Pieces of Stronghold

by Golden Angel

  The look on Jared's face made Leigh giggle. She wondered if the guys had ever compared notes on who they thought was the most controlling or the most alpha, because going by Jared's expression, he was having all sorts of revelations. She could just picture them all swaggering around, considering themselves the biggest and baddest of the group. Hopefully she hadn't just popped his bubble.

  "I mean, I'm sure that each of you are the most, in your own arenas," she said, trying to make it better.

  Jared gave her a look, but he didn't get the chance to say anything as a loud whistling noise came from the kitchen. Leigh grinned as he got up, hugging her cushion. Teasing him was so much fun. She missed teasing. Michael had gotten really stuffy by the end of their relationship, it had been hard to relax around him. Stuffy and not very attentive. She had a feeling that Angel would think Jared's description of his "Dom style" to be smothering... Leigh thought it sounded wonderful.

  With Michael, she'd given and given and given, emotionally and with her time and energy, always trying to please him, always trying to make him happy, always trying to do what he needed her to do, and she'd rarely asked him for anything. She'd rarely had the time to think of something she wanted to ask him for. During the day she'd taken care of her students, at night she'd taken care of Michael. Part of her had enjoyed that, had needed it even, the same way Jared apparently needed to take care of his submissive, but at the same time it had exhausted her.

  She couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to be with someone who gave back as much as they were given. Michael could take a few lessons from Jared on how to be a better boyfriend. And she could probably school Marissa, although she now had a better understanding of why Jared might have stayed with that selfish bitch for so long.

  "Do you want sugar in your tea?" he called from the kitchen.

  "Um, actually do you have Splenda or something?" she replied. She was due back at the doctor's next week for her three-month check-up on her high blood sugar, to see if it had gone down any. During the past three months, she was supposed to have started eating healthier and exercising more, and she'd kind of done that... but if she was being honest with herself, she hadn't done as much as she'd intended. Considering how many cookies she'd eaten tonight, she probably shouldn't compound that with having more straight sugar in her tea.

  "Seriously?"

  "Yeah... I uh, my blood sugar's a little high, and I'm not supposed to eat too much sugar."

  Instead of replying, Jared came back out into the room, frowning. With his solid stance and his hands on his hips, for the first time, he didn't look like a giant teddy bear. Leigh had always thought that Jared trying to be stern would be kind of amusing... it wasn't at all.

  "Why didn't you tell me earlier? I wouldn't have fed you all those cookies if I'd known."

  "I liked the cookies," she protested. They'd been delicious. And he'd made them for her. She'd eaten them as much for the emotional satisfaction as for how freaking good they'd been.

  "That's not the point." The look he gave her made her shiver a little, and she hugged the cushion more tightly, trying to tell herself that having him butting into her business was not sexy. Is this how Angel felt when Adam got all Dom-like with her? Scared and a little bit excited? Leigh had never seen Jared like this... it took him out of the realm of someone safe and made him into something more.

  "I don't have diabetes or anything, I just have high-blood sugar. My doctor calls it being pre-diabetic. As long as I take care of myself and eat healthy for the most part and exercise, my blood sugar will stay down, and I'm fine. I don't have to give up cookies entirely." Even to her own ears it sounded like she was making excuses, but it was all true!

  Jared's look somehow became even more stern before he turned around and went back into the kitchen. A little shiver went down her spine. No wonder he'd been told he'd make a good Daddy Dom, for a second she'd actually felt like a naughty little girl. Except that she wasn't and so there was something kind of hot about it. Not hot because she liked feeling like a little girl, but hot because he cared.

  When she'd first been told she had high blood sugar, and she'd told Michael, he'd been concerned, but other than trying to push her to go to the gym more often (not that he was going), he hadn't done anything to help take care of her. When he went grocery shopping, he still brought home his favorite junk foods, some of which he knew she couldn't resist. He'd still suggested ordering out more often than not on the nights he was supposed to cook. He never noticed what she ate or cared if he saw her eating sweets.

