Better Together: Boys of Talbert Hall #3

by Ward, Quinn

  “You're doing a great job,” I whispered as the elevator doors opened. “Remember, no one here is going to think twice about you holding hands with another guy. Annandale has a reputation for being accepting of everyone.”

  “But I’m not everyone,” he argued.

  “If I’m pushing too hard, you can tell me,” I reminded him. “This is supposed to be fun for everyone. If you’re not ready, say so.”

  “I need this,” he admitted, his voice threaded with desire.

  “That's what I hoped you’d say.” I breathed out a sigh of relief and felt the tension in my shoulders ease. The elevators closed behind us. I pulled Zach against my side, not giving him room to escape.

  “Do you remember what I told you to do when we got home?” He nodded. “That wasn't an answer. How are you supposed to respond when you're asked a direct question?”

  His body tensed against mine. “Yes, Sir.”

  I patted his chest. “That's my good boy. While the two of you get cleaned up, I’ll get everything set up for today.”

  “Okay.” I watched as Zach focused on taking in a breath and then slowly letting it out. He repeated the motion the entire climb to our floor.

  “You still with us?” Daniel asked as the doors began to open at our floor.

  “Can't back out now,” Zach said to no one in particular. “Need to see this through. You know what it's like.”

  I actually didn’t know what it felt like to have as much self-loathing as he’d seemed to battle for so long. I wasn’t out to people, but that was a personal choice, not because I feared I’d be disowned or worse. I’d never lived with anyone who told me it made me less of a man to be attracted to men. My heart broke when I thought about what life must be like for Zach and, in a twisted way, I understood why he was the way he was.

  I wrapped my arms around Zack's waist, pulling him against me. “In case I forget to say it later, I'm proud of you. I know this is new and scary.”

  “But I want it,” Zach admitted. “Wanted it for a long time, but I was so damn scared.”

  “That's completely normal,” I said at the same time Daniel said, “You have nothing to be scared about, Zach.”

  I narrowed my eyes, silently warning Daniel to be careful with what he said. The last thing Zach needed was to feel like we were minimizing the distress he felt over admitting who he was. I followed Daniel to our door, my hand shoved firmly in Zach's back pocket. He didn’t pull away from me, and that felt like progress.

  “Go take your shower,” I instructed him. “I'll have Daniel bring you a change of clothes when you’re done.”

  I was stunned silent when Zach spun around, crashing his lips against mine. As soon as my lips parted, he pressed his tongue into my mouth. There was nothing for me to do other than wrap an arm around his waist. I shoved him against the wall, as much to steady myself as keep him from falling. I reached out to Daniel, needing him to be a part of this moment. He gave my fingers a squeeze, silently reassuring me he wasn’t upset that Zach had kissed me first.

  There would be time for them later, and I intended to make sure they both walked away with lips swollen from kissing and hopefully with beard burn on Daniel’s too perfect complexion. It would be easy to get off while directing the two of them how to touch one another.

  “Thank you for this,” he whispered when he broke the kiss. “I might tell you I hate you tomorrow, but don't believe anything I say.”

  “Don't worry about me,” I assured him. “I know you think I have my life sorted out, but I’ve been where you are. I'd be more surprised if you didn't have regrets tomorrow morning. But know this…” I leaned in, pressing my lips to the corner of Zach's mouth. “I can be relentless when I want something. And right now, what I want is to make you feel good. It's not going to happen today, but at some point, I would love nothing more than to have you spread out naked in my bed, Daniel waiting for me to tell him how I want him to fuck you.”

  “It can't just be about us,” Daniel protested. I pulled him closer so all three of us were connected.

  “It's not. I want both of you, but only when the time is right.”

  “When will that be?” The hazel of Zach’s eyes was nonexistent around his pupils, blown with arousal. “Want both of you fucking me. Please, Colin, don't make a wait.”

  “You're going to be the death of me,” I protested. “I’m not going to rush this with you. I’m going to make you see you’re worth more than a quick, dirty fuck.”

