Page 87 of Bound By Brielle (Crave & Cure Productions)

“Pinch her cheeks?”

I wrinkle my nose. “No. I held her out away from my body on my knee the entire thirty minutes.”

She sighs, but smiles. “Thanks Lance.”

I nod and rise, waving them goodbye one more time before I get out the door. Mini Scarlett shouts in my direction, and a drooly smile curls her lips. Fine. It’s cute, mini Scarlett is fucking cute. And she did have a great, fresh smell. “Bye then,” I tell the baby, then Scarlett before I leave and get in my car, heading where I need to be—home.

“Next week! Next week!” Brielle squeals as she clutches the lapels of my new suit, shaking me gently in the kitchen.

“He’s going to tear your head off in two seconds,” Aug says around a yawn, his voice thick with sleep. Or, actually, lack of sleep. Because we did not sleep much last night.

We’ve been in hardcore celebration mode.

Brielle’s first year at Crave was goddamn exceptional. She did so much work to bring even more authenticity to our scenes, she implemented a new break schedule that gets the actors more time off their feet during long shoots, and she worked closely with Scarlett, the head of our IT department, to create an app where Crave viewers can request personal content and shout outs from our actors as a way to make them more accessible, which has been proven to drive sales.

She has been incredible.

And because of that, she’s also had a flurry of new ideas. One of them? Start her own film production company, specializing in a specific type of adult film. That signing bonus she stashed away fueled the dream. A dream she built on her own. And in two weeks, her studio Collared Kingdom Films opens and her first shoot begins.

I bet you can guess what kind of films she’s going to make.

“He’s right. I love you, baby, and I’m thrilled to be there for your first shoot, but this is my new suit that cost two grand and I really don’t want to fuck it up.” I step back and smooth my hands down the crinkles her grip has left behind.

Aug, wearing nothing but sweats sitting deliciously low on his hips, wiggles his fingers to her. “I’ll take the love,” he smiles, and she crushes into his chest, squealing as he showers kisses over the top of her head.

“We’re so proud of you, B. And we’re so excited for next week.” He pulls away and passes her a mug of coffee, and one to me as well.

The year we had her at Crave was amazing and it led us to realize we need another full-time director. Today I’m interviewing both directors and future protégé candidates. After Brielle was such a success, Ezra decided he wanted to partner two students with us this year.

I’m now not only a director who still assists Aug, but I’m also the mentorship coordinator, and the hiring director. Aug is still directing, but this week, he’s off to help get CKF ready in time for its first shoot next week. I think Cohen is even coming by for a few days, and Tuck has lent himself to the first feature, along with Maxi and Otis.

I feed my fingers through his hair, tasting toothpaste on his mouth when I kiss him. “And what are you doing today?”

He slides his hand around my neck and pulls me back to his mouth, kissing me deeply before we break apart. “One cup only,” he warns Brielle who sits perched on a barstool, sipping her coffee as she scrolls through her phone. He looks down at me. “I’m counting on you to make sure she doesn’t have any more coffee later.”

I roll my eyes. “Yes, Dad. Now, what are your plans for the day?” I reach down and cup his cock. “B and I were thinking a lunch date at home.”

From behind us, she says, “I’m in.”

I don’t know if there’s a time limit on being insanely physically attracted to your partners, but the thought of being with them in any way always gets me hard. I think maybe when you’re in the right relationships, the butterflies never die and the excitement never wanes. I feel that for both of them, ridiculous amounts of butterflies and unending excitement buzzing through me. Waking up excited to live your exact life is a trip, and I’m lucky as hell.

“Painting today, I can't take a break,” he says, sliding two lunch bags across the counter. “But I made your favorites.”

“You’re our favorite,” Brielle coos from her spot at the bar, smirking at him.

“You’re just saying that because I’m painting the studio today but don’t worry, I’m gonna be home earlier tonight. Cohen and Scar’s daughter has a dance recital, so I should be back before you two.”

“Fuck!” Brielle slaps her forehead. “I forgot, dad and Winnie are coming over tonight. Dinner, remember?”

I nod, fighting back a smile. But goddamn I’m proud of Brielle. It had to be hard to watch her best friend turn into her father’s best friend, her father’s confidant. But she’s handled it like a champ, and in the last few months, B and Winnie have actually started to get coffee and meals together, and once I think they even went shopping.

It’s been slow going, but it is going, and Quincey is forever grateful to us for helping her get there, his words. The truth is, Brielle didn’t need our advice after that night in the Italian restaurant a year ago. She decided to accept it, took her time, tread carefully, and moved at a pace that felt right. And because of her good choices, the three of us have a relationship with both Quincey and Winnie and that was something none of us could ever see at one point. I’m proud of her.

“I’ll make steaks,” Aug says, pulling open the freezer. White air puffs out around him as he digs around, finally producing three black trays of frozen meat that he sets in the sink. “And then I’ll fuck you both into the ground after they leave.”

I nod and look at Brielle. “That works for me.”

She slips off the stool and plants a goodbye kiss on his lips then says, “Me too. I can be patient.”

---