Best to stick to the football-only plan. I blast a hard-rock playlist as I sweat on the StairMaster.
I don’t reach out to Ellie. Then I truly do my best to put her out of my mind.
* * *
When I return home from the gym, the handcuffs on the entryway table catch my eye.
Damn my ex.
I pick them up and slide a finger across the shining metal, a latent irritation stirring inside me. I’m not annoyed that I didn’t get to use them. I’m annoyed that I didn’t even get a chance totalkto Brittany about why I wanted to. With the way she’d been needling me—unfairly—about other women, I wanted to show her she was the only one I thought of. That we could spice it up in the bedroom. Test some limits.
But I didn’t even get to have that convo with her.
Now I’m left with unused cuffs. Good cuffs. Be a real shame to toss them into the trash. Maybe I can donate them to a charity for so-calledpervertsin need.
Or maybe…
Cuffs in hand, I leave my pad and head down the hall to knock on Myrtle’s door. When she answers, her wise eyes widen. “Hey, handsome. It’s a good thing you came by. I need a tall drink of water to reach the suitcase on my highest shelf.”
“Happy to help,” I say, then clear my throat, avoiding eye contact as I dangle the cuffs. “I was wondering if you might be able to give these a good home?”
Her eyes spark, and she grabs them faster than I haul in footballs. “I most certainly can. And I will put them to good use this weekend. I have a retreat,” she says, leading me to her hall closet.
“What kind of retreat?” I ask as I easily snag her roller bag from the top shelf.
“A Whipper Retreat. It’s a kink workshop. You only live once, as they say,” she says.
“Words to live by,” I reply.
I return to my condo, considering Myrtle’s words of wisdom as I flop onto my couch. I return to Ellie’s social feed, curious, so damn curious, about this sexy beauty.
Is she still the girl next door, sweet as vanilla? Or is she the kind of woman who likes to play?
I stare at the pic of her and her dog for another minute. Then I spot a reply to my…heart?
Oh, shit. I guess I hit like on her pic. Her reply is simple and far too tempting.
Hey, you…
Fuck screening her.
I send her a DM.
6
VERY BIG BINOCULARS
Gabe:Hey to you too…I’d say it’s been a while, but I’m pretty sure that was you in the purple halter top and jean shorts walking past me last night.
Ellie:Oooh, are you spying on me?
Gabe:Maybe I am. Want to test my spy skills?
Ellie:Absolutely. Can you tell me what I’m wearing right now?
Gabe: Pink. Lots of pink.
Ellie:Those are some very big binoculars, mister.