Chapter 22

22

“No drinking, Tyson. I’m dead serious.”

“Got it. I promise.”

“Have fun, boys.” River watched them head down the hall and closed his apartment door.

“And they’re off.”

Noel raised an eyebrow. “Are you worried?”

“I don’t know. No? Not really. It’s just strange because we really haven’t been apart much since I brought him home.” That made it sound like the boy was a puppy. But it was true all the same.

“I can understand that. I miss mine when he’s at his classes.” Noel shot him a wicked little smile. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I send him off with his cock caged…”

“Wicked man. More coffee?” He grabbed the pot and topped off his mug. “How was your night at the club? When did you guys get home? I didn’t hear you come in.”

“We were late coming in. We closed the club down, and then went to have some food with Clint and his librarian.”

Wow. The illusive librarian. “Did you? I’d say I was jealous but my boy and I came home happy.”

“Excellent. He seems more settled this morning, less wide-eyed.”

“To be truthful, we’re both more grounded today. He was amazing last night. It’s weird though, he’s… different. It was the second time I took out a flogger and really didn’t use it.” He’d been thinking about it all morning. Curiously, not worried or stressed about it, just… thoughtful.

“Maybe you’re both not ready for it. Maybe he needs something more personal.” Noel stretched back in the chair. “My boy rarely needs a flogger, but he needs my hand…” His lips twisted. “…regularly.”

“Kacey really gets off on the Domination.” River would never forget the way Kacey said it ‘tripped his trigger’. So cowboy and so sexy at the same time.

“Oh? That’s a handy thing to know. So many options—and you can pull it out almost anywhere.”

Oh. Yes. That was an interesting observation. “This is why you’re so good to talk to, Noel. You always see the bigger picture while I’m worried about the details.”

“It’s part of my job. Deal with the plot, then add in the fine-tuning, right?”

“Well, I don’t know that it’s your job so much anymore, but I still appreciate the insight. I don’t know if we’d have made it this far if I didn’t have you to call when I needed some validation.” He might not have taken the risk.

Noel chuckled, then grinned at him. “I meant literally my job. Plotting before details.”

“Oh, right!” He chuckled, embarrassed. “Well, I went and made that all about me, didn’t I?”

“Bah.” Noel curled his legs underneath his ass. “You are caught in new-relationship energy. That’s overwhelming.”

“It kind of is. I feel like… like I’m falling for him twice at the same time.” He shook his head. “That makes no sense, I guess.”

“Why wouldn’t it? I fell for my sub, then fell in love.” In fact, River had been worried that Tyson was going to explode from loving Noel for a while. “I’ve met men who were in love, then became a D/s pairing. You’re doing both at once.”

Noel made it all seem so normal. “I am, and… to be honest, I haven’t ever really done either.” He’d never had a full-time sub, and he’d never been truly in love. “Not for lack of trying, it just hasn’t happened.”

“Tyson thinks he’s a sweetheart. Desperate to understand, but also to please you.” Noel shook his head. “He was worried he’d hurt Kacey’s feelings.”

“Kacey was convinced he’d hurt Tyson’s.” He shrugged. “He likes Tyson, too. He wants to learn all of Tyson’s secrets. Sounds like they’ll work it out.”

“By the time they get back here, someone will have a pierced nipple, someone will have a new tattoo, and they’ll both be flying.”

He grinned. “As long as they’re sober, that’s fine by me.” And it would be fun to pretend to be upset about it. “I think Tyson is going to be a very good bad influence.”

“He’s exceptional. I love when he sets himself up for an ass-warming.”

“I’m sure he does too. What shall we do with ourselves while the boys are getting into trouble? Cards? Shopping?”

Noel’s grin was wicked. “We haven’t played cards in eons. I can shop online.”

He didn’t need to ask what they were playing. He grabbed his coffee and pulled out the cribbage board.

