Players (Lessons by Loki) (14 page)

“Yeah, he
took the bait, hook, line and sinker.” She sat in the chair facing Loki and let her purse drop to the floor.

“Then why do you look like someone just
ran over your dog?” He patted the seat beside him, but Katie shook her head. She wasn’t in the mood to be coddled. If she didn’t develop a thicker skin fast, she was going to be consumed by this mission.

“
He’s damn good at what he does.” She sighed. “If you hadn’t let me see behind his mask, I’d be in serious trouble already. He’s charming and seems sincere. I can see why he’s so successful.”

“He’s successful at starting relationships. He’s an utter failure at maintaining them.
Chase is the only person Josiah has managed to keep in his life and their relationship changes with the wind.”

“Or with
Chase’s mood. I’m not sure I blame Josiah for that tangle. If Chase would just accept the fact that he’s gay—”

“
Chase will never be satisfied without a woman in his life. Josiah realized this a long time ago. That’s why Chase keeps coming back to him.” When Katie didn’t respond to the comment, Loki scooted to the edge of his seat. “If this is too hard, you can tell Josiah you changed your mind and refuse to see either of them again.”

“The bet would end in a tie and they’d probably choose another victim.” She shook her head. “We’ve come too far to just give up.
These guys have to feel the pain they inflict on others.”

“All right,
then let’s analyze what just happened. If you understand how he’s affecting you and why you’re responding to each of his strategies, that should help you achieve emotional detachment.”

“Emotional detachment?”
She cringed. “Isn’t that what prostitutes use? They shut down their minds and only allow their johns to use their bodies?”

“Similar concept.
Vastly different application. Think of yourself as a sex therapist. Your interaction with Josiah will be sexual in nature, but you won’t be having sex with him.”

She smiled, allowing
herself to relax. “Good analogy. I’m more comfortable as a sex therapist than a hooker.” The corners of his mouth quirked in an all too familiar smirk. “What did I say?”

“I find it
ironic that this country has become so advanced, yet it clings to antiquated attitudes about sex. And why is the female alone criminalized? Shouldn’t her customers and her pimp be pursued as aggressively as the ‘hooker’?” He accented the derogatory label with finger quotes.

Rather than reinforc
ing her antiquated attitude, she backed off. “I don’t know enough about the industry to have a valid opinion.”

He chuckled and shifted position, absently crossing his legs.
“Back to the subject at hand?” She nodded. “What, specifically, in Josiah’s history did you find compelling?”

“His willingness to accommodate
Chase’s complex needs. He’s there whenever Chase needs him, yet he’s willing to give him space whenever Chase pushes him away.”

“Was that selfless
accommodation or self-preservation? Josiah is shrewd. He knows if Chase is forced to choose between women and men, he’ll choose women.”

“I’m not sure that’s true. Vanessa made him choose and it ended the relationship.”

“Vanessa walked away,” Loki reminded. “Chase was trying to conform to her expectations, but she couldn’t get over the fact that Chase had been with a man.”

“
I don’t know her very well, but it stands to reason that she felt more than jealousy. She likely realized Chase would never be content with what they could give each other. She wanted him to be happy, but she wasn’t willing to share him.”

“Polyamorous relationships are
always complicated.”

“Poly-amorous?
Carla, one of my coworkers, asked if I’d ever watched the TV show. I told her I hadn’t, but I was too embarrassed to admit I didn’t even know what the word meant.”

“That’s part of the problem.” Loki
finger combed his hair, the forceful gesture revealing his agitation. “How can people honestly communicate about sex when the simplest question fills them with shame? Poly means many and amour means love. Polyamory generally refers to a committed relationship involving more than two consenting adults. It can also mean a person who’s open to sexual encounters without any sort of commitment at all. What each has in common is honest communication and mutual respect. At least that’s how it’s supposed to work.”

She smiled. “
So any combination is allowed as long as everyone involved agrees to the setup?”

“Exactly.
It can be as simple as a husband who enjoys watching his wife make love with another man or as complicated as a group of friends who move freely from partner to partner.”

“I try to avoid labels, but this
concept is interesting.”

“You have a rebellious heart. Anything mainstream society considers taboo is going to fascinate you.”
Loki chuckled. “We’re off track again. Think about your date with Josiah. What do you find most attractive about him?”

