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If she and TJ could work things out, maybe there was hopefor her and Cooper? Is that what Kala was saying? “It’s not the same. My problemsaren’t your problems.”
Kala sank down to the bench beside her. The Hideout was kindof DIY and on a budget, but there was one space Cooper and the guys had spentreal cash on. The women’s lounge. It did not escape Lou that the whole placehad been done in deep blues and greens, with hints of gold and red.
Kala Taggart’s favorite colors. Cooper wasn’t some designguy, but he’d insisted on those colors.
Lou was pretty sure the guys’ locker room was a piece ofcrap with a bunch of folding chairs and a barely working shower.
“Aren’t they?” Kala asked. “Let’s see. You fell for TJ andhe rejected your physical affection. But he still wanted to be around you. Hedidn’t want to keep you a secret because he didn’t want to upset his friends.”
“Kala, he was fifteen.” She knew this story, and it alwaysmade her heart break. “You can’t hold that against him forever. TJ wasn’tfifteen the last time he told me he didn’t want me. He was like three weeksyounger than he is today. Cooper makes every attempt to get close to you. Fromwhat I can tell, he’s not dating, and he only tops subs in a nonsexual fashion.I think he’s doing that because he hopes you’ll forgive him.”
“There’s nothing to forgive.” Kala’s voice went stony. “Hewanted normal and that’s fine. I’m not normal and I never will be, and have youforgotten that we’re not exactly compatible when it comes to D/s?”
“I don’t know as much about it as you do. My parents nevergot into it. They mostly went to Sanctum to hang out with friends, but I doknow there are some married tops. They find a way to make it work.” She didn’tsee the problem unless Kala absolutely had to have a lover who submitted toher.
She rather thought her friend might enjoy the fight.
“Well, like I said, if you and TJ can’t make it work,there’s not a lot of hope for the rest of us. You’ve always loved him, and Ibelieve that dumbass deep down loves you. I don’t know what happened, but somethingclicked in his head and he wants you now. Can’t that be enough?”
She wasn’t sure. But it was going to be enough for tonight.When she’d realized what it meant to have Ben Parker running around the club,she’d known she had a unique opportunity. She didn’t have to give herself away.It was for the mission. They could play and pretend for a couple of days, andwhen TJ inevitably changed his mind, she would shrug and tell everyone well atleast she got a couple of orgasms out of it and she would move on.
No one would have to know how broken she was. Because sheknew beyond a shadow of a doubt that this time would break her, and she wasstill going to do it.
“I don’t know.” She had to be honest. “I think it might betoo late, but I also can’t seem to help myself.”
Kala put the curling iron on the counter and sank down onthe padded bench beside Lou. She had the start of a serious shiner becauseapparently Sami had accidentally gotten a good one in. Kala leaned over,resting her head on Lou’s shoulder. “Maybe it’s okay if it’s you and me andcats. I want to be okay with that, but I also hate the thought.”
“Which makes you human.” She rubbed her cheek against Kala’shair. When Kala was affectionate like this, Lou tended to shower her with love.Kala could be so withdrawn, and Lou understood she was one of very few who evergot to see this side of the woman. “You deserve love, too.”
Kala groaned but didn’t move. “I hate that word. I don’tunderstand that word.”
“Yes, you do. I should know because you have loved me for along time, and that changed my life,” Lou whispered.
“I do love you,” Kala replied. “And I’ve been your bestfriend for a long time. So I’m not going to ask you to give my dumbass cousin asecond chance.”
That was a relief.
But Kala wasn’t finished. “I am going to ask you to give youa second chance. Lou, you’ve loved him since you were a kid. Don’t let yourcurrent and his younger self’s insecurities cost you more time. The last thingin the world I want is to not get to spend all my time with you. But I do knowhow to love even if I hate the word, and part of that is wanting the best foryou, wanting you to get everything you need out of life. Think about it, okay.You don’t have to make decisions tonight because you put yourself in a cornerneither of you can get out of. Smart play, by the way. Gives you some time.”
Time with TJ. Time to build some memories for when he wasgone.
Time to decide if she was brave enough to ask him not toleave again.
“I’ll think about it,” she promised. She was fairly certainshe wouldn’t think about anything else.
She stared at herself in the mirror and hoped she was ready.
* * * *
TJ stood outside the women’s locker room, his eyes on thedoor that Lou would soon walk through.
“Are you sure about this?” Cooper leaned against the wall.He was lean and muscular in his leathers. Cooper was elegant.
TJ was well aware he looked like a linebacker. He was kindof bulky and didn’t look great in a suit the way Coop did.
What kind of guys was Lou dating? Maybe he needed to do someresearch. He’d checked into the real Miguel Garza’s profile and he seemed morelike a Cooper.
“Am I sure about Lou? Yes. Am I sure this is going to gowell? Absolutely. The sex part is going to be spectacular. The rest? No idea,man.” He was fairly certain that despite the fact Lou had placed them in aposition where they had to look like they were together, she was still wary ofhim.
