Chapter One — Alex
Good morning, baby girl, he texts me. Still on a high from your big win last night?
You know it, I reply.
Well, don’t leave me in suspense any longer. Tell me about the game your dirty little mind has cooked up.
Wouldn’t you like to know? I reply, smiling as I type the words.
I know I’m being a bit of a brat, but I can’t help it.
I know what you’re doing, he replies.
What? I reply innocently.
You know exactly what you’re doing, baby girl. Now tell me right this instant, or there will be consequences.
Promise? I ask
Of course, you know I’ll take any excuse I can get to punish you, he replies.
My cheeks heat up.
I expect an answer in the next 30 seconds, he texts me.
I start typing out my answer and then start my stopwatch. The butterflies in my stomach get stronger as I watched the timer creep upwards, 27 seconds.
What am I doing? I’m getting a bit of a high, a thrill.
It’s weird because I know this is all a game.
But at the same time, it feels real. There are real consequences.
I know if I don’t send this text in the next three seconds, Callum will make me pay for it later.
I squirm thinking about what he might have in mind.
The stopwatch hits 31, and I press send.
Here’s the game: we take turns making each other come. No toys. Whoever holds out longer wins. Deal?
Deal, he texts back within 10 seconds.
I smile. I wait, expecting him to text back something about sending that text after more than 30 seconds. Maybe he didn’t time it exactly? Or he started counting after I did?
He texts me again to set up logistics. And the thought drifts out of my conscious awareness as I start thinking about our upcoming game.