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  Dani kept her voice even, steady. “Yeah?”

  “You sure you don’t want me to give him your info?”

  “Don’t you dare.” Dani still had her old cell phone in case someone wanted to contact her, but she only checked it every couple of days. She’d purchased a new phone upon moving to Florida, and gave everyone strict orders not to share her number with anyone. They could give out her e-mail address if someone needed it.

  She had Clayton’s e-mails set to go straight to her trash folder.

  “I think he really misses you.”

  “You were the one who didn’t like him when you first met him.”

  Another sigh. “Yeah, but I think he’s changed. You didn’t see how he was when you were in the hospital those first few days.”

  Oh, she knew how he was. Clueless and self-absorbed, as always, but handsome and charismatic enough that people tended to overlook those traits in him.

  “I saw how he was in the months before the accident. I was about ready to leave him anyway. I can’t live with someone right now, Mom. Especially not him. And you saw what happened when he didn’t give them Dr. Ramirez’s name.”

  “What aren’t you telling me?” Her mother’s tone darkened. “He didn’t beat you, did he?”

  It was all Dani could do not to burst out laughing. “Nothing like that. Look, he’s not a bad guy. He’s not evil or horrible, just a dumbass. We weren’t right for each other. You know I’m not easy to live with, and me being cooped up at home a lot was not going to help the situation any. I’ve moved on. He needs to move on, too.”

  Yeah, of course Clayton beat her. On a regular basis.

  But it wasn’t like she didn’t ask him to. And he never violated her safeword when it came to play.

  All things Dani couldn’t tell her mom.

  Plus there was a damn good reason Dani hadn’t let Clayton be her Master instead of just her boyfriend and Dominant, and why she had kept her own bank account. The guy was horrible with money management. He had looks, amazing skills in bed, and was sexy as sin.

  Unfortunately, he was also as smart as a box of rocks, and self-absorbed in a way that directly conflicted with Dani and her personality.

  Thank god I never married him.

  After finally getting her mom off the phone, Dani took a break and curled up on the couch to watch TV. Life was…well, as peaceful as she could manage, anyway.

  One of the things topping her to-do list was to find a new counselor in Sarasota. Her one from New York had given her a list of referrals in the area, but she hadn’t made the calls yet. She already had a new GP who agreed to write her scripts for her meds after reviewing her medical records and talking to Dr. Ramirez on the phone, so Dani wasn’t desperate to just latch on to the first or even twenty-first counselor she talked to.

  She’d lucked out with Dr. Ramirez in New York and had been seeing him for over eight years. She knew whoever she picked here would have to be a good fit for her. Dr. Ramirez would still work with her over the phone until she found a replacement locally.

  Living alone and getting settled into her own place had helped lower her stress levels immensely, meaning her anxiety and OCD were far easier to control. She loved her parents dearly, and appreciated them letting her live with them after she left the physical rehab facility, but remaining with Clayton would have been out of the question.

  Work had been a welcomed respite before the accident. The controlled and expected chaos of a theatre production was something she could dig into and enjoy, completely focus on her job. Between jobs, the audition and rehearsal periods were more distracting chaos of a different kind, especially when sandwiched into whatever table-waiting job she had to take to make ends meet.

  Sitting at home and staring at the walls wasn’t an option while living with a man who refused to understand how him loading the dishwasher wrong or not folding clothes properly could potentially throw her into a panic attack now.

  Something she was convinced the fucking sadist sometimes did on purpose just to see her freak out about it because he never truly understood her issues.

  Or maybe he really was just that clueless.

  Creatively channeling her energies into her career was a way she’d managed herself and her mental health over the years.

  Clayton had expected her to be at his beck and call when she wasn’t working and they were actually together at home. Not an unreasonable request of a Dom, especially since it was usually only a few hours a week. But she was his girlfriend, not his slave, not his mommy. And when he’d started talking about finding someone else to add to their dynamic, a “true slave” to help fill in the gaps, that had been when Dani knew she’d be moving on sooner rather than later.

