“So he’s sexy and powerful and he has nice stuff.” Echo pulled the door shut behind them. “Heels off to walk down, or not?” She contemplated the stairs. “Probability of having needles or Ebola or herpes on the steps, from zero to one hundred, go.”
“Ebola zero, needles ten percent, but it would only be Mrs. Henkel’s insulin thingies that she drops out of her medical kit sometimes. Herpes, ick, and just because you said that, we’re keeping the shoes on. Come along now, Nurse Ratched.” She tugged Echo’s arm. “It’s not just that. You keep minimizing things.”
“No. I cut through the clutter and see the essentials.”
“Like hepatitis where it doesn’t exist?”
“Remember Bubba and the garage? I still think you’re getting carried away by the whole ambience of the thing. This is your first rich guy. You’re star-struck.” Echo waved her hand. “Fuck a few more millionaires and you’ll be over it, and then you can see for real whether he’s worthy of your charms.”
“Oh, great idea. Let’s stop by the Man-O-Vend on the way and I’ll get myself a few. Make sure you have clean dollar bills in your purse because those machines hate the crumpled ones.”
“Make sure you get the one with extra nuts.” Echo snorted.
“Ew. You can get the creamy one. Extra creamy filling, coming right up.”
“Perfect for you.” Echo made a slurping sound.
“You’re so disgusting.” Casey gave Echo a mock punch on the shoulder as the two made their way down their side street.
“I know.” Echo gave her a smug smile. “And you’re laughing again. They say that’s the best medicine.”
“They also say semen is good for the complexion. They don’t always get it right.”
Echo pointed. “They say we should cross here, because they still have that barricade up around that hole on our sidewalk, and it’s full of nasty old rainwater and garbage. And speaking of semen lotion, I bet they have that in a vending machine in Japan. Ha! I’m kidding, but really, you can buy literally anything in a vending machine there. We were watching YouTube videos at work.”
Casey’s voice rose in excitement. “I should ask Max about vending machines! I’ll text him in a minute. He’s been in Japan a lot for work. He tells me all kinds of things about his trips. Did you know that there’s a museum there with a hair rope? A mayonnaise factory with kewpie dolls as the mascot? Two ocean rocks that were married in Shinto tradition and are tied together with a rope? God. There are so many fascinating places to see in the world, things beyond the traditional art. Things that really delve into the facets of the strange and fascinating human psyche in its more original and strange forms. Those are the things I want to see someday.”
“You talk about Max a lot.” Echo looked at Casey. “More than Hunter. What does that mean?”
Casey shrugged. “All it means is that he’s a good guy. He’s nice to me. You should meet him someday. I think you’d get along.”
* * *
Everything felt light and happy; maybe it was Echo’s lighthearted zaniness, or just the ability to go out and forget about the angst of being unforgiven, but Casey found herself laughing and enjoying the flirtation with the bartender and several cute and completely interchangeable guys.
But when one of them asked Echo to dance, and Casey dismissed the other one by telling him she was pregnant with triplets and looking for a doting father, and after she giggled to watch him dissolve in front of her eyes like a horrified Cheshire Cat, she felt alone. Checking her phone gave no solace: Zero new texts. Zero calls. Service at full bars, 4G.
She crossed her legs over the barstool and sighed, deflating, the energy and laughter leaking from her soul. When the phone rang, she grabbed it. “Hello?”
“Casey.”
“Max.” His voice made her smile. “What’s up?”
“You didn’t come tonight. Everything okay?”
“I’m at a bar with Echo.”
“Is that good?”
“For her it is. She’s dancing with a mixture of David Gandy and Channing Tatum.”
“And I assume that’s something women like.” His voice was dry with humor.
“Oh, you bet. She’s draped on him like melting taffy. It’s fun to watch. Like my own personal porno.”
“If you want to watch, you’re in the wrong place.” His voice was low.
“Mmm. I suppose you have a point. Give me an example.”
“Right now, I’m watching a very muscular man fuck his woman while she’s tied to the cross. He’s taking her from behind, Casey. First he whipped her with a crop until she cried and begged, and now he’s fucking her so hard she begging to come.”
