Rhymes With Orange

by Tymber Dalton

  Shit. Time to exit, stage left.

  She grabbed Hunter’s wrist and pressed her fingers into it, just using a little bit of nails to grab his attention. “I’m sorry, sweetheart, but would it be okay if you took me home? I forgot to bring my meds with me, and I’m really starting to hurt. I thought I could hold out longer. I’m sorry.”

  “Oh, uh, sure.”

  She also didn’t let go of his wrist when he stood, knowing if she did he risked a full-on meltdown. She needed him anchored on her, at least until she got him into the car and safely away from there. It’d been nearly three hours already.

  If it hadn’t been for the fact that she’d been enjoying “acting” and the reactions she was getting from Hunter’s family—including his father—she would have been ready to bolt out the door as soon as dinner was over.

  She hadn’t needed much in the way of lies. She’d been able to use her whole backstory—only omitting the BDSM stuff—to win them over and entertain them. It felt like the night had been a win.

  Until now.

  Hunter helped her to her feet and Margie, Sascha, Hunter’s mom—who’d insisted that Dani call her “Mom”—and Hunter’s other sister, Elaine, all gathered around.

  “Thank you so much for coming tonight,” his mom said, not reaching in for a hug.

  Which was a good thing, because Dani was keeping an eye on Hunter out of the corner of her eye and his gaze was now firmly fixed on his feet.

  Dani applied a little more pressure to his wrist with one hand and quickly reached out to touch the older woman’s arm with her other before withdrawing her hand.

  “Thank you for being so understanding about my…issues.” Dani flashed what she hoped came off as a nervous smile. “Hunter kept telling me you guys would be wonderful to me. I’m so sorry I dragged my feet all this time.”

  “Well, hopefully you’ll feel up to coming over to dinner this week,” his mom said. “Wednesday. We’re celebrating Hunter’s birthday early, because Kent has to be out of town on business the week after.”

  “I’ll try to be there,” Dani said. “I can’t predict what my pain levels will be from one day to another.”

  “I understand, dear. It was very nice to finally meet you. We hope we’ll see more of you.”

  After a round of good-byes and getting Coop and Todd moving, they headed back to the car, Dani clinging to Hunter’s arm as if she needed the help.

  What she was really doing was digging her nails into the flesh of Hunter’s inner arm. He’d started trembling, his breathing unsteady and ragged, his tone dull and soft as he’d said his good-byes.

  When they were in the car and pulling away from the house, Dani waited until they were a safe distance away to unbuckle her seat belt and slide over to Hunter, pulling him against her, his head tucked against her chest, her arms tightly encircling him.

  His arms slipped around her, holding on to her, and now he sucked in choppy gasps of air.

  “Shh,” she whispered into his hair, running her nails along his scalp. “You did good, sweetheart. Such a good boy.” He hadn’t even needed a Xanax during the evening.

  “Is he okay?” Coop and Todd both asked.

  She held up a hand to silence them. If they were going to do this, she’d have to accept every invite his parents gave her, make it look like she was pushing herself to do it for them to please them, keep the act going.

  That meant Hunter had to trust her.

  “I can’t keep doing this, Dani,” he moaned, barely above a whisper.

  “Yes, you can. You did it tonight, sweetheart. You did so good.”

  “Coop and Todd can’t come with us every time. That’ll look weird.”

  “That’s okay. We got this. You got this. Where are we?”

  “In the back seat of Todd’s car.”

  “What do you smell?”

  She was aware of the warmth of his breath against her chest as he sniffed. “Vanilla something.”

  She fought the urge to giggle. “Vanilla oil. Do you like vanilla?”

  “As a food, yes. As sex, it doesn’t do much for me, sorry.”

  Relief washed through her. If he could joke, despite how horrible he still sounded, it meant he was coming back from the brink of his panic attack.

  “Then I’ll make sure I always wear vanilla oil when we see your parents so you can smell it and feel calm and safe with me.” She nuzzled her cheek against the top of his head.

  She didn’t know if the men up front could hear Hunter’s side of the conversation or not, and frankly, she didn’t care.

