Ask DNA Read online

  * * * *

  Davis ran through the afternoon, and dinner, in his mind. Based on Kirby’s all too familiar tone of voice, including his exasperation, Davis got the impression he’d somehow done something…wrong.

  And it bothered him that he couldn’t pinpoint what it was. He’d tried very hard not to screw up. He knew how much today meant to Kirby.

  He also didn’t want to admit to Kirby that he would have enjoyed talking with Melanie some more. It was so damned rare that he met someone like her, male or female, with whom he felt so comfortable talking to that it wasn’t a drain on him.

  “Because I knew that you wanted to go home.”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “Seriously? Our normal routine is to go home after dinner on Saturday. Especially if we’ve done something remotely social earlier in the day. We go home, you go to your room and shut the door, and that’s it.”

  Davis pondered that. “Yes, I suppose that is my usual habit. I wouldn’t have minded going back to the club, though.”

  “Dude, I am too fucking stressed out to deal with you right now.”

  “Kirby, what did I do wrong tonight?”

  “You didn’t do anything wrong!”

  “Then why are you upset and shouting at me?”

  “I—” Kirby’s mouth snapped shut and he took a long, deep breath and let it out again. “I’m not upset,” he said in a calmer, although still tense tone. “I’m confused.”

  “That makes two of us.”

  “Why are you confused?”

  “Because you obviously wanted to spend more time with Melanie, and yet you refused the offer to go back to the club with them.”

  “Because I thought you needed to go home.”

  “I didn’t tell you I needed to go home, though. And you didn’t ask my opinion before saying we were going home. Why didn’t you ask me first before assuming I wouldn’t want to go back to the club?”

  They’d reached another red light. When Kirby turned to stare at him, Davis couldn’t decipher the expression on his face. “Living with you is like living with Heisenberg’s goddamned uncertainty principle,” Kirby finally said.

  “No, I disagree with that assessment. If we’re talking quantum mechanics, and expectation value was the concept you were going for, then—”

  “Davis! You’re missing the fucking point! You have not, in my memory, ever spontaneously asked to go do something after Saturday night dinner, unless it was an event planned in advance, like seeing a movie or going to a concert or something. Why would I think that you would want to go back to the club with them tonight after dinner?”

  Davis considered it. “Is that why you’re upset with me? Because I didn’t react as expected?”

  The light turned green.

  Kirby didn’t reply. In fact, Kirby didn’t speak to him for the rest of the ride. When they returned home, Kirby headed straight for his bedroom and slammed his door shut behind him without another word.

  Hmm.

  Hopefully Kirby would calm down and discuss this with him tomorrow. It bothered him that Kirby seemed so upset. Davis knew he was the reason, but he still wasn’t sure why. Obviously, he’d done something wrong, and he wanted to know so he didn’t repeat it.

  He also wanted to know when they could spend more time with Melanie.

  * * * *

  “D’oh!” Kim said. “We should have invited them to the munch tomorrow night.”

  Mason glanced back. “You guys didn’t invite them? That would have been a good opportunity.”

  “I forgot about that,” Mel admitted. Kim had told her about it, but it’d totally slipped her mind. “I can text or e-mail Kirby about it later.”

  At the club that night, they showed her around, introduced her to people, and she got to witness a wide variety of types of play from very sensual all the way to heavy sadism.

  She also got to watch Scrye and June do a rope suspension scene.

  The more Mel saw, the more she realized maybe this was the path she should try. There was something inherently sexy about having a depth of trust in someone to completely let go to them. The more painful side of play didn’t attract her, but the power exchange dynamic and rope bondage?

  Yes, please.

  She knew tonight she’d be going home and breaking out her vibrator.

  Note to self—need to stop and get some batteries.

  It was after eleven when they returned to Kim’s house. After giving her hugs, the two men headed inside, leaving Kim outside with Mel.

  “Did you want to ride with us tomorrow?” Kim offered.

  Mel considered it. “No, I’ll drive myself. Just having you there will be a comfort. I know I won’t do something stupid with you guys looking over my shoulder.”

  “Okay. If you change your mind about that, though, let me know.”

  “Will do.”

  They hugged and said their good-nights and Mel headed home.

  On the way, she remembered to stop for batteries.

  It was natural for her to fantasize about Kirby. He’d been fun to talk to, quick with a smile or to make her laugh, and adorably uncomfortable at the start as he worried about not doing something to offend or upset her while they were in class.

  But knowing Kim had two guys—and that some of their friends were in poly arrangements—Mel’s fantasies included Davis in the mix, as well.

  As she curled up in bed with her vibrator, she imagined having both men making love to her and quickly brought herself to two orgasms that fortunately crashed her into a deep, sound sleep.

  Chapter Seven

  Kirby lay in bed Sunday morning and listened to the sound of Davis moving around out in the house. He smelled coffee brewing and knew Davis had started doing his laundry. He usually waited until the weekend to do it because he’d get side-tracked during the week.

  He felt badly about getting upset at his brother the night before. Sure, he could have asked Davis if he’d mind going to the club, but how the hell was he supposed to know the one time Kirby would have wanted him to do something was the one fucking time Davis actually wanted to do it, too?