By the timethe boys buzzed to be let into the building, River and Noel had played a couple of full games of cribbage, talked extensively about Noel’s planned new fantasy series, and watched Lord of the Rings. They had checked in a couple of times, but were out far longer than either of them had expected.

River tried to take it as a good sign that they were getting along so well, and not that they’d ended up in the ER or something and didn’t want to fess up.

About the time River was beginning to worry, they tumbled in laughing, carrying a pizza, and a number of bags of goodness knew what. Both boys were pink-cheeked and ramped up, and River could see where they would drive each other to bigger and bigger things.

“Look who’s home.” He watched them carefully, glad they were having fun, but also making sure Kacey was okay. “Is that dinner?”

“Yes, sir! One pepperoni, one sausage. It smells amazing.” Kacey put the boxes down, then came to him for a kiss.

He took one, glad that Kacey missed him. “Hello, boy. You seem very happy.”

“I am. It was a fun day.” Kacey was filled with a bright, electric energy. A buzz.

“What did you do?” He glanced at Noel. “Any tattoos or piercings?”

“I got Kacey as far as at the piercer’s, Master River, and he said he wanted it to be with you, if he did it.” Tyson was teasing, but there was also an approval in the sub’s voice. “So we went to a sex toy store and had a ball!”

River laughed and gave Kacey another quick kiss before releasing him. “Did you, now?”

Noel rolled his eyes. “As if you didn’t have an arsenal already, boy? This should be good.”

Tyson settled in Noel’s lap. “Well, I had to invest. Santa Fe’s stores are mostly lingerie and vibrators. I needed quality.”

Kacey rolled his eyes but kept his mouth shut.

“And I bought some goodies for Kacey. He’s woefully ill-fitted.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Anything you want to model for me, boy?”

“Not even a little, but I’ll show you. He was being silly.” Kacey handed him a bag with pink fuzzy handcuffs, a rainbow glitter lace mask, a flogger keychain, and a tiny dildo that was supposed to be from a dragon.

“I tried to buy him a butt plug, but he wasn’t biting, Masters.”

“I don’t think you’re supposed to bite them, Tyson,” Kacey shot back, and then the hysterical laughter started again.

“I have a few in my arsenal we can look at,” he said as he played with the toys Kacey was handing him. “Master Noel reminded me about the cages he makes Tyson wear, too. We’re definitely going to see how those suit you.” He wasn’t teasing; he was dead serious. A plug was a great idea. The more he thought about it, the more he liked it. He held the mask up to Kacey’s face. “Just what we need, more glitter in bed.”

“Right? I asked Tyson how he kept it from getting in uncomfortable places. Do you know what he said?” Kacey’s eyes went wide. “He buys special, biodegradable safe-for-sex glitter!”

He blinked at Kacey, then looked over at Noel. “Safe for sex, huh? This is becoming quite an eye-opening experience.”

“You begin to understand my life, don’t you?” Noel gave him a dramatic, self-sacrificing sigh.

“Not even a little.” He shook his head and grinned at his boy. “I’m keeping the keychain. You can have the wee tiny dragon dick.”

Silly or not, it was so good to see Kacey smile and be so relaxed. Just be a… man. A sub, having fun.

“You should have seen it. It was insane.” Kacey grabbed the pizza and brought it over. “So much fun, but whoa. Never seen some of that stuff. Tyson explained it all. Loud.”

“Loud? Don’t tell me you were embarrassed.” He reached for a slice of pizza, but only because Noel did first.

Kacey rolled his eyes. “God no, but it was so funny! He made my abs burn, I laughed so hard.”

He looked at Tyson, wide-eyed. “That’s impressive, Tyson. Have you seen his abs?”

“I have. I wanted to get a good look at his nipples to see if they were pierceable.” Tyson leaned over and grinned at him. “They so are.”

“Mmm. Yes. I’m a lucky man, aren’t I? So many possibilities with this new boy of mine.” He winked at Kacey so his boy would know he was playing. “Do you want nipple piercings, boy? Not that it matters really, because you’ll get them if I tell you to.”

