Unable to concentrate, I do the daily maths puzzle and then go to the kitchen to make coffee. I choose Blue Mountain coffee beans, and soon, the mellow scent of the coffee drifts into my nostrils. I never add milk to coffee. It smothers the taste. I pour myself some and cradle the cup beneath my nose. When it’s cool enough, I sip the mild and creamy coffee. I close my eyes and savour the taste. It’s sweet, with chocolatey undertones.
“You look like you’re enjoying that.”
I open my eyes and watch as Rory crosses over to his cupboard to retrieve some bread, which he puts in the toaster.
“It’s coffee.”
Rory laughs. “I know. I can smell it.”
“Do you want some?”
“No thanks. I only drink coffee when I have a hangover. Plus, I stick to the instant stuff.”
I grimace at the thought of instant coffee.
Rory leans against the counter, arms folded. “I was hoping to bump into you.”
I arch an eyebrow and drink my coffee.
“I wanted to ask your advice.”
My eyebrow climbs higher. Rory is quiet and keeps to himself. I know very little about him, except that he likes to blindfold people—or being blindfolded, I’m not sure which—and he keyed his football coach’s car when he was a teenager. The latter titbit of information slipped out during a game of truth or dare. The same game Quinn and I were talking about earlier in bed.
“Candles,” Rory says.
I stare at him, not sure what he’s talking about.
“I wondered where you got yours.” His toast pops up. He turns, plucks it out of the toaster, and puts it onto a plate. “For wax play.” He butters his toast.
“Oh, that makes more sense.” I love wax play, but after being on the receiving end, I know how relaxing it is. It’s not something I’ll ever be able to do with Quinn.
“I’m guessing I can’t just walk into a shop and pick up any old candle.”
“No. Most candles you can buy in shops melt at too high a temperature. The wax would damage the skin.”
“That’s what I thought. Could you tell me what type of candles to use and where to get them?”
“I like to use soy candles. I get rod-shaped ones because they’re nice to hold and easy to control, and because they’re long, they burn for a long time, which is perfect for a long play session.”
“Sounds great.” Rory cuts his toast in half and then nibbles on the corner of one piece.
“Always check the temperature of the wax before you use it on your sub.”
He nods thoughtfully.
“I like to use the inside of my arm or wrist, depending on what I’m wearing.”
“Thanks.” Rory stares at his half-eaten piece of toast. “Any other tips?”
“Don’t drip wax in one area for too long. The wax won’t have time to cool, and you’ll increase the risk of giving your sub a nasty burn. Start by dripping wax onto your sub’s back or stomach first. They’re less sensitive than other parts of the body. If you’re both happy, move onto more sensitive areas such as the inside of their thighs, the soles of their feet, or their nipples.”
Rory nods. He’s gazing at the floor rather than me, but I’m confident he’s taking it all in.
“A fun way to remove the wax when you’re finished is using ice cubes.”
He frowns. “Ice cubes?”
“Use the ice to harden the wax, and then move and stretch the skin. The wax will fall off. Plus, they’ll love the sensation of the ice cubes over the warm wax.” I sip my coffee. “We do training sessions at The Library. I’d be happy to give you a practical demonstration of wax play there if you’d like.”
