Page 9 of Collars & Kittens
“Uh huh, sure. So who’s the lucky lady?”
“First, you have to promise not to tell anyone. I think I’m not supposed to reveal my choice until the radio show announces it.”
Travis lets out a huff. “As if I’d tell anyone. Now spill it.”
How do I explain this? “Well, she’s a bit youngerthan me.”
“How young are we talking?” I can hear the grin in his voice.
“She’s twenty-four.”
He whistles. “Damn, going for a hot young thing, eh? You must be getting tired of ol’ Faithful Rosie Palms.”
I roll my eyes, already regretting telling him. I should have made him wait to hear it with everyone else. “Don’t be crass. She’s perfectly nice.”
And perfectly delicious in those yoga pants.
His lowers his voice, as if he’s telling me a secret. “You know, younger women are hella kinky these days. It might be time to dust off the old Dom suit and put the studded cockring on.”
Yep, I should have kept quiet. “You have such a one-track mind. This is a dinner date, nothing more.”
“Mmm hmm, suuure,” he drags out. “You’ve been single for far too long. This might be good for you.”
I bristle slightly. “I date occasionally. I’m just...careful after my disaster of a marriage.”
“I get it man, but it’s been more than 10 years since your divorce. Dating someone else might be exactly what you need. You can’t let one bad apple ruin the bunch.”
I inwardly groan at his metaphor. Still, he has a point. Since my divorce, I’ve kept things light, no real commitments. Maybe I have been guarding myself too much. We chat a few more minutes before hanging up.
I picture sitting across from Olivia at a restaurant, gazing into those endless brown eyes, making her smile...I shake my head, laughing softly at myself. Look at me, acting like a teenager with a crush. It’s a friendly dinner date, I remind myself again. One pleasant evening getting to know Ms. Olivia Ruiz.
So why do I suddenly feel like I’m standing on the edge of something bigger? That spending more time with this beguiling woman might lead me somewhere I never expected? Shit, I need to stop making this more than it is.
I turn off the lights and head to bed. As I close my eyes, a vision of Olivia wearing a pink collar, performing a supple yoga bend, makes it difficult to fall asleep.
Well, damn. Maybe Travis is right. I have a feeling this date with Olivia is going to be anything but simple. My last thought before I fall asleep is that I better bring some condoms with me on the date…just in case.
Chapter 6
OLIVIA
As I sit on the couch with my laptop on my knees, an email pops up from the radio station—Dalton chose me for his Valentine’s Day date. My heart races at an alarming pace. Unable to contain my excitement, I slam my laptop onto the coffee table and fling myself onto the couch cushions face first, muffling a high-pitched squeal. I grab Shivers McFlap and press a kiss to his beak, feeling a rush of excitement overwhelm me. I roll onto my side and squeeze the stuffie tightly in a hug. Oh my God, Dalton picked me!
After calming myself down, I email the radio station back to confirm, and then I spend the rest of the day pacing around my apartment with the jitters. There are so many things I need to do before this date. I need to get a mani/pedi and waxed. Shit, I need to go to one of the neighboring towns for that. There’s no way in hell I want it circulating through Hazy Cover that the new yoga instructor got a Brazilian before her date with the sexy veterinarian…people would talk. I’ll book an appointment at a spa in Ditzel Springs.
There are two adorable grandmas in my yoga class, Wanda and Daisy, and listening to them together tells me that the gossip mill is alive and well in Hazy Cove. I’m probably going to be grilled heavily about the date during the first class after Valentine’s Day.
As much as the thought of the entire town talking about my date is nerve-wracking, knowing I’m going out with Dalton is thrilling. I hope he chose me because I said I can be obedient. Once I decided I needed some no-strings-attached sex, it was all I could think about, and nowI’m having vivid daydreams about submitting to Dalton. It’s hard to explain to people who aren’t subs, but I could tell Dalton was a dom, and something inside me knows he can give me exactly what I’m craving.
When I wake up on Valentine’s Day, there’s a dull throbbing sensation between my thighs, and the remnant of an erotic dream flashes through my mind. Dalton had me bent over an exam table in his clinic and was fucking me while he praised me for being a good little slut. I really want that, but I’m uncertain what to expect tonight. I mean, I doubt he’ll fuck me over an exam table, so I need to stop daydreaming about it. I’m desperate enough that anything sounds delightful.
There was a required interview before the date, and we had the option to be on air together, but knowing how hard it is for me to talk coherently around Dalton, I told the radio show I wanted to do my interview alone. The only communication I’ve had with Dalton has been through the radio show, informing me that he’ll be here at 6 p.m. to pick me up.
Did he choose me because I made it clear I was an easy lay, or was there another reason? I’d like to think he’s attracted to me beyond my slutty response to his question, but since I want us to end up in bed, does it matter? I’m considering him a rebound fuck, and I need to get him out of my system so I can stop obsessing about him.
As I savor my morning tea, my mind replays the on-air interview I did with the radio show. The DJs, Delilah and James, were delightful to talk to, and they did a great job of keeping the ball rolling. We talked about how I met Dalton when my cat was sick, and they joked that it was love at first sight. I know they were playing it up for the listeners. I hope I came off as buoyant and self-assured, not some giddy schoolgirl. Being in the public eye doesn’t come naturally to me, and the woman who entered the contest was fearless and playful. I’m able to pretend I’m that personfor a short time, and I’m proud of myself for not tripping all over my words. I doubt anyone could tell I was shaking in my boots on the inside.
Dalton’s solo interview on the radio station made me want to fuck him just for his voice. God, I could just imagine him whispering dirty talk in my ear while he pulls my hair and pounds into me. That guy could say anything, and I’d want to listen to him all night long. I don’t remember too much of what he said in the interview since I spent most of the time daydreaming about fucking him.
