by Sophie Stern
“You didn’t have to,” Heather said pointedly. “It’s a top’s job to notice when a bottom is feeling agitated or tired or worried out of their pretty little mind.”
“It’s that obvious?” I set the water glass back down.
“Your body language says you’re terrified to be here,” Tanya said. A sly grin spread across her face. “Are we that terrifying?”
“A little,” I admitted. “I’ve never been around two tops at the same time.”
Both women laughed. They seemed happy together, and I liked that. They seemed like they got along really well. That was kind of wonderful, actually, and a little idyllic. Would I ever find someone that made me happy the way they were?
“How long have you two been together?” I asked, feeling suddenly brave. There was no pressure at this brunch. We weren’t promising to date or to play together. We were just talking, just getting to know each other. Besides, asking questions showed I was interested, and that I wasn’t just a shy new kid who was too nervous to actually speak.
“Eight years,” Heather said.
“Eight and a half,” Tanya corrected.
“That’s a long time.”
“Sometimes it feels like a lifetime,” Heather agreed. “Other times, it’s like no time at all has passed.”
“That’s kind of perfect,” I said, wondering if I’d ever find something like that.
“In some ways,” Heather agreed.
“What about you?” Tanya sipped on her orange juice. “Have you ever been in a long-term relationship?”
“Cutting right to the chase, huh?”
“I don’t see any need to beat around the bush,” she said. “You came to the club for a reason, and you came alone. I assume you’re interested in the lifestyle, but beyond that, I don’t know much about you.”
“That’s what the brunch is for,” Heather smiled softly. “So we can get to know each other a little bit better, even if it’s just as friends.”
“Friends is good,” I said. “I’m not sure if I’m ready for anything serious right now.”
“Tell us why,” Tanya said.
“Well, it’s like this,” I started to say, but just then, the food arrived. It looked absolutely delicious. Tanya had a huge stack of pancakes with a bowl of fruit, and Heather’s breakfast was a cheese Danish. For me, they’d ordered hash browns and scrambled eggs, which was literally my favorite breakfast in the world. My stomach growled. Suddenly, I was starving.
“What do you think?” Heather asked. “Did I guess right?”
“Uh, yeah!” I grabbed my fork and took a bite, then closed my eyes as I let the flavors wash over my tongue. “It’s perfect,” I said.
“Nice choice,” Tanya winked at her partner. “You were right.”
“What did you guess I liked?” I asked Tanya.
“My guess was bagels,” she shrugged.
“I love those, too,” I said.
“So, partners?” Heather asked, gently guiding the conversation back to where it had been. “You were about to tell us your relationship status.”
“Single,” I said. “But it’s complicated.”
“What’s complicated about being single?” Tanya wanted to know.
I wasn’t sure what to say. I didn’t want the dommes to think I was being deceitful. Dating two people at once sounded incredibly intriguing, but it wasn’t something I was really ready for.
Heather figured it out, though.
“She met someone,” she said carefully.
I blushed.
“Oh, you did?” Tanya smiled, and I could tell she was actually happy for me – not jealous at all.
“Yeah,” I admitted, but the words came out as a whisper. “I hope it’s okay that I still came to brunch with you both. I hope it doesn’t…”
Disappoint?
Was that the right word?
I didn’t want to disappoint them.
That seemed right.
They had been nothing but kind to me, and I didn’t want to let them down with the idea that things between us might not ever “go” anywhere.
“It’s quite all right,” Heather said diplomatically, kindly. “We came here to get to know you better, love, even if it’s just as friends.”
“That’s nice,” I said. “I could use more friends in my life.”
“What brought you to Anchored?” Tanya asked, shifting the subject just a little. “Do you have some friends already who are members?” Did she guess that I had met someone at the club?
“Yeah,” I said. “My friend Carolyn goes there.”
“Carolyn?” They exchanged looks, as though they weren’t quite sure who she was.
“Yeah,” I said. Quickly, I gave a brief description of Carolyn’s physical appearance, and Tanya burst out laughing.
“Castle? Castle is your friend?”
“Castle?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. Now it was my turn to be surprised.
“It’s her stage name, I suppose,” Heather said. “Not everyone wants to use their real names at the club, and of course, that’s perfectly fine. I knew that couldn’t have possibly been her real name,” she grinned. “But Castle – Carolyn – insisted that everyone call her that. She’s got the tattoo, so it fits.”
She had a beautiful tattoo of a castle on her thigh. Apparently, Carolyn either dressed in very little at the club, or she’d specifically played with Tanya and Heather. That was sexy. Go Carolyn.
“She spent a summer studying abroad in England,” I explained. “And all she did was drink, read books, and go to pubs.”
“Sounds like a good time to me,” Tanya said.
“Agreed,” Heather looked at me carefully. “So she invited you? But she didn’t attend with you? You aren’t her submissive, are you?”
