Marshall
Charlie'swearingtheskirt.Black pencil skirt, fitted, with a white blouse that has one more button undone than last night. Her hair's in another bun with a pencil stuck through it, and I want to pull that pencil out and watch her hair tumble down around her shoulders.
"You came back," she says, and there's something like relief in her voice.
"You're surprised? Did you think I'd just disappear after last night?"
"A little. I thought maybe you'd wake up and realize how weird this whole situation is and decide to ghost me."
"Two adults reading books together and having honest conversations? Nothing weird about that at all."
She's holding a piece of paper, and I notice immediately it's color-coded with different sections. Laminated. Christ, she actually laminated her kink list. That's simultaneously the nerdiest and most endearing thing I've ever seen.
"Is that your homework?"
She nods, hands it over with trembling fingers. I scan it, fighting hard not to smile at the sheer organization of it. It's sorted by category with subcategories, complete with footnotes and a rating system. This woman put more effort into her submission list than most people put into their actual job.
"'Structure and routine,'" I read aloud. "'Clear expectations with written guidelines. Praise for meeting goals and following rules.' This is a very professional submission list, Miss Book. Very thorough."
"I'm a librarian. I like organization and clear categorization systems."
"'Permission required for purchases over fifty dollars?' Really? You want someone to control your spending?"
"I have a book buying problem! Last month I spent three hundred dollars on romance novels and had to eat ramen for two weeks because I couldn't afford groceries!"
"'Bedtime by 10 PM on work nights with thirty-minute wind-down period.' You want someone to actually enforce your bedtime like you're a child?"
She's bright red but defiant, lifting her chin. "Sleep hygiene is important for mental and physical health! I stay up until two in the morning reading and then feel terrible the next day but I can't seem to stop myself!"
I keep reading, fascinated. The list gets progressively spicier as it goes. "'Physical discipline when appropriate, including but not limited to spanking.' 'Sexual submission with clear boundaries.' 'Orgasm control and denial as needed.' 'Daily check-ins and accountability.'" I look up at her, watching her squirm. "You've thought about this extensively."
"Three months of living alone in a new town with nothing but my romance novel collection for company. Yes, I've thoughtabout it extensively. I've had a lot of time to figure out what I actually want versus what I thought I was supposed to want."
"But you've never tried? Never explored this with anyone?"
"With who? Dylan would have used it against me, twisted it into something ugly. And before him..." She shrugs helplessly. "I've always been the good girl. The responsible one. The one who follows all the rules and never causes problems. I've never had anyone I trusted enough to let go with."
"You trust me?" I ask, genuinely curious. We barely know each other.
"I don't know yet. But I want to. Does that make sense?"
Perfect sense, actually. Honest, too, which I appreciate more than she knows. I respect honesty above almost everything else.
"Let's start simple. Tonight, you're going to read to me. Your choice of material."
"More fanfiction about John and Bunny?"
"No. Your choice. Whatever you've been wanting to read but been too embarrassed to admit you like."
She bites her lip, worrying it between her teeth while she thinks. Then she goes to her special shelf, the one marked "Explicit Content - Request at Desk." Pulls out a book with a stark black cover. "Daddy's Strict Rules" by Amber Dawn.
"That what you touch yourself to when you're alone at night?"
She drops the book, fumbling to catch it. "I don't— I haven't—"
"Charlie. No lying. That's going to be a rule if we do this. Complete honesty, even when it's embarrassing."
"Fine! Yes! Sometimes I read it and touch myself and imagine what it would be like to have someone actually care enough to set rules for me! Are you happy now?"