“
Do you mean physically?”

“That’s a good place to start. By classical standards,
Chase is better looking than Josiah.”

“
Chase is in love with someone else.”

“Ah. Is that why you gravitate toward Josiah?
Chase is emotionally unavailable?”

She thought for a moment, wanting to be as honest as possible. “
No. I’ve always been more attracted to Josiah. I’ve had numerous fantasies about Josiah, but whenever I picture myself alone with Chase, Josiah barges in and takes over.”

“Is it his aggression that intrigues you?”

“Partly. It’s not just their coloring. Chase is good-natured, easygoing,
light
. Josiah is intense, mysterious,
dark
. Even the way they approach sex is different. Chase is flirtatious and playful while Josiah commands. I think it’s the darkness in Josiah that attracts me. Some people search for a partner very much like themselves. I’ve always found people unlike me more interesting.”

“Those are the things you need to remember as your lessons progress. Josiah is confident and comfortable with his sexuality. Sensations you find
overwhelming are commonplace in his reality.”

“So how do I keep from being overwhelmed?”

“You can’t. You’ve been with one mediocre lover. Josiah is going to introduce you to pleasures you can barely imagine. Expect to be overwhelmed. Just don’t apply any real significance to the fact that Josiah led you there. This is a road he’s traveled many times before. He’s familiar with the terrain. That’s all there is to it.”

“I understand.”

His gaze searched hers, his expression skeptical. “I’ll return after your first lesson and we’ll see if understanding was enough.”

Chase heard the familiar growl of Josiah’s Porsche and flipped off the TV. He’d expected Josiah back hours ago. At least he knew for certain Josiah hadn’t been with Katie all this time. He’d heard them return from their date and watched Josiah walk her to her front door, but that was as far as Josiah had gotten. She’d kissed him on the cheek and hurried inside, leaving Josiah alone on the front porch. Chase had expected Josiah to pull across the street and into their garage. Instead, he’d taken off again and Chase had no idea where he’d gone.

Not wanting to re
veal that he’d been tracking Josiah’s moves, Chase ambled into the kitchen and retrieved a beer from the refrigerator. The door from the garage opened and he glanced over his shoulder, doing his best to seem uninterested. “Hey.”

“I thought you
had to work today.” Josiah hesitated in the doorway, one arm concealed behind the door.

Chase
closed the refrigerator and turned around. “Where have you been and what are you hiding behind the door?”

“Nothing.”
He moved into the kitchen and shoved the door shut. His left hand grasped a plastic bag with no logo of any kind. That was odd.

“What’s in the bag?” He wiggled his eyebrows and blocked Josiah’s pat
h out of the kitchen.

“None of your business.”
Josiah tried to sidestep him, but Chase easily countered. Josiah glared. “Move.”

“Not until you show me what’s in the bag.”

“It’s for Katie and that’s all you need to know.”

“The only things that come in plain bags are things you don’t want anyone knowing you bought. She’s not much of a drinker, so I doubt
it’s booze. Are you going to slip her a pot cookie?”

“You might be comfortable drugging your dates. I prefer mine wide awake and focused.”

“Then what’s in the bag?” He tried to snatch it out of Josiah’s hand, but Josiah twisted away.

“Grow up already
!” Josiah shoved him back then rushed from the kitchen.

Chase
sipped his beer, impatiently waiting for Josiah to return from his bedroom. “How was lunch?”

“Fine.”

“What’s wrong with you? Half the fun of our games is filling each other in on our progress.”

Josiah crossed the kitchen, indecision clouding his dark eyes. “I think you were right. We should call off the bet.”

“Why? What happened at lunch?” He set his half-full beer on the counter, more interested in what Josiah had to say. “Was she upset about last night?”

After making a sound part scoff and part snort, Josiah shook his head.
He was obviously rattled by whatever had gone on. It had been a very long time since Chase had seen Josiah this conflicted. “We had a typical getting to know you conversation and then things got a little flirty.”

“How flirty?
” An unfamiliar emotion rushed through Chase, tightening his gut and narrowing his eyes. It couldn’t be jealousy. He’d watched Josiah go down on Katie and hadn’t batted an eye. Why would a little flirting upset him? “Were you still in the restaurant?”

