Sorry I haven't been updating guys, life got a little crazy there. We're back!

"Wait a minute," Edward says, "You two know each other?"

I watch Embry's whole face go a curious shade of red. "We, um…we're friends. We work together," I explain. "Embry, I had no idea…"

He continues to stare at me silently, seemingly frozen in place. Emmett pats his back lightly. "Hey Edward? I need some help with something…over there…Maybe we should leave these boys to talk, and you can help me."

Edward nods. "Sure." He kisses my cheek. "Be good. We'll be back."

They walk away, and I watch as Embry nervously tugs at his collar. "Um…w-what are you doing here?" he says finally. I frown, wondering how he hasn't noticed the collar, before realizing that the collar of my shirt has bunched up around it, meaning that he probably never got a good look at it. I tug my shirt collar down, and his eyes widen. "Oh…well…this is a little awkward."

I chuckle. "Yeah, a bit. I wish I had known you were into this kind of thing months ago." He swallows nervously. "Look, I'm not going to tell anyone. I wouldn't do that to you. But there is nothing to be embarrassed about."

He smiles a little. "I appreciate that. I wouldn't tell anyone about you either. Sorry for being so weird, I'm still kind of new to this. I never expected to find someone I knew."

"Well neither did I, so don't worry. How are you liking it so far? How are things with Emmett?"

Embry smiles and blushes again, but for a new reason. "Things are really great. He knows me better than I know myself sometimes. And he knows exactly how far to push me. He's…amazing."

I chuckle. "I think you like him."

He shoves me lightly. "What about you and Edward, then?"

"Oh, I know I like him!" He laughs finally, relaxing. "So, I heard you're playing tonight. Excited?"

He shrugs. "Nervous. But I always am until I try things. I can't explain it, but Emmett has this talent for helping me relax."

"Is that why you started this, then? To relax?"

He nods. "Sort of. I'm always expected to be in control; to be on top of everything. It's nice to have a few hours when I can let go and let someone else take over, and still know that things will be okay."

"That's one of the best parts," I agree, "Not having to worry. I haven't had that in a long time. So, would it bother you if I watched? I won't if you don't want me to."

He shrugs. "It's an open room."

"Well yeah, but you can still mind. Strangers are one thing. Someone you know is another."

Embry looks over at me. "You really care that much?"

"Sure. I know you'd do the same if it bothered me."

He smiles. "Well, thank you. But it doesn't bother me all that much. You've already discovered my deep, dark secret, and I'm sure you're well aware of what it entails. Not much left to hide, is there?"

I chuckle. "I guess not." I look past him, where Edward and Emmett sit, chatting. "There was never anything Emmett needed help with, was there?"

He shakes his head as they walk back to us. "Not a chance."

I watch Emmett wrap an arm around Embry. "So," he asks, "Are those board meetings going to get real awkward?"

I laugh. "No, not at all. In fact, I think we'll be getting even closer."

Embry nods. "I agree." He smiles at me. "Thank you, Seth."

"Well that's good to hear. We should go get ready. You two gonna stick around and watch?"

Edward looks to me to answer. "Yeah," I reply, "I think we will."

"Good. We'll see you later then."

Edward pulls me close as they walk away. "So," he says, "How did that go?"

I shrug. "It was alright. A little weird, maybe, but not bad."

"Good. Emmett seems very taken with him. He asked me if we wanted to join them on the floor. What do you think about that?"

I hesitate. "I don't know. It could be fun, but I've just barely grasped my own space when it's just you. I don't know if I could do it in front of other people."

Edward smiles. "Good. That's exactly what I told him."

I look up at him. "Really?"

"Yes. You're not ready yet. Besides, if we do decide to do it one day, we'd start with just them. It's easier to relax when you know your partners better." I smile, kissing him softly. "What was that for?" he asks.

"Just for being you. I love you."

He smiles. "Oh. Well, I love you too. Come on, let's go find a seat."

I follow him towards the raised play floor, where a few rows of chairs have been set, each with a small rug in front of it. "What's with all the rugs?" I ask.

"Well, a lot of Doms prefer for their subs to kneel instead of sit. The rugs are so you're not killing your knees on the hard floor."

I nod. "Oh. Is that what I should do?"

He hesitates. "Well, if you're uncomfortable with it, you don't have to right now."

