Of course, I could hop in my truck and head over to Edge’s. I could use the excuse of wanting to see if it was a place I was willing to live for the foreseeable future. He’d see right through it, but I’d be there at that point and could probably play it off. Or I could go over to Edge’s and do what I wanted to do. See if we could pick up where we left off the other night. Between the incident at Edge’s place and the kiss we’d shared here in my hotel room, I didn’t think he’d be too opposed to the idea.
It was when I was trying to decide which fast-food joint I was going to hit up that my cell phone rang. I glanced at the screen, noticed it was Edge, and answered immediately.
“What’s up?”
“Hey.” His voice was low and there was noise in the background. “You busy?”
I glanced around the bland room. “Not at the moment.”
“I’ve got a proposition for you.”
Hmm. I definitely liked the sound of that. “What’s that?”
“I’m out with Jamie right now and we thought maybe you’d want to join us.”
I frowned. “Seriously? You want me to tag along on your date?”
“Preferably, no,” he said quickly.
I laughed despite myself. “Well, fuck you, too.”
There was an answering laugh and something relaxed inside me.
“Since I don’t consider you a third wheel, Cav, it wouldn’t be like that. We want you here with us.”
Before I could respond, there was shuffling, and then Jamie’s sweet voice sounded. “Hey, Cav.”
“Hey, cupcake.” I stared out the window at Chicago’s skyline.
“Are you doing anything exciting tonight?”
Just hearing her voice made me smile. “Define exciting.”
“Oh, you know. Maybe you’re two hours deep in a game of Monopoly and you’re not sure whether to sell all your hotels or not.”
I chuckled. “No Monopoly tonight.”
“Maybe you’re gearing up to play This or That. The naked version, of course.”
“Hmm. That sounds like a good game. You’ll have to give me instructions on how to play.”
“It’s pretty straightforward, actually.”
“Have you played it before?”
“No. But I’m not opposed to exploring new things.”
Jamie’s sexy laugh made my dick hard.
“Better yet, maybe I’ll teach you how to play. You and Edge.”
“I won’t turn you down,” I told her. “But seriously. Aren’t you on a date?”
She sighed heavily. “So, here’s the thing. I think we’re ready to graduate to the next phase of our … uh … situation.”
“The next phase, huh? What would that be?”
“The three of us hanging out. Together.”
“So, you’re not interested in the one-on-one dates anymore?”
There was a smile in her voice when she said, “I didn’t say that at all. I happen to enjoy spending time with each of you. But I think we’re trying to fit this into a traditional box and we’re all adult enough to admit that’s not going to work.”
I laughed, couldn’t help it. That was one thing I highly admired about this woman. She didn’t beat around the bush. “Agreed.”
“Good. So, please come down here. We’ll have a couple of drinks, watch some people pretend to be comedians, then maybe we can … play naked This or That afterward.”
Not willing to think on that too hard, I said, “May I speak to Edge one more time?”
“Of course.”
Edge’s deep voice sounded.
“Are you sure about this?” I asked, my thoughts drifting back to what happened the other night, when I’d had to refrain from fucking Jamie in the passenger seat of my damn truck.
“Very.”
“So you’re up for naked This or That?”
Edge chuckled. “I could be, sure.”
I never knew which direction that man was headed. But who was I to argue? “All right. Shoot me the address and I’ll be there in twenty.”
“Uber over here, will you? That way we’ll only have one car.”
“All right.”
The call disconnected and I headed for the shower. It took ten minutes to get myself presentable. The Uber arrived in the time it took me to get from my room down to the front desk. And ten minutes after that, I was walking into the bookstore/bar, a place that surprisingly reminded me of the two people I was coming to meet. It wouldn’t have been my first choice for date night, but I could see how it would appeal to the two of them. And considering Edge’s sister owned the place, it was probably familiarity that had him selecting it. Gregory Edge was the type of guy who liked to play it safe whenever he could.
I, on the other hand, was not.
I found Edge and Jamie sitting in a corner, watching a hefty, middle-aged man on a small, makeshift stage ramble into a microphone. I took a seat on the opposite side of Jamie, all three of us facing the stage, and kept my mouth shut while the guy made people laugh with his self-deprecating humor. He wasn’t half bad, but I was grateful when he finally concluded his act.
After the clapping ceased, Jamie turned toward me. “Welcome to our first date.”
“We’ve already been on our first date,” I corrected, grinning.
“The three of us haven’t.”
“True.”
Her dark eyes flashed with heat. “I suspect this one’s going to be even better than the ones leading up to it.”
That would be something considering our dates had been pretty damn memorable. I certainly didn’t have any complaints. Then again, if there was naked This or That—or naked anything, for that matter—yeah, probably. But I did want to know what direction Jamie’s thoughts were going, so I said, “How do you figure?”
Her smile was like sunshine. “Because the three of us are here. Together.”
Well, when she put it that way…
I caught Edge’s gaze. The memories of the other night flashed in my mind. The way he’d walked into my hotel room and kissed me like the world was ending. Although our interaction had ended after that, I figured it was safe to say, neither of us would’ve been disappointed if it hadn’t.
