Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 101902 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 510(@200wpm)___ 408(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101902 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 510(@200wpm)___ 408(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
I took a deep breath.
Master, Sadist, family man. Not necessarily in that order. Actually, definitely not. Being a Dom was in my blood, but it didn’t come first.
I ended up parking two blocks away from the restaurant, because this was the damn city. God forbid finding parking would be easy.
I didn’t see Archie’s car on the way. Maybe he’d parked at his sister’s and then taken the Metro with Sloan.
I found them on the sidewalk outside the restaurant, and fuck me if they didn’t look sexy. We were all dressed similarly, just in various colors, and Sloan was wearing suspenders too.
We clearly needed to go out more often.
“Look at you two.” I smiled and yanked Archie to me.
“Look at you, Master.” He eye-fucked me good and proper, and I gave him a big smooch for stroking my ego. Then I leaned over, grabbed Sloan’s jaw, and planted a kiss on his lips too.
I hoped that made shit clear on my end. We weren’t hiding when we were out.
I had all the patience and understanding in the world for being subtle around the kids, or however Archie and Sloan wanted to play this, but I wanted my dates free of shackles.
“One more.” Sloan leaned in again and kissed me, and we shared a stupid smile and could read each other’s minds for a hot second. It was insane that it’d come to this. That we were more. At long last. And how dumb we were for not admitting reality sooner.
“Is our table ready?” I wondered.
“Not yet,” he replied. “Hostess said twenty to twenty-five.”
That worked for me. “Then let me buy y’all a drink.”
We headed inside the packed restaurant, and I placed a hand on Archie’s lower back and grabbed Sloan’s hand. He sent me a sideways smile but said nothing.
It was a nice place, trendy and fairly upscale by my standard, and it fit the moment. Tonight, I didn’t want the comfort of ratty jeans and a dinner table I’d built myself. I wanted a ceiling with lights made from cut-off wine bottles, a cheerful din from other guests who were dressed up, white linen cloths, candles ranging from yellow and orange to red and black, and apparently I wanted Supertramp blaring from the speakers. Talk about a blast from the past.
On our way to the crowded bar, I asked if they’d hung out since lunch. I’d been a little jealous when Archie had sent a picture of his meal. No jealousy directed toward the food itself—because sushi wasn’t food—but because I’d had lunch at the same time, on my own, in my truck, before a delivery in Bethesda.
“Almost,” Archie answered. Judging by his bright mood, I wanted to say things had gone well today. “We went our separate ways when I had to pick up Kyla, and Sloan got a call from Loki’s day care.”
I signaled to the nearest bartender and eyed Sloan.
“Yeah, they sent all the kids home, pretty much,” he said. “Half of them have contracted some stomach bug, staff included.”
Damn—again? Third time this year, if I remembered correctly.
That was the way it worked, though. Every time I got a cold, it was from one of the kids in my life.
“But Loki’s okay so far?” I asked.
“Yes, so I texted Archie again,” he replied, “and we brought Loki and Kyla to a park for a couple hours before Carol picked him up.”
Yeah, see, that was what I didn’t wanna miss out on, dammit.
Once it was our turn with the bartender, I motioned for Archie to order first, and he got a Moscow mule. I ordered a vodka and grapefruit juice, and Sloan wanted a beer.
“I don’t wanna fall asleep on the way to your place later,” he said wryly.
Our place, I wanted to point out, but I let it slide. I supposed I could let the man get used to the idea.
“I was hoping we could swing by Mclean after this.” I handed over my card to the bartender, then draped an arm around Archie’s shoulders. “Katie’s on dog-sitting duty till tomorrow, y’all are clearly getting along great, and I’ve been thinking there’s probably an exam chair, rope web, or wooden cross Archie would look good strapped to.”
I wasn’t picky.
Archie snapped his gaze to mine and blinked, not having expected that.
Sloan smirked lazily. “No beating around the bush here, I see.”
No, that wasn’t really my game, was it?
“What do you say, baby?” I dipped down and kissed the spot under Archie’s ear. “You’ll be a good boy and service Sloan too, won’t you?”
If the lights above us weren’t deceiving my eyes, heat was bleeding across Archie’s cheeks, turning them darker.
“Of course, Sir.” He nodded once and snuck a furtive glance at Sloan.
I took a swig of my drink and observed the two. Had something happened between them today? Despite I’d given Archie the green light, I didn’t think he’d initiate anything. Sloan wouldn’t either, in this case. He’d wait for me.