everything in the trash can.” She looked over to Lynne. “How’s everything going? Do you need anything?”
Lynne and the kids had eaten lunch earlier. She’d told us they were going to play for a bit and then watch a movie.
“We’re good,” she said. “I promised cookies during the movie.”
Abby nodded. “Elizabeth helped me make sugar cookies yesterday. I think we have a few left. Do you want me to set them out?”
“I know where they are, Mommy,” Elizabeth said. “I can show her.”
“Okay, princess. You two be good and I’ll see you after the movie.”
Abby smiled at me, content now that she had seen the children and satisfied they were happy. From everything I’d observed so far, it appeared hiring Lynne would be a great thing for everyone involved. I hadn’t had a chance to talk to Simon yet, but I planned to soon. I didn’t understand why he’d broken up with her. Especially since they had appeared to be so happy and compatible when we last saw them together.
But I knew as well as anyone that things weren’t always as they seemed to be and people often did things for reasons not understood by those not involved.
And seriously, you have enough to deal with concerning your own relationships. No need to borrow anyone else’s problems.
Cole, Luke, and Jeff were standing in the kitchen snacking on the array of sandwiches Abby had left out for them. At our entrance, they stopped talking and greeted us, and then Jeff made Abby a plate.
She took it from him with a big smile and sat down. “Thank you.”
“Can I get you something to drink?” he asked.
I wanted to tell him not to bother, that I’d get her a drink, but it occurred to me that this was probably his way of providing some sort of aftercare. No, he hadn’t done anything in the scene other than watch, but if he needed to get my wife a drink, I’d let him.
I was reminded again of why I didn’t share my submissives. I enjoyed being the one, the only one to do aftercare. Which was silly, I told myself. It was only getting her a drink. It really shouldn’t bother me the way it did.
In fact, it had never bothered me before. Jeff had done a lot more with Abby when we were in Wilmington for the first time and I hadn’t minded when he sat and talked with her once the scene was over. That day, I’d actually left them alone while I cleaned up and prepared the bedroom for the aftercare I had planned.
It raised the question, why was it different today?
I didn’t have an answer for that.
Jeff and Abby talked for a few minutes with Luke and Cole joining in occasionally. I simply watched, but I noticed Cole looking my way a few times. It was a bit unnerving and I wondered briefly if he could read something in my expression.
Jeff glanced at his watch. “I hate to be the first one to leave, but Dena and I have an appointment this afternoon and I need to swing by the house to pick her up.”
Luke stood up. “I need to be going as well.”
Cole made no move to go and after the two other men left, he approached me. “Can I speak with you for a minute?”
Abby hopped up and started clearing the dishes. “Let me get these in the sink and I’ll leave you two alone. I’ll go see what the kids are up to.”
“Something wrong?” I asked Cole after Abby left the kitchen.
“I was going to ask you the same thing. You seemed different today.”
Was I that transparent? I shrugged. “Just a lot of things going on at the moment.”
“Abby certainly appeared to enjoy herself.”
I snorted. “She loves playing in front of people.”
“And you don’t?”
“No, I’m fine with it, usually.” I decided to tell him some of what had been going on. My own feelings were somewhat bewildering to me, and maybe he had some experience with this kind of thing that he could share with me. “It’s just that her need to play publicly is growing lately and I wonder if I can keep up with her.”
“You mean, will she want to push the envelope faster and further than you’re comfortable with?”
“Something like that. I’m just not sure what to do next. How to keep her on her toes and excited.”
He nodded. “It’s hard to be creative and think up new ways to torment our subs sometimes,” he said with a grin. “And the two of you have been together a long time.”
“Yes, exactly. And I’m afraid the things I do think up, I won’t be comfortable with.”
“Have you considered a threesome?”
I had always shot down the idea in the past. Me share Abby? No way. But instead of blurting out “Hell, no,” I gave it some thought. She’d enjoyed the session with Jeff even though I had placed limits on what he could do. A threesome would be different.
Would a threesome satisfy her? Was it something she’d want? Maybe not a scene where she actually had sex with another man, because I knew there was no way in hell that would ever happen. But something like what we did with Jeff and maybe let him go a little further.
“A mild scene, perhaps,” I said in answer to him. “Would you want to participate?”
“Oh no.” He held up his hands. “It was merely a suggestion. I don’t act as third in the group I’m a member of.”
I nodded. “Makes sense.”
Who would I invite into our playroom? Should it be someone she’d worked with? Or someone who was a complete stranger to her? Or would someone like Luke be better? A man she knew, but not too well and one she wouldn’t see on a regular basis. Someone I wouldn’t see on a regular basis.
I didn’t need to think about what would be best for me. This would be for Abby and I needed to put my thoughts and emotions to the side for her. It was only fair she got to experience two men if she wanted. I was her only Dom and for me to limit what she wanted simply because I was jealous? That wasn’t looking out for her. That was looking out for me.
I didn’t think a stranger was the way to go, though. I did know men in the lifestyle whom she didn’t, men I wouldn’t have to worry about seeing often. But I didn’t think Abby would be comfortable with someone she just met.
At the same time, I didn’t think someone she was very familiar with would be a good choice, either. I could easily ask someone like Jeff to join us. They had played together before, they knew each other, and they were comfortable around each other.
But I knew Abby would end up feeling uncomfortable around him and I wasn’t sure he’d want to join us anymore, since he was back together with Dena. Hell, this was uncharted territory for me. I honestly had no idea how she would react when it was all over. She might feel guilty and I needed to make sure I addressed that before we did anything. We would have to spend a lot of time talking about how she felt when the scene was over.
If I didn’t want a stranger and didn’t want someone she was too friendly with, that left a mere acquaintance. Simon was out. Neither one of us would feel right inviting him, not with Lynne living under our roof.
I ran through several names in my mind, but kept coming back to Luke.
He was the obvious choice. She knew him, she’d spoken to him, and he’d been in our playroom already when he took the pictures. Plus, I’d watched him in a scene before and he was more of a sensual Dominant. If I had to pick someone to join us, I’d choose someone like him over a Dominant like Cole. Cole had earned his reputation as a hard-ass in the playroom, and while I didn’t have a problem with that, I didn’t want someone like that to be her first experience with two men. Besides, it didn’t sound as though Cole was an option. And, to be honest, he didn’t seem to be the type of Dom to truly enjoy being a third. He’d want to be the one calling the shots.
The only downside to asking Luke was his history with Abby’s supervisor, Meagan. Though whatever happened between them had taken place years ago, I needed to get her idea on adding a third and to make sure she was okay with who I asked. I thought it would be fine. According to Abby, Meagan had said under no circumstances would she ever ge
t back together with that man.
I made a note to ask Luke what had happened between him and Meagan. I didn’t think it would be anything beyond a typical breakup, but I wanted to be certain.
I would still ask Abby, though. I’d also give her the option to ask a stranger instead of Luke. This was going to be a big step for her, and I wanted to make sure she was as comfortable as possible. And a large part of that would depend on the man we asked to join us.
“If nothing else,” Cole said, “perhaps you could increase the intensity of your public play.”