I wasn’t sure why he was holding back, but it was obvious he was. From Jamie and from me. Perhaps he was giving us time to let it all sink in. I could’ve told him we didn’t need it. The longer he held out, the harder he was making this.
“Do you want to stay here?” Jamie asked, her gaze bouncing back and forth between us. “Have another glass of wine and watch some more of what they’re laying down?”
“Or…?” I prompted, glancing at Edge, then back to her.
She shrugged.
Edge was the one who spoke up. “Or we could go back to my place, share a pizza, watch a movie, and … see where the night takes us.”
“Yes,” Jamie said immediately, smiling at me. “What he said.”
I leaned toward her, kept my voice low enough no one else could hear. “You know that you’ve changed the program by inviting me here, right?”
She nodded.
Edge leaned in. “Which means slow is no longer on the menu.”
We were clearly on the same page there.
I heard the rasp of Jamie’s sharp inhale. “Yes, I know.”
“As long as you’re aware of that,” I told her, “then I’m game for whatever the two of you want.”
When I looked up at Edge, I knew what he expected would happen tonight. The question was… Did Jamie fully understand what she was getting herself into?
NINE
EDGE
THIS NIGHT WAS NOT GOING THE WAY I’d intended.
Your end goal wasn’t to get Jamie and Cav alone so you could punish them for tempting you?
Fine. Whatever.
That might’ve been something I’d contemplated a time or two, but not tonight.
Then again, I wasn’t sure I really had a solid plan when I texted Jamie. Drinks, conversation. That had
been on the menu, yeah. I simply wanted to see her, didn’t matter when or where.
What I hadn’t expected was to be taking her back to my place. Having Cav along for the ride was a bonus, but not on the initial blueprint, either.
What the fuck was I thinking?
“A limo,” Cav said with a smirk. “Goin’ all out, are ya?”
I was tempted to flip him off, but I refrained.
Once the two of them were settled inside, I gave Ed the instructions to take a scenic route back to my apartment, then climbed in behind them.
The walls of the limo suddenly closed in around me, suffocating me with a constant reminder that I was moving this in a direction I wasn’t sure I was ready for.
Stop thinking too hard. Just get them naked already.
I didn’t trust myself in an intimate setting with Jamie, so this was risky. She tested my limits and I didn’t know how she managed. There was too much tension if you asked me. Between me and her, her and Cav, me and Cav. It was there, a sizzling undercurrent that none of us could completely ignore. There was only one way I saw it ending and I was in no hurry to move things along. Not that I didn’t want to get her naked and bury myself inside the tight sheath of her body. Oh, I definitely wanted that. More than air.
So what’s the problem?
As far as I was concerned, there were three:
1. Jamie was a virgin.
2. Jamie was twelve years younger than me.
3. Jamie was not a submissive.
If we pursued this, where was it going to lead?
Maybe you could come up with a list of negatives for Cav while you’re at it. Fuck it all up in six bullet points instead of three.
1. Cav was a Dom.
2. Cav was my best friend.
3. Cav was not disposable.
But Jamie is?
No. And that was another problem, damn it.
I didn’t have enough fingers and toes to count the number of submissives I’d been with only once and then moved on, whether by my choice or theirs. When in the club, there was a certain expectation. Or lack of, perhaps. Unless you were coupled up, one-night stands were common practice. After a night of play, you would continue to see that person week after week, month after month, sometimes with little to no interaction.
Point three. She’s not a submissive, remember? No worries there.
I sighed.
If I could treat this as a one-nighter, we’d all be happy.
Would you?
On the other hand, I didn’t have that sort of relationship with Cav and I certainly didn’t want that with Jamie.
No, you want more. You want it all.
No. Not necessarily.
Liar.
Okay, yes. Fine. I could admit I’d been thinking about Jamie since our date, going over the events in my head, and trying to point out the negative. Except, there was nothing I could come up with aside from my main three points.
Truth was, I wanted to get to know her and vice versa, to see if there was something there, because fuck it all, I was tired of one-nighters. I wanted more, and for the first time in a damn long time, I’d met a woman who intrigued me.
“Edge?”
I jerked my attention to Jamie, who was sitting beside me, Cav across from us. “Sorry. Just a little distracted.”
A little? It’s been ten minutes since you said anything.
Jamie nodded, her eyes lit with understanding, which kept me from having to explain.
“We could always grab a pizza at a restaurant, hang out at a bar for a bit,” she suggested. “Or even call it a night if you’d like.”
I instantly shook my head. “That’s the last thing I want.”
“Are you worried we’re moving too fast?”
How was it this woman seemed to know what I was thinking? Considering her age, I was expecting a sense of immaturity. I remembered what it was like to be twenty-four. Still in college, running amok, drinking heavily, sleeping with every hot piece of ass—guy, girl, didn’t matter—who glanced my way. Based on the little bit that I’d gathered thus far, that wasn’t the case with her.
