3. Let’s Talk About It
Let’s Talk About It
Sam
Oh my God, could I be more pathetic, crying over something that happened a decade ago?
It was something that had stuck in her head all these years.
Even after she’d gotten the scholarships she needed, gone through college, and started working as an occupational therapist, she’d never told anyone.
She’d been too busy with schoolwork to have friends, and she’d never wanted to add to everything her single dad was going through to give her the life he thought she deserved.
After her mom left them, they’d been a team, and she’d been determined to be a benefit, not a detriment.
But she’d felt bad and always wondered ‘what if.’ That ‘what if’ had hurt sometimes, especially after she’d taken back her yes, her and Q’s mostly friendly rivalry had taken on a hostile edge.
She’d been just as bad as him, partly because she’d been mad he’d stopped being friendly, even though she understood why, and partly because she’d resented him for that C minus.
It had taken her a while to unpack that and realize her teenage brain had blamed him.
“Sam, it’s over, it’s in the past, and I get it. I wish you’d told me then, but I get why you didn’t.” Q’s hand rubbed up and down on her back in soothing circles, and she sniffled but wasn’t crying crying, and her tears were already drying up, but this felt… nice.
It was the most cuddling she’d gotten outside of after care in months. She wasn’t sure she wanted him to let her go, even though this was probably a bad idea. Emotions could get complicated enough between kink and sex without their baggage.
Would it really be the worst thing?
No, no it would not.
God, he smells so good, I wish I could just lick him…
“You okay, Sam?” Shane’s cautious tone made her sit up. His expression was neutral, but the look he was giving Q still managed to be repressive. He didn’t want to step on any toes, but he was also willing to give Q a stern talking-to if necessary.
“I’m good, sorry.” She gave Q a wan smile as she straightened. “Sorry.”
“Hey, feel free to press your boobs against me any time, I am here at your disposal.” Q grinned as he shifted back, regaining his seat and making Shane chuckle and relax.
He turned to go take care of the other customer, and Q gave her a mock scared look, dropping his voice to a whisper.
“For a second there, I thought I might be in trouble. I felt like I was facing someone’s dad. ”
“Bartender Daddy,” Sam whispered, giggling when Q cracked up. She could totally see Shane as reluctant Daddy. He’d probably protest the entire time.
“Seriously though, Sam, I was upset and felt rejected as a kid, but I was fine. You did nothing wrong.”
“I did, though.” She sighed and took another long drink of beer. The pleasant, cool bitterness slid down her throat, helping with the heat of embarrassment. “I could have told you.”
“We were dumb teenagers.” He shrugged. “Besides, if things hadn’t gone down the way they had, I would have never known that someone could Post-it an entire car.”
Sam snickered at his mention of the prank.
She’d had help, but she and two of the submissives from Stronghold—one of whom was good friends with Q—had literally covered his car in Post-it notes while he was in the club.
It had been hilarious watching the security feed when he went outside and just stood there, staring at his car, unmoving, for five long minutes.
“I only did that because you changed the ring tone on my phone.”
“I know. It was pretty hilarious. Makes me a little scared to tempt fate and see what else you have up your sleeve.”
Rather than answer him, Samantha smiled enigmatically. The truth was she had a few more ideas. Including some she wasn’t sure how to implement since Master Patrick, the main owner for Stronghold and Marquis, had forbidden anything to do with glitter in the clubs.
It seemed like she and Q had called a truce, anyway.
They chatted about everything they’d been up to since graduating high school.
She told him how she’d decided to go into occupational therapy because she didn’t think she could afford the bills to become a surgeon like she wanted, then discovered that she loved being an OT.
He told her about how he’d been a proposal writer until one of his friends had got him a job working with video games at StormCloud in Bethesda.
Shane came by, and they ordered a second drink before Q got up to take a bathroom break. Sitting at the bar, smiling into the nothingness while she waited for him to return, Sam jumped a little when Noelle appeared at her elbow.
