A/N: Once again, I want to say that I have no D/s experience, only the strong desire for it. Thank you so much for your continued support of this story. It's going to be a fun ride, I hope! Thanks as always to larin20 for her stamp of approval and guidance. I love you more than words can say, chica!!!

Disclaimer: Yeah right, like I'm SM...

"What do you say if we go to a party? Well… it's more like a club, I guess you could say."

Emmett's brow furrowed as he walked towards me, glass of water in hand. "You hate dancing."

"Not dancing," I clarified, which made him look even more adorably confused. "Um… it's sort of a…" Now I was afraid to say it.

"What, Bella? C'mon, tell me."

I took a deep breath. "A sort of meeting place… for Doms and subs."

It was a good thing that I took the sip of water instead of Emmett, because I was sure it would have been decorating the furniture, and most likely my face as well, had he taken the sip. His complexion visibly paled as he stared at me, mouth hanging open.

"Excuse me?" he finally panted. "Bella, what in the hell are you talking about?"

I gave him a quick rundown of what Alice had described to me, his expression looking more and more horrified as I went on. I internally cringed, suddenly wishing I hadn't said anything. Clearly, I had misread his reaction to last night, the look in his eyes, so animalistic and feral as he told me he liked it. The look that gave me shivers just thinking about.

When I was done, there was a heavy silence, and I became antsy, wanting to know what was going through his head. If he was angry, I wanted him to yell. If he was happy, he should say something too. I didn't do well with silence.

"I don't want to hurt you, Bella," he finally said, voice low and tense. "I'm sorry if I made you think that, I really am."

"Hey," I said, covering his lips with my fingertips. "I don't want you to hurt me, either. But you didn't Emmett, it felt good. Damn good. And it didn't even leave a mark. For crying out loud, you weren't abusing me. And you said you liked it. Well, guess what, so do I, and I really think this is something we should at least go to. We don't have to do a thing. Just watch. And see…"

His eyes narrowed. "I only want you, Bella. If this is your way of telling me you want someone else…" The look of pain in his eyes was monumental. He studied my face desperately, as if looking for clues that I was trying to leave him, or something equally absurd and unfathomable.

"No!" I said quickly, to allay his fears. "I want you and only you. Now and always. But Emmett… isn't this something we could explore together? Or at least… see? What if it's something really good, that we both want? Or, you know, we go there and find out it's nothing at all what we imagined? That's fine, too. But… can't we at least try? Go, and watch?"

"You… you want to watch others have sex?" He sounded halfway appalled, half intrigued, like maybe he thought he shouldn't enjoy the notion, but secretly found it fascinating. "Watch them… hit each other?"

I rolled my eyes. "Did you not listen to a word I just told you?"

"Yeah, but-"

"Yes or no, Emmett. It's something I think we should try…" And I really did, as my insistent tone implied. I felt sort of desperate. I wanted to see if this is what we needed. Alice had sounded so convincing, like it was perhaps the best idea in the world… but now I wasn't so sure. Without her influence, I often doubted myself. She had made herself into my inner conscience, which was thoroughly annoying now.

"Maybe," he croaked, rubbing the back of his neck like he did when he was nervous or cornered. Fuck. I'd made him feel obligated and freaked out. Shit. This was supposed to be about us, not some fucked up desire inside me that I needed fulfilled. It was supposed to be him and me. "I'll think about it, at least."

"Alright," I relented, moving back from my fervent position, trying to make him as comfortable with the decision as possible. I wanted him to feel urged but not obligated. "Just… consider it, OK?"

I leaned forward to kiss his lips softly, which he returned cautiously.

"Should I make us dinner?" I asked. "You should change out of your clothes."

"Uh… sure," he said in that damned distant voice of his. I rarely heard it, but when I did, I knew no good could come from it. It was so un-Emmett… it honestly scared me. I hung my head as I walked into the kitchen, tears starting to form in my eyes. I had ruined it. I had ruined it all because I was fucking selfish and stupid.

Emmett took a long time in the shower… twenty minutes longer than usual. Normally, I would have joked and accused him of having some solo time, but I knew it was deeper than that… that his mind was nowhere near sex… ironically.

