Except it was, and they both knew it.

  “Besides,” she continued. “None of us are the same people we were five years ago.”

  “Just because I’m older and hopefully wiser now than I was then doesn’t make my actions any less wrong.”

  “What can you do? It’s over and done with, and there’s no changing what happened.” She opened her book to the spot she’d marked and turned her attention to the words on the page. “Again, I do appreciate you coming by.”

  He’d been dismissed.

  Just like that.

  He stood there for a long minute, willing her to look up, to acknowledge him again. She turned the page she’d been reading. He got the message. He’d asked her to listen to him say one thing, and then he’d promised that he’d leave her alone. She’d done her part, and now it was time for him to do his and to stay away from her.

  Why did it bother him? Again, why should he care what she thought of him?

  But he did.

  Chapter 7

  Veronica

  “Tell me what you think of the job so far,” Andie asked Veronica about a week later as they sat at a small table outside the lighthouse where Andie lived with Fulton.

  Veronica placed her coffee mug on the table. It was her first Saturday on the island, and Andie had asked her the day before if she’d like to come over for coffee and a lighthouse tour in the morning. Veronica suspected an alternative motive, even though she had mentioned to Andie that she’d never been in a lighthouse before. Or who knew? Maybe it was only a coincidence that Fulton had left hours earlier for a trip to the mainland, leaving the two women alone to chat.

  “It’s definitely been a challenge trying to organize the office,” Veronica answered truthfully. “But like I told your husband, it’s a fun challenge. I know it sounds weird, but I love seeing the before pictures and comparing them to the after. It feels like such a sense of accomplishment, albeit a very small one.”

  “I don’t think it’s weird at all,” Andie said. “It sounds similar to me and how I enjoy experimenting with food.”

  When Fulton had told Veronica that Andie could have gotten a job at just about any restaurant she wanted, her assumption had been he was just a husband proud of his wife’s cooking. That assumption died hard and fast with the first bite of a cake the lively woman had baked on her Veronica’s day.

  “Similar except that yours is edible,” she said. “What time did Fulton leave this morning?”

  “A little after six,” Andie said. “He wanted to make sure he could take care of everything he needed to do on the mainland and make it home before dark.”

  Veronica nodded. Andie had mentioned a few days ago how dangerous the boat ride could be at night.

  “He’s wanting to pick up a few things in preparation for Lennox and Mariela’s visit,” Andie continued.

  Veronica had heard so much about the couple who owned the island and academy she half believed the pair to be a myth. They were due to arrive in a week and a half, and she couldn’t wait to meet them.

  “How often do they come to the island?” Veronica asked.

  “Not as much as they did before they built the new house.” Andie took a sip of coffee. “From what I’ve gathered, and from my observations before they got married, no one ever expected Mariela to leave the island. But of course all that changed when she got together with Lennox.”

  “She taught dance here?” Veronica had a hard time imagining a BDSM academy feeling the need to hire a full-time, permanent dance instructor.

  “Yes. It sounds odd, doesn’t it? Who would automatically put the two together? But I have to hand it to her and Lennox. You truly can learn a lot about the lifestyle from dance.” Andie giggled. “And I admit it’s fun watching the big bad Doms stumble their way through one of her dance classes.”

  “Have you hired someone to take her place?”

  “Unfortunately, no.” Andie shook her head. “It’s proving rather difficult to find someone qualified in all the necessary areas we require.”

  “I can understand why,” Veronica said.

  Andie’s eyes danced with mischief. “You don’t happen to know how to dance, do you?”

  Too bad her cup of coffee couldn’t magically turn into a shot of whiskey. She’d learned over the years that talking to and about her family went smoother with the addition of alcohol.

  “I know how to dance,” Veronica said. “Ballet, tap, and jazz as a child and ballroom for when I was a debutante.”

  “You mean like a debutante ball?” Andie asked. “They still have those?”

  “Yes, and I was fortunate enough to attend two. One in my home state, and one in DC.” Veronica didn’t consider herself fortunate at all. That had been her father’s word. She’d hated both balls and had told her father as much. His reply that she’d show up and act right was a given. That she’d actually done so proved how much the girl she’d been back then cared about what he thought.

  “Would you be interested in teaching dance?” Andie asked.

  “Nope. No way. One, I’m a horrible teacher, and two, I’m not in the lifestyle anymore.”

  “You’re not?” Andie didn’t wait for an answer. “Not that it matters. It’s not a requirement.”

  It might not be, but Veronica was pretty certain every other employee on the island was active.

  “Even so, you have to admit it would be better for everyone involved if the dance instructor was active,” Veronica said. “Which is probably why it’s taking so long to find a replacement.”

  “Agreed.” Andie looked as if she was going to say something else, but her eyes shifted to something over Veronica’s shoulder. “Wonder what Terrence wants?”

  Veronica forced herself to remain still when what she really wanted was to turn and see him. Since approaching her on the dock days ago, he’d kept his word and had done what he could to avoid being near her. It was what she’d asked him for, so she didn’t understand why she wished their paths would cross more often.

  “Good morning.” Andie greeted him.

