Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
The next morning, in the hotel dining room, Ray eyed the remaining piece of apple-pecan coffee cake on the platter. After cutting it, she handed a third to MacKensie, a third to Hope, and scarfed down the last piece herself. So yummy.
At her contented sigh, Drake looked away from his conversation with Peter and Alex and smiled at her.
Gods, he is gorgeous when he smiles. All the sternness gone. Laugh lines and the sunlines beside his eyes deepening.
Was he smiling more than he had when she met him?
She sure was. Unable to help herself, she leaned sideways, resting her shoulder against his. Just to touch him.
In answer, he rested his hand on her thigh.
Since last night, she’d felt different. Almost euphoric. As if the world had wrapped her in fuzzy cuddles. Every time Drake touched her—and he was doing that a lot more too—the feelings increased.
This is love. Of course it is.
She wasn’t an idiot. It wouldn’t last. At least, not with this intensity. It was like hiking in the Olympic mountains. The view from Hurricane Ridge was super-stunning, but a person couldn’t live on a mountain peak.
She’d have to descend from the heights of love sometime, but for today… I’m gonna revel in it.
Hope rose to her feet. “I’m going to the ladies’ room before we head out.” She frowned at the sugar caked on her fingers. “I can’t touch anything until I do.”
“Me too.” Ray stood and catching Drake’s look, bent and kissed his cheek. She held up her hands. “Although it’s a shame to wash off all the yummy sugar.”
Smiling, Drake lifted Ray’s hand and closed his mouth over her fingertips. His lips were soft, teeth administering a tiny nip, before he sucked lightly.
Flashes of heat ran through her. So much heat.
Releasing her, he licked his lips. “You are as sweet as I thought, mon amour. Off you go.”
She tried to frown at him—for making her want to drag him back to bed, if nothing else. For knowing exactly what he did to her. “You’re a splinter under my nail,” she muttered.
“Ah, bébé, you don’t enjoy a good…splintering?” His dark eyes were filled with wicked amusement.
Sputtering with laughter, she couldn’t even summon a good scowl. Flee, flee while you can. “Let’s go, Hope.”
As they left the room and crossed to the restrooms, they both collected smiles, invitations to join different tables—usually men, occasionally others.
Returning from the restroom, they ran into the same. “We’re totally running the gauntlet,” Ray told Hope.
“Only you’re getting hit with invitations instead of sticks.”
“Ha, yes. I’m glad we did a team run to the bathroom.”
“I guess it’s single people’s last chance to find someone with kinky interests to date.” Hope turned when someone called her name. “Let me say a quick hi—I haven’t seen Mercedes since the last con. I’ll be quick.”
Ray stayed a few feet away, out of hearing but close enough she didn’t look alone. It’d sure been a lovely weekend—full of surprises and new experiences. Helping with workshops, sitting next to people in classes, she’d met some great people. And—
“Ah, it’s Chains’ new submissive volunteer.”
Ray jumped slightly at the smooth tenor intruding into her thoughts.
The man in front of her was clean shaven, brown hair in a business cut, a line between his brows. Probably a bit older than Master Drake. Familiar-looking.
He smiled at her blank look. “I’m Blaize. Let’s see, I met you at the Bainbridge coffee shop and then at Chains.”
“Oh, right.” She rolled her eyes. “I’ve met so many people, I’m forgetting my own name. I remember you. You were with the—” She hastily closed her mouth before labeling his ditch-pig friend a jerk. “Um, it’s good to see you again.”
“Is it now.” His smile grew. “Then perhaps you should see more of me. I’d love to take you out for dinner and drinks…maybe next Friday?”
Holy kraken, he was hitting on her. Didn’t he know she was dating Drake?
She eyed the way his mouth held a tilt much like a smirk. Yeah, he knew and was asking anyway. Trying to one-up Drake?
Sometimes men were real wankstains. “Sorry, but I’m afraid I’m not available.”
He tilted his head. “A shame. We could have had some fun. Have a good day then.” With another of his charming smiles, he strolled away.
And minute later, Hope joined her. “Sorry, sorry, I couldn’t simply say hi and leave without chatting a bit.”
“As if this is a surprise?” Ray snorted. “Girl, you can’t even say good morning to a stray dog without stopping to chat.”
“Oh, insults.” Hope scowled, her lips twitching. “Twatwaffle.”
“Really? Here?” Ray looked down her nose. “You’re still the size of a crotch-goblin.”
“You dare insult my height?” Hope’s voice rose. “You crusty-ass excuse for a spunk-stain.”
Apparently, Hope hadn’t noticed they were close to their table. She gulped when Peter turned to regard his sweet wife with raised eyebrows.