  Still, he shouldn’t have blown up at Davis. Davis had tried. Tried so damn hard.

  Rolling over, he grabbed his phone and quickly skimmed through his e-mail, pausing when he saw one from Melanie.

  Subject line—Dinner tonight?

  He opened it and fought the urge to let out a joyful whoop when he read her invitation to join them at the munch that night. He started to reply to her, then hesitated.

  Yes, Davis would likely say no, he didn’t want to go. But Davis had tried so hard yesterday, Kirby felt badly about not asking him if he wanted to go.

  He headed for the bathroom first, not seeing Davis. Then he went to the kitchen to pour himself a mug of coffee and that’s where he found Davis, sitting at the counter eating while reading his morning news on his tablet.

  Swallowing his pride, he didn’t even make the coffeepot his first stop. He stood on the other side of the counter. “Hey, Davis. Can I talk to you?”

  Davis looked up from his tablet. “Yes.”

  “I’m sorry I got upset last night. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

  “Are you sure? I got the impression I had.”

  Kirby took a moment to try to phrase it just right. “You didn’t do anything wrong,” he repeated. “I should have asked you if you wanted to go to the club. I should not have made an assumption based on past behaviors as a prediction of your choice last night. I also didn’t want you to think you had to say yes, especially when you had been so agreeable yesterday. I’m sorry.”

  Davis glanced out into space for a moment before he finally nodded. “Thank you. I did enjoy myself yesterday. I’m glad that I went. It didn’t exhaust me. Melanie is very nice. If you wanted to have her over here for dinner, I wouldn’t object to that.”

  Oookaaay. That was unprecedented, even for Davis. Davis never brought anyone home. Ever. It was rare they h
ad friends over. Usually only their parents came over.

  Any time Davis was sleeping with a woman, he always went to her place and did it there before coming home. He never spent the night with them. He didn’t like people intruding on his space, and the only reason he tolerated the cleaning service was because he knew it was the least objectionable option to having Kirby screaming at him for not cleaning up after himself.

  Time to nut up. “Funny you should mention that. She sent me an e-mail telling me about a dinner she and her friends are attending tonight. Some of the same people from last night.”

  “A munch?”

  Kirby stared at him. Maybe I should have had coffee first. “Dude, okay, seriously. How do you even know that?”

  “I’m on book six of the BDSM series. I stayed up late reading. They call meals like that in public a ‘munch.’ What time do we need to leave?”

  “We?”

  Davis cocked his head. “I would not object to going. Unless you don’t want me to go.”

  Kirby stared at him for a long time. He seemed to be doing a lot of that this morning.

  It was hard to do this much thinking and processing without coffee in him, so he went and poured himself a mug of it while Davis patiently awaited his reply.

  “It’s not that I don’t want you to go. I honestly didn’t think you would want to go.”

  “Based upon my past behavior?”

  “Yes.”

  “Understandable. I would like to go, if you don’t have any objections.”

  “You don’t even know where it’s going to be held.”

  “If it’s the Suncoast Society munch, I believe they’re at the Bee Ridge Steakhouse, if I read the club’s calendar correctly.”

  Kirby blinked. “The club’s calendar? When did you look at their calendar?”

  “Last night after we returned home. I went onto their website.”

  Kirby sipped his coffee. They were in completely uncharted territory now. On the one hand, he wanted a calm, low-stress chance to spend more time talking with Melanie.

  On the other hand, he didn’t want to cut Davis off at the kneecaps when, for the first time in his adult life, Davis was actually being…normal.

  And he had been the one who told Davis he needed to get out more and expand his social horizons. What would happen if he told him no, he didn’t want Davis tagging along? Would it discourage Davis from even trying?

  What if this was the thing Davis was finally passionate about, besides nature, that actually allowed him to meet people and make new friends? Davis was normally such a solitary creature that Kirby frequently felt guilty he didn’t spend more time with him.

  Welp, that settles it, then. “We’ll leave at six thirty. Wear something like yesterday, casual but not too casual.”

  Davis nodded and went back to reading his tablet.

  Kirby leaned against the kitchen counter and sipped his coffee as he stared at his brother.

  One day. One fucking day, I want to get the hang of dealing with him before we die.

  * * * *

  Well, that had been one issue solved. Now Davis wouldn’t have to play twenty questions with Kirby when he announced later he was going out to the munch. He’d created a FetLife profile last night and while he hadn’t friended anyone yet, he’d seen Melanie’s profile on there, and Kirby’s.

  And she’d checked herself as going to the munch.

  He had sent her a Facebook friend request, which she’d already accepted.

  Kirby eventually retreated to his bedroom after pouring himself a second cup of coffee. Today, Davis was going to do some yard work in addition to his laundry. Right now, he wanted to finish reading his morning news. He didn’t have time to do this on weekdays, since he had a difficult enough time getting out of the house early enough to not be late for work.

  As he went through his day, he kept an eye on the time. He didn’t want to stress Kirby out any more than he knew he already was by going with him tonight. Yes, he could have gone separately, but that would have triggered more uncomfortable questions that Davis didn’t even have the answers to.

