Little Tease (8 page)

“
You’re not supposed to. It’s his life.” I squeezed her shoulder, and she nodded, biting her lip.

“
I guess.”

Lena hugged her tightly. “Still wanna go shopping next week?”

Mel smiled weakly. “Absolutely. I’ll email.”

We watched her go, her head held higher now. Lena sighed, and I put my hand on her shoulder. “You okay?”

“
Will be once I have a drink.”

A little surprised, I asked, “You wanna stick around?”

“
And leave right after Ben? I’m not gonna be run out of here so easily.”

She really is something.

* * * *

Over the next four months, Lena and I grew closer. By unspoken agreement, we didn’t see each other outside of the club, except on the occasions I drove her home. We kept our physical distance, although she took to hugging me hello and goodbye, and every now and then one of us would venture as far as a cheek kiss.

Mentally, though, it seemed as if we got closer every time we talked, sharing details of our lives that most people didn’t know. I couldn’t get her out of my mind, and looked forward to every club night with an enthusiasm that part of me found kind of pathetic.

We still provoked each other, testing the depths of our mutual attraction, and at times, all I wanted was to order her to her knees. Her resistance had crumbled somewhat, but after her moment of weakness in my car, when she’d asked me to kiss her, she’d rebuilt her walls a little. If I moved too soon, she’d only build them higher. I still hadn’t figured out why this little game was so important to her, but since I only saw her once every two weeks, I was content to let it go on for a while.

After the incident with Ben and his gambling buddies, the club’s patrons seemed to grow less interested in what happened between me and Lena. That was a relief—Lena was complicated enough on her own. I didn’t need the extra conflict.

She topped Tamara and Danny on occasion, and I continued to play with Alex, though only ever at the club. We dissected each other’s techniques, flirting whenever the chance came up, and she let me know a little something more about her preferences as a submissive by the end of every club night, dropping them like breadcrumbs for me to follow.

On one such night, I watched Lena dance and pondered the wisdom of asking her to kneel for me. It was nearly eight months on from the date of our first meeting, and I’d been waiting for her to act, but part of me wondered if she was just testing me, waiting for me to take matters into my own hands. I wouldn’t have put it past her.

Before I could decide one way or the other, Alex grabbed Lena’s arm, pulling her to a stop and yelling something into her ear.

Lena’s eyes widened, then her gaze flitted to me for the briefest of moments before she pivoted to look toward the club’s entryway. She smiled—genuinely, as far as I could tell—and then ran toward a tall blonde man who had just walked in, throwing her arms around him and then yelling something in his ear.

Watching her reunion with someone I’d never seen before, I became slowly aware of the gazes of some of the other patrons resting upon Lena, and then upon me. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that this guy was an ex of hers—maybe even the guy Mel had mentioned, the one she used to sub to.

I didn’t know how Lena would react to the new development, but if she decided to submit to him, that would be her choice—no matter how much a certain part of me snarled possessively at the idea.

The guy asked Lena something, and she took his hand in reply, grabbing Alex’s at the same time. Dragging them both behind her, she led them to the dance floor, whirled into his arms for a brief moment, and then away again.

Tamara slipped into the seat Lena had vacated ten minutes earlier. “Don’t worry, Josh. You know she’s yours, in everything but name.”

I’d got to know Tamara pretty well over the past few months, and I shrugged, sipping my beer before replying. “I’m not gonna take that for granted. First thing I said to myself when I met her.”

Lena’s casual sub shook her head. “I’ll give you the context. That’s Matt. He’s been gone for around… three years, now? Close enough, anyway. Lena subbed to him for a good few months, and they stopped a little while before he left town. He was never her boyfriend, as far as commitment goes.”

Neither am I.
I shook my head at her, appreciating the sentiment, but not wanting to seem too insecure about it. “You don’t have to tell me this. None of my business, after all.”

“
Yeah, it is. I really want you guys to get together, and not because of some stupid betting pool. Because, duh… if there’s chemistry between any two people in this room, it’s you and Lena.” Tamara watched the dance floor as the current song ended, and Lena began to make her way back over towards us, Alex and her newly-acquired friend in tow. “She’s just excited to see him. Nostalgia, you know?”

“
I know.”

We didn’t have time to say anything else. People were getting up to welcome Lena’s ex-Dom back, and Lena herself took the opportunity to slip away before I could catch her eye. She was heading for the ladies’ room, and after Tamara had given Matt a brief hug hello, she excused herself. I guessed it was time for a girl talk, however those things worked.

If she told Lena I was jealous, Lena wouldn’t be the next one tanning her hide in the dungeon.

* * * *

Lena

I stared at my reflection in the mirror, conflicted. Of all the times for Matt to show up, it had to be now? I’d been thinking of giving in and kneeling for Josh… if not tonight, then at the next club night in two weeks. And then Matt had walked through the door and spoiled my plans.

Okay, it shouldn’t have mattered. The past was the past, and I was over Matt. Acting submissive around him was pretty instinctive, though.
What if Josh notices? What if he backs off? What if I’ve missed my chance?

Tamara interrupted my train of thought, pushing through the door and leaning on the counter by the washbasins, her eyes sympathetic. “You okay?”

“
Yeah.” I met her gaze in the mirror and sighed, knowing I wasn’t fooling her. “No.”

“
It’s kind of a mess, huh?” Tamara leaned over to give me a brief hug, and I closed my eyes, drawing strength from her support before pulling back. “Josh is a little blindsided, but he’s cool. Says he’s gonna let you make your own decisions.”

