“Yeah, that sounds fantastic,” I answered. “Bought this new blend that I’ve been wanting to try but haven’t gotten around to it.”
Busying myself with the task of brewing a pot kept me occupied. The two of them sat on the other side of my island falling into lighthearted conversation. It was polite but there wasan underlying tension there. The same tension I’d felt earlier, right before I kissed Eloise. Kingston cocked an eyebrow when he caught me staring at him. Needing to do something to prevent a stream of words that likely wouldn’t be anything good from falling out of my mouth, I grabbed mugs and creamer. Snatching two different types of sugar—cubes and some alternative— forced my focus on anything but the two of them.
Maybe I was horny and needed some attention. Instead mental images of the two of them in my bed amped up my arousal.
“You okay, Reed? You look like you’re aggressively curating that coffee over there,” Kingston noticed. Of course he did.
Bringing everything over to the island and pouring the fancy coffee into cups kept me busy. “I’m okay. Thinking about some things.”
He accepted the coffee with a smile, savoring the aroma before sipping from his mug. “This is delicious. Thank you.”
“No problem. It’s exotic, rare beans of some sort.” I mirrored his actions and was pleasantly surprised by the flavor profile. I watched Eloise sip from her mug as well.
“I told Reed that I needed a Daddy,” Eloise whispered. “And then I freaked out. I think I probably upset him. I shouldn’t have said it.”
Kingston rubbed his hand across his mouth. He frequently spoke without a filter but something crossed his features as he sat there processing what she’d told him.
“Did Eli’s announcement upset you?”
“No, not at all,” I assured both of them. “I don’t have any experience with that dynamic, but I’m a fast learner.” I didn’t offer the information about my submissive side, my Little side. Not yet. I didn’t think they’d judge me but I wasn’t ready to share.
“It’s not something you can study for,” she said.
Kingston took another sip from his mug. “That’s not quite true. So, someone can be used to a particular lifestyle or dynamic that differs from what you want to experience but there’s still a learning curve. Dynamics are unique to the individuals involved in it. It’s about personal preferences, needs, wants and setting the correct expectations.”
Eloise drank her coffee nodding in his direction. “Huh. I never thought about it that way. You’re right.”
“He usually is,” I muttered.
The two of them turned their heads to stare in my direction. I didn’t stroke egos for the fun of it, but something about the way Kingston was speaking and his presence in my kitchen and Eloise’s reaction to him left me off kilter. I needed to get a hold of myself. I had dated dominant men before. Ending up with Kingston hadn’t been on my mind. I’d thought I wanted two partners who would both give me their submission. Now I wasn’t so sure. Kingston rubbed his chin as he observed me. I’d love to know what the hell was going through his head.
“I can’t stop thinking about the two of you,” Eloise confessed to her cup of coffee.
I blinked several times. Had she just said she wanted the same thing that was on my mind? I wanted to pinch myself to confirm I wasn’t dreaming.
“Both of us?” King asked as he set his mug down on the island.
“That’s what two means,” she sassed.
“In what way?” He drummed his fingers on the counter, studying her.
Eloise sucked on her bottom lip before biting it. She took a deep breath and leaned back on the stool. The tension swelled as she looked at him.
“Do I have to spell it out for you, King?”
“Yes.”
“When you carried me to bed, I felt loved. Even though I barely know you, it seems like you actually care about me. About my well-being. And I know you aren’t my friend or anything, but I wish you were.”
“We can be friends, Eli. Unless you want more than that,” he said giving her room to elaborate if she wanted. But she didn’t.
King gestured to me, prompting me to speak. “While Eloise gathers her thoughts, what are your thoughts, Reed?”
“We’re already friends. Best friends since we were around twelve, I think.”
A muscle in his jaw twitched while he listened to my sarcastic response. “Are you getting sassy with me?”
“No, King. Why would I get sassy with you? It’s not like you’d do anything about it if I did,” I retorted, adding in a hefty dose of brat.
