Charlie filled the pitcher while reaching behind her for a stack of three tall glasses. She set them both down together without spilling a drop.
Ben picked them up, his large hands easily wrapping around the glasses. “After you.”
Huh. Still confusing. Still hot. Dakota made their way over to the table where Parker sat.
Parker didn’t hide his slow perusal up Dakota’s body. “You brought a present for me, Ben?” He rocked further back in his chair, his eyes never leaving Dakota’s.
“Their name is Dakota, by the way. And I think we already know whose present they’re going to be.”
Their heart was pounding. Were Parker and Ben a couple looking for a third? Or were the two men actually going to fight over them? That seemed more likely. But they had seen the sparks flying between the two of them.
Either way, it took only a moment to decide how they wanted the night to end. “It looks like I’m going to be somebody’s present tonight.” They gave a little flounce. “But you’ll have to earn it first.”
Two pairs of eyes pinned them hungrily. Parker’s chair thumped on the ground and he leaned forward over the table. Ben matched his pose, like they were trying to out-man each other without leaving their seats.
Ben’s response was as smooth as glass. “Oh? What’s the contest?”
Dakota shrugged and looked around, as though thinking. Playing up the innocence was all part of reeling them in. “Darts, maybe?”
Chapter 3
Parker
Parker could hear the blood pulsing behind his ears, but he knew that anyone looking at him would only see his casual brand of control. He’d been feeling it all day—that something special was going to happen.
Whatever was going on with him and Ben had been stretched beyond its breaking point. But neither of them were willing to be the one to break.
They’d been good friends for years. Not just hanging out, but sharing some pretty heavy stuff with each other. Like how weird Ben felt about being raised by a white father and a black mother, a product of two cultures, but was seen in America as just being black. Combined with his family’s wealth that had him growing up around mostly white people, he felt like he’d never had a cultural home.
Ben was also the only one that Parker had told his whole story to, about coming out as trans to his family and being held down by his brothers while his father beat him. It wasn’t a moment he liked to relive, and he was just fortunate that he’d waited until he was done with college so that he had a savings account and an apartment ready when they disowned him.
He worked with too many teens every day who’d been kicked out of their homes without the skills and structure to support themselves. Parker knew that his job was making a difference in the world because he could see it every day.
It meant a lot to him that Ben took on pro bono cases for him, too. A visible show of respect for Parker and everything that was important to him that far exceeded anything else Ben could have given him.
But that wasn’t what had him so deliciously on edge as he tilted his chair back dangerously at Whirlwind.
There was just something about Ben, the way that he took on any challenge that Parker set for him. He was always a bit reserved at first, plotting his moves out with perfect control, learning the game, and then coming out of nowhere to egg Parker on until they were pushing past boundaries into the unexpected and unknown. The combination of control and competition was intoxicating.
Challenging Ben was almost as good as sex.
In fact, Parker had whacked off reliving some of their most daring moments. Running under a waterfall in their business suits. Victory in the bet about who could win more legal cases in a difficult week. Walking along the ledge on the roof of Ben’s office building. Holding his breath for the longest time in the pool at his apartment complex—a double jolt because he got to enjoy Ben’s muscular body in a swimsuit.
The funny thing was, when he tried to think about actually having sex with Ben, it got a little murky. Of course, he was hot as fuck. But he was a Dom through and through, and Parker wanted someone a little more... yielding.
He didn’t mind fighting for dominance. Hell, he loved the challenge. But at the end of the day, there couldn’t be any question about who would end up taking control.
The idea of having Ben chained to the bed or kneeling at his feet was laughable. And he sure as fuck wasn’t going to prostrate himself, no matter how much he wanted the sexy man.
With the way that they pushed each other and revved each other up, vanilla sex would just be disappointing.
Instead, he just watched Ben at the club. Watching him wield a whip or give a command in that deep, sexy voice was incredible. He knew that Ben was watching him, too.
It was another competition they had. They paraded subs in front of each other and showed off their techniques.
It wasn’t so much about who could use the most force or push their subs the farthest—they were both too respectful of their subs and confident in themselves to think that was what domination was about. It was more about that smirk when a sub reached that beautiful, freeing, perfect place that said I own this. For this sub, right now, I am God.
They ended up in a lot of group scenes, too. Like, a lot. They’d touched inadvertently, heat flashing through them, but made sure never to carry it any farther.
Parker was pretty sure that for all their bravado, they were both too chicken to potentially fuck up the best friendship, and the sexiest flirtation, in their lives.
That scene a few weeks ago with Eric’s boy, Micah, had started to shift things in Parker’s mind. There was something about taking turns with the same boy, watching each other perform, that got him thinking.
What if they shared a sub? Not just for an evening, or at someone else’s invitation, but as a more permanent relationship. It could work, right?
Once the seed of the idea was planted, it quickly took root. Parker had looked around the club, wondering if there was anyone who might be able to meet that particular need for them.
There were certainly enough subs who’d be willing. Delighted, even. They were both fairly popular, and their desires were—for a BDSM club—more or less mainstream.
