Morgan Reynolds: The Story of Shae (The Pagen's Hold Chronicles)

A little bit about my life? Well, here it goes. My name is Morgan Reynolds, I’m twenty three years old and I work at the art gallery downtown. Work is a struggle on a daily basis. I love the pace of the gallery as it’s usually fairly calm and quiet there but the artists, collectors, the entire board of directors and the owner are what make that place suck harder than a vacuum in space. I mean… I love what I do for work! As for the rest of my life I’ll start at the beginning; my childhood was great. My parents were always super supportive and they continue to be that way. Mom was a school teacher so we always had summers off together to go camping and hiking and do everything under the sun. Dad is still a carpenter and cabinet maker by trade. Lately he has gotten into the artwork side of things. His hand carved sculptures have really come along in the last decade and now he’s practically shifted to just doing that. John - my older brother - he was very athletic through school. Currently he is coaching football while going to school to do physiotherapy or sports medicine. He has another two years before he starts to specialize in one or the other. As for me, I moved out of my parents place almost three years ago now. I came to the big city and settled into a basement suite. The neighborhood here is relatively quiet and my landlords upstairs are really nice too. One thing I haven’t really done since moving here is make friends. I have a couple of friends at the gallery but they are more interested in going out to the bar, hitting on cute guys and bitching about everyone else at the gallery. I’ll admit it’s therapeutic after the board members come for their visit but honestly it’s just not my style. Lucy is my one real friend out here. She and I met in a grocery store; she thought I was someone else from her high school class. It’s weird to say but it was an instant friendship for some reason. We hang out a few times a month and talk a little more than that through text or on the phone. She’s the kind of person I wish I was; really outgoing and still a little goth. We’re both into the kinky bedroom fun if you know what I mean, but she’s very open about it and I am just not. For me, I had a boyfriend, Patrick, that was into that stuff but we fizzled out after a few months. I really liked what we did but our personalities just weren’t a good match. Now I get my kicks from a book series called The Eros Journals and the related series The Eros Ledger. They go hand in hand and are based on a b**m resort kind of place. There is a Head Master Pagen who looks after the entire facility. She owns s*x slaves and has trained them with hand signals to perform different tasks and do different things. The Eros Journals are full of s*x and dungeon scenes that are hot as hell and there’s a great sprinkling of humorous naughty happenings that break up the hot and heavy scenes. The Eros Ledger series is hardly erotica but instead focuses on what day to day life is like for the slaves at the resort. It dives into the inner workings and rules and protocols of the place. Through the books you can watch as concepts are introduced and revised as problems arise. I love both series but they are HUGE. Currently twenty five books for both series and each book is the thickness of the Lord of the Rings. If I could go to any fantasy place for a day, I would definitely pick Eros in a heartbeat. Stacie Winnam the author has done an incredible job on the series and I would love to pick her brain about the series some day. Unfortunately for me that is not how my life goes. I will admit I don’t do much on my own. I enjoy reading on the couch at home and when I need a change of pace I’ll go to the library or to the coffee shop. There was a place called the Bean There Coffee Company just down the road from my place. It burned down when the glass blowing business beside it went up in flames. About a year later I found out it moved to a new building about a fifteen minute drive away. The staff there is awesome and I was very surprised to find that they all still work there despite the fire and subsequent move. There is one guy there that has caught my attention. Tye is an absolute sweetheart. He’s not the eye-catching heart throb that all the women go for. Instead he’s average in the looks department and quite thin- if it wasn’t for his zero percent body fat he’d have no muscles to show whatsoever. On the other side his personality is amazing. Very kind, down to earth, awesome to talk to; I bet he would make the perfect boyfriend. You know, he’d be the guy that would snuggle you on the couch, stroke your hair, feed you popcorn and make you feel loved after you’ve had a rough day at work. Tye would be the easiest guy to bring home to the parents too; no piercings, no tattoos, clean shaven, polite, personable, doesn’t drink, smoke or do