8. Dylan

Dylan

Chapter eight

Day At Sea: Social Gathering: Daddies in Leather 1:00 pm

The first day at sea is spent lounging on the Lido deck while reading. You'd think with all the narrating I do, that I'd spend my time doing something besides burying my nose in a book, but I've grown quite addicted to romances since starting. Plus, what type of vacation is it if I don't get to lie back and relax?

I don't get to see Noah much, other than the occasional glance, but he spent most of his time with Jules, Ash, Jamie, and Juniper attending different events.

After knocking on Noah's door, I take a moment to study his rainbow-colored door decorations. Just across the hall, my door is sadly lacking, and I'm intrigued by all the photos Noah chose for this trip. The biggest photo in the center of his door is one with my brother.

They are in matching white T-shirts and have their arms thrown around each other in friendship, and I recognize the gazebo in Olivia Cove's town square. Jules is laughing and looking down bashfully, while Noah looks directly into the camera lens with a huge smile on his face. Noah's hair is his signature cotton candy pink color and I've grown surprisingly fond of it.

Someone shuffles behind the door, and before jealousy can overtake me, Noah is standing there in the open doorway, alone.

The breath rushes out of my lungs and suddenly I can't remember how to breathe. Noah's ocean eyes drop to my leather pants; meanwhile, my lips part as I take in his outfit. He's wearing white booty shorts and a leather harness, for fuck's sake.

Nothing else.

"Noah." My husky voice practically rumbles his name as my eyes trace every inch of exposed skin. "Damn. You look good, boy."

"Yeah, uh. Um—"

To my delight, he stutters over his words again and swallows hard before he returns the compliment. Noah likes what he sees. I can't help but preen. How the hell did I capture his attention?

"Are you ready to go?" He asks, closing his door behind him.

"Yeah, let's just grab Ash," I say as I unlock my door and hold it open for Noah. "He should be ready by now." I gave the boy some privacy when he asked for it this morning, deciding to get an early breakfast. I brought my change of clothes and hit up the ship's gym and showered in their tiny locker room before changing for the event.

He walks in and immediately spots Ash sitting on the bed looking wide-eyed and nervous in his blue onesie pajamas. As soon as Ash sees us, tears rim his eyes. Before I can do anything, Noah rushes forward and wraps Ash in his arms. He cradles Ash and rocks him back and forth.

I have no idea what set Ash off, but my Daddy instincts are in full protective mode. I might not want to be with the little in that way, but it hurts me to see my new friend in pain.

Noah brushes Ash's black hair out of his face and coos. "Hey there, Ash. What's wrong, little one?" His voice is soft and soothing.

"I'm afraid of doing the speed dating by myself," he whispers to Noah. "Dylan told me you two made a temporary agreement the other night." Ash blushes and looks down.

My stomach tumbles at the word temporary. I don't want anything to be temporary, but I wanted Noah to agree, and I was afraid that anything more would make him run. But why would that make Ash upset? We ended up chatting more late last night after I returned to my cabin. Ash wasn't jealous or upset when we talked. So where was this coming from, and how did I miss it?

I sit on the edge of the bed and inch closer to Noah and Ash. "Ash, can you tell us what's wrong?"

He wipes at his tears. "I'm sorry, Dylan. I'm happy that you and Noah came to an agreement. And I tried to hide my disappointment, but now I just wish I stayed home. I don't want to face a room full of Daddies all by myself." His voice hitches, his little side coming to the surface.

I blink, still confused. "Ash, little one," I say, using Noah's nickname for him. "You won't be alone."

"I won't?" He pulls away from Noah's embrace. Eyes bouncing between Noah and me.

Noah reaches out and rubs small circles on Ash's open palm. "Nope. Dylan asked me if we could both take you to the speed dating event—together."

Ash's face brightens. "You're still taking me to the ‘Daddies in Leather' event?"

I nod. "We sure are. Both of us will be there, and if you want to leave at any point, Noah and I will drop everything and whisk you away."

"Now," Noah says as he stands, still holding Ash's hand. "Why don't you show me your clothes and I can pick out an outfit for you? Every little needs a special outfit."

Ash squeals and throws his arms around Noah, placing a sweet kiss on his cheek. The sweet sight causes tenderness to bloom in my chest. Noah might be a boy, but I love that he can be a little protective, too.

"Thank you! Thank you!" Ash says, cheeks still red and blotchy. "Maybe I can be just as lucky and find a temporary Daddy, too."

