Page 38 of Interview with a Sadist
Octavia nearly falls out of her chair.
“Bree!” she squeals, struggling mightily to keep her voice to a strained whisper. “You fucking didwhat? God, that’s so incredible.”
I smile, absolutely loving the fact that she’s not chastising me for giving in to my impulses.
“You don’t think I went too far?” I ask, wondering if the other shoe is about to drop.
“Did you fuck him?” Octavia asks.
“No.”
“Then you didn’t go far enough,” she says, laughing hard. “Wow! I’m so proud of you, girl. I know it must’ve been hard for you to ask him to do that, because if he would’ve said no that would’ve beenembarrassing. The fact that he was down to do that for you makes himso muchhotter. Good lord, that’s better than every erotic book I’ve ever read. My jealousy is real, Bree. It'ssoreal.”
“I know, it wasincredible,” I say, trembling with excitement. “But now I don’t know what to do. I’m still on this assignment, but now everything has changed. I’m not just writing about it. I’m living it, and I have no idea how to write the story. I’m not allowed to tell the world that he made me come.”
“Why not?” Octavia inquires, and we both laugh again.
“The Inquirer isn’t that kind of magazine, Octavia,” I answer. “So, I’m not sure what to do. I don’t know what Nolan will be okay with me publishing about him, especially now that it has gotten a little personal.”
“Are you guys officially seeing each other?”
“No. Well, I don’t think so. We haven’t really talked about that.”
“Then that should be your next step. Give him a call and see how he defines what the two of you did, and ask if he’d be bothered by you writing about all of your experiences.”
“I can’t ask him that.”
“Why the hell not? He already made you come. There shouldn’t be anything you’re too embarrassed to discuss now.”
“I don’t know,” I say, giggling. “I just don’t think I could bring myself to do—”
Before I can finish, the sound of my office phone ringing cuts me off. The number on the display looks fairly familiar, but I’m not quite sure if I recognize it, so I answer with genuine curiosity while Octavia waits patiently.
“Hello?”
“Bree,” Nolan’s voice croons into my ear, sending me reeling. My eyes bulge as I look at Octavia.
“Nolan?” I say, and Octavia immediately sits up straight.
“Yeah, it’s me,” Nolan says in my ear. “How are you?”
“I’m good … great, actually,” I say. “How about you?”
Octavia motions for me to put the phone on speaker, but I ignore her. I don’t need the entire office listening to this conversation.
“I’m good, but I could be better,” Nolan replies. “I know we’re a little unsure of where your story on The Black Collar will end, considering how things went in my office the last time you were here. But, I was wondering if I could see you again.”
I raise my eyebrows and fight back a smile. “You want to see me again? To finish the story?”
Nolan chuckles. “My interestisn’tin the story, Bree. It’s in you. The story is completely secondary to me now.”
I freeze in place as everything in my office ices over—my entire world frozen in time while Nolan continues.
“There was something about what we did in my office that stuck with me,” he says. “Youstuck with me, Bree, and if it’s okay with you, I’d like to explore that a little further. Actually, that’s a lie. I’d like to explore ita lotfurther—with your consent, of course. So, are you free for dinner tonight?”
“Dinner? Tonight?” I repeat, saying it out loud so Octavia can hear it and I can believe it’s true.
“Yes. Are you free?” Nolan asks, and I can no longer hold back my excitement.
