the bottle.
“In all honesty, Duran Duran was before our time, too. Tamer’s an 80s music geek.” Damien lifted me off his lap and stood alongside me.
I leaned in and wrapped my arms around him, not wanting to return to the party just yet. His right arm tightened around me.
“Come on,” said Theo. “She needs to experience one of the most successful bands of the golden era in music.”
“You forgot to mention the hairstyles.” Damien laughed and it made him look adorably young and carefree.
“I want to hear this music,” I said.
“The lady has spoken.” Theo uncorked the tequila bottle with his teeth. “A shot each to make the rest of the evening bearable.” He set his phone on the edge of the fountain and pressed play.
“You realize she’s too young to drink,” said Damien, winking at me.
Theo ignored him. “This is from the Rio album.”
A moody synth style sounded around us, a man’s smooth lyrics mimicked an almost erotic groan.
“This one was written by lead singer Simon Le Bon.” Damien reached out and took the bottle of tequila from Theo, tipping it back to take a gulp. His mouth made an O as though the liquor burned his throat. “Pure genius.”
“I like it,” I said, amused as Damien sang along.
I gestured my insistence for a drink.
Damien grabbed a shot glass from Theo and poured some tequila into it, then offered it to me, the spark from his touch sending electricity into my hand.
“Tamer, what did you really want?” asked Damien.
Theo looked at him. “Salvatore Galante isn’t coming.”
Damien flinched.
Watching his reaction, I wondered if Damien had intended on speaking with Galante tonight. Theo and Damien swapped a look of frustration.
I raised my shot glass in a toast. “To new adventures at Vanguard!”
“No.” Damien gave a forced smile.
That sounded like him taking back control.
“Godman has only one more week left to visit Vanguard,” said Theo. “Then he’s cut off.”
Damien smirked. “Those days are over.”
Theo seemed to be studying his reaction. “One week, buddy.”
“I need you to piss off now.” Damien gestured for Theo to leave. “Take your 80s band with you.”
“Fuck off.” Theo threw him a big grin as he reached for his phone.
He walked back up the pathway with the enticing bottle of tequila; probably a good thing as I was going to have to rejoin my parents at some point.
I studied Damien’s face. “You’re not going back to Vanguard?”
He ignored that and stared into the fountain’s pool of water. “What I was going to say before we were interrupted…”
“What?”
“Make a wish.” He pointed to the fountain.
I closed my eyes and sent out a secret prayer for us.
I heard him approach me, felt his presence.
“Keep your eyes closed.” He took my hand and placed an object on my palm. “Have a look.”
I opened my eyes to see a blue sapphire ring—the same one from the store on Sanibel Island…the one I’d fallen in love with.
“That was your favorite?” He looked hopeful.
“Yes! It’s beautiful.”
The one I’d dreamed of.
He eased the emerald engagement ring off my finger and tucked it into his pocket, replacing it with the sapphire ring, the blue stone shimmering.
I pressed my body to his chest. “You remembered.”
“Of course I remembered.” Damien looked at me, his expression pleased. “This is how I prefer you. Smiling.”
“I’ll move in with you.”
His face lit up. “Now it’s my turn to smile. Not that you had any choice in the matter.” He nudged my arm playfully.
Whenever I’d imagined what kind of man I’d end up with, I’d never considered the possibility he’d be into this: a dark dungeon filled with unusual devices.
Having only moved in yesterday—the same day Damien had asked me to—I suspected this would all become familiar. Damien would frequently lead me down here and choose one of these pieces to use on me.
Opening a drawer, I peeked inside and removed a leather strap with a chain on the end, realizing I was holding a leash. My smile flittered when I imagined him using it on me.
“You need a collar,” Damien’s voice boomed from the doorway.
Pivoting, I clutched the leash to my chest. “Do I get one?”
He looked devastatingly handsome in his white shirt and ripped jeans, his dark hair ruffled casually.
He stepped in and walked across the room. “See anything you like?”
“Am I allowed in here?”
“As long as you don’t use anything to pleasure yourself, yes.”
“Because only you’re allowed to touch me like that?”
“Masturbation is forbidden.”
“Unless I can’t help myself,” I teased.
He didn’t laugh. “Want your collar?”
“Yes, please.”
“Then earn it.”
How would