Julian swallowed. “I know how a phone works.I should’ve called you or texted. I can’t expect you to be psychic.”
Niall actually smiled at that. “I wish Iwas. But I should’ve realized how it would come across. I’ll work on that.”
And that was my opening.
“I think a good way to work on that would beto talk to someone.” Giving him my best innocent and slightly clueless smile, Itried to look like the idea had just occurred to me. “Maybe we should talk to acounselor?”
They both gave me a look like the innocentact wasn’t working, but I just ignored that since neither man had told me no.“I know a therapist in the lifestyle who could help us work through some of thecommunication issues and then meet with you one-on-one about anything botheringyou.”
Giving them both puppy dog eyes and tryingto let them see the real fears running around in my head, I added a bit ofguilt. “We’re worth couples counseling, aren’t we? I want us to be happytogether.”
Yeah, I was manipulating them, but therewas too much truth in what I was saying for them to even try to call me out onit.
Now I just had to wait and see what theywould say.
I hated waiting, so this had better earn mea really good orgasm later.
Chapter 17
Julian
I had no idea how to respond to that and itwas easy to see that Niall was in the same position.
Finally sighing and raising one eyebrow, Iturned to Niall and gave him a smirk. “Sometimes I wonder who the Doms in thisrelationship are. He’s very pushy for a sub.”
Niall chuckled, the tension in him startingto fade. “I’ve had that thought several times already. Is there such a thing asDomming from the sub? Like topping from the bottom but with more manipulation?”
Laughing, I nodded. “There has to be. We’llwork on the phrasing, though.”
He nodded, pointing at a deceptivelyinnocent-looking Keegan with his fork. “He does it very well.”
“And most of the time, he’s right, so I’mnot sure we can punish him either.” That had Niall going still for severalseconds before he nodded and leaned back in the seat, mirroring me.
“Yes, punishing him when he’s right wouldsend the wrong message.” Then, as if he was deliberately talking around thetopic, he gave Keegan a heated stare. “That doesn’t mean we can’t take sometime tonight and make sure he knows his place, though.”
I could definitely get on board with thatplan…but if I let him distract me and steer the conversation away from therapy,Keegan might kill me.
“I think that is a wonderful plan.” I letKeegan see how much I wanted him and reached over to stroke his neck, sending ashiver through him. “But first, schedules before we get distracted. What daysdo you think you could get off early enough to schedule the appointments?”
Niall went still again and I could see hisbrain working a thousand miles an hour as he tried to decide how to answer myquestion. He wasn’t stupid and Keegan was cute and persistent but not subtle.He knew this wasn’t just about our habit of sniping at one another.
Although, I had to admit Keegan was right.
If we were going to make this work in thelong run, we had to figure out how to be adults…and functional ones at that.
So I stepped up just a bit and told himthat.
Well, some of it.
“Keegan is right. We’re worth fighting forand if we want this to be a happy relationship in the long run, then you and Ineed some help.” I glanced over and grinned at Keegan. “From someone we’re notgoing to want to spank every time they make a good point.”
Niall chuckled, nodding. “Yeah, having the spitfirebe the constant mediator is not going to be healthy in the long run.”
Then his smile dimmed, and he looked backand forth between us. “And we do want this to work in the long run, right?”Swallowing, he continued before I could get my brain to work. “I know we fuckedup last time, but now, I just…I want this to work.”
Keegan was so excited he was nearly shakingthe seat, he was vibrating so much, but aside from a nod, he stayed quiet.
Probably trying to make sure I wouldanswer, not him…it was a smart move.