drugs. He’s perfect. In fact he doesn’t even have a girlfriend so he’s even available right now! Over the last few months I have been stepping up my game. You know; putting on makeup, dressing better and getting to know him better. He usually works Thursday evenings and sometimes it’s quiet enough we can sit down for a small chat between customers. Tonight I am going to pull out all the stops and I am going dressed to the nines with my little black dress, high heels and my come hither red leather jacket. I just wish I had the courage to flat out ask him to go out with me. Actually, I just wish he would have the courage to ask me out on a date. That would make everything so much easier. I am just a chicken s**t with the dating game though. *** It’s about 7pm. I opened the coffee shop door and walked in. The place was quiet and Tye was busy cleaning behind the counter. Perfect. “Good evening Tye!” I called out to him. “Miss Reynolds, how are you this evening?” He greeted me with his large smile as always. “I’m good, thanks.” I answered. “The usual?” He asked with a quick glance down at my outfit. “Yes- I’ll have my usual coffee, but make it a chocolate croissant tonight.” He glanced at my body again and then studied my face. “You are dressed awfully fancy for a Thursday, is it date night?” I laughed. “I wish.” “Ah- some big up-do at the gallery then?” Tye figured. “No, you were right the first time. I was hoping to catch the attention of a man tonight, but I’m not confident he sees me as more than just an acquaintance.” No, I wasn’t exaggerating my terrible dating game skills. I have no confidence when it comes to this kind of thing and usually the guys are trying to hit on me. Tye is different and reserved which not only makes it harder for me, but it makes me want him so much more! Tye rung up my order and I tapped my card. “Why don’t you have a seat and I will bring out your order when it is ready.” He remained completely composed and professional, not letting on that he grasped my hint at all. He has a unique ability to take every little hint and just completely ignore it. Seriously, if this guy was a football player he’d hold the world record for fumbling every single pass made to him. “Thanks Tye.” I winked at him and I sat in my usual area. A few minutes later he surprised me with not just a chocolate crescent, but he cut it in half and toasted it with Nutella inside! “Awe, thank you so much! You are such a sweetheart!” I gushed at him, leaning forward and pulling my shoulders back to ‘accidentally’ give him a better view of just how low this dress goes in the front. Tye shrugged his shoulders and didn’t give into my appreciation. “May I join you for a coffee?” “Of course! You’re always welcome to join me, anytime. You know that!” “Thank you Miss Reynolds. So no luck finding Mr. Right?” He sheepishly prodded as he silently eased into the chair across from me. “Not yet but there’s always you!” I nervously pushed. Tye smiled and blushed slightly. “Believe me, I am not that kind of guy.” I furrowed my brows at him. “Why not? You seem perfect, surely you have some reason.” He looked at me. “Not sure if you have noticed, but I am kind of a nerd and I am not really top stock if you get my drift.” “Wow. That’s so not true!” I laughed. “You’re polite, funny, charming, personable, intelligent; you are quite the package.” I countered. He shook his head no. “You seriously have it wrong. I would be terrible boyfriend material. I have no idea how to please a woman and all of the cute little things that the young couples do like leaving messages and doing spontaneous things like that; forget that. It just does not compute for me. Not to mention I am completely inexperienced in all the ways it counts.” “So? You can learn.” “I am male, so right there it has been proven I am genetically incapable of learning.” Tye smiled as he countered everything I tried. This seemed to be a game for him and he was playing the role of hard to get exceptionally well. I shot a look at him. Now I know he’s just trying to be funny. “Seriously though, why not? What’s the big deal?” Tye looked down at his mug in a moment of silence. My heart quickened with anticipation as I studied his actions. Finally he breathed deep and sighed. “Things are complicated where I come from.” Seriously? What the hell does that mean!? I leaned forward and rested my forearms on the table. “But what does that mean? You always joke like you are from another planet or something. I’ve given you plenty of hints that I’m single and looking, soooo? Why don’t you ever act interested or even remotely eligible? Are you gay?” Tye smirked. “You are not the first person to think I am gay. I am actually bisexual; I comfortably swing both ways to be honest.” “Okay, buuuut? There’s clearly more to the story than that.” Tye shrugged his shoulders. “It’s just me. I am a computer guy at heart, I am very specific and particular