“Get on your knees.”
He didn’t have to tell me twice.
And we did have plenty of time.
Fourteen
Kelly
Sitting on the Taylors’ couch, I glanced back and forth between them. “So, what you’re saying is, we’re keeping this casual, and it’s better to err on the side of having uncomfortable conversations than to let something fester?”
Aaron and Will both nodded.
“Okay.” I nodded too. “I can live with that.” I totally could, too. The boundaries and requests they were laying down tonight weren’t exactly a far cry from what we’d talked about the first time, but while the guys had been explaining it to me, they’d given me some lines to read between. After being so relaxed and chill before, they’d both been edgy and nervous tonight.
“I promise, we’re more easygoing than we sound.” Aaron glanced down at his and Will’s hands, which were clasped together on the armrest of the chair where Will was sitting. Meeting my eyes again, he added, “This is just kind of new, and we want to be careful. For our sake and yours.”
“I know. And I appreciate it.” I smiled. “The more communication, the better.”
“Exactly.” Will was starting to relax. I could see it in his eyes and in the way he wasn’t rubbing Aaron’s hand as intently as he’d been since we’d first sat down. It came out in his voice too. “Do you have any concerns? Anything we didn’t get to the other night?”
I thought about it. “Well, not really concerns or…” I hesitated. “I mean I guess we didn’t cover what the rules are about playing one-on-one. It’s totally cool with me if you guys don’t want to, but I’d like to know where the lines are.”
“Oh,” Aaron said. “Yeah, you’re right. That’s something we should have covered.” He looked at Will. “I don’t have an issue with it.”
“Neither do I,” Will said. “As long as everyone is on the up and up and no one’s lying about it? Sure. Go for it.” He paused. “Though, maybe that should be for lighter kink or vanilla.” He squeezed Aaron’s knee. “I’d just as soon be there if there’s going to be any significant bondage or pain play.”
Aaron and I both nodded.
“Yeah, that makes sense to me,” I said.
“Same,” Aaron said.
I laughed nervously. “This has to be the most open and communicative thing I’ve ever been involved in, and I love it. And yes, if something comes up later, you’ll both be the first to know.”
It seemed like they were trying to be subtle about it, but I could practically feel them both relaxing. Aaron wasn’t sitting quite so ramrod straight anymore, and his features weren’t so tight. Will’s shoulders were less rigid. Jesus, this must’ve really been eating at them both. Did they think I was going to bolt? Hell, maybe.
If I had to guess, they’d debriefed after the other night, realized there were still some things they didn’t quite feel like we’d settled, and they wanted to get everything out onto the table before we went any farther. Given how long they’d been trying to find someone to fill the role they were asking me to fill, I got the impression they were worried about spooking me, and any discussion like this had the potential to make someone put up their hands, declare this was all too intense, and make a beeline for the door.
“And just to be clear,” Aaron said, “the part about not being poly? It doesn’t mean we can’t all be friends, or that we just want you to show up, play with us, and then leave.” His smile was soft, and definitely less tense than it had been a moment ago. “We like friends with benefits that are actually friends, you know?”
Now it was my turn to shake off some nervousness. “Right. I get that. And I get not wanting to be poly. I don’t want to be either. But friends? I can do that. Definitely.”
“Okay.” Will grinned. “So now that we’ve put all this to bed, I guess the question is…” His eyes darted toward Aaron, then me, and I wasn’t the only one who squirmed a little. “Are we still game for the ‘benefits’ part of the equation tonight?”
Aaron and I exchanged glances, and we both nodded.
“Good.” Will’s grin turned evil. “How does everyone feel about some cock-and-ball torture?”
I put the stainless steel cock cage and ball clamp on the nightstand, trying not to let it rattle too much. As blissed out and spacy as Aaron was, I didn’t