Chapter 17
Seventeen
Bree
It’s quiet in my car after the boisterous noise of the satyrs’ home. I’m strangely at ease after the evening I spent there. It was simple, but it filled up my heart. For a little while, I felt like I belonged, like I was a part of a big, fun family.
It makes me think of my sister and my mom, who I haven’t spoken to in ages.
If possible, I was going to avoid telling them about my little detour with DreamTogether completely.
But after the week I’ve had, maybe I should open up the conversation about what I’m going through.
Mom would understand, though Chloe might not.
At least Chloe knows what I really do for a living. Mom still thinks I work at the tea shop. Someday I’m going to have to come clean with her and stop being afraid of her judgment.
When I pull into the parking lot of my apartment building and kill the engine, I get an alert on my phone saying I got a new tip. Hmm, that’s odd. I’ve been absent for a week already, and I posted to all my social media that I’m on hiatus for another month at least. Why would someone be tipping me?
I open the notification and find a solid $200 waiting for me. Wow, that’s a lot. Then I see that my tipper has sent a direct message, too.
It’s GingerWatchman. I wonder what he’s got to say for that much money.
You haven’t been around lately and I’ve been worried about you. I hope you’re not ill. If you are, though, please use this to send someone to buy soup and cough medicine.
Never hesitate to call on me if you need me, Bree.
I stare at the last word of the message for far too long.
He knows my name. How the fuck does he know my real name?
I clutch the phone to my chest as I get out of the car, looking around the parking lot for any sign of an intruder. If he knows my name, what else does he know about me?
When I enter my house, I close the door, lock it, and flip on all the lights. I even check the house once before settling in on the couch to figure out what I’m supposed to do next.
What can I do, though? I could ban him from attending my streams, I guess, but he always gives me great tips. It’s not like he said anything too scary, besides noticing that I’ve been gone.
Still, it sends a shiver up my spine. This is a boundary I never wanted breached, and now it’s happened. But where was the leak? I don’t have much in the way of social media under my real name, though it’s possible someone in my friend circle has seen me perform as Sienna.
I mean, Bennett and I crossed in real life, so it’s not impossible.
I try to think about the guys instead as I get ready for bed.
It really was a lovely evening. And Jack…
He said he wanted to get to know me better.
Did he like what he learned? I enjoyed seeing him having fun with his husbands.
He was playful and entertaining, which is not what I expected.
But it was a wonderfully pleasant surprise.
The next few days, I try to forget about the message I got with my tip.
GingerWatchman doesn’t do anything else after that, so I let it drift out of my mind.
In the meantime, I call up a friend who’s a professional photographer to come over and do a photo shoot for me so I have some new marketing material.
Tilly goes over the pictures with me to help me pick out the best ones, and of course, asks all about the guys—which is when I get a text message from Mangelli.
“Speak of the devil,” I say as I unlock the screen.
Hey girl hey! We just wanted to see if you’d like to come over for movie night. We’ve got a double feature planned with pizza and popcorn.
I grin down at the phone.
Now you’re speaking my language.
Tilly cocks her head as I start typing out my answer.
“Who is it? The satyrs?” she asks, waggling her eyebrows.
“Yeah, what of it?”
“Nothing.” She waves a hand at me. “Continue on then.”
You know, this time… maybe you should bring your pajamas.
My eyebrows must fly high on my forehead because now Tilly is paying attention again. But she doesn’t ask questions.
Oh, okay. Sure, I can do that.
Mangelli sends a winky face, and my own cheeks heat up. What could he be thinking about? Surely just a cuddle puddle on the couch. Maybe more wine.
No hanky-panky, of course.
I’m reassured by this.
Just tell me when to come over.
7pm, and what are your fave pizza toppings?
After wrapping up with Tilly, I dress in something cute that’s also good for cuddling in front of a movie, then grab a set of sleep shorts and a top out of the dresser.
No hanky-panky, he said. But honestly, a little hanky-panky sounds like it might be a good time. If Jack is ready for it.
Bennett
Arthur’s tail is all over the place as he stands waiting at the window for Bree to arrive. Jack is fluffing the pillows on the couch as he sets up the movie, puzzling carefully over where each one should go.
I love how pathetic my husbands are for Bree.
Then her car pulls into the driveway and I hold up my hands to keep the two of them from rushing into the entryway.
“Let’s give her some space, hm?” I ask Arthur as Bree knocks on the door. I open it, and she beams the moment she sees me.
She’s so damn beautiful. Radiant, like a sun. I’m drawn in.
“Nice to see you, Bennett,” she says, reaching out for a hug. I give her a big one, enveloping her tightly in my arms before I let her the rest of the way inside.
“Hey, my turn,” grumbles Arthur. He gets his hug next. Then there’s Jack, and Bree tucks her hair behind her ear as she walks up to him.
I wait with bated breath as Jack holds out his arms, and Bree closes the distance between them. I can practically feel Arthur vibrating next to me as they hug, then awkwardly pull apart.
“Pizza’s on the way,” Jack says, scratching behind his horn. “The movies are queued up and ready to go.”
