“I know he’s a good man. But I want to take this class, and that seems to be a real sticking point for him,” Noelle admitted.
“Oh.” Erin looked to Laurel, who nodded as though she understood. “He’s worried he’s going to lose you in all of this.”
“Training is pretty intense,” Laurel acknowledged. “The good news is it’s not forever, and you could get through it and still want to see him on the other side.”
Would he still want to see her? Or would he resent her for going through with the class? Would he always wonder if she’d slept with her training Dom and let jealousy come between them? She’d known guys like that.
“Hey, Noelle.” Kyle strode up beside a stunning man with vibrant green eyes and black hair. He wasn’t as big as Kyle, but he was fit. “I wanted to introduce you to your partner for the class. This is Jeff. Jeff, this is Noelle.”
Jeff was drop-dead gorgeous, but there was something cold about him. She’d placed her right crutch against the wall after she’d gotten to the dungeon floor. She could make it with one on the even surface. She held out her hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”
He shook it and gave her a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “You, too, Noelle. I look forward to getting to know you.”
“I look forward to getting to know how Kyle got hold of the partner list.” Erin stared a hole through Kyle.
Kyle gave her a grin that made him look younger. He almost always seemed serious, but every now and then he’d smile and it lit up his face. “I wouldn’t be good at my job if I couldn’t even figure out where Kai’s group keeps their lists, would I?”
Laurel shook her head. “Make sure Mistress Lea doesn’t find out or you’ll be on that hamster wheel.”
Kyle merely slapped his perfectly muscled abs. “I can handle it. The way Hutch and this one here cook, I’m going to be pudgy if I don’t watch it. Noelle makes the world’s best chocolate chip cookies. Do not tell my mom. She’s proud of hers, but Noelle’s are better.”
Kyle really could eat. Hutch could, too. The last few days she’d gone through most of the dough she’d frozen thinking it would last her for a couple of months. She’d made chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies, and she was planning on orange rolls for Saturday morning. She loved to bake and had forgotten how much fun it was to watch someone enjoy the fruits of her labor.
The sweets. Hutch thought she was sweet.
Jeff backed away. “I guess I’ll see you soon.”
Noelle nodded and watched as he walked away.
“He’s hot.” Laurel was watching him, too. “No wonder Hutch is worried.”
“Hutch doesn’t know,” Erin insisted. “And I’m going to talk to Grace about not spanking her boy enough. That one is going to be trouble. I should go and make sure the sample contracts are ready. Noelle, if you have any trouble at all, feel free to talk to me or Laurel. Even if you just get a bad vibe off someone.”
She wasn’t sure what Erin was talking about, but the woman was still watching Kyle and Jeff as they approached the tall Domme who was teaching the class. Mistress Lea wore her chestnut brown hair in a severe bun. She also wore some spectacular stiletto heeled boots that came up over her knees and made her legs look a million miles long.
“I’m going to make sure everything’s ready, sweetie.” Laurel stepped back. “And I won’t tell your mom about Hutch. Sorry, stepmom. I really do think of you as family.”
Noelle had to smile. “You, too, Aunt Laurel, but we’re a weird family because you’re now my kink aunt, too.”
“Just know that Uncle Mitch will be avoiding you at all costs.” Laurel gave her a wink. “Have fun tonight.”
Laurel walked off and Noelle said hi to a couple of the women she’d met in the locker room. They were all buzzing, talking, wondering which of the yummy Doms they were going to get paired with and how fantastic the Mistress looked.
But the gorgeous Domme had moved her talk outside. She watched as Mistress Lea took Kyle and Jeff out of the dungeon and toward the stairs. There weren’t walls around this part of the dungeon so she could see them talking.
And then she could see Hutch coming up the stairs. What was he doing here? Had he come to make one last plea for her to not take the class? That was a pretty arrogant thing to think. He hadn’t mentioned it again after that first night. He’d likely given up on her and was doing all the things he did because he would do it for anyone in his circle. She was in that circle right now, but when the case was over, he would move on and find someone who did what he wanted her to.