Chapter 7

7

F riday evening, Tobias had Noah and Phan dressed for company in their best polished leather and silver fixings. Their collars gleamed and were on display, both of them wearing silk, open-necked shirts, and Tobias had them waiting at the door for their guests.

"Are we all ready?" he asked, straightening his shirt cuffs. Phantom had helped him dress, so Tobias was feeling particularly relaxed.

"Yes, sir," Noah said gently. He still seemed to be holding onto some of the euphoria of Wednesday's very worthwhile diversion. Tobias noted his perfect posture and the content expression on his face.

Phan nodded, his hands behind his back and his eyes down. His hair was artfully up, coppery peaks going where he'd gelled them to point. "All set, sir. The wine is breathing on the sideboard and your scotch decanter is on your desk."

"Good, good." Tobias opened the front door and stepped onto the porch just as Jorge pulled into the lane and started toward the house. "And there they are, right on time."

Noah and Phan hurried out to stand behind Tobias. Of course Bradford was right on time; he made an art form of being practically perfect when it came to social graces.

"Good evening, Tobias," Bradford said as he stepped out of the car. Jorge waited for Nikki to climb out behind him and then shut the car door.

"Hello, old friend. Come in, please. Nikki looks well." Tobias nodded to Jorge, dismissing him, and held the door wide for Bradford and his boy.

Bradford nodded at Nikki, and Nikki answered quickly, bowing his head even deeper.

"Thank you, Master Tobias."

Bradford grinned in a way that Tobias knew meant he was joking. "I didn't get time to give him a good spanking today, so we'll hope he behaves."

Tobias had to laugh. Nikki was probably the most consistently well-behaved sub he knew. Even Noah and Phan would step out of line on occasion, but he'd never seen Nikki be anything less than exactly what Bradford wanted him to be.

"Well, I'll keep him away from bad influences, then." Tobias led the way into his office and crossed to his desk. "Have a seat. Noah and Phan have duties in the kitchen, but supper should be served shortly."

"Wonderful," Bradford sank neatly into one of Tobias' chairs. "Do they need Nikki's help?"

"I have no idea. I don't cook if I can help it. Noah?"

"If Nikki would like to help us set the table, sir...?"

"Perfect. Run along, Nikki."

"Pleasure, sir." Nikki stood and joined Noah and Phan.

"I think he'd actually prefer it anyway." Bradford smiled.

"He'd rather be with the rascals than with us stodgy Doms?" Tobias grinned and poured two glasses of scotch. "Drink?"

"Have I ever turned down good scotch?" Bradford reached for one of the glasses. "It is a good one, I hope?"

Tobias snorted.

"The farm looks marvelous, Tobias," Bradford went on. "When was the last time I visited? It seems ages ago."

"I'm not sure. So, yes. Ages." Tobias sat in the chair across from Bradford and leaned back. "Are things quiet at the club? Sorry I wasn't in much this week."

"You're not the least bit sorry, you liar." Bradford laughed. "The club was very quiet, actually. Noah's security equipment is in, the new calendar has been sent out, the staff remains top notch. I'm not even sure what they need me for anymore."

Tobias snorted. "I'm not even going to dignify that with a response. I noticed the membership applications are leveling off but renewals are up."

"Yes, isn't that nice? We have a full, happy membership." Bradford sipped his scotch.

"Happy is good. I value happy." Tobias smiled and sank farther into his chair. "I think that if we expand the guest services out here, the in-town teaching sessions might pick up, too."

"If they pick up too much more, you'll have to hire help," Bradford warned. "Your boys, especially Phan, seem quite overwhelmed enough without even more training on your calendar. Am I wrong?"

"Well." Tobias shrugged one shoulder. "Phantom's issue seemed to be more about what happens here and keeping it small. In town, he does quite well having Doms test on him. Not that I'm suggesting he do that any more than he is -- he only has the one body, and I'm quite fond of it. But I can see doing, say, an afternoon class on technique with a specific tool."

"What a wonderful idea," Bradford replied. The wheels were obviously turning behind those grinning eyes. Tobias wasn't sure if he should be excited or terrified by Bradford's slow smile.

"Of course; it was mine." Tobias took his usual tactic of bulling his way through. To give Bradford an inch was to give him several miles of lucrative interstate highway. "You'd have to pay me, of course. I'm on a fixed income, you know."

Bradford laughed. "Oh, my dear friend, you insult me. Of course I would pay you. In point of fact, you would pay yourself. It's your budget, after all. I'd just need to increase it accordingly."

"Have I ever told you how much I love the way you think? When you're agreeing with me, I mean." Tobias sipped his drink and looked around his office. He loved this room; of the whole house, it was probably the one he'd marked the most as just his. There was the bedroom, of course, and the safe room, but the office was a public face, and one he was comfortable showing to everyone who walked in the door, in the lifestyle or not. The stables were an entirely different case -- very much him, but certainly not for the general public. "You know, I think this room is the only place in the house where you fit in just perfectly."