  Then the accident.

  Then rehab and recovery.

  Then moving in with her parents.

  All of that while filing the lawsuit.

  Then fending off Clayton’s “concern” for her well-being, which was coincidentally timed with one of her friends accidentally mentioning to him her impending lawsuit settlement.

  Um, yeah, nooo.

  Her parents hadn’t wanted her to move to Florida, but she had missed it. This gave her the perfect excuse. With her nest egg, if she was careful, she could comfortably live for several years just on the settlement money. She’d be earning a living from her voiceover work long before that happened, though.

  She hoped.

  I’m only thirty-one. Plenty of time to rebuild my life.

  The more she thought about it and let it settle in her brain, the more she was liking the idea of volunteering at the club with Mikayla. She hadn’t actually been to Venture before, but she’d heard plenty about it from Mikayla.

  Another reason she would take her time interviewing doctors, because Dr. Ramirez had understood why she enjoyed the BDSM lifestyle and hadn’t condemned her for it. She hoped to find another doctor locally who was as open-minded and accepting of her lifestyle.

  Settling was out of the question.

  Settling was history. Settling was in the past.

  Settling was moving in with Clayton when she’d been between acting jobs and was waiting tables at a pub not far from his work when she’d met him. He and a group of friends had been there for a munch, using the pub’s back room.

  Yes, going to the munch tomorrow night might be fun. If she felt overwhelmed, she’d go sit out in the car and wait on Mikayla and Carson to finish dinner.

  But she was ready to stop letting life happen to her and try to get a handle on it once and for all.

  Now was as good a time as any.

  Chapter Three

  Todd felt badly about whatever had just transpired between Coop and Bethany, but if Coop wanted to talk about it, he would.

  Since it was obvious Coop did not want to talk about it, best to leave it alone for now. Maybe he simply didn’t want to talk about it in front of Hunter, for all Todd knew.

  One of the things he loved about Coop was how the man totally got Hunter, and instinctively seemed to know what to hold back around him. Coop understood in a way few people did how Hunter would fixate on something negative, especially if he thought he was in any way to blame for it, and practically drive himself into a full-blown panic attack over it.

  Coop was able to settle and refocus Hunter’s mind in positive ways. Allowed him to fully relax and let go and be at peace for a while. They’d been playing together for nearly four years now, and Todd considered Coop not just a friend, but family.

  Okay, yeah, he not-so-secretly lusted after the man and wished Coop was bi, so it was no hardship to watch him and Hunter playing together. He and Hunter had invoked Coop’s name plenty of times during bedtime fantasies. Hunter felt the same way about Coop, but neither man would ever try to pressure Coop for more than he was willing to give. Early on they’d put it out there that if Coop was ever willing to experiment, so were they, and left it at that.

  It spoke to the man’s confidence and character that he was
flattered and not the slightest bit offended or squicked out about that, either. In fact, plenty of times during their play sessions, Coop brought Todd in as the sexual partner for Hunter to get him off while Coop played with Hunter.

  Todd didn’t think it was his imagination that more than a few times he spotted Coop adjusting an ample bulge in his jeans after some of their sexier sessions. They’d handled blood tests early on as well, since the very inherent nature of their play meant incidental contact could happen. Todd and Hunter were monogamous with each other—Coop-fueled fantasies notwithstanding—and any time Coop had a romantic partner, she also got tested before he had sex with her, and she had to stay monogamous to him.

  Well, guess we don’t need to worry about Bethany anymore.

  Todd had never really liked Bethany. Neither had Hunter. Some of Coop’s previous partners, all of whom he’d parted ways with amicably, had become friends. Bethany had raised red flags early on in Todd’s mind, but it wasn’t his call. That she was vanilla and not kinky and had no desire to associate with him and Hunter, other than the initial sit-down meeting Coop had insisted on when they first started dating, was telling.

  But again, he wasn’t the one who’d been sleeping with her.

