Rhymes With Orange Read online

  “Good. I’m glad you feel that way. And thank you for texting and talking with them. Hunter and I talked after you did yesterday. He said he appreciated you reaching out to him.”

  “I won’t swear that I won’t feel jealous or threatened or whatever from time to time. I’m human. But I promise I’ll try to talk my way through it with you if I do. And I want you to call me out if you think I’m reacting like that, but please respect me enough to understand if I don’t agree with you about my reasons for feeling like that.”

  “Agreed.” He sat up. “You keep this up, you might find yourself stuck with me for another forty or fifty years.”

  She grinned. “Yeah, you say that now, having just busted a nut. You might not feel like that after you’ve been through a few bad trigger episodes with me. Or a few full-on panic attacks.”

  He stretched out next to her, once again propped up on an elbow. “Your ex wasn’t very intuitive, was he?”

  “Not really, no. That might work for some women, but not for me. It was okay enough for me before, when I had the energy to deal with it. But not…after.”

  He palmed her cheek. “Don’t think about that tonight. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

  She covered his hand with hers. “I can’t not think about it,” she said. “Every time I move, I feel it somehow.”

  In fact, now that she was coming down from her subspacey bliss, she was feeling a little achy. In the good ways, but still, it was only a matter of time before the bad pain returned.

  “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

  “Not in a bad way.” She turned her face to kiss his palm. His flesh tasted sweetly salty. “I know you can go harder on Hunter than you can on me, and that’s okay. But I don’t want you to be afraid to play with me, either. I trust you.”

  “Which is why I want to be careful. I don’t want you to stop trusting me.”

  She stared up into Ned’s blue eyes. A little grey, a little sky blue, a few flecks of sapphire here and there. “Short of cheating on us, lying to us, or violating our safewords, I don’t think it’s possible for me to not trust you.”

  “Us?”

  “Me and Hunter. If you did that to him, I wouldn’t trust you not to do it to me, too.”

  “Ah.” He laced fingers with her, resting their hands on her tummy. “I’ll make sure to come up with stuff to do with each of you that’s special, that I don’t do with the other.”

  “I’m guessing you don’t mean like fucking my pussy.”

  He laughed. “I was thinking overall things. Not physically impossible things.”

  “We can go to the club to play sometimes,” she said. “If I’m feeling up to it. I know he doesn’t want to do that.”

  “Good point. But what if after he’s free of his parents that he wants to go to the club?”

  “Ah.” They mused it over in silence for a moment. “You don’t have to decide that tonight, Sir.”

  He wrapped his arms around her, snuggling. “Good, because I think my brain is worn out tonight.”

  She knew hers was.

  And as she let out a yawn, she realized that the thought of falling asleep next to this man didn’t fill her with any kind of anxiety.

  If anything, she felt more at peace than she had in a long, long time.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “What should I get Hunter for his birthday?” Dani asked Todd.

  Todd smiled. “Still haven’t decided?”

  “You haven’t told me if my ideas are good or not.”

  “I told you anything Deadpool will be a hit.”

  He was over at her place, helping her make dinner. Ned had gone to pick Hunter up and have a few minutes of alone time with him.

  They were now eight weeks into this new dynamic. Hunter had relaxed a lot around Dani, now that he realized she was sticking to her word. She made a conscious effort not to text or call Ned while Hunter was with him, including having permission not to send good night texts if he and Hunter were spending the night together.

  And he gave her the same courtesy.

  Todd had gone grocery shopping for dinner and brought it over. Hunter would go home with him, and Ned would spend the night there with her.

  She actually found Todd a very soothing person to be around, even though she obviously didn’t have the same level of intimacy with him that Ned and Hunter did.

  “Any word from his parents about the inheritance?”

  He frowned. “No. Dicks.”

  “Is he still freaking out over the move?”

  “Yeah. I told him to just tell them no, that he can’t help. That he made plans. That’s why Coop’s going to come help.” He turned to face her. He’d been chopping carrots on the cutting board. “Again, seriously, thank you for letting Hunter have your day. I can’t tell you how much that means to me.”

  She shrugged. “I really want him to like me.”

  “He does like you. It’s just…you know what it’s like.”

  “Yeah, unfortunately, I do.”

  It’d taken her a couple of weeks to get over having the three men at her apartment, much less using her kitchen. Forcing herself not to go behind Todd or Ned and rearrange everything.

  They rotated dinner nights. Sometimes there, sometimes Ned’s, sometimes the men’s place.

  And Todd had gone out to karaoke with her one night, even getting up to sing with her, while Hunter and Ned had a quiet night alone at Ned’s place.

  “If it means anything, he’s way past the ending it phase. He’s been talking more and more about working toward watching you and Coop play.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. Ironically, he’s okay with you watching him and Coop play.”

  She knew the men had progressed some sexually over the past several weeks, even though they weren’t full-on fucking each other quite yet. One thing Ned had voluntarily held back and reserved for Dani—unless or until Hunter could make that final hurdle and be comfortable with a free-for-all—was he didn’t kiss either man on the lips. That was something for her alone, for now.

