14. CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 14

For as long as he could remember, Dorsey had loved Halloween. It was one of the few times of year he'd savored. To not only help pick his and his friends' costumes but actually participate in the monthly fair was beyond his fantasies.

He'd attended one event when he'd first arrived, which was a Spring Shower event. It had everything spring and rain associated with it.

He'd chuckled at how some residents had associated both of those terms. There was an actual bounce house for the ‘spring' part and a walk-through ‘wash' for anyone who wanted to get clean.

It was funny and clever. He hadn't even considered how any of that would transfer to Halloween. He probably should have. Then again, his own imagination might not have been pushed forward if he hadn't heard the ideas of the town.

He should have known Bigfoot would be part of it. Jesse, their mayor, was completely enthralled with the idea of Bigfoot. He'd even had his husband, Parker, a woodworker, create a giant statue of Bigfoot.

"Are we still good with five haunted woods?" Jesse asked Aidan, who ran Utopia.

Aidan nodded. "Yes. Not only is the open area still great for the weekend event, but the woods behind it offer a great opportunity to create different ‘scary' scenarios.

"I think we should at least change up one of them," Ethan proclaimed. "Actually, if it were up to me, we should change all of them."

"No," Jesse practically yelled. "Bigfoot stays."

Dorsey had no idea what the previous haunted sites were, but he wasn't the least bit shocked Bigfoot was one of them. Hell, he should have expected it.

Doing everything he could not to laugh, he blinked as he watched what was happening in the Monday morning meeting. It was his first one, but from what Ryder had told him, it was to put together each of the monthly fairs. Halloween was only three weeks away, so it was the first priority.

"I get ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre,' a werewolf possibly, and even ‘Friday the Thirteenth,' but…" Ethan laughed. "I don't think ‘Scream' or Bigfoot is exactly appropriate."

Jesse not only gasped but surged up from his chair. "How dare you?" he exclaimed. "We all know Bigfoot is exactly what this town needs. As for the others, I don't care."

Should he have laughed at that announcement? Maybe not. Thankfully, no one actually heard him.

"In what way?" Zane asked, clearly challenging one of his best friends.

Damn, if Jesse hadn't stomped his orange-colored flip flops. "What?" Jesse demanded. That he wore a shirt that boldly read, I can't make everyone happy. I'm not a taco! made everything more…well hilarious.

"Because he brings people here," Jesse exclaimed. "Admittedly, he isn't exactly scary, but since everyone wants to see him, it makes sense to add him to one of the exhibits."

Dorsey refused to laugh at that ridiculous point. Who was he kidding? He still chuckled but kept it light enough not to bring attention to him. Mostly. Because Mercury's gaze was fully on him. Then again, that was something that he'd noticed during the entire meeting.

"But I agree we should switch things up this year," Jesse exclaimed. "I would suggest ‘A Quiet Place' or ‘Silence,' but since keeping anyone quiet would be impossible, neither would work."

"How about ‘Night of the Living Dead' or ‘Prey,'" Flynn suggested.

"Or ‘Cabin in the Woods,' or ‘Don't Breathe'." Dorsey piped in.

Jesse actually clapped in his seat. "Those are perfect. What about Cocaine Bear? We can easily come up with a costume as great as the one we have for Bigfoot. Seriously…you can't deny having a bear infused with cocaine coming at you wouldn't be terrifying."

Vail burst out laughing. "That would definitely be one reason not to go into the woods."

It was so true, yet…as scary as it sounded, Dorsey was more than happy to experience it, as someone who loved the terrifying parts of Halloween.

"There is also the possibility of "The Ruins?' Not the movies, which sucked, but the book?" Macon shouted out.

Dorsey couldn't have agreed more. The movie was horrific whereas, the book was fascinating. "I agree," Dorsey shouted. "There are several areas we could set it up."

An hour later, they'd come up with each adult, nighttime horror house. Okay, it was not technically an actual ‘house,' but it did cause dread to overcome him.

That said, it was also time for him to alter some of his fudge. Fall was in the air, and he needed to put that into his creations.

Pumpkin? Definitely. But there were many other fall flavors to experiment with.

