That wasn’t the answer I’d wanted to hear.
“Fine. I’m going to head upstairs to getready for dinner. I’m meeting Julian and Niall later.” At least they’d give mecookies if I wanted them.
As I got up from the table and headedtoward the living room, she turned. “Kee-Kee?”
“Mom.” I winced, making her laugh. “Don’tcall me that. I’m not one of those yappy dogs that goes in a purse.”
One cousin couldn’t say Keegan and I wasKee-Kee for my entire childhood.
“Baby.” She raised her eyebrow, and Ismiled, nodding. I could deal with that. “Just think about Niall and whatmatters to him. Help him see that at least talking to someone might help himprotect what’s important to him. He’s a Dom. Use that.”
Biting my lip, I leaned against the back ofthe chair that helped divide the kitchen and the living room. “I’m just worriedabout him, and I don’t think simply pointing out how important mental health iswill help.”
Especially with someone who couldn’t evenadmit he’d been a victim.
Mom nodded, her lips tightening. “Yeah, Ihave to agree with that assessment.”
So guilt it was.
And if that didn’t work…gift cards.
“He just…he and Julian will never work outif they can’t talk without everything going all to hell.” The only way to keepthem from fighting seemed to be to keep their mouths otherwise occupied, andconstant blow jobs just weren’t practical.
She chuckled. “The passion is there but thewill to behave is not.”
Oh yeah.
“Things are better since they came over fordinner, but it still feels like there are just things missing between us.” Isighed, probably sounding very dramatic. “I know this is the rightrelationship. I knew it from the first time I met both of them. But Niall…thisisn’t something that BDSM can fix. He needs a therapist.”
Because from what Julian had said aboutNiall’s reaction to even talking about bottoming and Niall’s reactions when Momhad talked about the dickhead who was in prison, it wasn’t hard to guess whathad happened.
“Have you talked to Julian?” Her questionwas legitimate, but my answer wasn’t helpful.
“Yes, but he’s too worried about Niallassuming that he’s trying to pick a fight to even want to talk about bringingit up.” My flirty, sexy Dom went all nervous and subby every time I’d tried tobring it up over the last two weeks.
He’d done it so often I knew which cerealshis sub side liked best for a snack.
He was going to be no help at all.
But it was cute how much he was worryingabout his relationship with Niall, and it gave me confidence that I was rightabout how perfect we all were for each other.
“You’ll figure it out. Just talk from theheart and add a dash of guilt.” She smiled. “I can see how he feels about youevery time he says your name. It’s going to be fine.”
Meeting him twice did not make her a worldexpert on Niall, but I wasn’t going to point that out.
“I love you, Mom.”
“Love you too, Kee-Kee.” She grinned as Igroaned and rolled my eyes and headed upstairs.
Some people thought that my still living athome was weird, but I’d never understood other people’s desire to live bythemselves. Why would I want to be alone all the time? My work was solitaryenough. Why would I want to be by myself for the rest of the day?
Pushing stupid questions out of my head, Ihurried to my room and over to the closet that was probably a bit too packed.Even the organizer system I’d put in last year wasn’t helping anymore. Storagespace was definitely the only downside of living at home.
Stepping into the small walk-in closet, Istudied the options. “Nice restaurant. So nothing too sexy and no jeans…hmmm…”
Those were hard to tease me through.
We needed something a bit stretchier.
