But it didn’t seem to bother Alice that she was older and heavier than her cute little slaves. She regarded them with a smile as they dominated the attention of everyone in the room. Brody sat with a hand on Steph’s head, a serious and pensive look on his face as she gazed into it adoringly. Either Steph was a fantastic actress, Allie thought, or she was seriously into Brody. For his part, Allie knew it was a considerable stretch of his comfort level to be doing this. He obviously wanted very much to be part of Alice’s household and was trying hard to do as she commanded. Allie had a feeling it would be a good situation for everyone involved.
Liam’s quiet voice startled her out of her thoughts. “Do you think Jeremy and I can get that kind of relationship with Ginny? I know they’ve only been together a few days, but from watching them you’d think it was years.”
“I don’t know, Liam.” Allie smiled at him. “”If you all want it and are willing to work at it I don’t see why not.”
He nodded thoughtfully before walking off to collect his partner and leave the barn.
Chapter 10
“Are you looking forward to the Crafty Dom Competition tonight?” Ginny grinned at Carly as they wiped off the tables and counters of the diner after the lunch rush.
Carly’s face took on an overly innocent expression. “What makes you think I’m going to be in it?”
“Oh, come on.” Ginny laughed. “Who else would Dennis partner with?”
Carly shrugged. “Pretty much anybody he wants to, I would think. There’s a long list of women in the community who would jump at the chance.”
“Didn’t he ask you to do it with him?”
“He did mention it the other day,” Carly admitted. “But I didn’t give him an answer.”
Ginny’s cell phone went off in her pocket and she looked at the number, frowning. “It’s Cindy,” she told Carly. “Do you mind?”
“No, go ahead.” Carly waved a hand at the empty restaurant. “I can handle the crowd for a few minutes.”
“Hello?” Ginny put the phone to her ear and slid into the same booth she’d used for her conversation with Jeremy and Liam.
“Hi, Ginny. Can we talk?” Cindy’s voice was hesitant.
“Sure. I’m so sorry about the way I rushed off the other day.” Ginny could hear the awkwardness in her own voice, and it made her realize how uncomfortable this situation was. Whether or not she’d meant to, she’d let Cindy believe she was willing to come back. That wasn’t right. She might not have made that decision yet that day, but they didn’t deserve to be led on. She took a deep breath, trying to decide the best way to let Cindy down easy.
“I messed up again, didn’t I?”
God, had Cindy always been so neurotic? “No, you didn’t do anything wrong,” Ginny said, trying to sound reassuring. “I just heard that a good friend was in the hospital and I needed to come back. Seems like all of my friends are winding up in the hospital these days.”
Cindy was quiet for a minute. In the background Ginny heard the door to the diner open, but her back was toward it and she knew Carly would take care of any customers. She had a few minutes to deal with this situation.
“I’m sorry,” Cindy said. “Are they okay?”
“Yes, he—everything’s fine. I’m just sorry I ran out on you like that. I shouldn’t have.”
“No, it’s okay. I understand.” There was still a small catch in Cindy’s voice. “I just need to know if it’s me—the reason you left. I mean, I know it was originally. Is it still me, though? Would you come back if it wasn’t for me? Did I freak you out?”
“Of course not. I love you. You were my best friend. I didn’t mean to make you feel like that.”
“Is it Rick, then?”
“No, you have to believe me. I love both of you. I only came back like that because a friend of mine here got hurt.” Ginny felt like she was babbling. She hoped she wasn’t saying anything that was going to make Cindy think she was definitely coming back, but words were spilling out of her mouth before she could think about how they sounded.
“I’m such a loser.” Cindy started to cry. “I know Rick is going to leave me. I can’t do anything right. You were right to take off. I would probably just have screwed it up again anyway.”
“You didn’t screw anything up,” Ginny said desperately. “Cindy, listen. Rick loves you. I love you. I’m sorry I left like that. It wasn’t right. I should have stayed and worked things out.”
“Worked things out? You mean you might try it again with us?”
There were the sound of voices and the diner’s door opening again. Ginny squirmed, torn between her need to go help Carly with whatever rush they seemed to be getting but reluctant to leave Cindy with the wrong impression.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do, sweetie,” she said helplessly, desperately trying to think of a way to end the conversation quickly. She was vaguely aware that the diner had gotten quiet and hoped that meant no one was listening. “I don’t want to create problems in your marriage again. I’m not sure—” She paused, aware that she’d been about to say, “I’m not sure you can handle poly.” That seemed cruel, and she struggled to find a kinder way to say it.
“Do you love Rick?” Cindy sniffed. “I mean—love him?”
“Honey, I don’t know. We didn’t really have time to find that out, you know?”
“Do you think you could, then?”
Ginny glanced around nervously. This was not a conversation she wanted to be having in a public place. “Can we talk later?”
There was a pause, and Ginny could hear Cindy sniffling a little on the other end. Finally she said in a small voice, “Okay.”
“I’m sorry, sweetie. I’ll talk to you soon.” Tears rose to Ginny’s eyes at the thought that she was hurting Cindy, but she didn’t see what else she could do.
