Her curiosity was piqued, wondering at the meaning behind his words. She turned to the handsome Italian, bowing her head slightly. “Si.”

  Another group gestured to Sir, wanting to speak with him. The two made their way over to the large group where she heard Alonzo’s name mentioned several times. Since Brie could not keep up with the conversation, she stood quietly beside Sir taking the opportunity to glance around the room. She felt a chill when she suddenly realized that everyone in attendance seemed to have a mask paired with someone else—everyone except Sir.

  She looked up at him questioningly during a lull in the conversation and asked, “Is there a reason you and I are not wearing matching masks?”

  “I wondered when you would notice, téa.”

  “What is the significance, Master?”

  “Everyone will partner up according to their corresponding masks.”

  “But what about you?”

  “I get to sit back and watch.”

  “And me?”

  “As I’m sure you have already surmised, you’ll be partnering with the young man who just spoke to you.”

  Brie’s heart began to race knowing that Sir was asking her to scene tonight with a complete stranger. “What I am expected to do, Master?”

  “This is a unique group, my dear. Their emphasis is on communicating sensuality through touch only. You know I have always maintained that touch is the most effective tool in the BDSM arsenal.”

  “Yes, Master. You have taught me that time and time again.”

  “Well, tonight I want you to enjoy the touch of a stranger, but there will be no intercourse involved.” He placed his hands on her stomach possessively. “I protect what’s mine.”

  Brie put her hand on top of his, smiling apprehensively.

  “I can see the hesitancy in your eyes, téa, but I take pleasure in seeing you challenged.”

  Brie glanced at the young man who was now gazing directly at her with unveiled interest.

  “Are you willing?” Sir asked.

  She felt the butterflies start as she looked up at her Master, answering in the barest of whispers, “Yes.”

  Sir nodded to the young man across the room, who proceeded to excuse himself from the group he was talking with and walked over to join Sir and Brie.

  “Téa, this is Dante.”

  Brie smiled shyly as Sir continued. So this was Dante, the one Signore Savino had mentioned earlier.

  Sir introduced Brie formally to the young man in his native tongue.

  Under her breath Brie asked, “Does he speak English, Master?”

  “Why don’t you ask him yourself, little sub?”

  Brie was unsure how to ask her question in Italian, so she kept it simple, “Inglese?”

  Dante shook his head with a charming grin.

  She sighed to herself, finding the lack of verbal communication both intimidating—and a little sexy.

  Sir tilted her chin up, declaring with a smirk, “I don’t think verbal skills will be an issue tonight.”

  Brie had experienced a similar dynamic with Rytsar on their first meeting. It added an element of mystery, but also made the power exchange that much more challenging.

  Touch is a universal language, Brie reminded herself.

  Dante pointed to the bar, indicating that he wanted to get her a drink. She requested the only drink she knew how to say in Italian. “Vino, per favore.”

  “Rosso o bianco?”

  She smiled, knowing he was asking if she wanted red or white. Since red wine seemed to have an amorous effect on her, she answered, “Rosso, grazie signore.”

  Brie wanted to pat herself on the back when Dante nodded his head and walked off to fulfill her wishes without any further questions.

  Sir chuckled under his breath. “Starting to feel a little more Italian, are we, téa?”

  She blushed. “I have such a long way to go. But yes, Master, I’m beginning to feel as if I belong here.”

  “Bene,” he said, bending down and growling seductively in her ear. “But never forget your own heritage. It makes you who are you.”

  Gratitude coursed through her. Sir wasn’t asking her to change, only to meld the richness of his culture and people into her own life experiences. Again, Brie was struck by how blessed she was to have coupled with such a man.

  Dante impressed Brie when he returned with a glass of wine not only for her, but for Sir as well. He then left her with a respectful bow.

  “Gracious, isn’t he, Master?” she stated as he walked away.

