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Genni
Iwoke before Kendra and lay in bed, going over the events of yesterday. It all began to go to hell when I met Brian and Jason at the diner. Actually, the phone call from Brian’s brother began the rapid spiraling descent into otherworldly madness with the discovery that the man my body craved and the man who was obsessed with me are both dominants in the BDSM lifestyle. It was like a page right out of a romance novel. I peeked out the window at the morning sky and knew I required a good dose of caffeine before I tried to wrap my brain around everything and make some decisions.
Kendra was still passed out, and she would be hurting when she finally woke up. I didn’t want that to be sooner than necessary, so I gently extrapolated myself from the bed covers and padded down the hallway in bare feet, praying I remembered to set up the coffee to perk in my alcoholic haze last night.
The glorious aroma of dark arabica beans floated to me on the dust-filled rays of light glowing around the kitchen entryway. My sole focus was filling a mug and doctoring it to my liking. Nothing else registered until that first sip of heaven—not even the bakery box and handwritten note sitting in the middle of the kitchen table. I sat and opened the box of sugary confections to me first, ignoring the note for the moment. A white envelope sprang from underneath the box when I moved it. A regular letter-sized envelope thick with whatever it contained settled next to the note.
I sat and stared at both as I inhaled the first chocolate glazed doughnut. As the sugar and caffeine jump-started the neurons in my brain, curiosity got the better of me. I placed another cream-filled confection on a napkin next to my coffee and closed the lid, leaving the rest for Kendra to choose from. Pushing the box back to the middle of the table, I continued to stare at the other items sitting there, patiently awaiting my perusal.
Still not ready to face what might be inside both, I returned to the counter to refresh my coffee and stared out the window into the back yard. I would need to mow soon. The weeds along the fence were getting tall. Gran’s herb garden needed a good weeding, and her rose bushes were full of blooms that needed to be cut and enjoyed. I could also trace the lovely trail of a mole marring the plush grass. That little varmint would need to be extricated as well.
“Genevieve, quit stalling,”I murmured, having been brought to the point of talking to myself. I shook my head, squared my shoulders, and sat back down in my chair. I gathered the note and envelope. Unease crept over me at the thickness of the envelope, and wariness hung around me as my mind raced with what might be inside. I unfolded the note first, skimming down to the signature.
Seeing Brian’s name scrawled at the end, warmed my insides. It should bother me that he had entered my house while Kendra and I were still sleeping, but it didn’t. My heart melted a little bit, knowing he took the time to provide a sugary selection to feed the slight lingering hangover. Having someone take the time to do something so minuscule sent tingles zinging through my blood. It had always been something I craved in a boyfriend: someone who paid attention to the small things. But was that enough to look past his bedroom proclivities?
The morning sun warmed the kitchen around me and provided enough light to read by as I sipped on the second cup of the day. I flattened the note and began reading.
Genni,
I hope you slept well and had an enjoyable evening with your friend. The time apart gave me an opportunity to do some thinking of my own. I have handled my approach to you and our relationship, or lack thereof, in a poor manner, and I would like the opportunity to rectify that.
You have learned some things about me that I would have preferred to tell you myself, but with the situation at hand, it may have actually been best to learn these things as you have. What I would like to do is to be able to sit down with you and have a conversation about what my brother told you and answer any questions you may have.
It is true that I am a Dom in the BDSM lifestyle. There are a lot of preconceived notions out there about the lifestyle that aren’t true and some that are. The main thing I want you to know is that I practice safe, consensual practices. One of those is communication. Open communication is key, and no question is wrong. Please give me the chance to answer all those questions swirling around in that gorgeous head of yours.
The envelope beneath the bakery box has three forms inside it. They are a part of the application process for the club my brother belongs to in Florida. I think they will help you organize your questions and give you a bit more truth about the lifestyle. Another is what we call a limits list. Just look at it, think about it, and if you feel inclined, fill it out. It is pretty self-explanatory, but if you wish to wait until we talk, that is fine as well.
I know now may not be the best time for all of this to land in your lap, but I don’t want you thinking we are all like Jason. He is a thorn in the lifestyle and not an accurate representation. Many people take on the lifestyle for all the wrong reasons, and he is a shining example of that. I will also answer any questions about him to the best of my abilities and in full, honest disclosure. Yes, we frequented the same clubs in Texas for a few years as we learned the lifestyle. Once I realized the true reasons Jason joined, I tried to get him help: counseling, proper training. It was only when I exhausted myself and his options that I distanced myself from him.
This is the first time since he left Texas that I have seen him.
You have my number. Call or text me when you have read through everything. You can also call my brother Brody; he and his wife, Fancy, are more than happy to answer questions as well. Until then, continue to keep the locks engaged on your doors and windows, and don’t open the door for anyone you don’t know.
Brian
Holy shit! I wasn’t ready for this. My head rebelled at the idea of everything I read—the romance world wasn’t just fiction. My body thrilled at the idea, craving the strength of a dominant man, the idea of giving over control to another whose only intent was my pleasure and punishment. I let my imagination roam to a dark room lit only by dimmed golden lighting that reflected off of a gleaming wooden apparatus in the shape of an x, bouncing off the sheen of a black leather-covered bench, and finally absorbing into the silk sheets of a king-size four-poster bed with restraints strategically placed at each corner. A large pillow awaited me at the foot of the bed, and warm breath ruffled the stray hairs at my neck as I took it all in.
“Hey.” Kendra’s gruff and slightly pain-filled greeting had me jumping from my chair as a blush flared in my cheeks as if she could read what had just been playing in my mind. I folded the note and stuffed it into the envelope, which I shoved in the pocket of my tattered robe. “Oh, those look divine. I hope there’s a bear claw left.” She licked her lips as she doctored her coffee and joined me at the table.
“Two, actually. I knew they were your favorites, so I left them for you.” I smiled into my coffee mug, trying to calm my racing heart.
“You didn’t have to go out and get these.” She took a huge bite and hummed her appreciation around it.
“I didn’t. Brian left them for us this morning.” The blush I almost had under control flared again. Damnit, if I couldn’t get my emotions under control, I would be screwed when we talked.
“Oh, really? Not Jason?” She licked her fingers clean of the sticky maple glaze, and her bloodshot eyes met mine. “Okay, chic, spill. What the hell is going on with those two?”
I looked everywhere except at her as I tried to decide how to answer. The tick-tock of the cuckoo clock on the wall echoed around us. I noticed the wallpaper border was beginning to peel at the edges, and the ceiling was yellowing with age. There was a spot on the far wall where something had hung for years, the wall brighter in that spot than everywhere else.
Kendra snapped her fingers in front of my face. “Earth to Genevieve. Are you going to answer me or ignore the whole situation and hope it goes away?”
“Would that work? Cause I choose the latter if so.” I smiled, and she laughed.
“Sorry, chica, it doesn’t work that way. Now spill. I promise it helps to talk it through with a friend.” She brought the coffee pot back to the table with her and refreshed both of our mugs. She tore the second bear claw apart and popped a small bite into her mouth. “Now, start talking from the beginning, and let’s figure this thing out.”
It may have been years since we talked, but the words began to fall from my mouth, building speed like a bike headed downhill without brakes. I didn’t leave out a thing, and by the time I finished, we had moved from the kitchen table and coffee to the living room couch with cold sodas and chips and salsa. Kendra stayed silent, but I saw the wheels turning in her head.
“Okay, so Brian and Jason are old friends.” She ticked one finger on her hand.
