Caught in the Middle

by Kira Barker

  He seemed to wait for a reply from me but I honestly couldn’t think of one, so I remained silent. Simon let his hands fall to his sides and stared at the ceiling for a few moments, then looked back at me.

  “Are you backing down from our set schedule because you’re afraid you will make him feel left out? Because I’m not sure—”

  I interrupted him there before he could finish that sentence, simply because this once I didn’t want to appear like the oblivious git.

  “Did you know that he watched us? When we were in the attic, I mean.”

  I had my answer when Simon frowned, and it wasn’t a contemplative expression.

  “No. And he told you about that?”

  “This afternoon,” I admitted. Simon’s frown deepened, but now there was pain in his eyes. I quickly went on, not wanting to linger on that. “Jack told me that he watched us, and he got off on it. Not the doing stuff to me part, but my reactions to it. And you obviously knew that he didn’t believe a word of what he said when he accused you of abusing me, so it can’t have bothered him all that much. To answer your question, I’m not backing down because of him, but because I’m afraid that I will completely lose myself if we step up the pace rather than slow down. It was easy to compartmentalize everything when it was all confined to one set time and one set place, with only a comfortable, sizzling reminder that you still own me even when I’m not kneeling at your feet in between. But if I’m around you all the time, that will drive me insane. Besides, do you really think you two horndogs can keep your hands to yourselves around me all the time so I can get away with a maximum of five orgasms outside of the playroom each week?”

  I both hated and loved the typically male smile I got for that.

  “I think you’d be sorely disappointed if we even tried. But no, I don’t think that would work anymore. And I see where you’re coming from.”

  “Glad you do. So can we agree on putting the kink on the back burner until we have everything else figured out, and confine that to random sessions we do when we’re both up to it?”

  He gave that some thought, but then shook his head.

  “No.”

  I couldn’t help get irritated at his reply.

  “No? Why not?”

  “Because I feel like that will just exacerbate the underlying problem. And because I’m a petty man who gets off on the thought that a part of you belongs just to me, a part that Jack can never have. He already has more than enough of you.”

  I didn’t know what was stronger inside of me, confusion or annoyance.

  “Did you forget my untimely confession from this morning? You already have a part of me that’s just yours, as much as I’m currently hating to admit that.”

  He looked pleased, but not enough to appear smug.

  “Of course I didn’t forget about that. But can you honestly look me in the eyes and tell me that all you’ve ever felt for Jack were platonic feelings, and that at no point today you considered just holing up with him and ignoring that I even exist? Don’t get me wrong—I’m not accusing you of anything, but you have to admit, the relationship between you and him goes a lot deeper than anything we have built so far. You’ve had twice the amount of time for it, too, but still. Is it so bad that I want a small, special part of you for myself? Something that I control?”

  Maybe it was vanity that made his words sound appealing rather than offensive, or it was the fact that on some level I could understand him, because that very same connection he was talking about would also help set what we had apart from what was forming between him and Jack.

  “Aren’t you afraid this will just unbalance everything? If we really try to make some kind of triangle work, shouldn’t all sides of it be equal?”

  “They can never be equal. They have never been equal, and I think we would all lie to ourselves if we pretended they were. And that’s not a bad thing. What you and I have doesn’t stand in competition to your relationship with Jack. We all have our priorities, but they shift if they need to. We just have to be careful not to upset the balance too much. Do you understand what I’m trying to say? Because this is getting mighty esoteric for simply saying that I want to fuck both of you and never feel guilty about it.”

  That made me smile, and it was good to be able to do that again.

  “So where exactly does that leave us? You and me and all that hair pulling and rough handling and making me do things I absolutely love doing?”

  Leaning closer still, he reached for my chin, and it wasn’t exactly a gentle gesture with which he held my head in place so he could kiss me deeply.

  “I say we take it a step at a time and decide each day how we want to handle things. Might do you some good if you have to give me feedback all the time, and it leaves plenty of room for you to decide whether you just want to get your rocks off, or want me to drag you through hell and back. Considering how things were before we both veered off track, I’m not really worried that we never match each other’s mood. Quite the contrary.”

  “And what about Jack? Right now, I mean. You were asking me about how long I wanted to hold a grudge, right?”

  It was kind of funny to watch him drag himself out of the lust-induced haze, particularly as I could relate to him not wanting to.

  “Right. Any objections to just ticking this off as a truly unpleasant but direly needed lesson we all had to learn, and admit that we’d only cut our own flesh if we decided to mope around for a week now until we’re all just sick of it? Besides, he’s right. We both know we’ll find our own special ways of getting back at him, and considering that we should spend some time on defining and strengthening the bonds between us, I think that’s an opportunity rather than a burden.”

  “Sounds good,” I agreed, then deliberately dropped my eyes to his lips. “So can I go back there and tell him that we’re not going to slaughter him right now, and bring him back here? Include him?”

  Simon considered that while his fingers dug harder into my chin, forcing my gaze back up to his eyes.

