if it’s not, we’ll all just chill tonight. Don’t sweat it.”
I smiled back.
I really did have the best husband ever.
Nineteen
Aaron
For the rest of the day, worry thrummed in the back of my brain like the threat of a headache—not painful, but annoying and possibly portentous of something worse to come. Even after Will texted me and said Kelly was doing all right, I wasn’t going to breathe easy until I saw him with my own eyes.
I kind of wanted to talk to Tom about it, but he was slammed today. Half of Laurelsburg seemed to be filing for divorce this week, and he was up to his ears in clients who were at their spouses’ throats over everything imaginable.
Which was certainly a reminder of how small my “problems” actually were. Maybe Kelly, Will, and I were working out the kinks (so to speak) and figuring out how to carefully navigate all this, but no one was standing in a courthouse hallway screaming about custody of a parakeet. Perspective.
And I had plenty to keep me busy too, especially since I had to work twice as hard to focus today. By the time I left the office, I was kind of glad we weren’t going to do anything tonight. Physically, I was probably down, but mentally? Not so much. All three of us probably needed to take it easy this evening.
When I got home, Kelly’s car was in the driveway. Thank God—then I’d see him as soon as I went into the house, rather than wringing my hands and waiting for him to show up.
I found him and Will sitting on the couch with coffee cups in hand. I was beyond relieved to see Will looking a million times more relaxed than he’d been earlier. The afternoon off, not to mention checking in with Kelly, had clearly helped. Top drop didn’t magically vanish, but he looked better, so I’d take it.
And Kelly seemed a little tired, but his eyes backed up his smile. “Hey. How was your day?”
“Long and boring, which in my line of work, isn’t necessarily a bad thing.” I gestured at the kitchen. “I’m going to get some coffee.”
I came back a moment later, paused to kiss Will hello, and then sat down on the couch beside Kelly. We also exchanged a quick kiss, and as I sat back, I said, “So, you’re doing okay? After last night?”
“I’m fine. I was worried about you, honestly.” He gestured at Will. “At least until he called and said it was all good. Which… It is, right?”
“Yeah, it is. I’m good.” I sighed. “I really thought I was in a better state of mind last night. I mean it—you didn’t do anything wrong. I just wasn’t where I needed to be.”
Kelly nodded, his smile a little easier now. “That’s good to know. But I mostly wanted to make sure you’re okay. It seemed kind of rough for you.”
“Not as bad as it would’ve been if I’d tried to push through.”
“Which is why we use safe words as liberally as we do,” Will said. “Err on the side of caution. Always.”
“Yeah, I see that,” Kelly said. “And now that I’ve seen it in practice? God, yeah. I’m convinced. I mean, I’ve had great Doms who were seriously careful about things, but I’ve never known anyone who was this chill about safe words.” He put up his hands like he was in church. “I’m a believer!”
Will and I both chuckled.
“Okay, good,” I said. “As long as you know you didn’t do anything wrong.”
“No, I get it now. We’ll find our stride. It’s all good.”
I exhaled, relieved now that we’d finally touched based after worrying all day. With a cautious grin, I said, “Maybe it’s just as well, anyway.” I looked at Will. “I had a meeting with Judge Faulkner this morning, and I didn’t need him catching on that I was, uh, sitting uncomfortably.”
Will snorted. “You’re no fun.”
“Not when I’m at work, no.”
“But it’s Judge Faulkner,” Will insisted. “It would’ve been hilarious.”
“For you, maybe.”
“Uh, yeah? Exactly.”
I rolled my eyes. “Asshole.”
He just chuckled.
Kelly cocked his head. “Who’s Judge Faulkner?”
I laughed. “He’s this super nice judge who’s older than God, and my law partner and I have decided he’s a closet submissive.”
“Based on absolutely nothing,” Will said with a laugh.
“Based on conjecture and hearsay,” I corrected.
“Uh-huh. Which, last I checked, is enough to get something tossed out of court.”
“Not necessarily, but…” I waved my hand. “Anyway, his wife has lunch with him in the courthouse cafeteria