Rebecca shook her head. “Nick being on the list doesn’t bother me at all. I like that you trust him. Whether or not he’d do it would be something we’d have to talk out between us.”

“Same here,” Amanda said. “That’s a conversation for James and me to have. It’s not your responsibility.”

Sadie picked her glass back up. “I want to hear about some of these other fantasies.”

“Well.” Olivia set her empty glass aside and rubbed her hands on her thighs. “I have a home-invasion fantasy.”

“Like, a masked intruder?” Amanda nibbled thoughtfully on a wedge of cheddar. “That could be hot.”

“And an abduction fantasy, but that’s tricky.”

Rebecca’s eyes were still the size of saucers. “How so?”

“Well, he’d have to kidnap me from someplace I wasn’t expecting, like from the parking garage at the hospital or the store, and that’s…”

“A felony?” Sadie put in.

“Right.”

“He might know some people who could help him pull that off,” Amanda pointed out, and everyone laughed.

“You seem really happy,” Amanda said.

“I am. I am happy,” Olivia realized, and smiled.

“Well.” Sadie raised her glass, and the others followed suit. “Here’s to being happy.”

* * * *

Olivia walked into the kitchen at Cade’s a few hours later, her abs sore from laughing all night. She’d had so much fun. No one was freaked out by her CNC kink—no one had referred to her as the ‘rape fantasy girl’, one of the less offensive nicknames she’d been given when she’d first come on the scene—and everyone had been so supportive of her relationship with Cade.

It was nice to have friends who didn’t judge.

She set her purse on the counter, then picked up the folded piece of paper with her name on it in Cade’s distinctive scrawl. She flipped open the note. Helping a friend with something, be home late. Don’t wait up. -C

“Bummer,” she murmured, and looked down at the cat, who’d wandered in to sit at her feet. “Looks like it’s just you and me tonight, Phoebe.”

Shaking off the disappointment she felt at his absence, she scooped up the cat. Phoebe set up a rumbling purr, appearing content to be held for now, and Olivia headed for the stairs. She’d treat herself to a soak in the tub, then break out one of the in-case-of-emergency books on her e-reader. If she tired herself out enough, maybe she’d be able to fall asleep without wishing Cade was beside her.