“Are you sure you don’t need me anymore today?” I ask, wiping down the counters.

She waves me off. “I’m good. You and Dani came in early and worked through lunch. There’s nothing else that needs to be done. Adrienne’s really sick, so she’ll probably be out tomorrow as well. I’ll need you on your toes, so go get some rest.”

Dani and I look at each other and smile. I grab my purse and the box of quiches I put aside for my mother. “Then, in that case, I’m out.” I glance down at my watch. “Since it’s early, I might go ahead and visit my mother.”

“Tell your mom I said hi, and that I hope she’s getting better,” Sandy says as I walk out the door.

“I will,” I call out.

Dani follows me out to the parking lot. “How’s your mom doing anyway? Didn’t she have surgery on her foot.”

Opening my car door, I toss my purse inside. “Yeah, about five weeks ago. She’s getting around better now. I think she goes back to work in another three weeks. I know she gets bored being at home all day by herself while my father works.”

“I’d love having eight weeks off of work. I can read as many books as I want and drink wine all day.” Smiling, she puts on her sunglasses.

“Nice,” I laugh. “But I wouldn’t want to have the kind of surgery she had. It’s supposed to be really painful.” Plus, I like cooking for a living. Not many people can say they love their job, but I do. I’m pretty sure I’ll love it even more when I finally open up my own business.

Dani waves her hand in the air. “See ya tomorrow, girlie. Have a good night.”

“You too.”

I get in my car and head out of town to the small town of Sweet Briar. When I pull into the city limits, I can smell the salty sea air. Living by the coast was one of my favorite things as a child. Sweet Briar is like one of those small towns you’d see on TV where everyone has the white picket fences and knows their neighbors. I left it a couple of years ago to get more perspective on life. My parents are old-fashioned and were a tad bit strict on me growing up. It was mainly my dad. My mother was the one who was more lenient. I wasn’t allowed to go on dates until I was eighteen years old. Guess you can say I didn’t have many boyfriends in high school. When I went to college, I loved having the freedom of being away from home. That’s why I haven’t left Portland.

I turn down my parents’ street and pull into the driveway of the home I grew up in. The siding is a light blue with white shutters around the windows and a white front door. The landscape is perfectly trimmed and the bushes are shaped to perfection. That’s my father for you. He’s the epitome of perfect. It’s how I had to be growing up. It was exhausting.

By the time I’m out of my car, my mother already has the front door open. Her chocolate-colored hair is pulled high in a bun and she’s wearing her favorite plaid pajama pants. “It’s about time you come to visit me,” she hollers teasingly. Laughing, I sling my purse around my shoulders and walk toward her, arms open. I hug her tight and she rubs my back. “You’re here early. Did you not have to work?”

She lets me go and I walk into the house. “Sandy didn’t need me anymore, so she gave me the rest of the day off. I thought I’d go ahead and come out here so we can spend more time together.” The house smells like meatloaf and my mouth waters.

After shutting the door, my mom limps into the living room before plopping down on the couch. “Well, I’m glad you’re here. I know it’s not easy coming out here all the time. The traffic makes an hour drive turn into two sometimes.”

I snort and sit down across from her. “Got that right. Today wasn’t so bad. How’s your foot?”

She turns off the TV and stretches her legs. “Much better. I’m allowed to put some weight on it now, but I’m scared to put too much. I have three more weeks to get better before I have to go back to work.” She works at the local bank and stays on her feet all day. My father’s been trying to get her to retire, but she loves working.

“What about Dad? Is he doing okay?”

A sad expression passes across her face and she nods. “He’s fine. I know he misses you. Every time you come around, he’s not here. I think he believes you’re doing it on purpose.”

Part of it’s true, but I also have a life in Portland. It’s hard for me to make the commute all the time. I wave her off. “I’m not doing it on purpose,” I lie. “I can’t help it he’s never here when I come.” His job is his life, it always has been. My whole childhood was based on trying to live up to his standards. Eventually, I got tired of it and stayed away once I started college. Pursing her lips, my mother stares at me, clearly not believing a single word I say. Clearing my throat, I nod toward the kitchen. “The meatloaf smells good. It’s been months since I’ve had it.”

“That’s why I made an extra one so you can take it home. I know you usually make the fancy stuff at work.”

She winks and I laugh. “My quiches are famous, Momma. One of these days, I’m hoping to have my own place.” Sandy is getting older and I know she won’t be able to keep up the catering business forever. Once she retires, I’ll start up my own business so there’s no competition.

