Cooper
“You’ll show me how to do that, right?” I looked over the table and leaned forward in the chair. I wasn’t exactly stuffed, but it was close. Everything had been delicious.
“How to grill? Of course.” Jackson reached out and cupped my face. “I’d love to show you.”
Sawyer snorted. “Just make sure you give him good instructions.”
Rolling my eyes, I grinned at Jackson and stuck my tongue out at Sawyer. “It was one time. Once you showed me, I never did it again.”
Jackson glanced back and forth between us and lifted one eyebrow. Sawyer sighed. “Your excited pup never did laundry at home and never told me after we moved in together. So I sent him down to the laundromat, and he was gone forever. It turned out that he’d gone back and forth from the laundromat to ask the lady who worked at the front desk where we were living how to work the machines and what to do. He was lucky no one stole our stuff.”
“I said I’d ask for help the next time I didn’t know how to do something.” I shrugged. “And she was nice.”
Sawyer smiled and nodded. Leaning over, he gave me a kiss. “You did.”
Jackson didn’t ask the questions I could see behind his eyes, but he smiled and shook his head. “I take it that’s part of why you’re so honest with each other?”
Sawyer nodded, and my heart squeezed tight. “That’s part of it.”
Jackson seemed to understand we were turning to more sensitive topics, so he steered the conversation back to the food. “Do you want to come over and practice next weekend? We’ll pick a few recipes to try. One for lunch and something else for dinner, maybe? So you get a chance to do it a few times?”
“Yes. We’ve been cooking more and doing pretty good.”
Jackson grinned. “I’m sure you will do wonderful.”
“If not, there’s always pizza.” Sawyer’s smile said he wasn’t serious. But I still had to react. He was expecting it.
“Like the time you burned the pasta?” I lifted one eyebrow to let him know I wasn’t going to let him live that down anytime soon.
Jackson barked out a laugh. “How do you burn pasta?”
Sawyer sighed, and his head dropped back. Giving him a giddy smile, I turned back to Jackson. “Not putting enough water in it, and leaving it there for an hour.”
“Hey, there was plenty of water to begin with.” He seemed offended, but we’d played it out too many times for me to buy that.
“Of course there was.” I was about to make another teasing joke about a mac-n-cheese incident that had gone horribly bad when the back door opened, making us all jump.
A brown-haired woman’s head popped around the doorframe. “Should I have knocked?”
She seemed utterly gleeful when she asked, so I knew it had to be his sister. Jackson groaned. “Considering you saw their car, and that’s probably the only reason you’re here, yes.”
“No, it’s not. I needed to borrow…” She looked around the room. “Sugar.”
He shot her a look like he wanted to throw the sugar at her, not give her some. I liked her already. “Hi, we’re…well, I’m Cooper and this is Sawyer.…He’s, well…we’re…”
Once I started, I realized I didn’t know how to describe any of it. Finally, I shrugged. “We’re having dinner.”
She laughed and waggled her eyebrows like a naughty cartoon character. “I know.”
“Mellie!”
“Don’t give me that stuffed-shirt look. I’m the reason you guys met. Of course I should get to say hi. Especially since everyone’s fully clothed and nothing fun’s going on.” Her eyes lit up when Jackson’s head fell back in a fabulous impression of a frustrated Sawyer.
I didn’t mind that she knew what we liked and about…well…everything. Sawyer, on the other hand, blushed and looked like he’d rather hide under the table than talk to her about puppy play. Jackson didn’t seem to mind any of it. Just the fact that she walked in when she shouldn’t have.
But judging by the look on her face, she’d done it on purpose.
He really needed to lock the doors better. We’d have to work on that if I was going to be crawling around the house naked.
Jackson looked at her and shook his head, gesturing to both of us. “As Cooper said, this is Cooper and Sawyer. We’re dating, and well on our way to a better label, but we haven’t discussed it yet because they weren’t ready to be interrogated.”
“I’m ready. Sawyer’s not.” I smiled and waved, but Sawyer threw his napkin at my head.
“I’m Melissa. I’d love to talk to you over coffee sometime. Pick your brain a little if it wouldn’t embarrass you.” She gave me a wide-eyed, innocent look that was so believable I wanted to tell her anything she wanted to know.
