Chapter 9
I kept an eye on my rearview as Karsyn followed me along the backroads to my home. I had a cozy space that suited my needs. It had an open floor plan with a large, eat-in kitchen and living room with a fireplace, as well as an oversized suite, along with a guest bedroom and office. Sometimes I needed to log onto my website for the club or the store and handle administrative tasks, but mostly I enjoyed going to Cheyenne and being at the store in person.
I stood at the front door waiting for Karsyn. August pulled up in his gray all-terrain vehicle behind us. I smiled, feeling a sense of warmth as the two of them chatted as they walked to my door. I unlocked it and leaned against the doorjamb. August reached me first but allowed Karsyn to enter. I had them both where I wanted them, but I had talked up the experience. It was time to put my money where my mouth was. Two brats to handle. We were going to have so much fun.
“Your house is lovely, Logan,” Karsyn said admiringly.
“Thank you. Why don’t the two of you make yourselves comfortable on the couch?”
They nodded, but August followed me while I focused on brewing coffee.
“Did you tell Karsyn we are in a relationship?” August crossed his arms over his chest.
I glanced at his overall posture. “Yes, I did. I thought we talked about that the other day. You and I are a package deal. Did I misunderstand?”
He chewed on his bottom lip as he stared. Finally, he shook his head. “No, Logan. I’m not upset. I like her. I like you. This should be a no-brainer.”
“Then what is bothering you, August?” I handed him a mug of coffee and wrapped my arm around his waist. He leaned into me and let out a long breath.
“I have never been open about this side of me. The way I was poking you in the club in front of Karsyn and Kendall… I never do that kind of shit. I am honestly terrified to think about being in public with my relationships. Being judged.”
I pulled him closer and cupped his face. “Hey.”
“Don’t. I know what you’re going to say, Logan.”
“What am I going to say?” I cocked an eyebrow and gestured for him to continue.
August closed his eyes and opened them again. “You’re going to say it’s letting my fears and insecurities, the ones I’ve let get in my way my whole life, lead my choices instead of allowing myself the freedom to be myself.”
“I’m pretty fucking smart, aren’t I?” I teased, lightly kissing his neck before nipping it.
“Yeah, you really are. It’s because you pay attention. Thanks for the pep talk.”
“You’re welcome,” I replied, though he had done all the talking.
August took a sip from his mug, his eyes nearly rolling back in his head. “Damn. This is the best coffee I’ve ever had. Karsyn! Do you want one?”
“No, thank you. Maybe you’ll let me try yours? If I have another coffee, I’ll bounce off the walls,” she called from the couch.
“Fair point.”
August nuzzled against my hand before making his way across the space, to take a seat next to Karsyn. I followed, sitting on his other side. I wanted to present a united front, since he and I were still fresh out of the box, so to speak. We’d barely been dating for a week. August was still getting used to the idea of me being his Dominant. I took his hand, watching Karsyn.
“So, I believe I owe you an apology, Logan,” she whispered.
“You believe?” I prompted. Though we established a relationship in the parking lot, we had not discussed rules and guidelines. I could not hold her accountable for her bratty behavior the way I would from here on.
“I, uh, wanted to see what you would do after issuing an order. I should have talked about it instead of refusing. I will ask for clarification next time and I apologize for not voicing it out loud.” She nodded.
“You’re forgiven. Moving forward, though, if I tell you to do something I expect you to comply. If I accidentally hit against a limit or a boundary you can tell me.”
“Yes, I appreciate it. I’m just worried. I was thinking on the way here that I don’t know what it’s like to be in a dynamic with two people.” Karsyn blew out a breath. “I’m interested though, please don’t misunderstand me.”
August took her other hand, squeezing it lightly. “We do need to talk. I’ll adopt the same rules as Logan, but we handle consequences differently.”
Karsyn glanced at me before nodding again. She seemed lost in thought.
“For the most part, unless it’s a serious infraction, I don’t typically punish with physical discipline,” I said simply. “I may have said it to both of you separately and wanted to make sure you are both clear on my expectations.”
“I don’t mean to interrupt, but you absolutely have used physical punishment with me.” August sounded confused.
“I said typically. Also, I’ve already explained that you’re an exception. If you’d like to discuss your punishments with me directly, we can talk about it later. Hear me clearly,” I said louder than my previous statement. “There is nothing secret about it, but it’s important to me for you to be comfortable while we’re getting used to our dynamic.”
