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Keep reading for a NSFW excerpt from Indiscretion, book one in my Inequitable Trilogy. These three books are HONKING big books, the longest trilogy I’ve ever written, but these men are soooo worth it! And you can buy the three books in a box set exclusively from my Payhip store!
Indiscretion (Inequitable Trilogy 1)
by Tymber Dalton writing as Lesli Richardson
Meet Leo, Jordan, and Elliot: A Secret Service agent, an innocent… and POTUS.
He shouldn’t, but he will—again.
Fear never felt this good.
They’re the toughest decision he’ll ever make.
Leo Cruz is an experienced former Secret Service agent. Even though he survived a small-plane crash, being the body man for President ShaeLynn Samuels is frequently the most terrifying job he’s ever held.
VP Elliot Woodley is deep in the closet and has his eye on being POTUS in eight years. Trouble is, Leo can’t let Elliot go despite Elliot’s inability to commit to something long-term between them.
In walks young Jordan Walsh, like a lamb among starving lions.
And Leo’s feeling pretty damn hungry.
(This MMM contemporary political romance features elements of power exchange, secret workplace romances, a pants-dropping late-night tryst in the Oval Office, a switchy and possessive POTUS, close proximity, frenemies to lovers, a May/Dec age gap, a stubbornly patient Secret Service agent who’d do anything for the men he loves, a wounded veteran, smol and tall pairing, pining, and a guaranteed series HEA. It’s a standalone trilogy set in the world of the Governor Trilogy.)
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Keep reading for the NSWF excerpt!
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NSFW EXCERPT
It is a long-ass day but we slog through events while I’m mentally murdering Elliot’s chief of staff for allowing such a strenuous schedule in the first place. He damn well knows better.
I have a feeling the dark glares I’ve shot him and the barely constrained anger in my tone every time we discuss the itinerary are getting my point across.
At least, I hope they are.
Unfortunately, there’s nothing I can do right now except help Elliot soldier through it.
Elliot knows my family’s coming over for dinner tonight and that I want him to spend at least a little time interacting with them. Unfortunately, there’s not enough time for me to give him a shower before they arrive—which I know sounds weird. He’s not a Labradoodle.
Except, yeah, in a way, he is.
He absolutely is my pet.
A couple of staffers, including his chief of staff, follow us back to the suite to handle a few more items before I shoo them away for the night. They have to put up with me, but they understand my presence makes their jobs easier in the long run.
I am the Elliot whisperer, after all.
I’ve just gotten rid of them when his detail notifies me that my parents and sister have arrived at the hotel, made it through security, and are on their way up.
I grab Elliot’s hands and squeeze. “You’ll eat some dinner for me and sit and chat at least for a little while. All right? They won’t be here late. You need to spend time around normal people. You’re too isolated.”
He nods and I feel guilty about how weary he looks as he removes his blazer. “Yes, Sir.” He ditched his contacts earlier today. While his glasses make him look so damned sexy that I want to tackle him, right now it only emphasizes his exhaustion.
Physician, heal thyself. Ever since Jordan’s departure, I’ve isolated myself outside of work because I didn’t want to expend the energy to people. Which has indirectly hurt Elliot, because I withdrew from him as a result.
I need to do a better job as his owner.
I give him a quick kiss. “Good boy.”
When my parents knock on the suite door and I usher them inside, my boy quickly disappears, replaced by Vice President Woodley. As always, he’s warm, friendly, gracious. He offers them hugs, which in this case I know isn’t just him pretending to be welcoming, even though he might not admit it.
He’s desperate for safe affection. With his job, he’s usually not giving hugs unless it’s in the role of Vice Comforter in Chief, and those occasions always rip his guts out and leave him shattered when he can finally hide behind a locked door and free his soul.
For those events, if Shae isn’t going herself, she always tries to send me with Elliot. While comforting people in the wake of a man-made tragedy or natural catastrophe isn’t an everyday occurrence, they happen more frequently than I or anyone else who isn’t a raging sociopath would like.
