“He bruised my pride more than anything else, Jen,” she elaborated once she’d composed herself. “Besides, you know as well as I do—probably better than I did—that that relationship was on its way out anyway. You’ve been telling me for weeks what he’s really like and you were right.”
Both women lapsed into silence when another one of their co-workers came in to make a cup of tea. Since they’d already been there too long anyway, they went back to the office, Stacie giving her friend a quick sotto voce promise to explain more over lunch on the way.
A week off work meant that the morning went quite quickly while Stacie was playing catch-up. The work was routine enough, so it gave her a chance to mull over recent events at the back of her mind and decide exactly what she was going to tell her friend. It would be the truth…to a degree. She’d tell Jen that she’d met someone special, but she wasn’t sure that her friend was ready to hear in what way he was special.
Stacie was learning not to blush at the thoughts and the memories. Cam Fraser was proving to be a gentle, demanding, dominant lover, and she loved every moment she’d been with him. The morning after their first night together he’d woken her with a kiss and breakfast in bed, allowed her to shower in privacy, but had proceeded to spend every minute thereafter with her until they’d driven out to the Lombards’ house a day later.
The return visit had given Stacie the opportunity to talk to Beth again, with the aim of finding out more about the D/s lifestyle—or at least, the version of it that suited the woman with whom she was becoming fast friends and her husband. What had fired Stacie’s imagination in particular was what Beth told her about Club Aegis.
Before reading her novel, Stacie might have been shocked by what she learned from Beth—no, not shocked, maybe rendered speechless was a more accurate description, but now that she was discovering a little more about the scene, she was starting to understand what lay beneath. It wasn’t just egotistical exhibitionism, Beth had said—in some cases maybe, she’d then qualified with a laugh, but they tended to be the exception, not the rule.
For most, it was an opportunity to make a statement in the presence of their peers about the depth and true nature of their relationships as Dominants and submissives—relationships that weren’t always between romantically linked partners and didn’t always include sexual intimacy
And then there were the displays and demonstrations—classed as public, but within the private environs of the club. Beth herself had never taken part in one with her husband. She’d gone on to say that she doubted she ever would, but she’d watched quite a few and said she’d been in awe of the participants and their willingness to expose the intimacy of their relationship.
The concept of a public display had given Stacie plenty of food for thought. She’d wondered what it would be like to do something like that with Cam, to be so focused on him that she wasn’t aware of anyone else in the room—to have him so focused on her that no one else mattered. It sounded almost frighteningly intense.
Then Beth had become serious and told Stacie that there was something she needed to know. She’d explained that play sessions in the community could often include more than two people, and all three of them—herself, Alex and Cam—were of the opinion that Stacie should know that such sessions had sometimes taken place between the three of them in the privacy of Winterleigh. They had also agreed that there would be no more, now that Cam and Stacie were in a relationship, and Beth had volunteered to be the one to talk to Stacie about it.
It hadn’t been easy to hear all that—she’d admitted as much to Beth. What made it easier was listening to Beth explain the basis for the closeness of their friendship. Filling in the gaps that Cam had left when he told the story, she related in detail the incident a year earlier, when Cam had been instrumental in saving both her life and Alex’s. It was an event that had created that almost indestructible bond between the trio, but they’d always acknowledged that things would change when Cam became involved with someone else.
I love Cam, but only as a very dear friend, Beth had assured her. I’m very much in love with my husband. Cam has touched me and held me, and helped Alex to care for me after a scene, but no more than that.
Stacie had known it for the truth, and though she’d not known Beth for very long at all, she trusted what the other woman told her. There was something about her genuine, warm friendship that was infinitely reassuring.
Cam had come to her after that conversation. She’d sensed his unease when he’d asked her if she was all right with what Beth had told her. The answer she gave him had been a truthful one, and one that had put a flicker of something like fear in his eyes—and then she’d seen that flicker vanish when she told him that even though she didn’t fully understand right now, she knew she could trust him and that one day she would understand.
Jen’s quietly forceful voice broke in on her musing.
“It’s lunch time. You can take that dreamy look off your face now and tell me what the hell you’ve been up to.”
Ten minutes later, in the upmarket café around the corner from the office, Stacie was sitting opposite her friend, having just given her lunch order to the waiter. She took a sip of water and waited for the barrage of questions to start.
“Okay. You dumped the bastard, bought a new car and took a week off. What don’t I know?”
Plenty. Stacie looked at the petite, raven-haired woman, who was currently wearing an expression that could only be described as one of impatient anticipation. Jen had been her friend ever since she’d arrived in London, and had graduated to best-friend status very quickly thereafter. They watched out for each other at work and they’d seen each other through some pretty crappy relationships.
Stacie tried winning her over with a smile. “Did you have a good weekend?”
“Sta-cie.” The two-tone warning was unmistakable.
“You’re not going to let me off the hook, are you?”
“Nope—not a chance, so come on, tell all. You found lover-boy in bed with the trollop and headed out of town for some Stacie-time—can’t say I blame you,” Jen allowed generously. “How does that translate into a new car? And an almost brand-new Mini at that—did you win the lottery and not tell me?”
