She laughs.
“Ok, fine. But you should really think about it. There are mixed gender ones and women-only ones. I think you’d be surprised by how profound it can be. I’m planning to pitch a collaboration with Salt to Jessie.”
I run a hand over my face and try to blink the sleep out of my eyes.
“I’ll think about it, ok? I need coffee before I even consider some sort of sexual stir fry.” I swing my legs out of bed and stand as she does the same.
“You bet. Now, I’ll trade you a coffee for a full debrief on last night.”
“Deal.”
By the time I’ve finished recapping my night of voyeurism and minor exhibitionism, Sloane is practically misty eyed.
“You fell asleep? On Daddy Dom Luke? The most serious man at Salt?” she says, fake swooning onto the sofa cushions.
“He’s not that serious once you get to know him better,” I reply, thinking back to his winks and his flirty comments. “Iactually think he’s a massive nerd underneath his fancy suits and his stoic persona. His office is all books! And a very comfy sofa.”
“You had sex on his sofa?” Sloane’s eyes light up at the thought.
“No. After I fell asleep, he carried me upstairs and laid me down on it. I woke up there about an hour later, snuggled up under his suit jacket. He was just working quietly at his desk.”
Sloane’s eyebrows go so high, they vanish under her fringe.
“Wait, so he carried you, like a literal maiden in a fairy tale, back to his office and then watched you sleep for an hour?”
“No, he didn’t watch me sleep for an hour, he was doing spreadsheets or something,” I reply.
“Uh huh. Sure. He was totally watching you sleep. Oh my god, girl! Luke is so into you!”
“What?! No, he isn’t. I mean sure, we have amazing chemistry and the sex is great but he’s just helping out a friend. He is strictly a no relationships guy. You said so yourself!” I shrug.
“Sure, he is. Until you. Oh, I can see it now – you’re the forbidden fruit! The one woman he could never have. Until you served yourself up on a platter. The story practically writes itself.” She grins and I feel a blush rise in my cheeks.
“Definitely not. Luke’s not like that. He’s a sweetheart, and he’s unbelievably caring, but this thing between us is an arrangement that will eventually come to an end. There is no future for us. He’s got his lifestyle, and the club, and I would never want to stand in the way of that. And then there’s the issue of my brother. Nope, this is all it will ever be and that’s fine. I’m just going to enjoy it while it lasts.”
“Ok, in six months’ time when you’re all loved up, I’m going to be doing the ‘I told you so’ dance. It’s magnificent. Lots of thrusting.”
“Whatever,” I say with a grin, throwing a cushion at her.
“You stay in denial for as long as you need, sweetie. I’m off to sweat out last night’s spicy margs.” She blows me a kiss and leaves the flat, the door banging behind her on the way out.
I mull over her words. There’s definitely something about the way Luke keeps looking at me that’s got me doubting my own convictions. But hoping for anything more than what we’ve got would be a very dangerous game indeed.
I’ve already had my heart put through a mincer once this year. I’m not sure I’d survive a second time.
Not with him.
CHAPTER 26
Emmy
“So how does it work then?”I ask, picking at the crisps on the table in front of me. It’s two days later and I’ve come to Luke’s for a drink and a chance to tick another item off the list.
“Power exchange is quite simple really: you would hand over control to me for the duration of the scene,” he answers, taking a sip of his drink. “The lead person – or dominant – makes all the decisions and the other person – the submissive – is more or less at their mercy.
“The more extreme ends of the spectrum can be a whole lifestyle choice, where the dominant and submissive elements become key parts of day-to-day life. But for me, it’s something I only enjoy as part of a scene with pre-agreed boundaries. Once the scene ends, the normal balance of power is returned.”
I nod, thinking through the dynamic we witnessed at Salt a few nights ago.