“I haven’t the foggiest. The idea is… something big, I guess.” Kacey shrugged and leaned in. “I had a lot of feelings, huh?”

“That’s not surprising.” He nodded to reassure his boy. “I look forward to hearing about them. I may have some myself.”

Kacey kissed his jaw. “Thank you, Sir.”

Then Kacey grabbed a piece of pizza for himself.

“Kacey and I were talking about enrolling him in an art class.” He floated that out there on purpose, despite knowing it might make Kacey uncomfortable.

Kacey frowned at him, even as Tyson squealed. “Oh, that sounds so cool! We can be study buddies!”

“I don’t—” Kacey shook his head. “I’m not sure.”

Noel leveled Kacey with frank look. “What aren’t you sure about, boy?”

Oh boy. Tough questions from someone else’s Dom. River wasn’t sure how that was going to go over.

Kacey pressed closer to him, like he was pulling strength. “I don’t do school, really.”

Tyson whispered, “Sir, honey.”

“Sir.”

“Don’t do school?” Noel looked a little concerned. “Do you have learning challenges? Your Master hadn’t mentioned…”

“No, I’m just not real bright, is all, Sir.” Kacey was trying so hard to be even-tempered, and River could hear it.

It felt like a losing battle. No matter how many times he’d told Kacey that wasn’t true, that he needed to stop telling himself that, he couldn’t get through. “Boy…”

“Who told you that? Not your Master.”

Kacey stared at Noel like he’d grown a second head. “Never. He wouldn’t.”

“No, of course not. And do you think someone like Master River would waste his time on someone ‘not real bright’?”

At some point, this was either going to be brilliant or go sideways, and River wasn’t sure which one to prepare for. River stroked his fingers through Kacey’s hair, carefully watching his boy.

Kacey gave Noel a smile that was surprisingly gentle, oddly kind. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do, sir, but things of the soul are just that. He cares for me, and I care for him—whether or not it’s smart—and we’ve made some promises to each other.”

Noel’s eyebrow shot up, but he nodded. “I can’t decide if that was presumptuous or not, but perhaps it doesn’t matter because it was absolutely beautiful.”

River thought so too and hugged Kacey to him. “My good boy.”

“Wow…” Tyson sounded awed.

Kacey leaned into him, relaxing and trusting him. “How’s the pizza?”

He accepted the change of subject. Kacey had earned it. “It’s good, of course. This is New York. There is no bad pizza here. I didn’t realize how hungry I was. Hand me another slice?”

“Yessir! I can do that.” Kacey leaned over, arching in a motion that stole his breath a little bit.

“I do miss New York pizza.” Noel gestured for Tyson to take a slice. “Come sit, boy. What other wonderful things did you see today?”

“Oh, Kacey showed me an art store, we had coffee, we talked a lot, hit a bookstore. We goofed off in the best ways.”

“Did he take you to Artful?” River watched Tyson settle with his Master. “We love that place. It’s huge.”

“He did. We bought some watercolors to experiment with.”

“Oh nice. That sounds fun. What are you going to paint, do you know?”

“It’s a secret, right, Kace?”

His boy shook his head. “It’s a surprise.”

He chuckled. “Well, well. Okay, then.” He couldn’t imagine what the surprise could be. With Tyson involved, it literally could be anything. And probably pornographic.

“It was the best day, Master.” Tyson draped himself over Noel’s side. “Thank you all. I just had a ball.”

Noel kissed Tyson gently. “You’re welcome. You earned some time to yourselves, and I think you used it well. How are you feeling?”

“Happy. Warm. Horny.” Tyson winked at Noel. “Oh, I need another ‘w’ word, hmm? Wicked!”

“Sounds about right.” Noel pinched Tyson’s thigh. “Pink handcuffs?”

“Fuzzy. Fuzzy pink handcuffs, Master. With sparkles. They’re hilarious.” Tyson was so proud of himself, and Kacey couldn’t stop chuckling.

