Chapter 52
Luisa
Amalfi
Their food arrived just as Amy got started, and Luisa listened intently while Amy described how she’d met Sarah at work, how what had started as a mentoring relationship quickly evolved into something more, how Amy hadn’t been Sarah’s only one, how Sarah had been the catalyst for Amy getting to work in LA.
“She swapped helping you at work for you sleeping with her?” Luisa asked at one point, recognising the parallels immediately to various points in her own professional life.
Amy’s expression was complex. “There’s much more to it than that.
If that was all it had been then that first time she tried to kiss me I’d have run a mile.
” She smiled ruefully. “Naomi and Lara weren’t joking when they told you that I was the last person to admit I was into women.
Sarah… I wanted it, because she’s good company and she’s beautiful and…
I was ready for somebody to make me see what I really wanted. ”
Luisa was nodding her agreement. “She’s certainly attractive.”
Amy looked at her sharply. “You know what she looks like?”
Luisa couldn’t help laughing. “Dinner on Monday. I knew that was the Sarah.”
“How could you tell?”
“You’re not the best actress… I could tell from the way you looked at her.”
“And you, it seems, are a very good actress indeed because I did not have a clue that you knew.” Amy paused. “I’m sorry, I should have said.”
“No, don’t apologise. Dinner was much better without us acknowledging that.
” Luisa thought for a moment. “I’m glad that your thing with Sarah is based on something mutual.
Early in my career I had a few things that…
weren’t. Things I did that I’m not proud of in hindsight but also that I refuse to judge the younger me harshly on.
Now, if I have a professional entanglement it’s only if I’d want it to happen without the professional angle.
Any professional benefit is an added bonus. ”
Amy nodded slowly. “With Sarah, it grew to be more.”
As their food was cleared away and Amy talked more and more, Luisa found her jaw dropping open more than once at some of the things that had happened…
the way in which Sarah had become more and more dominant, Amy more and more submissive, then their switch to Sarah’s submission and the catalyst for Amy’s split with James when he’d caught the two of them in bed together.
Luisa had been unaware of all of this… she’d had a vague idea that Amy and Sarah had been into some kinky activities judging by Amy’s knowledge of BDSM gear in the sex shop in LA, but the scale and intensity blew Luisa’s mind.
As Amy finished, Luisa flashed her a teasing grin. “So you’re telling me that, really, you’re Sarah’s dominatrix, and you see her sometimes to do dominatrix stuff with her? And she’s your boss at work?” Luisa shook her head. “That’s pretty incredible.”
“Do you think I’m weird now?” Amy asked nervously.
“No,” Luisa laughed. “I think you’ve got some skills you’ve kept secret that you need to use on me!”
“Really?” Amy replied, and Luisa could see that her cheeks were flushed.
“Really… one night very soon, I want the full experience.” Luisa winked, really very keen on the idea.
“I know we’ve played but I mean the full experience.
.. so I’m going to ask you the same question you asked me.
Do you want that to continue? Because I reckon we can make room for that too, if we’re open and honest with each other. ”
She saw Amy think hard about this one. “If you’d asked me a couple of months ago, I'd have said yes. It… she needed some home truths about the impact of what she was doing. She’s married, has kids, and she’s done what she’s done with other women at work some of whom it hasn’t worked out well for.
But she’s done something about that, and she’s started to embrace who she is. I think now, we should think about it.”
“She sounds like a mix of Bel and Julian.”
Amy laughed. “Yeah, I guess so. But look… don’t just go along with that because you feel like if you don’t you might lose me. Walking in on you and Bel earlier.” Amy hesitated. “It made me realise, I mean really realise, what you mean to me.”
Luisa smiled, relieved and curious about where this was all going. Any tension between them had dissipated, and they’d both visibly relaxed.
Luisa looked at her watch… nearly midnight.
“I think we need to pick this up more tomorrow night. Would that be ok? I’ve got an early start tomorrow and I have to remember I’m here to work.”
“Oh, of course. Look… I’m sorry I just showed up. I basically turned up at your office and expected you to be waiting around for me. I should have told you I was coming.”
Luisa shook her head emphatically. “That, Amy, is the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me. Ever.” She couldn’t help but grin. “Maybe knock first next time though?”
Amy laughed. “You want to stay at my hotel tonight? I'm not sure your room would feel right until it’s been cleaned.”
“Yeah, I’d like that. Let’s settle up and go.”
***
They chatted easily as they walked hand-in-hand for the five minute walk back to Amy’s hotel.
When they got there they ignored the quizzical look from the night receptionist who’d presumably seen Amy check in alone, acting like they had every right to be going back to Amy’s room which, Luisa reflected, they really did after all.
Luisa had nothing with her so stripped naked for bed and Amy joined her, but for once that night they simply lay there in each other’s arms, Luisa conscious of her early start in the morning and Amy exhausted from the emotional rollercoaster that evening.
As she drifted off Luisa smiled to herself… they’d just had their first crisis, and what a crisis, and she knew they were already out the other side, their bond stronger than ever.