I knew my husband. He now doubted everything. I made him doubt us. Despite his huge physical appearance that made people think "jock" first and "brainiac" second, the man was a thinker, almost to a fault. The tears started to fall when he came into the kitchen, eyes trained on the ground. I dropped the knife I'd been using to cut the fat off the chicken breast and burst into tears. "Oh Emmett," I sobbed. "I've ruined everything, haven't I?"

I felt rather than saw him approach me, feeling his arms wrap around my waist, his chest to my back, his face buried in my neck. He smelled like Irish Spring and toothpaste, and it instantly comforted me. The edge of his glasses pushed against my scalp, and oddly enough, it made me feel better. It was familiar. It was Emmett. This was my happy place, and I'd do anything to make sure I didn't make him question it ever again.

"I'm sorry-"

"I think we should-"

We spoke at the same moment, and I turned my head and twisted in his arms a little so I could look into his eyes… but not before I rinsed my hands of the chicken juices on my hands. Emmett looked back at me, an insecure yet determined look on his face. It was disconcerting; I had no idea what was going on in his head.

"You first," I said softly, desperate to hear his thoughts. Besides, I knew me. I'd probably fuck it up again if I spoke once more.

"You might be right," he said just as quietly, surprising the shit out of me. He rested his forehead against mine. "Maybe this is something we should try… or at least… look into."

I think my jaw literally dropped. I was entirely ready for him to say something devastating like, "I can tell you want to fuck other people, so I'll go now." My defenses were totally prepared to beg, plead, and swear we would only have missionary-position sex for the rest of our lives just so that he'd stay- I hadn't expected him to agree with me.

"Really?" I breathed, just to make sure. "Because-"

"Really," he interrupted. He took a deep sigh and then continued. "What you were saying earlier… the way you described it… It excited me. Just the thought… the very idea…" He blushed slightly, which was rather amusing, considering he'd essentially agreed to see if he was Dom material. "I want to try. But only with you," he added quickly. "No matter what… let's just promise this… only you and me, OK?"

"Deal," I said easily, because there was no way on God's green Earth that I'd ever let another touch me. No fucking way. No matter how exciting the idea of watching others fuck in weird and bizarre new ways was, the only person who got to touch me was Emmett. End of story.

"So… we're going to do this?" he said, making sure we were on the same page, looking into my eyes again and wiping away a stray tear. "You really want to try this?"

"Do you?" I said, searching for the affirmative in his eyes.

"I liked it last night. I like taking control," he admitted, sending thrills up and down my spine. "And I want to see just how much I like it… how far we can take it. Because you liked it too, right?"

"Fuck yes," I sighed, wrapping my arms around his neck. "Who knows? Maybe we're just the kind who really just want a soft spanking every once in awhile. Or…"

"We could be the kind who want to tie each other up and use a leather paddle," he grinned, stopping my heart.

"No… you're the one with the paddle… I'm the one tied up," I corrected softly.

"Fuck, Bella," Emmett moaned, his hands finding the small of my back, pushing my T-shirt up and stroking the skin there. I shivered. My favorite spot. As he continued stroking, I placed my lips at his jaw, placing soft kisses there, assuring him. In the end, this was all I wanted. Him. Me. Simple.

But why couldn't we have both? Why the fuck not? The pain with the pleasure… just so long as the pleasure outweighed the pain…

My lady parts quivered in anticipation.

"I'm so happy you guys are coming!" Alice squealed into the phone. I held the phone away from my face a few inches, and I could still hear her perfectly, babbling on and on about just how fun it was all going to be, and how I'd easily see how this lifestyle could become integrated with my own.

I hoped so. Emmett and I had talked about it, after many hours of internet research, and we were pretty sure that we didn't want to make it into a full-on lifestyle no matter how much we enjoyed it. The idea of being collared didn't appeal to me, for one. If Emmett wanted my body, it would be his for the taking, no matter what I wore around my neck. And besides, neither of us wanted the pressure of trying to maintain the routine 24/7. It simply wasn't realistic, especially since we were a married couple.

We decided we'd talk about it all after our first night at Rouge, the playroom Alice attended. What happened there would determine all our courses of actions after, and we didn't want to make any rules or jump into any conclusions beforehand.