There were so many questions, and for some reason, I hadn’t really thought we would talk about the club that much. Maybe it was because we were at a public place, or maybe because we were somewhere else, so I had assumed that the discussion would be…I wasn’t sure. Vanilla?
“I’m not,” I finally said. “She had to work, and I was curious.”
“Interesting,” the women said in unison.
“Besides, Carolyn is a submissive.”
Both women laughed and shook their heads.
“She’s a switch,” Tanya said. “And I don’t feel bad for telling you. That’s not a secret at the club. I’m guessing she just didn’t want you to feel bad.”
Carolyn?
A switch?
Now there was something new. Apparently, even my best friend could be full of surprises.
“I’m sure she’ll tell me when she’s ready,” I said.
“I’m sure she will,” Tanya grabbed Heather’s hand and squeezed it. “And what about you? What did you think about the club?”
What did I think?
It was wildly overwhelming, but in a good way. It was naughty and fun and wonderful. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to jump right in, but I hadn’t had the experience I’d thought that I would have. Most of me assumed that I would walk in, get some inspiration for my book, and walk right out.
Something had changed, though.
Raiden had been right about my incessant comments regarding spankings. I was curious. I did want to know more. It wasn’t just blind curiosity, though. I wanted something – someone – specific. I wanted him.
“I’m glad I came,” I said. “I met some interesting people, saw some interesting things. It’s all still very new to me. I have a lot to learn.”
“Have you tried the beginner’s class?” Tanya asked. “It’s on Wednesday nights. You might like it.”
“I haven’t,” I said.
“There are a couple of teachers. They rotate sometimes, but the lessons are kind of the same. They offer an introduction to BDSM and explain the lifestyle,” Tanya said. We were alone in our corner of the restaurant, so she wasn’t worried about being overheard or having anyone notice what we were talking about.
> “Maybe I’ll check it out,” I said. “I like learning.”
“What else do you like?” Heather asked.
“Excuse me?”
“Well, you saw a lot of things at the club. What sorts of things excite you?” Tanya clarified. “Do you like rope play? Voyeurism?”
“I’m not sure,” I admitted. “There’s a lot to learn about.”
“Well, I’m sure Raiden will give you a hand when you come to the class,” Heather said. She took a sip of her drink. “He’s an excellent instructor and knows so much about guiding new submissives into the lifestyle. Hell, he’s great at guiding Doms, too. He has a way with people. That’s for damn sure.”
“Raiden?” I choked out, and I must have blushed, because both women’s eyebrows immediately went up.
“He’s one of the teachers at the newbie class,” Tanya said. “But I’m guessing you already know him.”
“Yeah, I know him.” They were going to find out the truth sooner or later. Besides, my reaction had obviously been kind of obvious. “He, uh, he’s putting some bookshelves into my house for me,” I whispered.
“I’m sure that’s not all,” Heather said.
“Like I said,” I whispered. “It’s complicated.”
“With Raiden, it certainly is,” Heather commented. She looked at Tanya for a second, as though trying to decide whether she should say anything else, but she finally settled on what she wanted to tell me. “Raiden is special to the members of the club.”
“I know,” I said.
“Maybe you do,” she said. “But I’d like to reinforce that idea.”
“What do you mean?”
“She means you need to be careful,” she said. “This,” she gestured between us. “This kind of thing can’t happen with Raiden. You can’t go out just to see if you’re interested in something more.”
“That sounds like quite the commitment,” I nodded. “Isn’t going out with people part of the fun of discovering who they are? Casual lunch dates between friends can happen.”
“Not with Raiden,” Tanya said. “He’s been hurt before.”
“I know all about that,” I said. “But he’s moved on.”
“Moved on?” Tanya asked.
“Yeah,” I thought of the female voice I’d heard when I called him on Sunday. “I talked to him the other day, and he was with someone. I think he’s dating someone.”
I didn’t want to gossip, but I also didn’t want them to think I was pursuing him.
Because I wasn’t.
Because it wasn’t meant to be.
“What day did you call him?” Heather was careful.
“Sunday.”
“Around 5:30?”
“Yes…”
I didn’t like where this was going.
How did she know what time I’d called at?
If she knew, then chances were that there was more to the story, and if there was more to the story, than I was being an idiot, and I didn’t like that idea.
Raiden was…
Heavenly.
I didn’t like the idea that I had somehow misjudged his intentions so horribly and made a big ol’ mistake. Maybe he wasn’t really dating someone.
Maybe I’d been wrong.
“He was at a training for the instructors,” Tanya said.
“I was there with him,” Heather explained. “Honestly, it was probably my voice that you heard.”
My stomach suddenly hurt. Was it supposed to be in knots over a guy? I didn’t think so, but it suddenly was totally, definitely, completely in knots over a guy.
Yep, I was an idiot.
And I’d somehow managed to embarrass myself horribly in front of these women.
“Oh,” I managed to squeak out the word.
“You know,” Heather said thoughtfully. “One of the key elements of the kink life is talking and communicating. Have you told Raiden that you’re interested in him?”
