"Thirty-six? Fuck. Dana, are you okay?"
"Zach, it was wonderful. It was exactly what I wanted. Does that freak you out? I know you aren't a hard core sadist, but I...” she took a breath; spoke deliberately. “I needed this."
"Are. You. Oh. Kay."
"I told you, I have to sort through everything. I don't know if you're asking about the physical or the emotional, but the answer is the same for both—I will be. It's going to hurt awhile physically, but I want to feel this for days. And emotionally? It's a process, isn't it? I'm farther along tonight than I was last night."
She heard him sigh before saying, “Brent, are you still there?"
"Yes."
"If you don't think she should drive home please let me know, because I'm not sure she will. If I need to, I can rent a car and turn it in up there, so I can bring her home in hers."
Her eyes watering, she said almost the same thing she'd said to Max. “How did I get so lucky? To have such a stand-up guy worry about me? Care about me?"
Zach didn't respond, so she said, “Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll be okay. I'll call you once we get up and moving around—I'm hoping to sleep in, so it may be tomorrow afternoon."
Dana finished the call and closed her eyes, but opened them when she started to drift off. “Are you tired? Do you need me to talk—to help you stay awake?"
"I'm fine.” Brent answered. “Are you starting to hurt yet?"
"A little. I'd like to do maybe twenty minutes of ice on the worst of it when we get back to your place.” She yawned. “What options do we have for sleeping arrangements?"
"I'd originally planned to invite you to sleep with Jacob and me. I'm almost embarrassed to admit we have a bed big enough to easily accommodate the four of us. If Max is okay with it, I see no reason we can't all crash in our room. I'd love to have you with us, so you can be there for Jacob when he wakes."
They talked for the next half hour, and pulled through the gate much sooner than Dana anticipated. Max opened her door and helped her out of the seat, and she was grateful for his steadying presence as she leaned sideways into his embrace. Brent woke Jacob and helped him stand, handed her purse to Max, and they walked to the front door in pairs.
Dana broke the silence while Brent keyed them into the front entrance. “We'll talk in their bedroom, so Brent can get Jacob tucked in and then stay with him. I want to stop in the kitchen first, for ice."
"Good, I was afraid you'd argue about the ice, but you need it."
"I didn't realize you knew Brent outside of the club. He tells me you're an attorney?"
"Yeah, I handle the legalities for his production company. I specialize in the country music industry; most of my days are taken up by contracts and negotiations. You're a designer, right? So you're no stranger to contracts."
She steered him towards the kitchen as Brent and Jacob headed for the staircase. “Did you leave your wife, or did she kick you out?"
"It didn't work out, I got my heart broken. I survived."
"I've learned there's a difference in surviving and living, Max."
"Yes, I agree. I'm glad you've figured it out. I'm getting there. Are you planning to give your guy at home a chance to make you happy?"
She let go of his hand and counted drawers, opening the fourth one and seeing the promised box of freezer bags. “Maybe. Probably. I don't know if he'll give me the pain you did—he's more Dom than sadist. I was pretty happy bottoming without submitting tonight. Maybe I'm not a sub anymore? Perhaps I never was, but equated pain with submission? Plus, I enjoyed topping Jacob. Everything's all mixed up in my head. Is there such a thing as a Dominant Masochist?"
They filled six bags with ice, and made their way upstairs. Brent had Jacob in bed, lying on his side under the sheet.
She paused at the door and Brent motioned her in, saying, “Why don't you undress and lay on top of the covers by Jacob. I'll get some towels, to give you a barrier between the cold and your skin."
He stepped into the master bathroom and Dana contemplated her choices. She was tempted to go put on the pajamas she'd brought, but Max would need to see where the ice was needed. She reminded herself they'd already seen her naked, and removed the belt. Max helped her gently slide the dress off her arms, being careful of her back, and draped it over a chair.
She climbed into bed and saw Jacob's eyes open, watching her. Her smile was tender as she went from knees to stomach, scrunching a pillow under her rib cage to take pressure off her breasts. The blanket moved and his hand came out, she opened hers and accepted it, appreciating the anchor. His eyes were heavy, dreamy; but their gaze met, held; and the connection between them was as strong as it'd been earlier.