“Mellie!”
I was impressed. She was almost as good as me. “You’re good at that.”
Melissa didn’t seem offended. “Thanks. But you’re still going to go out with me, right?”
“Of course.” I loved the idea of having someone to talk to who’d understand. “You’ll tell me your pen name, right?” I gave her an even better innocent look and nodded encouragingly. “I want to read about your characters. I bet I even have some of your books.”
“I love him, Jackie.” She beamed at both of us. “Can I keep him?”
“Lord, he’s not—fuck, never mind. Just no.” Jackson gave her a look like if anyone got to keep me it was going to be him.
They were so funny.
And the fact that he’d been going to tell her that I wasn’t a puppy was priceless; even Sawyer had to laugh. She gave him a smile but didn’t subject him to the same level of excitement I got, which made me feel even better about hanging out with her. She was trying to drive Jackie crazy, but not make us feel weird.
Jackson gave her a frustrated look and ignored our giggling. “Did you actually need something?”
“No. Just wanted to say hi.” She waved again, and then started to head out the door. “Cooper, call me. Jackie, give him my number.”
Jackson mumbled something under his breath about making her pay for driving him crazy but waved as she left. “Go away. And knock next time!”
She shut the door, laughing.
Sawyer gave Jackson a look and got up to go lock the door. “We’ve got to talk about you locking the door.”
“Agreed.” Jackson nodded wholeheartedly. “It wasn’t an issue until you guys showed up in my life, though.”
“It’s an issue now. I’m not getting naked in front of her until I know her a lot better. She’s your family and all, not a stranger.” I wasn’t sure why they both found it so funny, but Sawyer was laughing so hard he almost slid off his chair as he tried to sit down.
“I’ll lock the door. I promise.” He grinned and stood up. “Help me clear the table and then we can go pick out a movie?”
“Sure. Do I get to choose if I’m good?” I smiled at him and started cleaning up the plates.
“Su—”
“No. You don’t know what you’re promising. No fair tricking him.” Sawyer frowned at me. “He should have full disclosure before he agrees to something like that.”
“Spoilsport.” Sighing, I kept cleaning up dishes and carrying them to the sink.
Jackson must have given Sawyer a questioning look because Sawyer started to explain. “He has the attention span of a rabbit. He picks something out that he thinks looks good, but then gets bored and starts talking over it or trying to start something naughty. You have to pick the movie that you actually want to see, then he behaves.”
Laughing, Jackson started bringing things to the sink. “I think I was almost had.”
“I’m being good. Honest.” I leaned in and begged for a kiss as he walked past. Stepping close, Jackson gave me a thorough kiss before pulling back, leaving us both breathless.
“Do you want to watch a movie or do something else, my excitable pup?” His heated gaze looked right through me.
“Yes.” My response was probably a little too enthusiastic, because he smiled and gave me another kiss before he nodded.
“Okay, go get your bag out of the car and meet me in the living room.”
“Naked?”
He groaned a little, and heat flared in his eyes. “Not yet, pup.”
“Gotcha.” Dancing out of the kitchen as Jackson went to Sawyer, I headed through the house to the front door. Grabbing the keys off the entryway table, I was in and out before Jackson was done helping Sawyer relax, but I figured it would take a few minutes.
Sawyer was worried it would all be too much for Jackson, but he was wrong. Jackson was dying to see me, and I couldn’t wait to play with him. By the time they came out of the kitchen, Jackson holding Sawyer’s hand, I had everything ready and laid out on the couch.
Pacing around the room to kill time, I couldn’t contain my excitement when they walked in. “Now?”
“Yes,” Jackson shook his head as I started to strip, “but Sawyer’s going to help you.”
“Yes, Master.” I was so excited and wound up that I was shaking as Sawyer walked over to me slowly.
He cupped my face, gave me a tender kiss, then stepped back. Reaching for my shirt, he started taking charge. “Hands up.”
It was different knowing Jackson was watching. Not in a bad way like Sawyer was afraid it would be, but it just made it more special. We were finally going to share it with our master. Sawyer might not be ready to be a pup with Master, but he was here with us and it was all that counted.