“Sort of.”
“That means no,” Tanya pointed out. “There’s no room for vague in this lifestyle.”
“It’s complicated,” I repeated, embarrassed that my voice came out whiny.
“Yes, we’ve heard that,” Heather said.
“I mean…it’s just that Raiden and I have a lot to talk about.”
“Well, you took the first steps. You came to a club so you could learn and seek out a partner or partners. You put yourself out there. That has to count for something,” Tanya said kindly.
We ate the rest of our breakfast and the conversation shifted casually to other topics as we ate. They let me off the hook as far as Raiden goes. Neither woman seemed intent on pushing the matter, and for that, I was grateful.
Tanya and Heather invited me to come hiking with them sometime – as friends, they assured me – and they told me all about their pet puppies. We talked about our hobbies and interests and even about our jobs. I told them I’m a consultant, sticking with the same lie I’d told Raiden. I didn’t know how to tell them the truth about that one. We made plans to meet up for brunch again the next week, and when the bill came, Heather paid.
“That’s not necessary,” I said, reaching for the check, but Tanya placed her hand on mine.
“Let Heather pay,” she said gently. Those three little words held more than just a request. She was letting me know that not only was Heather in charge, but that it would make Heather feel good if I let her pay, so I did.
“Thank you,” I said. “This was really nice.”
“And it was nice to get to know you better,” Heather said.
Being around people who were so wildly honest and kind felt incredible to me. It wasn’t every day that I met people who didn’t seem afraid to go after what they wanted or to express themselves in new and different ways. Both Heather and Tanya had really made me feel like they cared. They cared about getting to know me and they cared about me finding answers and perhaps most of all, they cared about their friends.
I liked the idea that Anchored was more than just some place where people went to hook up or show off. It really was a sort of haven where people could go be themselves, and where they could express themselves safely. Nobody was going to judge any of us for body size, personal style, or kink preferences. Not at Anchored.
After brunch, I just felt like I really, really wanted to go back. I’d been on the fence for awhile, but maybe I would give the newbie class a chance. Maybe I’d give it a try. After all, what could go wrong? At the very least, I could stand to learn safety tips for playing in public, and apparently, Raiden was a very good teacher.
The three of us were walking out of the restaurant and had just reached the lobby doors when I heard someone call my name. Instantly, I recognized the voice.
Julie.
Shit.
I cringed, hoping she wouldn’t actually come over, but Heather and Tanya both turned to see who knew my name.
“Do you know her?” Heather asked as Julie came scurrying toward us. She was obviously on a business lunch. Heather and Tanya were small business owners who were both dressed in beautiful maxi dresses with matching necklaces. Julie was in a suit with her hair pulled tight in a low bun, and she had heels on.
“I…”
“Blair,” Julie said, grabbing me and hugging me. She completely ignored Tanya and Heather. “I read the pages that you sent to me last night, and they’re fabulous. A young woman who goes to a sex club as a way to meet a husband? What a cool twist! My favorite part was how nobody at the club knew anything. They were all clueless buffoons who thought she was really interested in what they were doing. It was crazy!”
Julie kept talking, but the air around me had changed to ice. Yeah, Tanya and Heather had both heard every word she’d said, and what was worse was that Julie had completely missed the point of that scene in my story. My character had been looking for ways to discover herself, and she had followed someone to the club, and then she’d sneaked in. She’d been amazed at what she’d discovered. Everyone else did know
what she was doing, which was the total opposite of what Julie had said. Shit.
Okay, maybe it was time to find a new editor, or at least have a very serious talk with Julie about reading carefully before assessing my work. Shit. I got that she was excited, but that hadn’t been the point of the scene. Did I need to clarify what I had written? Or did I need to start praying that a hole would open up in the bottom of the floor and swallow me up before my embarrassment could kill me?
“Oh, that’s Pete,” Julie looked over her shoulder as a man waved to her. “I’ve got to go. Talk later.”
She left before I’d even said anything, and I felt two hands on my shoulders: one on each.
“Outside. Now,” Heather hissed in my ear.
Shit.
Chapter 12
Raiden
It was Thursday, and I still hadn’t gotten the paid deposit from Blair, which meant I was starting to worry. Had she changed her mind on the bookshelves? Had something happened that meant she’d chosen to go with someone else? Kissing her had been a mistake, maybe, but I still didn’t really think so.
I still thought it had been the right choice. At least, at the time, it had felt right and good and wonderful, and I had enjoyed it. I’d liked kissing her.
My assistant knocked on my door, and I looked up.
“What’s up, Ida?” I had four different projects to bill, organize, plan, and schedule that morning for both myself and my team. I didn’t exactly have a lot of time to waste chatting, but Ida was essential. She was one who made sure I showed up on time, got my messages, and actually left the office once in awhile.
“I have to start by apologizing,” she said. “You asked me the other day about invoicing, and I told you we didn’t have anything.”
“What’s wrong?”