“Technically,” Abby said. “She’s my boss, but for tonight, we’re just friends.”
Understanding crossed Jeff’s face. “Her boss, you’re the one—”
“Come on, let’s go see Dena,” Abby interrupted, grabbing Meagan’s hand and pulling her down the hall before Jeff could finish his sentence. “’Bye, Jeff.”
They left a frowning Jeff standing at the front door. Meagan peeked over her shoulder. He stood watching them, his arms crossed. “Uh, Abby. Jeff doesn’t look very happy.”
“I am not going to go into what happened at that club. That was months ago.”
“He was there?” When Abby’s first post went up at the news station, it was an unprecedented success and Meagan had taken her to a BDSM club to celebrate. An old Dom friend asked Meagan to dance and later to play. She’d agreed because he assured her he’d taken care of Abby. But he hadn’t and she’d almost been assaulted.
“He was the one who saved me,” Abby said. “And I’m not talking about it anymore.”
They’d made it to the bedroom where a gorgeous and very pregnant blonde was sitting up in bed, surrounded by pillows and giggling at something the brunette beside her was saying. They looked up at their entrance.
“Hey, guys,” Abby said. “This is my friend Meagan. Meagan, that’s Dena in the bed and Julie beside her. Julie owns Petal Pushers with Sasha.”
Meagan nodded and said hellos, but she couldn’t help but feel out of place. These ladies all knew one another and had shared history. She should have gone to the bed-and-breakfast.
She was even more sure of that when Jeff entered the bedroom. He made a beeline to Dena and sat beside her on the bed. “I’m going to Daniel’s. You let me know if anything happens.”
Dena lightly stroked his cheek and gave him a sweet smile. “Yes, now you go have guy fun. The little miss and I are fine.”
He leaned forward and kissed her. “Love you.” He kissed her belly. “Love you, too. Stay put a few more weeks.”
When he stood up, he spoke to Abby. “Call me if she so much as sneezes.”
Behind him, Dena picked up a pillow and aimed it at his head.
“I see you,” he said.
“Damn, you do have eyes in the back of your head,” Dena said, but put the pillow down.
“Nah, just a well-placed mirror.” He nodded to the far wall. Instead of leaving though, he turned to Meagan. “Any friend of Abby’s is a friend of mine. If she’s made peace with you, I won’t hold the past against you either.”
No one said anything until he left.
“That was cryptic,” Sasha spoke first.
“Not talking about it,” Abby said.
“I should go.” Meagan shook her head. “This was a bad idea.”
“No,” all four women said at once.
Meagan hesitated. It would be nice to be part of girls’ night. “I don’t know.”
“I’m deciding for you,” Abby said. “You’re staying.”Meagan turned her Domme face on her, but Abby just laughed. “Don’t even.”
The group seemed to think the discussion over. Sasha walked up to the bed. “How many weeks are you?”
Dena rubbed her belly. “Twenty-eight.”
“I miss being pregnant.”
All eyes shot to Abby. She held her hands up. “Not that we’re doing anything to change that. I mean we are doing it, but not to get pregnant or anything. I just, you know, enjoyed being pregnant.”
“You should have a third,” Julie said.
“Easy for you to say,” Abby replied. “You don’t even have one.”
“Not yet.”
“Are you . . .” Sasha started.
“No, but we’ve talked about it lately.”
Everyone agreed this was A Really Good Thing and before she knew what was happening, Meagan found herself getting caught up in the laughter and teasing of the group.
Two hours later, Abby, Meagan, and Julie finished off their second bottle of wine. Dena didn’t drink any for obvious reasons. Sasha said she couldn’t drink without Cole’s permission and he hadn’t replied to the text she’d sent asking.
Meagan glanced to where Sasha sat frowning at the silent phone. “Kinda makes you want to grab them by the balls and give a good yank, doesn’t it?”
Sasha laughed. “Yes, but yank Cole’s balls? Nope. Never going to happen. But it would be nice if he at least replied.”
“He’s probably in a meeting or driving or something.” Julie nodded. “But yeah. Hell to the no to the ain’t gonna happen, on ball yanking.”
Meagan tried to picture messing with Luke’s and had to agree. “Right, bad choice of words. Yeah, I could just see me doing that with . . .”
She trailed off as four pairs of eyes looked her way.
“I didn’t know you were involved with anyone,” Abby said softly.
“I’m not. I mean, it was one night.” She blew a piece of hair out of her eyes. “One really, really amazing night.”
“The photographer?” Sasha asked.
Meagan nodded, remembering Abby told her Sasha was the one who found the old magazines.
“Oh my . . . fuck,” Abby said. Meagan was surprised at how pale she looked.
“Abby?” Meagan asked.
“I just didn’t think you were ever getting back with him.” She groaned. “Shit.”
“What is it?”