Caged In

by Luna, David

  Wilder smiled encouragingly, and Ace chuckled, rubbing his palms together. “I can’t wait to hear this.”

  Camden snorted, figuring in for a penny, in for a pound. “My friends and I were playing drunk truth or dare last night—”

  Both of them threw their heads back and laughed. He couldn’t help but join in. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. So anyway, long story short, I was dared to come in and,” he said, raising his fingers in air quotes, “‘pick out something crazy I’d never want anyone to see me buy in public.’ So, here I am.”

  Wilder chuckled and Ace covered his mouth with his fist, eyes twinkling with mirth before he asked, “All right, fair enough. Do you want us to help you find something crazy, look around on your own, orrrrr,” he continued, “do you have something in mind already?”

  Damn the man!

  Camden’s face turned an even deeper shade of red, his shoulders slumped, and he sighed as Ace smirked. Camden mumbled, “Ihavesomethinginmind.”

  Ace raised a hand to his ear and grinned, “What was that?”

  He rolled his eyes and groaned. “I. Have. Something. In. Mind.” When both men laughed, Camden sighed and headed in the opposite direction to the back of the store, waving them off. “Ugh. Go away. You’re awful.”

  Both men laughed again, and Wilder said, “Okay, but let us know if you have any questions.”

  He muttered, “Sweet Jesus, not if I can help it,” under his breath, and said a bit louder, “Okay, thanks. I will.”

  He wandered around the store until he found what he was looking for and stood before the display of cock cages, gobsmacked. How in the world did people choose? There was one that was stainless steel, described on the package as, “the cage for long-term wear.” That, more than anything, intrigued him. He had no clue people wore them long term. He pulled it from the rack and looked more closely, heart thrumming just thinking about using it.

  Camden heard the bell at the door ding again, signaling another customer. Ace called out, “Hey, Big D! How’s it going? Your special order is here.”

  Camden gasped and dropped the box in his hands. Cringing from his clumsiness, he sunk down to get it. He had the urge to stay down there on the floor until his boss left, but he realized how ridiculous he’d look if he was caught. He stood and turned his back to the front counter, hoping to hide his face.

  Ohmygod. Ohmygod. Ohmygod. Ohmygod.

  His heartbeat sped up to an emergency-hospital-visit-worthy pace as he stood stock-still. He hoped the ground would swallow him up whole so he could die in peace, knowing he’d avoided the humiliation he was sure would be forthcoming.

  Camden stood frozen as he listened to Ace and Wilder chat with Big D—his employer, his crush, and every Vintage Ridge gay man and straight woman’s wet dream come to life. Reed Daughtry was the absolute last person Camden wanted to run into in Ace’s Wild.

  Camden tuned back in, realizing he needed to pay better attention to what was going on and heard nothing for several drawn out seconds. He wasn’t about to turn around since he hadn’t heard the bell ding again. So, he continued as he was, doing his best impression of a wax figure as he waited interminably for some kind of noise. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and he wanted to die a thousand deaths when it hit him that Big D himself could be right behind him at that very moment.

  And still he waited. Finally, when the wait was just about to do him in, he heard Wilder say, “Here you go, man. Enjoy.”

  Camden’s stomach did cartwheels when his boss said in a deep voice, “Thanks, guys. See you soon.”

  Both Ace and Wilder said their goodbyes, and Camden’s relief at not being caught by his boss was palpable. He heard the bell signaling Reed’s departure and let out a deep breath. Camden chanced a glance behind him at the door, thinking he’d catch a glimpse of Reed walking away. Fear, humiliation, and even a little thrill zinged through his body, firing all his synapses when, instead, he was met with Reed’s heated gaze, gentle smile, and quick wave before he left Ace’s, taking Camden’s dignity with him.

  Fuck my life.

  Long after Reed had left, Camden was still staring at that damned door, hoping and praying it had all been a humiliating hallucination. But, nope. It was reality. And as irrational as it was, he hated. That. Fucking. Door. Glaring at it, he finally turned away and faced the cages again, wanting to say fuck it. Fuck everything and go home with nothing. But he knew he wouldn’t do that.

  First, his friends had dared him, and he wasn’t one to renege. He’d never hear the end of it, and his friends could be merciless in their teasing. On top of that, he’d been wanting a cage for a long time. He’d almost bought one online but had chickened out. He wasn’t going to lose his nerve a second time. He had just as much of a right to be in Ace’s as anyone else, and there was absolutely no reason for him to be embarrassed.

  Maybe, just maybe, if he kept thinking that, repeating it in his head like a mantra, he’d believe it. Taking a few calming breaths, he spent a few more minutes looking closer at a few other boxes. He finally admitted to himself that the one he’d originally picked up was the one he’d wanted from the moment he’d laid eyes on it. He took it up to the counter and bought it, trying to ignore the knowing and understanding glances Ace and Wilder gave him.

  Chapter 2

  Reed

  While Reed had been on the other side of town running some errands, he’d decided to make a stop into Ace’s Wild to pick up his special order. He’d walked through the door and waved at the owners, Ace and Wilder. He’d gotten to know the men at a charity event he’d hosted at Big D’s a couple years prior, and since then they’d been casual acquaintances.

