Playing With Him (The Players Club) Read online

  Playing with Him

  Prequel to Playing with Temptation

  Erika Wilde

  Copyright © Erika Wilde, March 2015

  eBook Cover Photo Copyright: Sara Eirew Photographer

  eBook Cover Design: Novel Graphic Designs

  eBook Formatted by: BB eBooks

  Published by Erika Wilde, October 2015

  Kindle Edition

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locals, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the Author.

  PLAYING WITH HIM is a teaser excerpt to PLAYING WITH TEMPTATION, which is the first story in The Players Club Series.

  TEMPTATION HAS NEVER BEEN SO HOT . . .

  When Raina Beck is given an invitation to The Players Club, all she wants is a night of decadence with a gorgeous, sexy stranger. The seductive, mysterious man she meets fulfills her deepest desires and most erotic fantasies, giving her a night she’ll never forget. But forgetting him isn’t quite so easy.

  Logan Cruz prefers his women submissive and compliant in the bedroom . . . everything the independent Raina is not. Yet from the first moment he lays eyes on her, he’s determined to make Raina his. Despite her resistance.

  When Logan is assigned to protect Raina from a stalker, everything between them changes. Sex becomes more than just physical, and emotions run deep. Falling in love was never on Raina’s agenda, but can she let go of the past and surrender the one thing he wants the most . . . her heart?

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  About the Book

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  About The Players Club Series

  Excerpt from The Marriage Diaries

  About the Author

  Chapter One

  Raina Beck finished helping a customer select a bottle of warming massage oil, then headed over to the lingerie section of her store, Sugar and Spice, a sensual, upscale adult boutique that catered to the residents of San Diego. She paused at the rack of new arrivals, where her good friend, Jillian Noble, was perusing the gorgeous items.

  “Find anything you like?” Raina asked as the other woman contemplated a leopard print bustier before putting it back on the stand.

  Jillian smiled at her as she shuffled through a few more pieces. “The problem is, there’s too much to like, which is a good thing. I’m looking for something a little different than everything I already have . . .” Her words trailed off, and her eyes lit up as she lifted a hanger displaying a sexy red ensemble that consisted of a demi bra, a short flirty skirt that was only a few inches of fabric that would barely cover her bottom, and a matching lace thong, along with a garter belt and thigh-high stockings.

  “I think this is it,” Jillian announced with a succinct nod of her head.

  “If Dean comes home to find you wearing that outfit, I think all bets are off,” Raina teased her friend.

  “That’s what I’m counting on, and I think he’ll really like the short little skirt, too.” She handed the hanger to Raina. “I’ll take it, along with one of those feather ticklers you have on display, the one with the soft ostrich feathers.”

  “You got it.” Raina smiled, knowing Jillian, a good customer, appreciated the more sexually adventurous items Sugar and Spice provided to those who wanted to kink up their sex lives. Selecting a tickler with deep red feathers to match the outfit, she met her friend up at the front counter.

  As she rang up Jillian’s purchases, she asked, “How are you enjoying working with Stephanie?”

  “I absolutely love it. I couldn’t be happier,” Jillian said, her expression reflecting her newfound joy. “I’m helping her design those fantasy suites at the hotel, and tomorrow I have a consultation with a woman who wants to redecorate her bedroom in a sexier version theme of The Secret Garden.”

  “Sounds like a fun project.” Raina swiped Jillian’s credit card to process the sale. The two of them had become close friends over the past months, and because she knew Jillian’s husband had been so opposed to his wife taking a job, Raina couldn’t help but wonder how that was going. “Is everything still good with Dean and you working for Stephanie?”

  “He’s getting used to it and adjusting. I make sure I always have time for just the two of us, and it keeps him happy.”

  “Men really are such basic creatures,” Raina said with a laugh. “Keep them plied with food and sex and they’re happy, content, and satisfied.”

  Jillian lifted a curious brow. “Speaking of men and sex . . . when are you going to indulge a little?”

  Raina shrugged as she wrapped her ensemble in pink tissue and tucked it into a bag. “I think all the good guys are taken. And then there’s the men that find out I own a sex toy boutique and decide I’m fair game for outrageous, kinky sex, because, you know, I have access to all sorts of depraved items.”

  She rolled her eyes to make light of her comment, but the truth ran much deeper and stirred up other painful memories that reminded her of why she kept her heart and emotions under lock and key—the pain of such complete and utter rejection was something that had left her guarded, and very cautious when it came to a man’s interest in her.

  Admittedly, she did enjoy hot, adventurous sex. After all, she’d opened Sugar and Spice as a way to help women empower themselves sexually, to get in touch with their desires and be confident enough to enjoy every aspect of sex. But she also knew it took an equally strong, self-assured man to accept her line of business, to not feel threatened or embarrassed by the fact that she owned a boutique that catered to enhancing sexual pleasure.

  Unfortunately, over the years she’d learned that she wasn’t the best judge of character when it came to a man’s motives and his reasons for dating her, which also made it extremely difficult to decipher what was real, or if she was nothing more than someone’s dirty little secret that they used until the excitement wore off.

