“I guess so. Well, Kyle said Mclean-something.”
I nodded and closed my eyes again. “Mclean House is on the list I gave you of communities that cater more to Sadists and rough play.”
From what I could tell, they didn’t have much of a bondage community, but I wasn’t picky at this point. I just wanted us to get back to kink somehow. Ash was holding so much of himself back.
“It would be nice if we could at least go to a munch,” I said.
“I dare you to find time for that in our schedule.”
I would’ve rolled my eyes, had they been open…
We’d moved closer to our family for a damn reason. My folks could watch the kids whenever.
You’re a little too good at making me forget potential problems, love. That’s all I’m saying. Because when youcome home from work with pizza and a new bundle of rope for us to “try out when the kids are asleep,” you can’t fucking expect me to hold a grudge or point out that you’re denying your own identity in kink.
Damn you.
We will circle back to this at some point, but okay, let me tie you up first.
CHAPTER 6
Five years ago
Arlington
Ash Riley
“I’m serious, Ash.”
I unlocked my truck and glanced at Nate over my shoulder. “About what?”
“The munch.”
I furrowed my brow and stopped. What he said didn’t make a lick of sense. He had to be joking.
He put on his shoes and closed the door behind himself—for a semblance of privacy, maybe. The kids were running berserk inside, with my mother trying to tame Hallie’s hair after her shower.
“If you wanna go, just go,” I said. I didn’t have time for that nonsense.
Nate’s jaw ticked with tension, and he walked closer, almost tripping over Dylan’s scooter.
It was poetic. He’d chosen our overgrown, messy front yard to lay into me? About a fucking munch?
“Six months ago when I became a member at Mclean House, you promised me you’d come with me to the next munch,” he told me. “Do you remember that?”
Oh, for fuck’s sake.
“It’s been five munches since then,” he finished.
I faced him and folded my arms over my chest. “Lemme get this straight. Our house is packed with wedding decorations, Ma’s running wild, we have guests flying in tomorrow…Two daysbefore we get married in front of all our family and friends, andsix daysbefore we welcome home two new children—one of who needs medical care—you decide to get on my case about a goddamn munch?”
I was impressed. He didn’t even flinch. Instead, he took a step closer, and he was dead serious.
“I’m not asking, Ash,” he said quietly. “It’s a condition. Or we’re not walking down the aisle.”
Whoa—what the fuck? I was the one who reeled back, and I looked at him incredulously.
“I have been so fucking patient,” he said. “But I’m not taking another step forward with a man who’s suppressing a part of himself. You’ve claimed numerous times that you identify strongly with Daddy Doms, and in the fifteen fucking years we’ve been together, you haven’t explored it a single time.”