Stacie had to smile—in one way, she’d done just that.
“Not in the way you mean, Jen. I met someone.”
“What?!”
Stacie winced. She should have known her friend would implode, and counted herself fortunate that the volume of the verbal expression of that reaction was turned right down. “Now don’t go blowing a gasket—”
“I’m going to if you don’t tell me how all the pieces fit together. You dumped Jonty, left town, and came back with a new car and a new man. You’re worrying me!”
So Stacie explained how her old car broke down and she was rescued by a tall, blond, handsome stranger who took her to stay with his friends.
“And something clicked between us—that’s all.”
Jen’s eyes narrowed. “Wait a minute. Are you trying to tell me that you met a man, and five minutes later, he’s spending thousands on a new car for you? What have you done? And don’t you know better than to get into a car with a strange man? You were in the middle of nowhere—he could have dragged you off somewhere, raped you, killed you and hidden your body where no one would find you! And why the hell didn’t you call me to let me know what was going on?”
“Jen, please. Credit me with some sense! It’s not what you think. Not that I’m entirely sure what you think, but I’m pretty sure it’s not that. And I didn’t call you because…because they were—are—good people and I felt safe!”
“Stacie, leaving that aside for the moment, he must be after something! Men just don’t do things like that, not without wanting something major in return.”
But Cam had, and to Stacie that was one of the many things that meant he was unlike any man she’d ever known. If there’d been no attraction between them, she was absolutely ca
st-iron certain that he would have stood by his offer to finance her car purchase and allowed her to pay him back at a rate she could afford. He was gorgeous, and sexy…and entirely honourable.
Stacie could see that her friend was genuinely worried, though.
“Look…his name’s Cam Fraser. I’ve never met anyone like him before, Jen. I mean it. He’s just…” She shook her head slowly, trying to find the right words to describe the powerhouse of a man she’d met.
At least her friend held back until the waiter had finished serving their food before carrying on with her questions.
“He’s just what?”
What could she say? That he was more of a man than anyone she’d met before? That he threw political correctness out of the window and made her feel more feminine than she’d thought possible? Jen—fiercely independent and notoriously unwilling to compromise her standards when it came to the men she deigned to date—would go ballistic if she even hinted at anything like that.
“Jen, I know this is something you’re not going to like hearing, but he makes me feel things about myself that no one else ever has. Jonty…He almost treated me like—” Stacie broke off as a phrase came to mind, one that she despised but it described her previous relationship to a tee. “Regardless of what he said, Jonty treated me like a friend with benefits. With Cam, it’s so different—he makes me feel like a desirable woman.”
“Have you slept with him yet?”
That was Jen through and through—as forthright as it was possible to be. And Stacie’s lack of an immediate response told her friend all she needed to know.
“Please be careful, Stacie. I don’t want to see you get hurt again. Does he know about—”
“He knows about Jonty, yes.” Stacie stabbed a prawn with her fork. “I never loved him, you know. I should have finished with him ages ago—it was long overdue, you know that. And Cam…like I said, he’s different.”
Jen wound spaghetti around her fork—far more elegantly than Stacie could ever manage in public. “So when do I get to meet Mr. Sex-on-a-Stick?”
Stacie had known that that question would come sooner or later. And as soon as she finished spluttering, she answered it. “Soon, I promise. I just want to get to know him a bit better.”
Her friend nodded. “Okay. So these friends of his—what are they like, then…besides being good people?”
~~*~~
By the time they were heading back to the office, Stacie had been able to assuage her best friend’s worst fears. Most of them, at any rate. She had a feeling that Jen still harboured the grim thought that she might end up being shipped off to a life of sexual slavery.
Stacie almost giggled. Now there was an interesting thought…sex slave to Cam Fraser. Not just interesting, but seriously…hot. She told herself sternly to park that thought, otherwise she’d get nothing done that afternoon.
The backlog of work gradually dwindled as the day progressed. She also succeeded in fending off Cam-related mental distractions, until her mobile phone gave a discreet beep just after 4 p.m. It was a text message from him. Stacie’s heart was racing as she opened it up to read it.
Picking you up at your place at 1800. Have a change of clothes for the office tomorrow. You won’t need anything for tonight, just your toothbrush. C.
Wide-eyed, Stacie glanced around the office. Surely someone must be able to hear the tribal drumbeat of her heart? It felt like it was about to knock its way through her ribs. And he didn’t even ask if she already had plans. A small smile teased the corners of her mouth—political correctness be damned, she was seriously turned on by the thought of Cam’s assumption that she’d obey his edict.
She grinned even more at the thought of what he might do, should she refuse. And all she was going to need was her toothbrush…that required some serious mental fanning.
“Is that from him?”
A mug of coffee landed on Stacie’s desk, courtesy of Jen.
“Uh-huh.”
“So? What’s he said?”
“Nosey!” Stacie laughed. “He’s picking me up at six o’clock.”
“And?”
“And what?”
Jen made a rather strange, half-strangled noise of frustration. “Where’s he taking you? What’s the hot date?”