There were always assholes who’d have a problem with Parker’s gender identity, as if he needed a biological dick to fuck someone’s brains out. But most people were cool about it.
Unfortunately, there was no one that he’d clicked with that way. Even the subs he felt more connected to felt like friends, not partners. He was pretty sure that if Ben had ever felt that spark for someone, he’d have known it. He watched the man’s every move.
So, when Ben went over to get a beer (payment for a lost bet, of course) and came back with a gorgeous, eager playmate, it seemed like fate.
Parker had known it was going to be a special day.
Parker took a moment to look over the prize Ben had brought him. Because Dakota was going to be his. Or, hopefully, a treat to share between them.
He wondered if Ben had been thinking the same thing. But he wasn’t about to say that.
Dakota was perfect. From their dangly earrings and teasingly high skirt, to their suit jacket and neatly parted shoulder-length hair, they were flawless. Their hips held just a bit of a curve, but their chest seemed flat under the blazer.
He honestly couldn’t tell what their birth-assigned gender was, but they fucking owned that space in between. Their eyes, at first nervous and eager then sparkling with mischief… Parker wanted more of those eyes on him.
He was a bit surprised that Ben was attracted to them too, but there also weren’t that many non-binary folks at the club to make a study of it. Clearly, Ben knew Parker was trans and still devoured him with his gaze whenever they were in the same room so it plainly wasn’t an issue for him.
Ben had started the unvoiced competition with his signature control and planning, picking up their new toy without a moment of hesitation and parading them in front of Park
er like they were a prize already won.
When Dakota challenged them to a game of darts, he knew they were going to be a great match. Parker wasn’t particularly good at darts, but he didn’t suck, either. He would just have to win through sheer will.
“Oh, you’re on.” He picked up the glasses and the pitcher of beer, then headed for the dart board. There was no question that Ben would follow.
The dart board was tucked around in the back corner of the L-shaped bar beyond two pool tables. It was probably set up that way to avoid errant darts hitting innocent bystanders, but this early in the evening, it also created a private nook for the three of them.
Ben, who seemed to know the most about the game, reviewed the rules. He suggested that they play 301, with a wink toward Dakota when he mentioned that it was a faster game than the usual 501.
The arrogant bastard was already expecting to win. Dakota countered that they should play to the best of three games. Parker couldn’t decide if they actually wanted to get to know Ben and him better or were just being bratty and difficult since Ben seemed to be in a hurry to progress to the next bit of the evening.
Either way, he liked that flirty spark. Not many people challenged Ben that way.
Parker pretended nonchalance during Ben’s instructions, but he was paying keen attention. He’d played darts with buddies in college, but they’d played a bunch of different games and he hadn’t thought about it in years.
Hopefully it would come back to him. Apparently, the strategy was to get doubles and triples of the high-scoring numbers, 18 to 20, early in the game. Then later in the game he’d need exact numbers to get his total down to zero. Yeah, he could totally do this.
Conversation flowed as the darts began to fly. Dakota mentioned that they were starting a medical residency next week, and they all groaned about long hours.
Now that Ben was a partner in his firm and Parker worked for a sliding scale legal clinic their hours weren’t too long, but they’d both paid their dues.
Dakota had a long, stressful road ahead of them. Though they turned it around with a quip about stress relief and a meaningful look at him and Ben.
Oh, hell yeah. Parker would sign up to be Dakota’s stress relief any day.
The crazy thing was, he was enjoying chatting with Dakota, too. They were snarky, funny, and uninhibited until you got them talking about something important—like rural medicine—and then you could see the intensity and passion come out.
Ben seemed to find this as fetching as Parker did. Could it be this easy?
Suddenly Ben went from watching and teasing to drawing Dakota into his arms. His eyes flashed down dangerously. “I think I get a little reward for the first game, right, darling?”
Fuck! Had Ben already won? And how the hell had Parker not been paying attention? He always paid attention when there was a bet on the line.
But then Dakota was looking up at Ben with hunger in their eyes, and Ben was leaning down and crushing Dakota’s mouth, and every other thought fled.
God, they were sexy together. Dakota fucking melted against Ben’s strong frame, their small hands seemingly helpless to do anything more than cling to Ben’s shirt while he devoured their mouth.
Parker knew that eager yielding would be doing to Ben the same things it was to him. Images of Dakota on their knees, hands tied behind their back while they sucked Ben’s cock flashed into his mind.
At last they parted, and Dakota was clinging to Ben, panting and flushed. Their lipstick was just a bit smudged and Parker wanted to just bite their swollen lips.
He had to win the next game.
Chapter 4
Ben
Ben reluctantly pulled away from the delicious morsel in his arms. Dakota was a spitfire, which made their surrender to his kisses all the more sweet.
They’d been all challenge and talk until they’d felt Ben’s lips, and then they’d given everything to Ben, letting him control the kiss.
When he’d pulled back, Dakota had been unsteady on their feet. They’d looked up at him with that devotion and trust that said they wouldn’t even worry about their balance because they knew he’d take care of it.