  I led Zach to the bathroom door, dropping my bag to the ground. His eyes followed. He leaned forward, trying to peek inside. “If you want to know what toys I bought for you, you'd better get that pretty little ass in the shower.”

  “Yes, Sir.” He stood taller as he flicked open the button on his jeans. I knew he was being sarcastic but hearing him call me Sir would never not make my cock ache.

  “On second thought, don’t bother getting dressed. Come out in nothing but your towel,” I instructed him.

  “Will you be naked, too?” he asked as his gaze drifted the length of my body.

  I chuckled. “Eventually. But first, you need to show me you can follow simple instructions.”

  “I want to make you proud of me.” Zach's eyes grew wide as soon as the admission slipped past his lips, and I knew that was something he had never meant for me to hear.

  “I already am,” I promised him. “I'm not sure we'll ever understand how special the gift you've given me today is. I can't make any promises for the future, but I will do everything in my power to never take you for granted.”

  Zach slipped into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. I stood there staring, zoning out until I heard the water running. I closed my eyes, letting my head fall forward until my chin was tucked against my chest. These men were trusting me to guide them through whatever happened today, but they had no clue how nervous I was. I needed a few minutes to get my shit together.

  “You know you don't always have to be control, right?” Daniel asked as he followed me through the suite. “You’re spending all this time checking in with Zach and me. Who is going to take care of you?”

  I swallowed hard around the lump in my throat. I couldn't deny what Daniel said. This moment felt too big. If I stopped long enough to think, I knew my own fears would get the best of me. I could talk a good game, and I’d thought about a moment like this plenty of times, but now that I had the chance to bring those fantasies to life, I was scared I’d fall short. And leave it to me to complicate things further by thinking it was a great fucking idea to take on two guys at once.

  Daniel pressed his body against my back as I fumbled to get my keys out of my pocket. He kissed the shell of my ear. “This isn't going to work if you deny yourself,” he warned me.

  “It doesn't have to be about me,” I insisted.

  “But it does.” My hands shook too hard to fit the key in the lock, and Daniel swiped my key ring. As he leaned forward to unlock my door, my body was momentarily pinned between his and the flimsy hollow wood door. He ground his hips against my ass. “If you want us to let go for you, I think it's only fair you do the same. I think you want to let someone else take the reins, but you’re worried what will happen if you surrender.”

  “I don't know if I'm ready for that,” I admitted. There were things neither them knew about my past and, if they did, I worried they would lose faith in me.

  “Another day can be about me,” I suggested. I stumbled as the door swung open. Daniel was quick to wrap an arm around my waist to keep me from falling. He didn’t let go as he walked us into the room. I allowed myself a moment to savor the feeling of his hand pressed against my stomach and his dick nestled against my ass.

  “Not good enough,” he growled as we moved deeper into the room. “I can let you take control when all three of us are together, but you need to know, that's not really who I am. I’m a lot like you. When I’m with someone, I’m all about making sure they feel good. The way I see it, we’re going t
o have to strike a balance.”

  “I know.” My voice cracked, my throat dry and scratchy as if I hadn't had anything to drink in days.

  “You were right that Zach needs this, and I don’t know if he’d be as receptive to me giving him directions, so I’m willing to bend a bit.”

  “He will,” I promised Daniel. I didn't want him thinking this would end up with Zach turning to me forever. Once he was more comfortable, I fully intended on easing him into taking orders from both of us. “It's easier for me because he doesn't have as much to lose. I’m just the kid who moved into the room next door. You’re his best friend.”

  “I get that. Fuck, I hate it, but I understand. But if I'm going to give myself to you, I think it's only fair you do the same for me sometimes. We can play it by ear when we’re all together but thinking about bossing you around when it’s just the two of us gets me hard as hell,” he admitted. I wasn’t sure I was ready to tell him it did the same to me. Throughout my late nights spent researching various power exchange relationships, I had always primarily identified as someone who wanted to command and care for a submissive, but there had been times when I’d felt a hint of longing to be the one on my knees. And here was Daniel, offering me exactly what I thought would be impossible to have.

