Page 83 of Blush
“Why not? It will take the edge off.”
“That’s just it. You can’t take the edge off. If I’m going to take you to the club, you need to be fully aware of everything you’re doing. You need to be able to tell me to stop if you want to.”
God, that blush. Over her cheeks, the tops of her rosy breasts…
She’s going to be the undoing of me.
And it dawns on me.
I’m not afraid that she won’t like my dark side.
I’m afraid that shewill.
That she’ll like it and want it…and after three months, I’ll lose interest and it will be over. But it won’t just be another notch on my headboard for me. It will be the end of the most significant friendship I’ve ever had.
The other half of me.
“All right, Jack. No more drinks.”
Good. No more drinks. For either of us. Except that now I have half an hour to fill.
“How about dessert?” I suggest.
“I couldn’t eat anything more. The corset and all.”
She’s right. Plus… If I’m going to introduce her to the darker side of my lifestyle, I don’t want her belly full and bloated. How can I get out of this?
I motion to Haru for the check. He brings it, and I throw my credit card on top.
“I can pay for my own,” Mandy says.
“Don’t be silly. I invited you.”
Haru takes the card, brings it back quickly, and I add my usual twenty percent tip. For a split second, I thought about giving him twenty-five percent, as his service was impeccable, but I didn’t appreciate how he was eyeing Mandy like a hot-fudge sundae every time he was at our table.
Of course, every man in the place is eyeing Mandy. She’s wearing a damned corset.
I rise and offer my hand. “Ready?”
She declines to take my hand, which is unusual. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”
Her words aren’t lost on me. She’s not ready for what I have in mind, and no, she won’t ever be. But it’s best that she find out now.
Again, the fear pokes at the back of my neck—the fear that she is ready, that she’ll like what I’m going to show her.
No. She can’t. She has to hate it.
Then maybe I can get her out of my mind.
At least out of my sexual mind. Forever.
When we reach the building, I pull a silk blindfold out of my pocket. Funny that I thought to bring it along. Maybe somewhere in my subconscious, I knew we’d end up here tonight. “I’m sorry, but since you’re not a member…”
“Right. I understand. Alfred told me last time.”
“That wasn’t Alfred. It was me. Remember?”
“Right. You whispered. You tried to hide who you were.”