by Cara Adams
Jason sat up and grinned as Juliana walked straight over to the inside wall and began looking at it. She started at one end and moved slowly along it. The door handle must have been more visible close up because it didn’t take her long to find it and disappear from Jason’s view.
“She’s smart. You won’t trick her that easily,” he said softly.
“The bathroom door fits flush to the wall. All I did was paint over the door hinges in the same paint as the wall and replace the door knob with a flat dark gray one which blends in with the wall.”
“That was clever of you. I’m hungry. As soon as we’re all showered, how about we have lunch upstairs?” Jason didn’t want their time to end, and he genuinely was hungry.
“I’m not working today. I seldom work Sundays. It’s a day when a lot of clients like to rent the dungeons, so lunch together suits me fine.”
“You don’t mind that other people are using your stuff?” Jason thought a very Dominant man such as Beckett wouldn’t like sharing his equipment.
“I lock my personal toys away in a drawer. The spanking bench, chains, and ropes all belong to the club.”
When Juliana returned, looking stunning, her skin flushed pink from the heat of the water and her hair still a little damp, Beckett said, “Let me check your skin.”
She come over obediently but said, “It’s not broken. The water didn’t sting on me anywhere when I was in the shower.”
Jason watched as Beckett checked her carefully and then said she could get dressed. “You shower next, Jason, while I tidy up here.”
After his shower, Jason sat back on the chair as Juliana looked closely at the rack of floggers, and Beckett disappeared into the bathroom. “I suggested we should all have lunch upstairs, and Beckett agreed. Are you hungry? I am.”
She turned and smiled at him. “I am, too. That’s a good idea. I’d like to spend a little more time with you both.”
“We could plan another outing. Hopefully one where my work won’t ruin it.” Jason hated that he’d had to cancel out of their midweek date. Even though they’d met for lunch yesterday, he still felt as though he’d been robbed of their Wednesday date.
“What sorts of things do you like doing in your free time?” Juliana asked him.
“I used to play a lot of sports, but now most men my age are in relationships and the sporting teams are all either younger men or full of guys who don’t take the game very seriously. They don’t go to training or even try to win. If I’m going to play, I like to train, warm up properly, and at least try to win, so I don’t really play anymore.”
Beckett had returned to the room as he was speaking, and he was nodding along as Jason talked. “I agree. Playing sports was mostly what I did as a kid. Being military, our family was always moving, and I went to so many different schools I never got to make real friends there. But on a soccer or baseball team, I always knew what to do. The rules don’t change just because the game is being played in a different state or even a different country.”
“Was that hard for you? Always moving?” Jason hadn’t really thought about it before, but he’d hung around with much the same group of people all through school. They sometimes fought and argued, but underneath it all, they were friends.
Juliana was watching Beckett’s face, too, her own showing deep concern. She was a caring woman, smart as a whip, but with a warm heart as well. It was one of the things he loved about her.
Beckett spoke slowly. “Our family coped okay. My mother was deeply committed to my dad’s career, and my sisters had each other to be best friends with. I suppose I coped by playing sports. No matter where we lived there were always boys kicking a ball for me to join in with.”
“What about being a werewolf shape-shifter? Did you miss not having your pack surrounding you?” asked Juliana.
“No. But then I’d never been in a pack, so I guess it’s the case of not missing what you’ve never had. The military was my parents’ pack, I suppose. But I do want to put down roots and stay in one place. That’s one thing I decided, and it’s why I bought my house. I plan to stay there for the long-term.”
“I understand that, and it’s a nice house. I’ve always thought if I had a house with a yard I’d adopt a dog or two.”
“Time to eat. Let’s go upstairs,” interrupted Beckett.
So, he doesn’t want any more personal conversation. That’s interesting.
* * * *
Juliana had a lot to think about. Her first experience of BDSM had lived up to her hopes. In fact, it had exceeded her hopes. She was ready to take Beckett as her Dom. It’d only taken her a few minutes to decide that. What remained undecided was her sexual relationship. Beckett was very dominant in the bedroom as well. Not that they’d actually had sex in a bed or a bedroom yet, but she knew it was true. He had that take-charge attitude which she really needed in the dungeon. But she wasn’t so sure she wanted it anywhere else in her life. Jason’s gentle consideration was much more her style. He made her feel precious, special, loved. Juliana absolutely loved Jason back, although it was too soon yet to know whether her love for him was just a response to his treatment of her or something deeper.
The big question in her mind was whether or not Beckett would try to order her around in her everyday life. It wasn’t worth asking him because, no matter what he said, she suspected he had no understanding of just how masterful he was. All his body language, his attitude, the way he spoke, shouted aloud that he was in control. He seldom actually asked permission about anything. His questions were more like statements, and he simply expected people to follow him.
Juliana wasn’t sure she could cope with that. Her job was important to her. Being at The Dom’s Dungeon was the best job she’d ever had, and she had no intention of losing it any time soon. And if Beckett started imposing on her working time or her ability to do her job, she would absolutely break up with him rather than forego her job.
