Page 4 of Key of Kink

Am I here out of habit, or am I here to find something new?

I couldn’t decide, and that wasn’t good.

My phone buzzed on the bench beside me, and I glanced at the screen. Theo. I clicked on Answer. “Your timing is as good as ever, I see.”

“Oh. So you’re either at the club, or you’re… entertaining someone.”

I snorted. “Since when do I entertain anyone? And yeah, I’m at the club. You just caught me. A minute or two later, and you’d have really pissed me off.” I paused. “Was there a point to this call?”

“Something I want you to consider. A new song for us.”

I chuckled. “Hey, you started us on ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. After that, anything else is a walk in the park.”

“How about ‘Blackbird’?”

“The Beatles?” I grinned. “Okay, that has potential. And I can see some of our little gang really going to town on it.” Another pause. “Was that all?”

His hesitation gave me my answer. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Talking to Cameron. Giving him advice.”

I smiled. “Hey, all I did was give him a nudge in the right direction. He chose to act on it. But I’m glad it works for you both.” Except that was an understatement. Theo was like a new man. He hadn’t renounced his Captain Clipboard status, but there was definite softening going on there.

Cameron is exactly what he needs. And love was a good look on both of them.

“Maybe one day I can do the same for you,” he murmured.

I blinked. “And what does that mean? Because I’m not sure if that was a promise or a threat.”

Theo laughed. “Maybe I want you to feel what I’m feeling right now.”

“Which is what? Because if Cameron has you trussed up like a turkey, then forget it. I’m the one who ties the knots around here.”

“I’m not talking about that. I just think you need someone in your life.”

This was an old topic, one I was in no mood to revisit.

“Not doing this now.”

“There is nothing wrong with loving someone or being loved,” he remonstrated.

“I agree. But not everyone wants that. In fact, some people are very happy with the shape of their lives without the complication of love. And besides that, love is against the rules.”

“Whose rules?”

“Mine.”

Theo chuckled. “You have rules? Are there lots of them?”

“Only five that matter.”

“And what are they?”

I stilled. “Seriously?”

“Hey, if you can advise me on my love life, talk to Cameron about control kink—which I absolutely do not have a problem with because that worked out so well—then it seems only fair to share a little. I’ll admit, I’m curious.”