caught pneumonia because we let her interview us while she was miserable in wet clothing.” He leaned forward and kissed the end of her nose as he stepped into the small elevator. After pressing in the code for their apartment, he leaned back against the wall.

  “You can set me down, you know. I can walk and I’m getting you all wet.” Her voice was soft and light, making him wonder what she would sound like as she begged for release. Her eyes were hooded, telling him that she was either sexually sated or skating close to an adrenaline crash. And since he knew his brother wouldn’t have fucked her in the truck, he was putting his money on option number two. He only hoped he got her undressed and showered before she bottomed out.

  He heard her soft gasp as they passed through the apartment and he was looking forward to showing her around, but first she needed to be warmed up and dry. When he entered the master suite’s bathroom he started the shower so the water would warm up before he set her on her feet. He saw her eyes rake over his shirt, which was now plastered against his chest. The look of appreciation that passed over her expression made all those hours spent in the gym seem like time well invested. He’d stepped back a step, crossed his arms over his chest, and watched her study him. He smiled when her gaze reached his erection and her eyes widened. He’d been rock hard since the moment Kyle had helped her down from the truck, and from the look in her eyes, she hadn’t missed his cock pressing relentlessly against the zipper holding it captive. When her eyes had slowly tracked back up to his and she realized he’d been watching as she checked him out, she blushed a lovely shade of crimson. He decided it was time to get her into the shower. “Strip.”

  Her eyes went wide and when she started to step back from him, he said, “Don’t you dare.” She instantly froze and he watched as her breathing became faster and he could see the pulse at the base of her neck pounding rapidly. When she didn’t move he took a small step toward her. “Sweetness, I gave you an instruction and I expect you to follow it. I want you out of those wet clothes right now.”

  “But…you…” If he’d thought she was blushing before, well she was positively glowing now.

  “Yes, I’m here and here I’ll stay. This is the only time I’m going to give you a break on this so listen carefully. You already know that my brother and I are Dominants, correct?” When she nodded he continued, “And that we own the kink club you have been trying to get into for months under the guise of interviewing the owners, correct?” This time her nod was a bit slower. Aha, I see the sweet little sub had figured out where this is headed. He gave her a smile that let her know he was intentionally painting her into a corner. “It stands to reason that my brother and I have seen our fair share of naked women, correct? And in truth you are interested in more than the architecture of the club, have I gotten everything about right?”

  This time she didn’t even bother to nod, she just dropped her gaze and whispered, “Yes, Sir.” At first he was sure he’d heard her correctly, but when he looked up at the door to see Kyle leaning against the frame with his arms crossed over his chest grinning from ear to ear, he knew he had indeed heard her correctly.

  “Good girl, kitten. Now do as you’ve been told before you earn your first punishment before you even get your interview.” Kent watched as Tobi’s fingers slowly moved the small buttons at the front of her blouse. Her hands were trembling and he wasn’t sure if it was from the cold or excitement, but it was easy to see that she wasn’t going to get the shirt undone without help. Kyle stepped closer, “Here, let me help
you. Your fingers are shaking. Are you still cold, kitten?”

  When she shook her head quickly from side to side Kent stepped around behind her and then leaned forward to nip the lobe of her ear, “Answer with words, sweetness. Always with words. Be completely honest and don’t hold back or edit your answers—ever. Do you understand?”

  Kent knew he was pushing her, but he and Kyle had always believed that it was best to begin as you intended to go, so there was no reason to sugarcoat anything with her. “Yes, Sir.” By the time she’d finished her answer they’d gotten her out of everything but her bra and panties. The woman was wearing lime green and neon pink underwear under that conservative outer layer and Kent wasn’t sure but he might pass out when the last of the blood that had been feeding his brain started racing south.

  Kyle looked at her and whistled softly in appreciation. “Damn, girl. You are fucking gorgeous. And as much as I love that color combination against your beautiful ivory skin, the bra and panties have to go.” This time they didn’t help her, but neither of them let their gazes move from her as they quickly stripped out of their own clothes.

  “Oh…my stars…are you getting in there with me?” They had moved her to the open door of their shower and Kent knew she’d already forgotten her question by the way she was staring open-mouthed at one of his favorite features of the master suite. The shower area was ten feet long and almost a full eight feet wide. They’d installed several different types of showerheads and two different handheld units that had attachments, but he didn’t think she was quite ready for those games tonight. He saw her hesitate to step all the way in when she noticed the floor to ceiling windows. “I…can people see us?” She might not think she wanted to be seen, but he’d be willing to bet his half of the club that she would eventually come to love it.