  In Todd’s not so humble opinion, Coop could do a lot better than Bethany. He could tick off at least five single kinky females who frequented Venture and the Suncoast Society munches without even having to think about it.

  On the TV, Deadpool was still tormenting and taunting Francis. Todd tried to get his mind back on the movie but was finding it difficult. He managed to contain his curiosity until the movie ended and Coop gave Hunter a five-minute break to go use the bathroom and stretch.

  Todd followed Coop out to the kitchen. “Okay, short version, please?” Todd whispered.

  Coop frowned and kept his voice low. “There isn’t a short version. But her terms were not acceptable.” He tipped his head toward the hall. “I’m not giving up playing with Hunter, and I’m not giving up my privacy. Damn sure not giving up control of my house.”

  “Yikes. Sorry, man.”

  He shrugged. “It is what it is.”

  “That’s very Zen of you.”

  “Only way to be about it. It sucks she wasted my time and hers by being like that, because it basically means she’d thought this whole time she’d change me instead of accepting me the way I am. I was open and honest with her from the start about my terms. She should have taken me at my word.”

  Coop glanced out into the living room. “We can talk about this later. I don’t want Hunter taking this personally or thinking he caused this. He didn’t.”

  “Gotcha.” He held out a hand to Coop. “Thanks, man. I’m sorry this happened, but thank you for putting him first.”

  Coop pulled him in for a hug. “You think I’m going to blow off true friends for a woman who wasn’t completely open and honest with me, think again.”

  * * * *

  Maybe I should give being bi a shot.

  At the rate he was going, Coop wasn’t exactly averse to the idea. Could he pick up play or even sex from single female subbies at Venture or the munches?

  Sure, but he wasn’t going to be that guy, the one who went through partners more often than some guys changed their shorts.

  He needed to have an emotional connection with a person.

  He’d thought he had one with Bethany. Outside of bed, since that’s where a majority of life was spent. It was a happy bonus they’d seemed simpatico in bed, other than she wasn’t kinky. She’d claimed willingness to let him do his thing as long as there was transparency.

  Won’t make that mistake again.

  Usually he didn’t date vanilla women. This had been a fluke.

  He also knew from past experience that if he hooked up with a single female submissive, sometimes they got possessive and jealous if they couldn’t be there for the play sessions with Hunter, even though there wasn’t any sexy stuff going on between Coop and Hunter directly. Incidental contact and having Todd join a scene wasn’t sex, and Coop was always honest with his other partners what went on between him and Hunter and Todd.

  He walked back into the living room and resumed his seat on the couch. Hunter returned a moment later, hurrying over when he realized Coop was back on the couch. He dropped to his hands and knees in front of him, forehead on the tops of Coop’s boots.

  Coop reached down and ruffled the man’s hair. “All right, pup. Is pizza okay for dinner with you guys? My treat.”

  “Yes, Master,” he said. “If it’s all right with Todd.”

  Coop looked over at Todd, who gave him a smirk. “Dude, I told you we were going to have pizza anyway.”

  “I know. Just checking.” He gently tapped Hunter on the top of the head. “Take Todd’s shoes and socks off and give him a foot rub, pup.”

  “Yes, Master.”

  Coop sat back, left leg crossed over his right, and smirked at Todd. Todd knew where this was going to lead, because this was part of their routine. By the time Hunter got done giving the other man a foot massage—including sucking the man’s toes—Todd’s shorts would be tent-poled.

  Depending on Coop’s mood, sometimes he paddled or caned Hunter while Hunter blew Todd, either to completion or just to fluff him enough that Todd could then fuck Hunter’s ass. When the fun ended like that, Coop would stand at Hunter’s head, a tight grip in his hair and his face pressed against the front of Coop’s jeans until Todd had finished fucking him, then making Hunter hold his orgasm back while Todd jerked him off until Coop gave him permission to come.

  He mixed it up for the guy. Todd was always willing to play along.

