cleared his throat. “If I bring her there, would you guys make sure she doesn’t get into any trouble?”
Mondo’s smile stretched. “ Amigo , we’ll make sure she doesn’t get into any more trouble than she can handle.”
“Not the answer I wanted. But we’re not here to talk about my love life.” Jackson’s head swiveled toward Gus. “I hear you’ve got a new girlfriend.”
“She’s not my girlfriend.” Gus bit back the rest of what he’d wanted to say. Not yet, anyway. He worried he might have blown it last Friday, breaking too many rules for her to want to bother with his ass again.
Mondo chuckled. “I think things went very well.”
Gus raked a hand through his short-cropped hair. “I think I blew it. I took over.”
“You topped from the bottom?” Mondo shrugged. “There are no hard-and-fast rules when it’s one-on-one and personal, Gus. You followed your instincts.”
“She couldn’t get away fast enough.”
“You surprised her. Now she needs to think about what happened. Process. And she did tell you to be there again tomorrow night. So you didn’t blow it.”
“About that…” Gus grimaced. “What do you think she’s gonna do?”
“My guess is she will punish you as a way to take back control and remind you who’s in charge.”
“Punish me?” Gus’s cheeks heated. Partly embarrassed, and partly because he remembered how deliciously tender his ass had felt for days after their last session.
“If you want her, let her lead. Tomorrow night anyway. She’s new to this as well and has to learn what she can allow and still remain comfortable. Stay herself. It can be unnerving when a Dominant steps outside the protocols and rules.”
Gus sighed. “That’s what I don’t get. Why does she need rules? Why can’t she let whatever’s gonna happen just…well, happen?”
“I can’t answer that for her. Perhaps she needs to be in control and follow the script she’s been taught because it makes her feel safe.”
Gus didn’t like the thought of Aislinn ever being afraid with a man. But he could understand if she had reservations about being with him, given his size and his proven inability not to use his strength to his advantage.
“Let her be in charge,” Mondo said, his voice softening. “Let her push you. You might learn something about yourself too.”
“What if she wants to take this into the main salon?”
Some of his worry must have crept into his voice. The men began to laugh, softly at first, then louder, elbowing each other and slapping the table.
“Glad my little problem’s so entertainin’,” he muttered.
“Just the picture of it,” Craig said, wiping tears from his eyes. “You’re so damn big… Bent over for her to spank your ass. Gotta say, man, I’d pay for admission.”
Gus’s belly did a roll. Tomorrow night, he didn’t have a chance in hell of holding on to his dignity. And by his friends howling laughter, they’d all be there with bells on to witness his humiliation.
A drink was slid in front of him, and he glanced up to meet Marti’s amused blue gaze.
“Someone mention you have a girlfriend?”
“Yeah. Only she’s not. Yet.”
Marti gave him a wink. “Sweetie, you don’t have a worry in the world. Soon as she gets a look at you nekkid she’ll realize she’s one lucky girl.”
“Hey,” Jackson said, his eyebrows lowering in mock-dismay. “You sayin’ Gus has somethin’ the rest of us don’t?”
Marti flung back her head and laughed. “Baby, don’t be jealous. You’ve got plenty to keep me happy. All you boys do. I’m just sayin’ Gus is particularly blessed.”
Gus was never so glad for the dim lighting hiding his blush. The more he thought about seeing Aislinn at the club the next night, the more restless he got. He pushed his beer toward Jackson. “I don’t need another. I have somethin’ I have to do.”
“Somethin’ that involves a certain little redhead?”
Gus didn’t mind the teasing note in