Liability (Suncoast Society #33)(6)

And he wasn’t exactly comfortable trying to force himself into a more heavy-handed role.

When she’d brought it up, about going to the munch, she’d also immediately insisted that if he said no they weren’t going, that she’d drop the subject and not mention it again.

Which had made him feel guilty, because he loved her and wanted her to be happy.

The least I can do is go with her tonight and see what’s what.

He was no prude. He’d seen Secretary and Fifty Shades of Grey, but he couldn’t identify with the Dominants in those movies. He wasn’t a sadist, he didn’t consider himself f*cked up, and he didn’t have mommy issues.

Of all his friends, he was probably the most boring when it came to being well-adjusted.

Hell, even in college, his girlfriend at the time had gotten him and a guy friend of his drunk and they’d had one hotter-than-hell night together.

Most of which he unfortunately couldn’t remember, between the tequila’s effects and his horrendous hangover the next day. What he could remember and fill in the blanks about had been pretty hot.

Hot enough to give him a chub when he thought back on it. Even though he vaguely remembered some of the experience, including intimate contact between him and the other guy, especially gauging by the feel of his ass the next morning, it didn’t leave him freaked out or questioning his sexual identity. Sure, he’d had sexual thoughts about guys before. He’d never met one to seriously turn his crank to the point of wanting to get more curious about it than just a fantasy or two, though. He was into women, but he could appreciate a nice, tight ass on a guy.

Maybe it was his family’s accepting nature. He had a younger cousin, Art, who’d come out as gay over ten years earlier. The strongest reaction from anyone in the family had been from Cole’s aunt, Art’s mom, who’d wondered if any future husband of her son would allow her to help plan their wedding. And how would she throw the bridal shower? Would it be for Art, or Art’s husband?

It didn’t matter that, at the time, Art hadn’t even had a boyfriend, much less a love of his life. Still didn’t, but Cole’s aunt was a “be prepared” kind of person and wanted to make sure she still got to help put together a lavish wedding for her only child.

We are a pitifully boring family. Although considering the potential alternatives, he knew he was damned lucky.

He’d even admitted that one-off, sexy college experience to Kim. A long time ago, in fact. They’d been talking about their experiences and fantasies and he hadn’t wanted any secrets like that between them to come out later and freak her out. He also hadn’t felt right keeping it a secret. Knowing her history, he’d wanted them to have fully open lines of communication, where she’d feel completely safe talking to him about any-and everything.

Yes, in retrospect this new development absolutely shouldn’t come as a shock to him. Kim had divorced an idiot two years before they’d met, a guy whose idea of kinky was taking his socks off before sex.

Not only had Kim’s interests been far wilder than her ex’s, but her libido had, too. Cole had no complaints about their sex life whatsoever.

Uncharacteristically, Kim had blushed and fumbled when she tried to explain this all to Cole the other day. She’d finally ended with, “I just want to talk to other people face to face, who do this in real-life, and get some perspective and information about it.”

Sure he’d agreed to it. Her ex had shut her down at every turn and taken any special requests on her part as an insult to his manhood.

A long time ago, Cole had decided he wouldn’t be like that with her. That if they ever reached a point where their interests didn’t match up any more, they could part as friends, but he wouldn’t stifle her personality. He wouldn’t try to make her conform to just make himself comfortable.

Besides, this was just dinner. Dinner at a decent steakhouse where he knew he’d get a prime rib that would be absolutely delicious, based on past dining experiences there. If it meant talking to people and allowing Kim to express herself and explore, fine. Maybe she’d talk to people tonight and that’d be the end of it.

If not…well, he wasn’t a worrier. He’d deal with anything else if or when it came.





Kim was ready to go when Cole arrived. She lived about twenty minutes away from him, in south Sarasota. Not the best apartment complex in the world, but at least it wasn’t in a high-crime area.

When he’d dropped a hint months earlier that he wouldn’t be against having discussions about her eventually moving into his house with him, she’d deftly and gently dodged the matter in such a way that he knew not to bring it up again. If or when she wanted to, she would.

Her marriage and divorce had stolen most of her self-esteem, her confidence. She’d married Craige at nineteen, right out of high school. He’d gone to college and she’d put off her own education to help get him through school at Craige’s insistence. Then when it came time for her to go, he announced the money wasn’t there.

Despite the fact that his parents had paid the man’s way through school, and they had plenty in savings. Or she could have taken out student loans…except he refused to let her do that.

Craige had also wanted her to have kids, which she’d told him from the start she wasn’t even sure she wanted.