“Hi again! I was on my way out and saw you sitting here,” Noelle said, glancing at Q’s empty glass.
“Q and I decided to get a drink to keep talking things through,” Sam said, answering the unasked question.
“Oh, I guess you two will be paired together? That makes sense. I wish I knew who I was going to be paired with.” Noelle smiled, but the way she was staring at her made Sam feel a little uncomfortable, as though she was accusing Sam of having insider knowledge.
Then again, she guessed she did, but only for herself.
“They asked us before the class if we’d be okay with being paired with each other since we, um, have a bit of past history. We knew each other in high school.” The words kept coming as Noelle stared at her. Finally, the other woman nodded, her eyes brightening with understanding.
“Okay, got it.” She sighed. “I guess I’ll have to wait till next week to find out my partner. I can’t wait though. I think this is going to be a lot of fun.”
Noelle seemed a little awkward, but maybe Sam was projecting. Maybe this was why she had no friends other than Morgan, who was more of a very friendly acquaintance. Sam didn’t know how to relate to people. Maybe Noelle came off as a little too friendly because Sam was too unfriendly.
Maybe she needed to try harder.
“I have a lot of fun with it,” she offered. “I wasn’t sure when I first started coming to Stronghold, but it’s really satisfied something inside me.”
She’d first signed up for classes because she’d been reading a lot of romances, which led to her looking for local clubs online.
She’d done a ton of research and determined Stronghold was the one she wanted to go to, then found their introduction class, which happened to be at its sister club, Marquis.
The idea of a classroom setting had made her feel more comfortable, though she’d quickly discovered it wasn’t at all like being in a conventional classroom.
But she’d enjoyed it.
She enjoyed kink and liked having somewhere to go on the weekends where people were friendly, even if she wasn’t really friends with any of them.
“I can’t wait. I have to get going but maybe we could get together before class next week? Have a drink ahead of time?” Noelle smiled expectantly.
Samantha mentally pulled up her calendar. Mondays she only worked till five, so that should be fine.
“Sure, that’d be great.”
Maybe she was getting better at this making-friends thing.
Q
Coming out of the bathroom, Q ran into Law, who had just exited the stairway at the back of the hall and was headed to the main dining room.
The back stairs were right next to the back entrance of Marquis, which was for members only, and tucked around the corner from the hallway where Q was standing.
“Hey, how was your first night?” Law asked. “You and Sam seem to be getting along better.”
“It was good,” Q said, bemused. “Did you come all the way down to check on me?”
“Yeah. Shane texted that you were at the bar with Sam.”
Q shot a dirty look toward the bar, not that Shane noticed. He frowned when he realized Sam wasn’t alone, and who she was with.
“Hey, so… Noelle…” He let his voice trail off, turning his head slightly so he could see Law. The other man’s jaw tightened with seeming annoyance.
“Noelle.” The way he said her name, confirmed Q’s question and told him she was exactly who he’d thought.
“You guys let her application go through after what she did to Iris?” He was more than a little surprised.
His understanding of the situation was that Iris had moved in with Law because Noelle had ended their lease agreement with their apartment building without even notifying her until after it was done.
Sure, it had worked out between Law and Iris in the long run, but it had been a shitty thing to do.
Iris didn’t say much about her, but the overall impression Q had gotten from Iris’ other friends was not a positive one.
“We have to keep the personal and professional stuff separate. If she’s a submissive in need and she checks out in all the other ways, we have a responsibility to ensure she can explore in a safe environment.
That means personal feelings have to be left at the door.
” Law said the words like he was reciting them.
“Trust me, if I could keep people I don’t like off the membership list, everyone’s lives would be easier.
” Olivia had followed Law downstairs and apparently, overheard what he’d said.
The Dominatrix was a stately redhead who wore a lot of red, and tonight was no exception.
She managed the whole of Marquis and was dressed for the part in a red pantsuit with some dangerously high stilettos.
