The Strength of the Pack (Suncoast Society #30)(19)

None of them would argue.

Eva felt grateful to Jesse for being there in the first place. If Laurel wanted to call him the Almighty Fluffy Bunny Potentate, Eva would be fine with that, too.

Eva pulled up to the student drop-off. Laurel managed her seat belt without Eva’s help. Jesse and Leo had been working with her on that, getting her more independent. It wouldn’t be much longer before she was tall enough not to need the booster at all.

She leaned between the front seats and kissed Eva on the cheek. “Have a good day, Mommy.”

“You, too, sweetheart.”

And like that, Laurel was out the passenger side and headed into the school.

Eva watched for just a moment before pulling away. Her daughter was growing up, becoming independent.

Now it was time for her to follow suit and get her act together once and for all.





Chapter Eight


Eva and Nate texted back and forth a few times before Friday evening. Eva decided to drive herself to the club and said that outright rather than dancing around the issue.

It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Nate, because she did.

But…

She didn’t trust herself. If something happened, or she decided she needed to leave, it was better if she had her own transportation.

She wouldn’t deny she was looking forward to spending time with Nate. Yes, she could have scheduled an appointment for another treatment with him. This was…different.

Alone with him, but not alone with him.

She pulled into the club’s parking lot a few minutes after eight, as he was just getting out of his car.

“Perfect timing,” he joked.

Her heart thrummed a little at his smile. With his long hair loose, just past his shoulders, he almost looked younger than his forty-one years, even with the grey. Tonight he wore jeans and a black button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up below his elbows. He carried a small pack in his hand, a plastic organizer about the size of a book.

“What’s that?”

“Travel kit,” he said. “I meant it when I said I’d do a treatment for you, if you want.”

She felt herself blush as they walked toward the office, him matching her strides. “I feel a little bad about that.”

“Why? I offered.” He stopped her, making her turn to face him, staring down at her. “I’m an adult. I’m perfectly able to decide if I want to do something. I could see it helped you the other night. I like helping people. That’s part of why I do this at the club.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

He opened the door to the office and held it for her. “You’re very welcome.”

Jenny was manning the desk tonight. “Hey, Crawford. I didn’t know you were coming tonight.”

He set the travel kit on the counter and fished out his wallet. “Two, please.” He handed over cash.

Jenny stared at the money for a moment before taking it from him. “Um…we comp you.”

“Not tonight. I’m not here to do a demo.”

“Oh. You sure? I don’t want Marcia chewing me out for charging you.”

He leaned his long, lithe body against the counter. “You send her my way, I’ll set her straight.” He locked gazes with Eva and she felt her throat dry up.

Okay, yes, he was an easy-going kind of guy, normally. But she sensed the Dom she’d seen hints of the night of Leo and Jesse’s collaring. As far as she knew—well, for as long as she’d known him—he was single and didn’t do the same kind of play she’d seen others, including Leo, engage in.

But yes, there was that beast, curled beneath the surface.

She’d spent enough time around the Suncoast Society folks to sense a commonality amongst the Doms and Dommes who were held highest in terms of respect by their peers. They all had a very quiet, watchful way about them in some regards. They observed. They took mental notes. They contemplated. Even Tilly, who had an apparently irascible nature when it came to being protective of her friends, the few times Eva had seen the woman scene, it was like a different person stepped into Tilly’s shoes. She was deliberate, unflappable.

Nate had that something, too.

“Thank you,” she said to him. “I wasn’t expecting you to pay my way in tonight.”

“You’re welcome, and I know.” He arched an eyebrow at her. “And that’s why I did it.” He signed them both in and after they’d received wristbands, Nate picked up his travel pack and led the way inside.

There weren’t a lot of people there yet. One of the rope clubs was finishing up a workshop and there were people in various states of undress—and various stages of rope bondage—scattered throughout the space.

He led her to the far side of the social area and sat at one of the tables, setting his pack on the table next to him. His smile warmed her, touched her soul in places. Leo and Jesse smiled at her, but they were…

Well, they belonged to each other. It was nice having a smile meant for her, one she didn’t have to share with another recipient.

Wait—danger thinking!

She took a deep breath. “Thank you for the other night. And for tonight. I really appreciate it.”

He shrugged. “If it was a hardship, I wouldn’t do it. I had fun the other night.”

Time to plunge forward, before she completely lost her nerve. “I wanted to talk with you tonight without anyone else—”