Just One Taste (Topped #2)(6)

Why wouldn’t they let this be? “I don’t stare at him.” She did it all the time. She would catch a glimpse of the man and not be able to look away. She would walk into the kitchen and he would be stirring something or working over the hot stove and she would stand there for a minute before remembering what she’d come in to do. “Or if I do, it’s me zoning out and he happens to be standing there. I wouldn’t be surprised if he moved into my line of sight just so everyone will think I’m staring at him.”

Tiffany looked over at Ally, her mouth open. “Is she serious?”

“She’s ridiculous and she’s scared out of her mind and I have to wonder how she got past the shrink.” Ally frowned. “You didn’t lie to Kai, did you? Because he’s an avowed sadist and that could go poorly for you.”

She wasn’t sure she was ready for a sadist, but a baby Dom would do. “I was honest with him. I told him what I want. I want to explore my own sexuality and see if this lifestyle can help me find some of the things I need. Like self-confidence.”

Tiffany wrapped her up in a hug. “I think it will, sweetie. I think it might help both of us.”

“Self-confidence?” Ally seemed confused. “You have a ton of confidence.”

Ally hadn’t known her as long as Tiffany. “I am very good at faking it.”

“The divorce took a lot more than cash from Deena,” Tiffany said, squeezing her again before going back to fixing her hair. “It took her confidence in herself and men.”

“I’ve never had confidence in men,” Deena admitted. A faithless father had taken that long before her ex-husband had done his damage.

Ally sat down on the small couch and sighed. “Well, maybe the training program will do more for you than you think because a good Dom can restore your faith in men. Have either one of you heard who you’ve been partnered with? You probably won’t know their names but Macon might.”

“Does Macon know who’s in the program with us?” Deena was certainly curious.

Ally shook her head. “It’s all very confidential. Only the Taggarts know who they invited. You and Tiffany probably aren’t supposed to talk about it.”

“We’re only talking about it with each other and you,” Tiffany argued. “I hope we don’t have to share. I heard there’s an extreme lack of single Doms.”

“It’s kind of both ways,” Ally explained. “The way I hear it, there are some powerful members without subs to play with and the subs who are willing to play want more choices. It all makes Big Tag irritable and then he needs a pie. I swear Macon is like his bartender except with sweets.”

“Where does he put it all?” Tiffany asked. “Because there isn’t an ounce of fat on that man. I’m happy to go to Sanctum to watch that man in a pair of leathers. Not that I would do more than watch because his wife is super scary. I want to be her when I grow up.”

“Everyone wants to be her,” Ally agreed. “And I don’t think you’re going to share baby Doms. I overheard Kai talking to Big Tag about how happy he is with the partnership selection process. I’ve heard a rumor that Kai thinks at least one of the pairs is a perfect match. And don’t tell anyone I said that because my husband will take a spatula to my butt. What happens at Sanctum is supposed to stay at Sanctum.”

She wished that perfect match well because she intended to play. “I’m looking forward to tonight and the coming weeks. I hope my baby Dom is a seriously bad boy. I want him hot and nasty because I intend to have sex with him.”

She was going to figure out why Ally glowed when she walked into a room. Why Grace Taggart lit up when she saw her husband. She wanted to know why a woman truly chased after a man.

She’d kind of fallen in with Eddie. She couldn’t say it was a mad love story. She’d started high school and met Eddie and five years later she’d married him because she’d had nothing better to do. It had seemed like it was time.

She wanted to know what it felt like to lust after a guy. What it felt like to truly want someone.

Ally stared her way. “You think that’s a good idea? You might not like him.”

Whoever he was he would be Kai Ferguson approved, and that gave her some confidence. Kai was smart and cared about the people he counseled. He wouldn’t put her with someone she wasn’t compatible with. “I’ll like him.”

“Like you like Eric?” Tiffany asked.

She was pretty sure she turned beet red. “I don’t. I mean I like him because he’s nice, but I don’t like like him.”

She totally like liked him. She simply wasn’t going to act on her like liking.

“I have to ask you why.” Ally moved forward, her eyes steady on Deena. “Eric is amazing. I know he’s a little scary, but he’s also wonderful.”

She caught on the part she could use. “He can be scary when he wants to be.”

The door opened again and Jenni bounced in. “Oooo, are we talking about Eric? He’s totally scary. The other day I very innocently mentioned that his mole sauce needed salt and I’d put some in for him and I nearly peed my pants when he looked at me.”

Deena’s jaw dropped. “You’re lucky you didn’t get your ass fired. You don’t screw with a chef’s sauce.”