Safeword: Matte(14)
“If you're restrained, does it mean I immediately start getting you loose?”
She shook her head, “Not unless I'm complaining of a muscle cramp, or telling you something has fallen asleep, or saying let me go.”
He kissed her again, and this time she decided to be aggressive back, running her hands up his arms, feeling of the chords of muscle just under the skin, running one hand up the side of his neck until she was caressing his cheek as they kissed. He pulled back. “What would it take... is there anything I can do to make you feel comfortable coming back to my place tonight? I'm not expecting sex. I mean, I wouldn't turn it down, but that's not what I'm asking for. I don't want to say goodbye to you when the party’s over. Come back to my house, and let me cook for you while you tell me your life story.”
“Would your life story be involved in there somewhere, too?”
He smiled. “If you want to hear it, yes. But I asked first.”
She thought for a moment and said, “You were big in the Atlanta scene?”
He nodded and she pulled her cellphone out of her pocket, scrolling through her contacts until she came to Kirsten, hoping she wouldn't catch her at a bad time.
“Hi Sam.”
“Hiya Kirsten. Look, I know this is kind of an odd question, but do you know someone named Ethan Levi who lived in Atlanta?”
Ethan spoke before Kirsten had a chance. “You know Kirsten?”
Kirsten spoke through the phone. “Ooooh, I'd know his sexy voice anywhere. Yep, I know him. He's a good guy. A great guy, actually. You’ll probably want to wait to hear the details later, but I'll vouch for him. He learned a lot from Master James, the two of them are pretty good friends. Ethan's known for being a pretty intense sadist, and he doesn't mess around with the rules once he dictates them. He'll respect safewords though, and I think that's what you're really asking.”
“Yeah, pretty much. Were you and he an item?”
“Oh, no. But he dated someone I know in Atlanta. He was a good guy to her even after the breakup, and she was a bit of a bitch to him. Cheated on him and used him pretty bad.”
She realized Ethan could hear Kirsten through the phone and she didn't want to make him uncomfortable so she said, “I've been invited back to his place after the play party and I think I'm going to go.”
“Cool, call me tomorrow afternoon and we can gab. He's a great guy. Assuming, you know, you like sadists.”
Sam handled the end of call niceties and hung up, watching Ethan's face as she did so. “Kirsten says you're safe. I'm not opposed to the idea of sex tonight, but I'm not committing to it, either. I want to have my car there, so we'll need to stop and get it so I can follow you.”
He grinned. “You need an escape clause.”
“Yes,” she laughed, “I guess I do.”
Nodding, he said, “I'm good with that.”
They waited for Tyler and Viv to finish their scene and get past the aftercare to tell them she was leaving with Ethan. Tyler wasn't happy until he found out Kirsten had vouched for Ethan, and then kissed her on the cheek and told her to have fun.
Chapter Four
As promised, Ethan dropped Sam off at her place. She invited him in while she packed a toothbrush and a change of clothes, throwing in an oversized shirt and loose shorts to sleep in. She'd left him in the living room when she went up for her things, and he was in her kitchen when she went back downstairs.
“You have a beautiful home, Sam – what made you choose this one?”
“Lots of things – the view, the yard, the kitchen, the master bathroom, the location. It's more house than I need most of the time, but it's a great house for entertaining.”
“Do you want to fill it with a family someday?”
She shrugged. “I don't know. I mean, part of me thinks I should think about that stuff, about kids and a husband, but part of me knows my life is too hectic as it is. I work long hours, and when I'm not working I'm often at the dojo, or running, or...” She ran her hand through her hair. “I don't know, Ethan. I’d like to have someone to share my life with, but I've been pretty darn picky, and I don't see that changing. What about you, do you want kids and a wife and great big mortgage someday?”
“Picky is good. I'm kind of picky myself. I don't know for sure about kids – some days I think it's a good idea, some days I don't. I figure once I find my soul mate it’ll be a decision the two of us make together. I don't think I'm going to know for sure until I find her. If you're ready you can follow me. Give me your cellphone number and I'll call you so you'll have mine in your phone in case we lose each other en route.”