Chapter 21
CHAD
Blake knows!
I can’t stop celebrating the fact that my best friend knows about John and I. Not only that he knows, but that John told him and Liam! I kept my promise to my husband, I didn’t tell anyone, but knowing that it’s out in the open—at least some parts—has made me absolutely giddy the last few days.
Even if John’s been extra grumpy and in denial that he was sick.
He definitely had the same illness I did, and those first couple of days were brutal.
The whole time I was sick, I loved that he was there taking care of me, bringing me soup, handing me meds at the right times, and he even washed my sheets!
But nope, I couldn’t do that for John. Every time I tried to help, he fought to take over. Even though he was sick, John still wanted to do everything himself. He really is stubborn. His need to maintain control is still prevalent even while sweating on the couch.
But now that we’re both feeling better, sex is finally back on the table, and I have the best idea ever. I just need Blake to come over to help me so I can surprise John. If Blake didn’t know, I don’t know how I’d possibly pull this off. So as they say, the stars are aligning.
The delivery notification pops up on my phone, and I run to the door to grab my package, Jack and Jenny on my heels. These two are obsessed with me already, but I’m somehow even more obsessed with them. We have such a special bond.
I pick up the package and rip off the outer plastic wrap to reveal a fancy-looking black box waiting for me. My excitement is at an all-time high as I open it and am met with the softest looking rope. The website said something about it being polished and buttered, and it sure feels like it.
“Guys, look at this! Your one-day Daddy is going to love it. It’s so soft and nice, and I bet it’ll feel really good wrapped around me. Oh shit, I don’t think I’m supposed to say things like that in front of you! Pretend you didn’t hear that!”
The donkeys don’t do anything, they just look at me, probably wondering why I’m talking and not petting them.
“You’re right, let’s get Uncle Blake over here. I promise we can hang out with you first,” I assure the donkeys. “And soon you’ll get to meet his new puppy! They only just got it so we need to wait a little longer, but I know you’ll be the best of friends.”
Chad
Can you come over? I need your help with a surprise for John
Blake
Be right over!
John doesn’t like surprises, and I understand why, but I genuinely think he’ll like this one because it’s thoughtful and intentional and, more importantly, it shows I’m paying attention to the things he enjoys.
It seems like almost instantly there’s a knock at my door, and when I open it, Blake is standing there, still all tanned from his tropical honeymoon. I love how close we are now that I live here.
“Hey, man!” I step aside to let him in as Jenny and Jack come to say hello.
He immediately drops down to pet them. “I still can’t get over the fact that you asked people at my wedding if you could buy their houses, but I’m so happy you’re, like, two minutes away!”
“Isn’t it great?” I agree, shutting the door behind him. “It’ll be even better once my house projects start, and I’ll get to meet John’s brothers.”
“I don’t know what I’m more shocked about, the fact that we’re both bi or that you and John are together,” he says with a laugh. “Also, did you know you were bi before or after you started questioning me on the logistics of gay sex?”
I smile a bit guiltily. I really did hate hiding things from him.
“Uhhh, well, I had a feeling. But yeah, that’s why I asked you so many specifics.
” Then I realize I don’t need to hide everything from Blake anymore, which means I can admit the truth.
“I really do like John though. I’m hoping it’ll turn into more than just the sex stuff it is right now, which I’m excelling at by the way, thanks for the tips. ”
Blake laughs again. “Anytime. I hope that things work out for you two then. He’d be lucky to be with you for real.”
“I think he cares about me too,” I admit, hoping I’m not totally off base as I say it aloud for the first time. “But he’s working through some stuff in his past, so I’m trying to show him that being in a relationship isn’t a big, scary thing. Which is where you come in.”
“Anything you need, my dude,” Blake agrees easily.
“Thank you. You’re the best best friend.” I hurry over to my fancy new box of ropes and open them so Blake can see. His eyes go wide as his smile grows.
“So John tied my hands to his bedpost—it was really hot—and I want to do it again, but more,” I explain.
“I decided I should get him nice rope as a gift, and when I was looking up what kind to get, I kept seeing this other term for using rope with sex stuff, Shibari, which sounded so fancy, so obviously I needed to know more, and it looks so cool. There’s so many different uses and intricate styles, but it also seems complicated.
Anyway, I need you to figure this out with me so I can impress John. ”
“Hell yeah, I love when Liam ties me up. Let’s do it! Also, what is it you want to do exactly?” Blake asks, still smiling even though he’s unsure.