  “Thank you,” he said. “Thank you so much for all of this. I know how hard it was for you.”

  “Hey, it’s what friends do for each other.”

  “I’m sorry I started to—”

  “It’s okay,” she gently said. “I fixed it before it became a problem. That was my job tonight. And it’ll be my job every time we’re around your family, for as long as you need me to do it, to keep you grounded and focused and there in the moment with me. Partners in crime, okay?”

  A soft snort escaped him at that. He finally lifted his head and looked her in the eyes. “Partners in crime. I like that.”

  She cupped his face in her palms. “Any time you need me, I’ll be there for you.” She realized even as she said it she wasn’t just giving him convenient lip service, either. Sometime during the evening she’d shifted her perspective from fellow pet of a common owner, to true friends, to feeling downright protective of the man.

  Especially after hearing some of the snarky comments his brothers made to him, until they’d learned Dani’s story and had been taken in hand either by their women—in the case of Terry—or their sisters or mother to back off their teasing of Hunter around Dani.

  As much as Todd loved Hunter, and as much as Dani knew Coop cared for him, they couldn’t fight this battle for him on the front lines, even if it was emotionally killing the two men inside. Hunter needed her.

  I can do this. It’ll help me focus.

  Of course it was an avoidance technique. Fuck it, it was for a good cause. If she could help Hunter get his inheritance now, at least there’d be one really good deed in her life she could unashamedly lay claim to.

  If they had to get him through another five years…well, she’d do that, too.

  She’d led a relatively charmed life before her accident. She hadn’t realized how charmed it’d been despite the surface flaws that had been her fault for not tending to sooner. Helping Hunter get through this would be a life-long reminder to herself of why she had to keep working with Ted and focus on her own issues.

  “You’re not wearing your seatbelt,” he noted.

  “I know. Are you all right?”

  “Yeah. Go ahead and buckle up, please.”

  She studied his face for a moment to see if he was really back and grounded or just trying to divert her attention. Seeing he looked more relaxed, and appeared to be breathing at a slower, steadier rate, she leaned in and brushed one more kiss across his lips before scooting back to the other side of the seat and buckling up.

  But she reached over and held out her hand for his.

  He took it.

  When she squeezed, he squeezed back.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Coop didn’t want to get into a “discussion” about what had happened until they were safely inside Todd and Hunter’s place. He didn’t want Hunter’s cousin spotting anything out of the ordinary if she was spying on them, like he frequently caught her doing when coming and going.

  Before he could, though, Dani caught Coop’s hand and led him into the kitchen.

  “You need to spend the night with Hunter,” she whispered.

  Conflict immediately smacked him squarely in the head. “I promised you time.”

  “I’m good. He needs you. He needs to decompress. Take him to your house tonight.”

  “I…” He stared at her.

  Dammit, he was the Master.

  Okay, he was
Hunter’s Master. He was her Dom.

  He reached out, cupped the back of her neck, and kissed her. It wasn’t lost on him that he normally kissed her far more gently than he’d been kissing Todd earlier in that very same kitchen.

  “We all go to my house tonight,” he finally said. Taking her hand, he led her back to the living room, where Todd was hugging Hunter. “Everybody pack for overnight. Sleepover at my house.”

  “Why don’t you take Dani and go on ahead,” Todd said. “We’ll be along.”

  “We can’t,” Dani said, pointing toward the dividing wall. “Because Hunter’s mom will hear about it at some point from his cousin. Hunter and I need to leave together if we’re going to be gone all night.”

  Todd nodded, kissing Hunter before he released him. “Then you go with them. I’ll pack for us and follow along in a little bit.”

  “Hold on,” Dani said. She walked over to Hunter and took his hands. “Are you okay with this?”

  He nodded. “Yeah. I trust you. After tonight, I know I can deal with anything as long as you’re on my side. I want to do this. All four of us playing.”

  She pulled him in for a hug. “Thank you, sweetie.”

  “Do we need to swing by your place?” Coop asked Dani.