“Good-bye.” Cindy hung up and Ginny stared at the phone in her hand for a second before she became aware of Carly standing next to her, hands on her hips.
“What?” Ginny looked up at her boss, wiping the moisture from her eyes before it could become full-fledged tears. She glanced around, but the diner was empty again. “Didn’t I hear some people coming in?”
“Yes, and they left again.” Carly looked confused. “Did you talk to them? They seemed pretty excited.”
“Who?” Ginny stared at her, waiting for an explanation.
Carly huffed a little, glancing toward the front door. “The guys. Did they ask you?”
Ginny swung around to look, but of course there was no one else in the building. “That was the guys? Jeremy and Liam?”
“Yes. They said they had great news and wanted to make sure you would do the Crafty Dom Competition with them tonight. Did you talk to them?”
“No.” Ginny pouted a little. “Of course I’ll do it. I wish they’d stayed, though. Did they say anything to you before they left?”
“No. I went in the back for a minute and when I came out they were gone.” Carly shrugged. “They’re still outside, though. They’re just standing next to their car talking.”
“They are?” Ginny raced to the door and almost collided with Dennis, who was sauntering in. “Hi, Dennis. Excuse me.” She skirted him and flew out the door.
* * * *
“You heard her. She said she should have stayed in Redding.”
Liam followed Jeremy to the car, trying to sort things out in his brain. “What if she didn’t mean it like that?”
Jeremy whirled around to face him. “How else could she have meant it, Liam? ‘I should have worked things out with you two.’ That’s what she said. I don’t think there’s any other way to interpret it. She’s going back to them. She said she loved them, dude.”
“Maybe we should go back and ask her.”
“Ask her what? If last night meant anything to her at all? If we do?”
Liam glanced back toward the diner. “No, I just thought maybe we should give her a chance to explain.”
“Exp
lain how she was just using us? No, thanks.”
A truck pulled up to the curb and Dennis got out. He waved at them. “You guys going to the competition tonight?”
Liam exchanged a look with Jeremy, who just shrugged. “Yeah, I think so,” he said, trying to sound as if they hadn’t just heard their girlfriend discussing going back to her former lovers.
“See you then. Good luck—but I have to warn you I always win.” Dennis grinned as he loped to the diner. Jeremy scowled at his retreating back as he reached for the car door. He was about to get in when they both turned at the sound of running footsteps.
Ginny came to a stop in front of them, panting. “Good, I caught you,” she said. “Why didn’t you stay?”
“You seemed to be a little preoccupied,” Jeremy said with a sneer in his voice. Liam sighed. Why did his partner always jump to the worst possible conclusion?
“I was on the phone with Cindy.” Ginny had the grace to blush a little.
“So we gathered.” Liam tried to get between her and Jeremy to keep things as calm as possible. “What’s going on?”
“What do you mean?”
Jeremy shouldered Liam out of the way. “You said you loved them.”
She looked confused. “I do love them. They were my best friends for a long time.”
“You said you don’t know what you want,” Liam said, putting a hand on Jeremy’s arm. “Can you tell us what that meant? Are you thinking of going back to them?”
Ginny began twisting her hands together. “I didn’t want to hurt her feelings.”
“Hurt her feelings?” Jeremy scoffed. “What about our feelings? Remember us? The guys you played against them?”
“Played? What the fuck—?” Ginny stared at him.
“Maybe she hasn’t made up her mind yet,” Liam tried again, pulling Jeremy back toward the car. “Give her a little time. She only met us a few days ago, but she’s been friends with them for a long time. Maybe she just needs to decide.”
Jeremy shot him a contemptuous look. “That’s even worse. She’s been with us three times. If that’s not enough for her to know what she wants, then it’s not going to happen. I don’t want to be her second choice, man. Because it sure as hell doesn’t sound like we’re her first.”
“Get in the car.” Liam faced Jeremy, making his voice as harsh as he could. “You’re not in any frame of mind to discuss this right now. We’ll talk tonight at the party, or afterward. We’re getting nowhere now.” He waited until Jeremy had reluctantly slid into his seat, then turned back to Ginny. “Sweetie, I’m not going to ask you right now, but you need to make a decision. We’ll talk tonight.” He kissed her forehead and went around to the car, driving off before Jeremy could get out and start another fight. That was really not what they needed right now.
* * * *
“Hurry up. Dennis will be here any minute and you know how excited he is about tonight,” Carly said, putting on her mascara with such haste that Ginny was afraid she would put out an eye.
Ginny frowned. “Why? I’m not going.”
“What? You aren’t still pissed at the guys, are you?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Because it was a stupid argument, that’s why.”
“No it wasn’t. They don’t trust me.”
“Oh for crying out loud. Get over it already. You know as well as I do that they’re the best thing to ever happen to you. They’re perfect. All you have to do is let them know that. Guys are a bit dense. Sometimes you have to club them over the head before they clue in. I would have thought a couple of cops would have been better at catching on, but the strong alpha types can be stubborn.” Carly pursed her mouth and applied bright red lipstick.
