Strange Love

"So... what brings you here... alone?" Peg asked as he studied his brother's disgruntled expression. "I'm just finishing up with work if you want to go grab a coffee or a beer and talk about it."

Arei nodded as he ran a hand over the side of his head. "That would be great."

Peg arched a brow, sending his brother another curious glance. "Alright, let me just tell Andy so she isn't waiting on me." He nodded to the folder tucked under Arei's arm. "Do you need to drop that at her office?"

"Oh..." Arei's gaze moved to the folder. "Yes, there's are Jos's work forms."

"Alright... you want to just walk there with me?" Peg asked, his curiosity growing. "So where is Jos?"

Arei cleared his throat feeling a bit unsettled as he replied. "She's hanging out with Chary, Scylla, and Shelly back at dad's."

"And she didn't come with you?" Peg pushed on.

He shook his head. "No... in honesty, I was hoping to have a word with you... privately..."

Peg chuckled. "Any time, you know that." They walked quietly the rest of the way to Andy's office. After a quick explanation and several parting kisses, Peg was ready to head wherever it was Arei needed to go and hear whatever it was he needed to say. "Well? Bar or cafe?"

Arei ran his hand over his hair again. "Coffee, to go? I really need to be moving right now... I don't think I could sit still while discussing this..."

Peg's brows rose. "Well, you've definitely spiked my interest. This place is pretty good." He pointed to a small shop to their left. "We can grab it to go and walk through the markets if you'd like or the waterfront or both..."

Arei nodded in agreement and followed his brother toward the tiny bakery and coffee shop. They placed their orders and waited with minimal conversation while it was being prepared. Arei popped the lid off his cup and watched as the steam rose from the dark, rich liquid. "How did you get past the fact Andy had so much more time having s.e.x than you when you first got together?"

Peg spat hot coffee everywhere as his eyes bugged in shock. He choked on some of the fluid still in his mouth as he tried to swallow. "F.u.c.k Arei... Really? That's where you want to start this?" He wiped at the coffee still dripping from the sleeve of the leather jacket he wore with one of the napkins with the coffee shop logo on it. "Well, if you must know... I didn't really think about it... I was a v.i.r.g.i.n, so hell, any experience was more than I'd had."

Arei frowned. "Yeah, but weren't you afraid of letting her down, of not meeting her expectations?"

Peg arched a brow. "Dude I shot my load prem.a.t.u.r.ely so f.u.c.k.i.n.g many times when we were first starting out. Yeah, I was embarrassed, but dude shit happens it's natural." A smile curved his lips. "Is the great Areion doubting his skills in the sack?"

Arei shrugged as his focus moved back to the cup in his hand. "It's been a while and I've never been one to seek out women just for the hell of f.u.c.k.i.n.g... The few times that I have sought out a companion it's been for the direct purpose of feeling something, anything except the pain of losing Jos... I didn't give a shit if I was doing a good job or even if my partners were really satisfied or just faking it..." He turned his turbulent gaze to his brother. "She's spent the best part of a year with a kid who has the libido of a f.u.c.k.i.n.g prized stud. My d.i.c.k hasn't been in anything but my own hand for over 50 years."

Peg's smile widened. "You're afraid you won't be able to, what, match the kid's endurance? Current knowledge? What?"

He shrugged. "I had the disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e of spending a good amount of time around them, though I don't know first-hand what they did, thank the gods, I do know it was... not standard lovemaking..."

Peg arched his brows in amus.e.m.e.nt. "Standard lovemaking? Dude, you really are an old man!" He took a long sip of his coffee enjoying its smooth flavor. "Do you love her?" He smiled knowingly as Arei nodded. "Do you believe she loves you?"

"I know she does... but I also know she loves the kid..." He swirled the dark liquid in the cup. "I also know if I give in all the way and open myself up completely, there will be no coming back for me if she leaves me again..." He shook his head, moving his sad eyes over to his brother. "And knowing this I would still move forward whole-heartedly and embrace the darkness when it comes if it wasn't for the harsh reality that that darkness would be spent by her side still for the next almost 400 years."

Peg nodded, understanding what his brother was getting at. "Have you told her how you feel?"

Arei looked away guiltily. "More or less..."

Peg's mouth gaped. "More or less? What the f.u.c.k dude?! How is it that after everything, you're still not being completely honest with her?! How the hell can you expect understanding and shit from her if you're not willing to put yourself out there and tell her how you're feeling?" He slapped the rail of the dock they'd walked out on as he shook his head. "My gods you're stupid!"

Arei glared at Peg. "And what am I supposed to do, admit that I'm no better than a jealous kid myself? That I'm so lame, I'm terrified I'll not be able to please her, and she'll run back to the little prick..." He sat the cup of untouched coffee on the rail and placed his head in both palms as he stared down at his boots. "I'm pathetic, aren't I?"

Peg sent him a sympathetic smile. "No, you're a man in love..." He patted Arei's shoulder as he said. "Do you believe her when she says she loves you? Because I'm going to tell you, as someone who has seen the three of you in the same room a few times now, I don't for a second believe it's the same love she has for you as she does the kid. You can tell they've had a complicated relationship, but it's nothing compared to the way the two of you are together."

