“Have you guys talked about the future at all?” Rebecca wanted to know.

“Not specifically,” Olivia admitted. “But we make plans, you know? Like, one of his favorite bands is coming to town in November, and he already bought tickets for us to go together. And he wants to have a holiday party this year and asked if I’d help plan it. Stuff like that.”

“Sounds to me like he’s thinking long-term,” Amanda said.

“Me, too,” Olivia confessed, and abandoned her fries for the chocolate milkshake. “I just wish we could have a ‘this is where we are, this is where we’re going’ conversation.”

“Why can’t you?”

Olivia glanced at Rebecca. “I’m scared of it.”

“Been there,” Rebecca murmured.

“Done that,” Sadie finished.

“Things are going so well, you know? I don’t want to rock the boat. And besides,” Olivia said, and set her milkshake down with an annoyed snap. “He’s the Dom, dammit. Isn’t this his job?”

“Technically, yes,” Amanda allowed. “But he’s not a mind reader, and you’re not a doormat. You need to be able to tell him what you want.”

“I know, I know.” Olivia looked around the table at her friends, grateful for their sympathy and understanding. “I just don’t know what that is, exactly.”

“Do you want to keep living with him?”

“Yes.”

“Do you want to keep being his submissive?”

Olivia let out a slow breath. “Very much yes.”

“Do you love him?” Sadie wanted to know.

“I do,” Olivia replied, and pressed a hand to the butterflies that had taken flight in her belly. “Oh God, I think I might throw up.”

“Yep,” Rebecca said with a laugh. “That’s love, all right.”

Amanda reached over to pat Olivia’s hand. “Just breathe, sweetie.”

“Is he a good roommate?” Sadie wanted to know. “Like, does he leave dishes and clothes and whatever scattered around?”

Olivia shook her head. “He’s neat and organized, almost more than me. My biggest complaint is that he keeps the house so damn cold I can almost see my breath.”

“Nick does that, too,” Rebecca put in. “Or he would, if I hadn’t claimed control of the thermostat when I moved in.”

“I should’ve done that.” Olivia wrinkled her nose. “I’ve been wrapping myself up in this giant wool cardigan I’ve had since college so I don’t freeze to death. And it doesn’t bother him. He just walks around shirtless all the time.”

“That doesn’t sound like a hardship,” Sadie quipped.

Olivia’s lips twitched. “It’s not. Especially since his favorite thing to wear around the house are these thin gray sweatpants—”

“Wait.” Sadie raised her hand. “Are you saying…it’s sweatpants season?”

Olivia nodded, a wide grin breaking over her face. “It’s sweatpants season.”

“Oh, please tell me you have a picture.”