Chapter Eighteen

Ash

T he piercing sound of my alarm fills the room, rudely interrupting my sleep. "Shut up," I groan, irritated by the noise. With a flick of my finger, I turn it off and roll onto my back.

"It's my birthday," I say out loud, sitting up.

I can't believe I made it to my 21st. What a whirlwind of ups and downs it's been. The sight of the wrapped birthday gift Jax gave me last night brings a smile to my face. He made it clear I could not open it until this morning.

He has showered me with gifts, including a collection of stylish new clothes and a stunning pair of black boots that I'm itching to show off tonight.

According to him, everyone needs something smart and sexy in their wardrobe. I've never had money, so spending it on expensive clothes was not something I really thought about. My best black shirt, which is now more of a worn-out dark gray, was my original choice for today.

I stretch my arms overhead and rub my sleepy face before reluctantly rising from my bed. Glancing at my phone, I notice a ton of messages, but I decide they can wait. It's 6:15 a.m. I wanted to wake up early so I could be there to wish Gage good luck for the inspection. As I reach for my gray joggers and slip on a clean T-shirt, I can't contain my excitement at opening Jaxon's gift any longer. The box is quite large and has a big blue bow on the top, along with a card.

Placing it gently on the bed, I carefully remove the card and set it aside to read later. Then, I eagerly tear at the shiny blue paper until all that remains is a mysterious black box. When I give it a little shake, I can hear something shifting around inside. Carefully, I lift the lid off the box, black tissue paper concealing the mystery within, intensifying my anticipation.

As I grab a handful of the paper and pull it up, I'm surprised to find what appears to be a collection of toys underneath. I pick one up, a breathless, ‘ Ohhh ' escaping my lips as I realize what kind of toys they are. I cram the lid back on, as if someone might catch a glimpse of what's inside. Waves of embarrassment crash over me. I've never seen anything like them before, except for Brian the Beast! Peeking back in the box, curiosity wins this round as I slowly remove the contents one by one. It's a treasure trove of Brian's cousins!

A butt plug. Oh, wait, there's three of them, and they're all different sizes. Why would anyone need a single one, let alone three? I put them to the side and pick up some of the colored bottles. Lube, in every flavor you could think of—twelve bottles, to be exact. I can definitely put these to good use. My unfortunate cock has been ignored and neglected as of late. I might need to give this cherry lube a shot tonight. My cock approves of that idea, giving a little twitch.

Inside there are more boxes, smaller ones, full of an assortment of condoms. What did he do, buy out the whole store? I reach for the large box at the bottom. It's a simple but elegant black rectangle with no markings or labels on its packaging. I open it up, and, oh my God, he didn't.

Staring back at me is a mini-Brian. He bought me a dildo!

I tear open the birthday card and my bed gets a sprinkling of small, sperm-shaped confetti.

Happy 21st

Birthday Ash!

I hope you like your starter kit!

Welcome to the world of sex toys!

Word of warning: start small

and work your way up! Enjoy!

Jaxon ??

Work my way up? I'm confused for a minute, but then the dots connect and I'm embarrassed all over again. He means the butt plugs! That's why they're different sizes. Oh god, this is a whole new world to me. Trust Jaxon to make me a gay starter kit!

I pick up Brian 2.0 and can feel it's the same high-quality as Gage's, but with a slight difference. This one is not a giant beast, it's more on a par with my cock size. I knew I was inexperienced when it came to any type of, um, anal… activity… but it looks like I've got a lot more research to do. I also need to find a way to use this toy without causing myself any injuries! I can't believe I'm even considering using this? But I need to at least learn some basics with Brian Junior.

I also can't keep calling him Brian, he seems more like a Tim to me. No, Dave? Dave the Dickosaurus? Nope, that will just make me think of Davey and his mohawk. Gross. Leo the Large Wand? Rob the Ribbed Rimmer? Bill the Butt Blaster? What the fuck am I even doing? Brainstorming names for my new dildo. You couldn't make this up.

The banging sounds coming from the other side of my door mean Gage must be awake. I push Mr. No Name back into the box—along with everything else—and then set it in the corner of the room, concealing it with a pillow I take from my bed. I'll deal with that stuff later.