By the time he returned to Tasty Balls, Dorsey had at least ten flavor combinations. Oddly enough, one of them was pumpkin and lime. It actually was a great combination, even if it wasn't common.

"What do you think of apple, cinnamon and nutmeg? Or Cranberry and… Bourbon? Maybe. It's not like it would hold the alcohol because baking it would diffuse the bourbon." Was he rambling? Yep. But he also couldn't stop. "Then there's Maple and sage…possibly even clover. Or…" Was he jumping up and down? Yep, he was. "I could do butterscotch and salted caramel."

Mercury laughed at his antics. "They all sound fabulous. And if you want to dive into the Halloween fair, do it. You deserve to have fun."

Did he? He wasn't quite so certain yet… yes, he did deserve it.

"Why don't you make every scenario? I'll be your taste tester." It wasn't like it would be a hardship. "Every damn time I try one of your balls, I can't help but moan. You are a marvel, boy, at mixing different flavors together."

Dorsey actually preened at the thought of making each flavor for his…Sir? It was the first name that had come to him. The only one. Was it right? Hell if he knew.

The only thing he was positive of was that he would do exactly as Mercury suggested.

"Are you going to watch?" Dorsey had no idea how he'd been so bold even to ask the question.

Then again, he craved his Dom's attention.

"Always," Mercury said, and damn if he didn't shiver.

"Not fair," he whispered.

The deep chuckle that came from Mercury said he heard that admission. "Make one of your treats, sweetness.

The order was something Dorsey couldn't deny. Yet, hearing it, he couldn't stop shaking his ass, which got him a growl from Mercury.

It was…well…everything.

He might be submissive, but he also loved creating fudge. No. Not just fudge. He loved producing every sweet and savory confection possible. That he was to do it for Mercury was… well… it was intoxicating.

Honestly, he hadn't imagined there could possibly be anything more titillating.

"Which flavor is on your mind, sweetness?" Mercury asked.

Unable to hold back from that demand, Dorsey said, "Apple-bourbon. It wasn't originally something I thought about, but I think it would be perfect."

Then he bounced as if he couldn't help himself. It wasn't as if he'd considered the combination before. Okay, so, he might have considered it but no way had he been willing to create it.

The thing was, he had been. Which left him where?

"Maybe with maple," he shouted out, and damn if that didn't sound good. Dorsey tried not to cringe when he clapped his hands. That would be a perfect combination. He just knew it.

"Are you wanting to open a booth at the fair?" Mercury asked him. "I'd be more than happy to help."

He did, but…that said, he also didn't know how to go about doing that. He might have wanted to attend the fairs since his arrival, but he hadn't been able to participate because he'd been too busy. That said, that would be changing.

First, with him creating fall flavors to his fudges, but–even more importantly–to fully immerse himself into the community. It was what he should have done to begin with, since there was a fair every damn month.

Making friends had been great, but he should have paid more attention to each person's distinction, like each flavor of his fudge. Maybe he should have made different tastes based on the seasons. He also couldn't deny it hadn't been that long since opening Tasty Balls.

Still, now that it had been several months, he was ready to figure out how to help Cedar Falls. It was his duty to a town that had accepted him. Right?

His first trial had his heart beating erratically. He desperately wanted Mercury to like each of them.

"What do you think?" he asked Mercury.

His gaze was fixed entirely on every movement as Mercury picked up the bite of fudge to his lips. Dorsey's entire being was focused as he chewed and swallowed the treat.

It shouldn't be something he thought, but Dorsey couldn't hold back the thought of ‘Mine' that surged through him.

It was…odd. He was a sub, yet somehow, he was trying to claim another. Then again…maybe it was meant to be. After all, when Mercury had claimed him, Dorsey knew he belonged to his Dom.

Would Mercury even accept him? Claim him?

"It sounds amazing," Mercury told him honestly. "There isn't anything you create that isn't beyond delicious."

Was it wrong to shiver at the way Mercury talked to him? Shit…probably, likely. Fuck, he damn well knew it to be true. He was too…pathetic. Right?

"I'm right here," Mercury murmured encouragingly.

Unable to contain himself, Dorsey sank against him.

Damn if it didn't feel…well, amazing. He could seriously fall into Mercury and never come back out.