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“You make it sound like safe words are binding contracts. I’m well aware of what could happen, but I don’t think it will.”
Vanessa sighed, head in her hand. “Everyone calls you the perfect submissive, but they don’t realize how stubborn and headstrong you are. Good grief.”
“Isn’t that one of the reasons you fell in love with me?”
One of Vanessa’s eyes peered through her fingers. “I fell in love with you because you’re the only person to ever make me feel alive.”
“Funny. I’ve often thought the same about you.”
A weak laugh shook Vanessa’s chest. “I don’t want to lose that feeling, Mitch.” Her hand glided toward her partner’s knee. Mitch witnessed the tension bleed from her spine as Vanessa touched her. “You’re the only family I have.”
“That’s not entirely true. Your mother’s out there. Somewhere.”
“I know where she is.” The shadow renewed on Vanessa’s pale complexion. “I’ve known since I came out of hiding. It’s our mutual decision to not have a relationship.” Vanessa’s saddened mien destroyed what was left of Mitch’s rationality. “You’re all the family that I have.”
Dare Mitch say what came to mind? “Don’t forget Luke. He’s pretty loyal to us, and not only because his ex-wife tried to kill you and he feels bad about it. Trust me, I’d know if that was the case.” Mitch was Luke’s best friend in town. Which was a separate problem on its own…
“I try not to count the people I pay as my family. Imagine calling Maria my family…”
“Yeah, well, Maria has a giant family of her own. Whom I’m pretty sure you single-handedly pay to stay alive because you’re afraid of losing her to another employer.”
“Maria knows exactly how to clean my office to my ridiculous standards. Why would I risk her walking away?”
“You know what I mean, Van.” Mitch slipped off the windowsill and sidled up next to her partner. “Maybe it’s time you reach out to some of your real friends.”
“Says the woman who has no friends.”
“I’ve got friends.”
“Who?”
“Luke.”
“But I pay…”
“Idon’t pay him shit. Therefore, he can be my friend. Find your own, I guess.”
They sat together for a few more minutes before Mitch decided the conversation would finish later. She extracted herself from Vanessa’s office and bumped into Luke at the end of the hallway, where he pretended to not have been listening in on the topic between two women he still couldn’t believe were together.
“Are you wearing… eyeliner?”
Mitch had already forgotten but was grateful for the reminder to take it off before she went for her evening run. “Problem?”
“No problem. Just not used to you wearing makeup if you’re not… you know…”
Mitch couldn’t wait to hear this. “If I’m notwhat?”
“Sheesh, you know. Going out.”
“What’s that a euphemism for?”
“I think you know!”
She slugged her fist into his shoulder – the one that hadn’t been shot a few years ago. “That’s for blushing, you prude.”
“Hey, hey, I stay outta your personal stuff.”
“Only because you’ddieto know what we consider a wild night out on the town.”
