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  Dex leaned in and kissed her. “You know I love that dude, but you’d have to get me liquored up with a lot of tequila to get me feeling bottomy enough. And since he’s definitely a Dom, that sounds more like a recipe for a riot than romance.”

  “I don’t know. Don’t be too sure about that.” Neil now leaned against the kitchen doorway, his arms crossed over his chest and a playful smile on his face. “I’d give serious consideration to bottoming to your cute ass if it meant I had a serious chance to tap it. At least once.”

  He thrust his hips in the air several times. “Besides, Tam, if he gets a taste of this, he’ll get totally spoiled.” He turned and smacked himself on the ass. “Prime real estate here, you know.”

  Another giggle from Tamsin. “How far you two have come since the days you wanted to kill each other.”

  “We never wanted to kill each other,” Dex said.

  “We just wanted to pound each other,” Neil added. “Sort of.” He smiled, waggling a finger at her. “Hey, I had a duty to protect my baby brat from any and all asshats, of which there were many in the beginning, were there not?”

  “Yes,” she admitted. “There were. And yes, you did. You saved me from myself too many times to count.”

  “That’s what I wanted to hear, sweetie.” Neil headed outside again for another load of groceries.

  Dex stared down into her green eyes. He could do that all day long. Light green, with flecks of hazel and gold, sometimes shifting color depending on the light.

  “You know I’m not jealous of him, right?” he whispered so Neil couldn’t hear him. “Seriously. I know we’ve talked about this before, but I don’t have a problem with you playing with him. I know my job makes it difficult for me to give you as much play as you’d like.”

  “I know. And I love you so much for that. I knew that, above everything else, was the reason this was so perfect.” She snuggled even more tightly against him. “Besides, if you were jealous of him, we wouldn’t still be together.”

  Dex wasn’t poly, and wasn’t much of a sharer when it came to relationships. Except…this was different. If Neil had been straight, or even bi and sleeping with her, that would be a definite problem for him.

  In a way, it was a comfort to know there were a second set of eyes on her. And he didn’t feel as guilty about not being able to take her to Venture or to the private play parties as often as he wanted to.

  Plus, Neil was far more sadistic than he was. Dex preferred his sadism on the light and sexy side, and Tamsin frequently needed way more than that. She could get the strict discipline and harder play she desired with Neil. In fact, if Dex was going to be home soon after Neil disciplined her, he frequently left her horny and wound up, setting her loose on Dex as soon as he walked through the door, like he had yesterday.

  Everyone was a winner.

  Tamsin got up to help put the groceries away. Dexter followed after pulling on shorts.

  “Aw, you covered up my view,” Neil teased when he returned with another armful of bags.

  “Sorry, I don’t want to be too much of a temptation.” He threw in a little butt wiggle. “My ass brings all the Doms to the yard.”

  He thought Neil might wet his pants, he was laughing so hard. “Well, all the Doms in this house, at least,” Neil said.

  * * * *

  It felt good to have both her men home. It felt slightly empty around there when one of them was missing. Sometimes, on the rare times Dex had a Friday and Saturday off, Neil would go up to the Toucan Resort in St. Pete for the weekend and leave them the house.

  And then, it just wasn’t the same.

  Did that make her selfish? To feel slightly jealous her best friend was going somewhere to potentially meet guys?

  As they were putting away the last of the groceries, Dex spoke up. “Next weekend, I’ve got Friday and Saturday off. Don’t have to be in until late Sunday. So I was thinking we could hit Venture Saturday night.”

  “Yay!” She hugged him. “Thank you!”

  “Well, that works out well,” Neil said. “I was thinking about going up to St. Pete next Saturday and spending the night. They’ve got a leathermen event going on.”

  In Tamsin’s brain, the brakes screeched on that thought.

  Dammit. It’s like I thought it and it happened.

  “You don’t have to leave,” Tamsin said. “You could go with us to the club.”

  Neil cocked his head as he studied her. “Do we need to have a talk?”

  “No, I’m just sayin’. You can spank me.”

