"First: safeword. Red means stop immediately. Yellow means slow down. Green means keep going."
"This I know."
"Second: we're both participating. If you can't handle that, say so now."
"I can handle it."
I hoped.
I hated saying this even as the words left my mouth. "You wanted one night. That's what you get."
Something flickered across her face. I couldn’t tell if it was relief or disappointment.
"Agreed," she said.
"Then we have one more question," Kellan said. "What's your name?"
She hesitated. "Naomi, but I’m not divulging my last name."
Naomi.
The name hit me like a physical blow. There was something about it, something that felt right in a way I couldn't explain.
"Naomi," Kellan repeated, testing it. "Alright, Naomi. Here's how this works. You stay until we say you can leave. You do what we tell you to do. And in return, we make sure you have the best birthday of your life."
"And tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow, you walk away," I said. "No strings. No expectations. No regrets."
She looked at me with those green eyes, and I saw the war happening behind them. Fear, want, and curiosity all tangled together. Her gold-brown complexion.
"Okay," she whispered. "Show me."
Kellan smiled, slow and predatory. "Oh, sweetheart. We're going to do more than show you."
He stood and moved toward her with that liquid grace he had. Circled behind her. His hands settled on her shoulders.
"Last chance," he murmured in her ear. "Once we start, we don't stop until you safeword or we're done. Understood?"
"Understood."
"Good."
I saw her shiver and her pupils dilate. Oh, she was going to be fun.
"Strip," I said.
She froze. "What?"
"You heard me. Take off the dress."
"Here? Now?"
"That's what strip means, yes." I kept my voice level, commanding. "Unless you want to safeword already?"
"No. I just…" She took a breath. "Okay."
Her hands went to the zipper at her side. She pulled it down slowly, the sound loud in the quiet room. The dress pooled at her feet. Underneath, she wore simple black lingerie. Nothing fancy. Just practical cotton that somehow made her look more vulnerable than if she'd been wearing lace.
