After the End Ch. 14

"That's reasonable."

"Third, before any sexual encounter, safe words will be agreed upon and limits will be discussed, and both will always be respected. Safe words can be used to pause or end any encounter at any time for any reason, if someone is not comfortable proceeding. Limits are any boundaries an individual wants to set, and those can change based on the day or situation."

"Agreed. Always a best practice."

"Finally, private information will not be shared beyond the three of us without permission."

"Of course. I'd be happy to follow all those rules," Graham confirmed.

"Any you'd like to add?" Julian asked. "Or any questions for us?"

"I think you covered it pretty well. You obviously know what you're doing. I just wondered...this is probably premature, but in the event things go well...do you have limits on how often we could meet, or how many times? Do you like to have an expiration date?"

Julian checked my expression by the fading twilight and evidently didn't read any concerns. "I don't think we have specific limits there. Vik's availability was pretty limited already. We could always discuss it and renegotiate as needed."

Graham's attention turned to me. "You've been awfully quiet. Anything you want to say, or ask me?"

"Uh...I don't think so." Unless he meant how soon can you jump my bones.

"We doing this, then?" he asked, still directed at me and thrillingly intimate. "You gonna take me home?"

"If you...want to..." I told my knees.

"I want to. Very much."

Shit, this was really happening. Longing and terror seized me all at once.

"I would kiss you," he told me, "but I don't think we've met all the requirements yet."

Julian was the one who replied. "I'll consent to that, if you'd like to, Avery."

"Yes," I whispered, but I was too scared to look at Graham.

"Avery," he murmured, somehow turning my name into a soothing lullaby. His hand came up to guide my jaw, warm fingers making my skin tingle. I met his gaze for one charged moment, then his firm lips pressed mine, shaping sensuous caresses that melted my shyness. God, a kiss like this is when I remember that one million nerve endings are concentrated in my lips. The gentle motion of his mouth activated every single one, on top of the billions of excited neurons firing in my brain, and plenty of other messages buzzing around my body, envious of the attention my mouth was getting.

He had to be the one to pull away; I probably wasn't going to. His fingers brushed my jawline as they withdrew.

"I vote we move this party to somewhere with a bed," he said, staring into my eyes, then he glanced behind me to confirm with Julian.

"Our place?" my husband suggested.

"Sounds good."

* * * * *

Graham:

Well this was about the last situation I would have expected to find myself in when I deployed to the wilds of Louisiana. Fending off constant supply problems and mosquito-borne diseases and alligators attacks, yes. Fighting flag-toting ruffians with delusions of grandeur, sure. But fugitive war hero Julian Demos inviting me into the bed he shared with his stunning southern gem of a spouse? Couldn't have predicted it in a million years.

Sometimes the best things in life are the ones you don't even know to wish for. That's why I try to take the twists and turns as they come and not ask too many questions. Everything's more fun when you assume it's an adventure.

This was certainly shaping up to be a good one. Sex is one of the best prizes life has to offer, and if Julian's subtle glances and Avery's melting lips were anything to go by, there were going to be fireworks tonight. These two were so clearly in love with each other, it hadn't occurred to me that they might in any way be available, until the conversation a couple days ago. But I was absolutely on board. Something about Avery's flushed cheeks and lowered gaze made me want to strip every defense and drown him in raw, overwhelming pleasure. As for Julian...I was damned curious to find out what torrents of passion could be roused beneath his unfailingly disciplined surface. Some instinct told me they might be epic.

He invited me to leave my boots by the door of their small room in one of the wooden dormitories, while he switched on a couple of lamps. It was modest but homey: clothes scattered on a bench beneath the window, a narrow desk supporting stacks of tattered novels, and a large bed with a wood-slat headboard, covered in a faded quilt. A small painting of ocean waves gleaming in sunlight hung over the bed, and a few half-burned candles clustered on the nightstand. There was a faint aroma of spice and musk -- perhaps that had something to do with the candles, and the bed.

"Nice place," I commented. "I'll have to check out your books later. I'm always on the lookout for a new favorite."

"You're likely to have read these already," Julian replied, stowing his gear. "But you're welcome to shop."