Casey bit her finger, mesmerized, and now all she could see was that image, in her mind. “Go on.”
“She’s so wet I can see it from here, everyone can. Another man is standing beside them, touching her clit with his fingers while she’s getting fucked. She’s twisting her hips so hard, trying to push into his touch, but he’s teasing her, touching, then retreating. It’s making her crazy.”
Casey sucked in her breath. “Max.”
“It’s not too late to come here, if you want.” His voice was seductive.
Chapter Seventeen
“Is Hunter there?” She bit her lip, not sure what answer she wanted to hear.
His tone became more businesslike. “He is.”
“Is he, um? Never mind. I shouldn’t ask.” She hesitated. “I’m going to ask, anyway. Is he with anyone?”
“Right… now?” Max’s tone was cautious. “Not at this moment. No.”
“Tell me,” she demanded. There was a pause.
“He was scening with Abby, earlier.”
Casey burst into tears.
“Casey? Fuck. Are you okay?”
She sniffed and found her voice. “No, it’s fine. I know that’s what the club is for, and we had no commitment or anything. And it’s been, like, a month. So it’s all good.”
“Not if it makes you cry. Fuck. Listen, where are you again?”
“The Punctured Plum. It’s the new place, next to Chooch’s on Rush. But I’m fine.”
“Wait there. I’m coming.” He hung up.
When Echo came drifting back to the bar on sunbeams and spring breezes, her face was full of laughter, but it fled when she saw Casey. “Case? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“Is it the kind of nothing where you’re sad because you’re out of Nutella, or the kind of nothing where you just got notified that your house is being demolished tomorrow?”
Casey sniffed out a laugh. “Demolition.”
“Well, I’ve got a tent in my closet. Mitchell, can you give us a few minutes?” She kissed her dance partner on the lips, a soft brush. “I’ll be over in a bit to claim that other thing.” He nodded and she watched him walk to his friends, smiling.
“What other thing?” Despite herself, Casey was intrigued.
Echo sat beside Casey and swiveled the stool to face her friend, crossing her elegant legs. “Never you mind, Little Miss Kink. I might have a few tricks up my own sleeve. Not prostitution tricks, you understand. Just maybe he promised me something verrrry special before, and I might want to call it in.”
“You’re not going to have sex with him in the bar.”
“Not in the bar. Maybe behind it.”
“Echo!”
“Kidding. We’ll go to his place. We’ve been flirting for weeks and finally tonight he made a move. But you. What?”
“Max called. I was sad, so he’s going to come here. Hunter was with someone at the club.”
“Oh. But isn’t that what the club is for, kind of? To do things with people?” Echo’s voice was compassionate but firm. “Right?”
“Yes, it is. And even when we had our night together, Hunter did say if we got together again it would be about sex, not… relationship stuff. But I wanted that, with him. Very much. I still do. Look, I know it’s fucked up, but I can’t help how I f
eel, okay? When I think about Hunter, I get this incredible yearning for him and everything he is. I can’t explain it. It’s a crush, but the grownup, extraterrestrial version, or something. I don’t know. Maybe you’re right about the fact that he’s my first rich guy, but it’s not the money. It’s his whole aura. Being with him is like being with a thousand victorious armies.” She shook her head. “And that sounds stupid. Some feelings don’t translate well into words.”
The two sat silently for a minute, and Casey finished her drink, ordered another.
“Listen.” Echo put her hand on Casey’s. “Stop letting this drag out. Confront him. If you really have those feelings, you need to get yourself in front of him and see if they’re real, or just a memory or what you thought he was, or what you once wanted. Find out. Just get this out of the way, out in the open. Either fix it, or move past it.”
“I should. Not tonight though, probably. Right? If he was just with… another woman.” She shuddered in distaste. “That’s kind of gross.”
Echo’s words burst out suddenly. “I don’t even see why this is such a huge deal to him. I was no fan of your Sleuthy McSleutherson thing, but I’m not going to sit here and say I’m perfect, you know? People make mistakes, and we need to get past it. In the grand scheme of things, it’s not really all that bad. It’s not like you robbed a bank.”