The question was, could she trust him to keep his attitude for their private lives? Was he even capable of keeping it out of their public lives? Or would he inevitably try to take control of her whole life? She wasn’t going to permit that, even if meant breaking up with him and Jason. Because she’d have to part from both men. Jason had become good friends with Beckett, and she wouldn’t be able to have one and not the other now.
Well, damn. How was she supposed to know what to do now?
They’d all eaten their lunch and were still sitting at a table in the Stage Lounge, picking at a platter of delicious fruit. Both men were sipping light beer, but she’d chosen soda. Even though their scene was over for now, she wanted to keep thinking about it, and about the future.
She thought about Jason saying he wanted a dog. She wondered if he’d be content to have Beckett the wolf instead. Hmm. That was an idea. She’s like to see Beckett in his wolf form. She expected he’d be big and black and bossy. But she’d still like to see him.
“I’d like to see you run, Beckett. Is there anywhere we could do that?” Juliana spoke cautiously because, although the BDSM club was a comparatively safe place, she had no idea who might be listening to their conversation.
“Why don’t we go back to that lookout? We could hike one of the shorter trails and then go back to where we had the picnic.”
As soon as Jason mentioned their picnic, she was filled with lust. She’d just had a very nice orgasm, but she was ready to have more. She was willing to have both the men together. That would be something exceptional, although likely they really would need a bedroom with a lock on the door for that.
“We could go now if you like, Juliana. We’ve all said we have no other commitments today, there are plenty of hours of daylight left yet, and I’m worried that any other day we choose I might have to work overtime. I have the feeling that office renovation is going to be a problem again.”
“Why do you think that? The contract is all signed, isn’t it?” asked Beckett.
“Yes, but it’s already been alter
ed once, and I can’t see the manager refusing anything his lady friend asks of him.”
Juliana giggled. “Good for her. I might need to take some lessons from her.”
Beckett just stared at her, but Jason laughed. “Just don’t wear false eyelashes like hers. They’re weird.”
“You’re pretty safe there. I don’t think they come in red.” Her eyelashes weren’t as red as her hair, but they weren’t really brown either. She’d spent hours in stores trying to find the right color eyeliner and mascara and nowadays had mostly given up the battle.
Beckett stood up. “Let’s go.”
That was the Dom again. Taking charge. Although, to be fair, it had been Jason’s suggestion, and she was in agreement with it. She stood as well and joined Jason in following Beckett out to the parking lot.
“If we’re going on that rough track again, we’d better take my truck,” said Jason, stopping at the second lowest basement. Of course. She and Beckett were staff, so parked on the lowest level, but Jason was a client. She followed him as he led them to the truck and held the passenger door open for her.
“Thanks. You have beautiful manners. I appreciate your acts of kindness.”
“I like to do things for you, Juliana. I’d like to help and take care of you every day.”
Juliana felt her cheeks blushing as she stepped up into the truck. He was very special. But Beckett was as well. Beckett was bossy, but he exuded an aura of power and control, and she found that encouraging and helpful as well. She couldn’t wait to see him in his shifted form.
* * * *
Beckett hadn’t expected either Juliana or Jason to ask to see him shift, and he realized he should have expected that request. They were both human. He was damn lucky they’d even consider forming a relationship with a wolf, never mind simply asking to see him transform. He was shocked that he’d omitted such an obvious step in his planning.
It was just as well Juliana had raised the matter herself. He wondered if she would like him in his other form. Fortunately, Jason liked dogs. He wouldn’t have said he wanted to adopt one or two unless he’d been fond of them. He didn’t think he’d ever heard Juliana mention animals at all. She hadn’t expressed distaste at either him or at Jason’s wish for a companion animal, so that gave him hope. But he really should have thought all this out first. He couldn’t believe he’d had such a blind spot in his thinking. How could he have been so remiss?
“Jason has said he’d like to adopt a dog or a couple of dogs. What about you, Juliana. Do you want to adopt some companion animals?”
“Like Violet and her horses? Are you worried your home will become a menagerie?”
“I haven’t got anywhere near enough land for horses, but you could always ask Violet if you could keep them on her farm I suppose,” he replied.
“What about chickens? I like omelets,” said Jason.
Juliana laughed. “If you’d asked for my preference, I’d have chosen cats over dogs, but as long as you men are going to bathe and walk the dogs, I’m okay with them. As for horses, I expect they’d be a whole lot more work, and I’m pretty sure Raff wouldn’t care for them along with Violet’s horses. I wouldn’t mind going to the zoo one day and looking at things like the butterfly house, though.”
It was only after she finished speaking that Beckett realized that all three of them were talking as though she and Jason were about to move into his house. No such thing had ever been discussed among them, although he was certain it was what he wanted. They’d talked about growing vegetables and suchlike, and Beckett had made it very clear he wanted to stay in his house forever, but where had she and Jason, independently of each other, gotten the idea they were all going to move in together? That was a hell of a leap from where they were now, at the beginning of a relationship.
But fuck. That’s what I want. It’s what will happen.