He pulled the round, three-legged wooden stool out from under the desk for me, and then he and Avery sat at the foot of their bed. Any other time, I would have looked through the novels. But not with this scrumptious two-course meal on offer.

Julian was a flawless specimen, the type of man whose looks inspire both awe and envy: tall, noble, with muscles carved from stone -- not bulky, but powerful and very much at his command. His dark hair was cut the same way it always had been during his time in the military -- close to the scalp, but not so short as to eliminate the slightly wavy texture. He'd conceded to some stubble on his chin and along his jaw, adding a more mature air to his otherwise youthful face. He had his father's serious brow, fuller lips, and bronze undertones; from his mother, he'd inherited a refined bone structure and piercing cerulean eyes.

Avery had no family I could compare him with -- a series of tragedies Julian had only vaguely alluded to -- but whoever they were, his parents must have been a striking combination. They'd produced an uncommonly beautiful son, with luscious curling black hair, dramatic features, and warm brown eyes that sparkled, smoldered, and softened by turns. Unexpected freckles adorned his golden-hued cheeks, and his t-shirt clung to a lean body I couldn't wait to see uncovered. He was young, too -- more than four years younger than Julian, which meant more than six years younger than me. Probably not even as beautiful yet as he would eventually be.

"So, Graham, you're our guest," Julian opened. "What limits would you like to share for tonight?"

"I'm willing to try most things," I replied. "Since this is new for the three of us, I don't imagine your plans are too wild. I'm comfortable with about any standard sex act, and I've been tested and cleared according to your infection protocols here. I don't often receive anal intercourse, so that isn't something I'd want to do today. But I'm happy to perform it."

I gave Avery a mischievous smirk when I said that, and his lips parted as if involuntarily.

"I'm good with pretty much anything oral or digital," I resumed. "I don't get into spanking, and I'd want approval over any toys. Otherwise, I want to do whatever Avery wants to do." I sent another flirtatious look his way, and he flushed. "What about you two?"

Julian answered first, not surprisingly. "For myself, I don't want to receive anal stimulation in any form. And I would like a veto over any major changes in activities, at least while they are new. When we met with Vik, I had control of our sessions. I'd like to err on the side of caution."

"Got it," I agreed.

I focused on his partner, but he seemed too shy to say anything.

"Avery?" Julian prompted.

"I -- I don't know," he hesitated.

"You don't know what?"

"I don't know...if I have any limits." He was blushing again and staring at his hands, fidgeting with a scar on his thumb. "But I don't --" He cut off again and let out a tense breath. "I want to do a lot of things. I'm just...really nervous."

Before Julian could react, I pulled my stool closer, directly in front of Avery. My seat was a little lower than the mattress, so I looked up into his face and laid a hand on his forearm. He'd seemed like a fan of the physical contact earlier; I hoped it might reassure him.

His gaze flickered briefly to mine, bright yet guarded, and he didn't move his arm away.

"Hey," I told him in one of my softer tones. "If it's me making you nervous, you don't need to be. We're just here to have fun; I don't have any expectations. We can do whatever you feel comfortable with. We could stick to a little light making out, if you prefer. Or if you don't feel comfortable with anything, I'm completely fine to just sit and talk with you some more. I can always come back another night. I'm stuck here for at least sixteen more months."

I smiled, hoping to put him at ease, and it seemed to work. There was less stress when he glanced at me again.

"Then I guess...I don't have any limits on like...normal activities. I'm just not into pain or degradation or anything."

"Me neither," I affirmed, letting go of his arm.

"For safe words," Julian continued, "we use 'yellow' and 'scarlet.' I expect all of us to respond to any other words indicating 'stop' or 'slow down,' but it's best to have clearly defined signals. 'Yellow' means we all pause, listen, and respond to any request made. 'Scarlet' means we cease all contact immediately and sort out any concerns. Contact cannot resume unless explicit permission is given."

It's an interesting thing about safe words: the more readily available they are, the less they're needed. He clearly had practice preventing and monitoring for distress in a variety of situations.

"'Yellow' and 'scarlet,'" I echoed. "Will do."

"Anything else to discuss?" he asked at large.

I waited for Avery to shake his head before confirming that I was ready to go.

"Do we all agree to sexual contact tonight, in accordance with the terms we discussed earlier and the limits we've set?"

