Текст книги "The Exhibitionist"

Автор книги: Tara Sue Me

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I stroked his hand, touched by his words, and thankful that it did help me realize there wasn’t anything abnormal about me. “You always know how to make me feel better. Thank you.”

He shifted me so I could snuggle against his chest, and rested his chin on my head. “Every part of you, no matter how small or big or how it’s wired, is what makes you the person you are. And that’s the person I love. I won’t have you thinking negative things about her.”

I lifted my head for a kiss. “I love you, too.”

Chapter Eleven

NATHANIEL

Abby didn’t speak much on the drive back to Wilmington. Normally after a scene, she grew tired and would sleep, but apparently that was not the case when the scene was totally mental. It was almost as if I could see her brain working, still trying to process her time with Cole.

We had never done very many mental scenes. I thought to do one with the Partners in Play Dominants because it was different from what was normally demoed and I thought it would appeal to Abby’s intellectual side. And, if I was being honest with myself, I was starting to grow a bit concerned about her seemingly increasing need for public displays. Would it stop, or would it keep escalating? What if one day being with me suddenly wasn’t enough?

And what did it mean that she was turned on when she bent over for Cole? Did she want to be with another Dom?

I couldn’t even think about that. I didn’t know how I would handle it.

“Are you okay?” I asked when I heard her sigh deeply.

“Yes, Master,” she said. “I’m still just thinking.”

“Not tired?”

“No, Master. My mind is going in so many directions it won’t calm down long enough to get tired. It’s different this time from how it is after a physical scene. After being flogged or something, my mind is still in that fuzzy subspace hangover for a while. This mind stuff isn’t the same.”

“Was it something you wouldn’t want to do again or that you might not mind doing again?”

“I wouldn’t say I hated it. It’s just so different.” She laughed. “It’s like my brain’s been flogged.”

“I think that’s a very accurate description.”

She looked out the passenger-side window as we approached our house. Still thinking, it appeared. And while I loved her intellect, I wanted to play with other parts of her tonight.

I pulled into the garage and told her, “Upstairs in the playroom. Naked. I’ll let Apollo out and then I’ll meet you there.”

She looked sharply at me, obviously not expecting another scene. I didn’t have any plans to go crazy tonight, but I needed her. Needed to control her pleasure. Needed her waiting for my commands.

She must have sensed how I felt because even though she pressed her lips together and seemed to want to argue or suggest something else, she nodded. “Yes, Master.”

I took my time letting Apollo out and climbing the stairs, wanting to allow her time to prepare mentally.

She was waiting in the middle of the room for me and I let that sink in. For me. She was waiting for me. No one else. No people to watch. No demos to teach. This was her and me. Dominant and submissive. Coming together because it was what we wanted and what we needed from each other.

There was no other submissive, no other woman, who could affect me the way Abby did. There was something about her that made me calm and complete and I didn’t know who I would have become without her in my life. She had given me so much, and I knew as sure as I was breathing that whatever she needed, if it was within my power, she would have it.

But for tonight, it would only be us. If I was craving having her at my command, more than likely she craved being under my control. I took a deep breath as I settled into my headspace and when I opened my eyes, I was ready.

Tonight I would once more take her to those places we only found together, in this room, and with her in my collar.

“Abigail.” It was the only word I spoke, but it was the only one needed.

“Master.”

“You did so well with Master Johnson. I’m so proud of you.”

“Thank you, Master.”

I stood silently, allowing us both to bask in our roles. It had to be difficult to submit to a different Dominant. Especially since I had been her first. She needed to know how much she pleased me. How proud I was that she went through the session with Cole, was even going so far as to be ready to let him cane her because she understood that I’d given my consent.

It had been hard as hell, watching her react to Cole’s insistence that she sit in the chair. But I wanted her to experience what he offered. I knew it would be something she would find fascinating and think about for a long time, and write about. Whether she liked it or decided not to experience anything similar again, the session today would aid in her continuing journey of self-discovery and serve to make her stronger. And that would make us both stronger.

“You pleased me today, Abigail, so I’m going to reward you for being such a good girl.”

“Thank you, Master.”

I gave a slight chuckle. “Make no mistake about it, I’ll be getting something out of your reward, too.”

Though her head was bowed, I could hear the smile in her voice. “I wouldn’t have it any other way, Master.”

