‘Oh. How does that work then?’
‘It’s complicated.’ Justin smiled charmingly. ‘But then, so are we. So are you, I think. We have a network of close friends and playmates. Some of them are lovers, in a full sense. Some of them just like to come along when there’s a big group scene planned. Horses for courses. Horsewhips for friendships.’
‘Heh.’ The chuckle was a punctuation mark. I had no idea what to do with this information. Did I have to do anything with it?
‘So, J is j
ust saying,’ Maz took up the baton. ‘If you found yourself needing a bit of action of any kind, you know, we’d be happy to oblige. Either or both of us, if you see what I mean.’
‘I’m sorry.’ Justin put a hand on mine and I flushed all over. ‘We’ve frightened you off, haven’t we? Look, forget it, Keris. Some people are cut out for monogamy and some aren’t. No judgements. If you’re a one-man woman, that’s cool. We just thought it would be a shame, if you weren’t, to let a gorgeous unattached submissive woman like you slip away without mentioning the possibilities. Still friends?’
I flicked my eyes up at him. His pout, his spectacles, his ruffled brown hair, his taut man’s arms.
‘I’m not frightened,’ I said. ‘Just curious.’
Maz shuffled up closer to me, her denimed hip nudging mine.
‘Curiosity is good,’ she said. ‘We can work with curiosity.’
‘What sort of thing … I mean … How would it work – if I was to – in theory …’
Justin stemmed the flow of verbal diarrhoea, squeezing my hand.
‘It would work any way you wanted. We can fit around your fantasies, unless they’re further out there than ours – which is unlikely, if I’m honest. Whatever you’ve never done, whatever you’ve dreamed of doing … Just say the word.’
What an offer. The remnants of my common sense suggested that I thank them politely for their interest, take their mobile phone numbers and make my goodbyes. The rest of me, plus beer, had different ideas.
‘Well, you know, I’ve come to a Munch. I think the interest in spanking is a given,’ I said coyly.
Maz giggled and did a sort of excitable wriggle beside me.
‘We kinda figured, and believe me, Justin is the best spanker around. He’s a thinker – I reckon thinkers make great spankers, don’t you?’
‘It’s the appliance of science,’ he said, with yet another knicker-soaker of a smile.
Oh God. Apply that science to my backside. Apply it good and hard.
‘So … I might be in the market,’ I said haltingly. ‘For a, y’know, just something to tide me over while I’m waiting for something more permanent.’
‘A stop-gap.’ Justin pouted cartoonishly. ‘Aww.’ He brightened, winking. ‘No, that’s cool. Absolutely. I can do that. So … Do you want to fix a time and place? And do you want just me, or is there any way Maz can get involved?’
‘Well …’ Fuck. Now the contract was on the table, I didn’t know what clauses I wanted to include. ‘Why don’t I invite you two round for supper? Friday night. We can take it from there.’
‘Terrific!’ Maz squeaked. ‘I can’t wait. We’ll bring our toybox, right, J?’
Play? Toys? Was this just another way of deferring adulthood? I didn’t know. And right then, neither did I care.
Chapter Five
BY FRIDAY NIGHT, however, I was beginning to care.
Superhead invited me for a drink after the rehearsal again but I had to turn him down, so absorbed in getting to Sainsbury’s and stocking up for the night’s festivities was I. What did kinksters like to eat and drink? Kittens and absinthe? I settled on an easy pot-roast recipe, followed by a light pudding of mixed berries and cream. Didn’t want everyone too replete to – er, whatever. And an Australian Shiraz, to make Maz feel at home. Presumably they would bring a bottle or two themselves, and I had a few sticky bottles of old spirits knocking around the flat in case wine wasn’t a popular choice. Once again, it wouldn’t do to be getting too tipsy too quickly.
Back at the flat, I fell into a frenzy of decluttering and organisation of space. How should the furniture be arranged, if there was going to be kink? Should the floor be clear? Should I move the coffee table? Was there any free-standing piece of furniture to which handcuffs could be safely affixed?
I forced myself into the kitchen to attend to peeling vegetables instead. If things happened, they would happen. Trying to predict the evening’s events would just drive me into a state of nervous collapse. I needed to relax, take it easy. Maybe a glass of that Australian Shiraz …
By the time the bell rang, the flat smelled delicious and I was equally fragrant, dressed in a slinky black halterneck dress and stockings. Even if nothing happened, it seemed best to be prepared.