Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 90852 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90852 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
“Poly family—I always liked that term.” He smiled and sipped from his soda. “Flexibility and openness within a structure of boundaries.”
Yes.
“I like all those words.” In fact, they made me very happy. “When it’s just Noa and me, we get all the flexibility and openness, very little of the rest.”
He hummed. “You provide him with structure, though. Don’t you?”
In a way, yeah; I couldn’t deny that. “I love taking care of him. When we started dating and going to kink clubs together, we fell into a brotherhood of sorts.”
“You’re the older brother fending for the younger.” He nodded slowly, thinking. “It suits you. But something’s missing. You don’t get the dominance to fall back on.”
True… “Neither does he. I might provide structure, but I can’t boss him around. Neither of us would want that anyway.”
“That makes sense.” He picked up a cluster of grapes but didn’t eat them right away. Instead, he sat back, rested one leg over the other, and slowly plucked the grapes from the stems. “You have to tell me if you want me to have a chat with Reese, Cam. He put us both on the spot in front of the others, and I’d understand if you’d be too uncomfortable to speak honestly with so many around. There’s no pressure for you to go through with this wax play project with me. I can find someone else.”
Dick.
“I know you can find someone else,” I said. “But you have me. I meant what I said.”
He chewed on a couple grapes and smirked, then leaned toward me. “I don’t want to find somebody else.”
I felt some tension leaving my shoulders. “Good save, Sir.”
He shook his head in kind amusement. “We shouldn’t leave things unsaid, pet. I knew you were different the day I met you. Older than your years, genuine, firm in your beliefs… You didn’t put a dent in my relationship with Robert. Instead, you gave me the first glimpse of a path away from him. Of what could be waiting on the other side.”
Holy crap.
“Unfortunately, I got lost along the way,” he went on. “I chose to believe where I should’ve doubted. I chose to love where I should’ve walked away. But I kept you in my periphery, like a lifeline. I watched you grow in our community. I watched you observe Dominants. I caught you smiling to yourself when others found their perfect match. I kept thinking, one day, a Master will snatch him up and be the luckiest man on the planet.” He leaned forward a bit more and rested his arms on the table, and I found myself holding my breath. “This thing between you and me, Cameron, has been there for years. The only difference between then and now is that nothing stands in my way anymore, least of all my own stupidity. I hope that makes my intentions clearer—and if there’s anything you need me to save, I will. Because I won’t allow any doubts from now on.”
Okay, that save was even better. Fuck. I lost my mental footing. I couldn’t hear the people in the pool. I couldn’t see the patio. My mouth felt dry, and—fuck, it was really dry. I grabbed my drink and took two big gulps from it.
Lucian was serious. And he’d felt something between us for as long as I had.
Something bubbled up inside me, akin to joy, but it was accompanied by a stomachache.
Maybe I should go to the bathroom…
Oh my God, Lucian had intentions. Intentions.
We hadn’t scared each other off.
“Now…” He reached over the table and squeezed my hand. “Can we discuss our wax play station for the event? There are several things I want to try with you.”
I swallowed and managed a nod, all while feeling the warmth from his hand searing into my own.
He withdrew his hand and pulled out his phone, placing it on the table with what looked like an empty note open. “You’ve explored wax play before, if I remember correctly.”
“Yes, Sir.” My breathing picked up, and I took another hurried swig of my soda. Time to get my crap together and be a good submissive for him. I wanted him to be completely unable to resist me.
“Which types of wax melts have you tried?”
I assumed he wanted to know for the different kinds of melting points. “Everything from paraffin to beeswax and good ol’ candles bought at Dollar Tree.”
He flashed a brief grin and wrote something down. “Are you good with our preparations turning sexual?”
Keep your cool.
“Definitely, Sir.”
“Good.” His voice warmed up, and he wrote that down too. “Have you had any allergic reactions to anything related to wax play before? Any soft or hard limits about the kink? Any medical or joint issues?”
I shook my head. “No allergies or medical issues. I have an old knee injury from break dancing that makes it painful to kneel for longer periods of time, but that’s about it.”