  “Will there even be times when it's only us?” I rushed into trying to help Zach and Daniel see that they were already on their way to being in love with one another, even if they weren’t ready to admit it, and in the process, I hadn't ever considered that there might be anything more than a temporary place for me between them.

  “I wouldn't agree to this if I wasn't genuinely interested in you, Colin.” He pushed me back on the bed, caging my legs between his. “I'm not made for casual sex. I tried to be for him, and it almost killed me. Everyone has this image of who I am as a person, but you’re the first person who has truly seen me.” The nearly frantic rush to get the words out should have been a red flag for me. And yet, I was silent as he continued. “You see things in me I've never admitted to anyone. And you have this way of making everything seem a bit less scary. Please, let me do the same for you.”

  I looked up at him, stunned by the desire and sincerity reflected in his expression. “Okay.”

  “Yeah?” I wasn't sure who was more surprised by my easy acceptance. “But there are still things we need to work through. I've never thought of myself as a true switch.”

  “Neither did I until I met you. Granted, I'd never given much thought to any of this, but it feels right.” Daniel brushed his thumb over my cheek. “Letting you lead feels natural, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about giving you the same gift in return.”

  “What gift is that?”

  He leaned close, pressing his lips to mine. When I tried to deepen the kiss, he quickly backed away for me. “You deserve to see how good it feels when you don't have to think about anything. Let me give that to you?”

  I nodded, unable to say anything.

  “If we had time, I’d whip out my dick and make you suck me, so I don't make a fool of myself in front of Zach.” My eyes drifted shut, trying to imagine what it would feel like being at Daniel's mercy. It was erratic as hell, imagining myself doing nothing but what he told me to. Daniel curled his hand around the back of my neck, leaning so close I could feel the moisture of his breath against my ear. “Tonight, after we make Zach come so many times he passes out, I'm going to come back in here to properly thank you.”

  “As long as it's okay with Zach,” I pointed out. “We need to set some ground rules.”

  I was beginning to hate the amount of research I’d done about unconventional relationships. The horny, nineteen-year-old part of my body wanted to scream, yes, please, throw me down and fuck me until I pass out, but what was happening here was all too important to crush because of miscommunication the first time we got together.

  “We’ll do that first,” Daniel promised. “As soon as I get back from my shower, before we’re all too lust-stupid to think clearly, we’ll figure out if it has to be all of us together or if we’re going to work on building our one-on-one relationships, too.”

  “You don't think that'll scare him?” And how in the hell had the tide shifted so that Daniel was in control and I was at his mercy?

  “Oh, I’m sure it’s going to scare the ever-living shit out of him.” Daniel chuckled, combing his fingers through my hair. “But we’ve been dancing around this long enough, he’s not going to back out.”

  “And what if we get carried away?” All three of us had spent the entire day on knife’s edge. While I enjoyed postponing climax, even I had limits to how long I could endure. Knowing Zach would walk through that door, hopefully wearing nothing but a towel, made it impossible to keep a clear mind.

  “Then we’ll have to wait,” Daniel stated matter-of-factly. “If we all want this to be more than a one-afternoon-stand, it’ll be worth it to do things right.”

  I couldn't go another minute without touching Daniel. I slipped my hands around the backs of his thighs, pulling him closer. When he rocked his hips slightly, I caught the musky scent of his arousal and my damned mouth watered. What the hell was even happening here?

  “I'm going to go check on him. If you want, you can start getting him good and relaxed while I get cleaned up,” he suggested as he pried my hands off his body.

  “Oh, I can, can I?” I chuckled, letting go of my annoying need to be in the lead. If Daniel wanted us to take turns, I was game. The only thing that was going to do was make it hotter if he and I were battling for the other’s submission.

