No Safeword: Matte - Happily Ever After (Safewords) (2 page)

Mr. Masterson’s attorney did everything possible to postpone and delay the inevitable, but Sam was beyond ready to finish the case. Never mind the longer it stretched the more she could bill — this mother and her kids needed closure. 

Sam gave Jenna Masterson a quick primer on self-defense, and suggested she enroll her kids in martial arts classes, explaining, “Not because they’re going to fight their dad, but because of the self-confidence it will give them.”

A week later she arrived at the studio to coach Tom through a workout session, and was thrilled to see Jenna’s son and daughter in the class Tom was bringing to a close.

Jenna and Sam exchanged pleasantries, and when the children came running to their mother Sam took her leave and joined Tom on the mats.

“We have around twenty minutes before Ethan arrives. Do you remember my least favorite drill when you were prepping me for the national title?” she asked.

He nodded and started the drills. No one liked doing the monotonous, exhausting muscle memory exercises, no matter how necessary they may be.

When Ethan arrived, Sam and Tom were deep into speed and reflex work, and Ethan watched a few minutes before transitioning in without interrupting. Sam loved that he didn’t come in and try to take control, but stepped in to help and let her continue to run the exercise. She planned to let him take over after the drill, but it was nice he didn’t
always
have to be in control.

Sam pushed Tom hard, and when she finally let him back off and rest he fell on the floor and exclaimed, “No offense, Ethan, but I’m glad she isn’t my wife. Is she this damned bossy at home?”

“Nope, but I’m not the wimp lying on the floor, either. Get up, we have work to do.”

The three wrapped the training session up at eight, in time to shower and walk down the street to meet the rest of the group at eight thirty for a late dinner.

Sam had convinced Cassie to back off with Francisco, but the two barely spoke to each other during dinner and Sam realized things weren’t as settled as she’d thought. As the group broke up, she pulled Cassie and Frisco to the side and said, “Do ya’ll want to follow me back to my house to talk, or should we take a walk down to the park?”

Frisco said, “Your house,” as Cassie said, “The park.” Ethan laughed and said, “I’ll be the tie-breaker, we’re going back to our place.”

When he said
our place
, he gave her a look, and Sam realized she’d called it her house. She looked at him sheepishly and said, “Sorry, old habit. I’ll try to do better.”

He kissed her forehead. “No, it’s okay. It’s your house, and my house, and our house. I get it.”

It was a comfortable night, and Sam led them to the backyard as Ethan poured drinks for everyone.

“I’m going to break confidences all around tonight, so both of you just grin and bear it.” Sam looked to Frisco. “When Cassie was twelve, her parents were still married to each other and she thought she lived in the perfect family. When she was thirteen, her father called the family together to tell them he was gay, he’d fallen in love, and he was divorcing their mom.”

Cassie’s indrawn breath made Sam hesitate, but she didn’t take her eyes off Frisco as she continued. “She didn’t talk to her father for six years, until she went into therapy for some other problems and ended up being told she’d never resolve anything until she worked through the issues with her father.”

Cassie interrupted. “I’m happy for my dad, now. He’s in a wonderful relationship, and he’s happier than he ever was with my mom. He tried to live a lie and it almost destroyed him.” She looked down. “I’d be a different person if he hadn’t tried to live a straight life. My mom would’ve married someone else, so I’d have had a different dad. Maybe one who wouldn’t have walked out of my life when I was thirteen.”

Sam turned towards Cassie. “Frisco isn’t your father. Your father is gay; Frisco is bisexual. Do you understand the difference?”

“Sure, it means he likes girls and boys. But, bad things happen when you keep something like that secret.”

Ethan had brought their drinks, and sat in a chair across from Sam as he said, “I’ve never fucked a guy, never dated one, never held their hand, never kissed one… but I’ve received a few blow jobs from them. I don’t see how that’s anyone’s business at the dojo. Sam knows because she’s my wife and I have no secrets from her. My parents and the vast majority of my friends don’t know. Of course, I also don’t share with them my love for anal sex with my wife, so…” He shrugged.

