Page 46 of Rousing Renee

My phone rang and Kelly’s name was on the display screen. I guess it was time to start my day after all.

“Morning, Captain,” Kelly sang out.

“Morning. What’s on the docket for today?” I asked.

“You received an email from Renee. Seems she wants to do some kind of a burlesque show with the rest of the submissives as their final grade. She wants approval before she begins organizing it.”

“Sounds interesting. I like it.”

“The second email from her is a personal one. I guess she doesn’t have your non-business email address.”

“What’s it say?” I asked, rushing to my tablet.

“She wants a new partner. She isn’t comfortable executing the project’s agenda with you while she’s taking space from ‘whatever it is that we’re doing’.” She chuckled, and it rubbed the jab raw like peeling the scab off of a fresh wound.

I read the email she was referring to and hated that Kelly hadn’t been exaggerating what she quoted.

“Words of advice, woman to man?” she asked.

“Yeah.” Because I was failing on my own.

“Grant her request. Figure your shit out without the course work as a buffer. If you want her, don’t respect what she’s asking. Though we both know she asked because she needs you to care that she’s requesting it. She also has to be woman enough to say whatever it is she needs to say without being passive aggressive.”

“So you think she’s trying to pull one over on me?” I plopped down on the couch and massaged my temples. I couldn’t handle another Tammy situation.

“No. I think she’s hurting from whatever it is you did. You probably didn’t handle it the way she needed you to and so naturally, she’s checking to see if you care or if you’re going to keep giving her space. Space is bad in this situation. She needs reassurance that she matters. However, it’s a double-edged sword and you need to figure out which angle you’re going to play. One side or the other, both, or none. Depends on how you feel about her. I suggest honoring the request but showing up, regardless. Letting her win the class assignment requests, but still being in her space. Reassure her another way. She has to understand both tactics, though. Yes, I gave you what you want, though it’s not really what you need. However, I still want you.”

“That’s so fucking confusing.” I sighed. “Maybe I should have coffee first.”

“Maybe. How’d you like the condos I set up for you?”

“The last one was”—I kissed the tips of my fingers at once and made sure she heard the smack of my lips affiliated with the gesture—“chef’s kiss.”

“Are we making an offer?”

“No, I think I want more time. Can you keep looking?”

“What was missing?”

I went over the layout in my head and tried to figure it out.

“I don’t know.”

“Then I don’t know either.”

“Kelly, maybe it isn’t the right time to be making that decision.”

“Okay. I respect that. We’ll chat about it again tomorrow.”

I grunted. “That’s not what I was saying.”

“Are you ready for today’s lesson?”

“Yes. I’ll reach out to see if Sasha is still available to take Renee. If so, then I’ll have her reach out.”

“Good. What else?”

“You sent out this week’s overview?”

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