CHAPTER SIXTEEN
On Tuesday night, Chris stood in front of Kate’s duplex. The plain, minimalist style held no appeal for him, but her front yard looked like something fit for an old English cottage and made up for the house’s lack of character.
Kate opened the door, and he held out the bottle of wine to her. “Sorry I’m late.” He stepped over the threshold and wiped his boots.
She checked her watch and gave him a radiant smile. “Twelve minutes, so you know how many lashes you’ll get.” Kate turned her cheek, and he placed a kiss there.
Two days had passed since his scene with her and Yvonne, and his cock swelled when his lips touched her skin. Or was it because of her promise to whip him and the knowledge she would hold him accountable? He made sure to keep his pelvis away from her body and gave a polite, “Yes, Mistress.”
Kate laughed and ordered, “Follow me,” before turning around. Chris took a moment to adjust his shaft before he obeyed her.
Chris walked behind Kate into a surprisingly spaciousliving room with an open-plan kitchen where Yvonne was stirring a pot. The delicious scent of basil, garlic, and tomato hinted at an Italian meal.
“You can start the pasta now,” Kate instructed Yvonne, who nodded and used a potholder to lift a transparent lid to pour spaghetti into boiling water. Kate turned her green eyes to Chris. “We kept the meatballs warm in the oven, and the sauce could stay on the stove for hours, but for the pasta timing is paramount.”
Chris shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. If I eat pasta, it comes from a box that says Kraft Macaroni & Cheese on it.” Kate scrunched her nose, and he bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. Apparently, the Mistress took her food seriously.
“Nothing from a box here,” Yvonne piped in. “Kate has a lovely garden and grows her own tomatoes, onions, garlic, and herbs. She made the spaghetti from scratch, too.”
Chris gave Kate a surprised look. “I knew you grew flowers, but vegetables, too?”
“I started last summer. Someone gave me two tomato plants and a bell pepper. I found it gratifying to grow something edible as well as beautiful.”
A timer went off, and while Yvonne drained the water from the pasta, Kate handed Chris oven mittens. Can you bring the meatballs to the table? I’ll get the salad.”
As they tucked into the delicious meal, Kate and Chris discussed the newest addition to the Kansas City Royals until it became clear Yvonne had no clue about baseball. They changed subjects to discuss her uncle’s health and her living arrangements in the McGruder household. Chris told them about the progress his apprentices were making. Two had recently graduated from community college and were now working for BlackSmith full time. By unspoken agreement,they didn’t talk about the club, BDSM, or their ménage.
After a dinner that left them all too full for dessert, Kate made coffee for Chris and herself, while Yvonne had a cup of mint tea. Chris shuddered at the idea of drinking hot water swimming with leaves, but Yvonne seemed to enjoy it.
When they were settled again, Kate cleared her throat. “Since we’re all new to polyamory, we need to make sure we’re on the same page.” Kate indicated three stacks of papers. “As we discussed, I’ve printed out some sample contracts and limit lists. How about we read the contracts first and mark what we want to amend or discuss. Of course, we can add our own terms, too. If you think something is missing, make a note, and we’ll talk about it.”
Chris lifted the contract from the top and scanned the document. “Did you write this yourself?”
Kate let out a melodic laugh. “No, silly! You can find contracts online. I bought this one from a website, but there are lots of examples on the internet. Why don’t you both take a few minutes to look over the draft and then we can talk about it.”
Silence fell as Chris and Yvonne concentrated on the papers while Kate sipped her coffee. Kate had emptied her cup when Chris placed the contract back on the table and tossed back the last gulp of his coffee. When Yvonne closed the folder and leaned back, Kate asked, “Are you ready to discuss the terms?”
Both he and Yvonne confirmed they were.
Kate continued. “Do you agree on starting today and ending in three months?”
Chris’s throat constricted, and he forced out the words, “Why should we have an end date?”
“Good question.” Kate nodded. “I’ve used a three-month term so that we can revise the document after a trial period. A ménage is new to all of us, and we might think we want things a certain way, but who knows what we’ll discover.”
“What if one of us doesn’t like the arrangement? Do we need to continue until the end date?” Yvonne rubbed her upper arms in an unconscious self-soothing gesture.
“Absolutely not,” Kate’s deeper intake of breath was audible. “If something isn’t working for you, say so, and we’ll try to fix it. At the end of the day, we should all enjoy ourselves. As you can see on the last page, each party can end the association at any time, if that’s what you want.”
Yvonne looked relieved at Kate’s answer, and Chris had to admire her courage. To enter a BDSM relationship with not one but two Dominants in a strange country had to be scary. His resolve to give her the best possible experience grew.
“On the second page is a list of the responsibilities of each party. I’ve read it several times, and I would advise you to read it very carefully. If you fail to live up to them, I get to punish you.”
Chris looked from the paper to Kate, and her pleased expression showed how much she would enjoy punishing them. He couldn’t resist teasing her. “I see the Dominant has responsibilities also. Do I get to punish you when you fail?”
Kate’s gaze darkened. “Don’t even think it.”
Yvonne piped in, “I think it is a valid question. If we’re accountable to you, so should you be to us.” Kate turned thoughtful for a moment, but before she or Chris had a chance to speak, Yvonne continued. “I think I know something.”
