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“Don’t get mad.”

Carrie threw up her hands. “That’s unfair. If I get mad, it’s probably for a damn good reason. Now tell me who it is.”

Peter picked up a massage table and moved it to one corner of the room.

“Other corner,” both women said at the same time as they stared at each other.

“You might as well just tell her who it is, Darci,” Peter advised.

She sighed. “I’m working up to it. Give me a minute.”

Peter sat on a nearby sofa to observe. Carrie was glaring at Darci and he wondered if she had guessed who Darci’s date might be.

“It’s Damion. We had dinner last night, and he apologized.”

Carrie blew out a long breath. “OK. But why? Haven’t you two established that you don’t have play styles that mesh?”

Darci shrugged. “I don’t know. We only played for two or three minutes. We were both having off nights. There’s no guarantee we’re going to play or anything like that. We’ve just agreed to attend the opening together. Please don’t look at me like that.”

Carrie lifted an eyebrow. “Like what?”

Darci looked at Peter. “Help?”

Peter chuckled and shook his head. “This is all on you, sweetie. I’m withholding judgment, but I think you need to be careful and just remember we’re here for you if you need another rescue.”

She gave him a shy smile and bit her lip. “Thank you.”

Carrie huffed. “Fine. I’m not judging you either. I’m just worried. You haven’t had the greatest track record with men in the lifestyle and he’s already on my shit list.”

Darci laughed. “He understands that. I told him how important you are to me.”

Carrie’s shoulders relaxed, and Peter suspected she was relieved that she wasn’t somehow being replaced by Damion. If he was going to be in a long-term relationship with Carrie, Darci would be part of the package. They would have to set boundaries around that.

A tall older man stuck his head in the door, holding a box of colorful lights. “Is this the quiet room?”

Peter motioned him in. “It is. What you got there?”

He held the box under one arm and extended his free hand. “I’m Simon Darlington. Mistress Edith sent me to hang some of these in here.”

Carrie jumped up and offered her hand after Peter let go. “I was hoping to meet you before we left. I’m Carrie. This is Peter, our head of security, and Darci, one of our membership coordinators.”

Simon grinned and set the box on the sofa. “Good to meet you all.”

The group made quick work of the lights then moved to the main dungeon where Edith and Gage were arguing about whether they needed more seating.

Simon dropped to one knee in front of Edith with his head bowed then stood and kissed her cheek. It must have been some kind of protocol for them.

“Gage, quit arguing and give Edith what she wants. Haven’t you learned women are always right about the furniture?”

Gage flipped him off, then threw up his hands. “Fine, we’ll do it your way.”

Edith grinned. “All my boys have realized that’s for the best.”

The cowboy pointed at her and glared. “Don’t push me, woman.”

Carrie slid her hand into Peter’s. “Weren’t you going to take me home?”

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head. “Soon.”

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