Liability (Suncoast Society #33)(35)

As Cole caught his breath, Mason didn’t look away fast enough and Cole’s gaze impaled him when he opened his eyes.

Another of those moments, one Mason wasn’t sure if it was his imagination or just wishful thinking, where it felt like he connected with Cole.

Like maybe Cole wanted to connect with him.

Finally, Cole pulled out and went to clean up while Mason retrieved the paddle and got Kim rolling through another series of deep, loud moans he was sure would be making an appearance in his fantasies the next time he rubbed one out.

Which would probably be thirty seconds after he got home, or sooner.

If he didn’t lock himself in Cole’s bathroom and do it before he left.

Finally, she started mumbling, “Yellow,” and he shut off the Hitachi and got off her.

He unfastened the ball gag but left the blindfold in place. She started laughing, belly laughs that turned into crying, and quickly into laughter again.

Mason sat on the floor next to her, his head against hers as she nuzzled him, cradling her head on his shoulder.

“Good girl,” he mumbled. “Such a good pet.”

She finally started taking long, steady, deep breaths and he realized she’d worked her way through it. Meanwhile, Cole had gone to clean up and returned, now wearing shorts.

He met Cole’s gaze and was both a little surprised and pleased to see his smile.

Then he gave Mason a thumbs-up.

Mason gave him one in reply.

Cole settled on the couch and watched them, his body language totally relaxed and Mason wondered if maybe, one day, his dreams might come true.





Cole collapsed on the couch and watched Mason with Kim. What he wanted to do was go over there and kiss the man, unzip his jeans, and help him take care of what looked like a generous erection.

Finally Mason removed Kim’s blindfold and helped her sit up. She blinked, her expression glazed.

Subspace.

Even he could recognize it.

Sure, he didn’t mind participating in this kind of fun. Mason could get his rocks off—well, figuratively, even though Cole wished it was literally—with the sadism, and he could, well, get his rocks off.

Kim seemed to enjoy it.

Mason stood and she reached out and grabbed him around the legs, pressing her face against his thigh.

Sigh.

He wasn’t even shocked to realize he wasn’t jealous.

Mason stroked her hair. “Did you enjoy that, pet?”

“Yes, Sir. Thank you.”

“Feel like getting dinner?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Good girl. Go clean up and get dressed.”

She went to go do it.

Mason sank onto the other end of the couch.

Cole held a fist out to the man, and Mason fist-bumped with him.

“Dude, that was…that was hot,” Cole said.

“Didn’t weird you out having me that close?” Mason wore a gorgeous smirk.

Cole met his gaze. “Not at all.” Take the hint. Please, take the hint!

Mason’s smirk widened into a smile. “See? You get started, and soon enough, you find stuff you enjoy. Everyone’s a winner.”

“Yeah. Everyone.” Cole realized he needed to get dressed, too, if they were going to go out. As he went to do so, he cursed his cowardice, his inability to just nut up and admit to Mason that he was attracted to him.

But that would first mean telling Kim, and he didn’t want to screw this up for her. Not when she was the happiest he’d seen her in ages.

The last thing he wanted to do was blow this for her.





Chapter Fifteen


They’d been playing with Mason for nearly a month when Cole knew it was time to further test the waters with Kim. They’d had yet another successful weekend, culminating with dinner Sunday evening at Cole’s, cooked and served naked by Kim, before they bid goodnight to Mason and he headed home. And Cole wanted to talk to her.

Really talk.

It was time to start pushing the envelope. To see where Kim was at, if she was holding back anything, good or bad. If she was ready to move forward and was too scared to admit it, or if she was being pushed too hard, too fast, and was scared to admit that as well after she’d been the one to start this whole process.

Kim was spending the night at Cole’s and would head to work directly from his place the next morning. They were cuddled in his bed, TV on. He hit mute on the remote and sat up to face her.

“I’d like to talk.”

She nodded and wore a nervous look, but he knew they needed to have this conversation.

“I’ve said from the start I don’t want to screw us up,” Cole said.

“Me, either,” Kim admitted in that tiny voice that convinced Cole she had more on her mind than she was comfortable openly admitting.

“What aren’t you telling me, sweetheart?”

It took her a long moment to finally speak. “I don’t want you to take this the wrong way.”

Cole wasn’t sure if he should feel hopeful or scared. “About what?”

Her voice barely made it through the air from her lips to his ears. “I have…fantasies.”

Yes. Hope kicked fear in the nuts. He leaned in closer, arching an eyebrow at her. “Aaand?”

Her face turned a gorgeous shade of deep pink. “About us.”