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"Will you do it again?” Bella asked. “You know, with Reed?"
"Yes, I'll do it again, but I doubt it'll happen with Reed."
Sadie frowned. “It sounds like you enjoyed yourself; didn't he? Why wouldn't he want to see you again? You're beautiful and a wonderful woman. What's wrong with him?"
Marley raised her hand to cut off Sadie's rambling. Whenever Sadie got confused, her motormouth came with it. “We never talked about getting together again because he kinda just up and left."
"Right after?” Bella demanded.
"What an asshole,” Kyra said.
Of course her friends would be protective, they always were, and Marley understood their reaction. She was pissed too. But she didn't want them to put Reed in a bad light. No matter how he'd treated her after, the time they spent together had been incredible. “It's not what you all think. He never came in there with intentions of winning me over. We arranged this, remember? He actually seems sweet beneath his tough exterior. He even cuddled with me for a bit after; I didn't once feel like I'd been used or anything."
"Oh...” Kyra's furrowed brow softened. “Well, that's good, I guess."
Marley nodded. “I had the best time of my life with him. Really...” She looked to each of her friends. “I wouldn't change a second of it, and I'm so glad we made this pact."
"If you say so. I still think the man is an ignorant ass.” The anger in Bella's eyes hadn't lessened, but she sighed and the tension eased along her face. “So that's it then. You've done your fantasy. Was it worth it?"
With Marley's fantasy done and over, Bella would be next, and clearly she needed the reassurance to dive in like Marley had. “Last night opened a new world for me, and I'm not about to give it up. I'm so experiencing that again."
"But not with Reed?” Bella asked.
Marley hated the thought of it being true, no matter how angry she was at him. “No, not with Reed.” The sadness wafted off her tone. “Never again with Reed."
Reed hadn't slept, hadn't done anything but drive around for hours until he found himself back at home in the early morning. He powered up the computer, then pulled up Marley's profile in the forum and stared at her picture. Why couldn't he get her off his mind?
"Already on the prowl, are you?"
He'd been so focused on the screen he hadn't realized Kole had woken up and joined him in the living room. He spun the chair he sat in to face Kole. He wasn't about to tell Kole how foolish he was acting over a woman; his friend would goad him for it. Instead he stuck to the other thoughts in his mind. “How did the night go with Zoie?"
"Spectacular.” Kole grinned. “Her tolerance levels are quite high. I suppose I should thank you for giving her over to me. She's going to provide me with some enjoyment, I'll tell you that much."
Reed inclined his head in response and wasn't at all surprised to hear Zoie shocked him by her pain levels; it had the same effect on Reed. Still, Zoie had been a special woman, and he needed to ensure Kole treated her right. “How hard did you push her?"
Kole plopped down on the couch beside the computer. “Not too far. Tested her limits is all. Tonight we've got another scene planned, and I'll push her a little more.” He gestured toward the computer with a curious gaze. “Who is that?"
"A submissive I was with last night."
Kole leaned forward, examined Marley's picture, then whistled. “Just your type of woman—sweet and sexy. You think she's a keeper?"
Reed knew Kole would also understand the need to find one's own submissive. Even Kole, after all these years, hadn't found a submissive to claim as his. “We both know finding forever is highly unlikely."
Kole eyes went huge before he arched an eyebrow. “If I didn't know you better, I might think you were sulking."
Reed scowled. “I'm not sulking. More pissed at myself. I up and left her last night immediately after the scene."
"You didn't offer her aftercare?” Kole asked, a bite in each word.
The reprimand was justified—what he'd done was reprehensible. “I have no idea what fucking happened. We shared an amazing scene together; the woman is a born submissive, but then I panicked and ran like a damn coward."
Kole paused before he gave Reed a measured look. “Is she worth your pride?"
Marley had awakened a part of him that he'd thought long dead. She made him break the walls around his heart, and she left an impression on him he couldn't forget. “She is worth so much more.” The entirety of the situation smacked into his thick head, past the pain of his damaged heart, because Marley was worth the risk. “I have to go to her and apologize."
Kole looked at him as if he were a complete idiot. “I would say that you do."
Reed deserved the harsh expression and, in fact, agreed with Kole. He had been a fool. After a short good-bye, he strode out of the house, got into his truck, and entered the GPS coordinates of the address he remembered from Marley's waiver. Baltimore streets flew by Reed's window while he drove at least twenty miles over the speed limit.
