Chapter 3

An orgy. No. Were they? No. Jason stared at his husband. Tasted that last sip of homemade mead, thick and honeyed; heard the thumping of his own heart. Colby wouldn't—

"No," Colby said, very soft. "No, not—not exactly, I—I can't. Hands on me—no. Other than Jason's, I mean. I'm his."

Jason wrapped both arms around him. Held on. His. His to protect. "Mine, babe."

"Yes." Colby still had leather in one hand, and settled more slim weight back against him. "But…I honestly can't believe I'm saying it…"

"Oh, I can." Simon's entire face was alight. "You're kinkier than I am, darling. I never knew. I love it. I love you. Not the same way as your fabulous pet mountain range, obviously. You want Ben to spank me while you watch, right? Possibly while Jason fucks you?"

Ben looked over at Jason. That was a question, clear as Simon's.

Jason touched Colby's cheek. Got those big sunset blue eyes to meet his. "Is that what you want, baby?"

Colby blushed more. Turned to hide his face in Jason's chest for a moment, made a tiny expressive sound, resurfaced. "I…I think so. What he said. Of course we could all forget I said anything…we don't have to…it's just…I only thought about…the idea of…"

"I get it," Jason said. "I think." He did. He knew his husband. He knew exactly the fantasies they occasionally acted out, in front of the giant mirror. One of which they'd done the night before the gala, before meeting Ben and Simon. "You and that not-super-secret exhibitionist kink, cream puff. Wanting everybody to see how much you belong to me. And also…" He glanced at Ben again. "You feel safe with him, you said. You trusted him when you were younger, and you decided he was a good guy. I think he is, too."

Colby nodded, with Jason's hand cupping his cheek, holding him.

"Okay," Jason said. He ran a thumb over Colby's cheek, loving the feel of him. "Okay. I got it. You don't want anyone touching you but me—good, because I don't want anyone else touching you—but you want to see them, and you want them to see you, too, being good for me. Watching me fuck you, so we all know you're mine. Is that it?"

Colby was breathing faster. He looked younger, abruptly: enchanted, sweetly vulnerable, wanting. Jason remembered momentarily, a fact he didn't always recall, that Colby was after all eight years younger than himself, was even more years younger than Ben, and had been basically a virgin as far as good and consensual sex, not counting all the awfulness, before Jason had loved him. This was new and brilliant. "Yes, sir. If—if we all want that."

"Oh fuck yes," Simon announced, sliding down from the table, all but hopping in place. "We want that. We so very want that."

Ben put a hand on the back of his neck. "Get on your knees, brat."

Both Simon and Colby made small sounds, nearly identical, at that. Simon dropped to both knees, heedless of fancy clothing, and tipped his head back, beaming at Ben with total adoration. "Told you he was good at this."

Ben put the hand in his hair this time. Tugged. "Hands behind your back. And stay quiet until I say you can talk."

Simon's smile got warmer, dreamy around the edges; Jason saw it, recognized it, saw the arousal between Simon's legs, and felt as well as heard Colby's inhale.

He slid a hand down to Colby's hip, over clinging blue fabric. His husband was also extremely hard, a fact which he noticed with a thrill of astounded lust. "You liked that, didn't you, baby? Watching him listen to orders like that?"

"Yes," Colby whispered.

"We're in," Ben said to Jason, hand idly playing with Simon's hair, "very much, like he said. I like showing him off, you guys want to know some things, and we can do that. And, not gonna lie, getting to watch you two…oh, that'll be nice. But a couple of ground rules, first."

Jason considered this. Ben was definitely the most knowledgeable—Simon might be the most experienced, in terms of years of flamboyant self-indulgence—and no doubt had some intriguing ideas. But if they were going to do this, and that possibility was becoming more certain by the second, then it was for Colby. About Colby. Colby's needs and fantasies. And Jason was always and forever in charge of protecting Colby.

He said, "Yeah, we should work that out. Bedroom?"

"Oh my God," Simon said from the floor. "Bedroom. With you. And Colby. Even I didn't imagine that. And I'm exceedingly good at imagining."

"Keep talking," Ben said. "Twelve."

"Twelve? What number did we start with?"

"Six, because you deserve it. Fourteen, now."

"I'm not complaining," Simon said. "I like you spanking me, sir. Do you want me to stay on my knees all the way to the bedroom?"

"Jesus Christ," Jason said.

"Oh, he likes it," Ben said. "You can talk this time. Explain for them."

"I completely do like it." Simon beamed at them. "Little bit of humiliation, little bit of chastisement, little bit of surrender…whatever it is, it flips that switch. Following orders, even if it's difficult. Which makes it better."

Colby stirred—Jason's grip loosened automatically, giving him space if necessary—and took a step forward and then folded up both long legs and got down on both knees with Simon, very close.

The motion wasn't submissive kneeling as much as it was curiosity. Jason's entire brain went electric and sparkly for a second anyway. Colby kneeling at his feet, next to another, more formal, practiced submissive. Colby's rumpled cocoa hair and Simon's blond elegance. Colby wanting to know how this felt. Jesus Christ.

Colby asked, hesitantly, "You don't mind? I mean…I think I understand some of it. The following orders…that you're his, and so even if it's…something like following him to the bedroom, on your knees…but doesn't that feel, I don't know…like a punishment somehow?"

"Darling," Simon said, "I have a leash. Wish we'd brought it."

Colby's mouth literally dropped open. He turned to look up at Jason, still on both knees. "They have a leash."

"And a few different collars," Ben said. "More and less stiff, flexible, heavier. But…" He was looking at Colby. "Maybe a collar, on you, but I think not a leash. Right, kitten?"

Colby did a tiny lip bite, not nerves as much as considering, and a little bashful, and also responding to dominance. "Yes…I think that's right, yes."

"I'm in the not putting Colby on a leash camp," Jason said. He was. The idea felt…not wrong, but not quite right. Not them. "But explain that one for me. How'd you know?"

"Yours isn't into the humiliation part." Ben had gone back to playing with Simon's hair, tanned hand against ice blond strands. "Being yours, yeah. A symbol, yeah. A collar, probably. But not anything that feels like degradation or, what'd mine say, chastising, being reminded of his place, restrictions." For both Colby and Jason, he added, "I saw your reaction, kitten. Back there in your eyes, and when you asked about punishment."

"It's not an absolute hard no," Colby said. "Not like blindfolds. But…it's definitely a…I'd rather not. A collar, though…only for here at home, of course, I know we really shouldn't, on, say, a red carpet…but, for here, for us, sometimes, not all the time…maybe."

Jason pictured that. Nothing harsh or restrictive. Something simple, butter soft leather, easy to put on and take off. Night blue. Like Colby's eyes. "…maybe. Yeah."

All three of them smiled at him for that.

He said, "Okay. I think I got that one. And we're on the same page. Babe, get back up."

Colby unfolded those infinite legs and scrambled up. His face was luminous.

"Bedroom," Jason said. "And first we're going to talk about rules. Before anything."

Ben said, "Agreed."

Simon, from the floor, saluted. Ben yanked his hair, not all that hard.

Colby said, "Yes, sir. Jason. I love you." He was beautiful, at Jason's side, still fully dressed: tidy blue pants, fuzzy violet sweater, shoved-up sleeves, slim strong forearms.

"Come on," Jason said. "Bring your present, too."