Page 40 of Friends with Benefits (Club Risqué)

"Knowing you the way I do, and knowing Night's excellent reputation, I would make an informed guess that you specified that clause before your scene and he upheld it, like you probably asked and trusted him to."

Micah continued to stroke his hand up and down her naked back, in what was meant to be a soothing gesture, though Trinity was too wound up to appreciate it.

"So that bit's straight forward enough," he mused. "But your reticence to allow me to assuage that frustration is a little more complicated." Trinity squeezing her eyes closed against his pinpoint accuracy, even though he couldn’t see her buried face.

"We've known each other for years, and we've enjoyed sex with each other dozens of times. We both know exactly where we stand, and there have never been any issues when either of us scenes with anyone else…" Trinity flinched and knew she’d given herself away… not that Micah was wrong, of course.

“…Until now!" he amended softly. "You didn't seem to have any issues with me becoming Charlotte's training Dom, and the only thing that has occurred recently is your contract with Master Night."

Trinity knew Micah felt the sudden unnatural stillness at the mention of the other Dom, that his guess that Christian was at the crux of Trinity's issues was accurate.

“And Bingo!” he murmured almost to himself. “I’m surprised, though. You keep everyone at arm's length, myself included.”

Trinity squirmed at how uncomfortably accurate his musings were. “I can't help but wonder how a stranger to whom you were only introduced a few days ago, could have gotten under your very unflappable skin so quickly. Unless…”

He paused for a moment and Trinity held her breath.

"Do you know him?" Micah asked abruptly, leaning up so he could see her face. "Have you met him before?"

She knew he could tell by her expression that he’d hit the nail on the head; the question was should she confide in him now and get everything that was bugging her off her chest.

Trinity sighed. There was no keeping anything from the man. Maybe talking it over would help.

"Years ago, before I became a submissive, I was in a relationship with Christian," she finally confided. "Except, it wasn't a relationship, because he wasn't ready for that kind of commitment, and he had good reason," she defended, when she saw Micah's frown.

"How old were you, Trinity?"

She could hear the gears turning in his head. They had known each other for five years, and he knew Christian hadn't been on the scene when they met.

"I met him when I was seventeen and I was completely smitten…" Micah sucked in a breath and, knowing where his thoughts were going, she hurried to continue. "…but we didn't become lovers until my nineteenth birthday."

"Young enough!" Micah grumbled.

"It was what I wanted, and he was careful not to promise anything he couldn't give…"

She trailed off, this was where it always got difficult.

"What happened?" Micah prompted, holding her tight within his strong, comforting embrace and resting his chin on the top of her head.

"We carried on just like that for three years," Trinity confided. "I thought if I was there for him, if I did everything I could to make the things he was having to deal with easier for him, and if I didn't push too hard, then one day the worst of it would be over and we could settle into a proper relationship."

"You loved him." It was a statement, but Trinity answered anyway.

"Yes, I did…and then one day came, but instead of settling down with me, he broke my heart. He told me he had met someone else and wanted to marry her…"

Trinity's voicetrailed off again, her warm tears dripping onto Micah’s chest.

He hugged her tight and his heart ached for the gentle soul who would have given so completely of herself while demanding nothing in return. He had always known that Trinity's giving nature left her open to being taken advantage of, and he had always admired the way she was cognisant of the fact and worked hard to make sure that didn't happen, nourishing her service geared character traits within the relative safety of the lifestyle. Looks like she had learned the hard way, just like he had.

"Did he know how you felt?" he asked carefully, aware it was probably a tender subject.

"I never told him, if that's what you mean."

But Micah knew it wasn't always necessary to be told. Sometimes you just knew when somebody wanted more from you than you were able to give. Micah knew from bitter experience that it wasn't any easier to be on the other side of such a relationship.

He closed his eyes for a moment, battling his own demons, then took a breath, concentrating on Trinity once again. He didn't want to remember Sara and everything that had transpired to haunt his own life.

If anyone could sympathise with Christian's unenviable position, then, ironically, it was Micah himself.

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