Page 36 of Lisa's Unexpected Valentine's Day

“I was saying that Maya and I had discussed it, and we were wondering if you’d be interested in staying here. Instead of moving back into your own place.”

“I thought you’d be happy to get your guest room back. Aren’t you tired of having me mooching off you?” She forced a laugh to make it lighthearted, but she had actually assumed they’d be glad to see her go.

“You’re not mooching, and no, we’re happy to have you stay. It’s been nice having you here and you’ve been a big help.”

The praise sent warmth through her. She’d done her best to minimize the stress she caused, helping wherever she could. And of course, without a job, she’d had plenty of time.

“Still… I’m sure you’ll be happy to have your privacy back.”

Rick raised an eyebrow. “Other than the first night, I’ve had no complaints about privacy. It’s a big enough house for three. There’s plenty of room.”

Lisa shifted, feeling awkward. On the one hand, she’d been sad about leaving and the invitation to stay made her feel allkinds of things, mostly good. On the other hand, it had been really hard watching Maya get everything she needed from Rick, while she sat there like a third wheel.

“I don’t know…it would feel weird being a permanent guest.”

“What about family then?” Maya suggested.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I’ve always wanted a sister. And we’ve gotten a lot closer since you’ve been here.”

Lisa grinned. “That’s true. I always wanted a sister too. All I had was younger brothers and we never got along, but we don’t have to live together for that.”

“No, but…” Maya turned to Rick, nudging his side. “Daddy, ask her.”

Lisa’s eyes narrowed. “Ask me what?”

Rick shot Maya a warning look. It was wasted as her friend continued to bounce on her toes and grin. He sighed and shook his head. “Lisa, Maya suggested that you might be considering a D/s relationship of a non-sexual nature. Discipline based—a family dynamic rather than a romantic one.”

She wasn’t sure how she felt about Maya telling Rick that, and she hadn’t entirely made up her mind, but shehadbeen mulling it over. Was he going to offer to help her find someone? He’d fixed all her other problems, maybe he could fix that too. “I… I guess I was thinking about trying to find something like that. You’ve both told me that sex doesn’t have to be part of it, despite, well, despite my experiences.”

“Would you be interested in having something like that with me?”

Her mouth dropped and hung open. Her eyes flicked from his to Maya’s and back again, but no words formed. Rick gently reached over, placed two fingers under her chin and lifted until her mouth closed.

“I know it’s a shock,” he said. “Feel free to take some time to think about it.”

“But say yes!” Maya urged.

Lisa shook her head slowly. A dizzy feeling swept through her. “I don’t understand… Rick, you’re Maya’s Dom. Her husband. You can’t…”

“As you can see Maya is fully on board. In fact it was her idea. She doesn’t like the idea of you leaving and she decided we should form a little family together. After some consideration I decided that it was a good idea,ifyou want to. There’s absolutely no pressure.”

“But…”

“Lisa, listen to me. I adore my wife. I can’t picture myself loving any other woman the way I love her. I have zero interest in having sex with other women. But I’ve come to realize that I have room in my heart and life for other relationships. Non-sexual, non-romantic, family-based affection and discipline are absolutely something I can handle.”

Lisa swayed on her feet as the dizziness got worse. Suddenly Maya and Rick were helping her to sit down, while she closed her eyes to avoid the vertigo. “I don’t know what to say,” she whispered.

“Say yes!”

“Maya, hush. Let her think about it. Lisa, you don’t have to say yes. You’ll still be welcome here as a friend even if you say no. You’ll still be a friend even if you move out. If you want to accept the offer, but still move into your own place, that’s fine too.”

“I… whew. This is a lot.” She took a deep breath and blew it out in a loud gust, but kept her eyes closed. “I wasn’t expecting this.”

“I’m sure you weren’t. But if we’re going to attempt a D/s dynamic it’s going to be a healthy one, with everyone agreeingand all needs negotiated. To be honest, last week I wouldn’t even have considered it,” Rick said.

Lisa opened her eyes to look at him. “Why?”

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