Hurriedly, he continued the conversation. “We could go to the zoo. I think I’d like that. It was something we always did when I was young. I’ve seen a lot of zoos and always enjoy looking at the animals. But I’m not so sure about having chickens. They’d probably get out of their coop and eat your vegetables before you could pick them, Jason.”
“Dammit. I hadn’t thought of that.”
Beckett settled back in his seat, very conscious of Juliana beside him. She was completely self-contained and a real challenge to understand. She could be as fiery as her hair at times, yet had been completely submissive in the dungeon. He liked that she was complicated, that he couldn’t always predict her responses. But he was also very much aware that she seemed to be much closer to Jason than to him. Was it because his manners needed some polishing? He was sometimes arrogant and dismissive. He knew that. Maybe it was time to try harder to be nicer to people. No, not to people in general. Just to Jason and Juliana, two very special people.
Jason drove them straight back down the narrow track to where they’d had their picnic.
“There is at least one car in the parking lot this time. Maybe two cars,” said Juliana, swiveling her head around to look out the rear window as they turned down the track.
“They’re nowhere near here, though. We’d see them walking along the track if they were,” said Beckett, hoping he was correct and wasn’t going to be seen naked or shifting.
Jason parked as he’d done the previous time, with the truck facing the exit, and they all climbed out. Beckett walked through the grass, looking all around and listening intently, but the only noises were the wind rustling the leaves and grasses, and the only scents were ones he associated with trees, flowers, and earth. He breathed deeply, opening his mouth, trying to taste, as well as smell, everything around him, but he was as certain as he could be they were alone here.
“I expect they’ve walked up to the lookout. That’s what most people would do,” said Juliana soothingly.
He grunted. He thought so, too, but she wasn’t the one liable to be shot as a ferocious wild animal. That would be him. However, he was looking forward to a run. It’d be a long time since he’d last changed. Several months. All the scents were teasing his nostrils now, and he was ready to change. It was strange. Until Juliana had asked him to shift, he’d felt no need or urge to transform. But now that he was here, he was excited and eager to run as a wolf. Beckett took one long, last, thorough look all around the area where they were then undressed, dropping his clothing into the back of the truck.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
He stretched his body out fully, rising up onto his toes, his arms held above his head as he did in the dungeon to warm up. Then he thought, wolf, and transformed. He was on the opposite side of the truck from his friends and stayed several feet away from both of them as he circled the vehicle. He didn’t want to risk frightening them. Not that he thought they’d be frightened, although he was very big. But then he wasn’t a small man. They had to expect him not to be a cute little puppy dog either. He doubted he’d ever been cute, although logic said he must have been little once upon a time.
Beckett waited for their response. He was right. Neither of them looked the least little bit afraid. Jason’s hands were in the pockets of his jeans, and he was looking at him rather as though he was measuring him. Beckett supposed that’s what someone who worked in construction might act like with the unknown. A “will the lumber fit in my truck” kind of measuring.
Juliana squatted down so she was his height and stared at him as if he really was a cute puppy and she’d like to pet his fur. He came a few steps closer to them, still being careful not to crowd them or overwhelm them.
Juliana sank down onto her knees and said, “Come over here and let me feel your fur. Is it as thick and soft as it looks?”
So he’d been right. How amazing that she’d reacted like that. He rested his head on her knee, smelling the sweet flavor of her body after her shower. They’d all used exactly the same shower gel, the one provided by the club, yet on her, it somehow seemed more feminine and floral than it ever did o
n his own skin.
With his head on her knee and his sharper wolf senses working overtime, he could also smell her cunt. Damn, she was delicious. She wasn’t aroused, but her scent was there, just under the surface of the shower gel.
Beckett stood quite still as she rubbed her hand on his fur and stroked along his spine. Her hands were light and delicate, yet sure. She knew exactly how to pet him to perfection.
When she let go of his wolf, Jason said, “Come on then. Let’s run.”
The three of them chased each other through the grass and behind the trees, racing madly here and there, only to turn and rush back in the other direction. Juliana flung herself onto the grass laughing, but he and Jason ran on for a while longer until Jason bent over, his hands on his knees, gasping for breath.
“I think you have an unfair advantage on me here, Beckett.”
He flopped down beside Juliana, his tongue hanging out as he waited for the humans to get their breath back.
“That was fun. Thank you for letting us see you,” said Juliana.
Beckett transformed back to his human form so he could answer her. “I’m sorry. I should have anticipated that you’d want to see my wolf form.”
Juliana laid a hand on his thigh. Damn, that felt sexy. “There’s no need to apologize. There’s nothing between us yet apart from some friendship, although I would like you to continue as my Dom.”
Beckett’s heart dropped at her words, but he took hold of the term yet. Clearly she hadn’t decided to reject him, although she was pointing out she hadn’t accepted him as her partner either. And yet not long ago they’d all been talking about living together. Clearly they needed to talk some more.
“I accept you as my sub, but I think you, Jason, and I can be a partnership. Don’t you? Jason?”
“I want you both as my partners. I’m prepared to share Juliana with you, Beckett. We both want her, and there’s a close link between us. I think our triad will work. What’s holding you back, Juliana?”