Lyda looked between her two subs, then nodded to Gen, an unspoken command. Gen withdrew her hand and Lyda opened her fingers. Her Mistress picked up the delicate silver ring, putting the other two to the side for the moment. When she took Gen's hand, slid the band onto her left finger, she met Gen's gaze. "Mine, rabbit."
Then she leaned forward, kissed her forehead, her nose, her mouth. The lingering kiss was followed by a look that said I-mean-
it on every level. Gen couldn't say anything, her throat closed with emotion.
Lyda picked up the gold band. As she and Noah locked gazes, Gen felt that thickness grow to a sweet ache. While her and Lyda's story had had its ups and downs, this possibility had been far more precarious for Lyda and Noah. Those fears were now gone, no foothold to find when Noah was staring at Lyda as if she was everything.
Lyda pushed the ring over his knuckle. As she did, he turned his hand, captured hers in a very unlike Noah aggressive move...if one didn't know the depth and strength of certain emotions he carried. He pressed his lips to her knuckles, his body bending toward her until his head touched her knees. She doubled over him, tangling her hand in his hair, pressing her lips against his nape, rubbing her cheek there.
"Don't you ever forget," she whispered. Gen glimpsed Lyda's face in a rare, entirely unguarded moment. "Don't break my heart."
When he lifted his head, his expression was raw devotion. "Never. I'll take care of both of you, Mistress. Through everything and anything."
He'd said it before, or things like it, but now it meant even more than before. Gen realized he'd picked up the final band when he bent over Lyda's hand. He looked at Gen. In accord, she supported Lyda's hand as Noah slipped the ring on their Mistress's finger. Then their newly decorated hands were tangled together, a hard knot that conveyed a lot of emotion, including tears, as Noah surged up on his knees and hugged both her and Lyda. He rained kisses on their mouths and necks, kisses they returned as best they could while laughing, since Lyda threatened dire things if he didn't stop slobbering over the two of them like a golden retriever. Lyda's laughter was as welcome to Gen's ears as a spring rain on new flowers.
The popping of a cork brought them back to the present surroundings. Champagne had been brought by Tyler's housekeeper, Sarah, and flutes were being filled, distributed by Brendan. He bent and gave Gen a kiss on the cheek, Noah a quick, hard hug. Chloe drew Gen up for a hug as well.
"I'm so, so happy for you," the girl whispered. "You three look perfect together. I've never seen Noah look happy. Not the real kind. The last-a-lifetime kind."
Gen turned to verify, seeing real peace in his eyes. Happiness, arousal, pleasure, love. She saw it in Lyda's face as well, and suspected it was in her own. She'd worn wedding rings twice before, but neither had felt as right as what she wore now.
After congratulations were given, the patio cleared out with discreet driftings of the other guests into the house or gardens, leaving the three of them to share a private moment. Gen was sitting at Lyda's knee again. Noah was standing, but now he dropped to a knee beside her, kissed both their hands. Lyda stroked his hair, then lifted his chin, kissed his mouth. This kiss was another deep one, a teasing gesture that became even more provocative when he lifted his hands and she made a sharp noise, keeping him in place until she left him in an obviously aroused state. Then she leaned down and did the same to Gen. Lips brushing, tongues tangling, teeth nipping, until Gen was breathing fast and shallow. Lyda eased back, her gaze sweeping over both of them.
"I can take you up to our guestroom now, and we can celebrate alone, privately. Or, I can take you to Tyler's dungeon and we can have our own version of a wedding reception." Her gaze sparked. "Either way, my pets will end up naked and at my mercy, while I give them pain and pleasure according to my desires...and theirs. But I will give them this one choice. Which will it be?"
Gen and Noah exchanged a glance. Noah's teeth flashed in an untamed, sexy smile, but Gen answered the question.
"Why can't we have both?"