“And what if the potential new client didn’t want to be seen at the dungeon? Do you do house calls? My friend is very private.”
“I have in rare instances in the past, but as I’m sure you know, it didn’t end well. I’m too busy to make time for that now. Last I checked, my schedule was completely full for the next six months.”
“That’s too bad,” Callum said, still giving her that stupid smug grin. “Booked for six months, huh? Alex, you don’t mind your girlfriend being that busy with other dudes all the time?”
“No, I’m proud of the career she’s built for herself,” I said, looking at her instead of him.
Callum was too dumb to know when to shut up, but was saved from whatever else he was about to say by the awards presentation starting.
The evening moved with the relaxed flow of one of the more social awards events. Since it was prerecorded, there was a dinner break and the speeches were broken up by bouts of drinks and conversation.
The speeches were charming and funny, Kate’s acceptance speech was suitably epic, and Elena seemed to be genuinely enjoying herself. Would she start to realize everything that went along with being famous wasn’t a punishment?
When we were backin the limo on our way home, blissfully alone at last, she asked, “Was that a real answer in there? Would it bother you? If we were together for real, me doing sessions with clients all day long?”
“No. I don’t know. Maybe there would be moments if someone was disrespectful to you or something, but wouldn’t that be the case with any job? Would you have a problem with me making out with my costars?”
She laughed. “By problem, do you mean would I have inappropriate fantasies about you bringing them home? Yeah, probably.”
“But I think about you doing a session with someone like Callum Kent and don’t feel like he’s worthy of your attention. I wouldn’t get a say in that, so maybe I’m not as evolved as I think I am.”
She smiled wickedly at me. “My schedule’s not really booked for six months. Or it will be, but I’m still reviewing client applications. I don’t have the patience for guys like him anymore.”
“Does you superpower give you a read on him?” It was none of my damn business, but I was curious.
“Oh yeah. That man doesn’t give a damn about pleasing his partners. That much could be obvious from his lack of respect, but I’d say he’s also a dom and that combo gets problematic really fast. When a dom is more focused on pleasing themselves, it can become unhealthy or abusive for the sub. A good dominant puts their sub’s needs first, or I think they should, so in a way they’re honoring the trust of the sub by serving them. The power dynamic is actually much more complex than it looks on the surface. Callum Kent thinks he’s a nice guy, but I’d lay money he’s the kind of client who will try to get me to suck his dick within five minutes of starting a session.”
“Not just the kind who steals a kiss in the first session…?”
She smiled at me, but kept ranting about Callum. “He thinks he’s entitled to be the exception to the rules and on some level, the sex worker he’s hired should think they’re lucky he’s even interested in them. I’ve had enough clients like him over the years to know to avoid them. They make you feel worthless and dirty in a bad way, which I think is what they feed on. The lower they make you feel, the more power they’re taking from you. I’m all about being degraded in the right circumstances, but when it’s by someone who doesn’t respect you outside of the scene, it messes with your head.”
I was caught on what she’d said about him thinking he was entitled to be the exception. I never wanted to make her feel that way. How could I ask her for more without pushing it on her?
There was something I needed to know.
I took a deep breath. “I’m ready to use that question you owe me. I want to ask you something, and I don’t want a bullshit answer.”
Her eyes were wary. “Okay. Shoot.”
“When we were talking about the chemistry between us, you said our kinks align perfectly, that we’re equals in and out of the bedroom. Is that common? My real question being, have you ever been this well matched with someone before?”
The wordsoulmatecame to me unbidden.
“No,” she said quietly, with almost no hesitation. “Not by a long shot.”
I nodded, my suspicions confirmed. “It’s our last night together, and—”
She put a finger to my lips and kissed me too gently, barely brushing her lips against mine. “We shouldn’t talk about this right now. I can think of better uses for your mouth.”
I was so close to telling her how I felt and asking for a shot at a future together, but I wanted this moment, this last night with her before we had to face the impossible reality of the outside world.
I stopped talking and kissed her.
Talk could wait until tomorrow.
42
Elena
