“Handling it doesn’t mean suffering in silence,” I said. “Talk to us. What do you need?”
She laughed, but there was no humor in it. “What do I need? I need to not feel like my skin is on fire. I need to not be so turned on that every step makes me want to cry. I need relief that I’m not allowed to have.”
“You can have it,” Lex said immediately. “Right now. We can take you upstairs and give you what you need before class.”
She shook her head. “You said if I made it through last night without breaking, you’d give me what I need later today. I made it. Barely, but I made it. I’m not backing out now. I also don’t want some hurried version to get me off before class. No, thank you, Sir.”
“This isn’t backing out,” I said. “This is recognizing that you’re at your limit.”
“I’m not at my limit.” But her hands were shaking as she set down her coffee. “I’m close. But I’m not there yet.”
Lex and I exchanged another look. She was being stubborn. Pushing herself past what was comfortable because she wanted to prove something. To us, or to herself, I wasn’t sure.
“We’re going to walk you to class,” I said, making it clear it wasn’t a suggestion. “Together. And if at any point during the day you need to step out, you do. No questions, no judgment.”
“Yes, Sir.”
We walked on either side of her, close enough that our arms brushed hers occasionally. Each time contact was made, I felt her flinch slightly. Not pulling away, but clearly oversensitized.
By the time we reached the classroom, students were already arriving. Cami moved to her usual position to the side, and I watched her settle into a slight rocking motion. Back and forth, just barely perceptible. A self-soothing technique.
Fuck. We’d really done a number on her. Call me a sadistic fuck if you wanted to, but it thrilled me that she was enduring this for us.
“Morning, everyone,” I started, keeping my voice warm and welcoming even as part of my attention stayed on Cami. “Today we’re focusing on playful pursuit. Flirtation, desire, the dance of chase and surrender in multi-partner dynamics.”
Lex took over. “In any relationship, maintaining that spark requires intentionality. In multi-partner dynamics, it becomes more complex. How do you flirt with multiple people without making anyone feel left out? How do you read desire cues when they’re coming from different sources? That’s what we’re exploring today.”
I watched Cami out of the corner of my eye. She was focused on the students, but that rocking motion hadn’t stopped. Herhands were clasped tightly in her lap, and I could see the tension in her shoulders.
“Let’s start with the psychology of it,” I continued. “Chase and surrender aren’t about power over someone. They’re about creating playful tension. The thrill of pursuit, the satisfaction of being caught. In a triad or quad, this dynamic gets layered. You might be pursuing one partner while being pursued by another.”
We moved into the morning activity. Flirtation games. Verbal sparring. Building tension through teasing and banter.
“Cami,” Lex called. “Join us for the demonstration.”
She stood and moved to the center, and I could see the effort it took to keep her movements smooth. When she reached us, I saw her pupils were dilated, her breathing shallow.
“We’re going to demonstrate verbal flirtation,” Lex explained to the students. “Pay attention to the back and forth, the way we build tension through words and tone.”
He turned to Cami. “You look tired this morning.”
“I am tired.” Her voice was controlled, but I heard the edge underneath. “Someone kept me up all night.”
Snickers sounded through the room.
“Did they?” I stepped closer. “What were they doing to keep you awake?”
“Making promises they haven’t kept yet.” She met my eyes, and there was challenge there. Fire beneath the exhaustion.
“Patience isn’t your strong suit, is it?” Lex asked.
“Not when I’m being deliberately tormented.”
“Tormented?” I let my fingers brush against her wrist. “I’d call it anticipation building.”
“You would.” She pulled her wrist away, but I saw the way her breath hitched at the contact.
We continued the demonstration, showing the students how to use verbal sparring to build desire. But I could feel Camistruggling. Each teasing comment made her tense more. Each light touch made her breathing quicken.