“Well, it’s like tying rope around my body in patterns, so I need you to follow the video with me and help me master it.”
“You’re not gonna be naked or anything, are you?”
“Nah, dude. All the people in the videos do it over their clothes. Also, a lot of the beginner videos are super basic like tying wrists, but I think we should go for the more advanced stuff so it’ll seem like I put real effort in,” I explain.
I could probably do those ones myself, but I really want John to be impressed.
“Okay, yeah, show me. Maybe I can impress Liam too,” Blake says, motioning to my phone, and I pull up the photo I think we should attempt. His eyes go even wider, and he lets out a surprised laugh. “Oh my God, this is going to look like I’m kidnapping you!”
“No, it’s fun! It’s called a butterfly harness,” I explain, hoping he’ll be excited about this, too.
“It says you can be suspended, why the hell do you need to be suspended, Chad? Just buy a sex swing like a normal person,” he jokes.
“I don’t know! I just thought this looked cool,” I say defensively.
Do I need to buy a sex swing too? Where would it even go? John is handy though, I’m sure he’d know… Eh, that’s a focus for another time.
“Alright, if you want to do this, let’s do it,” Blake agrees quickly, clapping his hands together. I knew he’d be down for any crazy idea I had. “How hard can it be?”
We stand in the middle of the living room with my laptop open, trying to follow the instructions. “Step one, double the rope, easy.” Blake nods approvingly as I do just that.
“Easy,” I agree. Then follow along wrapping the midpoint of the rope around my back like the video shows, bringing the rope forward across my chest and over my shoulders. Hell, I might not even need Blake for this.
“Looking good,” Blake compliments with a nod.
“We totally got this, dude.” I feel accomplished already. “Knew we could skip the beginner stuff.”
Then the video starts wrapping the rope in the front part, and I attempt it. “Hang on. It’s twisted,” Blake says, moving to help me untwist it.
We don’t pause the video, and I quickly lose track of what the instructor is talking about. “Wait, we missed a step. The video already has two more ties, and I don’t know how she got there.”
“Well, back it up,” Blake suggests while he’s trying to smooth the rope so it’s not bunched in my shirt or twisted up.
I get to the spot and press play again. “Okay, twist it into the other side,” I instruct, and he does. “Now pull it down the middle and crisscross it.”
“Like this?” he asks, and I focus back on the video.
“I don’t know. That doesn’t look right to me. Whatever, I’m sure it’s fine, just keep going,” I insist, not wanting to keep missing steps.
Blake tries to keep up, pulling one side of the rope before moving it around my back.
“Okay,” I narrate, focusing hard on the instructor. “She goes under, over then around.”
“That’s not what she did.”
“It absolutely is.”
“That is under-over-over.” We both lean in like we’re trying to review game tape as we try to replicate it, and within seconds, the rope is tangled in three separate places and one side is visibly shorter than the other.
“It’s twisted,” Blake needlessly points out. He reaches forward to flatten the rope again where it’s messed up, and we somehow tangle ourselves more. “Stop moving, Chad!”
“I’m not moving,” I shout back.
“This is ridiculous,” Blake huffs, shaking his head, face breaking out into a smile just as Jenny comes over and nudges him with her snout like she’s checking in on our progress.
“She’s totally judging us.” I laugh now because I can feel this unraveling faster than we’re fixing it.
“She absolutely is,” Blake agrees, letting his hand fall from the rope to pet her and, of course, a part of the rope slips.
He steps back to assess the situation and immediately starts laughing harder because the front cross now looks nothing like a butterfly.
“Why is this side higher?” He wheezes as he asks.
“I don’t know! This is your handiwork,” I remind him through my laughter.
“Okay, okay,” Blake says, taking a calming breath. “We can do this. We’re grown-ass adults. We just need a reset.”
“Right, we totally can. We have men to impress.” I agree even though I’m not exactly sure how this will benefit Blake or Liam, but it probably makes him feel better about being involved.
He steps in, serious now, adjusting the tension along my back, trying to even out the loops on my chest.
“Under,” he mutters to himself. “Then over. Then—nope, that’s wrong. Uh-oh.”
“Why did you just say uh-oh? Did you tie a knot we can’t undo?”
Blake flashes me an innocent smile that is absolutely not innocent and shrugs. “Maybe?”