Page 49 of Rough Ride

Cynthia nodded, apparently understanding everything. “No play. And you’re a sub, not a switch or anything?”

“She asks because both she and her husband are,” Dee said.

“I’m a sub. I haven’t played since I broke it off with my fiancé. I really haven’t had time. My dad got sick and I moved closer to help.”

“Oh,” Cynthia said, reaching across the table and patting her hand. “Is he doing okay now?”

She nodded. “Yeah. In fact, he practically kicked me out to get me over here. But of course, I had to come. I couldn’t let Joe’s surrogate son lose that ranch.”

“Well, I find it interesting that Eli didn’t try to dominate you last night. Very weird,” May said.

Cynthia nodded. “I have to agree. You haven’t had a Dom in awhile?”

She shook her head. “Truth is, I wasn’t sure I was made out for the life anymore. It still drew me, but my ex was my Dom. He cheated on me, so, of course, I started wondering about my ability to judge character in both a mate and a Dom.”

“That makes sense,” Dee said. “It would be a hard thing to overcome.”

“Are you going to Rough ‘n Ready tonight?” Cynthia asked.

Crysta nodded.

“Yeah, he could have found someone there.” Cynthia looked at May. “What is it you wanted me to answer?”

“I wanted to know if you think Eli is ga ga over her?”

She glanced at Crysta. “Uh, yeah. I mean, the Delicious Dom didn’t dominate you last night, lost control, and slept with you? That’s a man who is smitten. Just my opinion.”

“There’s my love,” Chris, the owner and May’s boss, said as he walked over. He was a tall black man, with a ready smile and the most amazing New Orleans accent. He kissed his wife on the cheek. Then he looked at Crysta. “Your meals should be up in just a few minutes. Oh, and May?”

“Yeah?”

“Medusa called. She’s looking for her snakes.”

She threw a napkin at him, but he was already laughing as he wandered off.

“That man.”

Cynthia laughed. “You deserved that.”

Crysta blinked. “What was that about?”

“That’s about May throwing things at him. And he says that she can give a man such a stink eye that it will shrivel…how did he put it, Cyn?”

“Shrivel the bits and pieces near and dear to a man’s heart,” Cynthia said, giggling.

“Oh, well…” Crysta tried not to laugh, but she couldn’t help it. He was probably right.

May frowned and turned to Crysta. “So, all of us need to go to Rough ‘n Ready tonight. It will be interesting to see what happens.”

Cynthia smiled at her. “I think I might even stay up for that. I think it will be worth it.”

“Cynthia runs a bakery and has to be up before dawn and at work. It’s horrible.”

“Believe me, I know.”

“Now, you have something very sexy to wear tonight?” May asked. “Because I want to watch Eli suffer a little.”

* * *

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