As soon as we enter the Leather Lounge, we're required to pick out bracelets to indicate our status. Red bracelets are for the Daddy and boys who are in a relationship or don't plan on participating in any of the dating events. Yellow means ‘ it's complicated, but we're willing to play.' And green is a clear indicator that ‘we're ready to mingle.'

If we weren't here with Ash, I would have grabbed the red bracelet and whisked Noah as far away from all these hungry-looking men ready to ravage my boy. But since we promised Ash we would be here for him, I settle for a yellow bracelet. I can't deny the warmth that spreads through my chest when Noah smiles at me and doesn't hesitate as he places a yellow bracelet around his slim wrist.

"Hello everyone," bellows an attractive man with salt-and-pepper hair, wearing a leather vest. "My name is Daddy John, and I'll be your host for today's event."

The group of people around us quiet down as we listen to Daddy John's speech.

"Today's event is broken up into several sections. Make sure to wear your bracelets. Everyone with a red bracelet: we have a special treat for you off to the left. Meanwhile, anyone who has a yellow or green bracelet, let's enter the room on the right and get ready for some speed dating."

Cheers and hoots of excitement go up around the room.

"After our social events, we'll start several demos and scenes. The educational ones will be labeled and the ones for fun will be limited. Now, let's get ready to mingle, everyone!"

Noah reaches for Ash's hand. "Come on, little one. We're going to have so much fun. And you'll get to meet some really sweet Daddies. But if any of them make you uncomfortable, you just flag down me or Dylan."

Ash nods as we follow the group into the next room. A big sign directs the Daddies to take a seat, and the boys and littles to wait on the other side of the room. I take a seat and people watch as everyone settles into their designated spots.

There are several good-looking men here and a wave of jealousy washes over me when I see Noah point out a few to a giggling Ash. As if feeling my stare on him, Noah's gaze holds mine before he winks. Looks like I might have to try harder if I want to keep Noah's attention. I smile.

Challenge accepted.

Ash giggles again. I'm happy that any traces of Ash's fear and sadness have now been replaced with excitement. Ash opened up to me our first night here and admitted that he's never had a Daddy before, but wants to know what it feels like to be cherished.

More Daddies shuffle around and find a seat, like a big kinky game of musical chairs.

"Well now. Isn't this a surprise?" says an unfamiliar voice.

I glance up.

Max is walking toward me, a huge cocky smirk in place. "I'm shocked to see you and Noah here. Thought he was off the market." His hair wavy and styled perfectly to tumble into his face just so. He's wearing a black leather pants and a matching vest that shows off his perfectly waxed chest and muscular arms. Despite all the leather, his wavy hair almost gives him an approachable vibe, making Max look like less of a dickbag than yesterday.

I tip my head his way. "Ah, Matt. Nice to see you again."

Max's smile drops, but he doesn't correct me. "Trouble in paradise already?"

My brow lifts in question, and I turn my head to face him fully.

"Noah was never one for sharing. The boy was always so damn possessive. But since you two are here, it has me…questioning things. I might get that second chance after all." He rubs his hands together. "I can't wait till he sits at my table," Max says as he slides into his seat, the table directly next to mine.

Thank god each table has a decent gap between them.

Max smiles at me again. Eyes calculating. "I always knew how to get Noah crawling back to me."

Fuck that. I don't want Noah being harassed during this event. As soon as all the Daddies are sitting. I stand up and make my way to Daddy John before the speed dating portion of the event can start.

"Excuse me," I say as soon as I'm by his side.

"Feel free to call me John." His eyes trail up and down my body with a warm, playful gaze. "Unless, of course, you're a boy."

John sticks his hand out, and we shake.

"John, it's a pleasure. I have a bit of a situation. See, that's my new boy over there." I point at Noah. "And that man over there is his asshole ex. Is there any chance you can make sure Noah doesn't have to talk with him during the speed dating?"

John's gaze drops down to my yellow bracelet and taps on it. "You seem awfully protective of the boy, yet you're both still here."

"Like the yellow indicates, it's complicated. And it might fucking kill me if Noah finds someone better than me, but I won't stand in his way. I just want to protect him from his cheating ex."

John glances back over at Noah. Noah looks up and peers around the room. Is he looking for me? His gaze lands on Max and he gasps before cursing and ducking behind Ash.

"And who's the cute little next to Noah?" Daddy John says with interest.

"That's Ash. He's our friend."

