wanted to…that.”
Nicole nodded. “I know how you feel. And I guess you’re coming to me in part because of what you found in my drawer.”
Kallie sighed. “I hate to put you on the spot, Nicole. It’s just that I don’t have anyone else I can talk to about this.”
“It’s okay. I’m not mad. I’m glad you’re telling me.” She smiled. “And you came to the right person, because I know what it’s like to be where you are right now.
Confused, torn, skeptical, interested but afraid. All of those feelings—I was feeling those same things when I first started seeing Red.”
“But the two of you are so happy now,” Kallie said. “And you’re living an alternative lifestyle.”
At this, Nicole burst out laughing. “I’m sorry. Alternative lifestyle? Hardly. We play around a little bit, but I think we’re pretty humdrum at this point. If anything, I wish we’d spice things up a bit in that area.”
“So, you don’t have a very formal situation?”
Nicole’s brow furrowed. “I don’t know what you mean. Explain to me what you’re talking about.”
Kallie picked up a loose hair tie from the tray and began fiddling with it as she talked. She couldn’t even meet Nicole’s gaze. “This guy who likes me. He gave me a contract to sign.”
“A contract? What kind of contract?”
“I guess I assumed all the guys who are into this sort of thing gave the woman a contract to sign.” She looked up to see Nicole shaking her head no.
“Sorry, I never signed any contract.”
“It says all kinds of stuff. It says that I have to do everything he commands, that I have to wear exactly what he wants me to wear and I have to call him Master. It basically gives him total control of my life.”
“Wow. I don’t know, Kallie. That sounds extreme. Red never asked me to do anything quite like that.”
“I should tell him no, then.”
“I can’t tell you what to do, but I can tell you that you should be careful of getting involved with anything extreme. Also, I need to know that I can trust you to be putting your job and your duties with me and my family ahead of some guy who’s giving you orders on how to live your life. What if he orders you to do something that conflicts with something you’re doing for me? Who will you listen to?”
Kallie felt awful. She never should have brought this up to Nicole—her boss. It was putting both of them in a terribly awkward situation. “You’re so right. I need to forget about this guy and just focus on doing my job.”
“I didn’t say that. Listen, you can always come and talk to me if you have concerns or questions. About anything. You know that, right?”
“Yeah.” Kallie nodded her head, but couldn’t meet Nicole’s gaze.
“I’m not telling you what to do about this person in your life. I’m just suggesting that you tread very, very carefully. Things happened to work out between Red and me, but that doesn’t mean that it does for everyone who tries that kind of arrangement. Red also changed a lot for me. It wasn’t a one-way street.”
Kallie looked up at her. She was shocked at how wise Nicole was, for being only a year older than her. It was as if she’d already had a lifetime of romantic experience in just a little while.
And Kallie also realized that Nicole had hit the nail on the head. A real relationship meant that both people changed, both people made sacrifices. It couldn’t be only Kallie who was making all the changes in her life.
***
“Hunter, would you mind driving Kallie home?” Red asked, as they were preparing to leave the hospital for the night. “I’ve booked a hotel room nearby because I’ve got a bunch of work stuff going on tomorrow, and I also want to be back and forth to the hospital.”
“Sure, no problem,” Hunter said, glancing at Kallie.
Nicole was watching him closely, Kallie noticed. Nicole looked back at Kallie now. “Maybe you should drive her anyway, Red. Hunter’s probably tired.”
“Not
Nicole nodded. “I know how you feel. And I guess you’re coming to me in part because of what you found in my drawer.”
Kallie sighed. “I hate to put you on the spot, Nicole. It’s just that I don’t have anyone else I can talk to about this.”
“It’s okay. I’m not mad. I’m glad you’re telling me.” She smiled. “And you came to the right person, because I know what it’s like to be where you are right now.
Confused, torn, skeptical, interested but afraid. All of those feelings—I was feeling those same things when I first started seeing Red.”
“But the two of you are so happy now,” Kallie said. “And you’re living an alternative lifestyle.”
At this, Nicole burst out laughing. “I’m sorry. Alternative lifestyle? Hardly. We play around a little bit, but I think we’re pretty humdrum at this point. If anything, I wish we’d spice things up a bit in that area.”
“So, you don’t have a very formal situation?”
Nicole’s brow furrowed. “I don’t know what you mean. Explain to me what you’re talking about.”
Kallie picked up a loose hair tie from the tray and began fiddling with it as she talked. She couldn’t even meet Nicole’s gaze. “This guy who likes me. He gave me a contract to sign.”
“A contract? What kind of contract?”
“I guess I assumed all the guys who are into this sort of thing gave the woman a contract to sign.” She looked up to see Nicole shaking her head no.
“Sorry, I never signed any contract.”
“It says all kinds of stuff. It says that I have to do everything he commands, that I have to wear exactly what he wants me to wear and I have to call him Master. It basically gives him total control of my life.”
“Wow. I don’t know, Kallie. That sounds extreme. Red never asked me to do anything quite like that.”
“I should tell him no, then.”
“I can’t tell you what to do, but I can tell you that you should be careful of getting involved with anything extreme. Also, I need to know that I can trust you to be putting your job and your duties with me and my family ahead of some guy who’s giving you orders on how to live your life. What if he orders you to do something that conflicts with something you’re doing for me? Who will you listen to?”
Kallie felt awful. She never should have brought this up to Nicole—her boss. It was putting both of them in a terribly awkward situation. “You’re so right. I need to forget about this guy and just focus on doing my job.”
“I didn’t say that. Listen, you can always come and talk to me if you have concerns or questions. About anything. You know that, right?”
“Yeah.” Kallie nodded her head, but couldn’t meet Nicole’s gaze.
“I’m not telling you what to do about this person in your life. I’m just suggesting that you tread very, very carefully. Things happened to work out between Red and me, but that doesn’t mean that it does for everyone who tries that kind of arrangement. Red also changed a lot for me. It wasn’t a one-way street.”
Kallie looked up at her. She was shocked at how wise Nicole was, for being only a year older than her. It was as if she’d already had a lifetime of romantic experience in just a little while.
And Kallie also realized that Nicole had hit the nail on the head. A real relationship meant that both people changed, both people made sacrifices. It couldn’t be only Kallie who was making all the changes in her life.
***
“Hunter, would you mind driving Kallie home?” Red asked, as they were preparing to leave the hospital for the night. “I’ve booked a hotel room nearby because I’ve got a bunch of work stuff going on tomorrow, and I also want to be back and forth to the hospital.”
“Sure, no problem,” Hunter said, glancing at Kallie.
Nicole was watching him closely, Kallie noticed. Nicole looked back at Kallie now. “Maybe you should drive her anyway, Red. Hunter’s probably tired.”
“Not
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