“Like, moving back? Or just going back to play sometimes?”
“Moving back. But every time that came up, we’d stop and think about all the reasons we left, and we decided to keep searching for a unicorn.” He grinned. “And here you are.”
“Wow.” I exhaled. “I have to say, I envy you guys.”
“Why’s that?”
“You just seem to have your shit together as a couple.”
Aaron smiled, smoothing my hair. “We’ve had twenty years to get it together.”
“But let’s face it—there are plenty of couples who never do.”
“No, and I won’t tell you it was all smooth sailing or that it was easy. I assure you, we’ve been through our share of rough patches. But we found our footing with this, and… I mean, hell, if it weren’t for that, we wouldn’t have met you. And I for one am really glad you found us.” He stroked my cheek. “Not just because you’re that unicorn I didn’t think was out there, but…” He paused, then smiled shyly. “I’m just really glad it was you that found us.”
My heart fluttered, and I lifted my chin to kiss him. “Flattery will get you everywhere.”
He laughed, then claimed that kiss. As he drew back, he met my gaze. “So what got you into kink?”
“Fanfic.”
He blinked. “Seriously?”
Laughing self-consciously, I nodded. “Yeah. I always loved fanfic, and I kept getting into the hotter stuff, and the kinkier stuff. At one point I was dating a guy who also read fic, and when I told him what I was into, he asked if it was something I just liked in stories or if I would actually do it in real life. And I said I’d never tried it before, but now that he’d suggested it, I was curious.”
“So you tried it?”
“Yep.” I grinned. “Some of it wasn’t my cup of tea, but submission was just…” I shivered.
Aaron smiled knowingly and put up his fist. I bumped it, and we both chuckled.
“It’s definitely kept me sane,” I said. “It would’ve helped a lot in medical school if I’d had the time or energy, but these days, it’s really making it easier to cope with, you know, life.”
He nodded. “I get that.”
“And…” My heart sank, and I sighed. “Honestly, I’m going to need it after this weekend.”
“Why’s that?”
“My brother is coming to town.”
“Ooh, that’s right.” Aaron’s eyebrows knitted together. “You going to be all right, dealing with him and, well, everything?”
“I’ll get through it,” I said. “Just, um, don’t be surprised if I’m really ready for some play afterward.” I paused. “That’s… I mean, I know you guys brought me in because you need a sadist, but am I… I mean, if I need…”
“Kelly.” He tipped up my chin and smiled. “You’re part of this too. If there’s something you want from us, or something you need, just say so. No, I’m not going have you take out your frustration on me or—”
“Oh my God, no!” I shook my head. “Never. But…yeah, centering myself by playing—I can do that safely.”
“I figured.” He drew me in and brushed his lips across mine. “So when your brother leaves, just tell us what you need.”
My heart sped up. “Really?”
“Really.” He kissed me again. “We’ve got you.”
“You know, I have to say…” The tone of my brother’s voice had an all too familiar sarcastic edge as he looked around the living room of our father’s house. “You were smart.”
“Oh yeah?” I asked, guard fully engaged. “How’s that?”
He smirked. “I busted my ass to get through medical school and my residency, found a good job, and in between paying for student loans and malpractice insurance, scraped together enough money to buy a house. You?” He gestured around us, and he didn’t have to say a word. The rest came through loud and clear.
I busted my ass while you sat on yours, and someone gave you a house.
I wasn’t taking his bait. Not this time. Setting my jaw, I looked him in the eye. “Why don’t we start with the living room, since we’re already here?”
“Works for me.”
He scanned the room again, and when his gaze landed on the biggest wall, his jaw worked. The wall was blank now—I’d even taken my paintings down because I didn’t want his opinion on them. Instead, it was just a vivid purple wall with nothing displayed, and Daniel knew damn well what had been there before. I had no doubt he’d caught on that I hadn’t just taken it all down so he and my sisters could have their respective