“Elara, you’re a goddess,” Scarlett declared.
“I know,” Elara said with a grin. “It’s a burden I bear gracefully.”
“So, Cami,” Sampson said, leaning forward with interest. “Two Dominants. Tell us everything. How is this working out for you?”
“Sampson!” Renee scolded. “Let the girl eat first.”
“No, it’s okay,” I said, laughing. “I’m still figuring it out myself. But so far, it’s been... intense. In the best way.”
“Do they coordinate?” Emmy asked. “Like, do they plan scenes together or is it more spontaneous?”
“Both? They’re really good at reading each other. And me.” I took a sip of wine. “This morning we did a full negotiation. Limits, interests, all of it.”
“Oh, that’s hot,” Jo said. “The fact that they took the time to do it properly.”
“Lex is all about proper protocol,” Iris observed. “I watched him in class all week. He’s so controlled.”
“And Majesty is the warm one,” Scarlett added. “But don’t let that fool you. He’s got an edge.”
“They both do,” I admitted. “Different styles, but equally intense.”
The main course arrived. Pan-seared duck breast with cherry gastrique, roasted root vegetables, and the creamiest polenta I’d ever tasted.
“Elara, marry me,” Sampson declared. “I don’t care that you have three men already. Add me to the collection.”
“You’d never survive,” Elara teased. “Besides, Aiden would kill us both.”
“He would,” Sampson agreed cheerfully. “But what a way to go.”
As we ate, the conversation flowed easily. These women, this group, they were so open and accepting. No judgment, just genuine interest and support.
“Can I ask you all something?” Iris said quietly, her fork moving food around her plate. “How do you know when a relationship isn’t working?”
The table went quiet.
“What’s going on?” Scarlett asked gently, reaching for her friend’s hand.
“David and Harold. It’s not... I don’t think we’re working.” Iris looked up, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “We don’tcoordinate. When we scene, it feels like they’re doing things to me instead of with me. Like I’m there, but not really part of it.”
“Have you talked to them?” Honey asked.
“I’ve tried. Also, Majesty and Lex tried. But they just say I’m being too sensitive or that I need to relax more.” She wiped at her eyes. “I don’t think they get it.”
“Then it’s not working,” Emmy said firmly. “Think of communication like Captain Kirk giving orders. If he just says, ‘Let’s boldly go!’ the crew hasno ideawhere they’re headed. But when he says, ‘Helm, set a course for Starbase 12,’ suddenly everyone’s on the same page. Clarity is the difference between a heroic mission and getting lost in a nebula.”
“But what if I’m the problem?” Iris asked. “What if I’m asking for too much?”
“You’re not,” I found myself saying. Everyone looked at me, and I felt my courage rise. “Yesterday during the demonstrations, Lex stopped your scene. He said the same thing. That David and Harold weren’t coordinating. That they were operating as individuals instead of as partners around you. Like Emmy said, there wasn’t clarity.
Iris’s eyes widened. “I know he stopped the scene and then demonstrated the proper technique with you and Majesty joining him, but I guess I wasn’t really aware of how much he might have noticed.”
“Lex is aware of a great deal. In fact, he mentioned it was almost as if the scene was about them individually and not you. Majesty noticed as well. They said you looked like you were enduring instead of enjoying.”
“That’s exactly how I feel,” Iris whispered. “Like I’m just enduring.”
“Then you have your answer,” Renee said, her hand rubbing her belly absently. “Life’s too short to be in a relationship where you’re just surviving. You deserve to thrive.”
“But I’ll be alone,” Iris said.
