“Never.”
She gave him a yeah, right look but went on. “Look, I’m a grown woman who understands what casual means. I wasn’t putting up a front on that, secretly hoping you’d commit to me. But if you and Keats are going to pursue something more than that, then you just need to tell me. I know I’m leaving soon, and if this could be something real between you two, I can step aside. I don’t want to inter—”
“Wait, that’s not what I’m suggesting at all.”
She tucked her hands in the back pockets of her jeans, her head tilted and her halo of dark curly hair catching the sunlight. “No?”
“I mean, I’m not sure what all this is with Keats. It’s . . . I don’t know. Fuck.” He raked a hand through his hair, all the questions rushing to the surface now that his brain was catching up with what had happened in the kitchen. “Keats is confused and trying to figure things out. He kissed me, but that doesn’t mean anything. He’s trying things on for size, I guess.”
Georgia sniffed. “And starting with Extra Large. That looked like more than trying, Colby.”
It’d felt like more, too, but he wasn’t going to mark that down as truth yet. Keats could be in the house freaking the fuck out right now. “He thinks he could be submissive, so he wants me to show him some things. Training. That kiss . . . well, that just kind of happened. It’s complicated. But it doesn’t change how I feel about you. Last night was amazing, and there’s no way I’m ready to let you slip away from me so soon.”
“Wait, he thinks he’s submissive?” Her brown eyes went a little round at that. “Wow, that’s . . .”
“That’s what?” he asked, catching her change in tone.
She glanced toward the house. “That just gives me really, really impure thoughts. I mean, your dominance obviously works for me. Really works for me. But I won’t pretend that the thought of Keats going all slave boy isn’t ridiculously hot. Not that I’m totally stunned. He’s got that way about him, you know?”
Colby gave her a slow grin, her words tamping down some of his anxiety over the situation. “That look like he’d do everything possible to blow a lover’s mind?”
“God, yes, that one.”
Colby chuckled. “You’re a dirty girl, Ms. Delaune.”
“I am. It’s a new personality flaw, apparently. I think I caught it from you.”
Colby slipped an arm around her waist and drew her against him. “I like it. A lot.”
“Me, too.”
He leaned back a little, gazing down at her. “So we’re good? Please tell me we’re good, because last night was fantastic.”
“We’re good, big man.” She wrapped her arms around him. “And really, if it turns out to be more than a kiss with Keats, I’m okay with that.”
He smiled. “You know? I believe you on that. But I think it’s time to set up a few guidelines. Because even though we’re doing casual, I want you to know I’m not interested in bed-hopping all over the place. I take this seriously.”
“What kind of guidelines?” she asked, her head tipping to the side in that oh, do tell way that he found unbearably sexy.
“While we’re seeing each other, this doesn’t go beyond the three of us,” he said, the plan forming in his head as he spoke. “If I decide to train Keats—and that’s a big if, because God knows we have a lot to discuss before that’s even a possibility—you have my word that no one else is in my bed besides the two of you.”
“Okay,” she said slowly.
“And you give me your word on the same.”
“That I won’t see anyone else?”
“That you won’t sleep with anyone else besides me . . . or Keats.”
Her brows scrunched. “Keats? But that’s not—he’s going to be working for me and he’s twenty-three and—”
“And you’re attracted to each other and might have wanted to kiss each other last night and stuff could happen,” Colby finished. “I’m not saying it has to. That’s up to the two of you, but I’m letting you know that it’s fine if it does.”
She blinked, obviously stunned into silence.
He cupped her face and kissed her. “Deal?”
“I’m not going to fool around with Keats. He’s working for me.”