  “No, Sir. I packed comfy clothes in case I needed them.” She pointed to the small bag she’d brought with her that still sat in the foyer where he’d left it after carrying it in for her earlier, not having thought about its contents.

  “Good girl.”

  They headed out again, Coop and Hunter getting into the front of Coop’s SUV while Dani took the backseat.

  Once they were on their way again, Coop reached over and patted Hunter’s thigh. “I’m proud of you, boy,” he said. “You did good tonight.”

  “Thank you for calling Dani,” he said. “I’m sorry I doubted you.” Coop worried about him. The tone of Hunter’s voice told Coop how exhausted the man was.

  He glanced at Dani in the rearview mirror, where he could see she wore a pleased smile. “Our girl did good tonight. Real good. I’m proud of both of you.”

  Her smile widened. “Someone mentioned Hitachi time at some point.”

  “Ohhh, you’d best believe it.”

  He let out a sigh of relief to shut the engine off in his own driveway. Hunter carried Dani’s bag for her while Coop helped her out. Inside his front door, with it closed behind them, he pulled them both close. With his hands cupping the backs of their necks, he kissed Dani, then stared into Hunter’s eyes for a long moment before leaning in and tenderly kissing him.

  When he lifted his lips from Hunter’s, the man tried to follow him and not lose contact.

  “Relax, boy,” he told him. “We’ve got all night and tomorrow. There will be plenty more of that. As long as you’re up for it.”

  Hunter looked up at him, his sweet brown eyes similar to but different than Dani’s.

  “Thank you, Master. I am.”

  Coop smiled. “Yes, you thank me now.”

  Dani giggled.

  He had them both naked, cuffed, and collared when Todd arrived and locked the front door behind him. He set a duffel bag on the couch and shot Coop a smirk.

  “As I was leaving, Louise ‘just happened’ to step outside to walk that little dust mop of hers and ask where everyone was going.”

  “What’d you tell her?”

  “I told her I was going to spend the night with a friend, and as far as I knew, Hunter was spending the night with his girlfriend.”

  “Technically not a lie,” Coop said, grinning.

  “I know, right? This’ll be easy.”

  “Speak for yourself,” Hunter grumbled.

  Coop caught the ring on the front of Hunter’s collar, pulled him in, and stared into his eyes. “In this one way, I’m giving Dani control over you. Understand?”

  “Yes, Master.”

  “Good boy.”

  “So now what?” Todd asked, standing there with his hands on his hips.

  Coop released Hunter’s collar and walked over to Todd. He grabbed him and pulled him in for another one of those hard, crushing kisses from earlier. “If I’m not mistaken, there’s a boy who’s been fantasizing about getting spit-roasted. Dibs on his ass.”

  “What if I want you to fuck my ass?” Todd rumbled against the side of his throat.

  “That can be round two,” Coop said.

  * * * *

  Dani wasn’t sure what was going to happen but hoped that it happened soon.

  She was hornier than fuck now that the sexy, primal grunting and kissing part of the program had resumed.

  Oooh, yeah.

  Ned led them into his bedroom. After ordering Dani to lie down on the bed on her back on the far side, he used snap clips to hook her wrist cuffs together and then tied them to the headboard. He grabbed the short spreader bar and hooked it to her ankle cuffs, a smile on his face.

  “Stay right there, sweetheart.” He retrieved the Hitachi and an extension cord and she wouldn’t deny she was wet and horny for it, even though all he did was tease her by laying it on the bed between her legs, not touching her clit, switched off.

  He grabbed Hunter’s collar and kissed him again, reaching down with his other hand and stroking the man’s cock. “Go grab a towel from the bathroom to put under you, boy,” he said. “Unless you want to do my laundry tonight. And grab condoms and lube from the bathroom.”

  He released Hunter and spun him around, delivering a swat to his ass.

  Then Dani watched as Ned and Todd stood face to face for a long moment. Ned grabbed Todd again, kissing him hard. “Not sure I’m ready to get my ass fucked yet,” Ned said when he let him come up for air. “You okay with that?”

