“They’re still on the floor near the wall.”
“Oh my God!” She laughs but also looks horrified. “Do you think someone will find them?”
“I don’t know. Are natural disasters treated like crime scenes? Maybe my DNA will end up in an evidence locker.”
Kas places her hands over her face and shakes her head slowly. I grab her hands and pull them away, kissing her softly before she turns and lets herself into the apartment. I walk slowly back to the Jeep, glancing behind me a couple of times as I go.
“Dude!” Ivan smacks me on the shoulder as I climb into the front seat. “Am I reading this right?”
“What?”
“What?” He laughs. “A chick I’ve never seen before says you were ‘entertaining’ and she’s got some pretty distinct rope marks on her arms. Did you really hook up during a freaking flood?”
I give him a half grin and shrug innocently.
“You are officially my hero.” Ivan slaps me on the back before putting the Jeep in gear and turning back onto the road. “I don’t know how you do it.”
“I know how to read people.”
“So you keep telling me,” he replies. “Still…that’s pretty amazing. She’s hot, too.”
“You might be seeing a bit more of her,” I say quietly.
“Seriously?” Ivan straightens his shoulders and glances at me. “Cree, she looks a little vanilla. I mean, lots of kinksters do, but she looks really vanilla.”
“How do vanilla people look?” I raise an eyebrow at him.
“Like her.” Ivan lets out a long laugh. “She doesn’t dress like Casey, that’s for sure.”
“Casey is a goth first and a kinkster second.”
“Do you know she’s been trying to convince me to use her playlist at Gym? She doesn’t get that the wrong music is going to drive away the older crowd, and it’s the older folks that pay the bills.”
“Well, Kas might have been vanilla yesterday, but she’s learning. She’s going to join me at Gym tomorrow night.”
“Seriously?” he says again and then laughs. “Only you, bro!”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I glare at him.
“Only you could get trapped in a flooded-out library and manage to use the time to tie up a hot chick.”
“It’s a talent.” I shrug and smile. “A talent I hope to never use again. At least, not under the same circumstances.”
“I hear ya.” Ivan claps me on the back and then turns his attention to the road. “Looking forward to Gym tomorrow. It will be an interesting night!”
I glance in the side-view mirror, imagining Kas back in her apartment, safe and sound, and a slight smile crosses my face. My heart beats a little faster, and my skin warms despite the cool morning air.
“Yes,” I say quietly, “it will be.”
Epilogue—Casey
The mirror reflects the perfect image—deep black pigtails, black eye makeup, black lipstick, black lace dress. It matches my constant mood but probably not what people who see me on the street think.
I’m not depressed or emo. I’m actually quite happy with my life, but I love the night, the dark, and the color black. It makes me feel warm and alive.
I adjust my short pigtails slightly, making sure they stick out evenly, and then weave through the people in line and out of the bathroom. I march down the ramp and into Power Exchange’s main dungeon area, maneuvering through all the kinksters. Friday nights at Gym are usually busy, but tonight is particularly crowded.
“Hey, Casey! Want to see my new toys?” Robbie bounces up to me and then continues to jump up and down, holding a drawstring bag in my face.