"Make sure you wear your darkwash jeans and that tight black shirt I bought you last week, the only with only one sleeve," Alice ordered, interrupting my thoughts. "You need to look sexy, but not like you're ready for action. Believe me, there are going to be guys and girls all over you… and Emmett, too. You need to look like you belong, but not that you're going to be stripped down any time soon."

My eyebrows shot up. "What do you mean, guys and girls hitting on Emmett?"

Alice laughed. "Bella, that's just so you, thinking about your man before yourself. Listen. You guys are both hot. Trust me. I know. And you're going to be in a place where partners and Masters often share and share alike. You need to present a united front, if you don't want to be pawed at."

I balked. No way. Emmett was mine. I was his. And come hell or high water, no one was getting in the way of that. "Maybe we shouldn't…" I started.

Alice sighed in frustration. "Bella… please don't back out now… I promise you'll love it!"

I raised my eyebrow at my cell phone. "Really?"

"Pinky swear," she said, like we were in kindergarten instead of talking about some BDSM sex club.

"OK, well, I gotta go, lunch break is over," I said, balling up the plastic wrap that once covered my turkey sandwich and tossing it in the recycling. "I'll talk to you later, OK?"

"Fine," I said, and she hung up with a giggle. I had to laugh. So Alice. I drained the last bit of my Coke and tossed it in recycling as well before I turned, bumping into a tall, blonde figure.

"Sorry Lieutenant!" I said, mock-saluting him with a grin. Lt. Carlisle Cullen had just joined the PD, and he was above and beyond the best guy we had on the force. He was almost like a second father to me, although sometimes I had to admit my thoughts towards him were slightly less than fatherly and a little more towards DILF-land.

"You look like you're in a good mood Isabella," he said, smiling as he poured himself a cup of coffee. "Having a good day?"

"So far so good," I affirmed. I'd been on duty for six hours with another six to go, but so far I'd only been out on three calls, one of which had been cancelled halfway there, one a minor incident between quarreling neighbors, and the other a fender bender between best friends who laughed it off. Though the rain poured outside, today had been a good day.

"I'm glad to hear it," he said, taking a long pull of his mug, and then said, "So maybe you'll have time for a little paperwork. Keep you out of the rain and all that." He winked, which normally would have made me internally swoon, but instead of a sigh, a groan of displeasure nearly escaped my throat.

"I'll get right on it," I said, giving him another mock salute before heading out of the break room to my cubicle.

My vest squeaked as I sat in my chair, tapping the mouse to wake up my computer. I hated paperwork. It was above and beyond the worst part of my job, and I loathed every second of it. I waited for the screen to brighten up, looking to the side where a framed picture of me and Emmett on our wedding day smiled up at me. It made me smile too. We looked damn cute, if I do say so myself, and a smug feeling overcame me. I was so fucking happy, and I had a feeling it was just going to get better.

I took two seconds to check my personal email, seeing one from Emmett. I clicked on it quickly. All it said was, "I love you," but my face split open in a huge smile. My husband, ever the romantic.

I clicked out of my email quickly, not needing any more flack from the guys about me being all moon-eyed over my man. I got enough of that during staff meetings and briefings. I gave them all the finger mentally.

A few hours later, I was saying hello to the guys coming in on the nightshift, and shrugging on my heavy Gortex jacket to keep me out of the elements, ducking my head to keep out of the rain as it blew sideways. Of course, there also had to be tiny flecks of snow in it too, which made the drops hitting my face that much more painful, so by the time I got to the car, it felt like my face had rugburn.

As I started up the car, shivering and sitting there with the defroster on, trying to get the windows to unfog, I flipped on the radio. Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison started up, and I smiled. It was my and Emmett's song, and it was our unorthodox first dance as a married couple at our wedding. I hoped Emmett would always know that my love for him could only grow… that no matter what happened between us with this club… that he would always be The One.

That night I made tater tots and chicken nuggets, like Emmett and I were five instead of twenty-five. He was busy on his computer; I could see the reflection in his glasses as he typed furiously. I leaned against the doorframe, just looking at him. I tried to picture him with a paddle in his hand, and with those leather chaps I'd been having fantasies over for days. I shivered.

I must have sighed too, because Emmett looked up at me with a smirk on his face.

"What?" I said, feigning innocence.

"Nothing," he said with a grin. "Nothing at all."