“Oh. I stand corrected. In that case… I’d love to see them on River at some point.”

River snorted. “Fat chance.”

Tyson batted his eyes. “Oh, please, Master River?”

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you, boy? You’d also like a good spanking, I bet.”

“Always. I love a good spanking, Master.”

Kacey blushed and shook his head. “Tyson.”

“What? Don’t you? Oh, you’re missing out, honey.” Tyson didn’t seem the least bit contrite. “It’s like… floating. I mean, not a punishment, huh? Not at all.”

“Not at all,” River agreed. “Just a little fun for a naughty boy.”

Noel kept silent but was grinning as he chewed his pizza.

River felt Kacey bump against him, his boy’s cock taking a bit of an interest.

That was the first bit of real curiosity that Kacey had shown. Kacey had been willing so far, but hadn’t asked many real questions or shown any keen interest.

His boy was very worried about exposing his vulnerability, but he was resting on the trust they were building between them.

“All right. I think I’m ready to turn in. Tyson, would you clean up the pizza, please. Kacey, put all your things away and turn down the bed for me. I’ll be in shortly.”

“Yes, Sir.” Kacey kissed the corner of his mouth before he stood and wandered off with his bags of treasures.

Noel chuckled. “I can’t wait to hear how it goes.”

“Me too!” Tyson whispered, then picked up the nearly empty pizza boxes.

“I don’t know what either of you are referring to,” he lied, teasing. “But I trust you’ll sleep well.”

“Like rocks. I swear.” Noel stood and wrapped one arm around Tyson’s waist.

“No doubt.” He gave them a wink. “Make yourselves at home, of course. Good night.”

Tyson gave him a coy little wave, and River followed his boy into the bedroom.

The bed was turned down, the bags stowed, and Kacey was humming in the bathroom, water running.

Such a silly indulgence, asking his boy to turn down the bed, but if he’d learned anything about Kacey, it was that the boy needed purpose. Tasks. Things he could accomplish.

He and Noel hadn’t even left the apartment so he was already comfortable. He left his slippers near the bed and went to see what his boy was up to.

Kacey was taking a sponge bath, singing to himself, and wiggling his butt. It was adorable to watch him simply be himself, open and easy.

“You can have a real bath if you want one.” He stepped into the bathroom.

“I just wanted to get freshened up.” Kacey lifted his face for a kiss. “We wandered a lot.”

“You did. And it seems like it was good for you.” He already knew Tyson would be under close watch tomorrow. The longer the leash one day, the shorter it needed to be the next. Kacey seemed slightly more even.

“I—Yeah. Yeah, it was a little like playing hooky, and he’s got charisma all over him. He’d be a popular roughstock rider.” Kacey stayed close, touching him.

“And you’re happy to be home.” That was obvious and it felt good. His boy had missed him even though he was having fun. He pushed at the waistband of Kacey’s jeans, and with the fly already open, they slid easily over those narrow hips. “Step out of those, please.”

“Yes, Sir.” Kacey did as he was asked, eyes on his face, never looking away.

“Good boy. Now the rest of it. Briefs… socks…” Spanking his boy in nothing but socks would just make him giggle.

“All naked, just for you.” Happy, sexy boy. There was no shyness, no shame, just a quiet eager curiosity.

“Just for me.” He was going to put that lack of self-consciousness to the test. He reached for Kacey and turned him to face the mirror. “Hands on the counter.”

Kacey braced himself, eyes following him in the mirror.

“See that handsome man in the mirror? That’s my sub.” He took Kacey by the hips and pulled him back a little, then tapped each ankle with his foot to spread Kacey’s feet wider.

“I love that. That you’re into me.”

He slid a hand over Kacey’s ass. “I am.” He gave one perfect, pale cheek a little love tap. “Into you.”

Kacey wiggled a little side to side, humming deep in his chest. “Soon, hmm?”

