would heat up on the sites. I think we’ve been really clear that they’d end up watching me with James and Neil too. But the new touch-if-you-want rule… It changes things. Makes this something more. I just want to be sure that you’re sure. Really, really sure. I couldn’t stand to screw up what we have, since it’s pretty damn amazing already.”
Kayla sidled closer, levering herself halfway onto the last free stool at the bar. “The way I see it, you hit the nail on the head there. You are one of them. You spend the most time with them. I expect that you have a stronger bond with them. You have so much in common. You’re on the border between friend, lover and co-worker. This is going to be harder on you, I think. You have no escape from them. No relief.”
“It’s true. You have a lot to juggle.” Kate laid her hand over Devon’s. “But when I start to get confused, I come back to this core truth. Mike’s feelings for the crew didn’t impact the formation of our love, unless it was to make it stronger. His attachment still doesn’t harm our relationship now that our gang has grown beyond the five of them and me. It’s the same for your guys and the rest of us.”
“I totally agree. But some ground rules probably wouldn’t hurt, right?” Morgan asked.
“You’ve been pretty quiet. What do you think about this?” Kate had clearly spent some time considering the possibilities and come prepared with a plan. “When we’re all together, or a whole pair—trio, whatever—is present, it’s anything goes as long as the couples involved consent.”
“So if Dave and I are hanging out with Neil, James and Dev…” Kayla squinted her eyes as she puzzled through the scenario.
“It’s your call.” Kate nodded. “There shouldn’t be any limits then. But for now, we’ll reserve one person bonding with the crew for special occasions. You know, maybe each person’s birthday. Sort of like, whoever is celebrating gets to be the centerpiece for the night. They can ask for whatever and whoever they want. No one will be excluded, though. Those not playing could still view if they wanted.”
“Damn, who would choose not to?” Kayla shifted in her seat, fanning her rosy cheeks.
“I’m not making anyone else’s decisions for them. I feel like if we’re in it together, there’s nothing seedy about it. When I saw Mike around you at dinner, Dev, I noticed a difference. It felt right to me. He seemed more natural when he interacted with you. He loves you. All the guys do, same as we love them. But it’s something totally different than what he and I have as a pair. Hell, Morgan even wrangled him into seeing the dentist somehow! He still won’t tell me how you did that.”
Morgan didn’t reveal their secret, though she and Kayla nodded their agreement.
“I admit, not being there when the guys took you screwed with my head a little. I started to wonder if Mike enjoyed himself more with you than me or if he might start to expect a new flavor every week. I don’t think that’s healthy for our relationship.” Kate showed all her cards. “This way, it’s not that different from what we talked about the other day, really. You know, swapping when we’re together. Except every once in a while we’d take turns letting someone have all the attention. And that’s putting it more simply than I mean to. I’m not trying to brush this off. Life is a constant jumble of priorities and unexpected shit. If we stick together, we can even out the peaks and valleys, make life better for all of us, you know?”
Morgan raised her hand sheepishly.
Devon whacked her on the butt with a dishtowel for the ridiculous propriety.
“I agree with you in theory.” Morgan winced. “I’ll never forget the heat in Joe’s stare when he watched Dave, Neil and James playing with me. Hell, I retired that cake recipe. It could never taste as good as when I shared it with the crew. And Joe told me Mike was actually the one
Kayla sidled closer, levering herself halfway onto the last free stool at the bar. “The way I see it, you hit the nail on the head there. You are one of them. You spend the most time with them. I expect that you have a stronger bond with them. You have so much in common. You’re on the border between friend, lover and co-worker. This is going to be harder on you, I think. You have no escape from them. No relief.”
“It’s true. You have a lot to juggle.” Kate laid her hand over Devon’s. “But when I start to get confused, I come back to this core truth. Mike’s feelings for the crew didn’t impact the formation of our love, unless it was to make it stronger. His attachment still doesn’t harm our relationship now that our gang has grown beyond the five of them and me. It’s the same for your guys and the rest of us.”
“I totally agree. But some ground rules probably wouldn’t hurt, right?” Morgan asked.
“You’ve been pretty quiet. What do you think about this?” Kate had clearly spent some time considering the possibilities and come prepared with a plan. “When we’re all together, or a whole pair—trio, whatever—is present, it’s anything goes as long as the couples involved consent.”
“So if Dave and I are hanging out with Neil, James and Dev…” Kayla squinted her eyes as she puzzled through the scenario.
“It’s your call.” Kate nodded. “There shouldn’t be any limits then. But for now, we’ll reserve one person bonding with the crew for special occasions. You know, maybe each person’s birthday. Sort of like, whoever is celebrating gets to be the centerpiece for the night. They can ask for whatever and whoever they want. No one will be excluded, though. Those not playing could still view if they wanted.”
“Damn, who would choose not to?” Kayla shifted in her seat, fanning her rosy cheeks.
“I’m not making anyone else’s decisions for them. I feel like if we’re in it together, there’s nothing seedy about it. When I saw Mike around you at dinner, Dev, I noticed a difference. It felt right to me. He seemed more natural when he interacted with you. He loves you. All the guys do, same as we love them. But it’s something totally different than what he and I have as a pair. Hell, Morgan even wrangled him into seeing the dentist somehow! He still won’t tell me how you did that.”
Morgan didn’t reveal their secret, though she and Kayla nodded their agreement.
“I admit, not being there when the guys took you screwed with my head a little. I started to wonder if Mike enjoyed himself more with you than me or if he might start to expect a new flavor every week. I don’t think that’s healthy for our relationship.” Kate showed all her cards. “This way, it’s not that different from what we talked about the other day, really. You know, swapping when we’re together. Except every once in a while we’d take turns letting someone have all the attention. And that’s putting it more simply than I mean to. I’m not trying to brush this off. Life is a constant jumble of priorities and unexpected shit. If we stick together, we can even out the peaks and valleys, make life better for all of us, you know?”
Morgan raised her hand sheepishly.
Devon whacked her on the butt with a dishtowel for the ridiculous propriety.
“I agree with you in theory.” Morgan winced. “I’ll never forget the heat in Joe’s stare when he watched Dave, Neil and James playing with me. Hell, I retired that cake recipe. It could never taste as good as when I shared it with the crew. And Joe told me Mike was actually the one
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