I shake my head. "Will you stop worrying about me being uncomfortable please? I can handle that much myself. Really, I promise." I kiss his cheek softly. "Pick a chair."

He chuckles. "I thought I was the one giving orders." He finally sits down in a chair, and I take my place in front of him.

"This doesn't look like enough chairs for a crowd the size of the ones we've been seeing."

He shrugs. "Latecomers have to stand in the back. But others will join us soon." I nod, kneeling quietly and watching a team of people clean the area.

"What are the rules for this kind of thing?" I ask. "Are there any?"

"Yes. The most important one is you can watch all you want, but you don't interfere unless you're invited to by the Dom controlling the floor. There's another one here that bars anyone who's been drinking from using the floor. They always check with the bartender. There are others too, but most of them are common sense. They're all for the safety of everyone involved." I nod, watching other people settle in around us. Some come in pairs, and I watch them curiously, seeing how they work. Edward begins tracing light patterns over my collar, breaking me out of my observations. "You have your thinking face on," he says. "What's up?"

I smile. "Nothing. Just observing."

He chuckles. "That's my boy. Seeing anything interesting?"

I shrug. "Just taking it all in." my eyes are drawn to movement on the floor. Emmett takes the floor, followed closely by a nervous-looking Embry, who kneels quietly, watching Emmett as he inspects the various equipment. "He's scared," I murmur to Edward. "He's so tense his shoulders are up by his ears."

He nods, his fingers running lightly along my neck. "Emmett will take care of it." I watch as Emmett turns back to him, watching the slight smile that crosses his face, and the way he softens just a little when he looks at Embry. He crouches in front of him, murmuring in his ear too quietly for us to hear, but the effect is clear. Embry's shoulder's drop, his breathing slowing and evening out. Emmett smiles, his fingers lightly stroking his cheek for a moment before he stands.

As their scene starts, I find myself watching the interactions between them more than anything else. Even when wielding harsh instruments like the riding crop, there is a level of care that is apparent in Emmett's stance, in the way he watches Embry, gauging his reactions and adjusting his methods according, and in the way his fingers occasionally reach out, tenderly caressing the man before him. And in return, each action and reaction on Embry's part displays the trust he's put in his Dom. Like partners in a beautiful dance, neither of them seem complete without the other. I add a few more things to my list of things to try, but the most interesting thing I learned was exactly how what I feel about Edward makes sense. Towards the end of their session, I watch as Emmett picks a metal rod off a rack. "Edward," I murmur, "Is that what I think it is?"

He smiles, lightly massaging my shoulders. "Yes, I believe it is. It'll be good for you to see it in person." I watch as Emmett coats the steel in lube before moving back to Embry's side. Their eyes connect for a moment, and Embry gives a small nod. "I don't think Embry has done this before," Edward remarks.

"I'd be terrified if my first time doing something like that was in front of other people. I think I'm nervous for him."

He chuckles. "You can relax. Emmett wouldn't push him too far. He cares about him." I nod, watching intently as the rod slowly disappears into Embry's shaft. Surprisingly, he arches towards the device rather than away from it. Emmett smiles, praising him with a gentle hand against his cheek. He manipulates the rod with a level of skill I never knew was possible, and a sensitivity I would never expect from someone his size. Embry certainly seems to be enjoying himself, and I have to come to the conclusion that it must not be painful, like I imagined. As the scene comes to a close, I find myself occupied with all the new things I've learned tonight. They rush through my head, fighting for my attention, until Edward's light touch pulls me from my thoughts. "So," he says, "Was it worth watching?"

I nod. "Definitely. It was very interesting."

He smiles. "Well I look forward to hearing all about your discoveries later. Would you like to talk to them before we go?"

"That would be nice."

He wraps his arms around me, lifting me from the floor and depositing me in his lap. "Okay. We'll give them a couple of minutes to themselves, though." I look back to Embry, who has been wrapped in a blanket, and who is sitting in very much the same way I am. I rest my head against Edward's shoulder, thinking. "You look almost like the first night I saw you. Sort of startled."

I chuckle. "No, I'm fine. Just a lot to think about. I've never really seen it from that side before, other than in porn. But that's different. Those people are strangers. Emmett really cares about him, doesn't he?"

Edward nods. "I think he does. It's all over his face when he talks about him."

