The Dom With a Safeword (12 page)

“You wanted honesty,” he answered.

Well now she’d screwed herself good. “I did. I mean, I do.” She inhaled a breath then
released it slowly. Okay, she could
give him this. “Um, well, I’m addicted to diet cola. I love watching dance shows though I couldn’t dance to save my life.”

His soft chuckle made her smile.

“The way into my heart is through humor and chocolate,” she said, shifting her body into a more comfortable position on the couch.

“Mental note,” Jude said. “Buy giant box of chocolate.”

She laughed then noticed Q standing just outside the living, watching her with a grin. Sabrina waved her over but she motioned she was going to bed. Sabrina blew her a kiss with a wink and Q walked away, smiling and shaking her head. She turned her attention to Jude.

For the next hour, they talked. About her big Italian family that made The Sopranos look sane, the best places in town to get seafood, their shared passion for cheesy B-movies on the sci-fi channel. She didn’t get to her hopes and dreams before Jude had to go, but she felt as if she knew him – on a deeper level than just a sexy potential Dom. And for the first time in a long time, she had an inkling of hope for her love life.

Chapter 7

Sabrina

Sabrina ran her hands over her long,
flowy
black dress, smoothing out a few crinkles. The top swooped low and the straps tied on her shoulders – which she’d double knotted – but she was hoping the length would save her.

Tonight was séance night. She’d been waiting for it for days with an equal sense of excitement and foreboding. She could, potentially, reach a spirit tonight – one who she’d know the name and history for.

It was also just as likely she’d be ravished tonight. No, wait. More likely. Hence the long dress. When she wore sundresses and short skirts, she could practically see the wheels turning in Q’s head. It would be so easy for her to reach a hand under the short fabric and…

She forced those thoughts away before she needed a date with her B.O.B. Again. Ever since that afternoon at Jude’s house, she’d needed her purple friend far more than usual. The memory of her forced against Jude’s body, wrists wrapped tight in the cuffs, Q’s soft lips
against her skin… She shivered.

And that closet. It both terrified and titillated. Some of Q’s sexual habits must’ve rubbed off on her since living together. Q should have mentioned that before they signed the lease – not that it would have changed her mind.

Well, she’d get it all out of her system this summer. She only hoped Q could go back to being friends when it was over. Because it
would
end. There was no choice about it. She could picture her mother fainting then spending every evening in church, praying for her soul. Her entire extended family would find out within hours. She’d be ostracized at every family event, and even though nobody would say anything to her face, the whispers would be hard to ignore. It had happened to her cousi
n, Anthony, when he’d come out.

“Sabrina!” Q knocked on the bathroom door. “I’m sure you look gorgeous. It’s time to go.”

She tucked her hair behind her ears with a sigh then walked out of the bathroom.

Q ran her gaze over Sabrina’s outfit, looking like she was holding back a smile.

“What?” Sabrina peered down at herself. “You don’t like what I’m wearing?”

She bit her lip and her eyes gleamed with mischief. “No, the dress is fine.” She walked closer and brushed Sabrina’s hair off her shoulder
then fingered the dress strap.

She shuddered. Q’s recent habit of touching her often – running her fingers across her lower back when she walked by or touching her cheek when she told her she was beautiful – was driving he
r to distraction.
To her shame, she had run the batteries out in her purple friend yesterday.

“You look beautiful,” Q said as she tucked a lock of Sabrina’s hair behind her ear.

Sabrina rolled her eyes.
There she goes again.
“You ready?”

“Yes.”

She looked Q over and sighed. When was she going to get a new wardrobe? “Black shirt and jeans,” she mumbled. “What a surprise.”

Q arched a brow. “Jude doesn’t seem to mind.”

“He was probably picturing what was underneath.”

She chuckled and held open the front door. When Sabrina went past her, Q swatted her ass. She threw an indignant look over her shoulder. She could almost feel Q’s satisfied grin at her back all the way to the parked car.

“We’ll take mine,” Q said then pressed the unlock button on the key remote.

They drove in silence, Sabrina picking at her nails to relieve her nerves.

“What are you so nervous about, girly?” Q asked.

That you and Jude will convince me – by the unfair means of making me so horny I could probably come with one stroke – to let you do naughty things to my body.
She gulped. “Nothing.”

Q put a hand on her knee and she jerked. A chuckle came from beside her. “You’re not scared, are you?”

Sabrina froze.

“Of the séance, of course,” she added.

She exhaled a breath. “A little,” she admitted, unsure whether she was answering about the séance or…other things. There was no doubt in her mind, Jude and Q had nefarious plans for her. Plans that made ghost hunting look like child’s play.

Q gave her knee a squeeze. “I’ll be with you. Through all of it.”

Sabrina smiled. Yes. This was Q. Just her Q. They always looked out for each other. That hadn’t changed. Not even after their drunken agreement to try being girlfriends for the summer.

They pulled up in front of Jude’s house and parked the car. The front porch light was a relief to see on the dark moonless night. No blown fuses for the séance would make things more relaxed for all of them. Sabrina grabbed her bag from the back seat and they walked to the door.

Jude was there, holding it open. She looked him over, appreciating his muscular body again, covered in a fitted black t-shirt. That gave her pause. The last two times she’d seen Jude, he’d been wearing a black shirt and jeans. He was tall, kinky, and liked heavy metal. He even had blue eyes. Q and Jude were the perfect pair. Sabrina’s heart sank. Yeah, maybe their little fling was only for the summer, but who wanted to be the third wheel? Maybe this wasn’t going to work after all.

“You coming, Jersey girl?” Jude slung an arm around her petite shoulders.

Oddly, she felt cozy there in the crook of his arm. She bit her lip and tightened her grip on her bag. No going back now.

