Page 4 of In Her Own Way
“Mmm,” the woman said. “And, yes, you do know.”
“Know what?”
“Your way around a woman’s body,” the woman said with a slight chuckle.
“Told you.”
Victoria handed the woman one of the eight-ounce bottles of water the dungeon stocked in its private rooms. The woman downed the whole bottle in one go, making Victoria laugh. She took the empty bottle back as the woman nestled into Victoria’s chest.
“You did well, baby,” Victoria praised. “You needed this, didn’t you, baby? You needed the release?”
“Yes, Ma’am.” The woman snuggled closer. “How much time is left?”
“Enough to get you ready to participate in the real world again.”
The groan was one of regret. Victoria knew nothing about the woman’s life and kind of preferred not to. She was here for the thrill, not a marriage certificate. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small square of chocolate. The woman snatched it up eagerly and murmured her thanks at Victoria’s thoughtfulness.
“You’re welcome,” Victoria said. “I take care of my women.” The woman simply nestled closer. Victoria wasn’t sure what the woman expected from her, so it was time for the tried-and-true speech. “I’m, uh, not looking for any kind of permanent relationship, baby. I just wanted to get that out up front. I like what we did here and, if you’re up for it, I’d love to keep exploring with you. Here. In the dungeon.” She added the last part so the woman would understand they were on a sex-only mission, and nothing further.
“I’m on board with that,” the woman said and then sat up. “If you’re single, stay that way. Relationships are a trap.” Victoria wasn’t sure how to respond but didn’t need to as the woman continued. “Friday afternoons like this are perfect for me. I mostly work nights.”
“Same for me,” Victoria said. “Shall I pencil us in for the same time and place next Friday?”
“Oh, yes, please.” The woman reached over and brushed a lock of Victoria’s hair off her forehead. “Thank you for playing with me this afternoon. I have a feeling I’m going to be the most relaxed and affable bartender Venus Rising has ever seen.”
“Oh, shit,” Victoria said. “You work at the local lesbian watering hole? I practically lived there as a teenager.”
“I do,” she said, standing up. “If you come down there, maybe we could keep this situation under wraps?” She turned away and reached for her clothes.
Ahh, the woman was in the closet about liaisons like these. No worries. She’d had an itch that needed scratching, they both did, and the itches had been properly scratched that afternoon, but would rise again, no doubt. “Understood.” Victoria nodded. “Like I said, I enjoyed what we did here.” She chuckled. “Very much.”
“Me, too.”
“And we can keep it between us,” Victoria reassured her.
“Thank you, Ma’am.” She took a moment to put her clothes back on, and as Victoria was cleaning up their space, the woman said, “Out in the wild, I won’t be able to call you ‘Ma’am.’”
“Understood.”
One searing kiss later, the woman walked out the door. Victoria tucked her strap-on adequately and then took one more look around. She was satisfied that she’d cleaned up enough for the service crew that would sanitize all the equipment once they left. As the door to the private room closed behind her, she heard the unmistakable sound of the timer going off.
“Perfect timing,” she said. She hoped her return to Indianapolis had been perfect timing as well.
Chapter 2
Jessica
Jessica Bennett moved quickly to the table of ninth-grade boys. She said nothing and simply raised her eyebrows. She waited.
“Oh, sorry, Ms. Bennett,” Jayden said. He was one of Jessica’s ninth-grade English students. “We were just cleaning up.” He gestured to another young man whom Jessica didn’t teach and said, “Pick up your shit, man.”
“Sorry,” the other boy muttered, tossed his lunch trash onto the plastic tray, and hustled to the bussing station with it.
Jayden and the other three young men at the table followed suit and then lined up at the exit door, even though they weren’t supposed to block the doors. Jessica knew she had to pick her battles, and trash on the tables was that battle every day.
Jessica shook her head and sighed. She tried to catch the eye of the Spanish teacher she had cafeteria duty with, but she was also lined up at the door waiting for the bell. Jessica shook her head again. Cafeteria duty was a perfect opportunity to get to know some colleagues, even if they weren’t in the English Department. And since she was new to Phillips University Academy, the college-preparatory school affiliated with Phillips University, she couldn’t take shortcuts or slack off in anymanner. And even though it wasn’t her job to clean the tables, she was doing just that as the bell rang.
She dumped the load in her arms at the bussing station and then quick-stepped it two buildings away to her classroom. Students knew not to enter the room if a teacher wasn’t already present, and they dutifully lined up along one side of the hallway, waiting for her. The door was locked anyway as a safeguard.