“It started in the restaurant, but ended in the parking garage.”

“Did you kiss her again?” He crossed his arms over his chest as suspicion churned inside him. “Did you do more than kiss?”

“It wasn’t like that.
”

“What was it like?
Stop being so damn evasive.”

Josiah fidgeted, compounding
Chase’s anxiety. Josiah breezed through relationships, always in control, never allowing anyone to compromise his emotional reserve. Josiah gave only what he wanted to give, yet Katie had sneaked beyond his barriers in the span of one afternoon.

“She’s only had one serious relationship and he sounds like a regular prick
,” Josiah told him.

“Was he abusive?”

“Not physically, but he expected her to rearrange her world to fit his ideals.”

“Sounds familiar,”
Chase grumbled, knowing all too well how that felt.

Rather than being derailed by the tangent, Josiah said,
“She made a couple of suggestions about how to spice up their sex life and he not only shut her down, he humiliated her in the process.”

“Do
es your gift have something to do with her suggestions?”

“Yes.”

The unfamiliar tension returned with a vengeance, closing Chase’s hands into fists. “Did she agree to sleep with you?” He shook his head as he heard his own question. “If she did, you’ve won the bet. Why are you asking to shut it down?”

Josiah leaned back against the counter, absently rubbing his eyebrows. “She wants me to be her sexual mentor.”

“Her what?” He tried to keep the shock from his voice, but Josiah’s gaze snapped to his. Obviously he’d failed. “Why would she need a sexual mentor? She’s not a virgin.”

“She might as well be. Dillon was her only lover and he was as
vanilla as they come.”

For a long time
Chase could only stare. Katie had only been with one man. How was that possible? “But she responded so well to us. She didn’t seem shocked or intimidated.”

“She was fascinated by what happened and she
’s determined to explore other nontraditional pleasures. But she’s afraid to strike out on her own.”

“Rightfully so.
It’s much too dangerous for any woman just to pick up a stranger in a bar. There are too many crazies out there.”

“She wants me to push her boundaries and introduce her to all sorts of pleasures. She only has one condition.”

“You look pissed. It must be one hell of a condition.”

“I can’t actually fuck her.”

“Then how…” Chase couldn’t hold back a wicked laugh. “Doesn’t she realize how badly she’ll want to be fucked? Foreplay, regardless of how expertly executed, will only satisfy for so long.”

“
She seems to think she can control herself better than you or I.”

“So what happens when you prove her wrong?”

“If I can make her beg for it, she’ll nullify the condition.”

“Then
you’ve won the bet. I know exactly how hard it is to resist you once you’ve set your mind to something.”

Josiah shook his head, his gaze dark and stormy.
“I forfeit. Name your penalty. I don’t consider this a win. The lessons will not be part of the bet and Katie can never know about any of it.”

Floored by the unexpected capitulation,
Chase just stared at him for a moment. “Wow. She really got to you. What did she say that has you so twisted up?”

“Everyone else we’ve chosen has been experienced. Katie doesn’t deserve this. She’s sweet and innocent and I won’t intentionally hurt her.”

Chase couldn’t remember the last time Josiah had been protective of anyone. He wasn’t sure how he felt about the development. Sex had always been superficial, almost meaningless for Josiah.

Except with you.
Chase’s inner voice forced him to admit the source of his discomfort. He had always been the only one Josiah cared about, the only one for whom he would compromise. Katie was competition.

Swallowing past the lump in his throat,
Chase asked, “Then why did you agree to be her sexual mentor?”

“She’s determined to do this with or without me. I’d rather know she’s safe.”

“That’s bullshit and we both know it.” Chase grabbed his beer and headed out of the kitchen. “If you’re not going to be honest with yourself, we might as well keep playing the game.”

Josiah followed at a more leisurely pace. “How am I being dishonest?”

“This is about more than sex.” Chase sat in his favorite chair and flipped out the footrest.

After kicking off his shoes, Josiah sat on the couch and rested his insteps on the edge of the coffee table.
“Her one and only lover was a selfish jerk. I want to show her that there’s more to sex than the missionary position.”

“Then why end the bet?”

