Can you come help out with the class tonight? I need someone to walk around and help critique. Baby is giving me issues.

Wednesday nights at Stronghold, Angel held self-defense classes for the submissives, something which Ellie had already participated in. This wasn’t the first time Angel had needed an extra hand, although last time it had been because her morning sickness hadn’t exactly been confined to the morning.

Yeah, definitely. I’ll be there at 7.

Class wasn’t till 7:30 pm, but Angel was always there half an hour beforehand, so Ellie would be too. Plus it would mean some girl time tonight. Which would be good. Whether she said yes or no to Michael, she would definitely not mind some girl talk.

Although... would Angel be mad if she knew Ellie said no?

Ellie didn’t even know if Michael had told anyone she’d been the one to bring up having a club relationship. Maybe no one knew. Maybe if she said no when he called, no one would have to know.

Except she kind of wanted to talk about it with someone.

“Meow.”

Watson’s warm, furry body wound around her ankles.

“I didn’t mean you,” she muttered, bending down to pick him up. Silly animal. “Talking to you isn’t super helpful.”

Purring, he rubbed his cheek against hers, his paws kneading the collar of her shirt with happiness at being held. It was a good thing he was a one-animal-in-the-house kind of pet, or she’d probably be a crazy old cat lady by now.

“And I really don’t want to be a crazy old cat lady,” she told him.

But if she didn’t want Watson to continue being the number one male in her life, at some point she needed to let another one in. Preferably a human one. And Michael was already more in than any other man ever had been.

When she was in the moment, she just wanted to be with him. It was only when she was able to overthink everything that she started having issues… so, maybe she should just trust her instincts.

She’d once been able to convince herself into a relationship which had turned out to be a disaster, ignoring the instincts and evidence telling her Lawrence couldn’t be trusted. Now the evidence and her instincts were telling her she should let Michael in... maybe she should stop trying to talk herself out of it.

Parking his car, Michael leaned back against the seat, glancing at the clock. Two more minutes and then he was going to call Ellie and find out whether or not they were going to take a step forward. Even if she’d changed her mind now that she’d actually had some time to think, he wasn’t going to be dissuaded from pursuing her, but it would be good to know where he stood.