Early the next morning Ethan woke with a plan. He sent Kirk a message asking him to reschedule their Saturday morning breakfast meeting to cocktails at The Grill on Hollywood after work on Tuesday. He wanted to get to the hardware store before it got too busy. They would have everything on the list, no doubt.
He toasted himself a bagel, grabbed a glass of orange juice and headed out to the patio, taking his laptop with him. It was going to be another hot day.
He perused his social media and various entertainment news sites while eating his breakfast. He came across his name trending on social media. Pictures of Mia and himself at the premiere. And #stormchaser was also trending. The film had good numbers so far this weekend. He was happy to see that. He read a few reviews and they were favorable. He was confident the picture would have a long run.
He followed a link and it led him to TMZ. They had a picture of him and Mia with the caption:
THEY’RE IN LOVE!
Ethan shook his head and quickly read through the article. It was a play by play of their “romance” over the past few months, most of it exaggerated. Typical Hollywood gossip. They quoted Mia’s admission on the night of the premiere, no surprise there. It always made him wonder how they could get away with reporting whatever they wanted without clarifying any of the facts.
He shook off his irritation, cleared up his breakfast, and got in his car. By the time he pulled into the parking lot of the hardware store he’d already put the entire story out of his mind. He put on a hat and sunglasses and made his way into the store.
It was quiet, as he’d hoped, with only a few shoppers here and there. He let out a sigh of relief and proceeded to walk through the store. He typically didn’t run his own errands, instead paying his personal assistant to shop for him. He knew that in asking him to shop for himself, Reagan was building his expectation and pressing his comfort zone. He had to admit, his adrenalin was pumping.
Finding the duct tape was easy. It was at the end of an aisle. He was amused by the many colors he could choose from - Sunshine Yellow, Pearl White, Cherry Red, Violet Purple, Hot Pink, Tangerine Orange. He scoffed, and picked up the Hot Pink, thinking Reagan would find it amusing.
Next on his list were the clothes pins, which were with the laundry soap and hampers. That was also an easy one, also many colors to choose from. Plastic or wood, he wondered. He picked up plain wooden ones and added them to his basket.
The rope proved to be more challenging. There were so many different types and he found himself standing in the aisle for several minutes, feeling each one, uncertain which would be the best. He was concentrating so hard he didn’t notice an employee come up behind him.
“Can I help you, sir?” the young man asked.
Ethan jumped and quickly turned around, his heart racing. The clerk smiled at him and put his hands up.
“Sorry, man. Didn’t mean to scare you.”
Ethan grinned, feeling embarrassed by his reaction. Obviously this kid had no idea what Ethan planned to do with the rope.
“No worries. I was just lost in my thoughts,” he said.
“Do you know what you’re looking for?” the young man asked.
Ethan smirked and shook his head. The clerk prodded further.
“What are you needing cord for?” he asked. “Is it for making a laundry line?”
Ethan looked at him blankly. Why would he ask that? The clerk gestured toward his basket. Ethan looked down. Ah, the clothes pins.
Oh shit, the duct tape.
“No, not a laundry line,” Ethan said calmly.
The young man shrugged.
“Okay, what’s it for? Maybe I can help you find the right one?”
Ethan cleared his throat, regarding the question. He actually wasn’t sure what it was for, but in his imagination he was tied to something.
“Um, I was looking for something a little softer,” Ethan said, suddenly wondering if the clerk thought he was planning to kidnap someone. “We’re going to use it for rappelling,” he added, maybe a little too quickly.
The clerk nodded enthusiastically.
“Oh, you’ll want rappelling rope then. Sporting goods. Come on, I’ll show you.”
Ethan followed, relieved he’d been able to think of something on the fly. His relief was short lived however, when the youngster asked him how much he needed.
“Twenty feet,” he said, without thinking.
The clerk raised his eyebrows confused, and Ethan immediately recognized his mistake.
“Um, that might not be enough. These packages start at thirty-two feet,” he said picking up a bundle.
Ethan grabbed it from the kid’s hand and dropped it into his basket.
“You know what, this is perfect. Thanks for your help.”
“Do you need any carabiners? Hardware? Gloves?” the kid said.
Ethan shook his head.
“You know, I think I’m good,” he said, hurriedly making his way out of the aisle, his heart hammering in his chest.
Finally out of the clerk’s view, Ethan looked at his list. Just the feather duster left and he could check out. Now where the hell would the feather dusters be, he thought. He wandered around the aisles for a few minutes, trying to think where something like that would be, and also what Reagan planned to do with it. He chuckled to himself, amused by the whole experience. Finally, he found the aisle with the cleaning supplies.
Thankfully, there were only two options. One was a long, multi-colored synthetic type thing, and the other was a more traditional ostrich feather duster. Although it was dyed hot pink, he chose that one, pleased that it matched the duct tape.
Now he just needed to check out. He surveyed the room and walked cautiously to the check out.