  Too many painful experiences had taught her that because of what she did for a living, men were more than willing to fuck her like a porn star in private, but they drew the line at taking her out in public, or bringing her home to meet the family, which made her feel cheap and dirty—as if her own father’s fire and brimstone prediction about her being a whore had come true. Men didn’t date a woman like her with long term in mind, and it had become much easier for Raina to keep her emotional distance rather than face criticism and the sting of rejection all over again.

  She’d been burned a few times, and she wasn’t allowing any man to get close enough to do it again. Now, sex was all about physical pleasure, nothing more, and she’d recently decided that if anyone was going to do the using, it was going to be her for a change. Unfortunately, an opportunity hadn’t presented itself, but if the right guy came along, she certainly wasn’t opposed to enjoying a no-strings-attached, one-night-stand.

  “Maybe you need hot anonymous sex,” Jillian suggested with a naughty twinkle in her eye, as if she’d had a direct link to Raina’s thoughts.

  “It’s been a long, dry spell and the idea is definitely tempting,” Raina replied, a humorous note lacing the truth of her words. Vibrators and sex toys did the job as far as getting her off, but it couldn’t replace the feel or ple
asure of a strong, powerful, virile man thrusting deep inside of her, or having his hands skimming along her curves, his hot mouth seducing hers.

  Yes, she definitely missed that, and the provocative thought made her feel a bit flushed.

  Jillian bit her bottom lip for a second before reaching into her purse and pulling out a white envelope. “You’ve done a lot for me, and I want to do something for you for a change. Take this, and indulge yourself.” She pushed the envelope across the counter to Raina.

  Raina picked it up and read the word, Welcome, embossed in black across the front. “What is this?” she asked, confused and curious at the same time.

  “An invitation to The Players Club.”

  Raina’s eyes widened in surprise, and her heart fluttered in her chest with undeniable excitement. She knew exactly what The Players Club was—a private, members-only sex club that catered to an elite and prominent clientele in order to maintain its exclusivity. A personal recommendation was required to even visit the club, and since Dean and Jillian had recently become members, they now had the privilege of extending an invitation to a guest.

  And Jillian had chosen her.

  “Oh, wow,” Raina breathed as she brushed her thumb over the embossed lettering on the envelope, still in shock. “Really?”

  “Yes, really,” Jillian mimicked playfully. “You deserve a sexy night all to yourself, and I can guarantee that any fantasy you have can be fulfilled at The Players Club.”

  Raina had plenty of private, naughty fantasies stored away in the deepest recesses of her mind, none of which she’d ever shared because those scenarios were just too wicked and forbidden to reveal to any of the guys she’d dated up to this point, all of whom had big egos and had been self-centered lovers. Yes, she owned a boutique that sold all sorts of kinky items to enhance sex play, but it took a strong, confident man who didn’t feel threatened by her expertise to give her what she desired, who knew what she needed without asking and made that pleasure his sole focus.

  Finding that kind of compelling man at The Players Club in one night was improbable but certainly more possible than in her daily life, and she wasn’t about to refuse Jillian’s gift. She’d been given the equivalent of Willy Wonka’s golden ticket, but instead of gorging on chocolate, she planned to indulge in as many orgasms as she could.

  Chapter Two

  Two weeks later . . .

  Raina wasn’t sure what to expect once she arrived at The Players Club, but as she stared up at the huge, sprawling, three-story mansion that had been built on the side of the mountain and over-looked the city of Fallbrook below, she was certainly impressed by the gorgeous, majestic looking house. At night, the place was illuminated by low-profile lighting, and the Mediterranean architectural style was warm and inviting. From the outside, there was absolutely nothing to indicate that this place was actually a club that catered to those who preferred taking a walk on the wilder side of sex.

  Excitement and anticipation swirled inside of her as a young valet took the keys to her car, slid into her vehicle, and drove away. Holding just her invitation in her hand, she inhaled a deep, fortifying breath and climbed the stairs that led to a luxurious open courtyard, where a few couples were standing around, conversing and enjoying the cool summer evening before heading inside for more illicit indoor activities. One of the men in the group glanced at Raina as she headed toward the entrance, and their gazes met since she’d been casually looking his way, too.

  As a woman who owned a sex shop, she’d learned to look people directly in the eye, without shame, embarrassment, or judgment. It also showed confidence and that skill came in handy now. The man staring back at her was nice looking enough, and though she wasn’t attracted to him in any way, she gave him an amicable smile, the kind she’d offer a customer in her store to break the ice and let them know she was friendly and approachable.

  A lascivious grin curved his mouth as he gave her a very thorough and blatant once-over, his gaze raking down the little black dress that hugged her curves and ended mid-thigh. His appraisal kept going, traveling all the way down her long legs to the rhinestone studded strappy stilettos on her feet, and back up again to the thick, blond hair she’d left down in soft, tumbling waves around her shoulders.