After he dragged her inside, she spotted Q texting on her phone, a frustrated look on her face. “Q!” She scooted out from under Jude’s heavy arm, placed her equipment bag on the floor, and crossed the room. “Is that
Nico
again?” she demanded, peering over Q’s shoulder.

“Calm down.” She placed the phone back in her pocket. “I’m just clearing up a few things. Everything is fine.”

Sabrina glared. Q grinned. She almost stomped a foot. It wasn’t fair that Q was so difficult to intimidate.

“So what do we need for this séance?” Jude interrupted their stare-down. “Candles? Ouija board?” He smiled slyly. “Virgin sacrifice?”

“No, smart ass.” If they were going to make fun of her, she was going to get downright
pissy
. “Just a round or oval table will do.”

He nodded. “Dining room then.”

They started through the living room then Q sighed and whipped out her phone. It was vibrating. Sabrina growled. Q had no sense when it came to her ex. She should’ve told him off a long time ago then changed her phone number.

“Ugh,” Q grunted, staring at the screen. “He wants to stop by my photo shoot tomorrow. Hang on a sec. I just want to settle this before we start.”

“Q…” Sabrina started, revving up for a fight.

“I promise I’ll turn it off for the séance,” Q said, her hands up in a peaceful gesture. “Just get everything ready and I’ll be right back.” She was already dialing as she walked through the living room and outside.

Sabrina continued to glare in her direction several seconds after she’d gone.

Jude’s voice interrupted her soon-to-be violent thoughts. “I take it you don’t like this
Nico
guy.”

She watched Q’s slender shape pace back and forth in front of the screen door. “I don’t trust him for shit.”

He stiffened beside her. “Is he harassing her?”

“No. But he wants to get back together. Major asshole.” It was after they’d broken up that Q moved in with Sabrina. She’d seen first-hand the mess
Nico
had left behind. “Q is too nice to tell him to fuck off.” And she wouldn’t let Sabrina do it for her either.

“She doesn’t seem like the type to take shit.”

Sabrina turned-on Jude, putting a little bite in her voice she told him, “Q is the nicest person I’ve ever met. She would never hurt somebody’s feelings on purpose.” She turned back to face the porch. “She’s too nice. I tell her so all the time.”

“And you’re not?”

“I don’t have those concerns when it comes to people I don’t like.”

He chuckled. “You made that quite clear with
your little threat last week.”

She looked up at him with narrowed eyes. “It’s still true.”

“I’m very intimidated,” he said, not sounding the least bit intimidated. “But you don’t have to worry about me hurting Q. I have no intentions of hurting either one of you. At least not in ways you don’t want me to.” A glint of humor hit his eyes.

“Huh?” Did he say hurt?

“You protect each other,” he continued, ignoring her bewilderment. “It’s sweet.”

She shrugged. “She’s one of my only friends. I don’t want to lose her.” She thought of their summer plan. Not many people could remain friends after trying something more. Was she doomed to lose her best friend?

No. Q had promised. They’d be friends, no matter what. “I won’t let anything get in the way of our friendship,” she muttered.

A strong hand came under her chin and lifted it. Warm blue eyes stared down at her. She sucked in a breath, letting his scent fill her. Masculine yet sweet. It made her want to wrap
herself in it after a long day.

“You won’t lose her, Sabrina,” he said with a heart-stopping smile. “She’s very attached to you.”

Attached? That made her feel as warm and fuzzy as Jude stroking her cheek with his thumb did. Crushing on two people at the same time? She squeezed her eyes shut. It was too much to handle.

Jude let her go and she opened her eyes. He’d stepped back, as if sensing her confusion. “So how did you two meet?”

She inhaled a deep breath, pulling herself together. “An art class at college. We have the same silly sense of humor.”

A wide smile crept onto her face when she remembered their very first conversation. They’d both ended up in the same
PhotoShop
class. Sabrina noticed Q swearing under her breath while learning how to make subtle changes to body parts. She had a knack for the program, which was how she turned out majoring in graphic design. So she offered Q some help. After looking at Q’s project, she burst into a laughing fit that left her almost crying. Q had managed to make the model’s nose look like a dick. When she insisted it had looked like that before she started the project, they both erupted into giggles and Sabrina knew she’d found a kindred spirit.

Sabrina cleared her head and looked up at Jude. “We clicked right away and have been inseparable ever since.”

He nodded. “You make an interesting pair.”

Pair? She opened her mouth to correct him but Q interrupted her.

“Sorry,” she said with a remorseful expression then looked at Sabrina and smiled. “Don’t pout, gorgeous. I’m done now.”

Q turned her phone to show Sabrina she’d shut it off. It frustrated her that Q didn’t even understand what Sabrina was upset about. She let Q protect her, fight her battles at times. Sabrina wanted to do the same for her once in a while. But she couldn’t force Q to look after her own heart. Sabrina would just have to be there to put it back together when it broke again.

She sighed. “Let’s just get started.”

The dining room was in a sad state of affairs. Similar to the rest of the unrepaired rooms, cracks ran the length of the dank and stained walls. A long sturdy-looking table sat in the middle of the room, three mismatched chairs around it. It wasn’t ideal, but it would do.

Sabrina pulled a sunny yellow table cloth from her bag and placed it on the table. It didn’t quite fit, but it was better than nothing. She searched for the sage bundle and lighter next.

“What’s with the florescent table cloth?” Q asked with a grimace.

She fumbled with the lighter before it lit, setting the
sage
aglow. “Spirits are attracted to bright colors.”

Jude coughed as she waved the smoking bundle. “Good thing I didn’t install smoke detectors yet.”

“It’ll protect us from any spirits who want to harm us,” she explained. After burning half the bundle she blew it out and placed it back in her bag. “And these candles,” she set three pink candles on the table, “will attract the good spirits because they like heat and light.”