  He knew there was little chance of Melanie being anything other than a friend. But…he found himself okay with that, even though it triggered a feeling inside him that was a greyish purply blue.

  It took him another hour to identify it as regret.

  Of course he wouldn’t interfere with his brother attempting to become closer to Melanie.

  If it meant he could incidentally become closer to her, as well, then he’d accept that and try to make whatever sense he could of the life lesson.

  His mother had drilled it into him as a child to always look for the lessons presented by life. That, sometimes, it wasn’t possible to fit something into a logical little mental niche, neatly filed away. Sometimes, life was messy and people especially so when it came to emotions, and all he could do was to do his best and learn from what he went through.

  She had no idea how invaluable he’d found that advice over the years, and especially so at this moment.

  Because for the first time in his life, he realized maybe he was having emotions for a woman beyond the casual attraction he’d had plenty of times before.

  And he knew there was no way he could approach her about that because Kirby also liked her.

  * * * *

  Mel changed clothes five times before deciding on jeans and a blouse. It wasn’t a fancy restaurant, and she wanted to be comfortable while not projecting the wrong image, either that she was trying too hard or not trying hard enough.

  It was a pleasant surprise that Kirby had told her Davis wanted to come with him. More fantasies to fuel her private fires.

  I’m going to need more batteries.

  She’d started her morning by giving herself two more orgasms, something unusual for her in the mornings. By the time she’d finished, her vibrator wasn’t humming as strongly as it had been at the start.

  It didn’t hurt that Kirby and Davis had once again taken a starring role in her fantasies.

  Kim, Mason, and Cole were just getting out of their car when Mel pulled into the parking lot. They waited for her to join them before heading inside.

  “So are your guys still coming?” Kim teased.

  Mel gently nudged her. “I wish they were my ‘guys,’ plural. Yes, Kirby and Davis are coming. Thanks for being my wingmen tonight.”

  “If tonight goes well, where do you go from here?”

  “I was thinking dinner this coming week somewhere. A restaurant.”

  “Smart,” Mason said. “Want us to double date with you?”

  “I appreciate the offer, but if I can make it through two dinners with them, I’d like the next to be just the two of us.”

  “Two?” Kim asked.

  “Well, me and Kirby, unless he brings Davis. Which, I honestly don’t mind. I like Davis, and Kirby’s a great guy for thinking about his brother’s feelings and including him.”

  “We’re going to Sigalo’s and the club next Saturday,” Mason said. “If you want to work that in, we’ll be happy to back you up.”

  “I’ll see what they say.” She didn’t want to get her hopes up. Doing that in the past had gotten her heart broken more times than she wanted to think about.

  This time…this time it felt different, and not just because she was also more than a little attracted to Davis. It felt different because she could see that Kirby was a good guy.

  They were talking with June and Scrye and hadn’t picked out seats yet when Kirby and Davis walked in. Fighting the way her heart galloped in her chest, Mel walked over, smiling. “Hey. Good to see you again.”

  Kirby smiled. “Likewise.”

  Davis nodded. “Thank you for inviting us.”

  She offered to hug Kirby, who accepted. Then, she held up a hand to fist bump with Davis, something Kirby had whispered to her last night was nearly always acceptable to Davis.

  The corner of Davis’ mouth turned up as he touched his fist
to hers. “Kirby tutored you.”

  “Just a little. Where would you like to sit?”

  “Do you mind sitting between us again?”

  “Not at all.” She grinned, deciding nothing ventured, nothing gained. “Can’t say I have a problem sitting between two good-looking guys.”

  Kirby grinned, but Davis maintained his little quirky half smile. “So you don’t want to sit between us?” His gaze rose from her chin, meeting hers for at least a second before it dropped again.

  Kirby burst out laughing. “Dude, I need to get you a ‘humor’ sign or something to warn her.”

  She continued staring at Davis, feeling like she’d just won a major battle in winning him over. “I knew he was joking. He looked me in the eyes.”

  Now Kirby was staring at his brother. “Good job, you.” He touched Davis’ shoulder.

  “I’m also paper-trained,” Davis said, once again meeting her gaze for a long breath before looking down.

  She giggled. “You keep charming me like that, you’ll have me on a leash.”

  When Davis once again stared into her eyes, this time her breath hitched. “I could get used to that kink.”

  * * * *

  If Kirby didn’t know any better—if it were any other man—he would accuse Davis of flirting with Mel.

  But this was Davis.

  And Davis was trying. Trying damned hard. If you knew Davis well enough, and he was comfortable around you, he could have a wickedly funny sense of humor. It usually was lost on people not fluent in Davis, but here was Mel, smiling and giggling.

  Then she glanced his way and winked at him.

  Aaannd there goes my cock.

  He stepped behind Davis to conceal that fact. “Let’s go find our spot, dude. Sit and talk before you’re doing her on a table.”

  “I think that’s against health codes, but all right.”

  That pulled a full-on laugh from her, the kind of laugh that wasn’t mean, but told Kirby she was in on the joke and a full conspirator.