Chapter Fifteen
Franklin
When Rory and I were first looking for a house to buy, we always kept an eye on the bathtubs. Rory had gotten tenure, and the store was turning a steady profit, and we felt like it was time to treat ourselves.
Which was how we ended up in that particular bungalow.
Luxurious bathtubs.
Rory stretched his legs down the tub, and I pulled him up, tugging his feet behind me. The bath was elevated a bit, positioned beneath a wide window with a substantial sill, and we each had a bottle of beer sweating to the side. Steam rose up between us, and the sudsy water lapped Rory, flattening hair to his chest and biceps.
I wiggled my toes against his sides. “Will you pass me the scrubber?”
Rory grabbed the scrubby thing on a stick we had bought at the natural food store, and I used it to clean my back as Rory removed his glasses, set them on the tile, and splashed his face with water.
God, I loved bath time.
“I had another thought about Asher,” Rory said, wiping the water away from his eyes.
“What’s that?”
We’d been talking about Asher in the evenings. After Ava was off to bed and once Rory finally got his head out of his work, we’d lie in bed together and unload our feelings.
We both agreed that we wanted to see more of him. Rory wanted me to pursue my new desires just as much as I was feeling drawn to explore them. And knowing that Rory was turned on, too, made it a lot easier to indulge.
“It probably goes without saying,” Rory continued. “But let’s make sure we only schedule time with Asher when Ava is already going to be with Colleen.” He splashed some water across his chest, then sunk a little lower into the tub, sending a gentle wave in my direction. “I wouldn’t want anything to interfere with our time with her.”
I nodded. “Exactly.”
“That said,” Rory continued, “I don’t see any reason we can’t see him regularly, if Asher is game.”
“Regularly?” I asked, tilting my head.
“I’d like that,” Rory said confidently. “Wouldn’t you?”
I fumbled with the soap for a minute. “I suppose so, but…”
“If we can make a commitment,” Rory said, “then we can make sure we treat Asher correctly. He’s younger than us and less established in his life. Not to mention, you and I are in a dedicated relationship. We’ll be fine no matter what. But Asher is much more vulnerable.” He nodded to himself, as though confirming again that he felt this way. “It’s up to us to make sure his time is considered.”
My heart fluttered in my chest. Hearing Rory describe Asher in that way struck a chord. It was like when he was restraining Asher’s arms and allowing me to play with him.
Asher was already in our hands. We just had to acknowledge it so that we could do right by him.
“A commitment,” I repeated. “Like regular dates? Clear expectations?” I thought carefully, trying to picture the kind of relationship Rory was talking about. “Would we tell other people we were seeing him?”
“I suppose some of that would depend on Asher,” Rory answered. “I wouldn’t want to hide anything, but I don’t necessarily need to get telling people about it, either. Especially if we’re limiting things mainly to the bedroom.”
“With some occasional dinners and dates,” I said.
Rory nodded with a grunt.
I pictured the kind of situation he was talking about, and a thrill shot up my spine. It would mean I would not only get a chance to explore these new feelings, I’d be able to do so with the man I loved by my side, enjoying every minute of it. And it also would mean we got to spend more time with Asher. I was getting used to that spark of excitement he brought with him, and to those tender moments we shared, too.
I had trouble seeing myself as someone who could truly take charge in the bedroom. Maybe it was just the fact that I couldn’t see myself as a provider, the same way Rory had always cared for me. He was the rock I could always rely on, just like he had been when I was a twenty-five-year-old myself, fluttering around and uncertain about my purpose.
But with my rock, I knew that anything was possible.
“Another date?” I said. “I can ask him if he’s free next weekend?”