“Right?” Casey sipped her martini. “That’s what I keep thinking.”
“So what makes this such an impasse?”
“It’s such an impasse that he won’t even talk to me about why it’s such an impasse.”
“He’s aware that this is a totally elitist First World problem, right?” Echo made her voice high and whiny. “Ohmigod, I’m such a sad powerful billionaire tonight. My super-secret sex club was infiltrated by a super-sexy woman who wanted to have sex with me and let me spank her. Poor, poor me. All this super sex. So super sad.”
Casey snorted out her drink. “Oh, God. Exactly!”
Echo went on. “She’s so nubile”—except she said it “nyoooo-bile,” making them both crack up, “and soft and young and perfect in every way. Why, oh why, did she choose to pick on big, powerful, rich old me? The horror. That’s no victorious army, Case. That’s a dumb motherfucker on crack, waving a stick at an urban opossum and screaming like a baby.”
“Yes. He’s being—he’s just a big baby,” Casey declared, and picked up her phone. “You are just a Big Dumb Baby!” she screamed at the black screen.
A voice at her shoulder cut in. “Careful, Pavarotti. Don’t crack the screen with your high C.”
“I’d give that a C minus, tops.” Echo raised her drink. “Hello, handsome stranger.”
“Max!” Casey jumped to her feet and fell into his arms. “You’re jusht—just in time to hear us talking about Big Baby Hunter.”
“I see that.” Max kissed her cheek and his hand was warm on her shoulder as he faced Echo and gave over his hand. “I’m Max, Casey’s—friend.”
“Let me guess. From the… kinky club.” Echo wrinkled her nose and crossed her arms. “Otherwise known as the Heartbreak Hotel.”
“The very one. Is she all right?” Max’s face held concern as he peered at Casey. “Casey? How much did you drink?”
“Why do you want to know? Are you going to spank me if I had more than one, I mean, five, maybe seven, drinks?” She licked her lips and smiled up at him when he shook his head at her. “No? Well, what if I ask nicely? Will you spank me then?” His jaw clenched.
Echo put her hand on her hip and narrowed her eyes. “Is that what you do? Spank girls for random crap?”
Max sighed. “No, Echo.”
“You better not.” Echo scowled and put her other hand on the other hip. “Because I have a belt in karate, just so you know, in case you were thinking of beating her up.”
“So you’d beat me up so I don’t beat her up.” Max gestured. “I like it. You’re a good friend. But just so you know, I will never beat her, ever, or any woman without her consent. Anything I do with a woman is her choice, and with the end goal of pleasure.” He paused. “And Casey isn’t even… mine.” He swallowed and looked away.
“That’s right.” Echo made a chopping motion in the air. “Remember that.” She winked at him, though, and grinned, and Casey felt relief.
“What kind of belt did you say you have?” Max smiled. “That was quite a move, there.”
“I didn’t say. A colorful one.”
“Yeah? Me too. I’m a fifth degree black belt. You?”
“Seventeenth degree mauve. With shades of puce. And polka dots.” Echo made the gesture again. “Armed and incredibly dangerous.”
“I aspire to that belt,” Max said, giving her a small bow. “How about I buy a round of waters for everyone while we discuss your knowledge of the ancient arts of martial.”
“Big spender.” Echo sniffed. “I’ll take Coke with a twist of lime and lemon. She will need at least three waters, a bathroom trip, and aspirin before we go. This isn’t my first rodeo.”
“Giddyup.” Max tossed some bills on the counter and gestured to the bartender, and a few minutes later Casey found herself faced with a trio of sweating glasses, full of ice and clear water. She blinked. “How did I get here?”
“Feet.” Echo pointed. “Those two things. You’ll remember soon, once the alcohol burns off.”
“Shut up. I meant that in a metaphsh—metaphysical way.”
“She’s using big words. Must be sobering up.” Max raised an eyebrow at Echo, and Casey gave him an ineffective, affectionate slap on the forearm, then let her fingers linger, feeling his strong muscles.
