Keats sat back on his calves when Georgia seemed to sag fully into the bindings. “Is she okay?”
Colby smiled down at him. “I like that you’ve got her back, that you want to watch out for her.”
“I’d do the same for you.”
“I know you would. You’re a good man, Adam Keats.”
The statement was simple but for some reason it filled Keats up in a way that made his chest ache. “Thank you.”
“And yes, she’s fine, but we need to get her out of these ropes and onto the bed. Stand up and put your arms around her waist to hold her up while I untie her.”
“Yes, sir.” Keats rocked to his feet and wrapped his arms around Georgia, careful to not cause any undue pressure on her tender back.
Her forehead sank to his shoulder. “Lethal,” she murmured.
Keats smiled and kissed the top of her head. “Shh, let us get you down before you flatter me profusely about my skills in the sack.”
She snorted against his shoulder.
Colby made quick work of the ropes and lifted Georgia into his arms to carry her to the bed. He settled her on her side and pulled a blanket over her. “I promise we will give you what you need, but you need to come down a little first and hydrate. Keats is going to lie here with you while I get you some water. Just rest for a minute. You did great.”
She smiled softly but didn’t open her eyes. Colby nodded at Keats, and Keats didn’t need him to say more. He stretched out behind Georgia, propped up on his elbow, and spooned her. She made a quiet sigh of satisfaction as he stroked his fingers through her curls, then down along her arm.
“I can’t even tell you how amazing you looked tied up for him, George,” he said, keeping his voice low and soothing. “I know I’m still figuring out a lot of stuff, but no one will ever be able to tell me there’s any shame in submission. You looked like a warrior princess up there, so tough and sexy. Thank you for letting me see that side of you.”
She rolled over and snuggled into him, brushing a quick kiss over his collarbone. Her voice was low and lazy when she finally spoke. “I can’t wait to see your warrior side. You’re going to undo him, Keats, unravel him completely.”
Keats sniffed. “I think you’re still flying high, George, and got that one backward.”
“Nope,” she said without hesitation. “I’m the fling. You’re the guy he’s falling in love with.”
Keats stared at her, unsure he’d heard her right, a tight, anxious feeling curling in his stomach. “You really are out of your mind right now, aren’t you?”
She didn’t have time to answer because the man in question strode back into the room. “She say something?”
“Nothing,” Keats said. “She’s not making much sense.”
Colby sat down on her other side, gave her a few sips of water, then ordered her back down. He traced the back of his hand along her hip and thigh in a slow, soothing motion. Soon, Georgia’s breath evened out and she was fast asleep.
Colby looked up and smiled. “Having heavy thoughts over there, Keats, or is the cock ring just cutting off your circulation?”
He smirked. “Nah, I was just thinking she’s pretty spectacular when she lets go. It was like all that crap that smothers her every day just blew away for a few minutes. It was like seeing the real Georgia for the first time.”
“Yeah,” he said, glancing down again and looking at her with a tenderness that proved Georgia was dead wrong. Colby didn’t see her as a fling at all. “That’s the beautiful and dangerous part about kink. It cuts away the husk and exposes the tender center. It can show you the truth. And sometimes it’s scary to see. Or feel.”
“For the dom, too?”
Colby nodded, looking pensive. “Maybe even more so. We don’t have subspace as an excuse.”
The truth. Keats swallowed hard, Georgia’s words running through his head. You’ll undo him, Keats. Was that what she was talking about?
The thought of seeing Colby’s truth, Keats’s own truth, was damn terrifying. He should probably get up and walk back to his room, leave these two alone. They were all getting too deep too quick. But no one had ever accused him of being wise.
&nbs
p; Keats lifted his gaze to Colby’s, then let it slide downward, knowing his intent couldn’t be mistaken. “So what now, Teach?”
Colby’s easy expression darkened.