Page 5 of Man Cuffed
“I hope so. I asked someone out today. On a date.”
My hands freeze on the box I’m folding up. “What? Already?”
“Yup. I told you we can’t waste time. So I just went for it in the dentist’s office.”
“The...really?” God, I hope she didn’t proposition the dentist. If he’s a bad kisser she’ll have to switch dentists. That sounds really inconvenient.
“He was waiting to see the hygienist at the same time I was. His name is Greg.”
“Greg,” I repeat slowly. “He sounds very clean.”
Cassidy laughs suddenly. “Hewasvery clean, now that you mention it. Silly me, I took that as a good sign. And maybe it is. Maybe he has straight teeth and tidy hair and a wonderfully dirty mind.” Her eyes are sparkling. “You’re going to be so jealous.”
I laugh because it’s true. “When’s the big event?”
“Well, we’re going out on Friday.”
“Wear the nice lingerie on Friday!” I chirp.
But Cassidy looks scandalized. “No way! That’s the first date. He doesn’t get to see my undies until at least the third.”
“The third?” I don’t know if I’m cut out for dating like a responsible adult.
“The third,” she repeats firmly. “If he won’t even wait a couple weeks for the main event, then how could he possibly be relationship material?”
“I suppose you have a point. Although this process is going to take longer than I thought.”
“What do you mean?”
“If responsible dating means three dates before nookie, how are we going to weed out the losers? The two-pump chumps? The sixty-eights?”
“The—what?”
“Can’t quite be bothered with sixty-nine?”
Cassidy blushes furiously. “It’s not a perfect system,” she admits. “But impatience hasn’t worked for us. So I think we have to try a little restraint.”
She’s making plenty of sense. It’s just that restraint isn’t my strongest attribute. “Hey, speaking of restraint?” I drop my voice and point at the living room wall. “My new neighbor tied up his girlfriend last night. With handcuffs.”
“What?” Cassidy whispers back. “How do you know?”
“Thin walls.” I move closer to her and sit down on the floor, so we can’t be overheard. “I had some music playing, so I didn’t hear them getting started. But when the playlist ended, I heard moaning.”
“No way.” My friend’s eyes are as wide as dinner plates.
“Way. And after a while she said, ‘Go get the cuffs, tough guy.’ And I guess he did, because she sounded very satisfied with the results.”
“H-how satisfied?” Cassidy squeaks.
“She’s a screamer,” I whisper. “If I ever meet them in the elevator, eye contact is going to be a challenge.”
Cassidy giggles. “Is he a screamer, too?”
“No, but…” I pause, wondering if I can even do him justice. “He has this deep, growly voice, Cass. He was ordering her around. I couldn’t hear the words, but…” I shiver. There’s no way to describe the effect that voice had on me. It was so masculine and commanding.
Not to mention the deep, agonized groan at the end. I get another shiver just remembering it.
“Who lives there?” Cassidy asks.
