“Is it about the attack?” Mads asks.
He definitely knows.
“Yeah. It is about the attack,” Gemma says. “We have everything under control.”
She presses her hand to my shoulder and gives it a gentle squeeze. I wish I understood the mechanics around why my heart feels like it’s fucking dissolving when she looks at me like that. All I can think about is our sunrise conversation, and the memory makes my stomach twist.
“Bondage, you’re good with?” she asks as we walk on the beach.
“Obviously,” I say. “You tied me up in my sleep the other week.”
“I still have to ask,” she argues. “Every base. So any kind of restraint? Ropes, chains, leather… Complete immobilization?”
“Oh god fucking yes,” I say. “I’ve always wanted to be eaten out while suspended from the ceiling.”
Gemma peers my way, and I can’t discern the look in her eyes.
“What’s that face?” I ask.
“I’m going to have to take another knotting class,” she answers.
“Another?”
“Another.”
“I’ll be in the other room, okay?” Gemma says, her voice bringing me out of the daze.
“Oh. Yeah. Okay.”
Gemma smirks, and I tug on her hoodie in response, bringing her down to my lips.
A collection of whistles and coos sounds from the group, and I shove my hand over the camera to shut them up, garnering more laughs and cheers from each of them.
She chuckles into my mouth at their happy praise. We part after a beat, and she kisses me shortly once more before flipping off the camera and leaving the room.
I twist back to the phone, unable to keep the stupidly pathetic and happy expression off my face, only to find everyone huddled around the couch—Andi and Wren included—beaming at me.
“Shut the fuck up,” I laugh. “Aren’t we supposed to be working?”
“Aw. I’m happy for you, Bon,” Andi says.
“I knew you two were going to get together this week,” Reed declares. “Zeb owes me money.”
“Why?” I look at Zeb. “What did you bet?”
“I was betting after RagnaRock,” he admits.
“Well… things escalated.Quickly,” I tell them.
Zeb whistles, and I shake my head at him as I grab my water bottle off the floor to take a sip.
“So, is it good?” Andi asks.
I choke, and the others gawk at her.
“What—not the sex!Obviously the sex is good. Look at the two of them. No, I mean, like it isn’t terrifying,” Andi goes on. “I know you were worried about things.”
I scratch my neck with the end of my drumstick, heat filling my cheeks. “Yeah, no, I get what you mean. Everything is great, though. It’s… working. For once.”
