Reading · Gia's Pillow Talk

Happy January, darlings.

If you’re anything like me, you’ve already broken the resolution to “drink less wine” and “be nicer to people who don’t deserve it.” Good. I never liked that version of you anyway.

We’re told every January to shrink. To eat less. To take up less space. To apologize for the holiday decadence.

I say: To hell with that.

This year, I’m not resolving to be smaller. I’m resolving to be too much. Too loud, too demanding, and absolutely too satisfied to care what anyone else thinks.

If you want a resolution that’s actually worth keeping (and won’t make you miserable by February 1st), try these on for size:

1. Wear the good lingerie on a Tuesday.

Stop saving the silk and lace for a “special occasion” or a man who won’t appreciate the thread count. You are the special occasion. If you’re going to the grocery store, wear the matching set under your sweatpants. It’s a secret just for you, and trust me—it changes the way you walk.

2. Stop faking it.

In the boardroom, in the bedroom, and at brunch. If the orgasm isn’t there, say so. If the conversation bores you, leave. Life is too short for mediocre sex and lukewarm coffee. Demand the real thing.

3. Explore the darkness.

We all have that one fantasy. The one you push down because it’s “too dirty” or “too weird.” Honey, that’s where the magic lives. This year, open the door. Buy the toy. Read the book. Ask for the thing that makes you blush.

Speaking of opening doors to dark fantasies...

I have a little treat for you. My book, The Cave, is all about what happens when you stop running from your desires and walk straight into them. It features a brooding lawyer, a secret room behind a bookcase, and a woman who discovers that submission is its own kind of power.

Here is a taste...

“Are you ready?” Steele asked, as he opened the door and led her into his office, his piercing blue eyes boring into hers as if searching for any signs of hesitation.
The office was clean and sleek: white walls and desk and a sleek black bookcase. The only decorations were a framed picture of Steele playing chess, and a large painting of the Milky Way galaxy.
“Yes, I’m ready.”
“Good.” Steele adjusted his mask, his lips curling into a predatory smile as he reached into his pocket and produced an ornate key.
He walked up to the black bookcase, pulled out one navy hardcover book with gold writing on its spine, Stranger in a Strange Land, and almost instantly, the entire bookcase slid to the right.
To her surprise, behind the modern bookcase was an old, ornate wooden door with a brass lock.
Steele inserted the key into the lock, and the door creaked open, revealing a hidden sanctuary: an enormous cave bathed in soft candlelight.
Liv gasped as she stepped inside, her eyes widening as they adjusted to the dim lighting.
Steele stood in silence, his eyes fixed on the darkness ahead. The cave was illuminated only by flickering flames, casting eerie shadows across the stone walls. As they ventured further in, the paintings and tapestries that adorned the space seemed to come alive, whispering secrets of unknown power.
Her eyes widened as she took in the sight before her—a wall adorned with an assortment of domination tools. Floggers with long, supple leather tails. Riding crops with sharp tips that promised both pain and pleasure. Silk scarves and ropes, neatly coiled on hooks like snakes ready to strike.
“Motherfucker. I’ve never seen anything like this before,” Liv whispered, her body shaking.
“Welcome to The Cave,” he said, a touch of pride in his voice.