"Yeah, Embry's too. They go well together. Embry is usually reserved. He doesn't like new things. But Emmett is just spontaneous enough to balance him out." He nods, kissing me softly, his fingers tangling in my hair.

"Well I can't wait to hear what else you've learned," he murmurs.

I smile. "There's a lot of things. But the big one is that I need to be more open. I trust you, but I don't always trust myself. I need to stop that and learn to accept new experiences."

"Are you referring to sounding again, or is there something else?"

I shrug. "I mean, that's one of them. But there are plenty of things I haven't done out of irrational fears of them. I need to let go of that and learn to trust my faith in you. I know you would never do anything bad to me, no matter how odd the experience might sound. I think I'd rather leave it up to you, what we do when. I trust you."

Edward smiles, kissing my forehead softly. "Well that's a lot that you've learned. I'm proud of you. And if that's something you want, we can work on it."

I look up, seeing Emmett motion to us. I follow Edward onto the floor, taking a seat beside them. "Did you enjoy it Seth?" he asks.

I nod. "Very much. Thank you. I learned a lot." I look over at Embry, still resting against Emmett. "Would I be right to think that you've never been sounded before?" I ask.

He grins. "Yeah, that's a new one for me. How about you?"

I shake my head. "I haven't yet, but I think I will soon. How was it?"

"Well it's really hard to explain. But it's really good. You should try it."

I chuckle. "Maybe I will. It was great to see you. Here, I mean."

He nods, smiling. "I can't wait to watch when it's your turn. I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of each other."

Emmett hugs him gently. "Alright, time to get you tucked in."

Embry yawns. "Yes Sir." He slowly gets up, leaning on Emmett for support as we say goodnight.

Edward wraps an arm around my waist. "Are you ready to head home too?"

I nod, leaning into him. "Yes Sir. I'm exhausted." I let him lead me out of the club and along the sidewalk, enjoying the feeling I get when I walk with him.

"So," he asks, "Was our first outing a success?"

I chuckle. "Yes Sir, I believe it was."

"Good. I'm sure we'll have many more." I follow him up to his apartment, smiling as Edward pulls me back against him. "Stay tonight?" he asks softly, his lips brushing my neck.

I smile. "My apartment is going to get lonely, but sure. Your bed?"

"Yes, but first, as beautiful as it looks on you, we should take your collar off." I pout, and he laughs. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be spending plenty of time in it. But for what I want to do now, we need to put it back where it belongs."

I grin. "Oh? Do I get to know what you want to do?"

He chuckles, unfastening the collar and handing it to me. "Well why don't you put that away, and then come see?" I smile, replacing the collar in the playroom before finding Edward in his bedroom. He beckons me closer, pulling me down to the bed with him. He kisses me softly, his fingers quickly undoing the buttons on my shirt.

I chuckle, pulling away just slightly, and Edward whines. "What are you doing?" I ask.

"I want to touch you," he murmurs. "Please?"

I grin, kissing his cheek. "Alright, but I get a chance too."

I slip my fingers under the hem of his shirt, pulling it over his head. He laughs. "Deal." I grin wickedly at him before quickly flipping us over so that I'm straddling his hips. He raises an eyebrow at me, and I shrug.

"What? It's my turn to be on top."

Edward laughs. "Is that so? Aren't you glad I made you take the collar off?"

"Oh, shut up, will you?"

I kiss him, ensuring his momentary silence. When I pull away, he grins. "Oh yes, I think it's definitely your turn." His fingers finish unbuttoning my shirt, and I allow him to pull it off while I plant soft kisses along his neck. His fingers run lightly along my sides, and he nods, silently granting me permission to explore him. I slowly kiss along his collarbone, hearing his soft sigh. "Seth?" he murmurs against my cheek, waiting for me to look up. "I love you."

I smile, resting my head against his chest. "I love you too, Edward." His breath hitches slightly as I run my fingers along his side. "Thank you for today. It was amazing."

Edward gently presses his lips to my forehead. "I'm glad you enjoyed it as much as I did." He smiles. "I think it's bedtime for us."

I chuckle. "Yeah, probably." He pulls the blankets up around us, his arms wrapping around my waist. Feeling the beating of his heart under my cheek and the warmth of his skin against mine, I close my eyes, drifting into a peaceful sleep.

Woohoo! I'll be posting several more chapters today to get you all caught up, but please remember to review!

Love,

TheSongSmith