Chapter 25 Tierney #2
My cheeks flushed. “A few years back, London told me I might need a bit of an alpha in the bedroom to get … you know … Well, nothing else was working for me.”
Cammie’s grin was slow and delighted. “But Ramsay knows how to dominate, huh?”
I covered my face with an embarrassed groan/laugh combo. My reply was muffled.
Fingers wrapped around my wrists, yanking my hands off my face.
Cammie snorted. “Repeat that, please.”
“I like it.” I wrinkled my nose. “I like giving him the control during those times.”
She relaxed back in her chair with a sigh. “I shouldn’t have asked. Now I’m jealous.”
“Really?” Having not had anyone to talk about these new discoveries, I asked, “Are you … do you like that too?”
“I’ll try anything.” Cammie nodded, taking a sip of her now cold cappuccino. “Him in control. Me in control. I have yet to date a man, though, who was authentically dominant.”
“So, you like them dominant and submissive?” My curiosity peeled away any prudishness.
“Not submissive. I mean, I’ve tied a guy to the bed and it was fun.
” Cammie shrugged as if we were talking about the latest floor tiles she’d chosen.
“But I don’t like a truly submissive guy.
I had this one boyfriend who kept asking me if he was doing it right, and it was so off-putting, I had to fake it. ”
“Really?” Taran frowned. “I think that’s kind of respectful and nice.”
“Oh, it was. He was a lovely guy. And there are women and men out there who need that in bed and good for them. I’m not one of them. It’s an ick for me. Isn’t it an ick for you?”
“I don’t know.”
“Think about it … he’s asking you constantly if he’s putting his fingers and cock in the right place. Fella, if you don’t know by now, get out of there.”
Unfortunately, I’d just taken a sip of my Americano and nearly spat it everywhere.
Taran chuckled. “We should not be having this conversation in here.”
Cammie nodded. “That’s a no. It’s an ick for you too. I can tell.”
Taran rolled her eyes but didn’t deny it.
“So …” Cammie turned to me. “Ramsay’s definitely not asking if he’s doing it right, is he?”
I raised an eyebrow. “I think me screaming through multiple orgasms is all the validation he needs.”
With that they both threw their heads back in laughter and I joined them, feeling smug.
Not just about Ramsay.
But about this.
The three of us.
This friendship we’d forged.
My new friends in my new home.
Things were finally falling into place.
The B and B was on track to be finished by Christmas, and I already had weeks booked out for next summer.
The threats against me had stopped, and Perri called yesterday to tell me the Silver Group were threatening to sue if they published.
They knew they had enough evidence to print, but the newspaper’s legal department were prevaricating over a statement Perri had obtained from the hotel resort manager because she hadn’t fully explained all of her reasons for her investigation to him.
Perri was sure legal would come around and they’d go to print next Monday.
It would be tough. I was bracing myself for the media frenzy. For the long legal battle. But my parents would get justice and so would the people they were trying to fight for. That’s all that mattered.
The only things missing from my life were London and something real with Ramsay.
Because I knew I wanted that now.
I wanted to be with him.
After the night he’d admitted to me it was more than sex for him too, he hadn’t pulled away. He hadn’t put up a wall. In fact, every day I felt him grow more affectionate, tender with me. A little unguarded. I was hopeful he would really start opening up to me soon.
And maybe … if I opened up first, he would.
I was going to tell him the truth about the threats instead of waiting for it to go to print. It would say to him that I trusted him, and I think our relationship needed that.
Sometimes, you had to be the one to give up your damn pride and make the first move.
Ten minutes later, Taran had to return to work and so did Cammie and me. We hugged our friend goodbye, waved to Ewan and Martha, and stepped out onto Main Street.
Cammie’s ringtone suddenly blasted in her purse. While my ringtone was boring and traditional, Cammie’s was a song by some Scottish band with a weird name. Biffy Clyro. It was loud, it was rock, and it was so Cammie.
“Oh, this is a client,” she said, pulling her phone from her purse. “I’ll catch you later?”
“Sure. Talk soon.” I left her, heading toward my apartment.
I had the urge to try to catch London on a video call so I could tell her more about Ramsay, that I was going to tell him the truth.
She’d always been my best and favorite sounding board and it was weird not having her around all the time to talk to. Especially about the big stuff.
And Ramsay … I knew he was the big stuff for me.
Maybe even the biggest. At least … I knew I’d never felt this way about any man before.
It was raining, not a heavy downpour, only a drizzle. I was kind of getting used to it, so I didn’t even bother to pull up my hood.
Then I saw the rainbow over Stòr. I bit my lip against the massive grin that wanted to spread over my cheeks as I strode toward the harbor barrier, pulling my phone from my purse to take a photo of it to send to Ramsay.
It looked so beautiful and vivid against the stormy clouds around it.
I was tempted to send it to him with a text that read: “Grumpy vs. Sunshine.”
As a non-romance reader, he totally wouldn’t get it.
I chuckled at the thought, taking a few more snaps before I turned back toward the road to cross it.
My view was abruptly blocked by a broad chest in a dark hoodie and my heart jumped as I looked up into a masked face, fear ricocheting through me too late.
A male voice that sounded distorted said, “Maybe this will shut you up.”
He made a blunt movement toward me, and a sharp, burning pain radiated through my midsection. It was so brutal my knees gave out as he grabbed my purse and fled.
I pressed a hand to my stomach, using my free one to catch my fall as I watched in disoriented horror as he took off down Main Street.
My hand came away from my belly covered in blood.
He’d stabbed me.
Surreal terror shot through me as I cried hoarsely for help.
Nearby cries of shock filled my ears as I fell onto my back, the sky a dark blur above me.