Elliot hugging just anyone is out of the question mostly from a security standpoint. He does receive frequent hugs from the kids and their nanny—and me—more than anyone else. In what passes for a normal state of being for him, one of the ways his PTSD manifests means it’s also very uncomfortable for him to hug people unless he knows them well.
Although, when I think back on it, while Jordan was always willing to hug Elliot, I remember very few instances where Elliot took him up on that. Even then those occasions always happened in private, when it was only the three of us.
More guilt for me. I never should’ve tried to force things. I should’ve known Elliot’s offer was more him trying to be “fair” than a genuine desire to give being poly a shot.
Shoving those thoughts away, I focus on the here and now. We place our dinner orders with the security detail, who will supervise the prep in the kitchen. That’s protocol for Elliot, Shae, and the First Family.
To Elliot’s credit, he gets my parents and sister talking. The evening speeds by and leaves them little time to ask me questions. After we’ve eaten dinner, we’re still sitting at the suite’s dining room table and nearly finished with our desserts when Mom finally goes there.
“Too bad Jordan couldn’t make it with you this trip, honey. How’s he doing? You haven’t talked much about him tonight. When will we get to see him again?” She smiles. “Have you talked him into marrying you yet?”
Unfortunately, Kayley’s looking right at me and watching me when Mom asks it.
From the corner of my eye, I see Elliot’s also listening because I spot how he tenses.
I force a smile. “Jordan’s fine. He moved back to Tallahassee a few weeks ago to finish his master’s degree. How’s your cheesecake?”
“Wow,” Kayley says. “That wasn’t subtle at allll, bro.”
I shoot her what I hope is a withering glare.
Mom looks from her to me. “Did you guys break up?”
Elliot stands and I stand automatically, because it’s protocol. But he holds out a staying hand and offers what anyone else would mistake as an exhausted smile. “It’s all right, Leo. I’m really wiped out. I think I’ll hit the hay. Please, feel free to stay and talk. It won’t disturb me. It was really great getting to see you all again and spend time with you. Thank you so much for coming over tonight.”
He hugs them one more time and then heads into his bedroom, quietly shutting the door behind him.
Shit.
That’s my pet. Even when he feels like shit—and I know exactly why he feels like shit right now—he still manages to be kind and courteous.
Mom looks at me with an arched eyebrow. “Uh, you weren’t going to tell us you broke up with Jordan?”
That’s not factually accurate but I really don’t have the emotional strength to get into it with them tonight. “It’s complicated, Mom. We didn’t exactly break up. He’s finishing his degree.”
Kayley speaks up. “So…it’s a long-distance thing?”
“Not exactly. Look, we’re still friends, still close. There’s nothing final about this. But I’m not going to leave DC or quit my job and he needs to finish his degree at FSU. Plus, Elliot’s got his campaign coming up. I’m going to be on the road with him a lot, obviously, so it’s the best timing of all. Once the campaign’s over and Jordan has his degree, then we’ll see where we are and go from there.”
Which is so close to a lie that it’s French-kissing it but I won’t get into that with them tonight, either.
Dad has to toss in his two cents. “I don’t understand why you’re being so evasive about this. Either you did or didn’t break up with Jordan. It’s not complicated.”
“Actually, it is complicated, Dad.” I don’t mean to snap at him but I’m raw and hurting and really not in the mood for the third-degree from them tonight. Especially over this.
Add to that I’m worried about Elliot now, and I belatedly realize what a horrible idea this was. I should have told them about Jordan on the phone and asked them not to discuss him in front of Elliot for my privacy. That they would’ve understood.
They’re right that I’m being evasive. It’s not like me to be this way with them. They have every right to be wondering why now, about this, I’m acting completely contrary to the Leo they know.
It’s not like me to avoid difficult conversations.
I take a breath and regroup. “Look, DC is a fishbowl, and Jordan’s not used to it. We met after Shae’s first campaign. Her second campaign was a cakewalk compared to the first, and that majorly stressed Jordan out. This is a natural…intermission, all right? We didn’t fight, we didn’t break up, but I’m not going to be an asshole and force him to delay getting his degree for another couple of years.”