Hours later as she slept in my arms, I tried to plan for what I would do if this need of hers continued. If I didn’t plan, there might come a time I couldn’t meet her needs. It was hard for me to even think that, much less envision it happening.

The problem was solely with me. I didn’t like another Dom controlling Abby and it didn’t matter if it was a training session, a demo, or whatever you wanted to call it. The last few months had taught me I didn’t like sharing her. It did nothing but remind me why I had made the rule that I wouldn’t share my collared submissive. And if that made me a possessive, jealous dumb-ass … well, I was a possessive, jealous dumb-ass.

We didn’t have another demo scheduled any time soon. The tri-state was having a workshop weekend they’d invited me to speak at. That was about a month away, though. But I did have my own playroom and could set up my own demo.

Lynne was due to come by over the weekend to meet the kids and talk with us. If everything went well, we could possibly have her watch Elizabeth and Henry the following weekend. She could keep them occupied or take them out somewhere while we were in the playroom.

Feeling a bit calmer and more at ease, I finally closed my eyes and allowed myself to sleep.

The next day at work, I made a list of who I’d invite to our demo. Not Simon this time, not with Lynne potentially in the house. That was an awkward situation we didn’t need. I tapped my pen against the desk. Maybe Cole in Simon’s place? I could invite Luke DeVaan and Jeff, and have them observe the two of us in the playroom, maybe ask them to be part of the scene in a nonsexual way. Three would be enough. The playroom wasn’t that big, after all.

With that decided, I brainstormed about what to do. Abby had spent some time over the last few days writing about the mental play we’d done, but I didn’t want to do another mental-only scene. What I wanted to do was combine mental and physical play. Give her a little of both and see how she responded.

I formed a skeleton plan in my mind and then called her. She answered on the second ring and we chatted briefly before I explained my purpose in calling.

“I have an assignment for you,” I said. “You can either do it in your notebook or post it on the blog, but you have forty-eight hours to complete it.”

“Sounds interesting.”

I didn’t give her assignments very often, but in this case, the topic and writing would serve to add to the mental aspect of the upcoming session.

“I hope you find it interesting. I think it’s certainly an entertaining topic.”

“I’m intrigued.”

I chuckled. “The topic is predicament bondage.”

With predicament bondage, I’d bind her in such a way that any movement would cause some sort of consequence. We’d done it a few times, but not often at all. Now that I’d put the idea in her head, she’d know we’d be doing a scene with it soon. And if I guessed correctly, she’d spend a lot of time wondering if the consequences would be painful or pleasurable.

“I know what you’re doing, you know,” she said.

“Oh?”

“You’re mind-fucking me, aren’t you?”

“I am, Abby. And the funny thing is, even though you know it’s a mind-fuck, it’s still working.”

She muttered something under her breath and I laughed.

“See you in a few hours,” I said.

As I suspected, she was very excited about inviting the men over to watch. I wondered if I was helping or hurting her by setting up this session and feeding this growing need of hers. But it was hard for me to deny her anything, and if she wanted public play, I wouldn’t be a good Dom if I didn’t meet that need.

To further get her into the right frame of mind, I had her set up the playroom the morning of our session. Lynne had hit it off great with the kids the previous weekend and they were excited she was coming over again. The new house was large and I’d designed it so that the playroom was as far from the children’s wing as possible. Everything was separate, but I had installed both an intercom system and a security system so we would be notified, even in the playroom, if something was wrong or someone needed us.

Five minutes before the men were due to arrive, I sent Abby to the playroom to wait. We found her kneeling as I’d directed when the four of us stepped inside. I waved the men over to the three chairs I’d arranged for them, then walked over to Abby.

“Tell the gentlemen your safe words, Abigail.”

“Red, yellow, and green, Master.”

“Very nice. Stand for me, please.”

She slowly stood to her feet. Her breathing had taken on the panting sounds she made when she was aroused, and though her head was bowed, I knew if I looked into her eyes, they would be lust-filled. She enjoyed playing in front of an audience, but just how much she liked it struck me in the chest.

“You’re already so turned on you can hardly stand it, can you?”

“Yes, Master,” she confirmed.

“Going to show these men what a good submissive you are?”

“Yes, Master.”

“I have no doubts, my lovely. You’ve never disappointed me before.”

I could see her body nearly humming with my praise.

