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Cora had met Porter the moment she had gained the courage and first stepped into the BDSM club. She had been at Chains for only five minutes before he introduced himself. She’d gone for research as part of a college assignment, but what she hadn’t counted on was how hot the experience made her.
One night there and that’d been it—she had become addicted.
Luckily for her, she had met Porter, an amazing Dom who she felt an instant attraction to. She was a different person then. She wanted different things. While Aidan gave her a passion that set her ablaze, Porter had given her stability. Being with him was safe, and at that time in her life, she had needed that.
She had craved a good man who allowed her to grow. Then her needs changed, and that ended their relationship. Even when they parted ways it had all been handled with care. They were friends during their relationship, and they were still friends. Time had changed nothing.
“Are you going to Club Sin?” he asked.
“Yup,” she replied. “I gotta stop by work first to check my schedule, but other than that, it’s all play tonight.” It was odd sometimes that the one Dom who had opened her eyes to BDSM was no longer at the same club. She did miss seeing Porter on the weekends. “We should do dinner soon.”
“Ah, you miss me that much, do you?”
Cora laughed. “You are entirely missable.”
“Might not want to say that in front of Club Sin Masters,” Porter said, slow and steady. “Knowing them, especially Aidan, I don’t think they’d appreciate hearing you pining after another Dom.”
“Oh, please, like I’m pining.” She chuckled with a snort. “Don’t go getting a big head.” He chuckled. “So tell me, how is Cora doing?”
“Cora is doing all right.”
A long pause followed. “That doesn’t sound good.”
“Oh, it’s nothing,” she said, staring at her television, still disappointed she hadn’t gotten the chance to relax a little from her busy day. “Just recovering from the long week.”
“Somehow I don’t believe you.”
She sighed into the phone. “Somehow you’ll just have to.” She remembered her time with Porter. Things were a lot less complicated. But Porter didn’t give Cora what Aidan could—that spark of hot passion.
If she had wanted to marry her best friend, Porter would’ve been that man. But Cora had always wanted more, and so had Porter. Dammit all to hell, Cora still wanted that, only she hadn’t anticipated how hard it would be to get it. “Believe me, it’s all good.”
He gave a dry laugh. “Who are you trying to convince, me or you?”
Cora glanced down to her hands, wanting off this subject. She had explained herself enough to Aidan, and, as it seemed, also to everyone else. She was done explaining herself. “So, about that dinner, can we get together?”
His voice edged with frustration. “Work is insane right now. I’m chasing down a guy cheating on his wife, and the man is beyond careful.”
Porter was a private investigator. Cora always loved hearing his stories about the people who hired him. Some of them were hilarious. Others were sad, with marriages ending over affairs.
When she had dated him, he’d just landed a job with another PI who Porter had respected. He’d done well for himself, and she was proud of him. “Okay, when the schedule clears, give me a call. It’s been too long since I’ve seen you.”
Porter hesitated. “Not that I’m not pleased you want to see me, but can I ask what has brought this on now?”
The question wasn’t odd. While she and Porter talked a lot on the phone or through e-mail, usually once a week or so, she had not seem him fac
e-to-face since she’d left Chains for Club Sin.
When their relationship ended, they both thought that it was likely for the best not to confuse things. Now so much time had gone by and she got busy with life and possibly had forgotten how much he meant to her. “Can’t a girl miss a guy?”
“Yes, I suppose she can,” Porter replied in a flat voice that told her he didn’t believe her. “I’ll get back to you on a day that works, okay?”
“Sounds good.”
“Take care,” he said.
“You, too.”
Cora pressed end on the call and her heart felt heavy. Of course, Porter would sense her troubles. Even without the relationship between them, she knew he’d read her like an open book. He had been a big part of her life. And she knew why she reached out to him now—she craved to be around a man that she knew loved her unconditionally. But that was her heart talking. Her head told her that it was her guilt. Perhaps she needed to tell Porter what she’d said to Aidan. To explain that half-lie that she had told.