We sit at the table and chat about our days, and Jack asks Bree many questions about her photo shoot and what she uses the photos for. I’m happy to bring out the laptop so we can show him her website and various social media platforms. Jack nods as Bree explains her marketing pipeline.
“You’re very industrious,” he says, and there’s an interesting lilt to his voice. “And smart. Look at what you’ve created.”
“Thanks.” Bree grins shyly. “It’s been building for a long time.”
“You created an empire!” I pat her on the back. “Brilliant businesswoman here.”
Her cute face turns fire-red, and I’m pleased to have done it.
Then the pizza shows up, and Jack hands out beers before we all stuff our faces.
“Pizza and beer,” Bree says with a happy sigh. “Just what the doctor ordered.”
When the pizza’s all been demolished, I lead Bree by the hand into the living room to our big fluffy sectional. She sits in the middle, and I plop down next to her while Arthur shoots me a dirty look. I shrug as Jack takes her other side.
“Lap,” Arthur demands of me, and so I spread my legs as he sits between them. Then he leans back against my shoulder so I can see the screen, and the movie starts.
“Do you have a blanket?” Bree whispers as the action picks up. I grab one from the back of the couch and drape it over her, then put an arm around her shoulders. I notice Jack’s hand sits rather close to her knee, like he wants to touch it but isn’t willing to cross the line yet.
Once the first movie ends, we all get up to hit the bathroom and retrieve the ice cream, then return to the couch.
This time, though, we end up in a cuddle puddle, with Bree in Arthur’s lap, her head against Jack’s shoulder and her feet over my knees.
As the second movie starts, I take her cute little human toes in my hands and rub them.
“Ohhh.” Bree closes her eyes with pleasure. “That’s great.”
It probably shouldn’t turn me on, just touching her feet, but it does. I have to adjust my jeans partway through the movie, though luckily, only Arthur notices my rather large bulge. He smirks at me like we’re sharing a secret.
This feels so right, so wonderfully normal, that I hope it can last.
Arthur
Having Bree here in my arms while Bennett and Jack cuddle up to me…
it’s the best. The most I could have asked for.
I never want to let her go. As the movie plays—and I totally ignore it—all I want is to lean forward and kiss Bree’s long, pale neck.
I want to touch her big tits again, and grab a fistful of her belly, and feel her creamy thighs under my palms. But I content myself with holding her around the middle and leaning my chin on her shoulder, breathing in her delectable scent.
Maybe the rut is long over, but my body still wants nothing more than to love on her and breed her silly.
Partway through, I notice that Jack’s hand has fully migrated onto Bree’s knee. A little while later, she puts her hand on top of his, and their fingers twine together. I have to restrain myself from jumping for joy.
When the movie ends, I’m reluctant to let go, but I do. If Bree wants to go home now, of course I’ll let her. But I hope we can convince her to stay.
She stands up and yawns. “Wow, it’s late,” she says when she glances at the clock. “Thanks for having me over, guys.”
Bennett grins widely. “It’s been a blast.”
“It’s fun to let go a bit.” She sighs. “Things have been so… serious. It’s nice to have fun with you. Like this.”
I notice that Jack still hasn’t released her hand. I shoot him a knowing grin.
“Time for bed soon, huh?” I say,
Bree tilts her head up at me. “I guess it is.”
Nobody moves, though, so with an annoyed sigh, I grab Bree’s other hand in mine.
“Can I show you around?” I ask, which I know sounds ridiculous when she’s already been over twice.
She blinks. “Oh. Sure.”
After a quick, perfunctory tour of the rest of the house, I show her our bedroom, where the massive bed we had built custom sits in the middle. Her hand flies to her mouth.
“This thing is huge,” she says, walking along the side of it. “Holy cow. It takes up the whole room.”
She’s right. We’ve had to shove all our clothes in the closets to make space for it.
“See?” Bennett says, chiming in. “Plenty of room for you.”
Bree’s eyes flick over to Jack uncertainly.
“Please.” Jack lifts her hand and kisses the top of it. “Will you stay with us tonight?”
Bree swallows, glancing among all of us, and then nods. “I did bring my pajamas, like you said.”
Jack grins widely at this. It will be a challenge to keep my hands to myself, but I’ll manage it.
Bree even brought her toothbrush, and I share my toothpaste with her. She leans against me as we brush our teeth in the mirror, and I wrap my free arm around her. Then we swap out with Bennett and Jack, and I rush to the bed to jump into it.
“Bree,” I call to her, gesturing to the open space beside me. She giggles and climbs in, curling up at my side.
“I still can’t believe you had a crush on me all that time,” I say. “Do I live up to the hype?”
“Oh yeah.” She beams up at me. “Two hundred percent.”
Bennett climbs in next on my right side, which leaves the spot next to Bree open. Jack takes it, approaching the bed with caution.
“Do you mind?” Jack asks, and I love that he’s so shy. I don’t think I’ve seen him this way before.
She opens her arms wide to him. “Not at all.”
His brows rise to his forehead, then he climbs into bed and settles down next to her. Soon we’re all curled up together, and I have an arm across Bree’s waist with Jack’s hand on mine. He smiles at me over her shoulder, a small one, and my hope for the future swells.