Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 63970 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 320(@200wpm)___ 256(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63970 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 320(@200wpm)___ 256(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
“Do you honestly want to know?” Kai asked the question like he knew what the answer should be.
JT gave it a moment’s thought. “Probably not, but I’m curious. Having heard you say that, my head will go a hundred different ways unless I know the truth, and a whole bunch of them will be bad.”
Kai nodded, obviously accepting the answer as a valid one. “She’s perfect because neither one of you is ready for a real relationship. She’s younger than you, new to the lifestyle. She needs some freedom to explore and you’ll give her that because you won’t get serious about her.”
JT stared at him. “How do you know that?”
“Because you’re not ready,” Kai replied. “There are things that have happened in your past that you haven’t let go of and until you do, you won’t be ready for anything real. You’ll try with this woman, but in a few days, you’ll realize it’s nothing but fun and games and when she wants to date around, you’ll be okay with it. That’s why I put you together.”
“Yeah, that’s fair.” JT was quiet for a moment. “You think Sweetie really won’t fall for me?”
“I could be wrong, but I don’t think she’s ready to fall for anyone. I think she wants to have fun. I think she wants to have sex and find some friends and get her life started. You’re a good bet because you won’t get possessive with her,” Kai pointed out. “If I put Sarah with anyone else, my caveman brother would lose his shit. But this is it. If she won’t come around, he’s going to let her go.”
The thought made him sick inside. “I have to give her the choice. I can’t let her pick me tonight if she doesn’t know what or who she’s picking.”
“Or you can put on your mask and allow this process to work the way it’s supposed to. Take a couple of days without the baggage between you. Let her find her way back to you,” Kai urged.
He glanced down at the mask he’d been given at the start of this journey. It was a deep purple, and she would only be able to see his eyes and his lips. She would wear a veil this evening, something light and frothy to cover her face while she danced for the “sultan” of her choice. According to the rules of the game, she would know what color the Dom she’d been paired with would be wearing. She would make her decision and they would spend the rest of the evening playing to their hearts’ content if she chose to move forward.
How could he pull her into his arms and play with her when she didn’t know who he was? She thought he was some guy without his baggage, some guy who wouldn’t drag her down into the mud with him.
He’d promised he would join her after the game and he’d walked out. Again. He’d texted her and said something had come up and he would see her tomorrow. She hadn’t replied.
“What are you going to do?” JT asked. “I think I’m going to do what the doc here says and have fun. Maybe he’s right. I think I’m ready for something I’m not, and I need to go with the flow for a while.”
“You think I should go out there and not tell her the truth?”
“I think your brother knows what he’s doing, but the decision has to be yours,” JT replied.
“It does, Jared. You have to live with it and anything that might come from it.” Kai stood up and opened his locker. “But know that no matter what you do or what happens between the two of you, I’m always your brother.”
“If Sarah doesn’t choose me, I need you to know that I’ll stay away for a while. She needs you and Kori. It’s more important for her to be comfortable.” He couldn’t stand the thought of her being alone.
“You need us, too,” Kai said quietly.
He’d been thinking about this all day. “I think I need to know she’s okay more than I need to be okay. Does that make sense?”
Kai turned to him, putting a brotherly hand on his shoulder. “It makes perfect sense and I’ll always take care of her. I would do it because she’s my wife’s best friend, but know I’ll also do it because my brother loves her. I think my brother could be very good for her.”
It was as ringing an endorsement as he could get. His brother thought this relationship could work.
Jared reached for the mask. He would start the evening off with the truth and pray things went his way.
* * * *
Sarah liked the costume for the evening. It was incredibly dramatic, with a flowing skirt and a top that barely covered her breasts. The hip scarf she’d been given had a whole bunch of coin thingees on it, and they made tinkling sounds every time she moved. Everything but her eyes was covered with a pretty veil that she had to admit brought out the color.