“Well, so can I.” Ginny jumped up and began pacing, twisting her hands together. “I gave up my chance with Rick and Cindy and in exchange I get accused of playing them? Fuck that! They can just go and play with each other for all I care right now.” A sudden image of the guys doing exactly that flashed into her mind in crystal clarity. Her scowl softened at the erotic scene in her imagination.
“I don’t know what you’re thinking but I recommend you follow that train of thought instead of the nasty rabbit hole you were heading toward a second ago.” Carly pointed a finger at her as she went past on her way to get her shoes out of the closet.
Ginny shook her head, feeling her face getting flushed. She was pretty sure the panty-dampening fantasy she was drooling over would never happen, regardless of how hot it was. She knew for certain it wouldn’t if she didn’t listen to Carly. There was no point in making a hasty decision in the heat of the moment. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself, then looked down at the simple black sheath dress she was wearing. “Do you think it would be okay to go like this?”
A sudden knocking on the front door of the apartment caused them both to swivel in that direction. Carly hopped toward it, jamming on a stiletto. “Shit, Dennis is early. We should have expected that, I guess. Your dress looks great. Come on. We’d better not keep him waiting.”
* * * *
As soon as the truck pulled to a stop in front of the club in the industrial part of Grandpointe, Ginny hopped out and turned to see if Carly was sliding out after her. Instead, she was wiggling past the steering wheel to let Dennis help her out on his side. Ginny fell into step behind them and they went into the club. Once through the doors she paused to look around for Liam and Jeremy. She might be pissed at them but that was no reason to throw the relationship away.
At first she couldn’t find them in the crowd, although many of the people she knew or had met at the fox hunt were there, milling around and chatting. Then the door opened and her guys came through. Before she went to greet them, Ginny took a minute to appreciate how they looked in their leather pants. Jeremy’s had lacing up the sides and Liam’s were smooth. She had discovered that she adored the way the leather molded to their bodies. Jeremy’s pants were made of a heavier leather and looked über-masculine. As she appraised the pants, knowing they belonged to her Master, goose bumps stood out on her arms in excitement. She just wanted to drop to her knees and rub her face along the leather of the inside of his thighs, forgetting her anger.
Liam’s leather, on the other hand, was a lighter weight and showed off each of his bulges very nicely. It didn’t matter if it was caused by his muscular legs or the even more impressive cock she knew rested behind that zipper. She still had the urge to drop to her knees—or maybe her hands and knees—with him riding her from behind. It dawned on her that it wasn’t the leather pants that had these effects on her but the men inside them. She decided to try very hard to let go of their argument and just enjoy their company as long as she could. They only had a few days together before they had to figure out how to make a long-distance relationship work—if they could.
Seeing them standing there before her she smiled, but then it dimmed as she saw the serious looks on their faces. Obviously they were still pissed from the conversation earlier that day.
There was only one thing to do. She dropped to her knees, bowing her head. “Good evening, Sirs.”
Sneaking a peek up, she was pleased to see Liam’s surly look soften and a small smile play across his lips. He stepped directly in front of her and placed a hand on her head, tipping her face so he was looking down into her eyes. “Good evening to you, too, beautiful. Does this mean you’re willing to let go of the silliness from before and compete with us tonight?”
“Yes, Sir. If you’ll have me.”
“I will.” He bent and placed a quick kiss on her lips before stepping back to make room for Jeremy.
She stayed very still, waiting to see what her other Master would do, if he had forgiven her or was at least willing to put their argument aside for the night. He hesitated before stepping into the spot Liam had been in a moment before. Then he, too, placed a hand on either side of her upturned face, cupping it gently but without the warmth she was used to from him. She knew in a flash th
at he had been hurt by their earlier confrontation and would be slower to forgive and forget. She turned her head and placed a kiss on his palm before turning back to look into his face.
She was grateful to see the muscles along the side of his jaw relax and a hesitant smile creep onto his countenance. He murmured, “I love you” as he shifted his hands to help her stand. There was still some hurt harbored in his eyes, but she didn’t know how to take that cloud away. They each took one of her hands and walked toward the food area, where Karl was talking to Brad, most likely going over the preparations for the evening.
When he turned to greet them, Liam asked, “So how does this Crafty Dom thing work, anyway?”
Karl looked around, seeming to be counting. “It looks like all the contestants are here now, so in a few minutes we’ll assemble everyone and draw numbers. Then we’ll go into the dungeon”—he pointed to a door in the back of the social area—“where we’ve numbered four of the play stations. The contestants will go to the station that matches the number they drew, where they will find a paper bag containing four random items. They will have a few minutes to discuss the items with their partners and come up with the best scene they can. The competition will go for thirty minutes, after which the spectators will vote on the best scene. The winner will get a small trophy and the adoration of the crowd.”
Just then, Brad—no, Liege since they were at the club—called out, “Okay, folks. I think we’re ready to begin. If I can have one member of each team come and draw a number, please.” He held a black bowler hat above his head.
Ginny jumped a little as Liam, who was standing just behind her, said, “Go get us a number, please, my dear.”
“Yes, Sir.” She walked over to where Liege was standing and drew a paper from the hat when it was offered. Turning back to face the group, she unfolded it. “We’re number three.”
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