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They walked to the O’Briens’house so they could both enjoy a drink. When they arrived two young children, a girl and a small boy, were being collected by a woman in her car, which already housed a couple of noisy youngsters. A man stood leaning upon the car nonchalantly, chatting to the woman through her open window. He saw them approach and lifted a hand in greeting, then he smacked the roof of the car and watched as it pulled away.
Max whispered in Josie’s ear, “That’s Jim O’Brien.”
Turning toward them Jim spread his arms wide in greeting. “Grand to see you both!” he cried with a soft Irish accent. “Come on in and meet the missus, she’s been dying to meet the pair of yous.” They followed him inside the house where a woman was screeching his name.
“Jim! Jim! There’ll be skin and hair a’flyin’ if you haven’t switched that machine on to heat up. I’m telling you, the food’s good an ready to cook!”
“Now, now, Ange, calm down before I calm you down, which you might object to, what with our visitors here to meet you. Come say hello to Max and his pretty colleen. Josie is it, yes?”
Max pulled her into his side. “Yup, this is my submissive, Josie. Honey, meet my new mentor, Jim.” He noticed her shy smile as he introduced them.
“And I’m Ange, welcome to Corbin’s Bend yous!” The tall, good-looking woman strode toward them with her hand held out. Max shook it first. She turned to Josie and pulled her in for a quick hug.
“And did you switch on the barbie?” she asked her husband sharply.
“Aye, I did,” he replied, swinging a hefty smack against her backside.
Max laughed but he felt Josie stiffen beside him and glanced down at her set face. Ange didn’t even blink. She bustled out towards the back of the house, gesturing for them to follow her out onto their deck.
“We kept it simple, just the four of us, because Jim wanted to get to know the both of yous,” Ange explained as she handed Jim a tray of steaks, bacon wrapped sausages, and skewers loaded with lamb and dried apricot.
Jim took up a large pair of barbeque tongs and placed the prawn appetizers on the grill.
“Josie, come chat with me while I make the salads. I’m a bit behind because Erin, the mother of Ava’s friend, who offered the children a play date, was late collecting them,” Ange said.
“We saw them all leaving as we arrived,” Josie told her as she followed her indoors.
Max watched the women leave then turned to Jim, who appeared to be looking at him speculatively.
“Trouble in paradise?” he asked.
“What makes you think that?” Max countered.
“You’re a Dom. We Doms watch our woman like most men watch the footy. We study her expressions, her gestures, watching her reaction to everything, an’ when you do that, you take on a certain expression, a tension around the mouth, you know what I mean. You have that look.” He turned his back, prodding the food as he spoke.
“I guess the reason Brent matched us was our similar relationships,” Max mused, deliberately refraining from answering Jim’s question.
“Aye, and probably because we both use the same evasion techniques. Would you like a beer?”
Max laughed. “I’d prefer a glass of red if you’ve got it. If not, I left a bottle on the counter in the kitchen, we could open that.”
“Well that’s right grand of you, thanks. I’ll go open that, will you keep an eye on the food for me? Ange wasn’t joking when she mentioned skin and hair flying, she’s a right old handful is my colleen. I was the only man in Ireland as could handle her wicked ways!”
Max chuckled and took over the tongs. He liked Jim O’Brien but he wasn’t in need of counseling, not yet.
Meanwhile, Josie had no such inhibitions around Ange’s candid chatter. She asked her how she felt as a submissive living amongst the spanko and DD relationships. Ange stopped what she was doing and frowned thoughtfully.
“Being a submissive living with a Dom is much the same, you know. After all, a top is a top and a bottom is a bottom. Don’t put so much emphasis on labels, Josie. You’ll settle into the community much quicker if you stop thinking in those terms.”
“But I’m only a submissive in the bedroom,” Josie began.
“Oh my sainted aunt, you sound just like I did when we first arrived here!” Ange hooted merrily.
Josie grimaced. It had become clear to her that Ange didnotunderstand and was being entirely too flippant. Thankfully they were interrupted at that point by Jim looking for the wine. Josie escaped and went back outside to join Max. It was going to be a long afternoon.
She remained polite but refrained from joining in with the conversation. After they’d all eaten their fill she stood, intending to use the facilities. Max rose to his feet and slipped his arm about her waist.
“Excuse us for a moment or two, would you? I’d like a quick word with Josie in private.”
