“Yeah, well, we aren’t sleeping together, so how could you know?”
Lydia’s lips twitched. “Okay, you got me there. But, what does any of this have to do with me?”
“I’d like to bring you there, as a guest.”
Lydia knew she couldn’t have heard right. “Can you say that again?”
“You and me at Kinks Friday night. Is that clear enough for you?”
“Yep, that pretty much clears it up.” Lydia looked around the restaurant, wondering if anyone could read lips.
Roni blinked several times before asking, “Then you’ll go?”
Lydia’s gaze shot to hers. “Not on your life.”
“So you don’t trust me, is that it? You think I’d take you someplace depraved, teaming with pervs?”
“Of course not, it’s just that—”
Roni pushed her plate away and sat back. “Be honest, Lydia, you think it’s weird.”
Lydia didn’t want to hurt her friend, but she wasn’t about to be led into something she had no experience with either. “Uh, sort of, yeah.”
“Come with me Friday night. Let me show you how wrong you are.”
“What makes you think I’d ever say yes to this? I’m not into that sort of thing, Roni. I’m not judging you, but it’s not my scene.”
“I’m not saying I know your sexual preferences, but I do know you need something to shake you out of this lull you’re in.” Roni looked her over, then said, “Besides, you might just surprise yourself.”
Lydia shook her head. “Do I have to do anything? Like have sex or something?”
Roni laughed. “Don’t be ridiculous. It’s not like that. There’s just music and a lot of people enjoying a common passion. I won’t lie to you, it can be shocking at first because you’ll see people doing various sexual things. But all you need to do is stick with me, observe and who knows, maybe you’ll meet someone.”
“Various sexual things?””
Roni bobbed her eyebrows. “Yeah, it’s sort of hot to watch.”
“I can’t believe I’m actually considering this. What do I even wear?”
Roni cocked her head to the side. “I think I have something that would fit you. A sexy skirt. We need to show off your assets a little.”
Her clothes were her shield and she wasn’t comfortable losing it. “I’m really not sure about this, Roni.”
“Your fantasy was to have sex with a stranger. This is a good opportunity to make that fantasy a reality.”
“But bondage and submission? That’s a little out of my comfort zone. Hell, that’s a lot out of my comfort zone.”
“How do you know if you’ve never tried it?” Lydia still hesitated, which prompted Roni to plead her case a little more. “Let me ask you this then: When you sleep with a man, do you prefer he take the lead or do you like to take the lead?”
That one was easy; she’d always preferred the man to run the show. “I like it when he leads.”
Roni nodded. “I thought as much, though I do think you have a bit of a dominatrix in you too.”
Lydia couldn’t begin to wrap her mind around that little tidbit so she didn’t even try. “Your point is?”
“Can you really tell me you aren’t intrigued by the idea of meeting some gorgeous stranger and having him dominate you? Don’t you think it’d be just a little exciting to explore that forbidden side of your nature?”
Lydia imagined meeting some tall, dark-haired man. Someone who knew how to please a woman, who knew how to wring every last drop of pleasure out of an orgasm. It wasn’t a bad image. And for some reason it vaguely resembled Dane. Damn, she needed to get that man out of her mind. “Yes, it’s intriguing,” she blurted out.