“Truckstop would be at the top of the list, but she’s like a bad rash, she just keeps coming back. ”
Q choked back a cough. ‘Truckstop’ was Olivia’s name for her friend Jared’s ex.
Jared’s fiancé, Leigh, was one of Q’s friends and he did remember there was a lot of drama around Jared and Leigh getting together since Marissa was also a member at Stronghold.
She hung around with a small group of submissives, one of which was pretty nice and the other whom Q couldn’t stand.
“I get it. Just seems weird.” He shrugged.
“It’s super weird and super frustrating, but trust me, the second one of them steps out of line.” Olivia grinned and dragged her finger across her throat, her silvery eyes glowing with anticipation. “One day. Truckstop has already come close a few times, but the worst she got was probation.”
“If she causes Iris any trouble in the club, she’s gone,” Law said, though his expression was pained. “And she won’t have the opportunity to do so outside the club.”
“Is Iris okay with it?”
Law and Olivia exchanged a glance.
“Iris insisted on it.” Law sighed and rubbed his hand over his bald head with aggravation. “She doesn’t want to give Noelle more of a reason to resent her, even though they aren’t friends anymore, and insists that she should be given the same chance as everyone else who applies to the club.”
“I’ll help keep an eye on her.” The offer wasn’t entirely unselfish. He was a little concerned about the way Noelle was cozying up to Sam. All three of them watched as Noelle said goodbye, waving to Sam before walking away. Q quickly waved to Law and Olivia and headed over to regain his seat.
Sam smiled as he slid back onto the stool next to her, just as Shane appeared on the other side of the bar with Q’s beer. She already had hers.
“What did Noelle want?” he asked bluntly, though he tried to keep any hint of his feelings about the other sub out of his voice. Sam’s eyebrows rose, so he didn’t think he’d been entirely successful, but she still answered him.
“Just to say hi. She’s super friendly. We’re going to get together for drinks next week before the class.
” There was a hint of challenge in her voice, though he wasn’t sure why.
Might just be the way they used to spark off each other.
He’d hoped they would be sparking off each other in a different way by now.
Definitely time to end the Noelle talk.
“That’s nice.” He might not entirely mean it, but he would be keeping an eye on things with her.
Maybe Noelle deserved a chance to meet everyone without her past hanging over her head, but from what she’d said about losing her best friend over kink…
it seemed a little revisionist. He didn’t want to piss Sam off, though.
He’d learned a long time ago not to get between a girl and her friends.
“So, you were telling me your new office?”
With the change of subject, it didn’t take long for Sam to relax and for them to find an easy rhythm to their banter again.
It was almost as if no time had passed between them, except he couldn’t quite say that because they had never been this congenial in high school.
The night flew by and he walked her to her car because it was dark out and…
well, because he didn’t want the evening to end.
It was way too soon for shit like that, yet here he was.
“So, um, thanks,” Sam said, fiddling with her keys. “I think it was good we talked this all out.”
“Me, too.” Q stared at her. The urge to lean forward and kiss her was growing stronger, but he didn’t know if that was the right thing to do.
Didn’t know if she’d want him to. This was the first time since they’d re-met they hadn’t spent the encounter sniping at each other. “Um, thanks for talking with me.”
“You’re welcome.” Heat suddenly colored her cheeks. “I mean, you don’t need to thank me. I’m glad we did. It should make the whole class thing easier.”
“Yeah. Okay, well then, I guess I’ll see you next week in class.” He smiled, but deep down he knew he was trying to get her out of there because if he didn’t, there was a good chance he would go in for the kiss.
Which was a really bad idea. What if he did and she wasn’t into it? Or rejected him? Just because she was willing to top him in class didn’t mean she’d be interested in anything more than friendship outside of it.
Better not push his luck before class had even started. If she wasn’t into it, that would just make the entire course a shitshow of awkwardness.
“See you next week.” She stared at him for a moment longer before turning to open her car door, and the opportunity passed.
Q closed the door behind her, feeling the oddest mix of relief and disappointment.