The Bride's Unexpected Change in Plans

by Rachel Clark

  The trip home was quiet. Kimberley closed her eyes, but it was obvious to him that she wasn’t asleep. He was almost relieved when she woke easily, walked herself into the apartment, and went straight into her own bedroom. Carrying her to bed, despite the fact that he’d done it before, suddenly seemed far more intimate than it should have.

  He was still contemplating the shift in his emotions when Dayved arrived home.

  * * * *

  As soon as he stepped through the doorway Dayved sensed something was wrong.

  “What happened? Where’s Kimberley?” he asked when he saw his tredella sitting on the sofa.

  “She’s sleeping,” Ewin said. He patted the sofa in a clear invitation for Dayved to sit beside him, but despite Ewin’s calm demeanor, Dayved couldn’t quite shake the feeling that something was wrong.

  “Is she okay?”

  “She’s fine. Just sleeping. I’ve ordered dinner for delivery. It should be here in about a half an hour.”

  “Are you all right?” Dayved asked, studying his lover closely.

  Ewin gave him a half laugh. “I’m not sure. This morning I would have said everything was fine, but well, something happened when I went to collect Kimberley from work.”

  “Something like what?” Dayved couldn’t explain the fear coursing through him. It was concern for his tredella and the woman they were protecting, but it was also more—a type of deep-seated feeling or a sixth sense that told him something was off kilter.

  Ewin must have registered the anxiety in his voice because he turned suddenly to look at him. He scrubbed a hand down his face in a very Ewin-like show of agitation. “I’m sorry,” he said on a deep exhale of air. “I’m messing this up. Everything is fine. Kimberley is just tired. I’m just…” His words trailed off as if he couldn’t quite explain his own state of mind. “I’m just imagining things that aren’t there.” He sat up straighter as if he pushed aside whatever was on his mind. “How was your day? Did your presentation go as planned?”

  Dayved frowned at his lover but decided to accept the change in topic. Whatever was going on, Ewin would tell him when he was ready. It made the man very frustrating to live with on occasions, but it was definitely part of his overall charm. Ewin never discussed a topic of concern unless he also had the solution sorted out as well.

  With one last glance at the closed door to Kimberley’s bedroom, he sat beside his lover and told him about his day.

  * * * *

  Kimberley lay in bed and tried not to listen to the conversation in the next room. It was good news that Dayved’s presentation had gone smoothly, but since she wasn’t really part of the family or a part of the current conversation, eavesdropping just seemed wrong.

  When they fell silent, she used her imagination to fill in the blanks. For the past seven weeks she’d been listening through the wall to them make love to each other. She’d never even considered a physical expression of love between two men until she’d arrived on Descon, but her education had caught up quickly once she’d had access to the information Desconians took for granted.

  She’d seen them kiss and hug affectionately, but unlike what she understood as common Desconian behavior, they didn’t walk around naked or invite others over to share their voyeuristic tendencies. She was fairly certain they had those. Why else would they have three large beds in a single room? They’d been quick to move her bed out of there, so she had to assume that the guest bed was very literally for guests to watch them make love to each other.

  She was definitely curtailing their natural behavior simply by being there.

  Feeling restless and out of sorts, Kimberley climbed out of bed to use the bathroom. She tiptoed so that she wouldn’t disrupt their time together. She was concentrating so hard that she couldn’t control the startled scream when she slammed into Ewin coming out of the bathing area.

  He pulled her close, steadying her for a moment—a long moment—before stepping back and giving her a concerned smile.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Sorry,” she said, trying to hide her embarrassment. “I thought you were in the bedroom.”

  “Everything all right?” Dayved asked from behind them. He stood at the end of the hallway, a blanket from the bed wrapped hastily around his hips.

  “Sorry,” she said again, not certain what to say. So much for staying out of their way. “Just startled. I didn’t mean to interrupt.” She tried to inch away so that she could run back to her bedroom. “I’m really, really sorry.”

  “Hey,” Dayved said, moving toward her, the blanket dragging behind him. “Kimberley, it’s okay. Dinner will be here soon. We probably didn’t really have time anyway.” He looked at his lover, a wry smile forming on his lips as he shrugged.

  “Oh,” she said, feeling even more wretched. They wouldn’t have had to retreat to their bedroom if she hadn’t been under their feet. The worst part was that, with her immigration status still undecided and deportation a real possibility, she didn’t even have the choice of giving them some space. The only reason she was still on the planet was because these two men had fought hard for her to be able to stay. Trouble was that it made her their responsibility until they could find a suitable Desconian couple to take her off their hands. “Maybe I should go h–home.”

  “No!” Ewin said immediately. Dayved stepped closer, cupped her chin with his hand, and lifted her face. He searched her eyes as if he could see deep into her soul. Hell, maybe he could. He’d shown an uncanny knack of sensing when she was feeling down.

  “Why?” Dayved asked as he locked his gaze with hers. Ewin looked angry, but he didn’t question his tredellabina’s calm attitude.

  “Because I’m interrupting your lives.”

  “In what way?” Dayved seemed just a little too calm. It was prickling her skin with awareness as he apparently watched every frantic thought that went through her head.