  “No, I’ll do that. You go to the bathroom instead and prep yourself, so that by the time we’re done talking, you’re already waiting, kneeling naked, in my room. If last week was any indication, you’ve gotten a little lenient with your personal hygiene, and I think it’s fair to give you a chance to catch up on that first.”

  “Not upstairs?”

  He shook his head.

  “Let’s ease him into things. Besides, the bed’s softer than the mats in the attic, and I’m not crazy about starting this weekend off with a bad case of rug burn.”

  I grinned as much as his grip would allow me to, and laughter sparked in his eyes as I remained silent.

  “Do you really want to start this out bent over my knee? Because I have no intention of going easy on you just because it might scare him off.”

  “No, Sir, I want to be your good little slut.”

  “That you always are,” he breathed against my mouth before he kissed me again, and then sent me off running, giddy with excitement.

  Chapter 19

  I heard them talking in the other room while I took care of business. Nothing in detail, but a few snippets came right through the wall, particularly when things got heated. That made me both curious and feel like an eavesdropper invading their privacy, a very strange feeling. I had to admit that I was happy not to be part of that conversation, whatever it entailed, but then I already had had my chance to start reconciling things with Jack, while Simon had not.

  Even fighting with the disposable razor to the point of it getting ridiculous, I was still first to traipse into Simon’s room, and because I didn’t know how long they’d take, I took my position on the bed, then let my eyes droop closed just for a second. I must have started to doze off, excitement notwithstanding, because the sound of the door opening at my back startled me.

  “Not that I’m complaining, but what is this?” I heard Jack say as I quickly straightened from my slumped position into an upright one, stea
lthily rolling my upper back and shoulders to get the kinks out of them.

  “I thought I said you’re stupid, not dumb,” Simon remarked cryptically, laughter ringing clear in his voice.

  “You just spent fifteen minutes tearing me a new one about how not to interfere where I’m not wanted, and then this?”

  “Guess that means you are wanted in here after all,” came Simon’s reply. “Since you’ve apparently spent enough time lurking outside my playroom, you might as well make yourself useful. I need to fetch some things from upstairs. Be right back.”

  Silence fell once the sound of his footsteps had receded, making me guess that Jack was still standing in the doorway, his eyes glued to me. At least I thought he’d be staring, considering that naked women tended to draw the eyes of guys who wanted to screw them. I wondered for a moment if I should turn around, but I had no idea when Simon would return, and after two weeks of absence from the attic, I wasn’t that keen on starting things with a hefty spanking I actually deserved.

  A floorboard creaked when Jack finally moved, and I listened to him approach slowly. He stopped right at the edge of my vision, hovering cautiously. I didn’t turn my head but glanced over until I caught his eyes. They were wide and he was licking his lips nervously, making it hard for me not to crack up.

  “I’m not going to let him boss me around, just so that’s clear,” he said, more to himself than me.

  “I don’t think that’s his intention,” I replied, making him jump. Apparently he hadn’t expected me to say anything.

  Then his brows drew together as something occurred to him.

  “Have you decided to torment me by screwing in front of me and making me watch?”

  There was something that was strangely appealing about that thought, but my vindictive side was no match for my horniness.

  “I don’t have a clue what he has planned, besides the obvious. Unless you want to just watch, I think you’re expected to get involved.” Finally easing up, I turned my torso toward him, grinning when his eyes immediately flashed to my boobs. “At least I expect you to join. Vigorously.”

  Simon’s return interrupted whatever else I might have said.

  “Chatty, are we now? Guess I’ll have to think of a way to shut you up,” he said to me as he dumped a heap of rope coils on the bed beside me, then started to shuck his clothes unceremoniously. Jack was still standing by the bookshelf, ogling us hesitantly, until Simon stopped in mid-process of pulling off his jeans. “You’re not gonna get much action if you just hover.”

  Jack didn’t move until Simon was done undressing and walked over to him, clearly not caring at all that he was buck naked and the other guy still fully dressed. Reaching up, he put his hands to the back of Jack’s neck, pulling his head closer to him in a nicely intimate gesture.

  “I’m not going to make you do anything you don’t want to, but the fact is, I’m kind of tired of always having to do everything on my own, and Erin can get pretty demanding when she’s screaming at the top of her lungs.”

  My mouth was already open to deliver the scathing retort that deserved, but then I remembered where I was and what I was supposedly doing, and shut it again. Both guys sent me amused looks, but Simon resumed talking softly without commenting on it.

  “You said you felt left out? Well, consider yourself included. Not every time and not in all things, but not everything kinky has to be so damn serious. Unless you want to keep sulking in the corner?”

  “No, no, I’m done with that, I think.” He hesitated for a moment, then reached up to pull Simon’s fingers from his hair, but lingered a moment, their hands touching. It made me want to cheer them on to start kissing, but again, not my place. I could always do that later.

  “Good,” Simon said, then turned away from Jack and sauntered over to the bed, reaching for the first rope to uncoil it.

  “I’m not going to take any orders from you,” Jack repeated himself, finally pulling off his T-shirt.