"Provided I'm agreeing with you." Bradford sipped his drink and grinned. "Are you suggesting I'm too overbearing for farm life?"

"Yes. Also, you're too neat, and possibly too prissy." Tobias set his glass down. "But that's okay; you're exemplary at what you do. Will you be taking a class or two from me? Merely to foster goodwill among the Doms, I mean." Oh, that would be fun.

Bradford raised an eyebrow. "Was that a dare?"

"If you'd like it to be." Tobias beamed at him, delighted with the idea. "I'd love to help you brush up on some skills."

Bradford set his empty glass down on Tobias' desk. "Very well, your first class will be in the nuances of... the tawse, hm? And I'll attend. It's not an instrument I use with Nikki, so I'm sure I'm rusty."

"Phantom will be delighted. Or not -- I'll have to check with Dr. Brewer." Tobias frowned slightly. "The tawse might not get a lot of people in. Now, if you want a larger audience, we can move to knives. After Phan heals a bit. We had a good week."

"Knives... now, there's a thought. And I do hope you'll show off those marks for me. Knives it is. Pick a date and I'll get the word out."

Tobias looked toward the door and raised his voice to call, "Noah! A moment, if you're able to come without dinner being ruined!"

Bradford raised an eyebrow as they waited for Noah to appear. It was only a few moments.

"Sorry if I kept you waiting, sir, I had a dish in my hands when you called." Noah hurried to his knees beside Tobias' chair.

"You did fine, pet. Now. Please refresh my memory about my schedule for, say, the next three Wednesday afternoons?" Tobias carded his fingers through Noah's hair.

"Yes, sir. You generally like to keep Wednesdays open as you spend them at the club catching up from the weekend. I don't believe you have any set plans in the next month or so, but two weekends from now is another group session here, and so you might be particularly busy the Wednesday after that."

"Who needs a day planner?" Bradford snorted.

"Not me. I have a Noah." Tobias smiled and petted Noah again. "Sometimes I do ask him to write it all down for me, though. So, Wednesdays may or may not work, as he's right -- that's my catch-up day. Noah, if I were to have a teaching afternoon at the club, what day would you suggest?"

"Well, sir, we're often in the city Thursday and Friday when you have appointments. Maybe a Thursday afternoon?"

Tobias looked at Bradford. "A class wouldn't take much prep, just a booked room and an hour or so for me to gather and order my thoughts. Say, this coming Thursday?"

"Oh, good lord. Nikki!"

Nikki appeared even faster than Noah had. "Sir?"

"Do you happen to know my schedule for Thursday?"

Nikki nodded. "Your two p.m. cancelled; the afternoon is open, sir."

"Thank you, Nikki." Bradford looked at Tobias. "There you are, I'm open after two p.m."

"Who needs a day planner?" Tobias smirked. "Phan!"

"Coming, sir!" There was a clatter and the sound of Phan's bare feet on the hardwood. "Here, sir!"

Tobias tried very hard not to laugh. "Good boy. Now we're all together again. Show Master Bradford your shoulders, dear."

Phan preened visibly as he turned and shed his shirt. Tobias' name stood out in red lines like cat scratches on the skin.

Bradford actually stood to get a better look. He studied the marks critically for a moment and then sat down again. "Tobias, I do believe you are as completely full of yourself as I am. No wonder we're such good friends. Nice work."

"Thank you." Tobias let Phan leave his shirt off. "So, Phan. We're going to do it again, with an audience. Next week."

Phan turned around and though his eyes were downcast his smile was huge. "Thank you, sir!"

"I'll have to have a discussion with Nikki," Bradford said. "We haven't used sharps between us yet, and I don't know where he stands on the practice. If not Nikki, I'll bring someone else on whom I can practice. Nikki, remind me to get the word out tomorrow."

"Yes, sir." Nikki's voice gave no indication whether he would be joining Bradford or not.

Tobias looked at his boys and nodded. "Supper, please. That's all for now."

Everyone got up and left in a rush, leaving Bradford and Tobias to grin at each other before following them. "We are lucky bastards, Tobias," Bradford remarked getting up from his chair.

"We planned it this way," Tobias reminded him. "From the time we were hanging out with Luca, learning from the best. Yes?" He got up as well and made sure the scotch was stoppered, ready for later in the evening.

"And now we're the best, yes."

"We are, indeed." Tobias led him into the dining room, and they decided between them to let the subs dine with them, even allowing them to sit at the table for a change.

Phan and Nikki didn't seem terribly comfortable with it, but they did their best. It never failed to intrigue Tobias how Phan resisted things like sitting at the table when they had company.

Dinner was wonderful, mostly due to Noah doing all the cooking and Phan doing the helping.

After the dishes were cleared and all three of the subs were taking care of the chores, Tobias came to the real reason he'd invited Bradford out to the farm. "So, shall we go and look at the guest house and come up with a few design ideas?"

