Page 138 of Piece Us Together

I turn away from them, grinning to myself.

It’s only a minute or so before Hunter is talking, this time to the both of us. Just as I’m drizzling olive oil into the skillet on the stove, Hunter says, “I think it’d be easiest if we focused on sex first. We do sex very well.”

I laugh softly, but Maison’s is louder. It’s almost harsh with the relief that bursts out with it. I don’t have to turn to know he’s blushing. I don’t have to turn to know Hunter is making heart-eyes at the reaction.

I love them.

God, I am so unbelievably in love with them.

“Kissing is fair game,” Maison says. “In case that’s not ridiculously clear. Kiss us all you’d like. All the time, really.”

“I second that,” I say with a hand waved over my head, my other one turning the dial on the stove to the highest level. The oil needs to be hot so I can pan-sear the short ribs. “Kisses. Lots of kisses. Everywhere. All the time.”

“Yes. Everywhere,” Maison agrees. “Everywhere is good. Except for my feet. Not huge on that.”

I snort a laugh. “Because they’re ticklish, sir. Super ticklish. Just as an FYI.”

“Good to know,” Hunter says in amusement at the same time Maison squawks indignantly. “So, kissing yes, feet no.” There’s a pause. I realize why just before he speaks again. There’s just enough time for my heart to lurch, then he says much more seriously, “Maison, you said you still don’t want to bottom, yes?”

“Is that okay?” Maison asks, his voice weak.

“Anything either of you want or don’t want is okay. Always.” I stare unseeingly at the pan of oil. Little specks are starting to jump around in it. “Besides, we have a needy little hole that would love to be the center of our attention, isn’t that right, darling?”

I shiver, my cheeks heating. It’s a relief when I hear Maison’s low chuckle, though. Enough to have me able to salt and pepper the ribs without making a mess from my hands shaking.

“Darling?” Hunter presses.

“Yes, sir.”

“Two holes, really. Very needy ones,” Maison adds.

“So true. Gosh, aren’t we fucking lucky? Have ourselves a little cockwarmer wherever we go.”

I nearly burn myself transferring the ribs to the pan. This is so unfair. I should have said we needed to wait for this. All I want is to be on my knees, squirming with arousal, maybe a cock in mouth, a hand in my hair. I love to cook, but at the moment, it’s a little too close to torture.

“I want you to touch me, too,” Maison says, back to being serious, though still a light kind of serious. “No limits on that.”

“Now, let’s talk about that, though. Bottoming—to me—means that you don’t want to be penetrated by my cock. I’ve played with many tops who enjoy a plug inside them during sex, or a finger during a blow job, or getting their hole eaten out. How do you feel about things like that?”

I turn then, wanting to be there for him as much as I can. The ribs have to sear for five minutes anyway before they’re flipped.

Maison isn’t looking at either of us. He’s back to studying his hands. I watch as he slowly traces the top line of his tape with his fingertip. Hunter watches too.

“Nothing. I don’t—nothing.” He closes his eyes. I don’t know what it is about the moment, about the way his expression shifts ever so slightly. But my gut tells me he’s not with us anymore.My gut tells me he’s in the same place that haunts me sometimes—the Roarke compound. “I don’t want—I don’t want—”

“Maison,” I say, nice and clear.

His eyes snap open, wide and terrified. Then he takes a shuddering breath and everything in him relaxes. He’s back. He’s in the kitchen, with Hunter and me. He’s safe.

I can feel Hunter watching us, but I don’t look away from Maison. I don’t even blink.

“Nothing,” he says again, firmly this time. He breaks the eye contact first, looking at Hunter now. “At least not yet. I’ll let you know when it changes. When I’m ready to maybe try more.”

There are so many questions in Hunter’s head, I swear he’s vibrating with the effort to contain them all. He manages, though. “Absolutely. For now, I won’t go near the area. I want you to know that, okay? If I’m sucking your cock or kissing your body, I don’t want you to be pulled out of the moment by worrying I forgot or worrying I’m going to push it. Try to trust me, okay?”

“I trust you,” Maison says, and he makes it sound so simple, so easy, but I know Hunter sees it now. He sees just how big that is. How monumental.

Hunter puts a hand on the back of his neck, and I swear I can feel the ghost of it on my own. “I know. I won’t ever betray that. But if you get worried anyway, trust be damned, I won’t be upset or doubt you, okay? We can’t control how we react sometimes. I just want you to try.”

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