Free Hanging On by Michelle Zurlo Page B

his still-erect penis and snapped them into place. “I suppose I’ve earned another punishment for that?”
    “Yes,” she said regretfully. She scooped his shirt up from the floor near her feet and tossed it to him. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.” His jaw dropped, and he froze in the midst of pulling on his shirt.
    “Tomorrow?”
    She smiled serenely at the underlying desperation there. She had planned to have him over that night, but she couldn’t reward this kind of behavior. She paused with her hand on the doorknob. “Don’t forget, Drew: no masturbating.”
    “If I do?”
    “You do seem intent on learning the hard way,” she said, opening the door. “Care to try me?”
    He followed her out a few minutes later and took his position behind her. He was quiet for the remainder of the afternoon.

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Chapter 6
    Sabrina cornered Sophia after most people left. Her coral shirt perfectly matched her lips and nail polish. Sophia was amazed at how well put together Sabrina always appeared. She frequently wished she was as self-possessed, but she wasn’t. Everybody hides an insecurity. Sophia lived in mortal fear that someone would find out that she wasn’t in complete control and that she spent more time running from relationships than anything else.
    Even friendships made Sophia uncomfortable.
    She wrapped a tentative hand around Sophia’s upper arm. “Sophia, what on earth did you do to Drew?”
    Before she could say a word, namely, that it was none of her business, Jonas interrupted. “Honey, I can’t believe you actually asked that.” Sabrina turned on Jonas, impaling him with a look that shut him up.
    Sophia really didn’t understand their relationship. How could Sabrina be the submissive but still have such power over Jonas? How could he be a dominant and be okay with that?
    “He looked so lost and desperate. I’ve known Drew for almost fifteen years, and I’ve never once seen him so…so…upset.” Sophia repressed a proud grin and met Jonas’s eyes over her head. “I told him I was too busy tonight to see him.” Then, she closed her eyes and swore, her moment of pride gone. Tomorrow was her brother’s birthday.
    She had plans to meet Daniel and their parents for dinner. These things always ran late, and she had to get up early Tuesday for work.
    The white brick ranch house was empty when Sophia got home, not that she expected anything else. Flipping through the channels on her television, she stumbled into an airing of Drew’s show. She watched the last ten minutes of the episode without moving.

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    Those ice-blue eyes stared out of the flat screen, ensnaring her. Sophia was certain he was looking directly at her, that his flirty smiles were meant exclusively for her. Of course, they weren’t. He hadn’t even known her when he taped these episodes. His smiles were meant for the masses. The knowing glint in his eye was for someone else.
    Climbing into bed later that night, Sophia quelled the possessiveness she felt toward Drew, burying it deep inside with the rest of her shameful secrets. Yet when she slid her vibrator deep inside, it was the feel of Drew’s body against hers that propelled her to orgasm.
    Sabrina had thoughtfully loaded the numbers of each member of the wedding party into the BlackBerrys, having had each of their cell numbers transferred to the new account. Sophia waited until the next morning to text Drew. She turned on the phone to find three messages.
    The first was from Sabrina. She apologized for being so presumptuous.
    Sophia and Drew were adults, and she very much hoped they could be happy together.
    Sophia knew Jonas hadn’t put her up to it. She would never make one of her subs apologize to anyone but her. She’d learned that from Jonas. Every successful relationship respected boundaries.
    The hesitation in Sabrina’s voice made Sophia wonder if she doubted Sophia or Drew, or the two of them together.
    The second was from her mother. She wondered what