Total pages in book: 220
Estimated words: 212755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1064(@200wpm)___ 851(@250wpm)___ 709(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 212755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1064(@200wpm)___ 851(@250wpm)___ 709(@300wpm)
I could hear something in his voice. “But?”
“What do you mean?” His innocent act was painfully bad.
Rolling my eyes, I barked out a laugh. “I know you. There’s a but in there somewhere.”
Yep, Archer immediately started whispering, the barest push the only thing he’d needed. “I know we talked about not seeing anyone else while he was my Dom and we were exploring this stuff…and I know he just got out of a relationship…but it feels like we’re in a relationship, just without the dating and boring parts.”
I couldn’t help myself. I giggled. “Boring parts? This is what I love best about you. Okay, so you’ve got all the fun parts about being in a relationship with a guy who’s living with you, but you still have your space…I’m not seeing a downside here.”
“Me neither…not really…” His voice trailed off as something seemed to catch his attention before he came back to the conversation. “I kind of want to know what he thinks about the nonsexual side of our relationship. I mean, I realize a good bit of our relationship revolves around dirty talk and cock cages, but there are other pieces. I just wish I knew what he was thinking.”
Aww, he was so cute. “It sounds like you’re starting to feel something for him beyond the scene stuff and the fun.”
“Possibly. But I don’t want to fuck this up.” His sigh was less dramatic this time and more worried sub. “I know that’s ridiculously cliché, but it fits this situation. I’ve got a great roommate and a great Dom and he’s starting to be a good friend. I just don’t want to assume he has emotions for me that aren’t there and screw this up.”
Judging from everything he’d said and everything I’d gotten from Declan the handful of times I’d talked to him, Archer had nothing to worry about.
But worry wasn’t always logical.
“Has he done anything romantic?” Well, besides sex, so I clarified that point. “Anything that hints at long term, not hard-on?”
Archer snorted but answered quickly without seeming to be too embarrassed. “Some of his hard-on stuff is sweet, well, for me at least. But nothing traditionally sweet, if that’s what you mean.”
There was a story in that rambling nonanswer, but I didn’t push…for now. “Yeah, it’s not much help in situations like these. Traditional stuff isn’t always a good indicator with guys like Declan. He seemed nice, though, when we spoke.”
But kinky could be sweet.
It just depended on the definition.
“He really is.” The wistful tone in Archer’s voice had me thinking back to my weekend with Cohen.
When we both stopped daydreaming, I took a deep breath. “If he’s a nice guy, I think you should be able to ask him where he sees you guys going. I wouldn’t make it awkward or overly romantic, but a question about what he’s thinking shouldn’t be too weird. I think it’s a pretty normal one considering how everything started with you guys.”
“It wouldn’t be out of place to ask?” Neither of us had the best track record with dating, so I knew where his question was coming from.
But I knew the logical answer. “No, I think letting it fester would be even weirder. Like badly placed romance novel stress.”
“My life is not a romance novel.” His disgruntled tone had me laughing again.
“Oh, yours is a romance novel…just a really dirty one.” And of course, everyone knew those were the best kinds.
Archer’s tone said I was ridiculous and he was going to ignore it. “How should I bring it up?”
Um…good question. “Ask him out on a date? Something traditional and see what he says?”
“Ugh, that’s so hard.” Archer’s huff and groan said he’d flopped back onto his bed or maybe almost fell off it.
“Hard? This is coming from the guy who asked Declan’s opinion on fucking him?” He was ridiculous.
“That was different.” Archer seemed to be sticking with that answer, even though he was insane. “Asking about sex made sense. That’s what a lot of our…sex-ship is based on.”
Giggling, I shook my head. “Sex-ship.”
It was all just hilarious, but I tried to be helpful. “I know it’s not the same thing and it won’t be easy…especially for you, but you just have to decide if you want this as much as you wanted to be fucked.”
Archer sighed, staying stubbornly quiet for several long moments. “I think I do. I’m greedy.”
I snorted. He wasn’t greedy for wanting a relationship with a guy who liked his kinks and wasn’t a prick. “It’s not like you’re eating an entire cake. You want a guy to take you to dinner and call you his dirty slut. You should be able to get both.”
I was being serious, but Archer giggled. “Should is the key word…but there are no promises.”
“Nothing’s guaranteed, but he’s a nice guy who isn’t trying to fuck you over as he fucks you.”