Yeah, that’s a lie, and one I’m telling more to myself than them.
I can’t admit it’s over with Jordan.
I…can’t.
Right now, all I want to do is get them out of there and go check on Elliot and smooth this over with him. I don’t want him hurting. I don’t.
I love him.
They let the subject drop but then I make a point of looking at the time and checking my phone, as if confirming something.
“Oh, hey, I’m sorry. I need to wrap this up. They need a conference call with Elliot for a NatSec briefing, so I need to go wake him up.”
I don’t know if Dad believes that or not. Mom’s giving me stink-eye, and so’s Kayley, but they all hug me.
“If you need to talk, bro, I’m here. You know that, right?”
“I know, kiddo. Thank you, but I’m fine. There’s nothing to not be fine about.”
It’s with no small measure of relief that I get them herded out the door and hand them over to Secret Service to make sure they get home safely.
Now I can turn my focus to Elliot.
I head for the bedroom, almost expecting to find the door locked but it’s not. When I let myself in, I find him curled up on his side on the bed, still dressed, and wrapped around a pillow. He hasn’t even taken off his shoes or Duck.
Fuck.
I lock the door behind me and cross the room, sinking onto the bed so I can stretch out next to him.
“Love you, pet.”
He’s been crying. His eyes are red, his nose puffy, and he left his glasses on the nightstand. The TV’s on, tuned to a local station and turned up just loud enough he couldn’t have heard us out there.
And we couldn’t hear him crying.
“Love you, Master.”
I stroke his hair. “I’m here. With you.”
He finally meets my gaze. “Why’d Jordan really leave?”
I shake my head. “We’re not talking about him tonight. Besides, it doesn’t matter.”
“Did you lie to your family?”
“He’s going to pursue his degree. That’s all that matters. He needs to finish his master’s. It’s only fair. He put his life on hold for me. I have to let him go. None of that is a lie.”
I don’t rush him. I lie there, facing him, running my fingers through his hair.
“If you want to be with him—”
“I love you, pet. I’m not leaving you. You’re mine, and unless you’re telling me you don’t want me anymore, and that you want me to leave, I’m staying. Period.”
“But—”
“I don’t want to talk about this, pet.” I cup his cheek. “I want to get you into the shower, and we need to go to bed. You’re exhausted. Tomorrow’s going to be another long day.”
“Why won’t you talk about this, Master?”
I take a moment to formulate my response. I don’t want to lie to him. “Pet, it’s late, and I’m exhausted. I love you. I’ve never lied to you that I love him.” I force back the tenacious and stinging prickle of tears. “It’s still fresh, and it still hurts, and I need time to heal before I can talk about it. Even with you. Please.” I kiss him. “What would make me feel better right now is you letting me take care of you.”
He stares into my eyes again. “I thought I was supposed to take care of you, Master.”
Running my fingers through his hair is soothing to both of us for different reasons, I’m sure. “You’re supposed to be my good boy and do what I ask of you. Be obedient. I’ve missed you, pet. Tonight, I want to just be here, with you, focused on you. I’m not ready to deal with anything else right now.”
“Are you still in contact with him?”
“We’ve texted a few times.”
“Is he really coming back when he finishes his master’s?”
I sigh. “I don’t know.”
“Do you want him to come back?”
“I want him to be happy. And I want you to be happy, pet. That’s all I want for either of you.”
Those blue eyes of his. Man, they nail me deep in my soul every time. “But are you happy, Master?”
My answer is absolutely the truth. “I am with you right now, pet. And that makes me very happy. Please, I don’t want to talk about Jordan tonight. I want to be with you, and focus on you, and take care of you. That’s what would make me most happy right now, because I love you.”
He finally reaches up and laces fingers with my hand, the one buried in his hair, and squeezes. “I love you, too, Master.”
I kiss him, taking my time, waiting to do anything else until I finally feel his brain disengage a little. Only then do I sit him up and start unbuttoning his shirt. I slowly undress him, using this familiar ritual to reconnect with him. Then I let him undress me so I can help him into the bathroom. There’s a large soaking tub in this suite, so I put us in that instead of the shower, keeping an arm around him all the way into the bathroom even though he’s using his walker.