I enter the kitchen and find Gage with his back to me, broad shoulders stretching the fabric of his navy tee. He has his hair casually tied up in a messy man bun, and we're matching in our gray joggers. The smell of coffee being brewed wafts through the air.

Sliding onto a stool at the island, I say, "Good morning."

I'm taken aback as he turns, his usual beaming smile replaced by a somber expression, worry etched on his face as his eyes cast downwards, filled with anguish. With lightning speed, I leap off the stool and position myself right in front of him, reaching up to put my hands on his cheeks.

"What's wrong?" As I hold his face in my hands, I can feel the roughness of his beard against my palms. "Are you hurt?"

His usually vibrant eyes flutter shut, and a heavy sigh escapes his lips.

"I'm nervous." He speaks so softly that it's almost a whisper.

Without thinking, I instinctively pull him into an embrace. As I lean up, my arms naturally find their place around his warm, vanilla-scented neck. In response, he leans down, encircling my waist with his strong, protective arms. The combination of his touch and the sweet aroma from his skin causes a flutter in my stomach. I feel his hot breath against my neck as his head comes to rest on my shoulder, and his beard grazes my skin.

"Trust me," I say gently. "Things will work out. I know you'll pass the inspection, and we'll have a grand reopening to remember."

"How can you be certain about that?" His soft lips gently brush against my neck. I manage to stop myself from giving into a full-body shudder, though it feels like an electric current is running through my veins.

I speak with sincerity when I tell him, "Because I believe in you."

We remain locked in each other's arms, oblivious to the passing time, finding peace in the comforting embrace and sense of security we've created. Lately, my fingers have been acting of their own accord, and today they've decided to stroke Gage's neck. I finally get to touch his soft hair as I caress strands behind his ear. What I really want to do is watch the locks of hair as they slide through my fingers, but for now, I'll settle for this.

Gradually, I sense his body relaxing, and his tight hold on me loosens. We're lost in the moment, reluctant to break apart, until the coffee machine beeps, jolting us back to the present.

Stepping away, I forcefully bury my hands in my pockets, desperately clenching my fists as I try to control the overwhelming desire to yank him back to me.

He turns away from me, the sound of a mumbled ‘ Thank you ' barely reaching my ears, as he starts pouring his coffee. Did I do something wrong? I feel like I've been dismissed. Unsure what to do, I make a quick detour to the fridge, grabbing a bottle of water before returning to my room.

"Ash?"

Pausing in my tracks, I pivot to find him standing in front of me.

"I'm sorry for turning away after you were kind enough to give me a hug."

"No problem. I'm sorry if it came across as weird, you just... It seemed like you needed one." It might've just been me who needed it, though.

"I did," he murmurs softly.

I don't want to make this any more awkward, so I ask him, "Would you like me to join you downstairs? When the officer turns up, I mean. I don't have to..."

"Yes," he blurts out, his response a plea filled with a mix of hope and uncertainty. "Please don't leave me. I mean, please come with me. Oh man, that sounds even worse." He rubs his forehead. "Sorry, I suck at this. Asking for help and actually accepting it is unfamiliar territory for me."

"You're doing just fine. Don't sweat it." I reach out and stroke his arm. Damn, these hands just touch him whenever they like now. He's like a magnet for my fingers.

At last, his smile comes back. The irresistible one that captivates everyone, the smile that spreads to his eyes and melts your heart like a popsicle. Or maybe that's only me.

Interrupting the silence, I suggest, "How about we have breakfast and then get ready to go down to the bar? While we wait for the ordinance officer, we can take a quick look around the place and make sure everything is perfect."

"Yeah, okay. That sounds like a solid plan."

And just like that, my Gage is back in the room, his previous concerns fading away, and his true self shining through.

"Come with me," he gestures toward the kitchen, where he pulls out a stool for me to sit on. He walks over to a cupboard, grabs every box of cereal he can find, and unceremoniously dumps them on the island.

"Take your pick, birthday boy. What's it gonna be? Cap'n Crunch or Cinnamon Toast Crunch ?"

He's like a big kid. "Since it's both our birthdays, how about we have a little bit of everything?" I suggest.

"Yes! That's what I'm talking about."

He serves both of us a bowl of cereal, the abundance of flakes and milk creating a mess.

As I scoop up a generous portion, I extend the spoon to him, exclaiming, "Happy birthday to us!" We clink spoons before devouring the colorful concoction.