Bryce’s head might have hit the desk.
“I’m not getting hookers or hooking up every night. Just give me some space.”
“All right, until you’re ready to talk to me.” She sounded disappointed, but she could give Oliver a run for his money when it came to trying to manipulate people, so he didn’t buy it.
“Thank you.” Not that he was admitting he was seeing anyone. She seemed to be assuming that, though, so he had a feeling one of his brothers had talked. He was going to owe payback to someone.
“Now, I can’t talk long. We’re heading over to a tour.”
He looked down at the clock. “What kind of tour?” He didn’t know where she was. He’d just realized she hadn’t answered that question. What kind of tour started this late? Wasn’t it night in Europe? Was she even still in Europe? “What time is it there? What are you—”
“I have to go, sweetie. I’ll talk to you later once I look at new tickets. I think you boys need a bit more supervision. Living together with no collaring ceremony,lyingto your mother, the list could go on. Yes, you boys need your mother around.” The lying part was aimed at him, but not telling wasn’t lying. That was just the guilt talking.
When mothers said you needed them and they were going to come see you it shouldn’t sound like a threat, should it? She was much more herself than she’d been when she’d first started planning the trip, but he was starting to remember why that wasn’t a good thing.
“But Mom—”
“Don’t worry about picking me up. I’ll take a taxi or something. Oh, and I want to surprise your brothers, so don’t mention our little talk.”
Shit.
“But—” She’d hung up, and he was left talking to himself. His brothers were going to kill him.
****
His mind was still reeling from the phone call from his mother when he got in the car to start driving over to pick up Oliver for their date. Between the news that she was coming home and the fact that Troy had given him permission to take Oliver out when it was just the two of them, his brain was flying around in circles.
Giving himself a short, internal pep talk, he picked up the phone and texted Troy.
You gota sec?
The answer was evidently yes because his phone started ringing in seconds. Damn. He tried to sound happy, but he knew it came out stressed. “You didn’t need to call.”
Troy gave a soft grunt that sounded like a snort. “Why would I text you when hearing your voice is so much better?”
Bryce laughed, secretly pleased but unwilling to tell Troy that. “I just had a question.” Bryce paused, not sure how to ask it. The awkwardness of it was why he’d wanted to text about it to begin with. Not having to hear Troy’s reaction would have made it easier.
Troy had been incredibly good about understanding what Bryce needed, but how did you ask someone if it was okay to make love to their sub? “I’m getting ready to head over and pick up Oliver for our date, but I wanted to double check something with you first.”
That didn’t sound long-winded and vague.
Troy laughed. “Yes, Bryce. I expect you to fuck him so hard he can’t move tomorrow. Was that your question?”
Bryce growled into the phone. “Yes, but it’s not that funny.”
“It is.” He heard Troy shuffling things around in the background. “Because I just had the same conversation with Oliver.”
Oh.
“You did?” It made him feel less ridiculous. “I’ve never been in this situation before, and I’m not sure what the rules are.”
There had to be rules, but they’d never gone over any. They were going to talk about limits over the weekend, but nothing more specific beyond safewords and basic things had been discussed. It wasn’t just the BDSM aspects that probably had guidelines. How things like sex were handled when it was just two of them together should be detailed.
“I’m not sure we need rules.” Troy’s calm words weren’t what Bryce wanted to hear.
“The lifestyle has rules for everything. Some people wing it more than others, but still…”
“It’s not a scene, though. It’s three people getting to know each other first and sometimes having sex with a power exchange element. You and Oliver are going out on a date. You’re going to flirt and tease and hopefully make him crazy. Then, it’s up to you.” Troy’s voice was warm and soothing. It made sense, but it seemed too easy.