He chose the till with an older woman, hoping she’d be less curious than anyone else. Her name tag said Susan. She picked up each item, concentrating on her task. She lifted the feather duster and looked it over carefully. Ethan looked out the window, up at the ceiling, and then to the floor. Anywhere but at her. He was trying to appear indifferent.
“You picked one without a tag,” she said impatiently, “I need to do a price check.”
She picked up the phone before Ethan could stop her and he groaned. She looked him over carefully, regarding his appearance. He shifted from one foot to the other and gave her his most charming smile. She raised her penciled brows and smiled back at him. He couldn’t be sure, but he thought maybe she had a look of recognition on her face. She spoke loudly into the intercom, making Ethan cringe.
“I need a price check on till two, please.”
Ethan went to speak up, and then hesitated. He wanted to tell her to just forget about it and let him pay for the other items, but Reagan had given him a challenge and he meant to meet it. He put his head down and crossed his arms, trying to be as casual as possible. A few minutes later, the young man who’d helped him earlier made his way to the register.
“What do you need?” he asked.
Susan held up the feather duster and waved it at him with a smirk.
“Need a price for this feather duster, Matt,” she said loudly.
Ethan looked at Matt and shrugged.
“It’s a prop, for a play. I’m in community theatre,” Ethan said, and then instantly regretted making an excuse.
It only made him look more suspicious.
Susan looked at him again as Matt walked away with the hot pink duster.
“What’s the play?” she asked, making small talk.
Crap, Ethan hadn’t thought that through. He shifted through his memory trying to recall some productions he’d seen in his life, one that included a maid. He could only think of one.
“We’re doing The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” he said. “For Halloween.”
She shrugged, indicating her indifference.
“Don’t care for that play. Too smutty,” she said, scowling.
Ethan chuckled.
“Yeah, it’s pretty far out there,” he agreed.
“What part are you playing?” she asked, looking him up and down. “That fella in the corset?”
Ethan shifted uncomfortably, wishing the conversation was over.
“I’m playing Brad,” he said, thinking it would appease her.
She shrugged again.
“Don’t know who that is.”
Ethan looked back towards the aisle, willing Matt to return quickly. Susan tapped her nails impatiently on the counter, chewing her gum. Ethan pulled his phone out of his pocket, pretending to check his messages. He looked up and saw Susan staring at him.
“What else have you done?” she asked him.
His smile faded. He said nothing, waiting for her to draw her own conclusion.
“You look like that actor, the one in those silly action movies,” she said.
Ethan looked at her with confusion, hoping to throw her off.
“Oh, what is that actor’s name? I can’t think of it,” she said, growing frustrated with herself.
Ethan played dumb and shrugged his shoulders one more time. Susan sighed heavily.
“Ah, never mind. He’s much more handsome than you,” she said in a tone only she could pull off.
Ethan laughed, a little too boisterously. Finally, Matthew came back with a new feather duster, this one had a price tag. He tried to hide his gratitude as Susan finished checking him out. He grabbed the bag of bondage bootie and quickly left the store.
When he got back to his car, he let out a deep sigh. He was both relieved and exhilarated at the same time, his adrenalin pumping. He laughed when he saw that he had an erection sticking up from his lap.
That was a trip he wouldn’t forget in a hurry.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Reagan
The weekend proved interesting for Reagan. Friday morning with Ethan had set off a curious chain of events for her, events that made her search her soul in a way she hadn’t expected to ever do again in her life. She’d felt joyful after their conversation and impromptu play session and it stayed with her most of the day.
She visited the retirement home and after some heartwarming hugs and greetings from the residents, she spent time with Bill. Normally, he was content to let her read to him, quietly enjoying the stories she shared. This time he was talkative.
He started asking her personal questions about her life.
“You seem so cheerful today. What’s different?” he asked her, right out of the gate.
Typically, she wouldn’t have shared a whole lot of her personal life. She wasn’t ashamed of who she was, just discreet. But she told Bill that she’d met someone she was starting to really like, but was being cautious. He wanted to know more, of course, but she chose her words carefully, concerned that although he would probably never judge her, he would not approve of some of her life choices.
She told him she was afraid to let her guard down, because she’d been so wrong about love once before.
Bill took her hand in his and told her she was a kind and beautiful person and deserved to be happy. He said that if he were forty years younger he’d sweep her off her feet and never let her go. Reagan teased him and said if she were forty years older, he’d have to take a viagra because she wouldn’t take no for an answer. This made him laugh, a lot.
He assured her that a real man would carefully protect her heart, but always encourage her to fly, and that Reagan would recognize him when he arrived. She just had to be willing to look past her fear.
Then he quoted his favorite poet, Rumi, to her.
“Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere, they’re in each other all along.”
Those words touched her deeply and she knew she would hold on to them like a beacon, no matter what happened moving forward. Hope had been missing from her life for far too long. Maybe it wasn’t Ethan, but there was someone out there who could claim her heart, and when the time was right, he would make himself known.