  So it might be weird that she was kind of turned on by Jared's scolding and his reprimanding looks, but it kind of made sense too. Jeez, if that was what being a Service Dom meant, it was even better than she realized.

  Coming back into the room, Jared had two steaming tea mugs in his hand. "I put honey in yours."

  "Thank you." Leigh smiled at him as she took the mug.

  "So, pre-diabetic, huh?" Jared asked, raising his eyebrows at her as he settled back down onto the couch.

  Leigh made a face. "Yeah, but I don't want to talk about that. It's not a big deal." Not unless her blood sugar went so high that she crossed the line into diabetic and it didn't come back down again. That's why she had to go in every three months for the testing; they tested to see what the current level was as well as what the overall level for the past three months had been. The doctor had warned her that once it went over "the threshold" of what they considered an indicator of diabetes and stayed there, it was highly unlikely that it would go back down. She wouldn't have to do insulin shots or anything, unless it got worse; it should be controllable through diet and exercise. The same things that would keep her blood sugar from crossing that threshold. She thought of it as acting like she had diabetes in order to keep from actually having diabetes, except with occasional treats. Like tonight's cookies. "So you're one of Liam's groomsmen right? Are you guys talking about the bachelor party yet?"

  Although he didn't look entirely happy with the change in topic, Jared went along with it. Part of Leigh was touched that he cared. Another part of her was a little miffed that he seemed to think she'd be irresponsible - although, she had to admit she wasn't exactly as responsible about her eating habits as she should be. Still, it was not the kind of topic she wanted to talk about on a first date. If this was a date.

  An hour later, the tea was gone and Leigh insisted on going back to Adam and Angel's even, though Jared asked if she wanted to stay over. He made the gentlemanly offer of sleeping on the couch, but there was no way she was going to kick him out of his own bed. Especially when she was starting to think that she would prefer to be in it with him. This safe, happy little crush of hers was starting to move dangerously closer to something deeper. Something less safe and a lot more confusing.

  He walked her to the door when he dropped her off, bending down to press a gentle kiss... to her cheek.

  She didn't know if she was disappointed or relieved.

  The kiss had been to her lower cheek, maybe an inch away from her mouth. Her lips seemed to tingle, as if upset that his own lips had come so close and yet hadn't met hers.

  "I had a lot of fun tonight," he said, brushing a strand of hair back from her face. Those dark, gentle eyes studied her face, and heat flooded through her body. Even though it was a completely different look, she couldn't help but be reminded of when he'd sternly glared at her over the sugar thing. There was a kind of protective caring in his gaze, in both instances, that made her feel warmed from the inside out.

  "Me too."

  "We'll hang out again sometime soon, yeah?"

  "Yeah."

  He smiled and dropped another kiss on her cheek - was this one just a tiny bit closer to her lips? - and then turned her around. Leigh fumbled with the keys, throwing one last look over her shoulder at him as she opened the door. "You sure you don't want to spend the night here instead of driving all the way back?"

  "I'm good." A gentle hand on her back push
ed her through the door. Sighing, Leigh waved him off, watching through the window next to the door as he went back to his car.

  As she took off her coat, the upstairs hallway light turned on, and Angel appeared at the top of the stairs. Fortunately, she was wearing a long t-shirt that covered her most of her thighs. Leigh had lived with her and Adam long enough to know that neither of them wore anything to bed.

  "So? Was it a date?"

  Tilting her head, Leigh thought back over the night. An exasperated sigh escaped from her. "I have no idea."

  Chapter 6 - Text Messages

  Leigh: What sound does a nut make when it sneezes?

  Jared: I'm not sure I want to know.

  Leigh: Cashew!

  Jared: That's awful.

  Leigh: You secretly liked it.

  Jared: I probably did.

  ******

  Leigh: What do you call a cow with no legs?

  Jared: Are you going to text me with one of these monstrosities every day at 4?

  Leigh: Yes. What do you call a cow with no legs?

