Hot Sauce (Suncoast Society #26)(64)

They wouldn’t fault her for that.

“I want to know what you think,” Lyle said as he drove, “about talking to Vanessa about making this permanent.”

“You mean collaring her?”

“I mean marrying her.”

Reed didn’t answer at first.

“Well?”

“She can’t marry both of us,” Reed said.

“I know that, but…okay, maybe not marry. Handfast, whatever. What do you think?”

“I think I want to spend the rest of my life waking up every morning next to her and you both,” Reed said.

Lyle let out a relieved breath. “Good. Me, too.”





Reed hadn’t been sure how to broach the subject. He didn’t want Lyle and Vanessa to think it was some knee-jerk reaction to his close call.

It had been on his mind even before that, but he’d been hesitant to say it. Yes, the past two-plus months had been great, but it was still only two months.

Was that enough to build a life on?

Or was he willing to risk waiting when his heart had already settled the matter?

“Everyone” always preached taking time, going slow. Hell, he’d even preached it.

But the truth was, sometimes, you just knew.

This wasn’t irrational sub-or Dom-frenzy.

This was love. Real, true love.

She’d seen all the sides of them in a way they hadn’t even been able to show Basco at the time because of taking things slow.

They’d already lost one chance in their lives because of waiting.

Was he really going to risk losing another?

Hell, no.

When they got to her place, she already had dinner ready for them. Lyle and Vanessa wouldn’t let Reed help clean up, shooing him out to the living room.

When they finished and joined him and Carlo there, Reed broached the topic first.

“Lyle and I were talking,” he said. “On the way over here. We made a decision.”

Her brow furrowed. “Yeah?”

“We love you,” he said. “And we know this is complicated, but we want you to be a permanent part of our lives, however that needs to happen for you. Whether it’s you marry one of us, or we do a handfasting, whatever.”

She stared from him back to Lyle. “You do?”

“Yes,” Lyle said. “If you feel the same way about us.”

She nodded.

Lyle pulled her in for a kiss. That was a sight Reed loved seeing, watching the two of them together, the two people he loved, who were a part of his life.

Who were his life.

He never got tired of that.





Vanessa was glad they’d brought it up first. She hadn’t figured out yet the best way to do it.

“But I have a request,” she said.

“Yes?” Reed asked.

“I want you two to get married.”

The men exchanged a glance. “Huh?” they echoed.

“It’s legal here now. It’s better if you two get married, to protect you. Then Reed, you can go on Lyle’s health insurance instead of what you have now. It only makes sense.”

“Is that what you really want?” Reed asked.

“I do.” She grinned. “No pun intended.”

“What about you?” Lyle asked her.

“What about me? We set up something with Ed. He’s used to dealing with that.”

“But you won’t have any legal protection,” Lyle said.

“I have you two. That’s plenty protection enough.”

“You know what I mean.”

“And I know what I mean. I trust you guys. This is what I want.”

The men exchanged a glance. “On one condition,” Reed said.

“What?”

“We get to meet your parents first, and you tell them who we really are.”

She nodded. “Deal.”

“And,” Lyle added, “we collar you before we get married. As our submissive.”

Her heart raced as she nodded. “Yes, Sir.”

Reed cupped his hand around the back of her neck and pulled her in for a long, deep kiss.

“Are you sure you’re feeling up to doing this?” she asked.

He grabbed her hand and placed it over his crotch, where his cock had hardened. “Um, yeah. It’s been over a week. I’m damn sure.”

“To the bed,” Lyle ordered.

They moved and Reed laid down on the bed and crooked a finger at her. “If you’re so worried about me hurting myself,” he said, “you can give me a blow job while he takes care of you.”

Lyle had produced the Hitachi, which he held up with an evil grin.

She lovated that damn vibrator. That was a phrase she’d picked up from Abbey and Gilo—love-hate.

Lovate.

She also knew she was already wet, and her clit had started throbbing.

“Get naked, baby girl,” Lyle said as he went to plug in the vibrator. “We want to play. Oh, almost forgot.”

She suspected what he headed into the bathroom to get. Sure enough, he returned moments later with a towel, lube, and a butt plug.

Which he waved at her as he grinned. “Going to fill you up. You’ll like that, won’t you?”