I looked over the area she’d set up for our scene. As per my instructions, a St. Andrew’s cross stood in the center of the room. All but a tiny circle of the floor surrounding the cross was covered in sharp points. Not sharp enough to break her skin, but it would be painful if she stepped on them. Not a problem if she could somehow find a way to remain in the small circle.

I would ensure that she couldn’t.

When she moved the ropes between her legs, it would rub against her clit, which I knew she’d like. Being bound with a rope that excited her clit wasn’t new to her, but being bound like that in a predicament situation was.

Once she was bound to my satisfaction, I led her to the tiny circle that was clear in front of the large wooden X. The circle was so tiny she had to stand on her toes. One by one, I bound her arms above her head, allowing enough slack to let her drop to her flat feet if she needed.

Then I turned to speak to the men. “We haven’t done many scenes with predicament bondage, so this is relatively new for Abigail. It’s not going to be comfortable for long being on her toes like that. But if she drops to her feet, she’ll be standing on the sharp pegs. Plus, I’ve bound her with rope in such a way as to provide stimulation with every move.” I turned back to her. “Are the ropes okay? Not too tight on your arms?”

“I’m as comfortable as can be expected, Master.”

He turned back to the group. “Now we could just sit here and watch her, waiting for her to grow tired of standing on her toes. But she can have a bit of a stubborn streak, so I think I’ll provide some incentive for her to move.”

I was willing to bet they thought I’d flog her, or maybe use the cane. But when I went to my cabinets and pulled out a long feather, they laughed. Abby couldn’t see it from her angle, so I moved closer to her.

“Personally, I think it’s a lot more fun to use something other than pain to entice her to move. Of course, she may not agree.” I held up the feather so she could see.

Abby groaned. She probably wished I’d use a flogger; she was incredibly ticklish.

“Are you ticklish?” I asked her for the benefit of the watching men.

“Yes, Master. Very.”

“Mmm,” I hummed. “This will be quite the challenge for you, then, won’t it?”

“Yes, Master.”

“But you like a challenge, don’t you?”

“Most of the time, Master.”

“Only most of the time?”

“My liking of a challenge is indirectly proportional to the amount of bondage I’m in.”

The three men chuckled.

“Is that so?” I asked, and without waiting for a response, tickled her side.

She yelped and twisted, stepping on part of the peg-covered mat. “Ouch.” She moved back into position, but doing so made the ropes shift. “Oh.”

I tickled her again. “Bit of a predicament, wouldn’t you say?”

She only sucked in a breath, but she still couldn’t hold position. Poor Abby was so very ticklish. I took another feather and started tickling her with both.

I ran them down her back, around her waist, and under her arms. Just as I thought, Abby squirmed and danced, trying to get away from one feather, which only sent her into the path of the other. And each time she moved, the rope I’d placed around her clit had to be driving her crazy.

I decided to arouse her even more and circled her nipples while tickling right where the rope rubbed that supersensitive spot.

“You like that?” I asked.

“Oh yes, Master.”

“You know our guests are watching you get turned on by my two feathers?”

“And the rope, Master.”

I tickled her again so it moved against her. “Right, we can’t forget the rope.”

I fell into a rhythm, which allowed her to drift into subspace. Soon, I had her swaying back and forth and before too long, she wasn’t even trying to stay on her toes. Her feet were on the pegs and she moaned in bliss every so often.

“What color are you, Abby?” I asked.

“Green, Sir.”

“Shall I continue?”

“Mmm,” she hummed, and swayed, causing the rope to hit a new spot. “Oh!”

“Is that a yes?”

“Yes, Master.” She sounded dreamy. “If it pleases you.”

I ran the feather down her side. She hummed and tried to get closer. Apparently, that shifted the ropes in a way they hadn’t rubbed before and she sighed and began rocking back and forth again.

“None of that, now,” I chided. “You don’t have permission to come.”

“Verflucht,” she said, which I guessed was a curse word. But she stopped rocking.

I knew she’d start with the German at some point and I wanted to play with her mind a bit. So I glanced to my side and nodded at Cole.

“Watch your language. I know more German than you,” he said.

“Entschuldigung, Herr,” she said in apology.

“I was mentored in Germany by the most badass Dom you can imagine.”

She swallowed a laugh at his accidental reference to the nickname given to him by submissives who’d played with him.

“Let’s just say I know all the German words,” Cole said.

