“That is none of your business,” Kyle said.
“But we have to live with the after-effects. You’re exhausting when you’re jubilant, you know,” Cassie said.
“That’s not what Lauren says,” Kyle replied with a wicked smile.
“Are you going to share this idea or do we have to guess?” Damon asked.
Kyle spun around to face him. “I love this one.”
“He’s like Tigger, isn’t he?” Cassie asked Meesha. “His own personal fan club.”
“Thank God there’s only one,” she replied deadpan and they all laughed.
“You don’t even want to know!” Kyle complained, throwing out his hands. “My genius is wasted here. At least Theo appreciates me.”
“He just wants to tell us soon so he can get to Lauren’s place before dinner,” Damon murmured to Cassie.
“Mr. Quickie. Some things never change.” Cassie shook a finger at Kyle. “You’d better be back here by nine. The club is going to be nuts tonight.”
“I know it,” Kyle said with obvious delight, and Damon had a moment to think that he was out of his partner’s sights before Kyle looked him in the eye. “Like you don’t know anything about skipping out early for a little....affection,” he said. “Mr. Friday Night at Five. How is the scrumptious Natasha?”
“Fine.” Damon felt his gut tighten but he kept his tone impassive. “What’s your great idea?”
“Aha!” Kyle jumped off the desk triumphantly. “A diversion from Damon. There’s more to know about Natasha, Cassie.”
“He isn’t going to share with us,” she replied. “Just the way I’m starting to think you aren’t going to share this great idea.”
“Maybe Natasha doesn’t exist,” Kyle mused.
“Maybe your great idea doesn’t exist,” Damon countered. The last thing he wanted to do was confide in Kyle about his mom. Fortunately, he had an idea how to stop his partner’s curiosity. He went to the change room behind the office, leaving the door ajar, and opened his locker. He didn’t even glance back as he peeled off his T-shirt, but he knew Kyle was looking.
Kyle’s crow of delight made it clear. “Teeth!” he cried, much as Damon had expected. “Natasha has teeth!” He was immediately behind Damon, his fingertip running over the place where Haley had bitten his shoulder during her release. The memory of her quivering in his arms was enough to tighten Damon’s jeans.
“And sharp little claws,” Kyle continued, noting where she’d dug in her fingernails. “I guess she does exist.”
Damon pulled a clean shirt over his head then turned to meet Kyle’s gaze. “While your idea…?”
“Well, it seems kind of anticlimactic to throw it out now.”
“Ha ha.”
Kyle pivoted to appeal to Cassie. “Did you see that? She exists!”
Cassie rolled her eyes and shut down the computer. “So, neither one of you has cause for complaint when it comes to love and romance. Can I go now?”
Kyle immediately flung his arm around her shoulders. “Oh, poor Cassie. All alone in the big, bad city with no one to keep her warm at night. I’ll find you a guy.”
“No. If you like him, I won’t.”
“You like me.”
“Because I was never stupid enough to date you.”
Kyle grinned. “I’ll ask Lauren to find you a guy.”
“She got stuck with you,” Cassie retorted and poked Kyle in the gut. “I’m thinking she didn’t have many options.”
“Thank you very much.” Kyle pretended to be insulted, but he practically preened when he talked about Lauren. It was clear to all of the partners—even Ty, who was Lauren’s big brother—that Kyle had finally met his match and would be busy keeping Lauren happy for the rest of his days—and nights.
“Check the big screen,” Meesha said, referring to the screen that displayed the feed from the club’s social media. “They’re shipping you with everyone from Theo to George Clooney.” One of her jobs was to encourage participation from the members, and one of their favorite challenges was creating potential relationships for the partners. Cassie’s romantic situation was always a popular thread and Damon was glad to keep a low profile in that forum.
“Should I be flattered?” Cassie asked.
“Come on!” Meesha said, almost as exuberant as Kyle. “Treat yourself tonight and check it out. It’ll take you a while. The list of dream dates for you is long.”
“With no help from you?” Cassie teased.
Meesha smiled and held up her hands, wiggling her fingers. “I do all my magic behind the scenes.”
“Spoken like a true social media diva,” Kyle said and Meesha took a bow.
“I’ll walk out with you,” Cassie said to Damon as he shrugged into his jacket. He nodded and held hers for her, then she pulled on her boots. “Going to the subway?”
“Yes.” He picked up his messenger bag.
“Me, too.”
“But what about my idea!” Kyle protested from behind them.
“I want to know,” Meesha said to him.
“I take that back,” Cassie muttered. “He’s like a kid, not like Tigger.”
“I heard that!”
“There’s a train in five minutes,” Damon said, tapping his watch.
“Mine’s in six,” Cassie said.
Kyle muttered a curse and flung on his coat before following them.
“But!” Meesha protested.
“I’ll tell you tomorrow,” Cassie promised. “If it’s any good.”
They waved in unison to Christa on the desk and strode through the foyer together, Cassie’s heels clicking loudly.
“Empty retail space,” she said, shaking her finger at the space beside the shop carrying F5F merchandize. “I hate the sight of it. Every inch of this place should be making money.”
“Theo said he should have news on the permits for the condos this week,” Damon said.
“And not a moment too soon,” Cassie said. “This space, though, annoys me. It’s so visible to our members as they come and go. It looks like failure to me.”
“Street-level but not prime,” Damon said. “It’s tough to find the right business to rent it. It’s got to fit with the club’s vibe, be able to use a comparatively small space, and not need the visibility from the street.”
“I’ll think of something,” Cassie said, jamming her hands into her pockets then shivering as they drew near the glass doors. “It looks so cold out there.”
Kyle gave a theatrical sigh.
Cassie flicked a glance at Damon, then spun and stopped in front of Kyle. “Your idea is for that space,” she said, no question in her voice.
“And it’s so brilliant you will kiss my boot when you hear it.”
Cassie smiled and beckoned with both hands. “Come on, then. Hit me with your best shot.”
Inevitably, the pair of them launched into the chorus from the Pat Benatar song and Damon watched the minutes tick away. He could probably catch the next train. It didn’t really matter. His mom wasn’t going anywhere.