The Law of Attraction
Page 57

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
It took some searching but we finally found what we needed at a place called Tony’s Fantasy Land. It was a little scary finding out what other people fantasized about.
“Who has fantasies about being a tampon?” Jess asked, looking over a long white fleece tube.
“People are weird,” I answered.
“Wasn’t there a member of the royal family years ago?” Cam asked.
“Don’t talk about it. The poor man will never live that down,” I replied.
“What in the hell is that?” I asked.
“I believe that’s a dildo, in size,” Cam checked a label, “men’s extra-large.”
“I think I see a pattern here,” Jess offered.
“Newsflash, men fantasize about being inside women’s vaginas,” I said dryly.
“Oh look! A naughty nurse costume. I think I like that one,” Cam said with a smile.
“I don’t think it would fit you.” Jess laughed.
“A nun?” I asked.
“To a priest that might be pretty enticing,” Cam explained.
“Hmm. Here’s your pirate suit, Cam,” I teased.
“And here’s a wench costume. Which one of you wants to put it on for me?”
“I found one! Sexy school teacher,” Jess announced.
“Do they have two of them?”
“No, just one, and one naughty school boy.”
“I guess that I’ll have to go for another dominatrix look,” I said, disappointed.
“The S&M stuff is in the next room,” Cam shared.
“You’ve been here before, haven’t you?” I joked.
“There’s a sign over the door,” he said defensively.
Finally I found a pair of shiny rubber hot pants, (Who knew that hot pants came in rubber?) a patent leather bustier and some boots that I think that Gene Simmons from KISS once wore. It had a matching leather mask. I imagined that this was a very stylish ensemble in the BDSM world. Cam picked out some leather pants, a leather vest, leather hat and a collar. I really hoped that he didn’t run into any more of his clients, dressed like that. We also grabbed a black wig for Jess and masks for them and for Mark. Ah, if Bubbe could see me now! When we got back to our place, after picking up Bruno of course, we ordered Chinese and went over the plan.
We would sit Mark down, tell him about the notes, describe the cast of characters and explain why we needed to be careful about suggesting anything without some kind of proof. Then we would outline our plan, which was fairly simple. Mark and Jess would go in as a couple. Jess would approach Cole, tell him he was a bad boy and that she wanted him to write down all of the nasty things he had done. If necessary, she would spank him with a ruler. Then they were out of there. How bad could that be, right? Yeah, I know. Those famous last words again.
Since it was Friday night Cam and Jess decided to go out for a drink. I stayed in and tried to relax. Bruno happily kept me company but he seemed a little perplexed about the fact that Daddy wasn’t around. He kept going to the door and sniffing around the covers on Braden’s side of the bed.
Wow, suddenly that sunk in. Braden had a side of the bed. We had been together for a month and we were a real couple. We had survived our first argument – even if it wasn’t a very big one. We had talked about the future; we had met each other’s parents and we shared a dog. Although we still argued in court, still did plenty of naughty sexy things and still engaged in plenty of snarky banter, we had also developed a very natural affection with each other and we had both acknowledged that this relationship was special and that we wanted to be together for a very long time. I knew what it meant, and I wanted to tell him, but I was still kind of scared to go there. That night I watched a documentary as Bruno snuggled into his doggy bed and I waited for Braden to call.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
“Hey, sexy.”
“Hey. Partying down with all the law enforcement types?”
“Yeah. They can be a wild bunch.”
“Are the women hitting on you?”
“I’ve made it very clear that I have a girlfriend.” So they were. It figured. “Why? Are you jealous?” He sounded amused.
“Of course,” I admitted.
“Well now you know how I feel.”
“What because a bunch of drunk MBA types tried to pick me up at O’Malley’s?”
“No, because Cameron was the first guy you were ever with.” Oh, that. Suddenly, I realized that Braden hadn’t only become more possessive lately because he was worried about me. He was jealous, and amazingly enough, he felt a little insecure. I wanted to reassure him. I was going to work up the nerve to say “those words” soon.
“That was years ago and it was only one time. I didn’t even have a happy ending — in any way.”
“You didn’t?”
“No, I had no idea what I was doing and it was slightly uncomfortable. Besides, Cameron and I were both beer buzzed. It was very much a college hook-up, nothing at all like what you and I have together. I’ve told you before, you’re the best partner I’ve ever had. You’re the first guy who can get me there just by being inside me.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, and not only that, but I’ve never had more than one happy ending in a night and I’ve had up to six with you.”
“Seven,” he corrected.
“You counted?”
“I just happened to notice.”
“It’s not just your technical skills. You and I always seem to be in sync.”
“Well, while I will admit that does kind of make me feel better, I wasn’t just talking about sex, Gabrielle. Obviously you must have cared about him or you wouldn’t have slept with him, whether you were beer buzzed or not, not the first time.”
“He was my friend and I was infatuated with him. I was eighteen years old.”
“Now you’re both grown up and he’s your friend and he works with you every day. What if you start to feel something for him again?”
“Braden, eight years ago I had a crush on a cute boy. Now I have much deeper feelings for an incredibly sexy man – and just for the record, I mean you, not Cam.”
“Well, that’s good to hear because I don’t want to lose you.”
“You’re not going to. I’ll be with you as long as you can put up with me.”
“I’m never going to stop wanting you, Gabrielle.” This conversation was getting very intense. As if on cue, I heard a voice in the background.