Unable to resist, Ray said, “Wow, they let you teach school with that mouth?”
The back of Hope’s hand hit her right in the gut. Ouch. Then again, she was already half-bent over laughing her…crusty ass off.
As was every person at the table.
Still sputtering with giggles, Ray dropped into her chair beside Drake. And enjoyed how nice laughter looked on his chiseled face.
Even better, she’d be seeing him again. Soon.
The convention was closing with this brunch. Drake planned to take Simon and Rona to his Bainbridge house for a couple of days and wanted her to join them.
She would—tomorrow. Today, she needed to go home, unwind, and spend time with Max. Although her bed was going to feel way too empty tonight. I’m going to miss him.
Odd. When she fell for Theodore, her feelings sure hadn’t been so…so immense. When they broke up, she hadn’t missed him.
“Ray. I’ve been looking for you.”
She looked over her shoulder at the sound of her name. Huh, speak of the devil… Why did he keep turning up?
As Theodore approached, she turned in her chair to face him.
His expression scrunched down like one of those dried apple heads. Bad mood much?
Yikes, maybe I should stand up. “Is there a problem, Theodore?”
“Yes, there is. I know I’ve said this before, but today you’re going to actually listen. You need to come back to me. We were good together.”
Jeez, he’s doing this in front of everyone? Was this a lawyer thing—public scenes?
His expression grew even angrier.
Whups, focus, Ray. “Uh, no, we weren’t good together.” And he accused her of not listening? “One more time: We. Are. Done.” She put a hand on Drake’s shoulder. “I have—”
“Now that I know what you want, what you need, I’ll help you get past being over-emotional and a drama queen. And keep you happy in bed. I know you’re not especially interested in sex—”
The explosion of laughter from the others at the table startled him. He frowned. “It’s not funny.”
“She’s not interested in sex?” Hope was giggling her head off. “Sure didn’t sound that way last night.”
“ ‘Oh, please, pleeeeze, Master,’ ” MacKensie said in a high voice.
“For freaking sake, I didn’t sound like that,” Ray snapped.
Alex tapped a finger on his chin and said in a judicious tone, “Actually, you did.”
“When he finally let you get off, you deafened everyone in the area,” Peter added oh-so-helpfully.
She shot him a scorching glare.
“She—she did?” Theodore looked as if he’d been zapped with a cattle prod. She’d never known people used cattle prods as a kind of weird sex toy, but last night, a Top had been using one on— Focus, Ray.
She’d been silent too long.
Drake had a hand over his mouth, and his shoulders were shaking.
Her face was probably the color of the strawberries left on her plate…and he was laughing. Damn Dom. She jammed her elbow into his ribs.
The bastard broke into deep, hearty laughter.
“But, but, Ray. I can help you.” Theodore looked so confused.
She smothered a sigh. With other men, he seemed to be a good person, but when it came to her—or maybe women in general—he was a jerk. After all, it was what straight, white males were taught.
Still, this wasn’t the eighteen hundreds, and if men in this century didn’t make an effort to pull their heads out of their asses, then the blame was theirs.
“Theodore. I want you to truly listen for once.” She pulled in a breath. “From what you’ve said, you want a partner who will enjoy you taking charge. You also—”
“You need a—”
“I am submissive, yes. Let. Me. Finish.”
When Theodore opened his mouth to speak over her, Drake said in his Master-of-the-dungeon voice, “A competent Dominant opens his ears when a submissive needs to speak.”
Dammit. Seems she really could love him even more.
She squeezed his hand in an unspoken thank you. “Theodore, you also want your lover to have a quiet…a subdued…personality. Which is absolutely fine. What isn’t fine is trying to…” She gestured air quotes. “…improve… someone with a personality that is—”
“Loud,” Theodore interjected, making her wince. “Ray, no one wants a drama queen.”
“Your idea of drama is what I call vibrant and fun, and I love it.” Drake’s words washed away the hurt and melted her heart. “She’s also…” He opened his hand to invite everyone into the conversation.
“Vivid. Sparkling,” Mac added without a pause, “Even better than champagne.” She grinned when Ray choked on a laugh.
“Exciting and energetic and brave.” Hope glared at Theodore.
“Dazzling,” Alex said thoughtfully. “Colorful and creative.”
Despite being Theodore’s friend and associate, even Peter jumped in. “Brilliantly vivacious.”
Right now, her ex totally resembled the person he wanted in his life—subdued.
Time to finish this up. “Obviously, I’m not the right person for you.” She shook her head at him. “It’s wrong to try to change a lover’s personality to fit your needs. Go find a submissive with a quiet nature. And make sure she appreciates who you are and won’t try to change you.”
“Well said,” Drake murmured, but it was loud enough for Theodore to hear.