Page 82 of Stepping Up to the Plate

“I know.”

Once our call ends, I spend the rest of the day working on an article about fall events in Nashville and exchanging emails about a potential brand partnership. Before I know it, Tiffany comes home and asks if I want to have a girls' night in.

I don't have any plans with Brady, and he tells me to 'have fun' when I text him about it. Tiff and I spend the evening binge-watching an early 2000s high school drama before bed. I dream peacefully of Garrett Popcorn with no idea of the shitshow tomorrow will bring.

ChapterThirty-Nine

• BRADY •

Isoak in the familiar atmosphere as I stroll into Club Hedone for an impromptu owners' meeting. The low murmuring of voices and soft music, the dim lighting and cozy decor, and the unique scent blend of ylang ylang, orange, and frankincense combine to put my mind and body at ease.

The club's main room features a bar and a relaxed yet elegantly sexy vibe. Even though I didn't play often, I still came in a few times a month for a drink and to check in with the staff. Cole does a great job running the place, but I think the employees appreciated knowing there was someone else they could go to if they had any issues. Plus, I can always get a drink without being bothered by fans or paps. While I occasionally got hit on, the extensive membership application process weeded out most opportunists.

Since dating Lola, I have hardly shown my face here. If I am not with the team, I am with her. I'd love to bring her back, even if only to grab a drink. She's not ready for that yet, though. She may have enjoyed our playtime at the music hall, but exhibition isn’t her thing. She won’t even have sex with me if Tiffany is in the next room.

That is fine by me, though. I relish having her all to myself. We have plenty of fun without all the extras the club has. I'll be waiting when she is ready to explore her sexuality further, but I am enjoying what we have in the meantime.

I told her I was going to a meeting tonight, but I didn’t mention it was at the club. I know I should have, but she’s been a little on edge lately after everything that went down with her mom. I don’t want to stress her out more by having her worry about me being here. I can tell her after the meeting to save her the anxiety. I don’t feel great about it, but it is what it is.

Despite how incredible sex is between us, she still carries some insecurities about our mismatched sexual experiences. Part of it is how we met and how much experimentation I’ve done. No matter how many times I reassure her that I am more than content with what we have, I can tell she still has reservations.

The other factor that plays into her self-consciousness is her fucking ex. Instead of exploring his desires with his incredible, gorgeous, responsive as hell partner, he went to other sources to meet those needs. Granted, I doubt Lola would have been interested in bringing his brother into the mix, but communication and openness are the foundation of any relationship.

Wanting to purge the douche nozzle from my thoughts, I grab a drink and chat with the bartender, Travis, until it's time to head into my meeting. When I get there, Cole and Declan are engaged in a conversation about the recent Ryder Brothers tour.

"What are your plans next?" Cole asks.

Declan takes a sip of his water before he responds. "I've got a solo EP coming out early next year. I'll be heading back on the road for a mini-tour to promote it."

"Are you guys breaking up?" I ask.

"No, we're taking a bit of a break, though. Jack has a girl now he wants to spend time with. Grayson is in talks to judge a reality show. And I've had a few songs collecting dust in my notebook that don't fit the group's sound. With the others preoccupied, now is as good of a time as any to share them with the world."

"Congrats, man," I say. "I can't wait to hear them."

"Thanks, Miller. I'll be sure to save you tickets for the Nashville show."

As the conversation concludes, Cole shifts the conversation to the club. He goes over the memberships, financials, and other details about the business side of things. He tells us some of the improvements made to the rooms and goes over the proposal to upgrade some of the equipment. The three of us agree on adding a playroom to attract more people in the DDlg community and to test out a new lube provider.

"All said and done, I think that was one hell of a productive meeting," Cole notes.

"Agreed," Declan confirms. "Let us know if you need anything else. I'll be in town until early spring." As he swaggers out of the room, I shake Cole's hand and do the same.

* * *

After leaving the meeting, I head on to the main floor to say ‘hello’ to a few people I saw on my way in. When I get there, I see Willa lingering near the exhibitionist hall. My Spidey-Sense starts tingling and I walk over to her.

“Everything okay?” I ask.

She peers up at me, biting her nails as her eyes dance. “I’m not sure…” she mumbles.

I raise my eyebrows, urging her to keep going. “I was walking by the shibari area and something felt off. I’m sure it’s fine, though. I’ve never worked in that area. I’m sure Craig knows what he’s doing.” Despite her reassurances, she does not appear convinced.

“I’ll go check it out,” I state.

“Really?” She rushes out, relieved.

“Of course. There is no harm in getting a second set of eyes on things. There is a fine line between risky play and actual risky situations. Trust your gut.”

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