  Jared: ...

  Leigh: Ground beef!

  Jared: Gross. Just gross.

  Leigh: And yet you laughed.

  Jared: You can't prove that.

  ******

  Jared: Merry Christmas Eve

  Leigh: You too!

  Jared: Are you going to be at Adam's tomorrow?

  Leigh: No, I'm spending the next few days with my family.

  Jared: I'll see you later then. Have a good holiday.

  Leigh: You too!

  ******

  Leigh: What kind of train eats too much?

  Jared: Sigh. I don't know. What kind?

  Leigh: A chew-chew train!

  Jared: Bad. Just so, so bad.

  Leigh: But did you laugh?

  Jared: No, I groaned.

  Leigh: In a laughing kind of way, right?

  Jared: sigh.

  ******

  Leigh: What's a pirate's favorite letter?

  Jared: R. aaarrrrr.

  Leigh: Wrong, matey! Tis the C!

  Jared: There's something seriously wrong with you.

  Leigh: I probably should have done that one in person. I would have liked to see your expression.

  Jared: Freddy says it's epic.

  Leigh: I should have asked him to take a picture.

  ******

  Jared: What do you call cheese that isn't yours?

  Jared: Nacho cheese!

  Leigh: Omg I love it!!!!

  Jared: It's after 4 so I figured I'd text you today.

  Leigh: I have one for you, I just got caught up with Angel. We're shopping for the New Year’s Eve party.

  Leigh: What do you call a man with no arms or legs in a pool?

  Jared: I can already tell this is going to be a bad one.

  Leigh: Bob!

  Jared: You're going to hell.

  Leigh: So are you, because you're laughing.

  Jared: At least the company will be good.

  Leigh: Are you working tomorrow?

  Jared: Only for the first shift.

  Leigh: I was thinking I might come by.

  Jared: To Stronghold?

  Leigh: Yeah, apparently Adam and Angel are going, and so are Hilary, Liam, Rick and Maria. Thought it would be nice to catch up.

  Jared: :)

  Jared: Then I'll see you tomorrow.

  Leigh: :)

  Chapter 7 - Olivia

  "You look happy." Olivia poked Jared in the side. The big man was grinning at his phone in a manner that she could only describe as goofy. Something she hadn't seen in... she couldn't remember the last time she'd seen him looking like this. Not since the first year or so of his relationship with Truck Stop, and this big goofy grin had seldom been seen then either. "What's up?"

  "Nothing." He didn't exactly try to hide the phone from her, but he tilted it away from her, his body twisting slightly. There was a note in his voice that was almost petulant.

  "Ooo, it's a girl, isn't it?" she teased, going up on her tiptoes to try and peer at the screen.

  "It's Leigh," called Freddy from his place at the front desk. The sweet, little subby was grinning, even though he had hunched his shoulders, already knowing that he was in trouble for telling on Jared. The Dom glared at him from across the lobby.

  Olivia raised her eyebrows. "Looking for a spanking are you, sweetheart?"

  "Yes?" The little sub's eyes lit up at the same time that an anxious expression passed over his face. He might want it, but he knew it was going to hurt too. Olivia just chuckled.

  "I'll let Mistress Erin know that you need a lesson," Olivia said.

  "Not you?" Freddy asked, looking disappointed. He flinched when Olivia sent him a sharp look, but she couldn't really hold it. Freddy was a sweetheart, adorable, and wonderfully submissive, but not at all her type. Unfortunately, lately he seemed to have a bit of a case of hero-worship for her, starting from when she'd taken Roland down to his knees for getting in Lexie's face a few weeks ago. Olivia appreciated the sentiment, but she wasn't interested, and she didn't want to hurt his feelings.

  "You're a better match for Mistress Erin, Freddy. Besides, I'm teaching a class tonight, remember?" She turned back to Jared, so that she didn't have to keep looking at Freddy's sad puppy-dog eyes. "So Leigh's texting you? What's she saying?"