I raised my eyebrow. "Alright," I said, and whirled around back into the kitchen, wiggling my hips just a little, knowing he was watching me as I walked. He was an ass man… which could very well come in handy later on in whatever escapades came our way.

Alice called just as I was about to check the golden-brownness of the nuggets. "So are you ready for tomorrow?" she asked eagerly. If she had a tail, it would have been knocking things over.

I laughed. "I am… and I think Emmett is too." I slid into a dining room chair. "He's getting his work done early tonight so that we can have tomorrow for just us… and the club." I blushed just thinking about it.

"Good!" Alice said. "I can't wait for you to see it, there's so much to absorb… and…" She paused for a moment, her voice slipping into a whisper. "I can't wait for you to meet my Master."

It was astonishing, really, to hear how her voice dropped, how carefully and reverently she spoke about this person. It was the absolute opposite of the Alice I knew. The Alice I went to college with was… well, not slutty, but she definitely never kept boyfriends around. And she never spent too much time pondering them, or caring what they thought about her. She was independent and free, and I had always admired that about her. It was one of the reasons I thought she and Jasper would be perfect for each other; he was a walking chill pill, and it was a dose Alice desperately needed.

So this guy… whoever he was… must have some sort of magical power over her, and I was dying to see what. "I can't wait to meet him either," I said honestly. "I wanna meet the guy who makes you giggle like you're six again."

Alice let out said giggle and I swear I almost heard her blush. "You will," she said softly, like it was a prayer instead of a promise. "So meet me at ten tomorrow night, you've got the address right?"

"Yup," I said, looking at my nails. Would they care if my nails looked like shit in a bondage club? I figured they wouldn't notice. It'd probably be pretty dark in their anyways… I couldn't imagine a Dom fucking his sub with a gag in his or her mouth… under fluorescent lighting.

Emmett cleared his throat, and I looked up from my hand, the phone nearly dropping to the floor as I took him in. He seemed taller… broader… in control. My heart skipped a beat. The look in his eyes was… powerful. That Emmett from three nights ago was back, and my clit twitched just thinking about it.

"A-a-alice… I gotta go," I said hastily, pulling my phone away from my face and hitting the little red button without another word. I stood from my chair, looking Emmett directly in the eye, unable to look away. The intensity was breathtaking, so much so that when Alice's familiar ringtone blasted through the kitchen, I could barely hear it. All of my thoughts and energy were directed towards one man.

"Bend over the table," he said, in a low even voice. My heart leapt out of my chest at his cool, seductive tone. Oh yes. This is what I wanted. My body was definitely responding to this nicely. "Now, Isabella."

No one ever called me Isabella. I hated my full name. But now… Oh God. I felt my panties get doused just by those two words. So authoritative… so ungh.

I moved without another thought, resting my elbows on the kitchen table, my breath already coming out in pants, my thighs rubbing together… and all he'd done was look at me. Holy shit. I could see our reflection in the window in front of me. Emmett was pacing behind me, like a predator who has cornered its prey. I felt shivers going up and down my spine as I waited… and waited… and waited… I would know the exact instant he decided to make a move, but when?

It felt like ages before he stopped pacing to stand directly behind me, his hands running over my butt slowly. I looked up to see his reflection, standing in his baseball style T-shirt and jeans, and of course his dark rimmed glasses… and wondered how he could exist as both people. But then his hand was landing on my ass hard, and I was moaning instead of thinking.

"Isabella," he said in that cool, low voice so unlike himself. He rubbed my ass before slapping me again, my body jerking forward on my elbows, my mouth falling open with arousal. Even over my pants, this felt so good. It was like pure instinct, so natural, like we'd been doing it for years. "Do you like this?" He spanked me again.

"Mmm hmm," I moaned, teeth gritted together to keep from crying out. Somehow, I knew he wouldn't like that. Not now.

And just as abruptly, he was pulling me up from my elbows, turning me until I was cradled in his arms. He rubbed my elbows gently as he kissed me. Caring for me. Making sure I was alright. "We can do this," he whispered into my hair after he'd pulled back. "We can."

I nodded, because words seemed to fail me at this moment. So erotic… so tender… In that instant I knew, this was it for us. We had to learn… and learn together.

A/N II: The night at the club is next up!!! Please review and let me know what you think. Reviews make me write faster!!!!