Professional Restraint

17 Hot Seat

Liam

"Liam, my man, stop hassling the woman! We're over here," Terrance calls from behind the hostess.

Oh, you have got to be shitting me!

He never said anything about joining us, just that he'd get us a reservation at 'the hottest place in town.' I shake my head, pushing away my shock, nod to the hostess, and follow her towards Terrance. Ella tucks perfectly into my side, and the way her lithe back feels under my fingertips makes it hard to concentrate.

Not only has Terrance gotten us into a place booked months in advance, but he got us a private room. I knew the man was still connected, but this impresses even me. The restaurant, simply named JG, is a trendy Japanese one where they cook your food at the table while you watch.

The room we end up in is decorated in deep, sensual colours with bamboo screens, live bamboo plants, and beautiful artwork, but the table in the center demands all of our attention. A dark bamboo countertop surrounds a grill with a chef clad all in white waiting for us. Immediately, my eyes land on Carissa in a skin tight royal blue dress as she beelines for Ella.

Shoot me now!

"Hi! You must be Ella," Carissa greets, pulling her in for a quick hug. I take her distraction moment to mouth, 'What the fuck?!' to Terrance, but he just grins, delighting in my discomfort. "I'm Carissa, and this stud muffin is Terrance."

"Hi," Ella replies, trying to put on a cheery face as she practically melts into my side to hide.

"So sorry to intrude," Terrance says, bringing her hand up for a quick kiss. "But I couldn't resist the opportunity to meet the woman he's been going on about."

Seriously?!

"Really?" Ella questions, turning her wide chocolate eyes up to mine.

I stand there stunned, looking down at her pressed against me, and my mind goes blank. Everything just drifts away, leaving me, Ella, and my thoughts that are spiraling far from clean.

"Don't give him a heart attack like that," Carissa teases, a smug smirk on her lips as her blue eyes dance with delight. "We don't get to see Liam very often, and I was a bit too tied up and distracted to fully appreciate his company last night. But he mentioned something about being in town on business with you, and how smart you are... I was beginning to think no one could impress Mr. Stiff."

Ten seconds in and she's talking about bondage... Ella's going to run screaming from here and I can't blame her.

"Kitten," Terrance warns. "Behave."

Ella laughs and brings her delicate hand to cover her mouth as she blushes wildly. I let out a small sigh of relief and usher her over to the table, seating her on the far side, away from my deviant friends.

Carissa doesn't get the hint and walks over, striking up a conversation on clothing and anything else with Ella. I feel a knot building in my shoulders as my tension mounts and order a whiskey on the rocks for myself and a strawberry daiquiri for Ella. There's no easy way to bring up the BDSM lifestyle to someone not already in it and unaware, but I'm pretty sure subjecting Ella to these two isn't the way.

"Are you kidding me?" I growl, dragging Terrance to the far side of the room while Carissa has Ella distracted.

"Chill," Terrance laughs out. "You said let's do dinner when we're in town—"

I raise my hand, cutting him off, and glare at him. "You and me, not us, Ella, and your rope bunny! She knows nothing about this—"

"Dude, seriously chill out," Terrance orders, laying a hand on my shoulder. "Contrary to what you might think, we are able to go out for dinner and not have kinky sex on the table." A ghost of a smirk lands on his lips as he takes a final dig at me.