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  “Of course. I’m happy I have customers.”

  Colby laughed. “Honey, you’d be just as happy if you only had two customers. Let me put this another way: Look at the way you treat the bikers. Have you ever noticed how others shift away from them?”

  Lara frowned. “Yes, and I don’t like it. But I can’t stop others.”

  “There’s the difference. You care.”

  “I do. I hadn’t thought of it like that.” She hadn’t, not in a long time.

  Colby opened his mouth, but the waiter approached the table carrying two plates. He placed one in front of each of them.

  “Wow, there’s enough food here to feed a family of ten.” The laughter in her voice made him smile.

  “Maybe not a family of ten, but remember, we will need to keep our strength up.”

  Her nipples puckered at his words. “Hmmm, maybe you will, but I think I have more than enough stamina for you.” Where were these flirty words coming from? She’d never flirted with Walter like this. Maybe because Walter didn’t have a flirty side? He was, after all, a stuffy banker.

  Colby stared at her. “You’re playing with fire, sweetheart.”

  “Maybe I don’t mind getting burned.” Oh man, she was going over the top here.

  His eyes flared with desire. “If we weren’t in a public place…” He let his words trail off, but Lara got their meaning.

  She squirmed in her chair but kept a smile on her face. They were going to have fun together. She was excited to get started.

  Lara froze. When had she last let herself be herself? Not since she met Walter, at least. She’d hidden a part of herself, and she didn’t have to do that with Colby. Colby liked being with her the way she was.

  “So how did you start working at the club?” Lara asked.

  “I was asked. I’m not sure how much you know about the club.”

  “I’m aware that Max, Jordan, and Damon are all partners.”

  “Yes. They asked me if I would step in to help, since they now all have women in their lives.”

  “Why would that make a difference?”

  “You’ll learn this in your first class, but when you get through all your classes and are allowed into the club as a member, you need someone to show you the ropes. Since some people come in as singles, there needs to be a mentor/trainer.”

  Lara put her fork down and stared at Colby. “Okay, I can see why they would ask for help. I can’t see any of the Doms’ girlfriends being happy about them mentoring anyone, though.” She shook her head. “Girlfriend is a tame word for Sierra, Crystal, and Tessa.”

  “They are forces to be reckoned with.” Colby laughed. “They take their relationships seriously. Like they should.”

  “Is that why you asked me to be in a relationship?” She wondered why he asked her.

  “I asked you because I wanted to. It doesn’t matter if you’re a member of the club or not, Lara.”

  “So if I wasn’t interested, you’d give up the club?” He was full of surprises.

  “No.” He reached over and took her hand. “I want you to understand, this is a part of me. I’m not heavily into BDSM, but I enjoy it. It’s an outlet for energy and a sensual high.”

  “I’m not sure I understand it all, at least not yet. But I’m glad I get to explore with you and only you.”

  “That makes me very happy.” He squeezed her hand before releasing it. “Would you please tell me more about your ex-husband?”

  Lara closed her eyes for a second then opened them. While she hated talking about her ex, Colby deserved to know. “As I mentioned, I met him at Berkeley. We dated and had fun together, but there was always something missing.”

  “If you knew something was missing, why did you marry him?”

  She thought for a moment before she answered him. “You know it’s really sad to say, but I married him to get my family off my back.” She rubbed her temple. “My family really liked Walter, and it took pressure off me and let me pursue what I wanted to do. Looking back, it was a stupid thing to do.”

  Colby’s head jerked in her direction. “You were not stupid.” He enunciated each word. “You did what you had to do at the time. It seemed like your only option.”

  “Nevertheless, it was a mistake from the first.” She shook her head. “Can we discuss something else, please?”

  “One last question. Was your ex ever into kink?”

  “No. Walter didn’t like anything but the missionary position, and trust me, that gets old fast.”

  Colby grinned. “It does. And I can guarantee I do more than just missionary.”

  Her body heated. Colby did that to her and so much more. Walter had his uses, but Colby… He called to her. He touched a place inside her that she’d hidden from the world. Even from herself.

  “So have you ever been married?”

  Laughter filled his eyes. “No, I haven’t. I’ve never really come close.”

  “And why is that? You’re handsome guy. The women should be all over you.” It had surprised her that he wasn’t attached.

  “I’m not going to say there haven’t been women in my life. Just not anyone I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.”

  Lara thought about his words for a few moments as she ate. “I don’t blame you. So, if you haven’t had someone special in your life, who did you play with at the club?”

  “The club has what they call club subs. These are women who are in the lifestyle and like to play.”

  “So none of them are in a committed relationship?”

  “Actually, a couple are.”

  “How does that work?” When she was at Berkeley, she’d seen some open relationships but not open marriages.

  “Polygamous relationships are not at all unusual in the lifestyle. The thing is that society hasn’t caught up to the lifestyle; we’re definitely ahead of the times.”

  “I hadn’t thought about it like that. It seems so very difficult to keep everyone in the loop.”

  “Another thing about the lifestyle—communication is very important. Actually, it comes in second, consent is the most important.”