  “Yeah,” Todd gasped. “Just want to feel that cock of yours inside me.”

  She licked her lips as she watched Ned unbuckle Todd’s belt and unfasten his shorts, shoving them and his briefs down before slowly stroking Todd’s cock. Ned let Todd unfasten his, then the man sank to his knees and engulfed Ned’s cock with his mouth, both men letting out needy moans that Dani echoed from her spot on the bed as she watched.

  Ned’s heavy-lidded eyes took her in, her helpless position. “Don’t worry, my sweet pet. You were a very good girl for me. You’ll be well rewarded.” He held her gaze as he rested a hand on the back of Todd’s head and slowly fucked the man’s mouth.

  Holy…shit!

  Yes, she’d watched some really good gay male porn in her time.

  This was even better. She wished she was on her knees with Todd, helping him worship Ned’s cock.

  Hunter returned with the items and then Ned made Todd get up while he had Hunter climb onto the bed on his hands and knees.

  Hunter had time to flash her an almost bashful smile before his eyes dropped closed and he let out a moan as Ned knelt behind him and started working lube into his ass.

  Todd got onto the bed, at the head, legs spread and drawn up at the knees so Hunter could reach his cock with his mouth. When Todd realized she was watching, he dropped the leg closest to her so she could see better. He had both hands resting on the back of Hunter’s head.

  “He can deep-throat me all the way to the balls,” Todd proudly said.

  She licked her lips, wondering if Todd and Hunter would end up being on the menu, too. At this point, she’d do whatever Ned asked of her with the two cuties.

  Hunter’s eyes flicked open briefly, locking gazes with her for only a moment before they dropped closed again as he loudly moaned around Todd’s cock. When she looked down his back, she realized Ned had sheathed himself in a condom and was working his cock into Hunter’s ass.

  “Oh, that’s my good boy,” Ned praised as Hunter flexed his hips, impaling himself on Ned’s cock.

  Dani realized her little whimper of need had been out loud and not just in her mind when Ned smiled down at her. “Patience, pet. I haven’t forgotten you.” He worked his cock all the way inside Hunter’s ass and held still for a moment
before reaching over for the Hitachi.

  Oh, f—

  She didn’t even have time to finish the thought, because Ned’s gaze locked with hers as he switched the vibrator on high and then pressed it to her clit. Unable to close her legs, she felt the first orgasm immediately swell and explode inside her as Ned chuckled.

  “There’s my good girl,” he said. She felt him start moving, Hunter’s moans in counterpoint meaning fun was being had by all. “There’s my very good girl. Thinks she’s getting a show, but she’s actually giving us a show.”

  Something about the tone of his voice drilled right into her, in a different and even better way than when they were having sex alone.

  Ned apparently sensed it, too. “Oh, yes. My very dirty pet, giving my boy and Todd a show, too. I think my pet likes showing off for you two. She likes showing what a good, horny girl she is for me.”

  She tipped over the edge again, loudly, writhing against her bonds and knowing now that Ned had her spinning in that cycle he wouldn’t stop until he was ready to stop. When a hand closed around hers, she held on, not knowing who it belonged to and too far gone to care.

  “Good girl,” Ned said, the bed now shaking, hard, as he fucked Hunter. “And good pup, too. Such a nice ass.”

  She heard Hunter let out a moan when the shaking momentarily stopped and the vibrator was pulled away. She had time to crack an eye open and see that Ned had his other arm around Hunter’s waist and was jacking him off, and it was actually Hunter’s hand holding hers.

  Then Ned spotted her watching. “Good girl.” He pressed the vibrator against her clit again and she was off to the races once more.

  Hunter’s grip tightened on her hand as his moans increased in tempo.

  “Make him come first,” Todd gasped. “It’s amazing feeling him squeezing my cock as he comes.”

  “Good idea,” Ned said.

  Dani was too far gone to care who was coming. She could barely catch her breath, her heart pounding in her chest, fluttering, as her orgasm broke free and took her over the crest. Then Hunter cried out, and Todd gasped.

  “Yeah, that’s it, buddy,” Todd said.