  And while it sounded silly on the surface, she understood why Ned wouldn’t do any anal play with her. He’d told Hunter that was for him and Todd, unless or until, same as with the kissing. No way would she begrudge that, even though it was something she enjoyed as part of the overall sexual menu.

  “How are you doing with all this?” she asked him.

  He shrugged. “I’m here for the food.” He grinned, making her laugh.

  He could always make her laugh.

  “Seriously.”

  “I’m more worried about Hunter. I’m okay with whatever happens as long as he doesn’t get hurt. Everything else is extra.”

  “I hope his dad eases up.”

  “Me, too.”

  “Does it bother you having to be on the down-low around his family?”

  “No. I thought it might, but when I focus on him and keeping him calm, it becomes secondary. After six years together, I’m not going to piss and moan about that. I love him.”

  “Once he’s free, you guys can get married.”

  “Oh, he’s already planned it in his head. Of course.” He smiled. “You know how that goes.”

  “I know.”

  “He wants to do it on the beach, figures most of his family won’t be there. Wants to have Loren marry us, Tilly be the maid of honor, and Coop be the best man.”

  “Does that make you the bride or the groom?”

  He laughed. “I don’t care.”

  “What about your family?”

  “They know about Hunter, and they know that Hunter isn’t out to his family, and why. They don’t know about the rest of it, just that Coop’s a good friend.”

  “It’s going to break him if his father doesn’t give him the money this time, won’t it.”

  Todd’s expression turned grim. “Fair warning, it was bad last time. Real bad. I’m glad we have Coop, and I apologize in advance if I have to ask you to g
ive over some time for Hunter.”

  “No, I understand.”

  “I’ll take you to karaoke, if it’s any consolation.” A smile peeked through.

  “You really liked that, huh?”

  “Yeah. That was fun. I don’t get to do stuff like that a lot with—” He clamped his mouth shut on that comment.

  “It’s okay,” she said. “I won’t tell him. I get it.” In that way, Todd was also a buffer for her in public the way Ned was. She trusted him, and it helped put her at ease.

  “It’s weird, because in some ways you two are like identical twins, and then in some ways you are completely different.”

  “Then it’s good we can be friends, right?”

  “Right.” He dumped the carrots into the sauté pan.

  “Anything I can do to help out, if…well, I will.”

  “Thanks.” He stared out the window for a moment before turning to her. “I mean it when I say thank you. Because no one Coop’s ever dated before understood Hunter the way you do. I wish Hunter could get over his feelings and accept you the way you’ve accepted him, but I know part of that is his anxiety. So thank you even more for being patient. I know you have your moments, too, and I get that and don’t blame you. You’ve been…you’ve been amazing. Thank you.”

  She hesitantly reached out and hugged him, relaxing into it before stepping back. “Thanks for understanding where I’m coming from,” she said.

  She heard the front door open and close and stepped out to greet the men. Ned leaned in for a kiss while Hunter had deliberately turned, as if looking at a picture on her wall that he’d studied in the exact same way a dozen times before, or more.

  When he knew the kiss was over, he turned and gave her a smile she knew was forced now, but would ease and become more genuine as the evening went on.

  “Hey, sweetie.” She held up her fist for a bump, now a running joke between them.

  His smile loosened a little as he bumped with her. “Hey, Dani.”

  “Todd has assured me that I will love what he’s making.”

  “It’s one of my favorites.”

  One of the things Hunter had done was learn exactly how she liked a table set. She could count on every time she ate there with them to find Hunter had completely seen to every detail.

  That’s how she knew he was, in his own ways, trying as hard as he could.

  Another reason she was willing to be patient.

  The past couple of months had been amazing, and she knew if she could be patient and wait him out, eventually he would be okay with all of this in every way. Because the end result of having all three of these men in her life would be worth it as well.

  * * * *

  Hunter had gotten to the point where going over to Dani’s didn’t nearly put him into hysterics. They were sort of bobbing around each other without actually touching, both of them anchored to Coop, with Todd helping keep the peace.

  He still wasn’t sure why he was more okay with Dani spending time with Todd than he was with her spending time with Coop. Not even because of the sexual aspect of it.

  If Todd came home and said he wanted to have sex with Dani, Hunter knew he’d be okay with that, and he didn’t understand why.

  At least she was okay with not trying to force hugs and stuff just because. They had that in common.

  And they did have other things in common, even though they hadn’t really spent any “alone” time together.

  Coop had told him that, after his brother’s move, and after Hunter knew about the inheritance, Coop would expect Hunter and Dani to spend time together alone. Dinner, a movie, something. That they needed to start bonding.

  But that it could wait until the other stresses were settled first.

  He tried not to think about his birthday. He’d wanted to spend it alone with Coop, but his mother had already told him she expected him—and his “friends”—to come over for dinner that night.

  He hoped that meant something good, but he wouldn’t go there. He had already convinced himself he would be stuck for another five years.

  At least, that’s what he tried to talk himself into.