  “Yes, a man worthy of your attention,” Sir replied smoothly, taking a sip from the glass. “Damn,” he exclaimed after tasting it, “I do enjoy the flavor of an old vine.”

  Brie took her own sip. “These must have been happy grapes, because they’re partying in my mouth.”

  Sir laughed out loud, causing some of the other guests to turn and look at them. He simply raised his glass and said, “Uva felici!”

  People smiled and raised their glasses in response.

  Brie whispered, “What did you say to them?”

  “Happy grapes,” he answered, winking at her.

  She loved that he had a sense of humor. Brie remembered how serious he’d seemed when they’d first met. It wasn’t until he’d made a joke about loving the taste of Brie that she came to understand he had a quiet but wicked sense of humor. While Sir wasn’t a prankster like Master Anderson or a roguish sadist like Rytsar, he had his own brand of humor which Brie adored.

  A beautiful chime sounded from a corner of the room, and as if by magic all the people began moving across the floor like graceful dancers, separating themselves into matching pairs. Dante returned to Brie with an engaging smile playing on his lips.

  “It’s time, téa,” Sir announced as he stepped back from her so Dante could take his place. Brie watched as her Master walked over to a black leather chair and sat down, sipping his wine as he quietly observed her.

  Dante put his finger under her chin to direct Brie’s eyes back on him.

  Her heart skipped a beat knowing she was now under this stranger’s control. She knew that she was expected to keep her attention solely on him.

  Brie hesitantly looked up at the young Italian, drawn in by those soulful dark brown eyes behind his white mask. She thought by his boyish features he must be younger than her, yet his eyes expressed both depth and wisdom which belied his years. She found him intriguing and wondered about the young Dom’s history.

  Dante guided her to a sofa covered in red leather and gestured that she should sit. Brie did so slowly with mastered grace, quite aware that Sir was watching her every move. The young Dom took the wine glass from her hand and set it on an end table.

  He then undid his tie and laid it across the arm of the sofa. He unbuttoned his shirt next, watching her intently as he slipped it off his shoulders and laid it beside the tie. The young man’s chest was bare and less muscular than Sir’s, but he sported six-pack abs and a sexy V muscle that was quite attractive.

  Dante sat down beside her now bare-chested and tilted his head charmingly as he waited for her to do the same.

  She glanced around the room and noticed that all of the guests were similarly undressed—the masculine chests of the men contrasted beautifully with the women’s more feminine forms.

  With fingers shaking slightly, Brie lowered the straps of her dress one at a time and let the material fall to her waist, exposing her breasts to him. She reminded herself to breathe as he stared down at her chest unashamedly, smiling to himself.

  “Bellissimo.”

  Although being naked before strangers was not new to her, there was something distinctly different about this encounter with Dante. She felt more naked somehow, even though she knew there were only two sets of eyes on her—Sir’s and this handsome young stranger’s.

  Dante’s intense stare was disconcerting, causing her to flush all over.

  The moans and gasps as the couples around them began exploring each
other with their hands and lips only intensified the sexual excitement Brie was experiencing.

  Goosebumps rose on her skin when Dante raised his hand to touch one of her breasts. However, his hand stilled before making contact, lingering over it like a promise.

  She stared at his masculine hand, feeling like a frightened rabbit, and then looked up into his dark brown eyes wondering what he wanted.

  “Si?” he whispered hoarsely.

  He was waiting for permission from her. Ever the gentleman…

  Brie held her breath when she nodded, her whole body tingling with anticipation as she waited for the first contact.

  His touch was incredibly light and hesitant as he caressed her skin. He purposely avoided her hardening nipple. It made her heart beat even faster, the tender way he explored her with his fingers.

  Brie had assumed he would be aggressive, passionate and demanding. Instead, Dante’s caresses reminded her of a young lover touching the object of his romantic obsession for the very first time.

  It was unexpected and unbelievably arousing.

  When he finally brushed her aching nipple, Brie surprised herself by crying out as a wave of sensual heat traveled straight to her pussy.