Sam glared at him a few seconds and then looked to Cassie. “I think what Ethan’s saying is that Frisco sees his bisexual nature as something private. At some point in the future he may feel otherwise, but right now he compartmentalizes his life — he has emotional relationships with women and sexual adventures with men. He won’t know whether his soul mate turns out to be a man or a woman until he finds him or her, and at that time I’m sure he’ll be honest with that person, as Ethan was honest with me.”

“Cassie,” Frisco said, with compassion in his voice, “people get divorced all the time, for all sorts of reasons. I’m truly sorry you had to go through the pain your father put you through. I don’t know if I’ll ever get married, because I don’t know if one person will ever be enough for me. I’m not going to settle for someone who can’t be everything I need.”

Cassie shook her head and Frisco said, “The only time I’m ever seen with a man is at The Diamond Club, and a few places like it in Atlanta and Florida. I don’t date men; I just play with them. That may change someday, and if it does I’ll come out to everyone, but for now it’d be a lie to tell people I date men and women, because I only
date
women.”

Sam knew where Cassie’s thoughts were headed and she said, “Before you ask, he’s a stickler about safe sex, no matter which gender he’s with.”

Cassie looked at Sam. “There’s something you know that you aren’t telling me. Some reason you’re okay with this, and I think it has something to do with the whole
leash
thing. You acted kinda crazy that night, and you and Cameron seemed to hit it off too good for you to have just met. Did you already know?”

Sam glanced at Ethan and he leaned forward and touched Cassie’s hand. “Sam didn’t know before, and neither did I. For a variety of reasons, she understands the kind of adventures Frisco has with guys, so she knew how to make Cameron feel comfortable. Also, Frisco gave Cameron permission to play with Sam that night,” he glanced at Frisco, “and that night
only
.”

Frisco smiled and Ethan turned back to Cassie. “I don’t think he gave Cameron permission to play with anyone else.”

Frisco responded with, “No, I didn’t. Only Sam.”

Cassie looked to Sam and back to Ethan. “Permission? There’s that word again. Sam said you gave her permission to fool around that night.”

Sam pulled her feet into the chair and wrapped her arms around her legs. “Cassie, there’s a reason my friends chose The Diamond Club for my bachelorette party.”

“Oh no,” she said, disbelieving. “You’re
way
too strong and opinionated to let anyone put a leash on you.”

Sam considered a dozen ways to answer the question, but decided they were getting too far off track of the original conversation. “I’m not sharing details of my sex life with Ethan. The point is, Cameron and I have a lot in common and we had a blast dancing with each other and fooling around. So, yes, I understand how Frisco’s relationship is different with women than men, and why it’s a completely different situation than the one your father landed himself in.”

Cassie looked at all three of them before saying, “So, I’m the only non-kinky person here? I mean, I like playing around with blindfolds and stuff, and I thought that made me kinky, but apparently not?”

“Well talk kink later, if you want,” Sam said, smiling. “But tonight I’d like to see you and Frisco find a way to be friends again. You wouldn’t look at him during dinner.”

Cassie seemed uncharacteristically flustered. She downed half her drink, started to say something, and then stood, grabbed Sam’s hand, and dragged her to the other side of the pool. “I couldn’t look at him because I’m suddenly so fucking attracted to him I don’t know what to do with myself. I was sure if anyone had seen me looking at him they’d have known how I felt! What the hell is wrong with me? This is horndog
Frisco
we’re talking about! And I’m not kinky! Why did it turn me on so much to see him with a
human
on a leash?”

Unsure of what to do or say, Sam pulled Cassie into a hug. Finally, she said, “He isn’t into kink with women, just men. Would you be okay dating someone who whips men? Paddles them? Keeps them in chains and makes them clean his house and wash his car?”