She stopped trying to make the ropes move and went back to gently swaying. I kept her in subspace for a few more minutes and then began tickling her less and less. Her movements slowed and finally, I set the feathers down and unbuckled her arms from the cross. She dropped to her feet with an “Ouch!”

I immediately picked her up and carried her over the pegs until we reached a thick rug I’d placed on the platform. There I gently put her back on her feet while I undid the ropes. She let out a deep breath as they fell away from her.

“Move your legs, if you need to,” I said. Though the sensation of the rope had been pleasurable while she was in the scene, she’d probably be in some discomfort once it was over.

“Do I need to massage your legs?” I asked.

“No, Master.”

When I set up our new playroom, one of the things I’d done differently from our playroom in New York was add a large aftercare area. I’d furnished it with a plush couch and minifridge stocked with juice and bottled water. The night before, I’d set out a large blanket, and once we sat down, I draped it over her.

The three men took their cue to leave the play area. I’d told them earlier to wait for us in the kitchen and Abby had laid out snacks for them to enjoy.

Once they were gone, I turned my entire focus on her. One of our aftercare routines involved me rubbing her feet, so this was familiar and calming for both of us. She sighed as I took a foot in my hand. It was red on the bottom, but while the skin was tender, it wasn’t broken. I massaged a soothing lotion into her arch, gently moving down to her toes and across the ball of her foot.

“You have the most amazing hands, Master,” she said. “I’ve told you this before, yes?”

I kissed her big toe. “You have, my lovely. But feel free to tell me again.”

“Your hands are amazing, Master.”

“You’re pretty amazing, too.” I slowly worked the lotion into her skin and took a pair of supersoft socks I had waiting. I slipped one of them onto her foot.

“Makes me feel a bit like Cinderella,” she joked as I placed that foot down and motioned for her to give me her other one.

“Does that make me Prince Charming?”

She brushed her hand down my arm. “You’ll always be my Prince Charming.”

We shared a smile as I cared for her other foot. Reconnecting like this after a scene always made us closer. Usually, we’d take our time and even curl up in bed for a catnap, but since we had guests, I thought it was time to make our way out of the playroom.

“Can we go check on the kids before we head to the kitchen, Master?” she asked.

“Of course. Are you ready to go now, or do you want to wait a bit longer?”

“I can go now.”

I stood up and helped her into the outfit she’d brought down earlier. While we got her dressed in jeans and a soft sweater, I watched for any sign that would tell me her feet were in too much pain. Satisfied she was okay, I took her hand and we went to pop in on the kids.

Lynne, Elizabeth, and Henry were in what we called the nursery. It was really just the children’s playroom, but neither Abby nor I was comfortable calling it that. Lynne and Elizabeth were playing house in the large dollhouse my cousin, Jackson, and I had made for her last birthday. Henry was pushing his dump trucks and tractors around. Abby giggled when she saw he had one of Elizabeth’s dolls on top of the tractor, acting as if she were driving. Nothing like doing farm work in a silver cocktail dress.

I knocked on the doorframe. Elizabeth turned and, seeing us, hopped up and ran over to give us hugs. “Mommy! Daddy! Lynne is fun. Can she stay? For always?”

I kissed the top of her head. “We’ll see. Are you playing dolls?”

“Yes, I’m the mommy, Lynne’s the little girl, and Henry’s the daddy. But he won’t play with the boy doll, so Lynne’s being the daddy, too.”

Henry picked up the silverly clad doll and nodded. “Pretty.”

“You can’t wear a fancy dress on a tractor,” Elizabeth told her brother.

He held the doll to his chest. “Mine!”

“Just let him play,” Abby said. “At least he’s not throwing everything in the trash can.” She looked over to Lynne. “How’s everything going? Do you need anything?”

Lynne and the kids had eaten lunch earlier. She’d told us they were going to play for a bit and then watch a movie.

“We’re good,” she said. “I promised cookies during the movie.”

Abby nodded. “Elizabeth helped me make sugar cookies yesterday. I think we have a few left. Do you want me to set them out?”

“I know where they are, Mommy,” Elizabeth said. “I can show her.”

“Okay, princess. You two be good and I’ll see you after the movie.”

Abby smiled at me, content now that she had seen the children and satisfied they were happy. From everything I’d observed so far, it appeared hiring Lynne would be a great thing for everyone involved. I hadn’t had a chance to talk to Simon yet, but I planned to soon. I didn’t understand why he’d broken up with her. Especially since they had appeared to be so happy and compatible when we last saw them together.