“Naughty. Did I promise that?” He slapped the other cheek with a little more purpose.

“No, but I can hope, right?” Kacey met his eyes. “Sir?”

“There’s always hope, especially for good boys. Look in the mirror.” He rubbed his hands over that warm skin again and gave his boy a good solid spank, hard enough that Kacey lurched forward a little. The boy would brace himself better next time.

Kacey was processing this, trying to decide what he felt, how he felt, and River buzzed with the knowledge that he could see that in his boy’s face.

“Come with me.” He took his boy by the hand, leaving the bathroom as it was, they could clean it up later after a real shower. “You can talk, you know. You can say anything you want. You can ask questions.” He didn’t offer the blindfold. Yet.

He wasn’t sure he was going to.

“I just… I was just trying to feel, you know? I’m curious. I want to know.”

“I know. I think you might enjoy a different… vibe. Come here.” He sat on the edge of the bed and patted his knees. “Bend over. Get as comfortable as you can.”

“My stomach has butterflies like whoa,” Kacey admitted.

He smiled at his boy. “Let yourself enjoy that feeling. You only get a first time once.”

“Enjoy it.” Kacey inhaled deeply, stepping up to his legs. “God, this is so weird…”

He was patient. He could wait for Kacey to find his courage. “Hot. It’s kinky and hot. Bend over, and tell me when you’ve found a comfortable position.”

“Kinky and hot. Yeah. Yeah, it is.” Kacey’s cheeks were burning, but he bent over. River could feel that taut belly rippling and tightening against his thighs.

He smoothed a hand over Kacey’s back, enjoying the view, the feel, the little sounds Kacey made trying to get comfortable. He especially enjoyed that half-hard prick pressing against his thigh.

“Are you… do you like this?”

He grinned. “How honest do you want me to be?”

“No lying. I promise to be honest with my whole soul.”

He hadn’t planned on lying, he just wasn’t sure how much Kacey was ready for. But Kacey wanted his whole soul, so he didn’t hold anything back. “I love it. I love the way you just spread yourself out for me, the way you gave me your ass, the way you trust me. I love that your cock is getting hard just listening to me talk. I love your curiosity. And I can’t wait to turn all this beautiful, pale skin a hot fucking pink.”

“Oh… thank you, Sir.” That sweet cock jerked for him, and Kacey’s moan went right to his balls. “S-settled. I’m comfortable.”

“Good boy. You only have one rule. Don’t forget to breathe.” He gave Kacey’s ass a nice little pat. “Use your words if you need them.”

He didn’t make either of them wait another moment and gave Kacey a solid smack with a cupped hand, which would make more noise than sting.

Kacey let out a huff of breath, wiggling a little bit, settling further in his lap.

Those were rules. Breathe. “Good boy.” The next two were meant to give Kacey something to feel—one on each cheek, solid.

Kacey’s hips rolled, curling in before slowly coming back to center, settling.

He couldn’t stop his satisfied grin and was glad that Kacey couldn’t see it. “Some people find the sting brings clarity.” He punctuated his words with more solid blows meant to keep Kacey focused without a lot of time in between to think. “Some find it cathartic… a lot of people think a good spanking is a turn-on.” Like him. And in Kacey’s position, that ought to be obvious to the boy by now.

Kacey groaned for him, the long, slow sound lovely. Better yet was the way his boy’s hips rocked, the rhythm finding his unerringly.

He rubbed his hand over Kacey’s ass, feeling how the skin was warming. His cheeks had a nice blush too, which he admired for a moment before continuing. “It’s a better outlet than whiskey, and a safer one than a fight. Also, your ass is a hundred times prettier right now than a black eye.” He went a little harder, knowing he would have to stop soon. It was the boy’s first time after all, and he wanted Kacey to be pleasantly sore, not hurting tomorrow.

“I—Fuck.” Kacey was hard, leaking where they rubbed together, that dance speeding. His boy found his rhythm again, naturally, easily.