As Sawyer stripped my clothes off, Jackson pushed the coffee table to the side and sat down on the floor, watching closely. Everything about the way he was looking at us said he was taking it very seriously. Like he understood how much it meant to me. By the time Sawyer had me naked, I was still excited but not so frantic.
Jackson’s heated gaze followed Sawyer’s hands as they ran over me soothingly. Sawyer finally gave me a kiss and spoke quietly. “All right, go kneel down in front of Master.”
Everything was bouncing around inside my head, and all I wanted was for it to be quiet like it got when I played. Taking several slow breaths, I walked over to Jackson, trying to find my pup. He was so excited it was hard to catch him. I kept that thought to myself though, because I knew it wouldn’t sound right.
Going down on all fours in front of Jackson, I waited while Sawyer moved everything closer and sat down beside us. “Why don’t you start petting him, Master?”
Sawyer’s hand moved to my head, and I sighed as it went over my hair and down my neck, along my spine. He made the long soothing stroke several times before I felt Jackson’s hand join him. The combination of their touches made everything better.
Closing my eyes, I felt the stress fading away. I’d known it would be perfect, but Sawyer’s anxiety had built until I could feel it pressing down on me as well. Sawyer’s hands moved away, but Jackson’s touch continued. It was sure and steady, the long strokes not quite impersonal, but not like a lover either.
It was perfect.
Sawyer’s voice was quiet as he started to speak. Jackson kept up the soothing caress and made soft noises, probably the same kinds he made to biological dogs. I wasn’t sure he realized he was doing it. “Cooper wears kneepads almost every time he’s a pup, even if we’re inside, because he runs around so much.”
“Do you?” Jackson’s voice was even and warm, and I knew it didn’t matter to him either way. He was just trying to understand.
“Sometimes. It depends on how the scene will go, and what we’re doing. Most of the time, I’m relaxed and cuddly, so it doesn’t seem necessary.” Sawyer’s voice was hesitant, but I was so proud of him for explaining what he liked.
“That makes sense. As playful as you both make him out to be, I think they would be necessary or he’d end up bruised.” Jackson’s hands ran down my thighs and around my knees.
I couldn’t decide if I wanted to bark or moan. I was in that half-in, half-out headspace, and everything felt incredible. It was a perfect combination of soothing and arousing. Sawyer’s hands gripped my thighs and pulled at my leg. It was such a familiar command that I knew what he wanted without him having to say anything.
Lifting my leg to the side, I felt the straps of the kneepads go around my leg. I expected him to move me around or even to just shift to the other side, but that wasn’t the plan. Sawyer’s voice was getting stronger as he spoke again. “Here, you put this one on. As he gets deeper into his role, he doesn’t really talk much, so asking him questions doesn’t do any good. Just give clear commands like you would to a biological dog.”
Jackson’s words were low and while not really commands, it was clear I wasn’t expected to answer. It was little things like, “There we go, my pretty pup,” and “We’re going to get you all fixed up so you can play.”
When the kneepads were on, Sawyer showed him how to put on my mitts. I was starting to sink into the role, and the excitement was beginning to build. I was going to get to run around, and Jackson would throw the ball. Sawyer would give me cuddles and would rub me down more.
When Sawyer’s hands caressed my ass, my entire body started to wiggle. Jackson hadn’t been surprised by anything, and now he was going to see how cute I looked when I wagged my tail. It was a light brown color that had flecks of something like glitter in it, so it sparkled when it waved back and forth.
Jackson gave a low chuckle that made me scrunch my eyes up, and my cock jerked. It was clearly erect and reacted to Jackson like it always did, but I wasn’t sure how he would take it now. That was the only issue to figure out.
Even if puppy time was completely nonsexual, it would still be incredible to be able to play with him and have fun. When I heard the sound of the lube opening, I dropped my arms to the floor and arched my ass up. Jackson gave another happy sound, and he ran his thumb around my hole, not quite trying to play with it but definitely teasing me.
“I have a pup that is very excited for his tail.” Jackson’s words seemed to be growing more heated, but I wasn’t sure if I was just hearing it because that was what I wanted to be there.