  “That makes sense. How could you fully trust someone with your body if you haven’t been honest and communicated with them?” When she’d tried to be honest with her ex, it had blown up in her face. So she’d buried her needs. No wonder her marriage fell apart so fast.

  “Correct. I could be wrong, but I suspect what you saw in college was people attempting to be in the lifestyle. They didn’t hold to open, honest communication. And possibly, consent was a wobbly hill.”

  Lara sat there for a moment and thought about her time in college. Colby was right; there wasn’t much talk about communication, or honesty for that matter. Those she’d hung out with believed in consent, but based on what she knew now, they were only dabbling in kink.

  “You’re right.”

  “There’s a couple of the club subs that are in committed relationships, but they are very open and honest with their partners. Heck, their partners sometimes come to our private parties. Not to play, but to socialize. To understand their partner and to help themselves understand what their partner needs.”

  “That’s interesting. But how do they handle…sex?”

  “The lifestyle isn’t all about sex. It’s about a connection. A connection between play partners, one so deep that the partners feed off of each other.”

  “I’m not sure I understand.” She’d never seen a connection like he was talking about. She’d read about it in the romance books but didn’t think it was anything but part of the fantasy.

  “You will. Let’s get you through the classes first, and you’ll understand more.”

  “I think I can do that.” She could do it with Colby by her side to guide her.

  “I’ll be with you the entire time. We’re in this together until you say we’re not.” He gestured to her plate. “Now eat up, or you won’t get dessert.”

  Lara blinked at Colby. Was he was saying he w
as committed to her until she said it was over? It was so unexpected. “I don’t know if I’ll have enough room for dessert.” She fluttered her eyelashes. “But I think you’re talking about something much different than a sweet treat.”

  “You won’t know until later.”

  Lara couldn’t help smiling as she went back to eating. She was looking forward to the dessert Colby promised her.

  Chapter 6

  Three hours later, Colby pulled up to Lara’s duplex. She’d eaten so much at dinner dessert wasn’t even a possibility. But she wouldn’t trade that dinner for anything in the world. She’d gotten more out of Colby about his childhood and how he’d protected the young girls in his community.

  Tina was one of those girls. Colby had made sure that she was safe from the gangs that roamed the neighborhood, and when it was time, he’d helped her get a job and get into college. This man had many facets to him, and she was looking forward to exploring each one.

  He walked her up the steps to her front door. He cupped her shoulders and turned her back to him once she’d opened the door and turned off her alarm.

  “Thursday is the first class. I’ll be there when the class starts at seven, so don’t worry if you get there early and I’m not there.”

  “I’m looking forward to it.” She was. A new chapter in her life.

  “Good. As for tonight, I know you’re full, but here’s my dessert.” He lowered his head, and his lips captured hers.

  Lara closed her eyes and gave herself over to his kiss, firm lips against her soft ones. His warm body pressed against hers. She slipped her arms around his waist and pulled him even closer as he cupped the nape of her neck.

  When his tongue traced her lips, Lara opened her mouth. Their tongues dueled and danced around each other. She tasted a slight hint of the coffee they had after dinner. She didn’t want to let him go. Should she invite him in?

  Colby pulled back and gazed down at her. Lara wanted to drown in the desire she saw in his eyes.

  “Do you want to come in?” Her voice was soft.

  “Not tonight, sweetheart.” His hand tightened on her neck. “We both have work tomorrow, and it’s too soon for us.”

  Disappointment flowed through Lara’s veins, but he was right. “Until Thursday then?”

  “You know you’ll see me tomorrow. I can’t go without my daily fix.” His fingers caressed the back of her neck before he released her. “Inside now, sweetheart. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Lara slipped inside, closed the door, and threw the deadbolt. With her back against the door, she slid down to sit on the floor and basked in the warm fuzzies. She waited until she heard Colby’s motorcycle start and then until the sound of the engine faded away before she forced herself to stand. Setting the alarm, Lara made her way to her bedroom.

  She’d see him tomorrow and in class on Thursday. Her life was about to become very interesting. Stripping out of her clothing, she realized she still had the leather jacket Colby gave her. She’d give it back to him tomorrow. Or maybe she’d keep it until she got one of her own. She buried her nose in the jacket, and remembered being wrapped around Colby with the wind rushing through her hair. The rumble of the bike under her and her blood soaring through her veins.

  A smile crept over her lips. Maybe she’d find some time, check out Colby’s shop, and get herself a nice leather jacket. She was curious about his shop, and it was the perfect opportunity to see Colby again.

  * * * *

  Colby unlocked the door to his shop and began to walk around the store. He made mental notes of items that were running low. When the door opened, he turned.

  “Well, good morning, beautiful. What brings you here?” He was happy to see Lara; he just hadn’t expected to see her in his store.

  “I come bearing gifts.” She held up a cup of coffee and a white bag.

  “You’re a lifesaver.” He’d texted her this morning that he was running late so he wouldn’t be over to the café until later. Leave it to her to bring him his morning coffee.