Jesus, that made his balls ache. His boy’s mouth was going to feel so good. “Good boy. Have what you want, it’s okay. It’s good.” He went harder, just for two loud, stinging strokes, enough that he could feel it in his own hand, and then backed off, keeping the rhythm the same but dropping the intensity to almost nothing.

“God… God, it’s good.” Kacey arched deep, this hungry motion that made River’s mouth dry.

“My good boy. My beautiful boy.” He rested his hand on one red ass cheek, then pushed his fingers lower to tap on Kacey’s hole.

Kacey spread like he’d pushed a button, thighs falling wide, giving him access to both hole and balls. “Please.”

River was more than happy to give his boy the reward he deserved. He sucked on his thumb until it was good and damp, slid a finger along the little trail behind Kacey’s balls and pressed his thumb against Kacey’s hole until it popped inside.

Kacey barked out a sweet little cry, and his hands gripped his calves and held on. “Oh, yes…”

“Want you to shoot, boy.” He gave the boy’s balls a few taps with his fingers and hooked his thumb a little.

Kacey bucked on his thighs, humping hard on his thumb. He braced himself, the flush from his ass climbing up his spine. One more thrust, and Kacey came for him, giving it up without a hint of resistance.

“That’s it, Kacey. Good boy. Good boy.” He pulled his hand away while Kacey was still shivering, and grabbed a wipe from the nightstand to clean up. “So pretty. So hot.”

He was aching for that sweet mouth, but he made himself stay patient while Kacey enjoyed every second of his reward.

“Mmm…” Kacey rolled a little and pressed one side against his cock. “Thank you. You needing?”

“After watching that gorgeous display, you better believe I am. I want your mouth, and then we’re going to talk.” Kacey didn’t understand aftercare yet, but he would. He was going to understand a lot more now.

Kacey beamed at him as he slid off his lap. “Mmm… so good to me.”

Then Kacey tugged his sweats down past his butt and bared his cock. It took about two seconds before that burning mouth crashed down on his prick.

He let out a shout through clenched teeth and caught his boy by the hair, hanging on for what was going to be a short, hard ride. Kacey loved to suck, and it was obvious in every pull, every bob of his lover’s head.

River rocked up and tugged Kacey down, pushing his cock down his boy’s throat, knowing full well by now what Kacey could take. It only took a few more thrusts before the knot in his gut unraveled and he started to shake.

Kacey stroked his balls, encouraging him, throat working around him and swallowing.

“Boy,” he warned in a deep, husky tone even he could hear the need in. He felt lightning shoot up from his balls and it roared in his ears as he shot, pulsing against Kacey’s tongue.

His boy hummed and swallowed and took every drop, beautiful at worshipping between his knees.

This was a high he was going to ride for a while. He was so proud. He felt tall, strong, and he had a perfect boy. A perfect sub. He watched Kacey, stroking fingers through his hair. “Come on up here, boy.”

“Mmm…” Kacey crawled right up into his lap with a happy sigh.

“How does that backside feel?” He had a nice salve he could put on it if Kacey needed, but he hadn’t gone all that hard this first time.

“Tingly and hot.” Kacey nuzzled his jaw.

“Do you like it?” It sounded pretty perfect to him.

“Yeah. It’s like a good ride. You can feel it buzzing inside.” Kacey traced his earlobe with that hot, wicked tongue. “I—you sure churned my butter.”

“You make me sound like such a stud.” He chuckled. His boy was flying, and so was he. “I want a shower, then I’ll have a look at your backside, and then we’re going to sleep until I wake up and feel like fucking you. How does that sound?”

“Like the best plan ever.” Kacey gave him a soft, deep kiss filled with a heady care.

His boy was the best kisser. Kacey’s kisses often said much more than words could.

He stood, lifting his boy with him, and headed for the bathroom. He’d thank Tyson tomorrow. Right now, he was focused on his sub, and the man was helping him understand what people meant when they said “whole.”