Sawyer’s fingers caressed around my clenched opening, and the coolness of the lube made me shiver. When his finger eased in, I made a low, needy whine, and Jackson’s hands started rubbing along my back again like he was trying to settle me down. He was a natural at it.
I just knew he would be.
“His, um, hits his prostate just right when he wags it, and he wags it a lot so…yeah…he likes it.” I couldn’t tell if Sawyer was embarrassed or just nervous, but his voice sounded slightly pinched.
I heard Jackson shift and the soft sound of a kiss, and I had to smile. Jackson’s voice was warm and loving as he spoke to Sawyer. “And does your tail rub you the same way?”
I could almost hear the blush in Sawyer’s voice as he responded. “Um, I picked out a shallower plug that doesn’t put as much pressure on mine. It will hit it sometimes, but it mostly feels good, but not great like Cooper’s does.”
“Ah. That makes sense. Biological dogs need different things depending on breed, so the same would hold true with pups like you two. Does that mean you have distinct collars and things as well?” Jackson’s question was simple to him, but I knew it would make Sawyer nervous.
Sawyer eased in a second finger, distracting me enough that I almost missed his careful response. “We have basic collars right now that match, but we thought that our master would buy us new special ones someday.”
“Giving a pup a collar like that would be very important. Wouldn’t it?” Jackson’s words were even, and he kept up the soothing strokes.
“Yes.” Sawyer’s fingers pulled out, and I felt the base of the plug press against me. It slid in easily, filling me just enough to be wonderful. It wasn’t the same as having Jackson and Sawyer make love to me, but it was close.
And it had my tail.
When it was fully seated, I clenched down and wagged the tail back and forth. Jackson inhaled softly, then I felt the lightest touch circle around the plug. “Wag your tail, pup.”
I wagged it again, and he made a low pleasured sound. “Have you both picked out names…?” There was the slightest pause while he seemed to realize the answer, “Or is that something like the collars, something a master would give you?”
Sawyer’s face had probably given the answer away, and he didn’t respond, but he must have done something nonverbal because I heard another kiss. Jackson gave my ass a squeeze, and I wagged my tail again for him. “My good pups are going to need names then.”
He was incredible.
“All right, last piece, my excitable pup.” Jackson’s hand moved away from my ass, and I knew he was picking up the collar. “Sit up, pup.”
Then almost to himself, he mumbled low. “We’re going to have to work out some commands and practice with you. I think the structure would be good for you.”
So excited I was going to explode, I lowered my ass to the floor and sat up, still on all fours. Opening my eyes, I looked at Jackson for the first time as a pup. He had the same warm, loving expression he always did when he looked at me, with the hint of laughter that was never far behind.
There were other emotions floating around as well, but they were harder to define.
Nothing that scared me or made me think he was uncomfortable. It was incredibly new to him, so I knew there would be some hesitation and even some fears. That was normal. But nothing said it was too much or that he needed space to figure it out, so I let the last few straggling fears from Sawyer fade away.
“Let’s get your collar on, pretty boy.” His hands came up and wrapped the collar around my neck. It didn’t take long until it was on, and I was his pup. Everything was simpler, and I just wanted to play and show him how excited I was to be with him.
Giving him a little bark, I backed up and crouched down and stuck my bottom up, wagging my tail. Sawyer seemed to be trying to let him figure it out, because it took another bark and a quick look to the couch before Jackson connected the dots. “Oh, you want to play. Where’s your ball?”
Again, the question didn’t really seem to be one that I was supposed to answer. I got the feeling he would talk to biological dogs the same way, and it was so cute I had to show him how perfect he was. Bouncing up to him, I gave his a hand a lick and backed away, barking again.
Jackson laughed and finally found the ball on the couch. “You’re going to have so much fun out in the arena.”
Carefully rolling the ball across the room, he smiled as I raced after it. It was everything I’d ever wanted. Jackson was going to be a wonderful master and the perfect boyfriend. Letting the rest of the real world fade away, I scampered around the furniture to the sound of Jackson’s warm laughter and encouraging words.