“And we would take no others. Um, other women.”
“If it’s okay with you.”
I sit, silent. A little stunned.
What are they?—
“We’d swear fealty.”
This, from Kingston. Looking right at me from across that broad, black table.
“To you, and you alone.”
Oh.
“I…”
Jesus Christ.
I don’t know what to say to that.
I don’t know what tothinkof that.
My eyes close. I grip my knees, fingers digging into my tights.
What the absolute, actual hell?
I open my eyes again.
“Is this because Kai and I hooked up?” I blurt out.
Kai chews his lip ring and looks demurely at the floor. Silent, for once. My insides give a pleasant little twist.
“Sort of.” Lanz, now. “You and Kai, you and me—well, and you and Kingston, technically, way back when.” He throws a glance at Kingston that Kingston does not return. Lanz swallows. “And then, uh, me and Cal.” He runs a hand through his hair. “It’s just kind of a whole mess.”
“We’resupposedto tell on each other,” Callahan says, flicking a glance up at me. “Is the thing.”
“Right,” Lanz agrees. “But if it’s, you know, a closed system…”
“…then we all go down together,” Kai finishes, eyes flashing. “So to speak.”
He winks at me. My face gets brilliantly hot.
“Okay.” My voice comes out like a squeak. I swallow hard. “I, um. I have to…think about it?”
I don’t know why I say it like a question. Four previously celibate men—three of whom I have kissed, somehow—are now inviting me to be the…I don’t know, queen bee of their polycule so that they don’t get condemned to hell? Or something?
I close my eyes again.
I most certainly,definitelyhave to think about it.
And probably ask my best friend.
TWENTY-NINE
GWENNA
Callahan definitely sleepsby the door, which makes me feel terrible. I want to tell him that it doesn't make any difference, that it wouldn't affect my thinking or my opinion of him or my decision one way or the other if he chose to curl up on the love seat. But at the same time, I guess I understand why he wouldn't.