when it comes to certain things. You might think I am a catch but I promise you it will turn into the catch and release program pretty quick.” Tye shook his head and was hesitant to say something for a long while. He shrugged his shoulders and finally spoke. “It- it is just that- there is probably a ninety percent chance that I am not the person you think I am.” I looked at him with confusion and I watched his actions. He seems like he’s holding back something major, but what? “Well, I truly think you are far better than what you make yourself out to be. If you ever decide you are in the market and you want to hang out or talk or date or go look at stuffed animals; whatever you want to do, let me know. Seriously, I am pretty open minded and I am game to try anything.” I pulled a card out of my purse and slid it across the table to Tye. “My cell number is on there. Text, call, email, whatever works for you.” I smiled at him. Tye looked at the card and smiled at it. “Thank you Miss Reynolds.” His tone was very soft and sincere. “So does this mean I can send you stupid jokes and stuff now?” “Well I guess I did say anything.” I laughed. “Perfect. I will make sure to send you the most random questions too.” He grinned. “Things like what are you wearing?” I said it in a dumb jock voice. Tye shook his head. “No, things like do you believe in aliens and what is your stance on anal probing?” “Oh my god.” I winced. “So you’re a giant nerd then?” I asked sarcastically. A smile spread across his face. “Oh more than you could imagine.” The wheels were turning in his head trying to piece together his next sentence. “I am actually just an undercover alien, here to do the bidding of my alien overlords.” Tye quickly blurted out, smiling and returning my sarcasm with a wide-eyed, over emphasized nod. I laughed out loud. “That explains so much now. Wait- so you’re an alien to us, but are they alien to you? Or are they the same alien species as you and they’re still just alien to us?” I am actually proud of myself for coming up with this on the spot! Tye gazed at me. “You are this beautiful and you can nerd it up?” I giggled. “Awe, I think that’s the first serious compliment you have ever given me Tye! Thank you!” I playfully gushed at him. Tye leaned back in his chair and sarcastically wiped his forehead. “Whew! Here I figured my acting classes would never pay off!” “Ugh. You’re a real ass sometimes.” I continued to giggle. Tye giggled like a little kid. “I warned you! Besides, people might seriously mistake me for a nice guy if I did not let my inner asshole out sometimes.” I shook my head in defeat but I am relieved that we can continue our laughing and joking. The last thing I want is for things to get awkward between us. I am still curious as hell to know what goes on when he’s not here though. “Have any plans for this weekend?” Tye asked as he sipped his coffee. I sighed. “My friend Lucy wants to take me out to some exclusive party on Saturday. She’s hyped it up pretty well but I feel like it’s going to be kind of lame compared to what she says. You know; that whole expectation versus reality thing.” “I can understand that.” “I’m also not sure if I am in the mood to get back so late into Sunday morning. It screws up my weekend too much and then I feel like crap for Monday morning.” Tye shrugged his shoulders and hands. “I was led to believe that is how Mondays are supposed to be? They drag on forever because you are bagged from the weekend and want to be anywhere but there?” “Okay, valid point.” I will admit that. “But the whole not wanting to be there is an everyday feeling.” Tye laughed at my hatred for my workplace. Somehow he really doesn’t seem to understand the concept of hating work. “Besides, you might meet Mr. Right at the party. He will be all like ‘Hey babe’ in a deep macho voice, ‘check out my six pack’ and then you will randomly pull out a block of cheese from your purse and start grating it on his ripped abs…” I looked at Tye in a stunned stupor and then sighed as my brain had an aneurism and just died. Tye was nearly in hysterics at this point. “I mean, I have never been cool enough to make it to those parties, soo….. I am just guessing here.” He shrugged his shoulders. I smiled and pressed my lips together trying not to join in his laughter. “You know, you’re right- I should go. Maybe I’ll take your advice and do that exact thing and if he sticks around we’ll find some nachos and have a midnight snack.” “Hey! What a great idea!” Tye continued to laugh. Our conversation continued with the casual small talk that usually filled our evenings like this. As an experiment I did lose my jacket and Tye was definitely checking out me and my girls. Clearly he’s interested but there must be something major going on. What could it possibly be? He doesn’t work here during the day and at most it’s usually a shift or two per week. How is he so different outside of here?