  A slight smile curved on Dante’s lips at the sound of her pleasure, as the Dom purposely moved his attention to her other breast.

  Brie stared at him in wonder, shocked that he was able to create such a high level of desire through simple physical contact. She believed it was the way he did it—this stranger using his hands to convey his curiosity about her and his sexual interest.

  Dante lightly grazed his palm over her hard nipple, and again she felt the powerful energy transfer to her nether regions, but she was ready for it and did not embarrass herself by crying out this time. Instead, she moaned softly, joining in the chorus of partners around her.

  He pulled back from Brie and stared at her for a moment. When she made no move, he took her left wrist and guided her hand onto his pecs. She sucked in her breath as she tentatively caressed the smoothness of his chest, noting the goosebumps starting to rise on his skin from her touch.

  The two of them seemed to have a mutual effect on each other.

  Unlike Sir, Dante’s chest was free of all hair. It felt very different, which made it alluring to her even though she preferred hair. Taking on the role of a young lover, Brie pretended this was her first time seeing a naked man, and gauged her reactions according to the limits of that fantasy.

  Her touches were slight and her glances in his direction shy as she touched his hard abs, exploring the lines that separated each muscle. “You are handsome,” she murmured.

  “Cosa hai detto?”

  Of course, he couldn’t understand her compliment, and she had no clue what he’d just asked. Brie smiled saying the only word she knew that would make sense. “Bello.”

  He chuckled at her answer, responding, “Bello? No magnifico o impressionante?”

  She shrugged, giggling self-consciously. Apparently “nice” was not the word he was hoping for.

  Dante silenced Brie’s giggles by leaning forward to give her a tender kiss. Like his touches, it had the feeling of longing but gentle restraint, as if he were afraid of scaring her away.

  Oh Lord, this young Dom knew how to bewitch her. She returned the kiss, pressing her lips against his with equal longing, mixed with the same hesitancy. She pulled away first, briefly smiling at him to let Dante know she’d liked the kiss.

  His fingers returned to her, gently caressing her shoulder as he brushed away her hair. Delicious tingles radiated from the point of contact and she purred.

  He put his hands on her shoulders and indicated she should turn around. When Brie repositioned her body, she found herself staring straight at Sir from across the room.

  Her Master held up his glass to her, encouraging her with his smile as he took a sip of wine. The admiration and pride held in his expression bolstered Brie’s courage. Knowing he appreciated the slow progression of the scene emboldened her to continue. She turned her head back toward Dante and tilted her head up, silently requesting a kiss. He leaned over her shoulder and only kissed her cheek.

  It made Brie smile. She’d never experienced a Dom like Dante before. He moved her hair forward, covering her breasts with the long brown curls, making a clear path to explore the skin of her back. He ran his hands over her spine so lightly that she involuntarily shivered, causing a new set of goosebumps.

  His low chuckle let her know it was the reaction he was hoping for. Although Dante was a complete gentleman, he also appeared to have a mischievous side. The man grazed his fingers under her shoulder blades, running them back up her spine, making her squirm from the insanely light touch.

  Then he traced the outline of each rib, purposely challenging her with his ticklish exploration.

  Brie cracked, unable to bear the intense tickling, and tried to twist out of his reach. The Dom did not reprimand her. Instead, he wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her back to him. Dante kissed her neck like a whisper and she moaned from the chills that coursed through her.

  Then he started back up with those ticklish caresses, holding her against him when she tried to struggle. She consciously surrendered to the feeling, honoring his dominance by submitting to his will. Once she stilled, those devilish hands then moved back to her breasts, inciting mews of pleasure as he lightly pinched and teased her nipples.

  The sexual energy within the room had risen considerably and was now almost a tangible force. She glanced at the couples near her, entranced as she realized each was exploring a different form of sensation play. One was enjoying the relaxing feel of a hair brush as the Dom not only used the instrument for her hair, but to stimulate the skin of her back and arms. Brie was fairly certain the brush would soon be caressing the woman’s shapely ass.

