“Can I ask you a question?” Olivia asks as she puts the trash in a plastic bag Betsy provided. That woman thinks of everything.
“Of course.”
“How did you realize you were a Dominant?”
Her voice is soft, almost like she’s afraid to ask. I’ve put this off long enough. It’s not that I’ve avoided it, but I wanted to make sure she was sure and didn’t feel like she was being forced or coaxed into this. I run my hand over the back of my neck as I think back.
“I don’t know if I can pinpoint the exact moment. I had a girlfriend in college that liked to experiment. She told me she heard of a club, the same club I met Josie at, that allowed people who were interested in the lifestyle to come and observe. She asked if I would like to do that. At first I was hesitant, but couldn’t stop thinking about it. I did some research about them and decided to give it a try.”
She finally looks up at me, curious to know where my story goes. “We went to observe, and it was something I’d like to try. They offered classes for Dominants, so I enrolled in them to make sure that’s what I was and wasn’t a switch. I refused to do anything with her outside of the club until becoming comfortable in my role.”
She licks her lips and takes a deep breath. “So, what happened with her?”
I shake my head, remembering Leslie fondly. “For her, it was just a phase. For me it wasn’t. She was premed, so when she went on to medical school, we parted ways. She’s happily married now with three kids.” Olivia stands and grabs the basket, walking toward Raven. I stand to follow her, unsure if she knows how to attach it.
“How do I know it’s not a phase for me?” she asks, not looking at me. Sighing inwardly, frustrated with myself that I haven’t been more upfront about this. I’ve been too cautious.
“You won’t know until you try it, but you asked me if I thought there was something wrong with you because of the way you responded when I talked to you a certain way. Do you remember?” She nods. “Not everyone has that. There are somepeople that would be downright offended if I talked to them that way, but you thrive on it. You enjoy not having to think and having someone else take care of you. I want to take care of you.”
I step closer to her and she glances up at me as she bites on her lip, thinking through my explanation. “I did my research. The only thing that turned me off is the bondage aspect of BDSM. I can explain that part to you on another day because I don’t want to talk about Donovan anymore today.”
I reach out my hand and interlace our fingers. “Okay. We can begin slowly and it doesn’t have to be about sex in the beginning.” My stomach clenches because I want to have sex with her, but will never force her to do anything she doesn’t want to do.
She takes a deep breath and squares her shoulders. “I’d like to sit down, then go through everything because being in limbo is making me even more anxious. I need to know what’s going to happen next.”
She needs assurance and security, and I have failed in giving her that. “Okay. Let’s get the horses back to the stable, then we’ll talk.”
Chapter twenty-nine
Olivia
I’m in Victor’s kitchen making him some tea while he puts the horses in their stable. I wanted to help him put the horses up after giving Cinnamon the sugar cubes I promised him before we left. But Victor told me to come inside and make him a cup of tea before telling me where to find everything. I tried to protest, but he arched one eyebrow, took a step toward me, and told me not to argue in that Dominant tone of his.
My stomach flips thinking about it, loving when he takes over like that. I have a hard time not helping, but at the same time wanted to come in and make the tea, so he took the decision away from me and made it himself. Chuckling to myself, I imagine Lincoln doing that to Ansley knowing she would have done the exact opposite.God, I miss her.I grab my phone to text her while I wait for the water to boil.
Olivia: Hey! How are things going in Atlanta?
Placing the phone back down, I grab two teacups, the fancy kind with the saucers and everything. I walk to the pantry to look for some cookies that can be served with the tea and find some shortbread cookies. My phone vibrates. Ansley sent me a selfie of herself with the outfit she’s currently working on.
Ansley: So busy. I need a break. These hours are awful. I was actually going to text you and Caroline today. Dylan is doing a birthday thing for me. Taking me to a Braves game then after the three of us can go hang out.
Olivia: Yes, I am there! I’ll coordinate with Caroline. I’m sure Bass will want to come. You know how he loves baseball. Do you think that will be okay?
I want to ask if Victor can come, but I’m not sure I’m ready to share that part of my life with anyone yet. Besides, Victor hasn’t said anything about this being permanent.
Ansley: Of course. I’ve been kind of seeing a guy up here, so he’ll probably come too.
The tea pot begins to whistle. I turn the stove off, place it on a pot holder, put tea bags in the cups, and pour the hot water over it. She’s kind of dating someone. Dylan and Lincoln are best friends, so I’m pretty sure Dylan will invite him. With a snort, I place the cookies on the saucer. Maybe this will finally force Lincoln to do something about his feelings. The man is driving me crazy at work. He really needs to remove the stick that’s up his ass.
Olivia: Sounds fun. I can’t wait to meet him.
Ansley went on a date before she left to go to Atlanta. Lincoln showed up, and apparently they had shenanigans in the bathroom of the restaurant. Will he react the same way to this?
Ansley: I can’t wait to see you two. I miss you so much!
Olivia: I miss you too.
A knot forms in my throat at how much I miss her. I’ve felt a little bereft lately. We’re all going through major life changes and I don’t like how it’s affecting everything. Ansley is another state. Caroline is pregnant. And I might start a Dominant/submissive relationship with this man they know very little about. Squeezing my eyes shut, I take a deep breath to calm my racing thoughts. I’m not a huge fan of change and a lot has been happening lately. Now Donovan is out there somewhere and he knows I’m in this city.
