As she released Kenzie, Chloe glanced at Presley, seeing her downcast gaze. Chloe had the feeling that while Presley was mostly happy, sadness lived in her, too. And Chloe supposed she could understand—Presley didn’t have a ring on her finger.
Thinking it not her place to comfort Presley, since she didn’t know her, she returned to her seat as Ella asked, “How are things going with Sawyer? You guys make a cute couple.”
“Things are going great.” She took another sip. “And they’re also confusing.”
Cora frowned. “Confusing how?”
Chloe nibbled her lip, wondering how much to say. Everyone here belonged to the sex club. They were all kinky and understood Sawyer better than she did in that way. “I’m just not sure…”
“You’re like us?” Kenzie offered.
Chloe smiled. “Something like that.”
“But isn’t that okay now?” Presley asked.
Chloe glanced from face to face, taking in their expressions. “What do you mean?”
The girls shared a perplexed look before Kenzie said, “Sawyer left our club for you.”
“He what?” Chloe sputtered.
Cora nodded. “Aidan called me a bit ago and said that Sawyer told them he wouldn’t be attending the club anymore.”
“I see.” Chloe glanced at the wineglass in her hands, feeling sadness swell inside her. “I didn’t know he was planning to do that.”
“Look, don’t let that upset you,” Cora said, drawing Chloe’s gaze. “It shouldn’t. Sawyer is happy with you. He’s found something better in you than what he gets in the club. Believe me, it’s a decision he wouldn’t have taken lightly.”
“Yeah, but you’re all his friends,” Chloe retorted, a thick lump in her throat. “He’s leaving all his friends for me. I don’t like that.”
“So what?” Kenzie quipped in her sassy way. “We were his friends before and we’ll still be his friends. Not much will change except he won’t be at the club. We still do a lot of things outside of the club. And maybe this will make us do even more.”
While that made sense, Chloe didn’t like that he was walking away from a life that gave him stability. In fact, this was exactly what she hadn’t wanted. In the club, she didn’t know if she could be what he neede
d. Out of it, she was even more unsure.
Presley reached over, taking Chloe’s hand. “Why does that upset you so much? I would think this would be good news.”
“I mean, it’s sweet of him.” Chloe squeezed Presley’s hand before releasing it. She really appreciated these women and their openness. Yet somehow the kindness they showed only made her feel shittier. “To put me first like this should be what I want, but—”
“Let me stop you there,” Kenzie said. “A Dom would never, and I mean never, do something that he didn’t think was in the best interests of both his…um, girlfriend and himself. Sawyer knows what he’s doing. So stop looking like the world has come to an end.”
Chloe laughed it off, not wanting to be a downer on their girls’ night. She wanted the women to know how fun she could be and how much she appreciated them including her. “Okay. You’re right. I’m sure he’ll tell me about it later.”
Yet as the girls shifted topics and began chatting among themselves about Cora’s pregnancy and Kenzie’s engagement, her thoughts returned to the fact that she’d changed Sawyer. He had left his club because of her, because she couldn’t see herself in that lifestyle.
Was that fair?
He was kinky. He liked being in control. She couldn’t help but ask herself, Why is he so willing to change for me, but I can’t change for him?
Chapter 17
The following day, Sawyer arrived home to see another, most unexpected car in his driveway. He parked behind the white Volkswagen Golf, then stepped from his truck into the hot night to find Chloe sitting in the driver’s seat. He leaned down into her open window. “This is a nice surprise.”
She startled, her hand coming to her chest. “Oh, my God!”
Sawyer chuckled, thinking she must’ve been stuck in her head if she hadn’t noticed his truck pulling in behind her. While he understood her being jumpy, he didn’t like the darkness in her face. Perplexed, he opened her car door. “Come on inside.”
He noted how shaky her hands were as she pulled her keys from the ignition and placed them in her purse. His chest tightened; something seemed off. Her brows were drawn together, the usual blush not showing when he raised his hand to her cheek. Nor did she melt into him when he dropped a quick kiss onto her mouth.