But I knew as well as anyone that things weren’t always as they seemed to be and people often did things for reasons not understood by those not involved.

And seriously, you have enough to deal with concerning your own relationships. No need to borrow anyone else’s problems.

Cole, Luke, and Jeff were standing in the kitchen snacking on the array of sandwiches Abby had left out for them. At our entrance, they stopped talking and greeted us, and then Jeff made Abby a plate.

She took it from him with a big smile and sat down. “Thank you.”

“Can I get you something to drink?” he asked.

I wanted to tell him not to bother, that I’d get her a drink, but it occurred to me that this was probably his way of providing some sort of aftercare. No, he hadn’t done anything in the scene other than watch, but if he needed to get my wife a drink, I’d let him.

I was reminded again of why I didn’t share my submissives. I enjoyed being the one, the only one to do aftercare. Which was silly, I told myself. It was only getting her a drink. It really shouldn’t bother me the way it did.

In fact, it had never bothered me before. Jeff had done a lot more with Abby when we were in Wilmington for the first time and I hadn’t minded when he sat and talked with her once the scene was over. That day, I’d actually left them alone while I cleaned up and prepared the bedroom for the aftercare I had planned.

It raised the question, why was it different today?

I didn’t have an answer for that.

Jeff and Abby talked for a few minutes with Luke and Cole joining in occasionally. I simply watched, but I noticed Cole looking my way a few times. It was a bit unnerving and I wondered briefly if he could read something in my expression.

Jeff glanced at his watch. “I hate to be the first one to leave, but Dena and I have an appointment this afternoon and I need to swing by the house to pick her up.”

Luke stood up. “I need to be going as well.”

Cole made no move to go and after the two other men left, he approached me. “Can I speak with you for a minute?”

Abby hopped up and started clearing the dishes. “Let me get these in the sink and I’ll leave you two alone. I’ll go see what the kids are up to.”

“Something wrong?” I asked Cole after Abby left the kitchen.

“I was going to ask you the same thing. You seemed different today.”

Was I that transparent? I shrugged. “Just a lot of things going on at the moment.”

“Abby certainly appeared to enjoy herself.”

I snorted. “She loves playing in front of people.”

“And you don’t?”

“No, I’m fine with it, usually.” I decided to tell him some of what had been going on. My own feelings were somewhat bewildering to me, and maybe he had some experience with this kind of thing that he could share with me. “It’s just that her need to play publicly is growing lately and I wonder if I can keep up with her.”

“You mean, will she want to push the envelope faster and further than you’re comfortable with?”

“Something like that. I’m just not sure what to do next. How to keep her on her toes and excited.”

He nodded. “It’s hard to be creative and think up new ways to torment our subs sometimes,” he said with a grin. “And the two of you have been together a long time.”

“Yes, exactly. And I’m afraid the things I do think up, I won’t be comfortable with.”

“Have you considered a threesome?”

I had always shot down the idea in the past. Me share Abby? No way. But instead of blurting out “Hell, no,” I gave it some thought. She’d enjoyed the session with Jeff even though I had placed limits on what he could do. A threesome would be different.

Would a threesome satisfy her? Was it something she’d want? Maybe not a scene where she actually had sex with another man, because I knew there was no way in hell that would ever happen. But something like what we did with Jeff and maybe let him go a little further.

“A mild scene, perhaps,” I said in answer to him. “Would you want to participate?”

“Oh no.” He held up his hands. “It was merely a suggestion. I don’t act as third in the group I’m a member of.”

I nodded. “Makes sense.”

Who would I invite into our playroom? Should it be someone she’d worked with? Or someone who was a complete stranger to her? Or would someone like Luke be better? A man she knew, but not too well and one she wouldn’t see on a regular basis. Someone I wouldn’t see on a regular basis.

I didn’t need to think about what would be best for me. This would be for Abby and I needed to put my thoughts and emotions to the side for her. It was only fair she got to experience two men if she wanted. I was her only Dom and for me to limit what she wanted simply because I was jealous? That wasn’t looking out for her. That was looking out for me.

I didn’t think a stranger was the way to go, though. I did know men in the lifestyle whom she didn’t, men I wouldn’t have to worry about seeing often. But I didn’t think Abby would be comfortable with someone she just met.

