Page 24 of The Reluctant Siren
She kissed his cheek. “I know this is hard on you, babe. Ican’t tell you how much I appreciate it. When this is over, let’s go to TheHideout and play in a place where you feel safe. I know we’ve talked aboutkeeping this relationship quiet, but I don’t want to. I want everyone to know.”
Fuck. She was ready. He had to talk to Jensen, but didn’t heowe her more? “I think that sounds perfect.” He caught sight of a womanstriding into the bar area. Phil stopped her and pointed back their way.
A familiar-looking woman. “Hey, I think you’re about to getlucky.”
Harlow looked up and managed to keep her expressionperfectly calm even though she was looking at Miranda Falls. Miranda wore fetwear very close to what Ashley was wearing but in a different color. She tookthe tray from Ashley, who stayed behind the bar.
Miranda plastered a big smile on her face as she approachedthem. She had her blonde hair up in a high ponytail and a hard look in her eyesthat told him she didn’t want to be here, and it wasn’t merely about notenjoying her job. She walked with a bounce in her step like she’d been taughthow to make those breasts move in a way guaranteed to get some great tips.Everything about the young woman screamed affectation.
“I’m going to convince her to take me to the ladies’ room,”Harlow whispered. “I think she’ll talk more freely there. Stay here and I’ll beright back.”
“Sir, I have your beer and a glass of wine for your lovelysub,” Miranda said too brightly as she set the drinks down. “Master Phil hasasked that I show you around a bit.”
Harlow sat up and gave the sub a smile. “That soundswonderful. Could you show me to the bathroom? We don’t know our way around, andI don’t want my Master to lose this seat. It’s perfect since we can seeeverything and figure out what we want to do this evening. I have so manyquestions.”
He watched Miranda’s shoulders come down slightly, as thoughrelaxing under Harlow’s brilliant smile.
“I like your hair,” Miranda said quietly. “I used to havepink hair. I’ll show you where the ladies’ room is.”
He waited until Harlow disappeared behind the door and thentook his phone out of his pocket and texted the number Jensen left him.
Need to talk. Tonight. I’ll call later. Answer the phone.
It was all he could do because at some point tonight, he wasgoing to tell Harlow everything.
* * * *
Harlow stepped into the women’s restroom and frownedat the lack of amenities. Not that she expected the lavishness of The Hideout.Even when they hadn’t had a ton of money for the budget, the Doms had insistedon making the women’s locker room a luxurious space.
There wasn’t even a shower in here. It was literally twostalls and a sink that had seen better days. And the lighting sucked.
So no one got ready here. There was more to getting ready toplay at the club than simple convenience. Sitting around joking with friends,helping them do their hair and makeup, formed community. A lot of seriousdiscussions happened in the locker room. Many a problem was talked out andsolved by her fellow subs. The subs here would be isolated.
Anyone who wanted to play at Decadence had to come in fetwear under their street clothes, or in her case a trench coat that made herthink she was in a noir film trying to solve a mystery.
The real mystery was why Niall hadn’t slept with her yet. Atfirst it was kind of sweet. He cuddled her and got her off, and then she wouldfall asleep in his arms. And now she was wondering if he wanted her at all.There was something he wasn’t telling her. Some secret he was keeping, and shewas worried she knew what it was.
And that was why she intended to talk to him tonight abouthow she could be his friend without the sex.
If he wasn’t sexually attracted to women, that was okay. Noone at The Hideout would blink an eye. Well, some of the bi guys woulddefinitely start looking his way.
Except he always got hard around her.
It was a mystery for later. She had to get her head in thegame. “So why did you change your hair? I bet you’re a cutie with pink hair.It’s the one color I won’t use, though. It’s kind of my mom’s signature color,and my dad calls her Cotton Candy and it’s gross.”
Miranda watched as Harlow “fixed” her hair and redid her lipgloss. “Oh, it was a lot of work.”
Harlow smoothed down her own hair and wondered if Niallliked the deep purple color. She’d kept her blue bob for a long time untilshe’d realized it was a connection to Jensen.
I love this color. So bright. Like you, baby.
She’d gone straight to the salon and changed the color andstarted growing it out. “I like going to the salon. Sometimes it’s my only metime. It’s my self-care time.”
“I like it, too,” Miranda said with a smile. “I guess I domiss it. I liked to color coordinate my hair and nails. But then I got thisjob, and they don’t want us to stand out like that. Natural colors only. Icould go red if I wanted to, but I don’t like the way I look with red hair, sothis is my only other option.”
“They tell you what to do with your hair? I kind of thoughtsubs were supposed to stand out.”
“How much do you know about the lifestyle?” Miranda asked.
