I don’t appreciate being accosted as I walk out of the bathroom, but that’s just Robbie’s way. I glare at him; he giggles and then continues to bounce.
“Fucking littles.” I reach around and smack him on the ass.
“Hey!” He rubs his cheek for a second before grinning wildly and holding the bag out again. “I made some awesome impact stuff out of shit I found in the garage at my parents’ house. I was home for spring break, and they were all ‘Clean your shit out of the garage,’ and I was all ‘Fine,’ and then I found this awesome stuff for a new cat, and then a bunch of plastic and zip ties, and then I made a flogger!”
Everything out of Robbie’s mouth is one long string of syllables that barely makes any sense. Still, I have a minute, and I don’t want him to follow me around the dungeon all night, so I settle myself into an unoccupied sex swing and let him show me all his homemade toys as I sway to and fro.
“Why do you keep making all this stuff?” I ask as he finishes displaying his crafts.
“Because I’m broke, so I can’t get the professional kind, and I like my toys, and I like to play with my toys until they break!” Again, he grins wildly.
I know he’s speaking more of his partners than the toys themselves, but whatever.
“Cool shit,” I tell him. “Maybe if people like the stuff you make, they’ll buy it, and you won’t be broke.”
“Awesome idea!” Robbie jumps up and shoves the toys back into his bag. “Macy will like the flogger.”
He rushes off, still babbling.
“Fucking littles,” I mumble and shake my head.
I lean back in the swing, sticking my legs out straight and casually looking around the dungeon to see what everyone is up to tonight. In the far corner, a woman is moaning as her partner uses some loud, vibrating toy on her. In the center, a special guest is demonstrating some elaborate impact play to music to a large audience. All around me, the couples and throuples are playing, and the voyeurs are watching them. Gym is busy tonight, but I haven’t found what I’m looking for just yet. Or rather, I haven’t found the exact guy I’m looking for.
I reach down and fiddle with the orange paper bracelet on my wrist. The bracelet indicates that I’m dominant and that I’m open to play if someone approaches me to negotiate. If I see someone with a green bracelet, I can approach them to play. I’m usually up for anything, but tonight I have something else in mind.
I’ve been watching, debating, and desiring for too long. It’s time to take action.
A group of people walk around the corner from the stairway and into the main area of the open dungeon. I spot Cree as he enters, walking with his arm around the most vanilla-looking girl I’ve ever seen. I recognize her immediately. She and Cree were on the news this morning about the West Campus flooding. Lynn told me all about it over coffee, but I certainly wasn’t expecting Cree to bring the chick here, of all places. I’m instantly annoyed that he’s with her. I really wanted to speak with him privately about Rocco.
Speak of the devil.
Rocco shuffles in behind Cree, head down, eyes open but somehow still looking closed. His dusty blond hair hangs in his eyes, and the Misfits T-shirt he’s wea
ring is at least two sizes too big for his frame. My heart beats a little faster, and I jump out of the swing. My feet almost start to carry me toward him, but I think better of it and stop. Approaching Rocco directly isn’t going to work. I need Cree to negotiate.
I watch and wait for a few minutes as Cree shows his new lady-friend around the dungeon, introducing her to a couple of people and then finally taking a seat on one of the many couches. Rocco shuffles along behind them and then sits cross-legged on the bare floor at Cree’s feet.
God, that’s hot.
Just then, I see a masculine frame in a tight purple dress walk by.
“Hey, Luci!”
“What’s shakin’, Casey?” Luci gives me a tight hug before taking a step back to look me over. “Girlfriend, you and I have got to go shopping together.”
“I get most of my shit downtown,” I tell them.
“I’ll have to get my credit cards maxed out with you sometime, baby!”
“Trade you a shopping trip for a little help?” I ask. I raise an eyebrow, and Luci bobs their head from side to side.
“Who you wanna abuse tonight, sweet thing?”
Luci is one of Gym’s primary negotiators, and they’re damn good at it.
“Can you get Cree over here for me?”
“Since when are you into that hunk of man?” Luci leans back and stares at me, wide-eyed.