Arei frowned, a slight questioning arch to his brow. "What do you mean by that."

Peg's smile widened. "The two of you gravitate to one another anytime you're in a room together. She's at ease any time she's around you. The second the kid steps into the room she becomes instantly rigid... minus while in dog form, you got to admit the kid makes a f.u.c.k.i.n.g adorable puppy... What I'm saying is, it's not the same..." He released his hold on Arei's shoulder and moved his focus back to his own coffee. "You asked about when Andy and I first got together..." He smiled fondly down into the drink that mirrored the same rich espresso as his love's skin. "I saw that same apprehension on her own face many times over the years before she and I got together. Every time Perseus would walk into a room, or his name would even be mentioned... It was always so hard for me to watch her calm easy composure vanish instantly." His eyes moved to Arei. "I've not seen that apprehensive, timid person in over 500 years now... Granted Perseus is completely out of our lives unlike the kid in yours but trust me when I tell you there is nothing to be worried about."

Arei turned his head to hide his blush. "There is still the one thing... I'm not up to date on any current... thing..."

Peg chuckled as he clasped his hand over Arei's shoulder again. "Bro, you're not missing much in today's s.e.x world. Because of a few shit books that inspired some shit movies, kink is in big... nothing you can't pick up at a local toy store." He shrugged. "This current decade treat a.s.s eating like a f.u.c.k.i.n.g delicacy they invented... That can just go and get f.u.c.k.e.d... unless you're into it, then more power to you... maybe pick up an enema kit first and maybe some wet wipes." Seeing the perplexed expression on Arei's face, Peg stepped away and tossed his now empty cup into a trash can. He nodded toward the sidewalk leading into the market. "Come on, let's go shopping."

Ten minutes later Peg was loading a small cart with a wide variety of dildos, vibrators, eggs, anal beads, and l.u.b.r.i.c.a.t.i.o.ns. When he noticed two women who continued to stare while covering their mouths and whispering, he smiled devilishly. He began reading the back labels of some of the c.o.n.d.o.ms labeled xl and xxl. He puckered out his bottom lip. "None of these are advised for over 8 inches..." He held up one of the boxes. "This one says 9.4 inches... It would cover half... if the piercings didn't get in the way too bad..." Peg leaned closer to Arei, holding the box out for his inspection. He looked away from the box intentionally catching one of the women's eyes and sent her a wink. When the women both blushed brightly and turned, he chuckled and stepped away from his brother as he shook his head. "Seriously, that brand is the best fit you're going to find." He continued browsing the shelves. "Aw..." He said pursing his lips in interest as he lifted a box from the shelf. After spending a few minutes reading it, he shrugged, grabbed a second box, and threw them both in the cart. When Arei shot him a questioning look, he arched a brow. "What? Do you think you're the only one wanting to find new ways to please your lady?"

Arei bent forward and retrieved the box. His brow furrowed in confusion. "Why would you need to link u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r with your smartphone?"

A mischievous smile curved Peg's lips. "So, your lucky lady knows just how often throughout the day you're thinking about her..."

Arei's eyes widened. "You mean these are for outside the bedroom? When you're not even around each other?" His curious and stunned gaze moved from the box to Peg. "But aren't you afraid she would... get too worked up wherever she was when you activated them?"

Peg's mischievous grin widened. "Exactly the point... There's nothing s.e.xier than watching a woman come undone while she's struggling to hide it. You'll understand soon enough." As a thought accrued to him, he added. "I just don't advise trying it out at the palace. Chary and Scylla are ten times the kinky little perv that any of us guys could ever think of being... and I've watched three guys circle jerk..."

Arei shut one eye as the brow above the other arched higher. "And you're needing ways to spice things up in the bedroom?" He shook his head. "I guess I'm f.u.c.k.e.d then..."

Peg shrugged. "Don't knock it until you tried it... I'm not saying I'd ever let another man top me, but if Andy ever wanted to bring others into the bedroom, I'd be fine with topping or a variety of other things..."

Arei shook his head. "I'll leave that to you and Ry... I have enough to deal with in... what did you call it... stepping out of my vanilla mindset..."

Peg laughed. "I didn't say we were becoming swingers; I'm just saying IF... Regardless of what you may think, I've never s.u.c.k.e.d a d.i.c.k..." He shrugged as he sent Arei a croaked smile. "Though I may or may not have had mine s.u.c.k.e.d a time or two in the past..." He turned his charming smile to the girl behind the register as they stopped in front of it. "And how are you today, dear?" He asked when she just stared in disbelief at the two gorgeous men before her.

Arei balanced all his bags in one hand as he worked the key fob of his father's favorite sports car. "I'm glad I drove instead of fly..." He muttered as Peg leaned against its side.

"I can't believe dad let you take his baby out. I'm kind of jealous." Peg said as he ran a hand across the car's sleek hood.

Arei sent him a wicked smile as he shoved the bags into the trunk. "You say that as if he knows I have it..."

Peg's head jerked in amus.e.m.e.nt as he turned his attention away from the sleek Maserati MC20. "You have got to let me drive this thing!"

Arei tossed him the keys. "Drive me back to the palace first, then do with her as you will..."