“Well, sure,” Cassie pulled out of the hug and smiled. “As long as he made them give me a massage when I’m sore, and wash my car, too.” She hesitated before adding, “And as long as I met all of them, and got to watch, sometimes.”

Sam was speechless a few seconds as her brain changed directions.

“You’ve turned him down how many times? Does he even ask you out anymore?”

Cassie shook her head. “Not since I saw him with Cameron.”

Sam laughed and rolled her eyes. “Figures. Okay, do you want me to stick my nose in and tell him you’re interested, or should I butt out?”

Cassie shook her head. “I have no idea what I want.”

“Figure it out,” Sam said with a smile. “Tell me what you want me to do and I’ll do it.”

Cassie leaned forward and spoke into Sam’s ear, even though they were far enough from the men Sam was
sure
they couldn’t hear. “I wanted to be Cameron on the leash. Is that wrong?”

Sam wrapped her friend in another hug. “No, it isn’t wrong. Not at all. But you need to understand that our lifestyle necessitates complete and total honesty with your partner about everything. I can break the ice for you with Frisco, but you’ll need to tell him what you told me, if you ever want it to happen.”

“But he said he doesn’t do that with girls.”

Sam backed out of the hug. “I’m not sure where he draws the line, to be honest. I know he doesn’t get rough with girls, but I don’t know if there’s any power play or not.”

“Power play?”

“The mental parts of it.”

“How can I learn this stuff? I tried to look it up online after your party but it all seemed so
mean
. Not like you and Cameron looked when you danced. Or like the look in Frisco’s eyes when he took the leash off Cameron and told him what he could and couldn’t do.”

Wow, Cassie had it bad, and wouldn’t be happy until she experienced a scene. Sam needed to get her to someone who could show her, and she hoped Frisco didn’t disappoint.

“Most of the internet stuff is staged,” Sam explained, “so there’s no emotion. Look, if you’re truly interested I can talk to you about it, but so can Frisco. Why don’t I take you back and tell Frisco you’re turned on by the kink and you need someone to explain it. Let’s start there, so the two of you can get the conversation started. Okay?”

Cassie fidgeted a few seconds before saying, “Okay, that sounds good.”

The two walked back hand in hand, and Sam made a decision as they neared the men. She grabbed a seat cushion and tossed it on the ground a few feet in front Frisco.

“Cassie, drop to your knees.” She helped her friend down and stood behind her. She looked at Frisco and put her finger to her lips to keep him from saying anything yet, and then placed both hands on her friend’s shoulders. “All Dom’s have different preferences, Cassie, but this is probably one of the more common ways to kneel. Arch your back and rest your weight on your heels. Spread your legs, push out your chest, and settle into the position.”

She waited for her friend to settle and said, “Nice. Now you can either rest your hands on your thighs, or you can grab your elbows behind your back.”

Cassie put them on her thighs, but settled even more once she had them behind her back. Sam kissed Cassie’s temple before she looked up to Frisco and said, “Cassie was so turned on by Cam’s leash, she hasn’t been able to think of anything else. She’s been asking questions about the kink because she’s curious, not because she’s horrified. She needs someone to teach her about these feelings and show her how to be safe.”

She kissed Cassie’s temple again and stood, gently removed her hands from her friend’s shoulders, and motioned Ethan to follow her into the house.

Ethan stood, looked at Cassie, then Sam, then Frisco. “I’ll unlock the playroom and open the door, head downstairs and you can’t miss it. There are clean sheets on the playroom bed; you’re both welcome to stay the night.”

Ethan followed Sam into the house, closed the door, and turned to watch the couple through the glass. “This isn’t how I saw the evening ending.”

“I know, I totally read Cassie wrong. I was seeing judgmentalism when in reality she was turned on and curious.”

They watched Frisco lean forward and caress Cassie’s cheek as he talked to her. Cassie nodded, and Frisco stood, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her.