  After dinner and sitting and talking for a while, he knew it was time for him and Todd to head home. Dani cleared out of the living room while he and Coop said good-bye.

  Coop had him kneel, head on the tops of his bare feet, while he reached down and smacked Hunter on the ass, once, on each cheek.

  “Good boy,” Coop said. “You’re my very good boy.” Then he had Hunter rise up on his knees and pressed his face against the outline of his cock through his shorts. “You be my good boy tonight, okay?”

  “Yes, Master,” he whispered against that wonderful cock.

  Coop stroked his hair. “I’m very proud of you, of how you’ve been doing.”

  Coop’s words churned Hunter’s gut in a good way. “Thank you, Master.”

  Finally, after a final hug, they were out the door and Todd was driving them home.

  “You okay?”

  “Yeah.” Hunter smiled. “I’m his good boy.”

  “Yes, you are.”

  “What did you and Dani talk about before we got there?”

  “She’s trying to decide what to get you for your birthday.”

  “Really?”

  “Uh, yeah.”

  “You won’t tell me, will you?”

  “Nope.” He grinned. “Coop has his sadism, and I have mine.”

  * * * *

  Coop pulled Dani into his arms. “You all right?”

  “I’m good, Sir.”

  He studied her for a moment. “Thank you for switching weekends with Hunter.”

  “Todd and I already had this convo. It’s okay.”

  She’d gone to the munch last month with him and was now listed on his FetLife profile both as them dating each other and as his submissive. She seemed to be growing more comfortable with her local group of friends, much to Mikayla’s delight. She’d even been over to friends’ houses with Ned and the guys for dinner or parties.

  Volunteering at the club was easy and fun for her. She’d gotten hooked up with Nate for fire-cupping and acupuncture and even saw him as a patient now in his office. It helped her with her pain. She also got to watch scenes she knew she couldn’t do because of her body, but it was fun to get ideas for Coop to try on her.

  Coop damn sure wasn’t complaining.

  Now if I can just get Hunter over that last hurdle.

  It would have to wait until the stress over whether or not he’d get the inheritance was settled. He and Todd were both worried about Hunter’s state of mind. Hunter was chafing under the weight of his responsibilities at the store, in addition to the money.

  Coop couldn’t blame him. He got it. Hunter felt he was living a lie, which to Hunter ran contrary to what he wanted to be doing.

  And he hated to lie. Even to preserve the peace within his family.

  “If there’s anything I can do to make things easier,” she said, “let me know.”

  “I appreciate that, pet.” He kissed her, deeply, slowly. “What I’d like is to sixty-nine with you until we wear each other out.”

  She grinned. “I can handle that, Sir.”

  As they headed to the bedroom, he shoved other thoughts out of his head.

  The future would be what it was. Tonight, he had Dani. He would give her his all.

  At least tonight he had a little peace. Hunter had told him he was trying to work his way toward being okay with them all playing together.

  Now all Coop had to do was be patient.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Coop awoke fifteen minutes before his alarm went off that Saturday morning and headed for the kitchen first thing. Hopefully, him pitching in with the move would help keep Hunter calm and focused and better able to deflect any snarky comments his family threw at him today.

  This is the kind of bullshit I avoided by breaking up with Bethany when I did.

  He wasn’t close to his family
for a good reason. He could tolerate most of them one at a time, but all together they were too much for him to deal with without using profanity. He knew it wasn’t logical, but once he’d gotten over the fact that it was just the way he was, and just the way they were, he lived a lot more comfortably in his own skin.

  Odd, because he could tolerate large groups of people just fine. But something about that particular group of people, and they sucked all the potential fun right out of dysfunctional, thanks to two sets of grandparents who hated each other and who had made sure to do their level best to keep their grandkids walking on eggshells around them, not to mention tugging on their adult children.

  It was okay to get together with his family on the occasional holiday, but not even his own brother and sister dropped by without calling ahead several days first and checking schedules. Coop liked his alone time. So did his siblings. He needed it to recharge.

  Being with his friends didn’t drain him. Playing with Hunter, or Dani, didn’t drain him. That kind of energy helped him relax.

  He’d been in close contact with Todd the past couple of days. Hunter’s anxiety was ratcheting off the scale, and he’d been heavily relying on his Xanax.

  Poor guy.

  After Coop had a mug of coffee ready, he headed back to the bedroom to pull on some clothes. He wanted to get over to Hunter and Todd’s place a little early, give his boy a pep talk to help keep him centered and calm today and hopefully not as reliant on the medication, if they could avoid it.

  Coop wasn’t against Hunter using the meds, but if he used them too frequently, he could become dependent upon them in an unhealthy way. When Hunter wasn’t worried about his family shit, he was calm, centered, and focused, and rarely had to use the Xanax.

  Damn assholes.

  Coop felt badly for Hunter. Stuck in a family business he hated, under his father’s thumb and dependent upon them for his income and his housing, and unable to be his authentic self around them with the man he loved. Yeah, he got it, that Hunter was an adult and should be able to break away and make the hard choices.