  “In what way?” she parroted inanely. “Are you kidding me?” She glanced at Ewin, noticed that he’d dragged on a loose pair of pants just to go to the bathing area in his own house, and then turned back to Dayved. “Desconian marriages are uninhibited and natural and…and…and naked…and I’m ruining that for you. I’m getting in the way.”

  “Sweetheart,” Dayved said as he guided her to sit on the sofa. He gently pushed Ewin to sit down beside her. “Kimberley, it’s not that big a deal. Many of our friends have children these days. Our friends no longer get to wander their houses naked. It’s no big deal.”

  “But I’m not a child. I’m not even your responsibility. I’m just a reject nobody wanted.” Her voice came out sounding more sulky than was probably warranted. Hell, they must think her the most ungrateful person in the universe. They’d taken her into their home when it truly hadn’t been their problem to deal with. They’d protected her, fought for her, given her a second chance to claim the life she’d come to Descon seeking.

  But, fair or not, it really annoyed her to be compared to the disruption a child brought to a happy marriage. The worst part was it reminded her that despite seven weeks of being immersed in a culture where sex and sexuality were not considered evil and the fast track to hell, that she was still a virgin. She hadn’t even experienced this thing called orgasm. In the quiet of her room, late at night, she’d even tried to recreate some of the things she’d seen on the “inspirational” videos, but she hadn’t been certain she was even doing it right.

  “Kimberley,” Ewin said, placing his arm around her shoulders the way he did when he was protecting her, “we enjoy having you here. You’re not a bother, and we don’t mind—”

  “But I mind,” she said, cutting off whatever he was going to say. “I hate that you feel the need to treat me like a child.”

  “A what?” Dayved asked. He looked genuinely confused. “Why would you think we’re treating you like a child?”

  “Because you cover up and you have sex behind closed doors, and it’s obvious that it wasn’t always that way. I mean you had three
beds in your bedroom, but since I’ve been here you haven’t even had any visitors.”

  “Have too,” Dayved said with a smile on his face.

  “But not for…a…um… What do you call them?”

  “A play party,” Ewin supplied helpfully.

  “Yes a play party. And you can’t go out without me, so I know you two aren’t living your lives the way you should be, the way you did before I crash-landed into your lives. I just…I don’t…I think maybe you should…”

  “We should what, honey?”

  “Have friends over. Do what you normally do. Pretend I’m not here. I’ll go into my room. You won’t even know I’m here.”

  “What if we want you here?” Dayved asked with a raised eyebrow. Ewin laughed, the deep sound reverberating through her upper body.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well we’ve established that you’re an adult, that you aren’t offended by our lifestyle, and that you’re curious about things that are outlawed on Earth.”

  “Some aren’t illegal,” she said reflexively, confused by her need to defend a planet that would likely vilify her for her behavior on this one, even though she hadn’t actually indulged in any of the things the government of Earth considered immoral.

  “Sounds like a rather boring way to procreate, though,” Ewin said, sounding far happier than she expected him to feel. “We know you’re curious about Descon lifestyles. While we search for the perfect Descon couple for you to love, you are very welcome to watch us together.”

  “That does sound like fun,” Dayved said as the door chime announced the arrival of their dinner.

  * * * *

  Ewin could feel her trembling, the idea apparently either appealing greatly or scaring her witless. Goddess, he hoped it was the first choice. The thought of having her watch him and Dayved together filled him with an excitement he’d never felt with any of their other friends. There was something special about Kimberley, and a part of him really wanted to explore it. Unfortunately, the part of him loyal to his tredellabina remembered the pact they’d made five years ago. They’d briefly considered adding a woman to their lives, but with so few available and even fewer able to procreate, it just seemed like too much hard work at the time.

  He had a wonderful relationship with Dayved. He shouldn’t even be contemplating wanting more. But the woman sitting beside him made him want more. Suddenly the thought of living his entire life without a third to complete their triad seemed a little empty. He pulled Kimberley just a little closer as he acknowledged that he wasn’t thinking about some faceless woman they may or may not meet one day in the future. His emotions were very specifically tied to the woman in his arms.

  The knowing look Dayved gave him as he passed through the living area with the food delivery in his arms seemed to suggest that his lover knew exactly what he was thinking. But it was a discussion they needed to have together before they involved Kimberley. There was no way he would put the human woman in a situation where she could be rejected again.

  He stood up, helped Kimberley to her feet, and together they headed into the eating area where Dayved was serving out dinner.

  * * * *

  Dayved watched his lover with the woman who’d somehow filled a gap in their lives that they hadn’t even noticed was there. It was natural for a relationship to ebb and flow, to change and evolve and occasionally slow down, but Kimberley’s addition wasn’t really a part of that. It was somehow more. Almost like the completion of a circle. It made their lives better even in parts that had been perfect before.

  And if he wasn’t mistaken, his lover was thinking the same things.

  They needed to talk, to discuss the possibility of a future that neither of them had been looking for but had maybe found anyway. But perhaps there was something he could do in the meanwhile. He joined them at the table, smiled at his lover’s happy grin, and turned his attention to Kimberley.

