Chapter 1
Golden light sparkled over deep blue water as the catamaran sped toward the island. Kendra lifted her face to the warm, welcoming sun and breathed in the briny scent of the ocean, her heart lifting with excitement.
“There she is,” the captain called out to the half dozen passengers. “Desire Island, where all your darkest, sexiest fantasies are brought to life.”
As they approached the shore, Kendra saw white sand dotted with large blue and red beach umbrellas, the tops of the resort buildings just visible beyond the gently waving seagrass and brilliant green foliage.
The captain docked and jumped out, extending his hand to help some of the older passengers off the boat while his single crew member unloaded the baggage. Not in need of assistance, Kendra hoisted her duffel bag over her shoulder and jumped down onto the dock.
An eight-passenger golf cart waited on the path nearby. A tall, slender young man dressed in white shorts and a black tank top, a black leather collar around his neck, climbed from the driver’s seat to help the new arrivals load their baggage.
Just then, Kendra’s favorite person in the world came bounding toward her, long red hair flying, her face lit with a radiant smile. She was dressed in a skimpy bikini top and tiny shorts. She, too, wore a black leather slave collar.
“Kendra,” Abbie cried as she reached her. “You made it!”
Abbie pulled Kendra into her arms for a long, fierce hug that warmed her to her toes.
As they let each other go, Abbie put her hands on Kendra’s shoulders and peered into her eyes, concern etching her features. “How are you, Kenny? For real?
The question and the pain in Abbie’s eyes took Kendra off guard. She blinked back threatening tears and forced a bright smile. “You worry too much, Abs.” Pulling away, she punched Abbie playfully on the shoulder. “I’m doing just fine. No asshole bully boy is going to get the best of me.”
Abbie continued to regard her with concern, but after a moment, she smiled back. “It’s great to see you, cousin. I’m so, so glad you’re finally here.”
She’d been listening to Abbie gush about Desire Island ever since Abbie had taken the job the year before. “I still get to use my skill set,” Kendra’s cousin had explained. “But instead of the lotus pose or downward dog, I teach BDSM slave positions and grace training. Desire Island is a loving, supportive BDSM community where no one judges or condemns. Not to mention we live in a fabulous resort with free room and board. And as an added perk, we get to play in the dungeons and participate in the slave auctions.”
More like sisters than cousins, Abbie and Kendra were born just four weeks apart. They grew up on the same block in Cincinnati, where they’d spent as much time at each other’s house as at their own. They had discovered their shared passion for all things BDSM when they were barely fifteen years old. Kendra had been active since college in the BDSM club scene, but Abbie had taken it to a whole other level—now living and working as a staff slave at the BDSM resort.
When Abbie had called to let Kendra know they were looking to hire a dessert chef for the island’s kitchens, Kendra leaped at the opportunity. She’d managed to get a decent reference from her boss, after he’d finished grousing about her leaving him in a lurch.
Her remote interview had gone well, and they’d made her an offer. Throwing caution to the wind, she’d accepted. After all, it had been over five months since the incident now. It was time to move on. It had been too long since she’d inhaled the intoxicating scent of fine leather and welcomed the stinging kiss of the lash.
“It’s awesome to see you too, Abbie,” Kendra said now. She drew in a deep breath of the fresh sea air. “And it’s great to be here. If I never see another rainy Seattle day, that’ll be fine with me.”
“I brought one of the employee carts so we can take a little tour of the island before you get settled. That’s Tommy over there. He’ll take the guests for check-in.” Abbie waved toward the guy now loading other new arrivals’ baggage onto the back of the other cart. “He’s a staff slave, too. Oh, I almost forgot,” she added, reaching to take Kendra’s duffel. “The rest of your stuff arrived yesterday. I put it in your room.”
“Great.” Kendra slid into the passenger seat of the cart as Abbie tossed her duffel in the back. Though she wasn’t sure how long she’d end up staying on the island, she had packed up her clothing and a few of her favorite books and mementos, and had them shipped ahead of time. She’d gotten rid of everything else, determined to make a fresh start.