page20 (2/2)

She smiles, nods, then leaves

“I ondering how you found this place,” I say “But I guess a member would knohere it is”

“Renewed reen fire of jealousy that has crept into my voice “It’s been years since I’ve been here, but I called yesterday and reinstated my membership”

“Oh” I tell nore my own sound advice “Who did you come with?”

“Car to the bitch of an Italian supero

“Oh” I s “And about that couples thing Did you, um, share?”

“I did,” he says He takes two long steps to end up right in front of me Gently, he cups my chin, then kisses me so sweetly it almost makes me cry “Why wouldn’t I? She wasn’t mine”

His words soothethat there were other woht because Da from a monk on the planet

“There weren’t,” he says “There may have been women—they may have even shared my bed—but there was no one before you”

I nod, still feeling foolish, but also incredibly happy I wipe a tear aith the edge of my thumb

He tells e—“not naked; I don’t intend to share even the sight of you”—and toroom

I do, returning in a sarong, and more than happy to find hie at his crotchit hts are on the agenda

He leads h a space with couches and chairs and people in various states of undress, all touching and stroking and teasing I’m not sure what the etiquette is here, but I can’t stop looking Damien sees me, and pulls me back into an alcove, one of many in this room, and clearly set back for this very purpose There is, in fact, a s it into a s room

“Have you ever watched other people make love?” Damien asks

I shake my head “No I mean, yes Some porn, but that’s different”

“It is,” he says He stands behindout over the roo I don’t knohy, but watching these strangers makes my own temperature rise