“I’m sure you will, sweetheart,” my mother says lovingly. As far as my dreams and goals in life, she’s the one who’s always had my back. “Have you started dating anyone?” Instantly, my face heats up and it’s obvious she can see my reddening cheeks. “Oh, my gosh, you are, aren’t you?”

“No,” I blurt out. Visions of the play room and the man behind the curtain flashes through my mind. I can even hear his deep, seductive groans in my head. My whole body trembles and I clench my fists. Shit. I can’t be thinking of those things with my mother right in front of me. “I guess you can say I had a date last night, but it’s nothing serious.” If she knew I spent the evening at Society X she’d have a heart attack. She probably doesn’t even know what that place is. Living in Sweet Briar has sheltered her from the craziness of the big city life.

My mother beams. “If it gets serious, you need to bring him out here so I can meet him.”

Nervously, I giggle and stand. “We’ll see. I’m going to head to the bathroom really quick.” I’m hoping my time away will make her forget about my dating life. Hurrying to the bathroom farthest away from the living room, I shut the door. My phone vibrates in my purse and I pull it out. I gasp when I see it’s Jared from Society X. I clear my throat and press the answer button, keeping my voice low. “Hello.”

“Alexandria, it’s Jared. How are you?”

I listen for my mother, and thankfully, she’s still in the living room laughing at something on the TV. “Good. And you?”

“Never better,” he replies. “Listen, I’m calling because I need to know if you’d be interested in accepting a proposal for the play room. Your recent partner requested to meet you again. Is that something you’re interested in?”

My body tingles in anticipation. “Sure,” I answer without thinking it through. “What will we be doing in there?”

“Actually, you won’t be doing anything. Your partner has requested to return the favor.”

“How?” I ask breathlessly.

Jared coughs which almost sounds like an amused laugh. “You want the details?”

“Yes.” My mind shifts to the play room. I want to imagine how it’ll all go down.

“In that case, here you go. He wants to go down on you and make you come. He also wants permission to touch your breasts and everything below. All you’re required to do is lie on the bed.” A few seconds pass. “Is that something you want to do?”

“Yes,” I blurt, feeling as if I’m going to explode. “I’ll be there. Just name the time.”

“Eight o’clock.”

“Count me in.”

“See you then, Alexandria.” He hangs up and I’m left with a growing ache between my legs. My nipples pucker and rub against my shirt and all I want is to feel them squeezed by the strength of a man’s hands. Slipping a hand up my shirt, I massage them hard, pinching my nipples between my fingers. It doesn’t quench my thirst. I slide my other hand down my pants and the second I touch my throbbing clit, I know that’s where I’m needed.

I rub my fingers over it, gently gliding two of my fingers inside of me. I bite my lip to hold in my pleasure-filled cries. My fingers are drenched, sliding in so easily with each thrust. I squeeze my breasts harder and rub my clit faster. My release comes quick and I fall back against the wall with a thud, gasping for air.

A knock sounds on the door and I suck in a breath. “Yeah?”

“You okay in there?” my mom asks.

Looking at myself in the mirror, I smile. “I’m perfect.”

* * *

Pulling into the Society X parking lot makes me both nervous and excited. My necklace is on and I have a sexy set of pink lingerie on under my clothes. I’m ready to go, but I can’t stop the butterflies in my stomach. I’ve dated men who wanted to go down on me, but I never let them. What’s crazy is that I’m letting a complete stranger do it. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t know who I am and I don’t have to feel embarrassed if I thrash around like an idiot. If touching myself gives me so much pleasure, I can only imagine what it’ll feel like for a man to do it.

Taking a deep breath, I get out of my car and head for the entrance. Once inside, Jared is waiting for me with a smile on his face. “Ready?”

I swallow hard. “I think so.”

He leads me to one of the small rooms connected to the play room. It’s where he’ll come get me once everything’s said and done. He opens the door to the play room and nods inside. I look in to see a bed with a curtain draped over part of it. “When you’re ready, lie on the bed to where your chest and below are exposed. Your partner will be in shortly.”

I shiver in anticipation. “Sounds good. Thanks.”

“And when you’re done, he’ll leave first. You’ll hear the beep when his door shuts. If for some reason, you don’t like what he’s doing, just say the word ‘stop’ and we’ll intervene.”

“Got it.” I already know that’s not going to be an issue.

As soon as he walks out of the room and shuts the door behind him, I take off my clothes except for my lingerie. I tiptoe into the play room and slide across the silky, purple sheets on the bed and under the curtain. Lying on my back, all I can hear is the sound of my heart beating relentlessly in my ear, at least, until the door on the other side of the room opens and the sound of steps come closer. It’s time.