"I do," I volunteered.

"Yeah," Avery said, looking down again.

"Then I do as well," his husband concluded, and a loaded silence fell over the softly-shadowed room.

I reached for Avery's arm again, nearer his shoulder this time, and waited for his next glance. "Can I kiss you again?" I asked when it came.

When he nodded, I shifted from the stool to the bed next to him, settling my hip against his. I moved my hand to his back, layered in muscle that was completely solid despite barely hiding his ribs. He didn't need me to pull his chin over this time. I went slowly, keeping the reins slack, letting him warm up to me. There was something irresistible about his lips, the way they melded tentatively against mine, when tentative was not a word that could usually describe him. Because beneath the hesitation, when I didn't push him, some kind of hopeful eagerness blossomed. His kisses got deeper, and when I gave him a little tongue, his throat made a quiet enticing sound. I was definitely going to want to hear more of those, but that would be later.

"So, what are you going to do to me tonight?" I asked, brushing his unruly hair back so I could see his eyes better.

His reaction was curious: another flush, gaze dropping to my chest, but unlike other times when he'd been embarrassed, he subtly reoriented closer to me. "I don't -- that's not --" he stammered without coming to a conclusion.

When I checked Julian's expression for clues, something prompted an echo from earlier: Any preference as to role? I'd assumed he was asking if I was willing to submit. Now I realized I had it backwards.

"Oh. Am I asking the wrong question?" I leaned close so I could try again, murmuring into Avery's ear using my smokiest voice. "What do you want me to do to you tonight, Avery?"

Instantly he shivered, and by the way his weight shifted, something was happening inside his zippered fly, which made something want to happen inside mine too.

I couldn't help laughing a little. "Damn. I'm getting off on this already." I rubbed his upper back affectionately, a counterpoint to my verbal provocations. "If you have any requests, make them now. Or I'm happy to use my imagination."

It was Julian who spoke, and his tone grew provocative like mine. "I bet Graham would be willing to play out your favorite fantasy."

At that, Avery's flush darkened, and I jumped on it immediately. "Yes. Favorite fantasy. Let's do that."

"You weren't supposed to tell him," Avery directed at his partner, but the protest seemed mostly pro forma.

"I haven't told him anything yet," the other man countered. "It's your call."

I leaned in again, my fingertips tracing his back lightly while I crooned beside his head. "What's your favorite fantasy, Avery? What is it that makes you blush when you think about it? What dirty little secrets have you and Julian been keeping from me?"

I paused, and he didn't answer, but he was doing that subtle-reorientation thing again, as if drawn magnetically even to the suggestion of power.

"You want me to take your clothes off and find out myself?" I threatened, low and sinuous. "See what makes that erection of yours throb the most?"

He inhaled in a rush, and his head shifted another millimeter toward mine.

I flatted my right palm against his shoulder blade, rested my left against the back of his nearest hand, and pressed my advantage. "You embarrassed for me to find out what turns you on, Avery?"

There was a long hesitation and a shallow breath, but then he nodded.

"But you want me to, don't you?" I asked, dropping my volume even further, letting him fall deeper under the spell of submission. "You want me to know what makes you hot, what makes you desperate. Because that's when it feels the best."

He drew a little closer, until his forehead rested against my temple. His hand rotated slightly to nestle into mine. "You're gonna think it's stupid," he confessed quietly. "You're gonna...like...think I'm pathetic. And have a messed-up brain."

I considered how to reassure him. "Did Julian think you were pathetic?"

Avery's shoulders lifted in a half-hearted shrug. "Probably. He's been making fun of me about it for weeks."

"Weeks, huh?" I teased. He let go of another stressed breath, so I made my voice more supportive. "Listen, no one who looks at you and touches you the way your husband does thinks you're pathetic. And I'm not going to either. Even if I don't end up being into whatever you're into, that doesn't mean anything's wrong with either of us." My arm rested against his back, drawing him almost into a half-hug. "I'll make you a promise: This one's free. Try it out with me, and afterward, if you want, we can pretend it never happened. I won't ever bring it up."

I heard him swallow, but the tension in his back lessened a bit. Another sigh, and finally he whispered, "Ok."

