Free Slave To Love by Bridget Midway Page A

Ananda’s eyebrows go up. “I want to serve.”
    “You never answered the question I asked you in the parking lot. Why do you want to be a part of the BDSM scene now? You saw the books and the movies and it made you curious?” Ananda glared at Taren.
    Taren could tell that Ananda protected her new lifestyle very fiercely. “No. I wasn’t influenced by any of those.” She knew to sway Ananda’s perception of her as being some conniving, immature ditz, she had to bare her soul and be completely honest. “I’m motivated and work hard, but I have no direction.” To say it out loud took her off guard. She plucked a chip from a bowl on the table, but she broke it up into pieces instead of eating it. Her stomach wouldn’t be able to take on food right now. “I need someone to help me focus.”
    Ananda stared at her for a while. “I don’t know. Meadow has experience, both as a submissive and being in front of the camera. You’re a wildcard. Your inexperience could ruin the show.”
    “Or help it. I’ll be like your viewers, inexperienced but curious.”
    Ananda nodded like she liked Taren’s answer.
    Good. Taren exhaled. It didn’t take long for their food to arrive. Before Taren could taste anything, Hurricane Dori blew into the restaurant and landed squarely at her table.
    Anger filled her friend’s eyes. She had her mouth clamped tight enough to make a thin line. Taren knew it couldn’t be possible, but it looked like smoke billowed from Dori’s ears. Taren kept her hand on her fork in case she needed a weapon of some sort.
    “You bitch.” Dori planted her fists on her full hips and shot laser beams from her eyes at Taren. “How dare you use my phone to—”
    “Meadow,” Ananda began. “Please have a seat.”
    Dori glared at Taren then Ananda. “Dorothy or Dori. Don’t ever call me Meadow again.”
    Instead of sitting next to either of them, Dori pulled a chair from a nearby empty table and sat at the end of the booth.
    “I don’t blame you for being mad.” Taren kept her voice low, hoping that would keep Dori calm.
    “Mad? You stole my phone.” Dori held the device up to Taren’s face.
    “I didn’t steal it. I borrowed it.” Taren smiled, but her cheerful demeanor didn’t work on her friend.
    “You pretended to be me to get Ananda out here.” Dori turned to Ananda. “Has she been trying to convince you that she would be perfect for your upcoming show? She’s flighty. She doesn’t really know what she wants. I’m not going to do your show, but you should not hire her either.”
    Taren sat stunned. She knew exactly what to say to Ananda, but hearing her friend say how she truly felt about her made her feel like she’d been stabbed in the back.
    “I appreciate your honesty.” Ananda bowed her head to Dori. “I’m sorry you won’t do the new show with me.”
    “I’m glad you finally understand. I’m married. I have a child. I have a career. I can’t go on this show and embarrass myself again.” Dori looked at Taren. “If you were smart, you will do the same. Thank Ananda for her time and go back home. Get your career going, find a nice guy, settle down. You are not some wide-eyed teenager anymore.”
    Taren nodded. “You’re right. I’m a grown woman.” She stared at Ananda. “A magna cum laude graduate. I graduated high school early. I graduated college early.”
    “Smart woman.” Ananda smiled.
    “I know what it is that I want.” She moved in closer. “Who hasn’t done something desperate to get something they want? We’ve all made bad decisions, right?” She looked at Dori. “I want to try something new.” Then she turned to Ananda. “I can be your submissive on the show.” She smiled harder. “What can I say? I’m a slave to love.”
    Ananda laughed. “I think you just came up with the perfect name for the show.”
    Taren covered her mouth. “Does that mean…?”
    Ananda wiped her hand on a napkin and extended it across the table. “Welcome to