If Dakota wasn’t a sub, they certainly had submissive tendencies. Maybe just waiting to be discovered for the first time. If Ben’s cock wasn’t already pushing angrily against his jeans from that kiss, that idea would have been all that it took.
It didn’t help that Dakota fit in perfectly with the vibe he had going with Parker.
Dakota could trash talk with the best of them, but made it all feel like foreplay. Ben might die of blue balls if he didn’t get Dakota home soon. He couldn’t wait to see the expression on Parker’s face.
Except, of course, when he looked over at Parker, he was fixing them both with a predatory stare.
It was always like that with Parker, fight or fuck, but tonight it seemed like the barriers were down. What would Parker’s skin feel like against his own, he wondered for the millionth time.
Parker was the first to get his act together and launched them into the second game. He was throwing pretty well, and so far they were pretty evenly matched.
As the game came to a close, Ben and Parker were neck and neck, each of them a single round away from winning if they could just get the right numbers to zero out their scores exactly.
Then Dakota sat on Ben’s lap. They made it look somehow both innocent and dirty, claiming that they needed a cuddle since they weren’t going to win. All the while, they were grinding against his erection like it was a lap dance.
Parker smirked when Ben could hardly stand up for his turn.
And of course, Parker won on the next throw. Bastard.
Naturally, Dakota bounced right off his lap and into Parker’s arms. Ben wanted to be annoyed, both at Parker for winning and at Dakota for distracting him.
But all he could do was watch, entranced.
Parker, bold as hell, caught Dakota around the waist with one arm trapped between them, and then gripped their other wrist before dragging them into the kiss.
Dakota’s submission was instantaneous. They didn’t fight the possessive hold, just held their position, shaking, as Parker laid claim to their mouth.
Parker, being Parker, took it one step further and pulled both of Dakota’s hands behind their back, holding their wrists together.
Ben felt like he might come just watching them together. If there was one thing hotter than dominating Dakota, it was watching Parker do it.
Ben suddenly wasn’t so sure that he wanted to win. Oh, to be a fly on the wall for that scene. Which was just an… odd feeling.
He felt like he should be jealous, or at least more determined than ever to win. Whenever Parker was around, he always wanted to win. Losing his chance with Dakota was unthinkable.
But all that he could do was watch and try not to groan out loud.
Dakota gave and gave, holding perfectly to their bound position while Parker took and took, biting and licking at their swollen lips.
When Parker reluctantly pulled away, Ben could see him giving Dakota that moment to recover and find their balance.
Parker, of course, looked perfectly at ease. If Ben hadn’t been watching his pulse, he’d never have realized how much he was affected.
In fact, he’d never seen Parker watch a sub like he was watching this one.
The next game was a total blur. Dakota’s favorite move seemed to be rubbing up against the two of them seductively, only to breathily whisper something innocently devastating like, “it’s your turn” into his ear.
Like anyone could concentrate with all of that going on.
But Ben was thoroughly enjoying himself. Watching Parker squirm was almost as good as having Dakota’s hot little hands on his own body.
It got to the point where he wasn’t even paying attention to the game, just watching Dakota to see what they’d do next.
Apparently, it was fixing the straps of their sandals. Which seemed to involve b
ending over until he and Parker could see just the hint of red panties under their very, very short skirt.
Ben felt like he couldn’t breathe. And this little minx was going to be a doctor?
Dakota stood back up and threw their darts as if they hadn’t just put on a show that left Ben’s mind in a whirl.
“I won!” they crowed, arms raised in victory. Was that right? Probably. Yeah, they’d needed 39 and they had a 20, a 14, and a 5 which was... who cared?
But now what would happen? They were at a three-way tie, so clearly they would need another round to determine the winner. But he’d set a precedent of the winner claiming a kiss.
Who would Dakota want to kiss?
Dakota seemed to relish their moment in the spotlight, stalking between the two of them with a look of exaggerated consideration. “Hmmm… it seems that I’m owed a kiss…”
Ben steadied his nerves and tried to look as calm as Parker always did.
Dakota stepped back and crossed their arms over their chest. Ben couldn’t help but notice that without the jacket, that they had the slightest swell of breasts. They certainly weren’t wearing a bra.
“I think…” they pulled it out, “that I want to see you two kiss each other.”
“What? Me kiss Parker?” The words were out before Ben could control them. Yeah, he pretty much sounded like an idiot. Like he hadn’t dreamed of doing exactly that a hundred times.
Dakota giggled, which didn’t help. Now he was all flustered.
Parker was thoroughly enjoying himself. He stalked toward Ben with a smirk. “You going to renege on your deal?”
Then Parker was right in front of him, closing in with those soft, pink lips, pulling him down with a hand on his neck…
Pleasure raced through Ben’s body as he finally, finally, felt Parker against him.
The battle was on. Parker pulled at his neck and Ben retaliated by burying his hand in that silky hair and tugging until he had Parker’s head just where he wanted it.
Whirlwind Page 17