  “Yeah, you can.” The words rolled like velvet off his tongue. He slid a hand down my chest. “If you'd rather, I could always make that an order.”

  Yes, please! my brain shouted, but I wasn’t ready to cave so easily. I shook my head quickly. “No… No order needed,” I reassured him.

  “Good.” He laughed, patting my cheek twice. “I'm going to send our boy in. Take good care of them for me.”

  “I will,” I promised.

  Our boy… I liked the sound of that. As Daniel latched the door behind him, I stared blankly at where he had just been, my mouth gaping open. This was not at all how I planned on the day going, but the cock trying to break free from my pants definitely didn't have a problem with the new direction.

  While I waited for Zach to join me, I quickly unpacked all the new toys, lining them up on the dresser. I looked at them through new eyes, wondering if Daniel would want to use anything on me.

  Would I let him? Did I want him to? Yes, and yes. I kneeled in front of the footlocker at the end of my bed after retrieving the key from my desk. My hands were so unsteady I dropped the tiny piece of metal three times before finally twisting it so I could release the latch. I flipped my extra bedding to the side, revealing a smaller box.

  When I told them I’d extensively tried various things on myself, I hadn’t been lying. I was almost ashamed to admit how many times I'd used the simple leather strap on myself during late night sessions after everyone in the house had gone to sleep. Would they think less of me if they knew how much I craved the feeling of my control being tested, time and again, until my balls literally ached with the need to let go? Would they use it against me? Or was this something the three of us could share? I pulled out the strap, fully intending to put it on when I heard my doorknob rattle. I shoved it under my pillow for later.

  Zach stepped into the room, his feet shuffling forward a centimeter at a time.

  “Daniel told me to come straight here,” he announced.

  “And so you did. Good boy,” I praised him because I knew how much he got off on pleasing both of us. I wasn’t disappointed when his eyes fluttered, and he rolled his neck at the praise. If ever there was a man who needed equal parts domination and nurturing, it was Zach. Someday, I hoped he could acknowledge the way his body relaxed at the slightest compliment. I reached out a hand, pulling him closer to me. “How are you feeling?”

  “Weir
d. Good.” He massaged the back of his neck, shying his gaze toward the floor.

  “And you still want to do this,” I asked him. He nodded. “What did I tell you about that earlier?”

  “You said I need to use my words,” he mumbled.

  “That's right. So I'm going to ask you again. Are you still on board for whatever happens today?” I took the first step toward him, clutching my hands behind my back to keep from spooking him.

  “Yes, Sir.” I took another step closer, this time reaching for his hand. I curled my fingers around his, dragging him closer to me.

  “Such a good, brave boy.” His chest crashed against mine and I gave into temptation, ghosting my lips over his temple.

  Zach stiffened in my arms. “Why do you keep calling me that?”

  “Do you not like it?” I pushed the wet hair back off Zach’s face. “Be honest with me, Zach. How do you feel when I tell you what a good boy you are?”

  “I–” He clenched his eyes shut and shook his head. “This is all so much. I shouldn't want this. What would people say?”

  I know Daniel wanted me to start teasing Zach while he showered, but I needed to calm him down first.

  “There's nothing wrong with anything that makes you feel good, Zach. As long as all of us are okay with it, nobody else's opinions matter,” I promised him. I held back from telling him Daniel and I already saw him as ours, because this had to be his choice. I couldn’t say anything that might influence him.

  “But what will my dad say?” He shuddered hard. I squeezed him tighter, providing him a sense of comfort and safety.

  “If you’re not ready to tell him, neither of us are going to issue an ultimatum in order to be together,” I reassured him. “And even when you are ready, he only has to know whatever you're comfortable telling him. He'll never see how beautiful you are when you submit to us, because that's something that's for our eyes only.”

  “But what if the rest of the guys find out?” I began rubbing Zach’s back as I swayed gently from side to side. Slowly, he began to relax.