“Yes, Sir.”
“Means this is permanent. That when I finally say so, you’re going to marry me.” His gaze softens again. “Means I can’t give you children. I had a vasectomy. Perhaps some other option in the future, but children are not in my immediate plans. They’ll have to wait until later, if ever.”
Children!
It’s not that revelation that sends a frisson of excitement through me.
It’s the fact that he’s talkingreallylong-term.
Permanent.
“I understand, Sir,” I finally say.
He drags himself off the couch with a pained grunt and fetches tissues. When he returns, he dries my tears, helps me blow my nose, but I still don’t break position. After he returns to the couch, he continues.
“I don’t give up my toys, pet. I’m not interested in playing around for a year and walking away. If you want me, you’ll get me, but be prepared for the flip side of that. It means if I tell you to bend over, you bend over. If I order you to your knees to suck my cock, you do it, because you’re mine. Before you say yes to any of this, you need to understand I’m talking forlife. I want us all to get our law degrees, pass the bar, and then we start getting Owen ready for the spotlight through lower offices.”
“And me, Sir?”
This smile is pure amusement. “Pet, do youreallyneed to ask that? That’s a given. Youareready, except for the paperwork and real-world experience part of it. This is a package deal, and I have long-term plans for the three of us.”
“Meaning Owen?”
“They’re centered around Owen, yes. Here’s my plan.” He sits forward, his elbows on his knees, and lays it all out to me.
Excitement ripples through me. It’s getting harder not to breakPrimedand throw myself at him to hug him.
Daddy’s going to despise Carter.
Senator Benchley Evans won’t be fond of him, either.
Me?
I’m more in love with him now than I was when we started this conversation. And yes, he’s absolutely a bastard extraordinaire. It’s one of the reasons I love him so damn much.
When he finishes, he sits back on the couch, thighs spread wide. “Last chance. Here’s the deal—take it or leave it. I’ll give you a brief test period to think this through and to get a taste of what life will be like with me full-throttle.
“However, youcannotdiscuss this with Owen. You can’t even tell him we’ve talked about this, or what we’re doing. You still can’t tell him we’re sleeping together. You can’t lie to him, but you’re smart enough to find ways around the truth. Once I ask you if you’re ready to make this permanent,thenI will tell you how we handle Owen.
“If you can’t follow my orders on this, or can’t commit to me for life, don’t even bother saying yes. Then we’ll just keep doing what we’re doing now and maintain the status quo, with you understanding that Owen belongs to me, and is collared to me, but at that point my physical relationship with you will end.”
My pulse gallops. “And if I say yes?”
His right hand settles over his bulge and squeezes. “If you say yes, you’re acknowledging that, once I give you the final choice and you accept, youcompletelybelong tome. Not to your father, not to the GOP, not to your dreams—me. Doesn’t mean you won’t get to follow your dreams, because I believe in having happy pets.”
“But what…what if Owen doesn’t agree?”
He shrugs. “More importantly, what if he does? I know where your mind is, pet. On PR. That’s why my plans include long-term situations. You let me worry about PR. I can’t have you marrying some asshole who gets territorial and ruins all our plans. In case I wasn’t clear, this is you, and me, and Owen. No one else. In return, I will give you everything I ask of you—faith, trust, honesty. But understand that you will be sharing me with Owen, and we willalwaysput him first ahead of us. We will both own him, so that’s how it has to be. I will put him first, then you, then myself. Just like I expect you to put him before me.”
How would it be any different than what we already have, except it’d be more perfect and guarantee I’d never have to give up either man? Ilovewhat the three of us have.
“Why can’t we tell him about us yet?”
“I can’t have him pulling away from us and feeling hurt and betrayed. I need him tied so tightly to the two of us that he will do anything to stay with us. Especially to stay with you.”
Carter really is a bastard extraordinaire, but if he’s willing to be with me, like hell am I going to complain. “What do you get out of this, Sir?”
He smirks. “Besides the obvious?”
