Page 35 of Absolution

“Oh man,” Gina laughed, and I was thankful for it.

“That sounds like there’s a story in there.”

“It is Bridget after all.”

“Very true.”

“Timothy had taken me to Eden several times and introduced me to a lot of different people. One night I was standing in a group, mostly listening, when Bridget joined. Her confidence and attitude were unlike any submissive I’d met. I was in awe of her actually.”

I chuckled at the understatement. “There’s no one like her.”

“I don’t think any of us would have her any other way though. Then, in true Bridget style, she looked me over critically and asked if I was a gold digger.”

“What?”

“I swear. Apparently Timothy was extremely well off. His family made money in the Texas oil fields before he relocated to North Carolina. I had no idea how wealthy he was at the time. Bridget was looking out for her friend and wanted to make sure that I wasn’t some gold-digging whore.”

“That definitely sounds like her.”

“Once she realized I wasn’t with him for his money, we became friends and have been ever since. As far as working for her, it just happened. I didn’t have any employable skills, but she said she liked my ‘bohemian grandma’ style and asked if I wanted a part-time job. Five years later, here I am.”

“And what about other Doms besides Timothy?”

“Timothy was my one and only full-time Dom. We’d been together for two years when, one day, he called me into his office. He’d taught me everything he could. After hours of crying and begging him not to let me go, I finally accepted he was right. Even still, removing his collar from my neck had been the hardest thing I’d ever done. I may not have loved him like a submissive loves her Dom, but I loved him the best way I knew how.”

“He sounds like he was a great Dom and a great friend.”

“He was the best.”

“So no one serious after he uncollared you?”

“No. I’ve had lots of play partners, but no Dom has ever tempted me enough that I wanted to wear his collar since Timothy.”

Over the last year I’d watched Gina either publicly scene, or disappear down the corridor of private rooms, with more Doms than I could count on both hands. I’d never figured out why it always bothered me until now. I was jealous. I wanted to be the one who helped her get rid of her panic and anxiety. Soothed her when she hurt. Praised her when she was good. Punished her when she was bad. Mostly importantly, I wanted to be the one who made sure she knew she was safe and protected and that no one would harm her again.

“What about dating? No one’s tempted you into dating? No husband material?”

“Husband?” She scoffed. “Who in their right mind would want to attach themselves to someone like me?”

I reached over and laid my hand on top of hers.

“Gina, you are worth so much more than you give yourself credit for. Any man would be lucky to spend the rest of his life with you.”

Slowly, I leaned toward her, braced my hand on the back of her chair, and lowered my head, pausing right before our lips touched. I could feel Gina’s sweet breath against me, and I was desperate for a taste, but I wanted to give her the chance to change her mind if this wasn’t what she wanted. When silence was my answer, I closed the last few centimeters that separated us and gently brushed my lips across hers. Tiny sparks of electricity sizzled between our joined mouths.

Chapter 22

Gina

My lips tingled.That was the only way I could describe the sensation dancing across them from Leo’s touch. It was… nice. I knew there was more to it, but right here, right now, I was enjoying the niceness. He gently brushed his lips back and forth across mine like he was familiarizing himself with the feel of them. It allowed me time to get used to my first kiss.

Before I was ready, Leo pulled back and stared down at me. “Were your eyes open the whole time?”

I blinked. “What?”

He smiled gently. “You’re supposed to close your eyes.”

Heat filled my cheeks. “I know. I just didn’t want to.”

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