First

‘I’m shopping. And you still haven’t said what’s wrong.’

His sigh is shaky. My concern grows. ‘Is Jake—?’

‘Your brother’s fine. I just got off work.’

I check the time. ‘Isn’t that kind of late?’

‘I had to stick around because one of the guys just got here. There was a bad pile-up near the school. I didn’t know—’

The knot in my stomach eases. ‘I’m fine, Dally,’ I say softly. ‘I promise I’m nowhere near there.’

‘Fuck …’ I silently listen to him breathe. Eventually he asks, ‘Where are you, brown eyes?’

‘Umm …’

‘Umm isn’t a place.’

‘I’m shopping … You know, for our big night.’

I’ve always liked Dally’s laugh, but hearing it this time is even better. There’s an undercurrent there, a shared joke, one no one else listening would understand. As overwhelmed as I may feel in this store, Dally’s reaction makes it worth it.

‘You don’t have to go out and buy anything special, Cat.’

‘Have you been reading tons of magazine articles to figure out exactly what’s needed?’

‘Hell no. But the concept’s not that difficult. Plenty of lubricant. Part A goes in Slot B.’

‘You know how much I love when you go all dirty mechanic on me,’ I quip as I wander past the lingerie toward the second half of the store.

The satin masks of the near aisle beckon. I admire them. They look more like sleep masks than something that would be related to sex. I keep moving down the aisle, shock rising when the masks turn into leather straps. And then some really strange masks. And some spiky things looking like they belong in a medieval torture chamber. And … What the devil is that?

I inspect the strange item, but there’s no tag and I’m sure as hell not asking the saleswoman for help. ‘Dally, if I send you a picture of something, could you tell me what it’s for?’

He sighs. ‘If you don’t know what it’s for, you definitely shouldn’t be getting it. There are some weird types of lube out there …’

I ignore the rest of his lecture, letting him ramble on as I take a pic and send it to him.

He gets it a moment later because he grumbles, ‘Hang on.’

His bark of laughter is loud enough I have to hold the phone from my ear. I wait until it subsides and ask, ‘What is it?’

‘Did you actually go to a fucking adult store? Put that back on the shelf.’

‘Why?’

‘Trust me, you want to put it back.’

I do as he orders, still a little confused.

‘Did you do it?’

‘Yeah. Now will you tell me what it’s for?’ There are some others on the same shelf, different sizes and colours. I look more closely at them, wondering what I’m missing.

‘It’s a ball gag.’

I rear back from the display. ‘Gag? Like, to put in your mouth?’

He’s snorting from trying to contain his laughter at my horror. I clutch at my phone, cheeks burning, as I back away from the ball gags. ‘There’s sex that requires you to gag people? That can’t be healthy!’