Awesome. Excitement rushed into my bloodstream. "I don't think you'll be sorry," I told him sincerely, giving him a quick squeeze. Then sat upright so I could see them both. "Now, who wants to tell me how to play my part?"

"I will," Julian answered. He studied his partner tenderly for a moment. "You good, babe?"

There was a shy nod in response.

This time Julian gave him a fond kiss. "I agree with Graham. I think you'll be happy with this decision."

"Just, go over there and tell him," Avery said, prodding his partner toward the door with self-conscious humor. "I don't want to hear."

"Alright," Julian smiled, then stood and nodded for me to join him.

Avery retreated to the far side of the bed, against the headboard with knees drawn up, but he kept his eyes on Julian and me where we huddled with our heads together in the corner.

"Do I get a pass for this one too?" Julian asked in a conspirator's murmur. "It's technically my fantasy, that I created on Avery's behalf, when I realized how he was reacting to you. I hope you won't hold it against me."

"Not at all," I assured him. "Can't wait to find out what kind of dirty schemes are rattling around in that steel-trap brain of yours."

It did indeed turn out to be a fantastically erotic scenario. Definitely not anything I was going to have trouble being into, and the wicked looks he kept casting his partner added to the anticipation. I was raring to go by the time he finished.

Once we'd agreed on the details of how to play our roles, Julian moved to the bed, while I pulled the stool alongside it. For the first part, I would only be observing.

"You remember how this started," he told Avery in a deliciously suggestive manner. "Pants and shirt off."

I'd seen Avery swimming some evenings, not wearing much, but this was the first time I could really check him out. God, what a gorgeous creature. Julian removed his own shirt, maybe so Avery wouldn't feel so exposed, and wow. He undressed in public much less often, so I'd never had a chance to get the full effect of the tattoos. His sculpted torso was covered in them, bold patterns intertwining seamlessly with artistic scenes. Each bare chest was accented by the matching leather necklaces they always wore -- the symbol of their marriage commitment, Julian had explained.

He instructed his partner to lie face down in the center of the quilt, then propped on an elbow at his other side, across from me. Avery buried his face in his arms. It was unfortunate that I couldn't actually see his erection, but I knew it was there, especially when Julian slid Avery's trunks off and nudged his thighs apart. Mine was definitely there as I watched Julian's fingers start creeping around those private, tender crevices. If this had been a porn video, I'd have been self-abusing shamelessly. But I disciplined myself and kept my hands off. It would be my turn soon enough.

"Oh, fuck, Julian," Avery gasped when his husband's fingers started stroking his unprotected perineum. The lines of his body from elbows to knees were drawn tight as a bow, but he didn't break position.

"I'm supposed to be getting you warm," Julian commented, lightly amused, "but I'm pretty sure you're already about as warm as you get. You ready to move on?"

I knew what he was referring to, and I myself was extremely ready.

"Yeah," Avery agreed, face and cock still hidden, but shapely ass unguarded.

Julian reached for a bottle on the nightstand and drizzled oil on his fingers. The instant he made contact with Avery's tiny pucker, my crotch started pulsing. Anal play is fun for lots of reasons. But the way Julian made him lie there, spread and unresisting, while his most intimate place was breached -- in front of me, someone he didn't even know that well -- set me ablaze.

"You like that, babe?" Julian murmured while his finger embedded itself. "Being touched in your dirty place, while Graham watches? My finger teasing you right here?"

At the words right here, Avery arched and moaned, satisfaction entwined with longing. I was well familiar with the joys of prostate simulation; an echo rose inside my own back chamber.

Julian massaged his partner inside for a minute, then he turned to give me a nod.

That was the signal for me to join the action. I removed my clothes eagerly, my cock standing up proudly. I've never been self-conscious about my body. Yes, I was bred from prime stock and I take great care of myself, but even beyond that, I don't see the big deal with nakedness. Humans are smarter than other animals, but we're still animals. Clothing is only necessary because we no longer have enough fur to protect us from the elements.

Julian's finger stayed up his husband's ass while he intoned meaningfully. "So Captain Lansing is here, uniform stripped off. He sees you lying naked, spread, impaled, and completely unresisting. Let's see what he wants to do to you."