Page 96 of Whirlwind

“I’m sorry, Dakota.” Alright, so not being called pet names sucked. “I’m tired, too,” Ben continued, “and I wanted to check in with Parker, first. Come back to bed.” He said it like it was an invitation, but he’d already guided Dakota around to the other side of the bed, his chest pressed to their back the whole time.

Dakota let themselves be guided. They’d probably object if Ben got too controlling, but this level of manhandling felt more warm and safe than bossy.

Ben pulled back the covers and tucked them in, wrapping himself around them. The night folded them in, the scattered light from the streetlights outside making everything dark and cozy.

“Parker says that I’m good at attacking with the truth, so here goes,” he started.

“Dakota, you are amazing. Parker and I have been flirting for years without it going anywhere, and you were the magic that brought us together.”

Dakota opened their mouth to point out that this was what was worrying them, but Ben pressed a gentle finger to their lips.

“Believe me, I’m excited about Parker. Who’s probably awake and listening to all of this,” he said meaningfully. Dakota felt a movement of Ben’s leg that was probably a kick. “But we wouldn’t want him to get a swelled head.”

Dakota smiled against Ben’s finger. They really liked the gentle ribbing the two guys gave each other. They liked being included in it. Liked giving back as good as they got.

It was fun and sexy and strangely intimate, too. Like they’d been invited into Ben and Parker’s world.

“You’re something else, though. I have to say, I wasn’t looking for this. I wasn’t even thinking about this. But Parker and I have each been picking up subs for years. We’ve been in group scenes before, and we’ve watched each other with subs.

“And no one, no one, has ever gotten us like you do. I’d have to say that no one has ever gotten me the way that you do. And I think that Parker would say the same.

“If he weren’t a chicken,” he added with another kick beneath the blankets.

Parker’s complete lack of reaction to the two kicks was telling. He was definitely awake.

“So, here’s what I propose,” Ben continued. “We would like to date you. We would like to spend time with you and see where this goes. We’d like to hang out with you, and learn about you, and share our stories, and introduce you to our friends at trivia night. We’d like to show you off at the BDSM club where we’re members, and we’d like to have a lot more evenings together like this.

“We’ll need to work out a lot of the details, but that’s what we want.”

Holy shit. That was better than anything Dakota had expected. If their future dates were anything close to as good as the last twelve hours had been, they were sold.

“Um, how do you know it’s what Parker wants, though?”

“Parker?” Ben raised his voice.

No response.

“Parker, stop being a dick.”

“I’m game,” Parker replied quietly, echoing Dakota’s earlier words.

“Asshole,” said Ben, fondly.

He removed his finger from Dakota’s mouth. “Now, what do you want?”

There really wasn’t much to think about. “I want that, too,” they said softly. “I mean, I want to try. I… I really like you guys, too. This was, um, pretty special for me.”

They felt their face burning, but it didn’t seem to matter when Ben swept them up into a kiss.

It wasn’t a passionate kiss, but a slow, gentle one. One that made promises for later.

“Can we go to sleep now?” Parker said in mock exasperation.

Even though it was dark, Dakota could envision Ben rolling his eyes. “I thought you were already asleep,” he growled.

But he also pulled Dakota into his chest as he whispered in their ear. “Sleep, Dakota.”

Quietly, Dakota spoke up. “You can call me pet if you want to.”

“Mmmm… I’d like that, pet.”

Dakota loved the way that mmm moved through their chest, filling them up. They liked pleasing their Sir, but they also liked the way that Ben respected and cared for them as an equal partner.

Dakota nestled into Ben’s arms, listening to his heartbeat and reveling in the joy of the moment. It was only their second night in the city, and they could already see the future stretching out before them.

“Hey,” came Parker’s not-so-sleepy voice. “You’re hogging our pet.”

Dakota kicked back their heel into Parker’s leg. “Come over here, then.”

Parker grumbled, but he snuggled up behind Dakota, pressing their bodies together until Dakota could hardly move. It seemed that Parker had his own language for telling Dakota that he wanted them.

With that thought, and four arms around them, Dakota let themselves drift off to sleep. Their arm was a little bit squished and they’d probably get too hot, but everything was perfect.