Chapter 46
luna
“Why is there a Kama Sutra person making us go into poses right now, Lune?” Nova looked at me questionably.
I grinned. “Because I wanted this to be fun.”
The first half of the party had been casual mingling, chatting, and keeping it low-pressure. I’d promised the community that if they wanted to stop by, I’d keep the cameras off for social media. The second half was my time to give the studio a little show.
“There’s a special class we’re hosting. It’s for victims of . . . sexual abuse.” The words still felt raw, jagged coming out, but I powered through. “I want them to feel empowered in their body again, using yoga combined with poses from the Kama Sutra.”
Nova’s eyebrows shot up as we both watched a small crowd attempt something that looked like downward dog had been to one too many bachelorette parties. “That’s brilliant, Lune.”
I shrugged. I didn’t feel brilliant. I just knew what it felt like to have the men in my life love me in a way that made me feel powerful. Safe. Like I owned my body again. I wanted that for other people, for anyone who’d had it stolen from them.
I glanced over to where Dirks was chatting animatedly with Jer and Ollie, all three of them laughing over something.
I pointed. “They seem to be getting along great.”
Nova followed my gaze and nodded. “I think so, too.”
“Did you torture him?”
Her laugh was pure mischief. “No. I told him to step up, though.”
“Nove . . . ”
“I love you, Luna. But you need two men who are fully committed. Just looking out for you.”
I sighed but smiled, because I knew she meant it. Pulling her into a quick hug, I murmured, “You’re impossible.” Then, because I couldn’t resist, I grabbed her hand and yanked her toward the mat.
“No, no, absolutely not—”
“Come on,” I said, already maneuvering her into one of the tamer Kama Sutra-yoga mashups. “If I’m attempting the ‘Lotus Bridge,’ then you do, too.”
The last guest slipped out the door, and I moved through the studio, pulling the shades one by one, while behind me I could hear the clink of cups and the scrape of chairs as Dirks and Jer cleaned up.
I turned after dropping the last shade, letting out a cleansing breath.
Dirks looked up from the counter, smoothie glass in hand, a lazy smile tugging at his lips. “This was fun, Luna girl. The community’s proud to have you here.”
Warmth stirred in my chest, and I crossed to him, pressing a quick kiss to his mouth before turning and giving Jer the same. “Thank you both for coming. You know if people post photos from tonight, they’re going to see the three of us . . . together.”
“Luna girl, I don’t care who knows.”
Jer gave a low laugh. “I hate social media.”
I tilted my head at him. “Is that going to be a problem?”
“No. Of course not.”
“You know, at some point I’m going to have to just . . . announce it. That the three of us are dating.”
Dirks glanced over his shoulder, brows lifting. “Why?”
“Because otherwise,” I said, waving a hand between them, “people are going to assume I’m terrible. Like I’m sneaking around with you both behind each other’s backs instead of”—I made a vague, all-encompassing gesture—“this.”
Jer didn’t move from where he was rinsing out the blender. “Let ’em think whatever they want,” he said over his shoulder. “You don’t owe anyone an explanation.”
“Maybe not, but I don’t want it to look like I’m hiding you. Either of you.”
Dirks dried his hands on a dish towel and came to stand on my other side. “You’re not hiding us. You kiss me in public. You kiss him in public. We’re in photos together. Anyone paying attention already knows.”
“Yeah,” Jer murmured, smirking. “They can figure it out without a press release.”
It went quiet again, the hum of the fridge and the faint shake of a blender blade being rinsed the only sounds. I glanced down at my pink yoga set, which was a matching shirt and leggings since I’d peeled off my sweatshirt earlier.
“By the way, thank you for the flowers. They’re beautiful.”
Jer’s hands stilled on the blender. I reached up and kissed him, the faint taste of mint clinging to his mouth. He set the blender down, wiped his palms on his pants, and kissed me back harder.
When we pulled apart, he looked at me with that sheepish half smile. “It’s not the only gift I brought.”
Jer rinsed the last bit of soap from the blender and set it upside down to dry, then turned to Dirks. “You bring what I asked?”
I glanced between them. “What . . . ?”
Dirks smirked, already moving toward the door. “Yeah. It’s in my stuff in the back. Lemme grab it.”
Jer just stood there, leaning on the counter, watching me with that maddeningly unreadable expression.
“What the heck is going on?”
“Not for you.” Then, after a beat, he added, “Well . . . kinda for you. But really for him.”
That made me even more curious. My brows furrowed, and I tilted my head, searching his face for some kind of tell, but Jer just let the corner of his mouth twitch like he was enjoying dragging this out.
A moment later, Dirks came back, holding up his collar like it was a trophy.
“Oh, baby . . . ” I couldn’t help it—the sight made my pussy clench.
Jer gestured to me. “Hold out your hands.”
I stepped closer and lifted out my hands, palms up. He set a small black velvet box in them, his fingertips brushing my skin before pulling back.
Slowly, I flipped the lid open. Inside, nestled in the satin, were bright rhinestone letter charms, sparkling under the overhead lights.
Jer turned toward Dirks. “Hand me the collar.”
Dirks passed it over without hesitation.
Jer held it steady, looking at me. “The M.”
I plucked the charm from the box and handed it to him. He slid it onto the piece of black leather near the neck ring with deliberate care.
“The A.”
Another charm, another slow slide into place.
“The D . . . ”
My fingers brushed the rhinestones before passing it over.
“The A.”
I handed it to him, my breath catching as our fingers touched again. Dirks was just watching us quietly.
“The M.”
The letters were starting to form something now. I bit my cheek, realizing exactly where this was going.
“The E.” Jer finished, taking the last charm from me.
He slid it on and then held the collar up so we could both see the full word, glittering in a perfect curve.
MADAME.
The rhinestones caught every light in the room, throwing little sparkles across the wall, and my stomach tightened at the sight.
“It’s time we know who owns this collar.”
“Jer . . . ” I whimpered, my pulse jumping. I leaned up and kissed him deeply. When I pulled back, I turned toward Dirks.
“I want to use this now.”
Dirks’s answer was instant—a quick, eager nod, his tongue sweeping across his lower lip.
“Doors locked?” Jer asked.
Dirks flicked his gaze toward the studio entrance, then the side door. “Yeah. Locked.”
Jer’s mouth curved. “Good. Then let’s make it official.”