  For the past year, Coop frequently scheduled date night with Bethany right after playing with Hunter, so he could start off getting a blowjob from her before dinner. He’d tease her and keep her on the edge until after dinner, when he’d be ready for round two.

  She’d never minded him being dominant in bed with her. In fact, she’d loved that, even if it was on the vanilla end of the scale by his standards and he’d frequently found himself fantasizing about play with Hunter to get himself over that second time.

  More and more often, when he played with Hunter, Coop ended up hard and throbbing.

  And Todd and Hunter had a key to his house, but he’d never given Bethany one despite her frequent hints.

  Well, crap.

  Sometimes when they played on a Friday night they’d start so late that the two men slept over in the guest room and left in the morning after the three of them went out to brunch together. Or sometimes he had Hunter cook them breakfast and serve it.

  Hmm.

  “You guys have plans for tomorrow?” Coop asked Todd.

  “Not really. Laundry and a couple of chores.”

  “Is my boy keeping up with his chores like he’s supposed to?”

  Todd’s shoes and socks were now off, and Hunter was working on Todd’s left foot. Todd reached up with his right foot and stroked Hunter’s arm. “He’s been a very good boy.”

  Coop liked that Todd wasn’t threatened by Coop and Hunter’s dynamic. Todd participated as much as he wanted, usually as the beneficiary of Coop’s orders to Hunter. Coop and Todd frequently had lunch together, at least once or twice a week. Not even so much to discuss the care and feeding of the slave that was Hunter, but as friends.

  After taking another swallow from his beer, Coop made up his mind. “I think after dinner, I’ll give my pup a special reward for being such a good boy.”

  He uncrossed his legs and turned so he could reach Hunter’s still pink ass with the toe of his right boot. He lightly ran it up and down the crack of Hunter’s ass, including along the back of his balls.

  Hunter automatically spread his legs wider and let out a soft moan.

  Hunter would be expecting sexy play.

  He wouldn’t be expecting this.

  * * * *

  Hunter felt himself drop back down into subspace as soon as Coop issued the order
to give Todd a foot rub. He loved this, being able to serve them. When he felt the smooth leather of Coop’s boot rubbing against his ass, it finished hardening Hunter’s cock immediately.

  Those damn boots. Gawd, he loved them. The smell of them as he knelt with his head pressed against them. Plain black motorcycle boots, soft and supple from years of wear, with that intoxicating scent. How many times had he licked and kissed the leather? Worshipping his Master through them?

  Any time Coop had the boots on, it went a long way to dropping Hunter into subspace.

  No doubt about it, he was a well-trained pet.

  “Don’t stop what you’re doing, pup,” Coop ordered as he rose and went for his phone. After calling in the pizza, he returned to the couch and sat at an angle so he could watch the show, legs crossed at the ankles, the toe of his boot rubbing against Hunter’s taint.

  Thank goodness Coop didn’t have carpets. When Hunter finished doing this, he knew he would undoubtedly have a huge puddle of pre-cum under him. He was already throbbing, aching, and not for the first time that day.

  For a guy who wasn’t gay or bi, Coop sure could rev Hunter’s motor.

  Just one of the many things he loved about the man.

  Recriminations wanted to slide into his conscience and he forced them away. This was Coop time.

  Master time.

  While he felt bad about Bethany leaving, he wouldn’t deny having a chance to spend the night here was a welcomed opportunity. He didn’t get to do it very often.

  Maybe Master will let me cook Him breakfast in the morning.

  Sometimes Hunter’s schedule allowed him little snippets of time here and there where he could stop by Coop’s and do things for him, even if Coop wasn’t home. Not even play, but clean his kitchen floor—which was usually clean anyway—or scrub his shower, anything.

  Something.

  A chance to serve him.

  He did those things at home for Todd, but it was different. Todd wasn’t comfortable with a “dynamic” between them. He definitely appreciated what Hunter did for him, no doubt about it. Todd had learned over their six years together that Hunter didn’t see doing things like that for Todd as taking advantage of him. He wanted to do those things for Todd.