Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 133878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
Gemma leaned in. “Like how you reacted to them? On a sexual level? Was it the first time you played around with Dominance and submission?”
“Yes.” It felt better to talk about this part. This part was way more about her than them. “I liked it. I felt freer than I’ve ever felt in my life, and I started the whole thing to make myself feel better. It was supposed to be a little sex with some completely hot but inappropriate cowboys, and now I’m somehow living with them and I can’t stop thinking about last night. It was more than I bargained for.”
“What did you like about it?” Gemma asked softly, and there was not an ounce of judgment in the question.
How to explain it? “I didn’t have to think about anything except what they were doing to me. I…it’s like my brain shut down, and it’s always going. Always. For the time I was with them I didn’t think about how my life is falling apart or how everything’s my fault. It’s almost like a break from life because for once I wasn’t in control. Shouldn’t that scare me?”
Gemma’s head shook. “Only if the partners you’re submitting to aren’t worthy of trust, and I don’t think that’s the case with Shane and Bay. You know Beth and Hope are my girls. We have our girl gangs in Bliss. Like Rachel and Callie and Jen. Or Laura and Holly and Nell. It’s me and Hope and Beth, which means I spend a lot of time out on the G. I sometimes wonder what my younger self would say if I told her one day a cattle ranch will be where you spend your free time.”
Because Gemma had started out as a big-time lawyer in New York after breaking “free” from her unorthodox childhood.
They had a lot in common. “So you know Shane and Bay?”
She nodded. “They’re helpful, and my guys like them. Jesse’s helped them keep that junker truck of theirs running, and Shane and Bay helped us re-chink the cabin last month. I know they have a somewhat difficult relationship with your brothers over something that happened many years ago.”
“Stef pulled some shit and dragged in Shane and Bay, and naturally everything played out exactly the way Stef wanted.”
“Yeah, that’s how things seem to go. And naturally Max can’t give it up,” Gemma returned. “But I think he also likes having someone to complain about. I know Max seems like an asshole, but he’s a great guy and he doesn’t hold a hard grudge. Which is why I’m more afraid of Rye.”
So someone else truly saw her brothers. “Rye is quieter, but he’s the one who thinks about real revenge. Max can be brought around. Rye still thinks I’m eight and need him to protect me.”
“And that’s a problem if you really like these guys.”
Did she? Yeah. She kind of did. “I’m going back to New York.”
Gemma seemed to think about that. “Okay. That’s where your home is now. But you know not all relationships have to last forever. You can have a wonderful time and be loving and caring and not get married to the man or men. As long as all your cards are on the table, it’s okay. But I kind of got the impression there’s something not so great happening back in the city.”
How far did this go? “What have you heard? I suppose if my fake engagement is out there, then the fact that I’m no longer employed is probably out there, too.”
“That’s how the rumor mill works,” Gemma agreed, “though I don’t think anyone knows exactly what happened. Since you’re sitting here with me, I assume there are legal implications. What did some asshole boss do and why is it going to break my heart to tell you how to handle it?”
Tears pricked her eyes. “He stole my designs, but I was told he can legally do that because of my contract.”
“I’ll read it, but I know that some houses can be predatory about how they deal with creatives. So they fired you because you took offense?”
“They fired me because I made two formal complaints to HR. One about not getting even secondary credit for my designs and the other because I was told in no uncertain terms the only way I was getting to Milan was on my knees.”
Gemma sat back with a long sigh. “I’m going to assume he was smart enough to not do this in front of an audience.”
“We were alone, and there weren’t any security cams.” She sniffled because she knew what Gemma was going to say. “It’s a he said, she said, and HR interviewed him and decided he was credible and I was bitter over the fall line.”
“Okay. What reason did they give for firing you?”
Shame poured through her. “I was fired for creating an uncomfortable work environment.”