We talked a little more about the people we met until we reached his house. Silence falls between us as he pulls the SUV into the driveway. We exchange a quick smile as he pulls the keys from the ignition. Stepping out of the vehicle I fall in step behind him as we make our way to the front door. Once we go inside he goes into the living room to sit down on the couch. "So you asked a lot of questions and got answers at the munch. Did you get everything covered or do you have anything else you need me to answer for you?" I've been having an internal debate since about an hour into the gathering. I also started a pro/con list in my head shortly after that. I do have one more question and I've been pondering it for hours now. He just gave me the perfect opportunity to bring it up. I'd be an idiot to let it pass me by. I force myself to spit it out before my nerves get the best of me.
"It's not so much a question really. It's more like a..a...let's call it a venture." I twist my hands in my lap nervously. "A venture? I see....go on." He sat forward bringing his body to the edge of the couch. "I've been thinking for most of the day. With every conversation, every explanation and personal story I knew. What I needed became crystal clear." I walk over and kneel in front of him and carefully take his hands into mine. He seemed surprised, first looking at our linked hands then into my eyes. "I think......no, I KNOW I need to do this. I need to take this journey." I pause to take a deep breath. He sits, waiting patiently for me to continue.
"I would love to take this journey with someone I trust fully and completely. Someone who will take me to the very edge of my limits with respect, grace, and a gentle heart. Someone that I know genuinely cares about me as much as I care about them. Someone I'll strive to please because their happiness will bring me fulfillment. Someone who's needs and desires matter to me as much as my own because I care for them too." I pause again and take a deep breath to fortify my courage. I glance up and meet those gorgeous green eyes that look into mine with honesty and sincerity. "Gage, I want that someone to be you." He opens his mouth to speak and, taking a page from his book, I hold a finger to his lips.
"Patience, let me finish." His mouth turns up at the corners as he peers down at my face. "You and I have a chemistry that you can't deny. We connect on so many levels and at times it has frightened me. You calm me and challenge me, sometimes in the same breath. I want that with my Dom. I want to be able to communicate with one look or a single breath. I want a simple body reaction to tell the other what one of us wants or needs. You and I have the beginnings of that type of connection. I think once explored, what we have, it could be mind blowing for both of us. Don't answer me now, I want you to really think about it. Let me know when you decide but don't rush. I want you to give this some serious consideration, Gage."
I smile and reach up, cupping his face in my hand. I lean my body into his and brush my lips gently across his. I sense his body lean closer to mine and his hand, still clasped in mine, gives a slight squeeze. I stay still, our lips lingering so closely together our breaths mingle. My body screams for more but I pull back to look into those piercing eyes that I find so hypnotic. I can't read his expression but I smile and wink trying to maintain my confident facade. "I'm gonna go. I'll talk to you soon." I stand and he lets my hand drop reluctantly as he leans back on the couch, his eyes regard me with a new intensity. I grab my keys from the table and walk to the door. I glance back on my way out and offer him one last soft smile. He remains seated as he watches me go. When I finally get in my car I'm shaking like a leaf. I don't know what I'll do if he says no. On the other hand, I have no idea what will happen if he says yes.
*** *** ***
"So you want to do this. Like full-on, a hundred percent, on your knees, in and out of the bedroom?" Thomas passes me the plate he made me and I take it. "We haven't talked about specifics, hell he hasn't even said yes." I pour myself a glass of juice, I offer some to Thomas but he declines. "Wow ... .and he's the one you want to explore with?" He runs the water into the empty pan before placing it in the sink. "He has so much experience with this Thomas, and I trust him. I'm comfortable with him. Not to mention the insane chemistry we share. My God Thomas, I can't even describe it. It's not lust so don't even start with that. We can just read each other and communicate with just a look or even a light touch. I don't think I want to do this with anyone but him."
Thomas is looking at me so weird that I lean back and try to interpret his expression. "What? What's wrong with you?" He looks like a woman about to break down in tears of joy. "I'm just so happy, I feel like my little protégé is finally ready to come out of her shell. It's a proud day for me." We both laughed at his words. "Oh get fucked. You're such an ass." He laughs and throws his arms around me. "In all seriousness, if you need or want to talk about anything you know I'm always here.....unless I'm not." I smacked him softly in the chest. He smiles and shovels a fork full of food in his face. He's a fast eater and is almost finished already. "Dick." He kisses the top of my head as he jumps up to take his plate to the kitchen. "So when do you guys plan to get together again? Did you set up a time frame?" I swallow the food in my mouth and sigh. "Not exactly...."
He comes walking back to the table with two mugs of coffee. He sits down and passes one to me. "Alright, I'll bite. What does 'not exactly' mean?" I put my fork down on my now empty plate. "Well, I didn't really let him speak." He lowers his mug and eyes me quizzically. "Come again?" I chortled at myself before answering. "I sorta laid all my cards on the table. He tried to speak and I put my finger over his lips silencing him. I told him that I wouldn't take his answer then. I wanted him to give it some serious thought and then we can get together and he can give me his answer. Then I told him to take his time, not to rush, and to call me when he is ready. Then I kissed him and left." Thomas stills, his coffee mug hovering in the air. "You kissed him....." His words could have been a statement or a question, I wasn't sure which. "Well kind of, I just brushed my lips over his. I mean it was very quick, barely touched, more like a soft graze really. Then I walked out the door."
