Page 31 of Games We Play
Sloan came over with two wineglasses, but she didn’t kiss her guest. Leah accepted her glass and admired the way Sloan’s clothing moved against her body when she sat down next to Leah. Before they toasted to their fortuitous reunion, Leah said, “I love your perfume. What is it this time?”
“I have no idea. Something I picked up in Austria. I don’t know German, so for all I know it’s called Dog’s Ass.” Sloan sipped her wine and made a bitter face. “Goodness. This isn’t up to par at all.” She placed her glass on the coffee table in front of them. “Drink up all you want, though.”
Leah tried the wine. It was on the sweeter side, yes, but she hadn’t shared that she liked her wine to pack a punch. “What brings you to Portland this week?”
Those eyes locked upon Leah’s again. “You, of course.”
“Really? You came all the way back here on your weekend for me?”
“It was a good excuse to make a quick stop in California, but yes. You’re the primary reason I came back here.”
“Wow.” Leah giggled. It must have been the wine loosening her up already. “Here I thought I was a one-night stand. Or to preserve your good name in court.” She giggled again. That hadn’t meant to be a joke, yet there she was, making an utter fool of herself. She better put the wine down.
Sloan was kind enough to overlook Leah’s giddy behavior. “What can I say? I’m attracted to women who happen to want the kinds of things I offer them. You responded well to my little gift. How could I not pounce on the opportunity to strike up a relationship with someone so well matched with me?”
Leah pushed her cumbersome hair out of her face.It’s curling again. Damnit.She hadn’t spent half the morning straightening her hair only for it to bounce back with unruly curls again. She should’ve asked for a better straightening iron for her birthday! “Don’t suppose you could expand upon that, huh?”
“I don’t know how I could make it any clearer. I sent you my suggestion, you responded to it, and now here we are. Sitting on a couch, with you in the negligee I picked out and a vibrator up your pussy.” Sloan tapped the controller in her hands. “Or are you a good actress?”
“I’m a terrible actress.” That wasn’t Leah being humble, either. She had tried out for every school play back in high school, and the best the theater club would do was offer her ushering and scenery positions.I’m not cut out for performative arts, but at least I excelled at home ec.It was Mrs. Bell who suggested Leah go to culinary school. Some students had teachers who directed them toward computers, writing, music, sports, or lab work. Leah was told,“You create the most beautiful petals out of frosting!”She didn’t disagree. Nobody at Rose City Bakery made a meaner flower petal than her.
Sloan cupped Leah’s chin between her fingers. “Then let’s have a chat about what we want from this… arrangement.”
Arrangement, huh? It wasn’t the more coveted R word, butarrangementwould do. After all, Leah harbored no overactive fantasies that this would end in marriage and a baby carriage.
“All right.”
Perhaps the pause was for effect. Or so Leah assumed, before Sloan sighed. “Suppose I’ll lead the conversation, then.”
Oh. She had been waiting for Leah to say something.What can I say? When a woman tells me she’s in charge, I follow.
“I’ll be frank with you, Leah. I’m seeking a mutually beneficial relationship where we both get the kind of power play we desire. I like to dominate. You like to… let’s say,defer.I’m also not looking for a serious romance, here, so the fact we live two time zones apart doesn’t deter me from pursuing a sexual relationship with you. Best way to think of it is friends with kinky benefits.”
“I get what you’re saying.”
“Good. I do a lot of business in the Pacific Northwest. Not always in Portland, but a trip to Seattle could easily end with us meeting up for the night. I could guarantee at least one visit a month. Although…” She tucked some of Leah’s hair behind her ear. “We could make it more often if it suits us.”
“Sounds nice.”
“Nice?”
Leah bit her lip. “Sounds wonderful.”
Sloan’s fingers lingered on the tip of Leah’s ear. “Sounds like something you would be interested in?”
“Sure.”
“Sure,” Sloan echoed. Her fingertip tangled in Leah’s curl. “That’s it? I was hoping for something a little more…” Lips came close to Leah’s, but did not commit. “Enthusiastic.”
“Enthusiastic?”
“There’s nothing better than hearing a woman’s enthusiasm from halfway across the country. I know you’re a delicate little doe, Leah, but that doesn’t mean you can’t scream a bit, right?” Sloan chuckled. “You screamed plenty last weekend.”
I was screaming?“Then… yes. I’m interested in that, but you should know something before we both commit to this arrangement.”
“What is it?”
Leah strung her fingertips through Sloan’s wig.It’s so soft and silky.Maybe it wasn’t real hair, after all, but it was definitely one of the finest materials Sloan could purchase. Perhaps it was custom made.