“She uses big words in her sleep. Means nothing except she’s a frickin’ genius.” Echo smiled, though, and held her glass up for a toast. “Cheers to Mr. Spanky Hands.”
Max put his glass down. “I want to get something straight, Echo. I understand that you don’t trust me because of where I hang out, especially because Casey’s upset, but I promise, I’m a decent man, and the other people there are good people. There’s more to me than the fact that I’m into BDSM.”
“Like what?” Echo raised her eyebrow.
Casey interrupted. “Like a lot of things. Max is a lawyer, did you know that? He’s a human rights lawyer. And he likes art too, although he’s not an expert like I am. Although few are, not to brag. Heh.” She drank some water. “And he likes hedgehogs too, did you know that? And he’s very gentle, even though he’s spanky.” She leaned back into Max’s embrace, feeling his warmth, his breath on her cheek, and snaked her hand up behind her head to touch his jaw.
“And the skin on his face is soft and firm at the same time, and when I touch his neck I can feel his pulse beating. He smells like the forest in fall, I think, when he holds me on his lap.” Her voice trailed off, and she leaned her head onto Max’s shoulder. “He’s strong. He makes me laugh when I’m sad on the phone. He tells me to believe in myself.”
She let her mind drift. “He has a really sexy voice when he’s threatening to punish me.” She smiled a little, feeling his body tighten against hers. “He has the sexiest body, God, you feel good.” She rubbed against him, then gave a gusty yawn. “Wake me in five minutes,” she murmured, but frowned when she saw Echo’s expression. “What? What did I say?”
“Nothing. I mean, not nothing. Sort of the opposite of… that.” Echo wrinkled her brow and gave Max a curious look.
“Why are you looking at Max like that? Oh, I know, he’s hot, right? I look at him like that, too.” Casey giggled and leaned forward and confided in a loud voice, “He’s got a six-pack from a magazine, and oh, you should know that he has a really big cock. It’s a pretty cock, you know? As far as cocks go. I saw it when he was fucking Cassia.”
Echo choked on her water, and a couple looked over, startled. “You did what, exactly?”
“Mmm hmmm.” Casey waved a hand. “Yup. So, yeah.”
Max cleared his throat. “Echo, it’s a BDSM club where sex is allowed. Ev
erything,” he stressed, “is consensual. Cassia is not my girlfriend,” he added. “She’s a friend of mine, whom I respect and care for, and whose wife sometimes—you know, these details are better left private. But she’s not my partner.” He cleared his throat. “It’s confidential.”
“Who would I tell?” Echo raised an eyebrow. “And I understand about the club. I just—” She shook her head. “I’m not into sharing. That’s not my thing. Maybe you wouldn’t understand.”
Casey felt Max’s body stiffen. “I think I can understand that perfectly,” he said in a low voice, and Casey saw the expression on her friend’s face change to one of sympathy.
“Soooo…” Echo said, drawing out her word, her glance sharp. “Let’s say, Max, that you met Mizz Right. If she wasn’t a swinger, you’d turn monogamous for her?”
“Yes.” Max’s arms tightened around Casey. “Although BDSM isn’t swinging, and—you know, let’s just get Casey home, okay?”
“Sure.” Echo gave Casey a searching look. “Casey? Um, do you want me to help you get home, or do you want… Max to take you?”
“Max can take me.” Casey pushed her ass into Max’s groin and was rewarded with a low groan, and she smiled in victory as she felt him respond. “I’d like that a lot.”
“Because if you’re okay, then I’d like to finish my dance with Mitchell.” She nodded at Max. “I trust you, so don’t make me come after you with my mad man-slicing skills.”
“Deal.” Max nodded back. “Are you going to be okay, Echo?” He glanced around the bar. “It’s crowded now, looks safe enough, but maybe we should stay.”
Echo smiled. “I’m good.” She pointed at the bar. “Kevin’s my bud and he has the local cops on speed dial, not that he ever needs it. I’m a careful girl. So, you know, thanks, Mom.” But her smile was warm. “Casey?” She leaned in to whisper into her friend’s ear. “You good?”
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