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Within moments, she was trembling. A keening cry was wrenched from her mouth as a tsunami of pleasure swept through her. With an answering groan, Hayden spurted deep inside her. They collapsed to the mattress in a tangle of limbs.
They lay still for a long moment, breathing hard, hearts pounding. Finally, Hayden pulled gently away and rolled to his side. Reaching for her again, he folded her into his arms, her back cradled against his body.
A deep, pervasive peace settled over Dahlia. The sleep that had eluded her before came to claim her now. With a contented sigh, she let it.
Chapter 8
They didn’t manage to see one another again until Friday afternoon, when they met for a quick cup of coffee in the cafeteria. Busy schedules kept them both running ragged at the hospital. They did manage to send a running stream of sexy texts throughout the day and evening. They’d actually engaged in phone sex late last night, something Dahlia hadn’t done since college.
Dahlia forced herself to go to spin class that evening, keeping her promise to herself to stay in shape. Naomi was there, and they agreed to grab a bite to eat afterward. After class, Dahlia came out of the shower stall, wrapped in her towel. Naomi was on the bench in front of their lockers, already mostly dressed and pulling on her socks.
As Dahlia reached for her combination lock, she lost her grip on her towel, and it fell open at the back.
“Oh, my god,” Naomi cried. “What happened to you?”
Dahlia quickly rewrapped the towel as heat flooded her cheeks.
She’d been both shocked and thrilled when she’d first seen the bruises covering her bottom the morning after. Hayden assured her they would fade over the next few days, and they had, but not altogether. She’d actually been kind of proud—amazed she’d taken the paddling like a true sub girl. Hayden had told her they were proof of her submissive courage, and she’d been ridiculously pleased.
But now, under Naomi’s horrified scrutiny, she was feeling less sure of herself. “Oh,” she hedged. “It’s nothing. Doesn’t even hurt.”
Naomi raised her brows. “It doesn’t look like nothing. What happened?”
Dahlia started to lie—to say she’d slipped on an icy sidewalk—but she stopped herself. She had engaged in consensual behavior that had satisfied something deep inside her. She was not going to tarnish the experience by lying about it.
“It’s all good. I promise. I’ll tell you about it over dinner.”
They went to their favorite spot near the gym, an Israeli place that made the best falafel Dahlia had ever had, outside of her visit to Israel as a teenager. They ordered hummus and fresh, hot pita bread while waiting for their main course.
Once the appetizer had been deposited on the table, Naomi, who had always been one to cut to the chase, demanded, “So, what the hell is going on? How’d you get those bruises? Don’t tell me that kinky doc you’ve started dating did this to you.” She laughed to show she was kidding.
Dahlia categorically refused to blush again. She had nothing to be embarrassed about. But her expression must have been enough to give her away, because Naomi’s smile fell away, shock and disapproval taking its place.
“Whoa. He did that to you? And you’re fine with it? Come on, Dahlia. I know you like to read those dirty books, but this is some serious shit. What have you gotten yourself into? Do you need help? Do we need to call the cops?”
“No,” Dahlia cried, affronted and embarrassed at Naomi’s apparent conclusion that she’d somehow gotten herself into an abusive relationship. She drew in a deep, calming breath and let it out slowly as she gathered her thoughts. How much did she tell Naomi? How could she put it so her friend would understand?
“Look, I appreciate your concern, Naomi. And I get it. But what you need to understand is that everything that’s happened between me and Hayden is fully consensual.” At Naomi’s skeptical look, she added, “It’s hard to explain to someone not, uh, hardwired for BDSM, but erotic pain can be incredibly sensual. It’s not like stubbing your toe or someone slamming into you on the subway. It’s, I don’t know, it’s like your brain doesn’t even process it as pain, not exactly. I mean, it hurts but it’s a good hurt, if that makes any sense.”
She glanced at Naomi’s face to see if she was getting it.
She wasn’t.
Dahlia tried again. “Look. This is all new for me, too. But I trust Hayden, and maybe I’m learning to trust myself, too. Hayden is a super-experienced Dom and he knows what he’s doing. And it’s not like he just spanks me and that’s that. It’s way more involved than that. The masterful control, the sensual submission…” She sighed with pleasure at the memories, but Naomi continued to look dubious.
