Read Surrounded [Running to Love 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage and More) for Free Online Page B

like a love-struck idiot and knew he failed hugely when he caught her tender smile as he passed her on the way to make his own morning ablutions. He heard her moving around in the kitchen. Jackie slept on.
    “Anyhow, I think we need to start out as we mean to finish, ’Stair.”
    He came back to the conversation in a rush. His brain was finding it hard to concentrate on anything other than climbing back into bed with Jackie. “So you and I make the decisions and Jackie falls into line?”
    Ashley burst into laughter and tried to smother it behind her coffee. “Good luck with that, my friend. Can you say, ‘core of steel’?”
    “I can, and I’m glad you are aware of it, too. This will probably be the second and last of any conversation that involves our future relationship without including her. Except for the sexual stuff we plan to surprise her with from time to time.” He and Ashley had talked at length behind Jackie’s back, once he’d accepted his wonderful fate, because it was the right thing to do. They both wanted the same thing for her, had her best interest at heart, but he thought it would have taken all of Ashley’s expertise to calm Jackie down when she’d told her about that meeting of the minds. He didn’t want to speculate how it could have turned out, that Jackie could have taken umbrage, felt betrayed, and walked out on Ash. But Ash had taken the risk, knowing that Jackie needed her to do it, and somehow things had accumulated in last night’s togetherness, albeit with negotiations that would have intimidated any diplomat. He checked a smirk at how much of that had fallen by the wayside once they got their hands on her naked body.
    “I agree, unless she does something insane and we need to reel her in. She does that sometimes, and I’m freaking well pleased that you’ll be there to help set her straight. Jackie gets ideas in her head that make sense to no one but her, and the fallout can be a trial.”
    “She puts herself at risk? Isn’t safe?” Alistair heard the bite of terror that spawned deadly possession and intent in his voice, and Ash looked a bit startled.
    “Not exactly. But she sometimes gets into situations that could turn ugly because of her big heart and sense of fair play. She can get into trouble at the market or the movies. I’ll tease her about them from time to time so you can get a sense of what I mean. I remonstrate with her, and she’s like, ‘It all turned out fine, Ashley, so let’s drop it, okay?’ when I’m freaked out.”
    He didn’t really know what situations she was referring to, but he couldn’t wait to find out. Now that Jackie was back in his life, he wasn’t taking any chances. “I’ll look forward to the education, partner.”
    “That’s what we are, ’Stair. Partners. But know that I am really fond of you, too.”
    “Same. I guess we need to talk about living arrangements and stuff.” He gestured around his set of rooms. “I’m not attached to this place. It’s handy to run the Club from, and maybe we can keep it for someplace to stay over some nights we play. Free up a member room, because I want to make up for lost time.”
    “The Ritz it isn’t, buddy. But Jackie makes any place a home, so suck it up when the curtains appear and the thread count rises on the linens. Stuff like that. I’m not real girlie, but I can appreciate it. She’s even picking out my clothes, and I like that.”
    Alistair felt a bit overwhelmed. Jackie had always been a determined, tenacious kid who persevered to get her own way even as she was unfailingly sweet and kind, and he could see his well-ordered life changing. Well, change was good for the most part, but he had to draw the line someplace. “I’m in charge in the bedroom, Ash,” he heard himself grit out.
    “No problem. I’m the more dominant between Jackie and I, and I think I’ll make a fine assistant. She wouldn’t even attend scenes here because of what it awakened in her and the fact