“Well, we should give it more of a chance.”Garrett wasalways the optimist.He thought if he argued long enough, he would win.
Keane thought they needed a different approach.It was timeto take control.
He sat up straighter, letting his jaw go straight and eyesfocus on her.
“You said you didn’t want names, but you need something tocall us.You may call us Sir.”He used his hardest tone, the one that usuallysent all the subs to their knees.“We will call you Red.”
She stared at him for a moment.“I don’t know…”
He had one shot at this.He ignored her and started to takeon a role.Dom.“Now I do have some questions, Red.I would like to know whyyou decided to enter the program.”
That seemed to stop her.“The program?”
He was excellent at role play.It was one of the things heloved most about the lifestyle.For a few hours he could sink into a differentrole, one where he was in control, one where he was enough.He had spent thelast hour studying her.Garrett wasn’t the only one who was good at reading aperson, though it took Keane more time.He would bet she worked in aprofessional field, maybe even in a male-dominated one where she had to fightfor her place.She was smart and quick-witted, and likely felt the need to bein control most of the time.
And she was a well-trained submissive, which meant she alsowanted time where she wasn’t in control.She likely craved it, but she needed…alittle intimacy before her intimacy.Even if it was fake.
“Yes, the program,” he restated, sinking into his role.Heliked this role.Asshole at first.Indulgent asshole later.Garrett would dowhat he did best and smooth out all Keane’s rough edges.“The one in which wepurchase a submissive for the night.Your paperwork looks fine, but it seemsyou might have changed your mind.”
“Hey, dude,” Garrett whispered.“What are you doing?”
But Red sat back, and her lips curled up.She took a sip ofher wine and then bit her bottom lip.“I didn’t have much of a choice, Sir.Mygrandmother needs surgery.I can’t find a job.It’s been hard lately.Ithought… I thought I could make some money this way, but I’m nervous.”
“I…your grandma is sick?”Garrett asked.“I’m so sorry.Andthere is no money involved.He’s being a weirdo.”
For a dude who passed his LSATs in the top five percent, hecould be slow in some cases.
She was not.Her gorgeous green eyes went wide, and he wouldhave sworn she managed a sheen of tears.“But then how will I pay for thesurgery?And food.I have four brothers and sisters who depend on me.Mommadied a while back, and Daddy, well, Daddy never took much to family life.WhenMomma died he left us all with grandma, and now that she’s sick…”
“Uhm, we’re doing some kind of role play, right?”Garrettseemed to finally catch on.
Keane stared at her, ignoring his friend because they werefinally making a real connection.Oh, all the information was fake, but therewas an odd truth in how a person role-played.It was all there in the choicesthey made.Red felt like everyone depended on her.Like she was held to acertain standard.“You’ll have to forgive my partner.It’s his first time.”
“It is not my first time,” Garrett argued.
That made Red laugh and put a hand over Garrett’s.“I’m sureyou’re very experienced.”
So she was compassionate.He wanted to know her name, but hewas a man who had learned a long time ago to take what he could get because itcould all turn on him.“It’s your experience we should talk about.”
This was such a better way to get to hard and soft limits.It wasn’t clinical this way because it made the negotiations part of the playitself.
She put a hand to her chest and managed to flush prettily.“I… Sir, my virginity is part of the cost.”
Oh, she was good.Though he didn’t prize virginity in anyway and would bet his damn life she wasn’t one, his cock tightened because shewas getting invested in the play.The awkwardness was still there, but this wayit was woven into the fabric of the night.It was helpful instead of a hurdleto jump over.“I did want a virgin.”
“But you should understand that we have certain tastes.”Garrett finally settled back into his role.
Garrett was a good Dom, but he could take it or leave it.Keane could not.He needed to be in control.In a different lifetime he thoughtGarrett would have been happy being a switch.He loved taking care of theirlovers in all the little ways.
“What kind of tastes?”She asked the question with abreathless puff.
“How much training did the academy give you in the D/slifestyle?”Keane asked.
For a moment she broke character, and there was such joy onher face it made him smile, too.“There’s an academy?”
He nodded.“For wayward young women who need to find theirplace in the world.”
She clapped her hands.“I love it so much.”Then she wasback to being the down-on-her-luck sub who needed to spread her legs so grandmagot well again.“I took all the classes, Sir.I know what you will want from meand I’m ready.”
