The Masked Emotions Redux: Linger

MAKING AN OFFER

JOSLIN

Joslin exited the elevator, holding a black velvet envelope. She had on her favorite brown lipstick along with her favorite black strappy cut-out dress which had a spaghetti strap top with a v-shaped bid neckline, a bold high cut cage cut-out exposing her flat, tight stomach, and six-inch knee-high heel boots that echo throughout the hallway with each step. She slowed down, staring at one of the dorm rooms, and let out a small smile. She wasn't supposed to be there, but when Rachel discovered that woman was on the waiting list for august, she became highly annoyed, cancelled the appointment, and refunded the money. "We're going to have to tell him," she choked, "this is going to crush. I knew she was just using him." Joslin just nodded as she continued to talk. All she thought about was him shutting down again and she didn't want that. She didn't want to lose him. So, she reinstated the appointment and moved it closer. A lot closer.

She continued down to the end of the hall and gently knocked on the door. She heard a small scuffle, a rush of footsteps, and the door swung open. The woman was slightly shorter than Enzio, with curly amber hair that rested on the arch of her mid-back. She weighted all the places that counted and physically built everywhere else. She had a sweet innocent-looking face with a voice that matched and Joslin slightly understood why he was infatuated with her. The woman appeared very disappointed when she saw her. "Can I help you?" she asked, trying to look down the hall. Joslin smiled while handing her the black velvet envelope.

"I just wanted to give this to you personally." She said as the woman slowly took it "I'll be looking forward to seeing you tomorrow night." She added before she turned and walked away. Joslin heard the gasp behind her as the door closed. Halfway down the hall, she stopped short, softly placed her hand on Enzio's door, and continued to walk towards the elevator.

ENZIO & AKIRA

Enzio sat in the middle of a restaurant called Alturas, feeling severely out of place. The décor had a down to earth, homey feeling with a casual or fancy-dress code and he was sitting there wearing a pair of gray sweats, a matching hoodie, and socks with sandals. Listening to this man talk to him about the finer things in life while he was wishing that he was back at the dorms confessing to Lana about his fake girlfriend, the feelings that he had for her ever since she made him kiss her in that game of truth or dare. Meanwhile, Akira was cutting into a bone-in rib-eye steak with shitake mushrooms on the side and a bottle of red wine airing out beside him. Enzio just sat there looking at Akira and wondering why he was acting like he was in the middle of a celebration feast. "Please Enzio, eat." He practically demanded.

"I'll pass." Enzio sighed while looking around the empty restaurant.

"I recommend the chef's tasting menu, its multiple levels of heaven." Akira could see in his eyes and had gotten excited by Enzio's cold hard glare. "Okay, I could see you're not hungry." He placed the utensils down, wiped his mouth, and leaned forward. "I respect you, Mr. Salazar, I respect your work. For someone at your age and the accomplishments you were able to obtain so far only foretells what life has in store for you."

"And that is?" Enzio asked while staring at the bottle of wine.

"That you are a true BDSM master." Akira boasted while pouring himself a glass. "I have been reading stories about your encounters for over a year and I need to know, how does a man so young, become so knowledgeable?"

Enzio adjusted his seat, inching himself closer to the bottle. "Since I was thirteen years old, I have been reading about sex, watching adult movies, and studying the ways of pleasuring a woman. Normally, boys, my age would do this just to jerk off, but not me. I did this because I wanted to please one particular woman, to be her best and only, but I never had the opportunity to be with her. At fifteen I discovered BDSM and I was immediately captivated by its whole world. The eroticism of having complete control of another human being that was based on trust and love, I lust for that. It unleashed a primal urge, a dark side of me that I never knew existed a side of me that I wanted to explore. I would use my allowance money and buy floggers, whips, and ropes. I would practice hitting my pillows, practice speaking to an imaginary sub. Eventually, I started going to workshops, learning under the tutelage of local, well-established masters.'