Page 12 of Dared
I’d been so focused on my own freak-out, I’d scarcely given Luisa’s feelings a thought, and that was the biggest problem about last night. I needed to apologize. I just wasn’t sure how to do that other than spending more time at the club and hoping she eventually showed up. I didn’t have Luisa’s contact information and I felt certain that the club wouldn’t give it to me.
As it turned out, I didn’t need it. When I came back from my run, my friend Zelda was walking up the sidewalk to my house.
“Hey, how was your run?” she asked, eyeing me carefully.
I knew immediately that something was up, because Zelda wasn’t one to pop over to someone’s house without calling first. I’d brought my phone with me on my run, and I hadn’t even gotten a text from her.
“It was good,” I huffed. “I did twelve miles.”
I didn’t add that I’d pushed myself to go as fast as I could, running until my muscles were burning.
Zelda nodded but didn’t ask for more information, which I appreciated.
“Why are you here?” I asked.
“I came to invite you to a barbeque at our house.”
I looked up at the cloudy skies. “It’s cold and raining.”
“We can cook outdoors and eat indoors,” she said. “Angela and Tracie are coming and, just for full disclosure, they’re bringing Luisa.”
She pinned me with a searching look. “I figured you’d want to see her.”
I looked at my friend in surprise. “Why did you think that?”
“Well, people saw you two looking all flirty at the club before you went into one of the playrooms together, then an hour later you ran out like your hair was on fire. I heard you left Luisa all alone after your scene.”
I winced as she continued, “Did you freak out or something?”
“Yeah, I did. But I worked through it on my run,” I assured my friend.
I didn’t need to explain any further. Every long distance runner knew the therapeutic benefit of a long, hard run.
“Good, I’m glad you got your head out of your ass,” Zelda said. “Angela said that Tracie said that Luisa really likes you.”
I laughed. “What is this? Middle school?”
“And I know you well enough to see that you really like her,” she continued as if I hadn’t spoken. “I’ve never seen you so turned around about a woman before.”
“Yeah,” I sighed. “I do like her. In fact, I think I might more than like her.”
Zelda smirked. “That’s how I felt the first time I saw Mariah again. Like someone hit me with a two by four right in the heart.”
I walked past her and unlocked my door. “Can you stay for coffee?”
“Sure.”
I changed into dry clothes while the coffee was brewing, then sat at the table with my friend doing something I generally avoided doing: talking about my feelings. I told her the whole story from beginning to end. Zelda was a good listener, and while she didn’t know all the details, she knew just enough about my past to be helpful.
“If you like Luisa as more than just a sub, you should invite her on a date,” Zelda suggested. “It’s not like you can only see her in the club or something. Maybe doing a scene was too much for you all at once, especially with the complications of romantic feelings. You can go out to dinner, or maybe try something tamer at home.”
“That’s a good idea. I loved everything we did,” I admitted. “It was hot as fuck, and we both were into it. It was just overwhelming.”
“Tell Luisa that, I’m sure she’ll understand. By the way, Tracie says she never gets serious about any of the women she dates, so that’s something to consider if you really like her,” Zelda said. “But Tracie also said that Luisa seems to feel different about you. More smitten. Do what you will with that information.”
I stared at my friend for a long moment. “You all are a bunch of matchmakers, aren’t you?”
Zelda laughed. “Let’s just say no one at Club Surrender has gotten their happily ever after without one of our group giving things a little nudge. Consider yourself nudged.”