"You'll hear from him tonight." His words now communicate a clear statement of fact. "What makes you say that?" He looks at me as if I'd have to be crazy not to anticipate the outcome. "Because that was hot as fuck! Look, he's into that stuff. A fine ass woman just asked him to introduce her to that shit. Then she leaves the ball in his court, AND he gets a sexy teasing kiss on your way out. You're lucky you made it out of the fucking driveway woman." He laughs at me and I feel my face flush. "Whatever, you're just a man whore," I say, trying to deflect the heaviness of the topic. He laughs off my retort. "No doubt, which is why I know what I'm talking about. Well on that note, I'm hitting the shower." He's up and gone by the time I take my plate to the kitchen.
I jump as soon as my phone rings and laugh when I see it's my brother. "Hello," I answered with a chuckle. "Uh, ookaay. Hello to you too...I think. What the hell are you doing?" I can hear amusement in my brother's voice. "Nothing, just joking around with Thomas. What's up bro?" I carry my coffee cup back to the kitchen and wash it out in the sink. "Just checking in, do you work tonight?" I drop the clean mug in the dish strainer and huff in response. "Ahh shit! You know what, I think I do. Well, I guess taking a nap just became my afternoon activity." Checking the clock I see I'm only going to get a few hours of sleep and that's if I go to bed now. "Good thing I called you then. So I guess coming over for a while is probably not in the cards." Even though his tone is hopeful I'm sure he knows it's not gonna happen. "Uh no, in light of this new information my ass is currently en route to the bed as we speak." He doesn't press the issue. "Alright, well I'll take a raincheck then. See ya tonight Lil'Bit." I'm climbing up the stairs when I reply, "Later bro." I hung up and continued up the stairs to my bedroom.
Shit! I was so wrapped up with Gage that work didn't even cross my mind. I took off my bra and jeans before crawling into bed. My mind runs through so many things it took me over an hour to finally settle down. It took another forty five minutes to fall asleep.
When I wake up I'm in a panic. My alarm didn't go off and for a moment I'm afraid I overslept. "Shit!shit!shit!" I rant to an empty room as I threw the covers back. I leapt from the bed and ran around the room in a frenzy. I rip clothes from the hangers in my closet until my alarm actually goes off, pulling me from my frazzled state. I am snapped back into reality, the fact I've only been disoriented sinking in. I fall over on my bed, laughing at my own stupidity. I reach for my phone that is blinking on my nightstand. I have a text from Gage.
I feel myself getting nervous as I stare at the phone afraid to open the message. Surely he wouldn't give me an answer to something like this via text message. A small smile comes to my lips. No, he wouldn't, that just isn't Gage. I take a deep breath before finally swiping the screen to open the message.
Text Message:
Gage: G'mornin' darlin'. I know you're just getting up for work. I wanted you to know
you've been on my mind all day. I'm doing what you asked and really thinking
things through. But I couldn't let you worry about when or if you'd hear from me.
I'll talk to you soon Katya. Have a good night my darlin'.
A smile spreads across my face from ear to ear. "So what did he say?" I looked up to see Thomas leaning against my bedroom door frame. "What makes you think it's even him?" I try in vain to wipe the lingering smirk from my lips. "A smile that big, yeah right. Plus I told you that you'd hear from him," he chides. "You said he'd call," I pointed out in a teasing tone. "That's just semantics. The important thing is he made contact, am I right? Now what did he say?" With a boisterous laugh I pass him the phone so he can read the text. "Ooooooooooooohh......." he passed the phone back to me, "..you are soooo gonna be his bitch." I throw my pillow at him but he ducks at the last second. "Shut up!" Pushing off the door, he turns up the hall and I hear his laughter as it slowly fades. I shake my head, the giant smile still on my lips, I begin to get ready for work. I can't help it, deep down a part of me hopes he's right.
*** *** ***
"What the hell do you mean you gave the VIP lounge to the new girl? It's always the first server in or upon request. Always!" Ethan has been a grade A shithead since the moment I walked into the club. "Tonight it's my bar, my call," Ethan retorts, "Now pick up your tray and get your ass on the floor Kit." Ethan comes across more like a bossy child than an actual boss making a business decision. "You're just doing this to be a dick." My hands are balled into fists at my sides. "Hey, watch it. More lip like that and you can take your ass home." I'm seething with rage and I know he can read it all over my face. He looks like he's going to say more. I narrow my eyes and stare him down. He appears to think it through and slowly starts to back down. Turning away he busies himself by serving a customer on the other side of the bar.
At that moment Xavi strolls in, I assume he's on the late shift. " 'Sup Lil'Bit?" He stops to give me a hug and pulls back to see the anger in my eyes. "Awe shit, I know that face. Who do I have to fuck up now?" He has a smile on his face but his eyes tell me he's only half joking. "Why don't you ask your life long bestie over there? He seems to have a God complex this evening." I snatch my tray from the countertop and start for the floor. I take two steps before I turn and yell loud enough for everyone within earshot to hear. "But watch your ass there big bro. Tonight it's 'his bar' so it's 'his call'" Then I turn to take some orders with a cheery smile. I may be mad as hell but I won't let him cost me money.
I don't even know what he has an attitude about. He hit me with it the minute I walked in and he hasn't let up yet. When I'm not walking on the floor he finds some tedious job to do. He's had me doing all sorts of things from checking the restrooms to stocking the beer cooler. I don't know what I did to make him act so damn extra. He is really starting to piss me off. "I need 4 beers, 2 rum and cokes, and 6 tequila shots," I rattle off my order. Xavier is busy so Ethan is forced to take my order. He gathers my drinks but he won't look at me and he keeps his lips drawn in a tight line. I can even see his muscles tense when he's forced to interact with me.
I'm going to have to talk to him on my break. Something has happened and he's just going to have to tell me what it is. We were at least in the friend zone if nowhere else. We've been talking and even joked around on the phone the day before yesterday. Something is up, he's just going to have to open up and explain to me exactly what is going on.