I let the tub fill and we soak, holding each other, not speaking. That’s when he spies the lube where I left it on the edge of the tub. He picks it up and, a moment later, he’s straddling my lap, kissing me, my cock buried inside him. I stare up at him and slant my lips over his as he rides me hard.
This pure, sweet moment is us at our best. Not the only thing that makes us good but it’s one of the few things between us that’s always been easy and effortless.
He braces his hands on the edge of the tub on either side of me while I cup his ass in my hands and kiss him. At this angle, his cock’s trapped between us and he can get traction against my body. I let him set the pace, and kiss him, and try not to think about the way Jordan used to love riding me exactly like this.
I stare up into his eyes even as we’re kissing and fucking, and for these few, sweet minutes I can pretend that I don’t have to share my pet with the world. That Elliot’s only mine, and that he only wants to be mine.
Because for every time he thinks he’s sacrificing himself by offering to back away from us, it kills me a little inside. The other option is for him to claim me every bit as much as I claim him, even if not publicly.
To simply give me a life-long commitment, secret or not.
And he can’t.
All he has to do is do that.
But I won’t confront him with that. I won’t force him to do it.
He needs to want it and ask me for it. He damn well knows my terms.
I savor the feel of his flesh in my hands, the pleasure building within me as his body grips and strokes me.
This moment is our temporary universe.
“Come for me, baby,” I whisper against his lips. “Give it to me.” I want to hold off, to let him come first.
From the glazed look in his eyes, I know he’s not only starting the climb but he’s deep in subspace. He’s chosen to dive deep instead of thinking about uncomfortable truths.
For tonight, that’s okay. My preference, too, right now.
His body tenses around me and I know he’s at the edge. I dig my fingers into his ass and thrust up into him, hard, sucking on his lower lip as he explodes. I quit holding back and take over, thrusting hard into him until I spill and join him and can finally…melt.
Sliding my hands up his back, I pull him in and hold him pressed against me. “I love you, pet.”
He nibbles the top of my left shoulder before biting down, hard, and sucking. It makes my cock twitch inside him but I’m so tired I think I’m beyond a round two tonight. I bury a hand in his hair and hold him there.
He’s marking me. Duh. He’s a very territorial pet the way I’m a very territorial owner.
When he finally releases his bite, he kisses it. “Love you, too, Master.”
His voice now bears a gentle, tender tone that means he feels better. That, for tonight, he’s willing to let me shove everything else aside and give me what I need from him.
In this fleeting perfection, I only need him.
Later, after we’re curled together in bed, I have all our alarms set, and Elliot’s sound asleep, I reach over to my nightstand and grab my personal phone, where it’s on the charger.
I’d responded to Jordan’s text during one of Elliot’s later meetings, and Jordan responded again, about an hour ago.
I feel us invisibly dancing around each other.
Or maybe that’s narcissistic and wishful thinking on my part.
The airline’s app is right there on my phone’s main screen.
This is something I’ve been thinking about doing, going to Tallahassee, seeing Jordan. Talking to him in person.
Because I can’t let him go. Not in my heart, certainly. I feel like I didn’t really get to say goodbye to him the way I wanted to.
Maybe because I couldn’t convince him to change his mind, and I stopped just sort of trying to order him to stay.
Except, in this case, I don’t think that would have worked. Ironically, Jordan is so much stronger than Elliot in so many ways.
I open my calendar app and check my schedule. When I see that, four weeks from now, I have a long weekend where I won’t be going anywhere, but Elliot will be busy with appearances in the DC area, I take a deep breath and book myself a ticket from DC to Tallahassee that Friday evening, returning on Sunday.
I won’t tell Jordan or Elliot about it right now.
Something in my heart settles a little, which tells me I’m on the right path.
I don’t know what will happen, but this feels right.
That means I’m going with it.
While praying that I’m not majorly fucking up my universe in the process.