I wondered how exactly she’d gotten
that
information. “What, did he make a public announcement?”

Tamara rolled her eyes. “No. I told him not to worry, and he said it was your call.”

That made me feel a little better, at least. “What do I do when I go out there, Tam? Where do I sit? Who do I talk to? It’s like this horrible, messy minefield of protocol, and I don’t know what to do.”

“
Go sit at Josh’s feet. Screw what Matt wants.”

I imagined doing just that, a tiny shiver of desire travelling down my spine. It would be a good solution, except… “What if Josh thinks I’m just doing it to prove a point to Matt? That wouldn’t be fair to him, not after all these months.”

Tamara shook her head, making a few minor adjustments to her hair, using the mirror for guidance. “It’s definitely a mess. But it’s nobody’s fault. How about you just go out there and have a drink? Sit with me and Danny, and just take things as they come?”

“
But then Josh might think I’m ignoring him, and Matt might ask me to play, and…” My brain felt scrambled, and I gave a wordless cry of frustration, giving up. “Fuck it. I’ll deal with it when it happens.”

Tamara laughed. “Good call. Ready to go back out there?”

I thought about it.
Deep breath in, and then out…
“Okay. Let’s go.”

We headed back out into the club, and I sensed more than one curious pairs of eyes on me as I approached our group. Josh caught my gaze as I sat down a couple of seats away from him, and I smiled at his obvious concern. Whatever he saw in my face, it was enough to reassure him, and he turned to listen to something Izzy was saying—not dismissing me, but letting me do my own thing.

The atmosphere was fairly relaxed, but as a few people jumped up to dance, Matt scooted over to talk to me. “How’ve you been, Lena? Really?”

His focus used to make my head spin. It still did, a little, but I was older and wiser by this point in my life. “Pretty good. Finished my Masters, and I’m a computer programmer now.”

“
Lost most of your accent, too.” Matt grinned. “I’m betting that Southern drawl still comes out to play every once in a while, though. If you go submissive enough.”

I scowled at him. “You think you can just walk back in here and try to pull that, after all this time? Things have changed.”

His attitude didn’t falter. “So I hear. But just because you’re playing hard to get with this guy, that doesn’t mean you can’t play a scene with me, just for old times’ sake, right?”

Memories flashed through my mind. Matt had always been really good at taking me in hand, and I doubted that had changed after all this time. We’d had some pretty amazing times together back in the day. Part of me was tempted by his offer… but what about Josh? I couldn’t do that to him, not after all this time…

“
I’m gonna got a drink,” I announced abruptly, getting up. “Anyone else want?”

A few people took me up on the offer, and I headed over to the bar, grateful as hell that Matt didn’t follow me. Taking the short respite from the Lena-centric drama that was unfolding around me, l watched the bartender do his thing, lost in thought.

When a hand touched my arm, I stared up into Josh’s face, startled. “Josh, hey!”

“
Hey.” He leaned against the bar, a small smile touching his lips. “Relax.”

“
Doesn’t look like that’s gonna be an option tonight,” I muttered, and he laughed softly.

“
He asked you to play with him.” It was a statement, but also a guess, from the expression on his face. I wouldn’t have gained anything by lying to him, so I nodded slowly.

Josh watched me intently, and I felt another ridiculous urge to sink to my knees in front of him. If only he’d ask me to do it, I’d give in to him without a second thought. But he wouldn’t—if I’d learned anything by now, it was that he wouldn’t be the one to act first.
Damn him!

“
Something stopping you?”

How could he even ask that? “Well,
yeah
…”

“
Me?”

I hadn’t expected him to be this direct. Staring down at my fingers, laced together on the bar, I nodded, biting my lip.

“
Good.” The word was so casually pleased that I glanced up immediately, my instinct to submit to him intensifying at the smile on his face. God, he was so… there were no words for how attractive he was. All I could think about was what it would be like if he leaned over and kissed me. He’d be forceful, possessing me with his lips, and I’d just give in to him completely…

“
You trust him?” His focus didn’t waver, but I saw more than a spark of concern for my wellbeing in his gaze.

“
Yes.” That, I knew to be true. Matt had always been a careful, responsible top.

“
You love him?”

I didn’t even have to stop to think, shaking my head emphatically. “No! We were never like that.”

Was it just me, or was he relieved? I’d have liked to hope so, but…

As the bartender set the last of the drinks I’d ordered down, Josh gave a one-shouldered shrug, smiling a little. “Then go play with him.”

I blinked up at him, trying to work out his angle and feeling a little hurt that he’d given up on me so easily. “Why?”

He leaned in close, his lips almost brushing my ear. “Because I want to watch.”

Oh.
My skin tingled, my nipples hardened and I almost just turned my head and kissed him right then and there. “Josh-”

“
Shhh.” He drew away, and I felt a twinge of disappointment. “Your call, little tease.”

Before I could process the fact that he’d just called me
that
name again, he grabbed a couple of the drinks and headed back towards our group, leaving me hopelessly turned on and confused.

* * * *

Josh

Lena was quiet when she returned to the group, content to listen to other people’s conversations. Eventually, Matt pulled her off to one side, and I quelled my possessiveness with an effort.

You gave her permission to do this.

Part of me regretted it—wanted to slip the collar in my toy bag around her neck, clip a leash to it and drag her into the dungeon with me. But she wasn’t mine. Not yet.