Teach you to assume.
I glanced over at Cav to see if I could read his take on this. I could tell he was still confused as to how my impromptu second date with Jamie turned into a threesome. I honestly hadn’t meant to share with Jamie the fact that I’d kissed Cav, but it had felt necessary. After all, she’d been straightforward regarding the time she’d spent with Cav. In a situation such as this, secrets would only cause problems.
I glanced back at Jamie, then to Cav once more.
Just accept it already. This ménage à trois is the direction you’re headed. The only difference is the route you were taking to get there.
“How about we take a step back?” Jamie prompted. “I’ve still got a million questions I want to ask the two of you, so maybe we could start there.”
“Back to wanting to drill into our psyche, are you?” Cav joked, but there was a hint of regret in his tone.
Jamie smiled. “Always. It’s in my nature.”
“What’s on your mind?” I prompted, figuring her psychoanalysis was better than the stupid voice in my head.
“You mentioned a training class,” she started, peering over at me. “I was wondering about it. What exactly happens during this training? Do you take random people off the street and teach them to be polite, obedient submissives?”
The smile she shot my way told me she didn’t actually believe that.
“You can’t train someone to be submissive,” Cav said. “But wouldn’t it be convenient if you could?”
I laughed, shook my head in disbelief.
Jamie grinned. “Okay, so who signs up for this? Submissives who need guidance?”
“Submissives who want to be members of my club,” I clarified. “Or those I’ve seen who have lost sight of the objective.”
I could see her curiosity pique.
“That makes sense,” she said, her eyes dropping to the seat as though she needed a moment to realign the notes in her head. Her head lifted and her eyes brightened as she shifted to face me more fully. “You mentioned me taking it as one of your rules.”
“I did.”
“Why? If I’m not submissive, how would it benefit me?”
“You don’t think you’re submissive?” Cav asked.
Jamie seemed to consider this. “I mean, I enjoy the concept. When I’m reading about it, there’s a certain stimulation, perhaps a connection I have with the submissive.”
“But you’ve never witnessed the interactions between a Dominant and a submissive?” I asked.
“Well, I’ve seen the movie.”
I frowned, looked over at Cav, who simply shrugged. “The movie?”
“Fifty Shades of Grey. Have you seen it?” She appeared genuinely curious.
“No. And to be fair, I don’t think that movie was meant to be a guideline to Domination and submission.”
“But it seems legit.” Jamie frowned, glanced at Cav.
“I haven’t seen it either, cupcake. Sorry.”
“Oh.” That was definitely disappointment. “Anyway. It’s about a businessman who set his sights on this young woman. He’s a Dominant and his goal is to make her his submissive. In the movie, he tells her all the things he expects from her. Obedience and all that. When she asks what she gets out of it, he tells her that she gets him.” She smiled. “It was kinda hot, actually.”
I frowned. “Is that what you think submission is? You obey your Master and in return you get whatever he wants to give you?”
“Isn’t it?”
“Absolutely not.” I couldn’t help it, I was pissed at the thought, and I knew it was reflected in my body language.
“Then what do I— I mean, what does a submissive get out of it?”
“Drop the pretense, sweetness,” I snapped. “If you want to write a paper, we’ll do this in a classroom. If you want the experience, we’ll nix the scenarios and sho
w you.”
There he is. The Dom she needs. You can see it on her face, can’t you?
I could see it in her eyes, yes. This woman had a strong submissive side. Even if she didn’t realize it yet.
“Okay,” she said hesitantly. “Let’s suppose I’m submissive.”
I nodded, urging her to continue.
“And you are”—she motioned between the two of us—“my Doms. What do I get out of this? Aside from the opportunity to spend more time with you?”
Cav jumped in, his tone reflecting the same frustration I felt. “What do you want to get out of it, cupcake? If you’re doin’ it solely to get the attention of a man you’re interested in, why would you put yourself through it?”
“I don’t know.”
“Do you think Brax and Case are with your brother because they want his attention?” I asked.
“Yes,” she insisted. “I do. Case needs what Zeke can offer.”
“And what’s that?” I needed to know if she could see the bigger picture, the deeper meaning behind it all.
“He needs Zeke to … beat on him.”
“He’s a masochist,” I explained. “He craves the pain.”
“So, if he submits,” she said, her forehead creasing, “he gets Zeke.”
“No,” I countered. “He gets what Zeke can give him to fulfill his need for pain. In turn, he gives Zeke what Zeke needs.”
“As a submissive, he’ll need that, too,” Cav added. “The pleasure … the fulfillment of giving Zeke what he needs.”
“So it’s a give-and-take?” She seemed to ponder this.
“Absolutely,” Cav inserted. “How could we ask a submissive to give themself over to us if they’re not gonna get somethin’ out of it?”
“Do you think Luci submits because she wants Landon’s and Langston’s attention?” I tossed out. “She gets that at work already. If she submits simply because she wants their attention, what does that fulfill for her?”
Their Naughty Student (Office Intrigue, 6) Page 17