Samson heard the inner conflict in her voice and knew she worried about the intimacy involved but kept quiet, hoping Victoria could help her to understand.
“With a committed Dom and submissive, that’s a vital part of building a lasting bond. Samson is an excellent sadist, but you’ve known him for many years, right?”
“Off and on, yes,” Cassie replied.
“Then you know for yourself he may look scary and dominating on the outside but he has a warm, caring core. That’s part of why I trust him. I’m in subspace by the time he’s done, but I’m not the only one who reaches an altered state. There’s a flip side to subspace, which you could call Dom-space. In our arrangement, I know after he’s done, he likes to hold me to reassure himself I’m okay and that I’ve gotten what I need. On my end, I reciprocate by allowing that, even though it’s not necessarily what I need. All I need is a chance for my emotions to settle and enjoy the sensation of the stress draining away. Too much coddling and conversation distracts from enjoying that feeling.” She stopped and grinned at Samson. “You’re an excellent cuddler, Sir. No offense.”
“None taken, Victoria.” He’d known that about her early on, so it was no big revelation.
Her full attention back on Cassie, Victoria said, “But…if you’re uncomfortable with me calling on Samson, I would understand.”
“How hard would it be to find someone you could connect with as well as you do with Samson?”
“Honestly? Very hard.” Her eyes stayed on Cassie, the hope obvious to him.
Cassie looked up at him and then at her. “And you’re not in love with him?”
Victoria’s smile held a hint of sadness. “No. And even if there was potential—and there’s not—I’ve come to understand great gifts and talents often require sacrifice. Relationships are very difficult because of my career and the fact I often travel for cases. And I understand from Mona and Shae—and now for myself—that Master Samson is clearly in love with you.” She shifted her gaze to Ivan and grinned. “As well as his brother, judging by what I’ve heard. They can hardly take their eyes off of you. And I imagine you’ve already discovered Samson’s squishy marshmallow interior…if it’s permissible to point that fact out, Sir?”
“You’re pushing it, subbie,” he quipped, softening his words with a grin.
Victoria giggled and then sipped from her drink, trying to look innocent. It was good to see her relaxing, and even better to see Cassie seemed more comfortable with their platonic relationship.
Cassie nodded. “Okay, then. Hearing how it works from you helped, Victoria. The next time you need to get together with him, I want to watch.”
“Not a problem, ma’am.”
Chapter Twenty-One
January…
“It’s nice listening to you sing while you work, Mom,” Joseph said as he worked at her desk while she sat on a stool at the worktable opposite the office doorway so they could see each other. The coffee shop was closed on Sundays, the kitchen quiet except for the hum from the walk-in refrigerator and the click of the ventilation fan as the wind stirred it.
She’d been so lost in her own drifting thoughts as she sketched out an idea for a wedding cake that she hadn’t even been aware of singing. “I’ve been working on a song, and I guess it’s stuck in my head.”
“I can’t wait to see you perform at Rudy’s. You’ll amaze everyone with your gift.”
“I don’t know about amazing them, but I think it’ll be a fun creative outlet.”
“You always underestimate your talent, Mom. You’ll see.”
He’d graduated and moved home just the week before. When he’d told her he wanted to go in on a Sunday afternoon to get acclimated, she’d agreed and had offered to go in with him. Once there, he’d surprised her with detailed proposals and had even broached the idea of using the money he’d inherited from his paternal grandfather to finance expansion and remodeling of the coffee shop, if she was open to the idea.
The plans were all laid out in front of her, and she mulled his suggestions over while she sketched. Keeping her hands busy helped her to think things through.
“What did Uncle Antonio want earlier?” he asked, referring to her earlier phone conversation as he used the adding machine. “Whatever it was didn’t sound like good news.”
“They told your grandfather he was moving into an assisted living community, and he was livid. Uncle Antonio wants me to talk to him, as if that would help. He was mad at me and decided to give Antonio the power of attorney to make his medical decisions. I don’t see what I can do to help.”