That same evening, Reagan had a session scheduled and although it went smoothly and predictably, her heart wasn’t in it. She was distracted by thoughts of Ethan, romantic thoughts, and it threw her completely off her game.
Even her client noticed, although he was too polite to remark on it until he was ready to leave.
His eyes were still covered as she carefully led him to the door, as was his preference.
“I hope you don’t mind me asking Ma’am, but are you okay?” he finally said, quietly, the way submissive men do.
Reagan sighed deeply, knowing that she hadn’t been herself.
“Part of not using your eyes is that it allows you to truly see,” he continued. “I’m not complaining, Ma’am. I just sensed something different tonight.”
Reagan silently agreed. Something had shifted for her, although she needed time to process it. What she did know for sure was that her work seemed suddenly too small for her. Ethan had unlocked the gate, but Bill had swung it wide open for her that afternoon, offering her a glimpse of what her life could look like if she allowed herself to be vulnerable.
Vulnerability did not serve her well as a Professional Domme.
She assured her client she was fine and closed the door behind him. She was only a fantasy for him, a welcome reprieve from reality. She wouldn’t spoil that for him.
After her client left, she sat quietly on her deck, allowing the warm breeze of the evening to caress her skin, enjoying the view. She had planned to wait to contact Ethan, allowing them both some time to consider their feelings, but after her conversation with Bill that afternoon, she decided to embrace her feelings and face her vulnerability head on.
She wrote him a provocative message, inviting him to come and spend time with her on Sunday, and then for fun added a list of items he could bring with him.
Was she testing him?
Maybe a little, but the playful side of her wanted to push his buttons. She couldn’t be sure, but she thought he would find the challenge both sexy and amusing. She took a deep breath and sent the message, hoping he’d accept, but if he didn’t, she would be okay with it.
His response a few minutes later made her giddy.
I look forward to your torture, Milady. But I’m looking forward to talking with you and getting to know you more.
He wanted to know more about her. It was more than just physical attraction for him and that was validating for her. She was relieved that his feelings were parallel to hers and that she could open her heart a little wider to make space for him. Her smile turned into full on giggles when she read his next message.
What do you think the salesclerk would say if I asked them to gift wrap my purchase?
I’m going to. ;)
She adored his sense of humor and that he didn’t take himself too seriously. This was supposed to be fun, sexy and playful and the fact that he got that made him even more desirable. She wanted to plan a date that would fulfill him and make him happy.
She went to bed Friday night, excited by the possibilities.
On Sunday morning, she woke with a case of the jitters. She chalked it up to a combination of excitement and nerves. The day before had been filled with errands and shopping. She planned a delicious meal for Ethan and sourced out all the ingredients she would need. She enjoyed cooking, but didn’t have much motivation to cook for herself. It would be fun to share a meal with him.
She was making lasagna and an organic mixed green salad with her own homemade dressing. She picked up some artisan bread, as well as some pistachio gelato. It was her all time favorite.
She got to work, preparing the lasagna from scratch, not skimping on the cheese. She wondered whether Ethan was particular about his diet, but decided that if he had any concerns, he would have let her know. In her experience, most people with food restrictions were not shy about sharing them.
By lunch time she had prepared the lasagna, put together the salad and made her dressing. Everything was ready in the fridge for easy assembly when it came time to eat.
She decided to visit th
e shelter and take Ragnar for a walk to calm her nerves. She missed that rascal.
It was almost six and Reagan had everything ready. Spending time with Ragnar really helped her pull herself together. When she got home she took a long shower, taking the time to shave her legs and pussy smooth. She decided to leave her hair down and took extra long drying and straightening it. Her makeup was sparse, just a little mascara, blush and lipstick.
She considered some of her sensual costumes but decided on a simple black leather skirt and a plain white lace tank top. She pulled on a pair of black leather boots with a modest heel. She looked strong but pretty, confident but relaxed.
How did one dress for a date like this, she wondered. She finished her look by putting a Celtic pendant around her neck. It was a good luck charm for her, symbolizing the divine feminine.
She walked through the apartment, humming to herself.
She was happy and she was ready for him. Every time she pictured him entering her apartment, her legs trembled with anticipation and she felt a throb of desire between her legs. She was wet for her man, and she prayed she wasn’t setting herself up for disappointment.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Ethan
Ethan made his way up to Reagan’s apartment after she buzzed him in. He was excited to see her and couldn’t wait to spend time with her. He hoped there would be no awkwardness between them as he transitioned from her client into something more. He was anxious to get to know her and hoped she felt the same way.
She opened the door for him and he waited a moment, looking her up and down. She was a beauty, and although she looked strong and sexy, her smile softened her appearance. He was thrilled by her curves, her ample bosoms, and her deliciously proportioned ass.
He held up both hands, one holding a bouquet of pink daisies, and the other the bag of goodies she’d requested. She smiled brightly and took them both from him.
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