  “Are you sure about wanting to watch us together? There’s no rush. If you want to take your time to think about it, we understand.”

  “It’s all I seem to think about,” Kimberley said, looking embarrassed as the words left her mouth. “I mean…oh, heavens.” She took a deep breath and shook her head. “That’s exactly what I mean.” She blushed prettily but forged on with her explanation. “I came to Descon expecting to learn about sex and sexuality and all the things that were considered dirty on my planet, yet I find myself feeling even more repressed than I did on Earth.”

  “In what way?” Ewin asked with genuine concern in his voice. Even if Dayved was reading his partner’s desire for Kimberley incorrectly, there was absolutely no doubt he cared deeply for the woman.

  “It’s like I’m surrounded by all these things and attitudes that should make my life happier, but instead of being a part of it, I’m furtively listening between walls and watching impersonal instructional videos. I’m stumbling around trying to understand a culture I want to be a part of, but I don’t know how to go about it.” She sighed as she gave them both a forced smile. “Hell, I can’t even figure out how to masturbate properly.”

  “You’ve never masturbated before?” Dayved asked, feeling really shocked by her admission. He believed that human teenagers went through the same hormonal changes Desconian adolescents experienced. Self-exploration was encouraged in Desconian society, but apparently that wasn’t the case on Earth. Hell, they’d probably labeled masturbation as evil as well. He couldn’t even imagine going through such intimate hormonal changes and being vilified, condemned, and made to feel dirty for what was essentially a natural, biological reaction. Life on planet Earth must be awfully confusing for the young. No wonder they had an enormous crime problem.

  “Would you like to sleep in our bedroom tonight, Kimberley?” Ewin asked quietly. “It’s the best seat in the house if you want to watch, and Dayved and I can perhaps give you some coaching on masturbation techniques.”

  Kimberley smiled shyly, bit her lips together, but nodded her willingness. “I would appreciate that.”

  * * * *

  Kimberley knew she was going to hell. Not for anything of the sexual nature she wanted to learn about but simply for the fact that she was lying to two men who’d done everything for her.

  She didn’t want to watch.

  She wanted between them.

  And that made her feel more wretched than ever. They were her friends, and amazingly wonderful guys, and the last thing she should be thinking about was doing anything that would affect their perfect marriage. It was beyond selfish.

  “Are you a virgin?” Dayved asked as casually as if he were offering her more coffee.

  She felt that heated blush cover her cheeks again but brazened out the feeling. “Yes.”

  Both men seemed a little stunned by her answer, but she wasn’t really sure why. The fact that she hadn’t masturbated before coming to live with them surely suggested her lack of experience.

  “Would that help protect you if you went back to Earth?”

  Disappointed by the turn in the conversation, Kimberley nevertheless shook her head. “Even if I can prove my virginity to the authorities, just the fact that I’ve visited Descon will be enough to make life difficult.” She tried to smile even as painful memories crowded her thoughts. “When my boss on Earth learned that I was conversing with Juna and Hollank, he fired me. I wasn’t able to find employment after that. I pretty much sold everything I had to stay alive long enough to catch the transport to Descon.”

  “Goddess,” Dayved said as he hurried around the table, lifted her out of her chair, and gathered in his arms. “And you were willing to go back when those people abandoned you? Fuck, Kimberley, promise me you won’t even think of going back there ever again.”

  Kimberley nodded, willing to promise him and Ewin anything. She nearly cried with relief when Ewin stood up and wrapped his arms around her and Dayved. She clung to both men, shaking with reaction to their nearness even though she tried to tell herself it wa
sn’t appropriate. She knew from the instructional videos that most Desconians watched others have sex but kept the physical touching within their own relationship. She shouldn’t be letting Dayved and Ewin comfort her this way.

  But she couldn’t help wishing for things she had no right to ask for.

  * * * *

  Ewin couldn’t believe how right it felt to hold both of them in his arms. He pressed a kiss to his husband’s neck, squeezing them both tighter when Dayved placed the same sort of affectionate kiss on Kimberley’s shoulder. Then, as if to make the entire moment perfect, Dayved turned his face up to him, mouthed the words “I love you,” and slowly lowered his lips toward Kimberley’s.

  Ewin placed a hand at the back of his lover’s skull, caressing him softly, reassuring him with his touch that he was happy with his tredellabina’s decision to bring Kimberley into their lives in this way. Kimberley pulled away slightly, her gaze going to Ewin’s, the question in her eyes unmistakable.

  “It’s okay, honey,” he said on a husky whisper. “I want you to kiss him.”

  She looked surprised, but he could also see the longing in her eyes. He nodded reassuringly, smiled at the relief on his tredellabina’s face, and then watched as the two people most important to him shared their first kiss.

  It was obvious that Kimberley had no idea what to do, but she let Dayved take the lead, opening her mouth on a soft sigh as Dayved caressed her lips with his tongue.

  “Goddess, that is a beautiful sight,” Ewin said on a groan as his cock filled and the urgent need to make them both his roared through him. “Bedroom, now!”

  Kimberley broke the kiss with Dayved, her uncertainty clear in her eyes.

  “Are you sure?” she asked quietly. “I don’t want to get in the way.”