  He drew to a stop at her side. “Good morning, ladies. I’m actually looking for Fulton. Is he around?”

  “He’s not,” Andie said. “He went over to the mainland earlier and won’t be back until late afternoon. Is there something I can help you with?”

  Terrence ran his fingers through his hair. “It’s something I need to ask him.”

  Andie didn’t seem bothered she was unable to help. “In that case, why don’t you sit down and have some coffee with us?”

  He hesitated, and in that second, Veronica held her breath in the hopes that he’d sit down with them. She felt his gaze on her.

  “Thanks for the invitation,” he said. “But I’ll have to take you up on it some other time.”

  They both watched as he turned to walk away. Before he’d taken four steps, he looked back. “I’m having trouble with my cell phone, and I’m expecting a call in a few hours. I gave them the main office number since it’s a landline. I hope that won’t be an issue.”

  “You still have that same worthless cell service you’ve had every summer since you started coming? The one you keep saying you’re going to kick to the curb as soon as you make it to the mainland?”

  “That’s the one,” he said. “I get back to the mainland and it works fine. I tell myself I’ll get around eventually to finding a new carrier, but it never seems to be a good time. Plus it’s such a hassle.”

  “It’s fine,” Veronica said. “I’ll come get you when the call comes in. Where will you be?”

  “Probably in the dining room or outside on the docks,” he said. “I’m reading scripts.”

  She’d found over the past week that she had a tendency to forget he was a big shot actor. It was only at times like this when he said something or someone mentioned something about him. Those times, it would hit her anew she’d played with him when she was nineteen.

  “That sounds fun,” she said.

  “It sounds more fun than it is.”

  Veronica let the conversation die with that. If there was one thing she wasn’t going to do, it was listen to Terrence Knight try to make her believe his life was oh so hard. Please.

  He didn’t seem to mind. He simply turned and walked off.

  * * *

  “So what do you think of Terrence?” Andie asked after taking Veronica up the lighthouse and they were on their way back to the academy. It wasn’t a shocking or even surprising question. The only thing strange about the question was that she’d waited so long to ask it.

  “I try not to think of him if it’s at all possible,” Veronica answered.

  “Are you able to do that?” Andie asked. “Back when we were a thing, I only wasn’t able to think about him when I was with Fulton.”

  It was on the tip of her tongue to tell Andie that her and Terrence weren’t a thing, but then she realized what the other woman had said next.

  “Wait,” Veronica said, trying to think. There had been talk before own infamous night with Terrence that he’d recently been dumped by his longtime girlfriend. She only remembered because the only thing the gossip rags had talked about for weeks after was how unreal it was that someone had dumped the Terrence Knight. “You and Terrence?” she asked.

  Andie gave her a tight smile. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to shock you. I’m used to everyone knowing. I forgot you haven’t been here that long and don’t know our deep dark pasts.”

  It had been Andie. The truth shocked her speechless for a few seconds. Andie didn’t say anything in response. Letting Veronica absorb the information that few knew the entirety of, Veronica assumed.

  “Let me get this straight,” Veronica said. They had made it to the doorway of the main office, and Veronica ushered Andie inside and waved at a chair. “You’re the chick who dumped Terrence?”

  Andie shook her head. “It really wasn’t as sensational as it might sound.”

  “How about you tell me how it happened, and then I’ll give you my opinion on whether it’s sensational or not?”

  “Fair enough,” Andie said. “I’d rather you hear the story from me anyway.”

  As opposed to who? Veronica wondered but remained silent.

  “I came to RACK Academy years ago as a student,” Andie started. “Terrence and I grew up together, and we remained friends even when he was off making a name for himself in Hollywood. I had no idea he was a Dom, and it wasn’t until we started dating and things started getting serious that he told me. I didn’t know much about the lifestyle, but I made him tell me. When I found out about Lennox and RACK Academy, I told him I wanted to come here to see if I could possibly be a submissive and, if so, to be trained.” She shrugged. “I met Fulton, and that’s all she wrote. We both fought it, but in the end, love will be what love wants to be and there’s not anything you can do to change it. Fortunately, Terrence wasn’t a dick—which looking back now, he had all right to be—and actually was pretty cool about the entire thing.”

  “Not being a dick is still miles away from spending every summer living on an island with your ex and her husband,” Veronica said. Surely, the three of them knew that wasn’t how the world typically worked.

  “True,” Andie agreed. “But the thing about me and Terrence is that we both agreed we were better as friends than anything else. Frankly, I think the two of us only started dating in the first place because we each saw the other person as safe. He was comfortable for me, I didn’t have to work at all, you know? It was easy. And I was comfortable for him because he’d known me forever and knew I didn’t want to be with him because he was famous and all that.”

  “I can see where that makes sense,” Veronica said. “At least for the two of you. But how does Fulton feel about his wife’s ex-boyfriend hanging around every summer?”

  “He wasn’t comfortable with the situation at first. You know how Doms can sometimes act like they’re half caveman. But Terrence is one of Lennox’s friends too, so there wasn’t much Fulton could do about the situation.”

  “With Lennox being Fulton’s boss and all.”