“Yes, Sir. You’re right, and I forget. I appreciate the consideration.” August tapped Karsyn gently on her knee.
She looked up and raised her eyebrows. “I’m listening and processing it all, August. I haven’t ever experienced discipline of any kind. When I was little, I was a goody-two-shoes.”
“Because you didn’t think anyone would actually pay attention to your behavior if you acted out?” I casually attempted to glean additional information, though she had directed the statement to August.
“Whenever I became emotional, someone inevitably threw food at me thinking it would fix the situation, and I went to my room to cry alone.” She looked down into her lap.
“I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories, darling. I just want to know why you felt the need to put such unreasonable pressure on yourself.”
“I don’t know, Logan. There were always so many people in my house, but I always felt alone. I played by myself a lot.” She shook her head as if trying to shake away the bad memories.
August looped his arm around her shoulders, and she rested her head against him. Though the gesture was sweet, I could feel an underlying sexual tension bubbling under the surface.
“I hate to hear you had to deal with that at home.” He sighed. “Do you still want to talk about consequences?”
“Mmhm.”
“Can you please give me a yes or no, sweetheart?”
“Yes, August. I’m listening to what you have to say.”
“I used to rely heavily on physical punishment as a response, but it really depends on the individual. If you enjoy being spanked, as an example, it may not be the best way to deter you from breaking another rule. I happen to enjoy spanking in general and there are many different types… not always just for discipline.”
Karsyn nodded several times, her bottom lip working in and out of her teeth. “I don’t think I can explain in words. I need to be spanked. Probably often.”
“Punishments and spankings are completely different, darling,” I interjected. “We both have quite the implement collection. However, if you need it, then using it as a deterrent as August said, would not work very well. Contrary to popular belief, punishments aren’t supposed to be something you want to earn. And if you do feel that way, please talk to me.”
August glanced at me, his tongue darting out to lick his lip. I wondered if something I said turned him on or if there was something else on his mind.
“Do you care to share, babyboy?”
“My concern is not being dominant enough for Karsyn if I’m being submissive to you.”
I thought about what he meant, regardless of his tone. His haughty, devil-may-care attitude seemed to be another defense mechanism.
“May I?” Karsyn poked his side, and he nodded, allowing her to voice a reply. “I don’t want to keep saying the same thing, but I’ve never been in a healthy dynamic at all. I’m concerned with following our rules and getting to know you rather than what you’re doing or not doing with Logan. If you’re poking at him, it’s none of my business. Unless of course I’m around and I join in, but then we’re getting in trouble together.”
“I appreciate your sincerity. I don’t think bratting or poking in general equals a punishment, necessarily, unless it’s excessive or disrespectful. For me, I get very caught in my head,” he said softly. “So, I don’t know how to stop my mouth. I’ll keep running it even after I’m… well… long after I should. However, I haven’t figured out the line between playful banter and blatant disrespect. Logan is my first boyfriend.”
“Only,” I corrected.
“Oh yeah? So, you’re just going to marry me someday?”
“I just might.” I kept my eyes on him as his face flushed pink. August rated hot on any meter you measured him on—sexy body, gorgeous eyes, hair, everything. The sight of him blushing from something I said to him made him a million times hotter. Not wanting to miss the opportunity, I leaned into him and nipped his neck. “What do you think of that?”
“You can’t order me to marry you, Logan.”
Tracing my finger along his jawline, I chuckled. “Can’t I?”
August scowled. I had a feeling the two of us needed to talk more at length about the trajectory course for our relationship. Yes, he was technically correct, I couldn’t order him to marry me. But his eyes shined with unshed tears. I had a funny feeling August hadn’t been chosen a lot in his formative years. No one made him a priority. It was just my guess since he bottled his emotions. He shared some things, but there were a lot of missing pieces. I could take a few stabs at his past, but until he told me in detail, I had little to go on.
Finally, he laced his fingers in mine. “I am not used to this, Logan. I’m working on it.”
“I’m confident in my ability to balance the three of us. However, it does not mean I’m going to be perfect out of the gate. Neither of you could possibly expect that, anyhow. Let’s focus on spending time together. Everything else will fall into place.”
My two brats nodded their agreement while I marveled over my statement. Luke would be proud of me for figuring out how to make this work, even though I still wasn’t entirely sure. I let out a breath as I came to the realization that my doubt wasn’t a bad thing. It would keep me checking in with my new partners as well as keeping a pulse on the overall relationship. What a wild day this was shaping into.