  A pair of men, one who was completely naked, were exploring the intense stimulation of a Wartenberg wheel. The Dom’s skilled hands were spurring a powerful reaction from his partner. The manly groans coming from the submissive male were arousing and Brie felt a gush of wetness between her legs.

  She noticed another couple using the delicious caress of a large purple feather. Brie remembered well the feeling and thought back to Faelan and their first scene together. She’d laughed when he’d brought it out, but quickly learned how effective it could be during sensation play.

  Brie also recognized a Vampire glove being used on the older woman across the room. It was not a sensation Brie personally cared for but it was clear, based on the woman’s expression and vocal responses, that she was savoring its painful caress.

  Dante noticed Brie’s distraction and responded by lifting her arm above her head. With frightfully slow movements, he ran his fingers over her sensitive armpit. Brie pressed her lips together firmly, keeping still with momentous effort, and was rewarded with a light kiss on her shoulder when he was done. He’d effectively returned her focus back on him with that simple act.

  “Bene…” the young Dom growled in her ear. He reached back and grabbed something from the end table. Brie was extremely curious what his instrument of sensual pleasure would be. She gazed at Sir and bit her lip before closing her eyes, waiting expectantly for the first touch.

  Brie let out a gasp of surprise when heat caressed the nape of her neck. The temperature of it reminded her of candles, but this tool was solid and very smooth. Dante used the thin instrument like an extension of his hand, caressing her skin tenderly with its warmth.

  Curiosity got the best of her and she opened her eyes when Dante brought the tool to her front. She shivered in delight as she watched a thin silver wand glide against her breast, lingering and teasing her nipple.

  Brie looked back at Dante and sighed in pleasure. He took the opportunity to kiss her fully on the mouth before returning his attention back onto her nipples. The heat was very conducive to increasing desire and Brie moaned with passion as he traced the roundness of her breasts before heading down to
her stomach.

  She liked the sexy look of the silver instrument, much like a thin dildo but sleek and elegant. Brie fully expected that Dante would sneak under the material of her dress and help relieve the ache of her pussy, but the wand moved upwards instead. He tilted her head sideways and caressed her neck and the outline of her jaw with the instrument. Another moan escaped her lips as a cascade of shivers took over, causing a small tear of pleasure to run down her cheek. His ability to completely enrapture her with his simple caresses had her spellbound.

  Dante kissed away the tear, and then glided the wand over her sensitive lips with the barest of touches. She shivered from the light contact and ran her tongue over her tingling lips. He chuckled softly, following up the wand with his own firm lips.

  Brie leaned against him when his tongue entered her mouth and she tasted him for the first time. He flicked his tongue lightly, causing waves of pleasure that traveled downward, making her clit pulse with need.

  Dante pulled away and turned Brie back to face him. He stared at her for several moments, drawing her in with his gaze before placing her hand on his chest and leaning in for another kiss. Just before their lips met he stopped, and she instinctively leaned farther to kiss him. He groaned passionately when her lips pressed against his.

  Brie joined his vocalizations with moans of her own when he wrapped her in his arms. Her body was burning with sexual energy. It didn’t help when she glanced around, noticing that most of the couples were now completely naked and either engaging in oral sex or experimenting with the tools in more intimate ways. However, not one couple was having intercourse.

  Brie finally understood that the sole focus of this private gathering was centered around connecting through touch, and she found the idea of that extremely alluring. To have a random partner each time and have the opportunity to explore new sensations together would be incredibly sexy.

  However, she felt as if she would combust if something wasn’t done soon.

  She felt the electric jolt of Sir’s touch and looked up to see him standing over her. He spoke to Dante briefly in Italian. The young Dom nodded, giving Brie one last kiss on the cheek before exchanging places with Sir and taking his seat at the large chair across from them.