At the same time, I didn’t think someone she was very familiar with would be a good choice, either. I could easily ask someone like Jeff to join us. They had played together before, they knew each other, and they were comfortable around each other.

But I knew Abby would end up feeling uncomfortable around him and I wasn’t sure he’d want to join us anymore, since he was back together with Dena. Hell, this was uncharted territory for me. I honestly had no idea how she would react when it was all over. She might feel guilty and I needed to make sure I addressed that before we did anything. We would have to spend a lot of time talking about how she felt when the scene was over.

If I didn’t want a stranger and didn’t want someone she was too friendly with, that left a mere acquaintance. Simon was out. Neither one of us would feel right inviting him, not with Lynne living under our roof.

I ran through several names in my mind, but kept coming back to Luke.

He was the obvious choice. She knew him, she’d spoken to him, and he’d been in our playroom already when he took the pictures. Plus, I’d watched him in a scene before and he was more of a sensual Dominant. If I had to pick someone to join us, I’d choose someone like him over a Dominant like Cole. Cole had earned his reputation as a hard-ass in the playroom, and while I didn’t have a problem with that, I didn’t want someone like that to be her first experience with two men. Besides, it didn’t sound as though Cole was an option. And, to be honest, he didn’t seem to be the type of Dom to truly enjoy being a third. He’d want to be the one calling the shots.

The only downside to asking Luke was his history with Abby’s supervisor, Meagan. Though whatever happened between them had taken place years ago, I needed to get her idea on adding a third and to make sure she was okay with who I asked. I thought it would be fine. According to Abby, Meagan had said under no circumstances would she ever get back together with that man.

I made a note to ask Luke what had happened between him and Meagan. I didn’t think it would be anything beyond a typical breakup, but I wanted to be certain.

I would still ask Abby, though. I’d also give her the option to ask a stranger instead of Luke. This was going to be a big step for her, and I wanted to make sure she was as comfortable as possible. And a large part of that would depend on the man we asked to join us.

“If nothing else,” Cole said, “perhaps you could increase the intensity of your public play.”

He’d been so quiet I’d forgotten he was still here. But he had a good point. Maybe increasing what we did in public would be what she needed.

“I like the way you think,” I said. Maybe adding a third was too much and increasing what we did publicly would be the best thing to do next. “In fact, I’m speaking at the tri-state group meeting in two weeks, the weekend after Jeff and Dena’s wedding. There may be a chance to do something more public there.”

If the upcoming meeting was like the last one, I wouldn’t reserve a balcony this time. Instead maybe I’d keep her on the main floor in the courtyard and we’d put on our show. And I would call Luke soon.

I looked up as Abby came back into the room.

“Everything good?” I asked. Her eyebrows were wrinkled as though she was thinking hard.

“Yes.” She nodded. “I had a call from Sasha. She wants to talk to me and I have a feeling I know what it’s about.”

“Miss Blake?” Cole asked. “Is she back in the group?”

It hadn’t been hard for me to pick up on Sasha’s interest in Cole. Outside of the subtle comments she made, I saw her interest the night she watched his demo with the lady who never returned.

Cole, on the other hand, wasn’t as easy to read. On the surface, it was only a question. Is she back in the group? It could have been an I’m interested because I’m now a senior member and she’s part of the group. Or it could have been an Oh yes, I remember catching her before she fell to the floor and broke her nose. But the question wasn’t spoken like either of those. It was more of an I’m going to act all nonchalant because I don’t want you to realize just how much I remember about Sasha Blake. Plus, there was the way he’d looked at her the night of the demo she watched. The sly smile and his obvious delight in her interest.

I glanced at Abby to see if she’d picked up on Cole’s comment. Sure enough, her eyes had grown wider. She looked at me, obviously wanting to say something. I nodded.

“She’s not an official member, Sir,” Abby said. “Master and I are still working on requirements to join the group, and since she dropped out, she’ll have to reapply. But …” She paused, glancing at the wall behind him, not meeting his gaze. “She did go to the last group play party. I was with her as she watched your demo.”

“Oh?” he said with a smile.

I knew I hadn’t misheard that one. The Oh that was not so much of an Oh yes, but more of an I hope I left her hungry for more.

“Yes,” she confirmed to Cole. “In any case, she’s not ready to join just yet. At least in my opinion.”

With that, Cole rose from his seat and patted me on the back. “Time for me to say my good nights. I’m sure you and Abby will work everything out perfectly. I trust you two.”