Chapter 13
Kat
Aman I just met is staring at the wall in my bathroom while I pee. This is so weird.
When we first got back to my apartment, I did the whole mom dance.
Checking in with Lincoln on his homework, reminding him not to stay up too late, and awkwardly telling him Otto and Damian are staying the night.
Damian stuck to my side the whole time. Which was also weird. I’ve never had a guy sleep over before.
Lincoln seemed to understand the situation, but he also did the whole son dance, threatening to cut off their balls if they hurt me.
Even though we all know there’s no way my thirteen-year-old son could hurt two dragons.
It’s the thought that counts. And his protectiveness was sweet.
It’s a side of Lincoln I haven’t had an opportunity to see before.
After that, Lincoln and Otto got distracted talking about a show I’ve never seen, and Damian followed me in here to get ready for bed.
True to his word, he’s a perfect gentleman, and doesn’t peek, but this is still so strange. I’ve never peed in front of a man before. I mean, I guess it’s not really in front of him, since he’s very good at keeping his face to the wall.
The truly strange thing is I’m kind of turned on by the thought of him stealing a peek. Yeah, super weird. Why the hell would I want this man to see me pee?
To my mind, I only just met Damian less than twenty minutes ago, but I already feel ridiculously comfortable with him. Just as comfortable as I do with Otto, which is equally weird. This whole dragon mates thing is so bizarre.
I’m not sure why I believe the story Otto told me about Damian.
But I do. There’s just something about the man that makes me trust him, and from what I know about the whole mate thing, his story lines up.
Plus… he looks so much like Lincoln. I can see it in the shape of his face, the way his lips pinch together, his dark hair and eyes.
They have the same eyes. Tears threaten to spill as I think of all we’ve missed because I made a choice I didn’t fully understand. Fuck, this is a lot to take in.
Sucking in a breath, I wipe up, flush, and wash my hands. Damian still keeps his back turned, even though it’s clear I’m done.
“You can look now,” I say.
His shoulders relax as he slowly steps away from the wall and looks at me.
“I’m sorry about this.” He rubs the back of his neck, frowning.
“It is what it is.” I shrug, then turn off the water and reach for a towel to dry my hands. My eyes meet his, and I smirk. “And you were a very good boy. You didn’t steal a single glance.”
“I told you I wouldn’t.”
Through the relatively thin walls, I can hear Otto and Lincoln talking and laughing in the kitchen.
Maybe it’ll be good for him to have some men around.
I’m just glad Otto and Damian agreed not to tell Lincoln the part about Damian being his dad.
I have no idea how my son will react, and I’m just not ready.
After rustling around in the cabinet, I pull out an extra toothbrush. “I’ve only got one.”
“Otto and I can share. I don’t think he’ll mind.”
“So, you two…” I’ve seen the way they look at each other. The familiarity. It’s clear they have a past. They probably already told me as much, and of course, I’ve forgotten. Since I don’t remember, I assume it’s okay if I ask. “Were you two together before all this?”
“Yes.” That’s all he says before picking up the toothbrush and toothpaste.
I pluck the toothpaste from him and spread some on my toothbrush before handing it back. We brush our teeth side-by-side, stealing glances in the mirror. It’s the most domestic thing I’ve ever experienced.
After he spits and sets down the toothbrush, he steps over to the toilet and unbuttons his pants.
“Shit.” I turn away, but that just puts me facing the mirror.
“I don’t care if you look, Kat,” he says. “It’s nothing you haven’t seen before. Even if you don’t remember.”
I’ve never been into the whole golden shower thing.
I mean, to each his own. But it’s kinda icky to me personally.
Still, there’s something about the idea of watching this man pee that makes my heart beat a little faster.
It’s not sexy, not exactly, but there’s an intimacy to it that draws me in.
I like that he’s so comfortable with me.
And I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little curious to see his cock.
I try to pretend I’m focusing on brushing my teeth, but I don’t turn away to face the wall. He angles himself to give me a perfect view.
Whoa. My mouth falls open, all pretense of brushing my teeth gone.
Damian’s eyes catch mine in the mirror, his gaze heavy.
I want to look back at his beautiful cock, but I can’t rip my eyes away from his.
It’s like I’ve been caught doing something I shouldn’t, even though he gave me permission to watch.
And the taboo of that has my skin tight and hot.
I barely realize he’s done until he’s zipping up his pants and walking toward the sink where I’m standing.
He pauses just behind me, no part of him touching me, but his breath is hot on my ear.
“It’s yours, Kat. I know you don’t remember.
I know you think you don’t know me. But my cock has been in every one of your holes, and it’s yours anytime you want it. ”
“What does that mean?” I gawk at him, mouth full of toothpaste. “Are you giving me free use?”
“Abso-fucking-lutely.” He hip-checks me out of the way so he can wash his hands while I just stand there with my toothbrush hanging out one side of my mouth.
Once he’s dried his hands, he gathers my hair off my neck and whispers, “Spit.”
I know he means for me to spit out the toothpaste and finish up. But fuck, that one word does things to me. It sounds so familiar, and somehow I know he’s said it to me before in a very different context.
I can almost hear the words in my mind: spit on it, love.
My hand shakes as I turn on the water. I spit, rinse my toothbrush, and then cup my hands to rinse out my mouth.
His lips brush my ear. “Good girl.”
Um, okay, yeah. That does it for me. I don’t know how I’m still horny after what Otto and I just did in the elevator.
Oh… or I guess, what the three of us did.
I remember Otto sucking on my neck, teasing my nipples.