  “I wouldn’t want you to fall asleep on the job.” She walked over to the counter and set his coffee and bag down. “Besides I’ve been wanting to come in and see your shop.”

  “Curious are we?”

  “You bet I am. I’ve been so busy with the café and the classes at the club over the last few weeks that I haven’t had time until today.”

  Lara was doing fantastic at the classes. She seemed curious and willing to explore, so he couldn’t have asked for a better partner.

  “Did you finally get through all your interviews for new hires?” Colby took the lid off and inhaled, closing his eyes in bliss. The heavenly smell of deep, rich coffee woke him up almost as much as Lara’s smile.

  “Yes, I finally did. I have at least four potential employees. Now I have to narrow the field.”

  “You’re not going to hire all four?” Colby opened the bag and peeked in, distracted by its contents. He pulled out the white wrapper and set it on the napkin. Slowly he opened it and stared. “Okay, what is this?”

  Lara’s laughter floated through the air. “I don’t need four new people, and it’s a new sandwich I’m trying out. Take a bite, and tell me what you think.”

  Colby stared at the sandwich. He saw ham and cheese, but what else was there? With a shrug of the shoulders, he lifted up the sandwich and took a bite.

  The saltiness of the ham and bacon mixed in with the spicy tang of sausage hit his tongue, then the sharp cheddar cheese along with the milder Swiss made itself known. He chewed and swallowed.

  “This is great,” he said.

  “Thank you.” Lara moved around the shop, stopping every so often. “The bread is a slightly toasted artesian sourdough.”

  Colby took another bite and then another. “How did you come up with this one?”

  “I thought about what you said, last week. About how some people want more protein. I figured I’d start with this, and for those who don’t want the carbs, I can put it in a lettuce wrap.”

  “I think this is going to be a big hit. What are you going to call it?” He kept his gaze on her as he polished off the sandwich and finished his coffee.

  “I’m not sure yet.” Lara stood by the women’s jackets. He watched her pull one off and try it on.

  The jacket fit a heck of a lot better than the one he’d loaned her. Colby made note of which jacket she was trying on so, when she put it back, he could take it off the rack and give it to her as a present.

  He kept his gaze on her as she put the jacket back and then wandered around the store. She paused by the sign that said, 21 and over. “Go take a look,” he encouraged. They’d walked around the club last Thursday as part of her last class. She didn’t flinch at anything she saw and even asked lots of questions. He’d never get tired of giving her answers.

  “And just what am I going to find?”

  “I don’t want to spoil the surprise.” He kept his gaze on her until she shrugged her shoulders and slipped into the partitioned off area. Colby turned as the door opened. “Morning, Kase.”

  “Morning, boss. I’ll put my stuff in the office and get to work.”

  “No problem.” Colby moved out from behind the counter. “I’ll be in the adult area. Holler if you need me.”

  Kase waved his hand and disappeared into the office. Colby went over to the sectioned area for adults only. He stepped inside to see Lara standing by the row of floggers.

  “See something you like?” She looked delicious in his store.

  Lara spun around, her hand going to her heart. “You scared me.”

  “I figured you’d hear me come in.” It wasn’t like he’d been quiet. “So what do you think?” He gestured around the room.

  “Interesting.” She touched one of the floggers, her fingers lightly caressing the falls. “Do you make these yourself?”

  “Some of them, yes.” His gaze followed her as she went over to the fet wear. “I have people asking me for special orders, and
I enjoy creating something different.”

  “I bet.”

  Colby kept his gaze on her. “Since tomorrow night is our night at the club, do you have something to wear?”

  “Not yet.” She glanced at the leather skirts.

  “Why don’t you pick something out and try it on?”

  Her startled gaze met his. “Try it on?” Her voice had a slight tremor to it.

  “Yes. I have dressing rooms.”

  She turned back to the display of skirts, her fingers gliding over the soft leather. “I think,” she paused as if gathering her thoughts. “Yes, I’d like to try one on.”

  One of the things he’d learned over the past few weeks about Lara: When she committed herself to something, she committed her whole self. There was no holding back. There might be some hesitation, but that was normal. Compared to her previous, almost superficial experience with the lifestyle, what he and Lara were exploring was new to her.

  He watched her pick up three different skirts before turning to him.

  “Show me the dressing room, please. I need to do this quickly and get back to the café. I left Eve alone.”

  “Let’s go.” He led her out of the adult area and across the store to the dressing rooms. “Will you model for me?”

  Her cheeks turned pink before she turned and slipped into the dressing room. “Maybe.” Lara pulled the curtain closed, and Colby smiled. He loved teasing her.

  He waited, a little bit impatiently, as she tried on the skirts. He could hear the wrestling of clothing. After several minutes, Colby knocked on the wood frame. “Are you coming out so I can see?”

  “Nope.” There was laughter in her voice.

  “Come on. I really want to see what they look like.” There was a rustle of clothing, and minutes later, the curtain was pulled back. “Too bad.” She held the skirts out to him. “They really didn’t work. At least not for me.”

  “Too bad.” He wondered if the fit was wrong, or did she have a body image problem?