Page 36 of Learning to Run

“Why?” As Bates started pulling out all the pieces of myoutfit, I tried to stay focused on Cash. “You guys worry more than I do.”

Bates wasn’t quite as bad as Cash but he was still anoverthinker.

Smart people always were.

But maybe overthinking made them skip the obvious parts?

“I just have to play pretend and wiggle and wag and remembernot to talk.” It was the easiest, less-stress BDSM thing I’d ever seen. “Thetalking part might be hard to remember but the internet said I just have tofind the right space in my head where my pup lives. I must’ve been ignoring himbecause I didn’t know he was there.”

Cash looked like he was bouncing back and forth betweenwanting to sigh and wanting to worry more. “It’s headspace.”

That was what I’d said.

“All set, come check it out.” Bates was so happy when he hadeverything laid out, even I knew it was a distraction to keep Cash from beingtoo sassy, but I let him get away with it because he probably didn’t want topull rank and punish another Dom.

Praise in public. Censure in private.

“Yay.” Wiggling between them, I looked down at my costume.“I’m going to look so good.”

I even had a wiggly tail the internet said would give megreat orgasms if I wagged it right. “I’m going to be the best tail-waggerever.”

Scrubbing his face with his hands, Cash was back to beingembarrassed about seeing my dick, but Bates just gave me a wicked grin. “That’swhat I’m hoping, pup.”

Cash was working on finding his right color again, so I lethim get not-embarrassed as I kissed Bates’s cheek. “I’m going to have so muchfun and make Cash really proud of me.”

“I’ll be proud of you no matter what.” Cash managed to stopbeing nuts long enough to give me a hug and curl into me. “But if you’re justsaying that to make me stop squirming, I’ll kill you.”

“I’m being very good.” That wasn’t a lie, so I didn’t feelbad about ignoring his drama.

Bates was coughing but it didn’t sound believable and itseemed to make Cash start mumbling about everybody driving him nuts.

I was pretty sure he’d taken himself down that road, but Ididn’t think pointing that out would be helpful or polite.

So I was very good.

Yep, I totally deserved lots of praise and rewards andorgasms.

Once Bates stopped coughing, he took a deep breath andhugged us tight. “Alright, we all know that no matter what headspace Garethfinds, this is about having fun and exploring something new.”

“And orgasms and attention.” He couldn’t forget the mostimportant pieces.

“Yes. Exactly.” Bates gave me a quick peck on the head. “Ican’t forget such important parts.”

As I nodded, Cash straightened and glared at me. “But if youwant attention and orgasms then there’s no more talk of making me proud orworrying about finding your pup. We’re having fun and then you get an orgasm ifyou don’t worry.”

I was not the worrier in our family, but I wasn’t going toargue with the man who might be in charge of my orgasms. “Yes, Sir.”

Somehow my being good made him blush, but I’d stopped tryingto figure out why that happened. He was complicated. That was one of thereasons that I loved him but it didn’t mean that I had to understand him.

Bates’s laughter was going to fall into that category too.

I loved how happy he was and how he always saw the brightside in life, but he was just as confusing as Cash in his own way. That wasprobably why they got along so well together, though. Yep, everyone had bitsyou just had to love them for.

“Now can I be a pup?” Waiting for them to stop being themmight take too long so I tried to give them both a tiny push.

Bates barely managed not to laugh, and Cash almost managednot to scowl but neither could control themselves that well.

They were very lucky to have someone as patient as me intheir life.

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