I even remember his finger in my ass. And the way I came. Have I ever had an orgasm that intense?
That couldn’t have been just from Otto fingering my ass.
“Did you go down on me in the elevator?” I blurt out the question without thinking.
“Yes,” Damian whispers. “Does that make you uncomfortable?”
“No.” I turn around so I’m facing him. “But… I feel strangely jealous of my past self. That she got to experience that, and I can’t remember it.”
“I’d be happy to repeat the experience for you, Kat.” He’s so close I can feel his breath on my lips, smell the minty toothpaste in the air between us.
Before I can answer, Otto opens the bathroom door.
“Lincoln’s a good kid.” Otto saunters in, completely oblivious to the tension he’s disturbing. “He said he was happy that—” He stops and grins brightly. “You smell like you’re ready for us to take you to bed, beauty.”
Damian leans in, his lips brushing my ear. “Remember, love. Free. Use.”
He picks up the toothbrush he used and hands it to Otto before stepping away.
Needing a little space to cool off, I walk past them both into my bedroom, knowing that Damian will follow so I won’t forget him. He stays just a foot behind, and my heart does little fluttery flips. So much for cooling off.
I planned on just sleeping in the same sweats I’m already wearing, since I’ll be sharing the bed with two near-strangers, but after that little exchange in the bathroom, I’m overheating.
I cross the room to the chair where I keep a pile of clean laundry I haven’t put away yet.
With my back to Damian, I pull off the shirt I’m wearing and tug my sports bra over my head, baring my back.
The way he sucks in a breath is loud in the silent room.
I’ve never been shy, but I hesitate for a moment, knowing how much my body has changed in the past fourteen years. My hips have stretch marks that weren’t there before. My ass isn’t as tight, my belly is rounder, and there’s a lot less perkiness to my breasts.
I sense Damian taking a step closer, feel his warmth at my back.
His presence makes me brave, and I lower my sweatpants.
His masculine moan heats my belly. I’m completely naked, but with my back to him, it’s not all that scandalous.
I contemplate turning around, but chicken out and pull on the oversized sleep shirt I usually wear to bed.
It hits just above my knees, but without panties underneath, it still feels obscene.
Damian groans his disapproval. “Kat,” he says in a low, gravelly tone.
I turn around and play innocent. “What?”
“You know exactly what.” He crowds my space. “You teased me with your ass, but covered it up before I could sink my teeth into it. That’s a brat move, Kat. You weren’t such a brat before.”
“Well, things change.” I slide one hand up his arm. “So… you want to bite my ass, huh?”
A low groan comes from somewhere behind Damian, and I realize Otto’s joined us. “Fuck, yes. Bite her, baby. Do it.”
“I already told her how this is going to go.” Damian takes a step away from me. My lips turn down in what’s probably an epic pout. Damian smirks and crosses his arms. “You have free use of me whenever you want, Kat. But you need to make the first move.”
There’s something pained in his expression that gives me pause.
What must all of this be like for him? He offered to be my mate, to turn me into a dragon, to love me forever, and I turned him down.
Now I’m back, mated to someone he cares about.
Then, he went down on me in an elevator, and I promptly forgot him completely.
Again. Was that a free-use situation like he’s offering now?
Did he want to go down on me, or was I the one who suggested it?
That was less than thirty minutes ago, but I don’t remember any of it. How would I feel in his shoes?
Used.
I’d probably feel used. There’s no chance of a genuine relationship when we can’t build memories together. All we can have is fooling around and quickies that don’t lead anywhere, over and over again.
No longer feeling horny, I throw my arms around Damian and just hug him.
“I’m so sorry,” I whisper.
He pulls back enough to tilt my chin up so I’m looking at him. “What for?”
“For putting you through all this.” I sigh. “I think you got the short end of the stick.”
He offers me a bittersweet smile. “No, Kat. I think you did.” He licks his lips. “I can still remember the taste of you.”
And there’s my libido. Back at it.
To keep from climbing him like a tree, I lightly backhand his chest and step away. “Come on. Let’s get some sleep.”
I pull back the covers on the bed and crawl in. “Um, how do you want to do this… Do the two of you want to be next to each other?”
They share a look. Otto winks at Damian. “Much as I love having Damian’s ass against my groin, I think we both want to cuddle with you tonight, if you’ll let us.”
“Okay, yeah, that works.” I grab a rubber band off the nightstand and quickly wrap my hair in a messy bun, then slide into the middle of the bed. It’s a queen size, so it’s hardly big enough for three, but I kind of like the idea of being squished between these two men.
“Maybe I should sleep on the floor. I’ll still be close to you, so hopefully you’ll remember, but this way, if you don’t…”
“Get in the bed, Damian.” I pat the comforter beside me.
“Kat, let’s think this through. I doubt I’ll be able to keep my hands to myself, and if you wake up with a stranger groping you… Fuck, I don’t want to scare you.”
“That’s a problem for Future Kat.” I throw the covers back and crawl toward where he’s standing at the foot of the bed. “Are you okay if I smack you, Smokey? Because that might happen if I wake up and don’t remember you.”
“You can slap me six ways to Sunday, and I won’t flinch. I just don’t want you scared. Ever.”
“I’m a big girl, handsome. It’ll pass as soon as I hear the explanation. So, no problem.” I take hold of his shirt in my fist and tug. “Now, get in bed. I don’t want you sleeping on the floor.”
“Can I kiss you goodnight?” Damian sounds like he’s trying to be playful, but it still comes out sad and uncertain.
Instead of answering, I pull him down to me and touch my lips to his.