Max waves at Noah, but Noah just flips him off and gives him his back. Ash steps in front of Noah, blocking Max's view. I chuckle. I guess Ash is just as protective of Noah as I am.

John doesn't miss the interaction and claps me on the back. "Consider it done."

My shoulders drop in relief. "Thanks, John."

John makes his way over to the group of boys. He walks right up to Noah and points him at the first man, then directs Ash to the second table. John tells everyone else to follow suit and stand in front of a Daddy. "Now that everyone has a boy in front of them, I'm going to set the clock. Each ‘date' will last for five minutes, then the boy will stand up and walk to the next Daddy."

If Noah follows the lineup, he'll be at my table second to last. Meaning, Max would be last. Hopefully, John really will take care of it.

The dates start, and the first guy I chat with is a sweet little named Yuri. He has brown hair and a shy smile that would have me eating out of the palm of his hand if it weren't for the pink-haired beauty on the other side of the room. Yuri mentions that he hopes to catch his roommate's attention, and is sad the guy isn't here at today's event. I confess my growing feelings for Noah and explain that they started last year when we took a road trip to visit my brother. I point him to Ash and let him know that if he would like someone to play with that maybe we can set something up with my friend. He nods eagerly and we exchange contact info.

As each date starts up, I can't tear my gaze from Noah. His beaming smile, sparkling eyes, and the way his hands moved animatedly as he talks. Noah is a people-person in his element, and something about his confidence is a huge turn-on. He looks over at me and smirks.

Rearing back in shock, I study Noah again. What was it about this boy? I usually love for my partners to be more submissive and shy, with big, round, pleading eyes. Not bratty or giving me confident stares.

A giddy eagerness comes over me when Noah finally slides into the seat in front of me. There's a stunning smile on his face that's so wide, I'm almost shocked it's meant for me.

"Hey there, Daddy." Noah slides his foot up my leg.

I capture his calf and place it on my lap. I massage his leg, and he closes his eyes. I knead into the taut muscle, causing a moan to tumble from his throat. He snaps his eyes open and a blush dusts his cheeks. He glances around us and stiffens when his eyes land on Max.

"Oh shit," Noah slumps in his chair. "I forgot he was here."

"Shush boy." I lightly tilt his face toward me with my fingers. "It's just you and me here."

I clasp his chin in my grip until his eyes meet mine.

"Fuck," he whispers. "You're so hot like this, Dylan."

A smile spreads back onto my lips. "Daddy," I correct.

He shudders under my intense gaze and pulls his leg out of my lap to readjust himself under the table.

"I have to admit, I'm a little shocked you're looking for a Daddy. You're so independent and take charge. Is it more of a title for you? Or are you looking for a hands-on type of thing?"

"No, it's not just a title for me," he replies in a serious tone. "Actually, I'm surprised you're shocked." His smile returns. "Why wouldn't I look for a Daddy?"

Even now, he challenges me, rather than submitting like the others I've played with. I fucking love it.

"You have a very take-charge attitude that I adore. And the way you took care of Ash today? You didn't hesitate, you just jumped right in like the dominant one."

Noah nods. "I guess I can see where you're coming from. And I guess, to a certain extent, I've played the role of Daddy for Jules for years."

I straighten in my seat, eyes widening.

He bites back his smile and fails. "Ah, Daddy, don't be jealous. Your brother and I have only ever been friends. Maybe ‘handler' is a better word for it. I took care of Jules because he didn't have someone to play with his pet side. And I treated him the way I wanted someone to treat me. Plus, he's my bestie."

My heart melts. "You are truly special, Noah. You deserve someone to treasure you."

He blushes.

If I can spend the rest of this trip giving Noah what he craves, it will make me one happy guy. "What exactly are you looking for in a Daddy?"

He pauses for a moment, thinking of how to respond. "It's the little things. You know? Especially now that I got a promotion at Dee Rama–"

"Wait," I grin. "Dee Rama Magazine? You work for that huge fashion magazine?"

His lips twitch. "I didn't realize you paid attention to fashion."

More like I paid attention to him. But I don't say that out loud. "Hey," I joke, running a hand over my bare chest. "Just because I'm not wearing much doesn't mean I have bad taste."

Noah laughs, leaning forward and playfully pushing at my shoulder. "That's not what I meant. I'm just surprised you would pick up a fashion magazine and read it, let alone know the name of one." He arches a brow, and I get the impression he doesn't believe that I would read anything fashion related.

We sit there for a moment, at a standstill.

