Chapter 3: Behind the Screen

 "Oh. Hard. I like it hard," Josh answered. "I like it when you take control, with a little pain. Yeah, I like that a lot." In the background, I can hear the sound of his hand working his dick. At least I knew he was enjoying himself.

"Okay, Josh," I nodded to myself, knowing exactly where to go from here. Zach appeared in front of me, his lips forming an 'o' shape when he sees I'm with a client. I nodded my head towards the food I'd been preparing, signalling him to take over as I moved away from the counter and towards the living area. Zach passed me on the way, his hand patting me on the shoulder.

 I flopped over the arm of the chair and onto the sofa, landing with a bounce on my back. "The first thing I want you to do is to strip for me, now," I ordered him, reaching towards the coffee table when I spotted a magazine there. I brought it over to me and opened it. "Are you naked yet?"

 "Almost," he practically gasped to me. I can hear some more shuffling and then he was telling me, "Yes, mistress, I'm naked."

 Mistress? I sighed internally. You seriously wouldn't believe how many men were into the whole dominatrix kink. In the beginning, it was kind of fun but by now it was getting pretty old.

Mentally awakening my inner dom, I relaxed further into the sofa and flipped through the magazine."Good boy," I cooed, finding a 20 sex tips for women article. Huh, how fitting. "Now, here's what I want you to do, and you better listen closely, pet."

The call ended up lasting 2 minutes and 28 seconds. Not bad for a newbie. 

‎"I might have a date this weekend," Zach mentioned to me casually, making me glance over the top of my book at him, eyebrows raised.

‎ A few hours had passed since breakfast and I'd had at least seven phone calls since. The both of us were relaxing in the living room, me on one side of our L shaped sofa with Zach on the other.

‎ "And why is this the first I'm hearing of it?" I responded, feeling rather hurt. We tell each other everything. I know the penis size of every boyfriend he's had. How can he tell me that information so easily yet let something like a date stay secret? He cringed and I just know that I'm not going to like what's coming next.

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‎ "Because..." he hesitated, took a deep breath, and rushed out, "Because its with Danny." He said it so fast it almost didn't register but the name Danny stuck out like a sore thumb.

‎ "What!?" I exclaimed, book falling forgotten onto the floor as I sat up. I was completely shocked and I imagined that my expression said everything before I even opened my mouth.

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‎ "How can you- why would you want to after what he did?" I can't understand what's going through Zach's head seriously want to knock some sense into him. "I tried hinting to you this morning!" Zach told me, sitting up, the magazine he'd been reading earlier falling onto his lap, his attention now completely on me. "I told you I missed him!"

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‎I scoffed at that. "A hint is 'Oh, by the way, I'm thinking of going on a date with my ex! Not' I'm going to tickle you with Danny's ass-feather, complain about missing him, and hope that you get the hint that I'm going out with him this weekend despite the fact he broke my heart!'." I took a deep breath, oxygen running low after that rant.

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‎ "Look, I know it's none of my business-" "Of course it's your business. You're my best friend." "-I just don't want you to get hurt," I continued as we stare at each other with similar expressions. We were both desperate for the other to understand how we were feeling without wanting to cause any upset.

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‎ "I love you, honey...and it destroyed you when he left." "He said he's sorry," Zach told me quietly, making me realise just how much they'd been talking. A pang of hurt goes through my heart, knowing that Zach felt like he couldn't talk to me about this. "

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‎ He said it was a mistake, one he wouldn't make again. But I don't want to jump back into things so...I told him we'll start slow." "Well," I nodded slightly. "That's something, I guess." It comforted me knowing that he wasn't rushing into the relationship again.

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‎ Maybe, if they started from scratch, it could work this time. Unfortunately my gut was telling me different. "I'm going to be honest with you, okay?" Zach gave me a lopsided smile, causing a single dimple to form on his cheek. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

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‎ I smiled back for a moment before turning serious again. "I think...you're thinking with your heart and not with your head," I told him softly.

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‎ "I think you're in love with him, and you miss him, and you're not thinking rationally about this. Which I totally understand, honey. You love him, I know you can't help that. I just worry that Danny knows how you feel about him and he's going to use it to his advantage."

‎‎ I watched Zach's expression closely; he's nodding, letting me know he's listening. I gave my lip a quick nibble before continuing. "But if this is something you feel like you need to do then I'll support you, you know that."

‎ "Thanks, babe," he responded sounding sincere, but his eyes were sad. "You're right. I know you're right but...my heart wants this so damn badly."

‎ "What's your gut telling you to do?" I asked him curiously. I always had believed in following your instincts.

‎ "Run," he answered with a painful laugh. "Run and don't look back because he's only doing this as a rebound."

‎ I frowned at the information. "Rebound?"

‎ Zach nodded, tears filling his eyes. He crossed his legs underneath him which I was surprised he managed to do with jeans that skinny. One arm went to the back of the sofa while the other ran through his slick-backed hair. He pulled his lips into his mouth for a moment, a habit of his, before telling me, "Him and pig-face broke up. Danny says he broke it off because he misses me but I checked pig-faces page and it looks like he's gone and gotten himself a new guy."