"Ah... I knew there had to be an ulterior motive." Bradford stood, looking a little uncomfortably full. "My goodness, dinner was delicious."

"Of course. That's why Phan's looking so healthy these days." Tobias headed to the hall to get his coat and the keys. "Right, Phan?"

"Right, sir. Healthy. Not fat."

"Just so, Phan. You look marvelous." Bradford stopped on his way out and added. "And so do those marks." Tobias saw him wink at Phan before they left the room together.

"You're going to make him trip if you flatter him too much." Sure enough, Tobias heard Phan squeak and a chair fall over.

"I don't flatter, Tobias, you should know better. I only tell the truth. He does look marvelous, and he's one that needs to know that. It's remarkable, really. I was concerned about this triad of yours." Bradford waved his hand vaguely in the air before continuing. "Supportive and hopeful, but naturally concerned under the circumstances. I'm thrilled to see I had absolutely nothing to worry about."

Tobias smiled as he fetched his keys. "We're disgustingly happy, really. Even Phan's current issue is relatively minor. I put a large part of his healing on Noah; I couldn't have done what he's had such success at."

"It's a peer thing. These boys are smarter than most people give them credit for, I think." Bradford followed Tobias outside and down the dirt and gravel road to the barns.

"They are. But then, I tell you things I couldn't tell them, so there we are. And here we are." Bradford had seen the bunkhouse before, of course, but without this purpose in mind. Tobias unlocked the door and let him into what was essentially a large building of bedrooms. "So."

"It's... rustic," Bradford offered uncertainly. He moved down the hall, looking in doorways.

"It's functional. We need to make it functional, welcoming, homey, and comfortable." Tobias opened doors to bedrooms. "The rooms are big. We can either add on or lose a room or two to make a kitchen and lounge."

"Well, there's no reason why you can't put two Doms together in the larger rooms so you don't lose numbers... but a kitchen is a must, a second bathroom for sure, possibly even three. Ah." Bradford stopped in a bedroom at the back of the house that had a window that looked out over the back end of the property. "A lounge in here? You could even push it back and enlarge it, open it up with some french doors to a patio... maybe a grill, a hot tub. Hm?"

"Um. I don't want a hotel, Bradford."

"Okay, so skip the hot tub." Bradford shrugged.

Tobias rolled his eyes. "Okay. So you come here for a weekend retreat with your boy, a place where you can really put him in subspace and have him stay there for a couple of days. Do you want to share a bedroom?"

"Mmm. No. Good point." Bradford looked up. "Maybe add a story?"

"Yes, maybe. Bedrooms up and common areas down?" Tobias looked around, picturing pine and hardwood and white wash. "That could work."

"That would be logical. You could even keep a couple of the downstairs rooms, too. Maybe add a library or a quiet room down here for those that want quiet but don't want to hide out in their rooms."

"Oh, very nice. Like my safe room, maybe. I could incorporate that into the weekend session talks." Tobias looked down the narrow hall. "This needs tile and to be widened. Are we rich enough to do this?"

Bradford snorted. "In the short term, it might sting a bit, but long term, well, these weekends aren't cheap. It'll get paid for." He looked around. "It needs better lighting, too."

"Skylights, bigger windows, white walls. We need texture, too. Are there any artisans at the club?" Tobias' palms were starting to itch like they did when he was planning new things for his stables.

"Mike is a carpenter, and I think Scott does mosaic work. Hmm."

"Any painters? Sculptors? I'm not so much concerned with the carpentry, but the art might be nice to have done in-house, so to speak."

"You mean like Phan?" Bradford looked at Tobias.

"Well, yes. But he can't do a whole house. I'd never see him again. And fabrics would be nice to have."

"I'll have to look into it, I don't know off the top of my head, but I'm sure there must be someone. You know who would know? Nikki. He pays attention to that sort of thing. I tend to care more about what they do in the club than out of it."

"Oh, very good." Tobias nodded firmly. "So, next week we'll get the designers out?"

"You are in a hurry, eh?" Bradford headed for the front door. "I'll try to have someone here on Monday."

"Well, I'd rather not have Phan go to pieces, is all. Besides, we'll lose the weather if this goes on too long."

"Understood. It's not an outrageous project. A dedicated crew can have it done in a few weeks."

Tobias shook his head and grinned. "Isn't it fun, old man?"

Bradford laughed. "It is! And who are you calling old, Grandpa?"

"I'll have you know that not only have I never sired, you're clearly slipping. You're older than I am."

"I don't think I need to be reminded which one of us is the more mature."

"Clearly you do." Tobias grinned and pointed at himself. "Mature. You're merely old."

"If I were younger, or for that matter if you were, I'd call you out for that insult." Bradford laughed. "Tonight I'll settle for more of that very fine scotch."

"Excellent choice, my friend." Tobias left off the old as a boon. "I'd hate for us both to be embarrassed in front of our younger lovers." Laughing, he led the way out of the bunkhouse and back toward the very fine scotch.