I cave and throw my hands up in the surrender motion. "Okay, okay. You caught me. I don't think I've ever opened one."

Noah smirks.

"But," I continue, holding up an index finger. "It doesn't mean I forgot all about those days you used to visit Jules back home with the latest issue in hand."

His mouth drops open. "You remember that?"

"Of course I do." I grin at the memory. Noah used to burst through our front door with that brilliant smile on his face. Back then, he never knocked, just walked in like he owned the place. Like family. "Once a month, every release day, you'd plop down on our sofa and show Jules the latest trends and hottest celebrities."

I always liked that about Noah, how at home he seemed in our small house. He didn't seem to judge us, even though his family was rich and their house was huge. My mom's place was just a cramped two bedroom, one bath housing three.

Noah groans, burying his red cheeks in his hands. "Oh god. I used to cut up my clothes like a maniac, trying to imitate some of the fashion styles back then."

I chuckle and lean across the table. Gently, I pull his hands away from his face. "Aww, seeing you rock the latest trends and getting Jules to walk down that fake runway in our hallway was one of the highlights of my month."

"You really do remember," Noah whispers, and I nod. His eyes are bright. They drop to my lips and he leans in even closer. I lick my lips.

"Time to say goodbye to your current Daddy and do our last switch," Daddy John calls out as he claps his hands.

Noah pulls back, a nervous look in his eyes as he glances at Max.

My fingers wrap around his wrist as he stands. "Not so fast, darlin'." I smirk. "Where are you going?"

Noah blinks in confusion, and we both watch as Daddy John sits in the chair across from Max.

"What the hell is going on here?" Max snaps, face red. His head jerks toward Noah before he starts to stand up.

"Sit," Daddy John barks in a commanding tone that even makes me shiver. To my amusement, Max collapses in his seat like a puppet whose strings were just cut.

Noah's hand covers his lips as he laughs. He drops his hand and gives me a stunning smile.

Ash walks to our table and stands next to us. "No way. Did you guys see the way Daddy John took charge?" Ash giggles. "That was hot."

Noah leans forward again, studying me that way he does, with his head slightly cocked and his eyes searching. "Did you do this?"

Like a magnet, I lean in as well. I want to kiss Noah. Badly. But the other night was all wrong. We were both drinking, and today, Noah's ex is here. I want our first kiss to be just for us. Something real. I trace a finger across his jaw before rubbing the pad of my thumb over his plush lips.

Noah's eyes darken.

"Okay, I'll just leave you two alone. I gotta run to the restroom before the next event." Ash dashes away, but Noah and I are still transfixed, completely absorbed in each other. No one has ever had this type of pull on me before. Can he feel it?

"Three more minutes till our next activity!" Daddy John bellows, causing us to startle apart as if we were just caught doing something bad.

Noah's cheeks grow a pretty shade of red. "Oh my god, I never answered your question."

Question?

He sits back in his chair and chews on his lip before answering. "Since my job is so demanding, my main thing is companionship. I want a partner and a lover wrapped up in one, of course. But I also want someone who will check in on me, see how my day is going. Ask if I need something. There will be days I won't need anything. Like you said, I'm pretty independent, but I want someone to be there for me, you know?" He pauses, eyes dropping to the table in front of us. "Someone who cares enough to make sure I don't skip my meals or forget to eat. Someone to cuddle with, to make sure I enjoy some me-time, as well as time with my Daddy."

I nod, loving his answer. I want to be that person for him.

"Some Daddies I've been with didn't get my independent side," Noah continues. "They wanted a little or a pet to take care of. While others were the complete opposite and just wanted me to call them Daddy in bed, or rely on them like a sugar baby would. None of that is my thing, and lately I've been questioning if I'm wrong to think the way I do."

Reaching for his hand, I bring his knuckles up to my lips and brush a kiss against his skin. "You aren't wrong, Noah. You sound like the perfect boy to me."

His whole body lights up under my praise. I'm a little worried that I'm coming on too strong, but given Noah's reaction, I get the impression Noah is exactly who I've been searching for.

"Thank you, Dyl–Daddy." Noah blushes again. Damn, he's fucking adorable like this.

Unable to help myself, I decide to praise him a little more, because he deserves to hear the truth. "That was really brave. Thank you for opening up to me when you've had such horrible experiences. I'm proud of you."

Noah's lips part, and he looks touched at my words. He surprises me by tugging me close, and then he places the sweetest kiss on my cheek.

Fuck, he really is perfect.