  His gaze, when it returned to hers, was heated and undeniably interested. Unfortunately, he didn’t do a thing for her libido and didn’t even register as a tiny blip on her sexual radar. It was then that Raina decided that if she was going to have any kind of physical contact with a guy tonight, she wanted off-the-charts combustible chemistry to accompany it. The kind of instantaneous lust that made her hot and wet with just a glance. The kind of excitement that made her entire body sizzle with electricity before he even touched her.

  Not just anyone would do. Yes, she was setting her standards extremely high, but she’d rather go home to her battery-operated boyfriend then settle for a mediocre encounter that left her wanting more, anyways. Tonight was all about going for the gusto, taking risks, and reaping the kind of pleasure she’d denied herself for much too long.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen her here before,” the man who’d been ogling her mused to the other couple with him, loud enough for Raina to hear as she walked past. “And you know how I enjoy breaking in the newbies.”

  The woman snorted inelegantly. “Contrary to what you might believe, not every woman enjoys being bound, gagged, and flogged.”

  “I’ve been known to change a woman’s mind,” he drawled arrogantly. “And just for the record, I use the softest, most supple leather available on the market. Women love the way it feels on their skin. I’ve yet to have anyone complain.”

  The man clearly had a giant-sized ego, and if he’d intended to excite her with his knowledge of whips and floggers, she wasn’t at all impressed, considering she sold those items in her store. Truthfully, she wouldn’t mind a man who gave a bit of calculated pain with her pleasure, but there was a level of trust that needed to be established first, and she’d never allow a stranger that kind of privilege.

  With that in mind, she was grateful that The Players Club abided by the safe, sane, and consensual rules, which had been stated in the guest contract she’d signed, including a two drink maximum and zero-tolerance policy on drug use of any sort to make certain decision were made without any undue influence.

  The standard safe word to stop any sort of sex play was red, and if it was ever ignored the person who didn’t heed the warning was immediately expelled and banned from the club. Jillian had assured her that there were attendants throughout the place to maintain all aspects of a guest’s safety, and then there was also the confidential background security check and health screening everyone had to pass before their first visit. The discreet guidelines were set in place to maintain and preserve the integrity of the club and they took those rules very seriously.

  Raina continued toward the entrance, and just as she reached the giant-sized double front doors to the mansion, they opened and a young woman greeted Raina with a smile. Once she was inside the gorgeous and elegant lobby, Raina handed the young woman her invitation.

  The hostess introduced herself as Lise and once she’d checked Raina’s name on the approved list, she proceeded to give her the first-timers spiel about what was located where. From the viewing rooms upstairs, to the open playrooms and themed fantasy boudoirs, to the dungeon and the Thursday evening Rave party down on the lower level of the mansion, and everything else in between.

  “You can start in the Player’s Lounge where you can mingle, which is right that way,” Lise indicated with a wave of her hand. “Or you can go ahead and explore the mansion, stop where you want, and indulge as you wish.”

  Raina wasn’t one for small-talk and pick-up lines, not in a situation like this. Whatever happened, with whoever it happened with, she wanted it to develop naturally, so she opted for the latter. “I think I’d like to explore and see what my options are.”

  “Go right ahead,” Lise said, the
n turned toward another couple who’d just entered the club, leaving Raina on her own.

  Just as she stepped into the main entry hall, a neatly dressed waiter arrived with a tray of champagne flutes. “Would you like something to drink?”

  Champagne sounded lovely, and she accepted one of the glasses. “Yes, thank you.”

  She took a sip of the sweetened sparkling wine as she contemplated the split staircase that led toward two separate wings of the house, along with the directional signs informing patrons that the public viewing rooms were to the right, and the private rooms were to the left. Another wide stairway led down to the area below designated “The Dungeon”, where tonight’s Rave party was also being held.

  She headed up to the public viewing rooms first, taking in the plethora of sexual activities going on all around her, fascinated by everyone’s lack of inhibition. Couples were openly having sex while others watched, and some even joined in on the fun. There were public spankings and orgies going on, and different themed rooms offered to fulfill fantasies that involved all sorts of kinky scenarios. She viewed some interesting fetishes, including watching as a dominatrix made a tied-up man drop to his knees and lick her leather, spike-heeled boots while she whipped him with a crop.

  Men and women walked by her, some even touching her bare arm or back—a light caress that expressed interest without aggression. Even though her senses were saturated with all things sex-related, no one in particular appealed to her enough to accept their silent offers, though she did find all the various scenes and sights highly arousing.

  Maybe she was more of a voyeur than an exhibitionist, she mused as she finished her champagne and set the empty glass on a table before deciding to see what the Dungeon was all about. She took the stairs to the lowest level of the mansion, and it did, indeed, feel very much like a dungeon down below, with wall scones providing a muted red illumination. Shackles and chains hung from the walls and ceilings, and the darkened chamber was also equipped with a few St. Andrew’s crosses, along with all sorts of benches, cages, stocks and swings.