  Neil let out one of those sighs and pulled her to him, even though she was naked.

  “Baby brat, listen to me. No guy is ever going to take your place as my submissive. But unless or until you convince Princess here to swing both ways, I’d like a chance to find someone for me.”

  “What if they don’t like me?”

  “Red,” Dex softly said as he leaned against the counter, staring at her. “Why are you being jealous of a hypothetical guy he hasn’t even met yet?”

  She felt her face heat. “I just…I like what we have. It’s perfect.”

  * * * *

  “For you,” Dex gently said. “And yeah, for me, too. But Neil deserves a relationship. Not that I’m rejecting you, dude,” he added, “but I couldn’t handle both of you at the same time, even if I did give in to your talents.”

  Neil smirked. “True story.” He kissed Tamsin’s forehead. “Just like I wouldn’t let a guy hang around too long if I thought they weren’t right for you, I’m not going to go chasing a guy I don’t think is right for me and what we have. Of course they’ll have to accept what we have. But meanwhile, I wouldn’t mind looking.”

  It didn’t bother Dex that Tamsin felt jealous. He understood part of it stemmed from the loss she’d already sustained in her life. To her, Neil was more than friend or family. He represented stability and safety.

  Anything that jeopardized that, in her mind, was perceived as a threat. And it was something he and Neil had discussed before.

  This wouldn’t be the first time Tamsin had been slightly jealous of a guy Neil had brought around. He’d dated a guy last year, before Dex had proposed to Tamsin, and all Dex could remember hearing from her every time they were alone together was how much she hated the guy.

  “If Neil wants to go away for the weekend, he’s a big boy,” Dex added. “I’m not saying I mind having him around. It is his house, after all. But you can’t be selfish.”

  “I’m not selfish,” she said, working on a good pout. “I’m…protective.”

  “I’m twelve years older than you, sweetie,” Neil said. “I got this. Meanwhile, you two can do whatever it is that you two wanna do while I’m gone. I was going to go up Friday night, but I realized I have a late client appointment on my calendar and I’m going to feel too fried to drive up there. I’ll get packed Friday night and leave Saturday morning.”

  “You already made your reservation, didn’t you?” Tamsin asked.

  He nodded. “I did.”

  Dex and Neil had coordinated their schedules last week, knowing that change was hard for her and wanting to present a united front. He got it. The guy wanted to get laid, but Neil didn’t like right-swiping randos in an app, and he was too damn cautious to bring someone home he didn’t know very well.

  They’d expected pushback from her, but Dex had hoped Neil had been wrong that she’d be pushing back this hard.

  And Neil had made a Friday night reservation. Dex knew that. So Neil was taking one for the team by conceding a night to Tamsin to lessen her anxiety.

  Dex both loved him for it and wished he’d stand up to her more. Except…that wasn’t his call to make. The reason what they had worked so well between the three of them was due to the communication he and Neil had about Tamsin, and the insight Neil brought to the table about her.

  They had an agreement that they wouldn’t interfere or undermine the other in regards to Tamsin when it came to D/s stuff. They could
safeword—as Dex had just done—to discuss things, but they worked as a team.

  “Is this going to be a problem, Tam?” Dex finally asked.

  She stared at the floor. “No,” she mumbled.

  Neil cleared his throat.

  “No, Sir,” she corrected.

  The men exchanged a knowing glance.

  Dex knew he’d have his work cut out for him next weekend to keep her distracted and from obsessing over what Neil was doing while he was gone.

  Meanwhile, the two of them had a little over a week to get her ready.

  Chapter Five

  Neil and Dex spent a lot of time e-mailing and texting leading up to the next weekend, keeping each other informed of Tamsin’s mindset and working on a strategy to lessen the impact on her.

  Yes, Neil had fallen on the proverbial sword, so to speak, and gave up a night at the Toucan.

  He was a gay Dom, not a fucking asshole. He got it. She was actually far better now than she’d been in the beginning when he knew she was in love-love with him and he had to wait her out as she processed her emotions.