  “I’m not expecting you to,” Simon replied, a light smile on his face. “You do remember how this works, right? I lead, you lend a hand where needed, unless you expressly want to take over, but in that event I would appreciate it if you’d check back with me before, because our little spitfire here—”

  He paused to get a good grip on my hair and wrenched my head back, forcing me to bend my spine painfully while he briefly sneered into my face, “Has problems with accepting authority, and it would be too bad if you wimped out on her just because she’s too successful provoking you. Is that not so?”

  His hand pulled downward even harder, making me gasp, but at least not replying was not an option for me anymore.

  “Yes, Sir!”

  Simon eased his grip a little but didn’t let go altogether as he resumed his banter with Jack.

  “For the sake of everyone’s sanity, we should maybe define a few boundaries. Obviously, she’s my sub, and my responsibility to take care of. That means what I say, you do, and if it’s something you’re uncomfortable with, you back down but don’t step in to save her. Trust me, she wouldn’t appreciate it. If it gets too much for you, you leave the room and wait outside for me. I’ll finish things with her, and then I’ll come take care of you. She only needs to obey my commands, and unless we switch things up, she doesn’t need to address you in any special way.” Glancing down at me briefly, he smiled. “Otherwise we’d never get to any part that doesn’t involve her punishment, am I right?”

  “Yes, Sir,” I offered in the fakest meek voice I could manage.

  Simon gave me a pointed look but then let go, and I straightened with a contented sigh.

  “Any objections?”

  I held my tongue, while Jack shook his head, finally reaching his socks.

  “Nope.”

  “Good.”

  Getting onto the bed in front of me, Simon doubled up the length of rope and set to work. With his usual calm efficiency, he quickly created a chest harness with rope running below and above my breasts, constricting and pushing together everything below my shoulders. And because he was feeling particularly gracious tonight, he also had me lean forward so he could wind yet more rope around each breast, the hemp digging in painfully as he tied off the ends. He had me cross my arms behind my back and tied them to the center point of the harness, effectively rendering me helpless as I wouldn’t be able to get out of that on my own.

  While he worked, he ignored everything around him, but once he set to tying the calf and thigh of each leg together, me still in the same kneeling position I’d started out in, he looked at my face briefly.

  “Did Jack tell you what we were up to this morning? I think he set it up so you would walk in on us, but you were taking your sweet time coming over. What were you up to, anyway? Sentimental last morning?”

  “He mentioned something, but no details.” Which was kind of a lie, but I was sure that Simon wasn’t just doing conversation, so I might as well give him the opportunity to enlighten me. “I was reading early reviews of your book in a coffee shop. Entertaining, but I’m sure you had more fun.”

  His smile was a sarcastic one, without a doubt tainted by what had happened later.

  “Did you read the one where the critic called my writing style ‘pedestrian’? My personal favorite.”

  “No, but that must be good for sales.”

  “You think?”

  I nodded.

  “I doubt that half the people reading that review will understand exactly what that means but get that the book might be easier to read than they expected, hence more something they’d be interested in if they aren’t snotty book critics. But what were you up to?”

  Still amused over my assessment, Simon bent to tying my other leg up.

  “I’m surprised he didn’t cough up any details, but then he was trying to talk you into running away with him, eh?” He looked to somewhere behind me, likely at Jack, before he went on. “Either he really was curious or he thought this was the way to make me forget a
ll about how I suspected that he was acting like a manipulative asshole. He sucked me off, then quite liked me finger fucking him, although he did get squeamish at the end of that. Things ended with him screwing me again rather than the other way round. Don’t you think that was unfair of him, leading me on like that, then not closing the deal?”

  “I wouldn’t know, lacking the anatomy myself to go any farther than that.” Craning my neck, I looked over my shoulder at where Jack was standing, unsure what to do with himself, his cock starting to get hard. “But he does look kind of remorseful.”

  “Smartass,” Simon murmured low enough that only I could hear, making me grin.

  Finishing the last knot, he checked the ties again before he sat back, admiring his work. I couldn’t help but push my shoulders back and press my already rather prominently displayed, bound breasts out. I couldn’t believe how much I’d missed this! Also the physical side of it, but what was really making me wet was the quality of his gaze. Pride, admiration, lust, excitement, an unspoken promise to do unspeakable things to me—what more could a girl ask for?

  Getting up, Simon turned to Jack, crossing his arms over his chest in a somewhat relaxed pose.

  “So what am I going to do about feeling like you short-changed me on that? Any ideas?”

  The look of suspicion on Jack’s face was hilarious, and I suddenly understood why Simon enjoyed it so much when he set me up to dig my own hole like this. Then his eyes roved over to me and I quickly put a blank look on my face, but Jack likely saw through that mask.

  “I don’t know. Why don’t you suggest something?”

  “As you wish.” I wondered if Jack knew that he’d just doomed himself, but then I personally never minded when that happened to me, so why should it bother him that much? “The obvious solution would be to go ahead now and shove my cock into your pert, tight ass. Think that’s fair?”