Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 55099 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55099 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
“Either way, I’m sorry,” Nora murmured. “Also, I’m totally fine if you wanna get back to your station. No trauma here, I swear.”
Nathan smiled faintly. “I’m in no rush. You sure you’re okay?”
Nora nodded. “I’m gonna make Mistress Penelope stay with me for a moment, but that’s for other reasons.”
Oh, really.
Well…I wasn’t going to fight her.
“Okay, then.” Nathan conceded. “I’d like you to shoot me a friend request online so we can exchange numbers. That way, I can check in with you later tonight.”
“Will do, Sir,” Nora promised. “What’s your name on the forum?”
“Just Rigger,” Nathan answered. He gave Nora’s leg a brief squeeze before he rose to his feet. “We’ll talk later, then. You did good today, brat. You safeworded when you were supposed to.”
“Thank you, Sir.” Nora smiled. “Mishap aside, I loved the scene. I’m looking forward to exploring more bondage.”
“Straight to a rope rigger’s heart.” Nathan clutched his heart and grinned. He flicked me a glance next. “You’ll stay with her for a while?”
“Absolutely. I’ll keep you posted too.”
“Thanks, hon. I’ll see you around.” He headed back inside, and I let out a breath.
We were alone.
I kinda needed it. Even though I could see she was fine, I wanted some alone time with her.
“Hi.” She grabbed her soda and moved over to my sofa, where she plopped down with a cute grin. “He’s so nice. I’m gonna tell Ash later that Nathan is nice, because we text now.”
“You do, huh?”
She nodded. “Yes, Ma’am. He’s Big Bear, and I’m li’l cub. We have a thing. We quiz each other so we can get to know each other better before the Game.”
In other words, someone was fitting in perfectly.
“Without spoiling anything for the event, getting to know each other is very good,” I replied. “It’s not just limits that need to be discussed. Preferences too.”
She cocked her head. “I feel like you’re trying to tell me something.”
I chuckled. “Call it minor assistance to a dynamic that might have a slight disadvantage because you’re new to each other. But if you keep going, you’ll be fine.”
She pursed her lips, determination taking over. “Okay. We’re gonna quiz each other even harder and bring home the trophy. So to speak. And with that out of the way, let’s not discuss boys for a while.” She exaggerated a wink as she opened her soda.
My jaw fucking hurt from smiling. “You’re a dork, you know that?”
“I may have heard that before, but it’s okay. Dorks have more fun.”
Maybe she was right.
I swallowed and felt the mirth fade, because…had I forgotten how to have fun? I’d felt weighed down by something for longer than I cared to admit. Whatever it was…had kept me from experiencing unbridled fun—the kind where you laughed till you cried or almost peed your pants, the kind that gave your stomach a workout from all the laughing.
“Something just happened.” Nora scooted closer with a concerned look on her face, so she must’ve noticed my mood tanking. “Are you okay?”
Was I?
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “It’s possible it’s been too long since I knew how to have fun. I… I used to be more upbeat, quick to sling jokes and put together a party. I miss that woman.”
Had someone like Shay approached me five or six years ago, with the idea of pranking both Tops and bottoms together, my approach would’ve been different. I would’ve lit up internally. I would’ve fired up my brain to think of all the ways we could raise hell. Now—I mean, I had agreed, so I wasn’t completely dead. Not all hope was lost. But I still had a long way to go if I wanted to be that person again.
“Maybe a dorky brat could teach you?” Nora suggested.
I grinned. “I’ve heard of worse ideas.” Then I gathered her hands in mine and kissed her knuckles, and I was rewarded with a faint blush bleeding onto her cheeks. “You’re getting under my skin, honey. That wasn’t the plan.”
She bit her lip as if she was trying to contain her smile. “To quote you from last night, that’s honest.”
Yeah, well.
“When one’s resolve breaks into a million pieces, all you have left is honesty.”
Part of me was still too wounded to rush into anything. Wounded from losing myself, nothing else. But I’d be an idiot if I didn’t at least give Nora a shot. She wanted it; I did too. Hell, I couldn’t go the whole event without seeking her out.
I wanted to open up to her. Tell her everything about myself, learn everything about her too, and pray she’d be okay with my sexuality being a little different.
“My heart’s freaking hammering right now,” she admitted.
She knew just what to say too. She made me hope. She ignited something within me that’d been stone-cold for years.
I leaned in and kissed her, and I cupped her cheek.