“Step two is him directing a scene?”
“I think so.”
“Possible ideas are either do something with the students again or maybe Fulton can approach him about something involving us. We don’t want to use the students too much or he might catch on.”
“You’re going to bring Fulton into this?” She wasn’t sure what the Master Professor would think.
“Maybe not the whole game plan, but definitely some parts of it. I think if it were only the two of us, Lennox might catch on that we’re up to something, but if we bring Fulton in?”
“Okay, you have a point.”
“Should we ask him how he feels after each step?”
“If we do, it has to be in a roundabout manner. You know, something like, ‘Oh my god, are you okay?’ More that kind of thing instead of, ‘Tell me how it felt when the Dom used the flogger the way you asked.’”
Because Mariela knew how the latter would go. She could hear him. “Not another damn therapy session, Marie.”
Andie tapped the pen on the pad. “See? Here’s where it gets a bit iffy. After he directs a scene, what’s the next step? Will he be ready to be an active participant in one?”
“Smaller baby steps,” Mariela reminded her. “I say we find a way to have him assist in a scene. That way he’s not the lead, and if we make it that it’s his idea, he’s only helping. In his mind, that would be far different than being in a scene for his own pleasure.”
“Good point, and it may be that we have him assist in several scenes before we think about trying to set him up on one where he’s the only Dom.”
Mariela nodded. “We’ll have to play that part by ear. Adjust if needed.”
“Yes, and hopefully, by the time he’s assisted in a few scenes, he’ll be ready to play one-on-one. We can see how things are going and decide if we want to bring another submissive in or if you want to do it.”
Would they even get to that point? Mariela had her doubts. Sure, the plan looked good on paper, but there were so many pieces and so many things along the way that could go wrong. Plus the big question mark was how was Lennox going to act? If at any point he made up his mind he didn’t want to do something, there would be no persuading him and the plan would go straight to hell.
“You’re worried,” Andie said. “Don’t be. We have this all under control. And with the two of us as masterminds, I promise it won’t be long before you have him eating out of your hands.”
“I hope so.” But she still wasn’t sure.
“I don’t even want to know what you two are plotting, do I?” Fulton asked from the doorway.
“Probably not,” Andie replied. “Probable deniability and all that.”
“Probable deniability? Lord help me, woman, you aren’t going to have us wind up in jail, are you?”
“Oh no. I’m not planning anything illegal,” Andie said.
“Let me ask another question. You aren’t going to get us fired, are you?”
“Mmm.” Andie put a finger to her lips. “That’s more likely than jail time, but still an unlikely possibility.”
He crossed his arms and cocked an eyebrow at his sub.
Andie held her hand up, as if taking an oath. “I hereby solemnly swear, I am planning something for the betterment of mankind and, if it goes according to plan, it will improve the academy as well. Trust me.”
“Okay, but if I hear anything that sounds remotely like it’s a bad idea, you’re going to tell me everything.”
“Deal.”
“Mariela?” Fulton asked.
She blinked innocently. “I can neither confirm nor deny I have anything to do with this.”
“You don’t have to confirm it, it’s written all over your face.”
“Damn, and I thought I washed that off this morning.”
Andie ripped the paper she’d been writing on from the pad, folded it, and handed it to Mariela. “So,” she said, looking at Fulton, who didn’t miss the handoff. “What’s up?”
He looked at his watch. “We need to head out if we’re going to have dinner at that place on the mainland you wanted to try and still have time to run by the market and get back before dark.”
Andie looked at Mariela. “Date night before the staff comes back.”
She waved the couple out the door. “You two go. Have fun. Get a hotel room for the night if you want.”
But Andie hesitated, looking up at Fulton and asking a silent question. He nodded.
“You could come with us if you wanted to. Just dinner and the market,” Andie said.
“You just said it was date night, so no. I won’t intrude. Besides, I don’t like the mainland.”
Though she thought it was awfully nice of Andie to think of her, she’d been the third wheel enough. A lifetime of memories threatened to overtake her, but she forced them back into the past where they belonged. No more. She had promised herself she would never be the third wheel again.
And it wasn’t a lie that she didn’t like the mainland. It would be just fine for her to never leave the island again. The mainland held too many memories. On the island, it was easier to shove them away and leave them in the past. But the mainland was a different story. On the mainland, they would refuse to stay buried.
Maybe it made her weak. Maybe it said something about her character, but regardless, she wasn’t going to face them today.
“If you’re sure?” Andie slid her hand in Fulton’s. He leaned down and whispered in her ear. Probably about how she rarely left the island. She’d told Fulton and Andie part of her history with Lennox and Winnie, but she’d left out that part. Fulton would know, though. Simply from working with her for years.
“Positive. I’ll be just fine here. I have some work I need to take care of and a few plans to think through.” She gave Andie a wink.
“Okay. Bye!” Andie called over her shoulder as Fulton led her out the door. Mariela couldn’t help but smile as Andie giggled over something Fulton said. Those two were made for each other. You only had to look at them together to see it.
Mariela sat down with a sigh and straightened out the paper Andie had jotted their plan on. Would it work? Was it enough to revive a long dormant Dom? And if so, was it enough to possibly have him notice her in a sexual way for the first time? Why did she possibly think this would work now when nothing she’d ever tried in the past had?
She sat staring at the paper for a long time, and it wasn’t until she heard footsteps in the hallway outside that she realized it was Friday night.
And Lennox was headed to the mainland.
• • •
LENNOX DIDN’T MISS the fact that Mariela was still in her office as he walked down the hall on his way out of the academy. He had waited until Fulton and Andie left because he didn’t want to be on the same boat with them. He thought briefly about stopping and apologizing to Marie, but decided not to. Considering where he was going, he didn’t think it wise to see her first. Maybe that made him a coward, but he knew he’d either see pity or disgust in her eyes and he didn’t think he could bear either.
If he stopped and thought about it, he might feel bad. That’s why he kept moving. He viewed his Friday nights off the island as a necessary evil. Something he had to do to ensure he didn’t give in to his Dominant tendencies.
Because he knew he could not give in, he could not let the beast inside of him go. Could not set it free. Therefore, he had to do the next best thing. And that was to release his sexual tension with a willing woman, one he had no claim on.
He wasn’t proud of his nights away from the island, but he had long ago decided they were better than the alternative. Because he could in no way allow too much time to pass between nights where he sought some kind of physical satisfaction.
As he normally did when traveling on personal business, he bypassed the academy boat and took his own. Once he was on his way and plowing through the water, he though
t about Marie. He wondered