Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 76242 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 381(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76242 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 381(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
Oh, good question.
I pointed up toward the loft area. “I know it’s bad for my back, but I have a cozy setup on my bed.”
I’d regret it at some point, but I wasn’t there yet.
“Ah.” But just as his frown cleared, it came back. “Your bed?”
Ender groaned, so I took that to mean he was done being helpful. “Yes, it’s larger than it looks up there and we have two beds.”
Eli cocked his head. “How do you jerk off? If you’re not in a conventional relationship then I’m assuming you’re not having sex. So?”
I managed not to gape too long but I probably looked like a fish for a few seconds. “The shower.”
Sighing, Eli shook his head. “That’s terrible. It’s not relaxing and the only thing good you can say about it is that you’re probably efficient at it and it’s easy to clean up afterward. That’s got to be the first thing that changes when you start dating.”
We were going to date?
Ender had gone very still, which made me think he was wondering the same thing.
Eli didn’t find our reactions strange in the slightest though. “You’re stuck in limbo and ignoring so much you’ve missed obvious signs about what the other needs. Like Ender’s fascination with the pups. So we’ll work on communication first, but that’s got to start with you explaining what you’re not getting that you need.”
Did I have something I wasn’t getting?
Well, sex would be nice, but I was a top and had a strong right hand, so it wasn’t that lacking.
I got enough physical affection from Ender because he was a cuddler when he wasn’t panicking because we’d been invaded by the screaming man.
We went out regularly now that we both had jobs that could pay the bills with money left over.
“I think I’m fine.” The way Eli’s brows went up, but he didn’t call me a liar. “Really.”
“Please elaborate then.” Eli gave the impression that it was his right to know why I was happy and the whole situation had gotten so out of control, I wasn’t sure he was wrong.
“Ender is a cuddler, so I’m not lacking in physical affection. We go out on a regular basis and have friends that we see as well. I love my job. I have good hobbies. I like my life.” I thought that laid it out pretty neatly, but Eli snorted.
“Sex.”
“He’s a top and he likes jerking off.” Ender took that moment to decide that he could do more than groan as he hid under the blanket. “He jerks off in the shower, then we cuddle on the couch and watch something on TV. Then we go to bed.”
Eli was slowly nodding as I tried to grasp how the world seemed to have shifted. “Okay, I believe you. Tops are easily satisfied by a good tug and a cuddle. They’re not generally as needy as vers guys or bottoms.”
They were?
I was?
Wait.
“I’m needy.” Was that what I was supposed to be supporting? I’d lost track of where the conversation was going, but when they both scoffed, I decided I’d missed the point somewhere.
“He likes us living together. He likes managing the house and he’s a homebody for the most part. He’s also not good at hiding his frustration, so he’s telling the truth.” Ender came across perfectly happy talking about me, but I wasn’t so sure he’d appreciate it if the tables were turned.
“Okay, I believe that.” Eli shifted his gaze to me as he brought his cup higher. “Why do you watch the models?”
Oh.
“Well, they’re attractive and the lingerie is beautiful, but I mostly watch for the interpersonal drama.” That had Eli going still and he blinked at me, so I felt the need to explain. “I’m a ghost writer, primarily for romance novels. They’re great inspiration.”
I wasn’t sure if I should apologize or not, and his lack of response wasn’t helping to make the decision any easier.
“He’s really good. He writes other stuff too. He can kill people off really well.” Ender was sounding much more confident, but I knew that was just because he could talk about me.
“That’s a fascinating career.” Eli looked genuinely curious. “I have questions, and we do need more help writing copy and things like that. So we’ll have a chat about the writing part of all this, but we can’t get sidetracked. The pups.”
And Ender was back to groaning.
But that pleased Eli to no end based on how wide his grin got. “Now, do you want to be a Handler or a pup, cutie?”
I’d shifted into being the genuinely curious one of the group because Eli’s expression said he knew the answer already and Ender was still groaning. “He’s kind of dramatic when he’s upset. You should’ve seen him when he thought he’d broken the garbage disposal.”
Eli didn’t seem to know how to take that, but Ender gasped, sounding utterly offended. “It sounded like something had died in there. I had every right to be upset.”