  “Right,” Andie agreed. “And as time went on, Fulton was able to see that Terrence saw me as nothing other than a friend. And I’d like to think today the two of them are friendly.”

  Veronica thought back to the few times she’d seen the men together. To look at the two of them, one would never think they were anything other than friends. “From all appearances, they are. I don’t think either one of them is acting.”

  “You say that as if you’ve been around a lot of people who have been less than forthcoming with you.” Andie tilted her head. “I’m guessing there’s a lot of that happening in Washington DC?”

  Veronica only felt mildly surprised Andie knew who she was. “Terrence told you who I am.” She worded the phrase as a statement and not a question. There was no one else who knew who she was. It could only have been Terrence.

  “He did,” Andie said. “But don’t get mad at him. Fulton’s the one who pushed the issue, wanting to know how the two of you knew each other. He wanted to make sure there wouldn’t be a problem with the two of you being here this summer.”

  “There won’t be.”

  “Yeah,” Andie said, a huge smile on her face. “That’s what Terrence said as well.”

  Chapter 8

  Veronica

  Veronica finished jotting down the note from the phone call she’d just answered right as the phone rang again. Muttering under her breath, she pasted a fake smile on and picked up on the second ring. “RACK Academy. This is Veronica. How may I help you?”

  “I need to speak with Terrence,” a man said.

  It was the Monday following the Saturday when Terrence had first asked about routing calls through the main office. So far, she’d taken more calls for Terrence than she had for the academy. Maybe she’d missed something, but for some reason, she’d been under the impression Terrence had only needed to send calls to the main line on Saturday.

  “I’m sorry,” she replied. “Mr. Knight isn’t available at the moment. May I take a message?”

  “No. I’ll call back later.”

  “But, sir—” The sound of the dial tone cut her off. “Ugh!” She slammed the headset into the receiver. Damn, that was satisfying and something she’d missed with cell phones. “If you’d have let me finish, you’d have learned you’re never going to catch him by calling this number,” she said to the empty room.

  There was only one thing to do. Taking the notepad with her, she stomped out of her office and into the dining room.

  Empty.

  She walked into the kitchen next. No Terrence, but Andie was at a counter kneading dough. “Hey, Veronica!” she said. “Would you like pizza for dinner? I’m trying a new dough recipe.”

  The question caught her off guard. “What? Sure. Sounds good.” Looking around, she remembered why she’d stopped by the kitchen. “Have you seen Terrence?”

  “No, not today.” Andie continued working the dough. “But I think I remember him telling Fulton last night that he was spending the day doing something for Lennox and would be spending most of the day downstairs.”

  Andie said something else, but Veronica didn’t pay attention or hear what she’d said. Downstairs. Downstairs was where Fulton said the private and classroom dungeons were. She couldn’t imagine what Terrence would be doing for Lennox in a dungeon, but whatever it was, he could stop for a minute and listen to her while she explained she wasn’t his damn secretary.

  She realized her mistake as soon as the door closed silently behind her and she stepped out of the stairwell and out onto the hallway lined by classroom dungeons. The first thing she heard was the sound of leather slapping flesh. The second was the unmistakable groan of a woman in pleasure. The third being none other than Terrence himself.

  “Liked that one, did you?” he asked. “What if I did this?”

  Holy fuck.

  She knew she should turn and go back up the stairs. Wait for him to finish his scene or whatever it was. But she found herself frozen in place and couldn’t convince her feet to move. Besides, she was horribly curious. Was this what he was doing for Lennox? And if so, what the hell? Not only that, but who was with him? Was it an academy employee? She found that hard to believe, because there weren’t very many of them on campus. Maybe it was someone who came to the island for the sole purpose of playing with Terrence?

  She hadn’t noticed the boat being out from the dock, but it was possible it could have left and returned without her knowing. Especially since most of her day had been answering phones for him.

  She took a step forward rather than back. Just to see who it was he had in the dungeon with him. She took another step forward, even as she told herself it wasn’t any of her business who he was with.

  There was a mirror outside the dungeon, hanging from the wall and positioned in such a way that if you stood in the right spot, you could see everything that happened inside the room. It would be wrong of her to watch. She knew it was. And yet she still moved her feet forward to both the dungeon’s entrance and the mirror.

  She looked at the mirror. Unfortunately, the woman had her back toward her so Veronica couldn’t tell if she recognized her. She could tell, however, that she was naked and bound with her arms over her head. Terrence stood behind her, also with his back toward her. He was shirtless but had his pants on.

  Veronica watched the scene before her. Five years ago, she’d seen a shirtless Terrence when he played with her. She’d thought he was magnificent then, but now…

  Now the sight of him bare from the waist up had her acknowledging how long it’d been since she had sex. How long it’d been since she’d had anything other than a vibrator give her an orgasm. Judging from how Terrence’s pants were tented, he was enjoying the scene just as much as his bound partner. How would it feel to have all that male energy and power directed at her?

  Not that it mattered because it never would be. She wasn’t even in the lifestyle anymore. Nor did she want to be. She was perfectly content with her life just the way it was. Thank you very much.