Page 47 of Welcome to Ero-TEA-Ca: We’re Open!

Nodding, Harriet wrapped her legs around Cass’s waist and concentrated on regulating her breathing. The whole experience had her careening towards a premature end. Reaching forward, she held on to Cass’s hip. “Nice and slow, Cass.”

“Mmmm.”

The slow and steady rhythm only worked for so long, though. Harriet felt wetness drip between her arse cheeks and her centre tighten with every thrust. “I…I need…”

Unable to finish her request, Harriet moaned, gripping the table with her free hand.

In a bout of pure genius, Cass brought Harriet to orgasm with a slide of her fingers.

Reaching down, she drew tight, forceful circles on Harriet’s clit, setting off a chain reaction that saw her screaming into the ceiling.

Harriet grumbled as Cass pulled out. Seconds later, two warm arms circled her, helping her stand. Inhaling Cass’s scent, Harriet let her head drop to her shoulder. Warm lips stroked her temple and then her cheek.

“Are you okay?”

Wetting her dry lips, Harriet summoned the energy to look up. “I have no words, Cass. That…that was…what was that? Not that I’m complaining, but I’m still in a state of shock, I think.”

“Let’s get dressed and we’ll talk. We can take the food back to my place later if you want?”

“Oh, I want.”

On wobbly legs, Harriet haphazardly dressed. Cass looked suitably pleased, which Harriet couldn’t fault her for because, hell, she’d just ruined her in the space of an hour.

Wiping her hair from her rather sweaty face, she watched Cass clean off the table with a wipe and replace the pot of tea, along with Harriet’s teacup and erotic cakes.

Settling in the chair opposite, Cass leaned back and smiled. “I suppose you’d like an explanation?”

“Not an explanation. Maybe…I don’t know…the story behind it? Is that better? I don’t want you to feel like you have to answer to me for anything you do.”

“I appreciate you saying that. But I do owe you an explanation. I’ve been seeing Mistress Black.” Harriet stilled, her heart plummeting to her stomach. “Not as a client,” Cass rushed to say. “She’s been mentoring me.”

“To be a Domme?” Harriet almost screeched.

Laughing, Cass leaned forward and took Harriet’s hands. “No, sweetheart. She’s helped me…accept myself. Turn my anxiety into something I can use to boost my self-confidence and worth. Along with Dr Herman, she’s taught me how to cope better with things that used to make me want to hide away.”

“I…wow.” Harriet was stunned and a little upset with herself for not being as involved with Cass’s self-treatment as she should have. “Are you still seeing her?”

“No, but we are friends now. Is that okay?”

“Of course. So…what does this mean, exactly?”

Shrugging, Cass popped an erotically decorated French Fancy into her mouth. “Nothing, and everything, I guess. I don’t want that life, Harriet. Unless that’s something you want to explore.”

“Not really. I loved what just happened and would be ecstatic for something like that to happen again.”

“Me too. I…I like feeling dominant. But not over you, if that makes sense. If I can dominate my fear, I feel better equipped to face parts of life I usually get upset over. But that doesn’t mean I want to be in charge all the time. I like it when you get bossy, too.”

Harriet smiled and winked. “Duly noted. So why the teashop?”

Cass winced. “Are you mad?”

Harriet laughed. “Nothing about this makes me mad. Just curious.”

“Well,” Cass began, “it’s where we started. It’s where my anxieties hit a high point, but also where I found my calm and strength.” Harriet was about to cry. “Plus,” Cass shrugged with a grin, “I figured Ero-Tea-Ca should see some action. You know, to live up to its name.”

Harriet burst out laughing. “That’s fair. We will need to clean, thoroughly.”

“Done. Now, shall we go back to mine?”

Worrying her lip, Harriet decided it was time. “Actually, there’s something I need to confess, too.”

Sipping her tea, Cass waited. There was a hint of worry Harriet needed to erase. “Remember the surprise award party?”

“Yes.”

“Remember our conversation?”

Cass frowned. “Um, which one? Is this about Gogo? Are you still not talking?”

Harriet shook her head. “No, that’s all sorted. They’ve been nice to you right?”

“Yes. I think they’re thawing.”

Harriet rolled her eyes. “They’ll do better than that if they want to remain friends.”

“So, if it’s not about Gogo, I don’t know which conversation you’re referring to.”

“The one where you told me you’d planned to open a bookshop-slash-library.”

“Oh, right. Okay.”

Harriet sat up straight. She wasn’t sure how her plan would be received.

Hopefully, as an exciting adventure. But she wasn’t sure.

“I…well, I wanted to make your dream come true. Obviously, I can’t change Ero-Tea-Ca, but I thought…

well, I thought we could become partners.

If we converted both upstairs areas into one giant space, we could have a bookshop, with tables and chairs. ”

Cass remained silent, staring, so Harriet chose to carry on.

“I…I approached Kendal. Just to see if it would be something she’d ever consider.

Of course I was going to talk to you, too, but I became a little lost in the planning.

I made a presentation to show you and everything.

I also wanted to make sure I was financially viable to be an equal shareholder in it.

I am, by the way. So, the missed dates and meetings…

that’s what I was doing. Are you mad?” Cass stared and then stared a little more.

“I swear nothing has been done without your permission; it was just a fact-finding mission.”

Harriet rolled her lips as Cass held up her hand. “You want to open a bookstore with me?”

Harriet nodded, not confident in her voice.

“As my partner?”

“In life and work,” Harriet whispered. “Cass,” she said a little louder, “I’m in this.

I want a life with you. Marriage, kids, the works.

I’m not going anywhere, and I want to give you everything you want—including a bookstore.

Together we can do it. I even came up with a name.

” She smiled. “The Oxford Beanery Ero-Tea-Ca Bookstore.”

Cass chuckled. “Makes sense, I suppose.”

“But we can stock all kinds of genres. Not just smut.”

“Well,” Cass grinned, “we need some smut. It’s in the name after all.”

“So, you want this?” Harriet held her breath.

Standing, Cass held out her hand. Taking it, Harriet let herself be pulled into Cass’s warmth. “I want all of it, Harriet. All. Of. It. I’m yours.”

“Even the sexy teapots and glass dildos?” She was joking, but not entirely. Harriet needed to know Cass was comfortable in this life, surrounded by these things, and not just tolerating them for her sake.

Hearing the unspoken truth in Harriet’s joke, Cass hooked two fingers under her chin. “I want all the erotica you can give me, Harriet Kirkwell.”

Pulling Cass forward, Harriet claimed her lips, sucking and biting. “Careful what you wish for.”