  He’d never turn his back on her, though. He loved her, even if he wasn’t in love with her.

  That Dex completely got her so thoroughly didn’t hurt matters any. Yet another reason Neil had approved of him.

  The plan was for Dex and Tam to go out to dinner Friday night. They’d likely be out late. Neil would have his bag packed and ready to go and slip out early on Saturday morning, before Tamsin was up and around.

  At that point, Dex could take full control, drop her hard and heavy into subspace, and pretty much keep her there for the rest of the weekend. She’d be too busy with him, hopefully, to give thought to what Neil was doing.

  And while Neil wasn’t a slut, he was hoping to find a cute little twink to beat and get blown by. He wasn’t much for random fucking, even wrapped. He preferred to know a guy first, date him a couple of times, before leading to that.

  Hopefully by the time he returned home late Sunday, he’d have blown some tension with someone other than his own right hand.

  Because usually it was Dex starring in his fantasies lately.

  Especially considering the great view Dex had given him of his ass when he’d walked in that afternoon last week.

  On Friday, Neil was able to take lunch to Dex at the station and have a quick chat to finalize their game plan. Then Neil delayed going home from work that evening until after Dex had texted him they were gone. They were going to hang out with some mutual friends from the Suncoast Society, June and Scrye and others.

  And it would give Neil time to take a swim and jerk off to fantasies of Dex’s gorgeous ass.

  * * * *

  Dex felt exhausted when he reached Neil’s on Friday, but it wasn’t often he had a Friday night and a Saturday night off.

  He wanted to stick to the plan, even though all he really wanted to do was sleep. Except that wouldn’t be fair to Neil. They needed to work on Tamsin’s jealousy, get her used to Neil dating so that once Dex was living there with her full-time, Neil could go out on dates without Tamsin getting her feelings hurt.

  So far, Neil had proved one-hundred-percent right about Tamsin. He wasn’t about to start doubting the man now.

  At least once summer hit they’d be able to let their schedules gel better. She’d still be teaching, but only a couple of days a week, and not full days. It’d be nice to actually spend regular time together.

  If he could, he’d get rid of his apartment now and move in with Tam and Neil, but he still had a few months left on his lease. The management company wouldn’t let him out of it because the complex wasn’t full. They would keep his deposit if he left early.

  Thankfully, Neil was cool with Dex moving in with them. The past several months had been a test, and Dex knew it. He didn’t blame Neil for being cautious, either.

  If anything, he respected him even more.

  When Dex had met Neil and Tamsin through the Suncoast Society, he’d been relatively new to the lifestyle, but had understood he needed more than a vanilla relationship. He didn’t want to be an overbearing asshole, but he wanted…a level of control behind the bedroom door. Not even all the time. He liked kinky sex. He wasn’t really a heavy sadist the way Neil was.

  Which had been a little bit of a speed bump when it came to playing with Tamsin.

  The first time Neil had Dex co-top her, Dex almost had to safeword because he wasn’t comfortable with the heavy level of play Tamsin enjoyed.

  Neil hadn’t even been going full speed, either, because Dex had seen Neil top a guy before.

  Yet another reason to be glad to have Neil around.

  Dex couldn’t count the number of hours he and Neil had talked. Mostly Neil trying to assure Dex that Tamsin was perfectly able to safeword and that Dex needed to man up, in essence.

  Not quite that bluntly. Neil had tact.

  Neil had also spent several years playing with her, an entrenched dynamic she thrived in and enjoyed. Dex had to bring himself up to speed, learn to cruise at Tam’s level for a while, figure out how to step in to take over, and then make his own way through the weeds.

  It wasn’t just Neil telling him that. Pretty much every experienced Dom or Domme he’d talked to said the exact same thing. Tony, Ross, Scrye, Tilly, Doyle—all of them.

  Every time Dex doubted himself, it was Neil stepping in to cheer him on.

  A true friend.

  They’d taken Tamsin’s car to dinner, Dex driving, only because she’d parked behind him without thinking and he didn’t feel like shuffling cars around.

