Page 20 of For the Night

I kept the blankets, not sure where they belonged, but they shouldn’t be outside overnight. I could place them on the bar or ask Penelope.

Reese helped her with the drink cart, up on the deck, till she could wheel it indoors, and I followed once we’d exchanged goodnights with the guys.

The club area was pretty dark, only illuminated by the spotlights along the underside of the bartop. To be honest, the silence and the emptiness of such a large place left me with an eerie feeling. The club was supposed to be packed with kinksters and flashing with purple lights, music pumping, kink furniture occupied… I’d overheard Reese earlier saying only three people were spending the night in the main house, which was uncommon for a Friday.

Tomorrow would be different. They’d host an event, and those attracted a larger crowd.

I hadn’t decided yet if I was staying the night tomorrow as well. The play party wrapped up at six, at which point I could probably catch a ride with Ty and Lane. I knew they were heading home after the event.

“Do you have everything you need up in your room, Nora? I don’t know about you, but when I’ve had more drinks than I can count on one hand, I need painkillers and water on my nightstand.”

I smiled and left the blankets on the bartop. “I’m okay. Four ciders aren’t enough to make me hungover.”

She sighed and opened the fridge. “Ah, to be young…”

Like she was old? Pffft. She hadn’t even turned forty yet.

“Humor me, please.” She extended a bottle of water across the bartop. “You didn’t eat much for dinner either.”

My subbie senses tingled and fired off multicolored flares, and the girl with a massive crush—AKA, me—wondered if Penelope was like this with all the subs around here. She probably was, right? I mean, she was a Founder, and I’d heard so many things about how protective and caregiving they were out here.

I accepted the bottle and unscrewed the cap, and…I cursed myself because I was going to be too honest. I felt the urge to be blatant bubble up within me, and I could stop myself, at the same time as I couldn’t. Don’t say it, don’t say it. I’m gonna say it. Fuck my life.

“Thank you. I’m gonna pretend you only do this with special subs.”

She laughed softly and rested her arms on the counter. “That’s cute. I guess my warning earlier hasn’t deterred you from flirting.”

What warning? That she only wanted casual arrangements?

Um, no.

“A girl can dream.” I took a swig of the water before mirroring her move on my side of the bar, resting my arms on the counter. “But if it makes you uncomfortable, I’ll stop. I’m just…” I raked my teeth over my bottom lip, trying to come up with the best way to say this. “I know you’ve been through a lot, so if my flirting just makes you smile or improves your day, then it’s not for nothing.”

She smiled slightly, and her hazel gaze felt a few degrees warmer. “That’s very honest.”

“Not to mention straightforward, another reason I had to get out of Sweden,” I joked.

She grinned and rested her chin in her hand. “Are you saying Swedes aren’t honest?”

Well…

“No, I’d say we are, but we’re also a reserved bunch,” I said. “When we get angry, we write a strongly worded note to our neighbors and leave it anonymously in the elevator. Or we take to Facebook to rant. Meanwhile—” I gigglesnorted. So attractive. “Before we moved to the US, we lived on a quiet street—small houses, even smaller backyards—and this one neighbor would go out and mow his lawn in the middle of the night when he’d been fighting with his wife. I was like twelve, maybe thirteen, and I opened my window on the second floor and just laid into him. Like, ‘Are you serious right now? It’s two in the fucking morning, and I have school tomorrow! Stop bitching at your wife, or find a quieter hobby!’” I beamed as Penelope laughed. She had the most gorgeous laugh. Warm and light, almost musical. “This douchebag was the one who’d messed up, but it was my mom who apologized. She was so embarrassed by my outburst.”

Penelope shook her head in amusement, down to chuckles. “Hotheaded and salty. I like it.”

I liked seeing her in high spirits. She’d been carefree the whole evening. Well, once she’d relaxed around me.

She offered a softer smile and briefly covered my hand with hers. “It is flattering, by the way. The flirting. I can’t imagine what you’d dream about with me—to use your words—but I’ve enjoyed myself tonight. More than I thought I would.”

Welp. That was quite honest of her too—and boy, did it make me feel good! I couldn’t hide my grin.

“Ma’am, you don’t have to imagine. I can tell you if you want,” I replied.

I was sure I came off as a puppy who’d just caught a whiff of a treat, but I didn’t care. The amusement hadn’t left her eyes, and that was a good sign.

Her smile hadn’t faded either. “Okay.” She nodded once, as if to herself, and straightened a little. “What exactly is it you dream about?”

A chance with you.

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