“That’s amazing,” he said breathlessly.
Caine Cole is impressed by me, I gushed inwardly, though I kept my face passive. I was in full-on fanboy mode and I didn’t want that to scare him away. I was enjoying myself so much. I didn’t want the night to end. “I really enjoy it,” I said. I almost mentioned that it was a feast or famine type of existence, but something stopped me. If he asked, I wouldn’t lie, but I didn’t want to boast about the struggle. The night was going so well, I didn’t want to bring it down. “What about you? How is business going?”
“It’s steady,” he said, but his face changed almost imperceptibly. The smile faded ever so slightly and his body stiffened.
The article, I thought. I had watched his videos so much that my internet algorithm was constantly feeding my phone anything and everything associated with Caine Cole. I’d been shocked to see him dragged through the mud as he’d been, but I knew he would overcome it. Men like Caine Cole didn’t stay down long.
It was so tempting to ask him about the BDSM club, but I held my tongue. Unless he brought the article up himself, I wasn’t about to be the one to broach the subject. Awkward as I could be, I wouldn’t be opening that can of worms. If Caine wanted to talk to me about the online attacks against his character, that was a subject he would have to bring up.
I decided to change the subject. “So what do you enjoy outside of work?” I grinned. “I mean, no one can be all positivity and pep one hundred percent of the time. What do you like to do when the world isn’t watching your every move?”
He leaned back, regarding me with his eyes narrowed slightly, one eyebrow slightly higher than the other, nostrils flared. His expression that sent shivers down my spine. Had I been too bold? The tension inside me grew as I debated taking back my words and apologizing for being so nosy, but then he finally spoke, a slow smile spreading across his face and his eyes crinkling at the corners. In an instant, his entire demeanor had changed.
“Can you believe that I’m forty-five years old and not one person has ever asked me that? No one. I’ve always been my brand and nothing else.”
“You’re more than Caine Cole, motivational speaker. Even the most driven among us needs to rest and recharge.”
He was shaking his head. “You know, for someone so young, you sure do have your feet firmly planted on the ground. It’s refreshing.”
My heart fluttered. “Thank you. I just think people should be encouraged to be their most authentic selves, you know?”
“I do. I just wish I’d figured that out for myself at your age.”
I chuckled. “You’re not old. And I’m sure you figured it out when the time was right.”
His laugh was sudden, sarcastic as he ran his tongue between his teeth and his bottom lip, then sighed. “Your optimism is delightful. But no, I did not learn my lesson as young as I should’ve.”
I was intrigued by this glimpse into the private life of Caine Cole, and I couldn’t help leaning forward, eager for the answer to a question I shouldn’t ask. But I had to know. “When did you learn that the world is a better place when we allow ourselves to be who we are without shame or apology?”
“Today,” he said, then he threw his head back and drained his wine in one gulp, setting it daintily on the table in front of him.
His candor rendered me speechless.
“On that note, I think I’m about ready to call it a night.” Caine glanced at his watch, then at me. “I’ve enjoyed tonight. I’m glad you came.”
“Me too,” I said, but inside, I was scrambling. I didn’t want the night to end, but I didn’t know the rules of The Club. “Can I give you my number?” I blurted out, embarrassed by how awkward and desperate it sounded to my own ears. “I mean, I’m not technically a consort yet, but I just want to, you know, talk if you want to. If you don’t want to, that’s fine and-”
He held up his hand. “Deep breaths,” he said with a shake of his head. “You don’t have to explain yourself to me. I really enjoyed talking to you, and yes, I would like your number.”
I let out a sigh of relief. “Sorry if I was out of line. I’m still learning the ropes and to be honest, I haven’t even told Alex whether I’m sure about becoming a consort or not.”
“You should.” My stomach clenched and I watched as he reached into his pocket and took out his phone. “Would you put your number in my contacts?”
“Sure,” I said, taking the phone with hands that trembled with excitement. I fumbled at first, then put all my information in and saved it before handing it back to him. “Nice phone. I haven’t seen one like that before.”
“It’s not available to the public until mid-year. The camera is professional quality and it has so many amazing features I’d be here all night showing you everything this baby can do.”
That would be magical, I thought, but he was already getting up. I stood, and stepped closer, hugging him before I noticed his hand out for a nice, platonic handshake. He changed gears quickly, hugging me tightly. I inhaled the scent of him, trying to commit this moment to memory. I had wanted to feel his arms around me since that night at the alumni meeting. It was a fantasy that had carried me through for some time before my thoughts had turned more risqué, and I’d watched his YouTube videos so much that I knew the sound of his voice by heart. The way he walked. The crooked tilt of his lips when they first spread into a smile.
But none of that measured up to reality.
The embrace ended too soon, and I was still standing by the table, goofy smile on my lips as I watched him walk away.
“I see you met Caine,” a familiar voice said from behind me.
“Alex,” I said, turning as I spoke. I was shocked to see how young he was. “Thank you for inviting me.”
“Thank you for coming. So, how was it?”
“I had wonderful time. The Club is beautiful and the food is decadent.”
“And Caine?”
I smiled. “Things went well.”
Alex nodded, his face neutral though I could see the delight in his eyes. He was pleased with himself. “Have you given any more thought to the possibility of becoming a consort?”
“I have.”
“And?”
“I’m going to do it,” I declared, my insides shaking from pure excitement and a dash of fear. What am I doing? I wondered, but a big part of me was too excited about taking the plunge to care. “You can’t expect new experiences if you keep doing the same things, right?” I offered with an awkward laugh.
“I can see why Caine was drawn to you.”
You have no idea.
“Did you two discuss the possibility of a date or have you both decided to move forward? You don’t have to consort with the first patron that shows interest, so don’t feel pressured.”
“We didn’t discuss it. But I’m not interested in other patrons at this point.”
Alex elbowed me in the arm, and this time his careful façade slipped and he grinned from ear to ear. “I don’t blame you. Caine is quite charming, and he’s been known to spoil men rotten.”
I felt a twinge of jealousy, but I pushed past it, keeping my voice calm and measured when I spoke. “Are there any rules against a patron having more than one consort?”