Josiah glared at him. “Fine. I like her. All right? I didn’t expect to find her this compelling, but I do. Will you accept my forfeit or not?”

Chase
chuckled, yet something inside him felt dark and possessive. He hadn’t realized how much he enjoyed being the only one able to touch Josiah’s heart. “I accept the forfeit on one condition.”

“Name it.”

“I want to be part of her education. You’re not the only one intrigued by her curiosity.”

A muscle under Josiah’s eye twitched as he searched
Chase’s gaze. “That’s too much like the bet. It can’t be a competition.”

“It won’t be. I want to participate, not
compete. I’m just your assistant.”

Josiah stared past him for a long, tense moment then he sighed.
“All right. You can participate, but not until she’s more comfortable with the situation.”

“Meaning you want her to yourself.”
Chase set the beer down and retracted the footrest. “How long do you think it will take for her to become ‘comfortable’?”

“Let me see how the first lesson goes and I’ll let you know.”

Chase nodded in agreement, feeling even more restless than before. “Then the bet is officially off.”

“And what’s my penalty?”

A smile tugged at the corners of Chase’s mouth, but he carefully schooled his expression. “Let me see how the lessons go and then I’ll let you know.”

* * * * *

Katie paced her tiny living room, too anxious to sit still. She’d showered and shaved, even re-grooming areas of her body that hadn’t received this much attention since long before Dillon moved out. Josiah would be here any minute for her first lesson. Thinking of this within the student/teacher dynamic added a certain forbidden edge to the situation. How far should she let their exploration go? Would he allow her any control? She really didn’t know what to expect.

Loki had called her earlier, which in itself had seemed odd. It was the first time he’d used a telephone since he revealed his true identity. He’d asked if she wanted him to monitor the situation or if knowing he was there would make her uncomfortable. She’d
opted for privacy, but she had no way of knowing if he’d actually stay away. Unlike the night before, she hadn’t made him promise.

The thought of
Loki watching was strangely titillating. Knowing Chase was watching while Josiah went down on her and vice versa had definitely added to the excitement. Maybe she and Josiah should explore her exhibitionist tendencies and—

Someone knocked on the door and she jumped then chuckled. She needed to calm down
. After taking a couple of deep breaths, she crossed the room and answered the knock. “Hi.” She pushed the screen door open with a smile.

Josiah moved closer without crossing the threshold. “Are you sure this is what you want? If we do this, I
’ll push your boundaries and expect complete obedience.”

Heat cascaded through her body, swirling deep into her belly and making her clit tingle. “I
’m sure.”

He stepped into her house like a vampire she’d just invited inside. He pulled the screen door closed with one hand
; the other held a nondescript plastic bag. After kicking the main door shut with the heel of his boot, he turned her and pressed her back against the door. He eclipsed the rest of the room, his intense gaze stabbing into hers as he tangled his fingers in her hair. His lips parted as if he’d say something and then he lowered his head and kissed her.

Unlike his other kisses, this one was slow, deep, yet commanding. He held her head
at a precise angle while his tongue explored her mouth. Surprised by the passionate greeting, she took a moment to respond. Wasn’t this supposed to be instructional, impersonal? His warm breath teased her lips and he tasted of coffee and something tangy/sweet, like Irish cream or Kailua.

He released her hair and
splayed his free hand against the door. “Lesson number one, passion should be spontaneous. It’s chemistry, not logic. Sex is loud and messy. It shouldn’t be routine or predictable.”

She stood there stunned and breathless, amazed at how easily he’d unbalanced her. It wasn’t as if she’d expected him to sit her down at the kitchen table with illustrations and graphs, but already she felt unsure
—yet hungry, aching for more. It had never been like this with Dillon or any man who’d kissed her since. Only Josiah possessed the ability to unravel her world. Even her attraction to Chase wasn’t this combustible.

“You will always be honest with me and you will always respond to my questions. Do you understand?”

“Yes.” Despite the tension gripping her insides, her voice sounded surprisingly steady.

“And do you agree?”

“I do.” The familiar phrase sent a shiver down her spine. She’d been so damn close to offering those words to Dillon and he hadn’t deserved her trust. Could she trust…the thought evaporated like mist, leaving the cold realization that this was an illusion. Josiah deserved her trust even less than Dillon.