“I have no idea, Jen,” she confessed. “All I know is, he’s picking me up at six, and I need to take my toothbrush.”
Jen nearly choked on her coffee. “Shit! If I weren’t busy tonight, I’d be around at your place for six to check him out. Just be careful!”
Stacie rolled her eyes. “Yes, Mum. It’s not like he’s a stranger!”
“I beg to differ!” The indignant words were a strained, forceful whisper. “You’ve known him how long, exactly?”
In one way, Stacie had to admit that her friend had a point. Looking at the number of days since she and Cam had first met, it wasn’t many. On the other hand, though, there was the matter of how much time they’d actually spent together on those days. That had to equate to a few weeks’ worth of average dates by now.
“Long enough! I’m meeting Cam tonight, so stop fussing!”
“I’ll stop fussing if you promise to call me and let me know where he’s taking you!”
“If that’s what it takes…I promise!” In spite of her protestations, Stacie was glad she had a friend who would look out for her the way Jen did.
For once, Stacie was able to leave the office on time, which meant she could get home, shower, and throw some clothes into a bag for work the next day, just in time for Cam’s arrival on the dot of six o’clock. When she opened the door to him, her heart pogoed from her stomach to her throat and back again.
Oh God. It just wasn’t right for a man to look so…damn…edible…
~~*~~
He’d been thinking about her all day but even so, when Cam saw her again he still wasn’t prepared for the kick-in-the-gut reaction he experienced. He leaned forwards, inhaled the now familiar scent of her hair and claimed her mouth with a gentle kiss. “Hey, you,” he said with a smile. “Good first day back?”
“Better now,” she replied, stepping back to let him in. “How about you?”
“Better now.” He deliberately repeated her words, momentarily surprised to find that they were true. All of a sudden, even though it was nearly over, the day was starting to look up. Because of her. He caught sight of the overnight bag, sitting to one side. “Ready to go?”
Cam couldn’t help himself. As he escorted his woman down to the car, he had to hold her hand. It felt so small, tucked into his. It also felt right, just like everything else about her. He settled her into the Jaguar, stowed her bag in the boot—just as he had the night they first met—and then they were on their way across London.
It wasn’t long before they were sipping soft drinks on the terrace and enjoying the nighttime view across the river. For the time of year the weather was surprisingly pleasant, but Cam still made a point of drawing the gorgeous young woman who had captivated him so completely closer to his side.
She was already changing his life for the better. Being with her like this made his pain-in-the-arse day fade into insignificance.
“This is lovely,” she murmured quietly, burrowing into him. “It’s one of those moments you want to last forever. I wish I didn’t have to go to work tomorrow.”
“Don’t think about that—we have the whole evening ahead of us.”
“We do, don’t we? Did you—”
She broke off suddenly. For a moment or two Cam waited to see if she would continue. “Honey?”
“It was nothing.”
“Stacie.” He used her name as a warning, his intention all in the tone of his voice.
“I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “I was going to ask if you had anything special in mind for tonight. I’m in trouble again, aren’t I?”
Cam suppressed a smile. “Do you think you should be?”
“Probably. I’ll probably get into trouble a lot.”
/> At least she was honest, he had to give her that. And honesty went hand-in-hand with trust in a relationship such as theirs. “For that, I’ll let you off—just this once.”
“Thank you, Sir. May I ask you something?”
“Go on.”
“The last time I saw Beth, there was something we were discussing, and I wanted to know some more about it.” She paused. “She told me a little about Aegis, and suggested that I talk to you about it.”
Of all the things he might have guessed that she wanted to ask him about, Aegis wouldn’t have even made it to the list. Interesting. “What do you want to know?”
“Will you take me there sometime?”
And that turned the surprise into a double whammy. He’d think about it, of course he would, but one thing was certain—she was nowhere near prepared to go there yet. “Not this week, beautiful. You’re not ready yet. How much did Beth tell you?”
He listened while she spoke with enthusiasm of the demonstrations and public scenes his friend’s sub had told her about. In his time, Cam had taken part in one or two such activities with the more adventurous subs with whom he’d scened, and although he’d enjoyed the experiences he could take them or leave them.
“Stacie, going to a place like Aegis would be a huge step for someone as new to the lifestyle as you are,” he told her patiently, not wanting to put the brakes on her eagerness but at the same time needing to keep her safe and protect her—including from her own overenthusiasm, if necessary. “As my sub, you’d be required to dress and behave a certain way.”
“I…know that.” She sounded a little less certain. “The dress thing…”
“Minimal,” Cam replied bluntly, watching for her reaction. “For some subs, you could even say optional, especially for something like a public display of whip work involving a St. Andrew’s cross, or a demonstration of hot-wax play.”
Stacie paled visibly, as he’d feared she might. At the moment the kind of activities he’d mentioned were way beyond her—she’d need time, gentle encouragement and total, unshakeable trust in him to cope with anything even remotely like that. There was pushing a sub’s limits…and then there was outright aversion therapy, which was the last thing he wanted for her.
Love Is Danger (Club Aegis Book 3) Page 13