  But by the time dinner ended late that evening…he was yawning and bleary-eyed and barely vertical. He’d only grabbed a couple of cat naps during his last shift, which had been back-to-back MVAs and rescue calls that had kept him and Kevin hopping. Wade had gone off duty halfway through Dex’s shift and was back on now.

  “Are you okay?” Tamsin asked.

  Dex shook his head and handed her the keys. “I’m sorry, baby. Can you please drive? I’m falling asleep standing up.”

  “Sure.”

  As they climbed in, he reached over and patted her thigh. “I’ll summon energy for you by the time we get home. Last shift was fricking crazy, though.”

  She leaned in and kissed him. “It’s okay, Sir. I’m glad I get you for the weekend.”

  Dex dozed off almost immediately.

  That’s why he wasn’t ready when he felt Tamsin slam on the brakes as she screamed.

  * * * *

  Once Neil knew Dex and Tam had cleared out, he headed home, ate, packed, and then took his swim.

  Yep, one long, slow jerk session to totally relax him.

  After showering off, he retired to his bedroom and closed the door. That was a sign they used to indicate do not disturb, unless there was something urgent that couldn’t wait for a text reply.

  He grabbed a book and, with the TV droning in the background, settled in for the night to read.

  Neil realized he’d dozed off reading in bed when his cell phone awakened him, but not Tam or Dex’s specialty tones. Momentarily disoriented, he glanced at the screen and saw it was Wade calling him. He debated not answering it, then realized it was late, nearly midnight, and maybe it was something about work for Dex.

  “Hello?”

  “Neil?”

  “Yeah.” He sat up, rubbing at his eyes. “What’s going on?”

  “I need you to listen to me very carefully. There’s been an accident. It’s…bad.”

  Chapter Six

  Neil felt numb as he rushed to Proctor-Collins Medical Center. Wade’s words still echoed in his brain, but it didn’t feel…real.

  It couldn’t be real.

  He must have misheard Wade over the phone. Maybe they were both hurt, but just a little. Or maybe only one of them was hurt.

  It couldn’t be both of them.

  Could it?

  He found a parking spot near the ER entrance and ran for the door, immed
iately spotting Wade standing with another paramedic near the front desk.

  “Where are they?”

  When Wade and the other man exchanged a glance, Neil knew.

  This was bad.

  Really bad.

  “Neil.” Ed’s voice from behind him caught Neil off-guard. He wheeled around to see the man, dressed in shorts and a T-shirt and looking half asleep, hurry up to the desk from the entrance.

  “I called him after I called you,” Wade said. “I figured you might need him.”

  “How are they?” Ed asked.

  “Let’s go talk,” Wade said. He led them around the desk and down the hall to a small consultation room. The other paramedic peeled off down a side hallway and got the attention of a doctor in scrubs.

  Neil needed to know now. “Wade, talk to me and—”

  “Neil.” Wade rested his hands on Neil’s shoulders. “Listen to me, buddy. I’m going to let the doctor talk to you first. Okay?”

  “Are they alive?”

  “They’re both in surgery.”

  Fortunately, there was a chair behind him. Neil sank into it as the doctor joined them, closing the door behind her. Neil tried not to panic, to rationalize there were lots of reasons for surgery, including something as simple as broken limbs.

  “Mr. Abbott?” she asked. “Dr. Gloria Chase. You’re the listed next of kin for Dexter Lee and Tamsin Mulder?” She held some papers that looked like forms.

  Jesus, she’s a kid. She looked barely old enough to be out of high school, much less a doctor.

  Wade had taken a chair next to Neil. He felt Wade’s hand return to his shoulder and Neil finally nodded. “Yeah. Are they going to be okay?”

  “I have some forms I need you to sign.”

  He immediately passed them to Ed to look over. “How are they?”

  Pursed lips, narrowed brow, and buying herself a moment by pulling the elastic band from her brown hair to gather it together and wrap it in a ponytail low on the back of her head.