"I know, right?" I asked. "I just want to know when I get a front row seat. Seeing him kiss Ash behind the barn?"
Cy groaned in appreciation. "Heard they fucked, too. I mean, not then."
"Luke fucked Ash," I clarified.
Cy ducked his head to chuckle. "Yep. You know Ash is usually a top, right?"
"Uh huh." I almost purred that. "I mean, he was in control, but still. He let Luke do that?" I paused. "No, 'let' is the wrong word. He climbed on Luke and took what he wanted. You didn't get the full description?"
Cy shook his head. "Nope. He left it vague. I also think Ash and I are still figuring things out. When he told me he was falling for the guy, he sounded like he was apologizing, but we've never been like that."
"Yeah, Ash told me that he doesn't think he's cut out for monogamy."
"He's cut out foryou," Cy corrected. "He also knows no limits, and he's used to getting his way. I think he's happy, though. Me, you, and Luke? I have a feeling he won't stray."
"What if he does?" I asked.
Cy shrugged. "Then we'll forgive him, right? I mean, it's what we've always done."
But that didn't sit right with me. "No," I said softly. "I don't want to let him slip away. Once Luke has primary custody of Faith, I'll talk to her about us. I'll explain that sometimes friends can be more."
"Mm, but we have to be careful with that," he countered. "Vi, this isn't as simple as all of you are making it out to be. This? It's not just two weeks. If Luke's lifestyle becomes detrimental to Faith later on, Meredith can do the same thing to him that he's currently doing to her. She can take him back to court for custody, and this is small-town Texas. The definition of 'detrimental' is left up to the judge."
"Yeah," I breathed, realizing he had a point.
"So we have to be careful. Never mind that coming out to Faith? That's going to be hard for Luke. The reality of this is that you need to let him come out on his own terms. So, if you start talking polyamory to that child, all she's going to hear is that you don't think her daddy is good enough for you."
"Yeah," I breathed, knowing he was right. "Then what does the doctor recommend?"
He grabbed my knee and dug his fingers into the sensitive spaces, making me jerk against the tickles. "Are you making fun of me?"
"No!" I gasped, trying to pull his hand from my leg. Needless to say, I stood no chance. "Cy!"
He let go with a soft chuckle. "You are too cute. So powerful, and yet so delicate." Then he rubbed my knee where he'd just been tickling it. "Let me talk to Faith and change a few of her ideas about a woman's place in life. You talk to Luke and see what he's thinking about this relationship. Long-term goals, Vi, although I can't promise that you and he won't have to break up. If he wants to stay in the closet, then that might be easier for Faith to deal with."
"And then she'll hate me," I reminded him.
"Not if it's amiable. Make it clear that Luke knows you, Ash, and I have feelings for each other, and that he's stepping back. You and he become the best friends, and let Faith get used to the idea of a woman being able to have it all without her father losing out. I'm not saying that's the plan. It's just one of many options for how we can hide this after he has custody."
"And the real goal?" I asked.
He sighed. "For him to have a talk with her about how sexuality isn't black or white. For him to put the idea in her head that maybe, just maybe, her father likes more than beautiful women." He lifted one shoulder in a weak shrug. "Her mother is a lovely lady, Vi. Luke's got good taste."
"And he's sexy enough to get what he wants," I agreed.
"He got you."
"And you," I reminded him.
"Hasn't had me yet. I sucked him off. Pretty much it." But there was a devious sparkle in his eyes.
"Yet," I repeated, having caught that word. "Admit it, you'd love to have that cowboy throw you up against a wall and have his way with you."
"More thinking I'd prefer to do the throwing," Cy admitted. "I bet he'll be a pillow biter."
I gasped. "Cy!"
He just lifted both hands, doing his best to look innocent. "I'm only half kidding. Vi, the truth is that I miss just hanging out with him. I honestly liked those hours we spent in the barn being just friends. I want that back, and I've completely forgiven him. He screwed up, but he did the one thing I couldn't."