  "It's just stupid jokes." His tone was dismissive, but his eyes were lit up from within. It was all Olivia could do not to indulge in a little dance for joy. Jared hadn't been too appreciative of her last dance of joy, when he and Marissa had finally broken up.

  She hadn't been sure whether or not she approved of whatever was going on between him and Leigh - after all, Jared definitely had certain needs which had gone unfulfilled for too long - but right now it looked like they were good for each other. At the very least, they could understand each other. Who knew, yet, if anything would come of it.

  "Stupid jokes? I see."

  "She sends them every day at the same time." Apparently Freddy really wanted a sore butt tonight. Olivia didn't mind, since he was obviously her best source of information right now.

  "Oh really?"

  "Butt out, Olivia."

  "You know I don't offer advice unless asked," Olivia said, patting Jared's arm. She'd noticed a long time ago that people often didn't appreciate advice when it was early enough to really do some good; they preferred to wait until they'd messed up beyond all reason and were desperate for someone to help them out. So now she waited to give her advice when it was actually going to be listened to, even if a lot of problems could be avoided if people just came to her first instead of waiting till they'd fucked everything up. "I'm just going to say that I am very, very happy to see you looking so happy."

  "We're not dating."

  "Okay." Olivia kept her tone mild.

  Jared eyed her, hesitating. "I might have sort of taken her on a kind of date."

  "Uh huh." Now that was fascinating. Out of all of their friends, Jared was most often the one to sit quietly and listen to everyone else. It was hard to prod him out of his shell. Push any of the others hard enough and they would eventually crack and fess up; Jared would just retreat like a turtle. Not giving him a real response often yielded better results, but not always. He had to have something that he really wanted to share.

  "It was just some star-gazing," he said gruffly, shoving his phone back in his pocket.

  "Sounds like fun."

  "It was."

  Olivia waited, but apparently that was all he wanted to say. Still, it said a lot that he was even willing to talk about it. He often dropped little tidbits to her that he wanted disseminated around the group.

  "Alright."

  He smiled at her. Olivia patted his arm again and headed into the club, almost relieved that he hadn't asked for any advice this time. She had no idea what she would have said. Leigh was a sweetheart, and Olivia liked her a lot, but she was also getting over her own long-term relationship.
She also had no personal experience with BDSM, even though she'd spent months in the club and had heard a lot of stories at girls' nights. A lot of them had hoped that she and Jake might get together, but Leigh seemed a lot more interested in the goings on of Stronghold than Jake did. Of course, that might also just be because he was still getting used to the relationship between his best friend and little sister. They tried to be circumspect when he was around, but they’d forgotten themselves more than once at the club. Now Jake hardly ever came by, and when he did, Patrick and Lexie were on their best behavior. Either way, it definitely seemed like there was more between Jared and Leigh than Jake and Leigh, romance-wise.

  Going by the way Jared was acting right now, he definitely had some developing feelings for her, but Marissa's hooks had always been in so deep... Olivia had hoped in the past that someone else at the club might be able to draw him away from Truck Stop, but it had never happened. She'd always managed to pull him back, manipulating his feelings of responsibility.

  The fact that Leigh was floundering a bit now that she was single, that she was obviously still having trouble getting over her own ex, might be just what Jared needed. She could understand what he'd gone through better than anyone else in the group, and at the same time, her own emotional pain would be something that Jared would feel the need to help. Leigh wasn't broken, far from, but she was cracked. The combination might be exactly what Jared needed to finally get away from Marissa...

  Because Olivia didn't doubt the bitch would be back.

  ******

  "Hello, baby Doms," Olivia said, with a cruel smile, her gaze flicking over the five men in the room with her. For today's lesson, the fourth and next to last of the classes for the newbie Doms, she'd chosen the Doctor's Office. They'd already been in the Schoolroom, the Locker Room, and the Jail. She'd planned the last lesson for the Interrogation room, which is when they'd be working with the more severe implements of punishment.