  Wilder headed to the back to get his order and while Reed had been waiting, he’d glanced around the store and done a double take when he’d seen the back of a very familiar head. He’d walked towards Camden, his employee, who had stood at the end of a row of toys.

  The kid had looked frozen to the spot—probably aware of Reed’s approach and embarrassed as hell. Camden was young—hell, Reed was constantly reminding himself of that, but it never seemed to make a difference to his dick—and Reed had guessed that Camden seeing his boss in the novelty sex shop might have sent Camden running. If his feet had been able to move, that is.

  Reed had retreated after a few quiet seconds, not wanting to humiliate Camden, but as he’d turned around, he’d noticed what Camden had been standing in front of and the box that had been in his hand. Reed’s dick had twitched in his pants when he’d seen it was a cock cage. Jesus Christ. Thinking of Camden and a cock cage together was more than Reed’s libido could handle at that moment.

  He’d approached the counter and Wilder handed him a bag. “Here you go, man. Enjoy.” He’d nodded and thanked them, taking one last glance at his adorable employee before he’d turned to walk out.

  Fuck me.

  Just knowing Camden had been in the store had thrown him for a loop. He’d seen him and immediately thought he was getting something innocuous like lube or condoms. But a cock cage? God, chastity was one of Reed’s biggest turn-ons. As a Daddy, he loved having control over his boy’s orgasms like that. Absolutely loved it. But he’d rarely had the opportunity to use a cage on one of them. It wasn’t often the men he’d dated had been willing to be locked up anytime other than around his house. He hadn’t dated anyone seriously in years—he’d only dated men he’d never think of settling down with—so there hadn’t been many guys staying with him for more than a few weekends at a time.

  He’d think about the whys of his avoiding any serious romantic entanglements for years at a later date. Or never. Never was good.

  He’d paused in the doorway of Ace’s Wild, until several seconds had passed and finally Camden had glanced his way, obviously no longer expecting Reed to be there. The look of horror and embarrassment on Camden’s face had reinforced that. Reed shouldn’t have done it. But he wouldn’t have changed it and had done his best to reassure the boy with an intense look and
a soft smile that showed he wasn’t teasing or trying to embarrass Camden.

  Something in Reed wanted, no needed Camden to know he’d been there. Even if only to know he wasn’t judging him for being in the store. Although, maybe the reason Reed had done it in the first place was so he’d have an excuse to bring up the subject later on. When warmth had spread through him at the thought, and his dick had plumped up, he’d known it had been a selfish desire to segue into a personal conversation with Camden, rather than a professional one. But as he’d left the store, he didn’t have it in him to regret it.

  As he climbed into his pride and joy, Izabella—a mint condition, 1978 International Scout II Traveltop—he had to adjust himself. He followed that up with a mental smack upside the head for imagining his employee naked and in a cock cage, with the key for said cage on a chain around Reed’s neck. But in the back of his mind, a niggling little voice said, “He won’t be your employee much longer…”

  Jesus.

  Shaking his head, Reed turned the key in the ignition, and the beautiful rumble and gentle vibration of Izabella’s engine put a smile on his face. He pulled out onto the street and headed to Big D’s. He wasn’t scheduled to work until later, but his sister, Reagan, was going to drop off some paperwork from Playtopia—their other restaurant and what he liked to think of as the kid’s version of Sports and Spirits—and grab a late lunch with him before she went home after her shift.

  When he made it to the bar and grill, he was pleased the place was hopping in the middle of the day on a Saturday. A little thrill of pride sometimes hit him when they were busy, and luckily, they were usually busy. He spotted Rae’s car and hurried his steps towards the side entrance closest to his office, knowing she’d be waiting for him there. He smiled when he found her sitting on his chair with her feet up on his desk, scrolling through her phone to pass the time.

  “Hey, sis. Been waiting long?”

  She made a rude noise and looked at the non-existent watch on her wrist, pointing out in her own special Rae way that he was late. He checked his own wrist, where he had an actual watch, and saw he was exactly four minutes later than he said he’d be. She was always one to give him shit for no reason at all. He couldn’t help but love her for it.

  After a minute of silence, she asked, “How’s it going, boss man?”

  He grumbled an answer and glared at her for calling him boss man. Not that she was aware of it. She hadn’t lifted her eyes from her phone. He walked around his old, wooden behemoth of a desk and sat on the edge, facing her. He nudged her, no his, chair but only got a grunt in response.

  His parents had retired and handed ownership of both restaurants over to him seven years prior when Rae was only eighteen and still in high school. He’d been working both locations for half his life anyway and loved the family businesses. Couldn’t imagine doing anything else. He’d expanded both into what they were today, proud as hell of his accomplishments. But he’d tried, on multiple occasions, to hand Playtopia over to Reagan. She was the manager and, for all intents and purposes, the owner of that location. All she needed was the paperwork with her name on it.

  But Reagan was a free spirit. Which, granted, was one of the biggest reasons she was managing that location. She had a zest for life and a love for kids; an ease with them that far surpassed Reed’s. He was more business minded. Every time he brought up signing the place over to her, she told him she was allergic to responsibility. But Reed knew nothing could be further from the truth.

  Tired of her ignoring him, Reed nudged the wheels of the chair hard enough to send it rolling, causing her to yelp and overcompensate to keep herself from falling on the floor. She stood, quick as a whip, and gave him a solid, right-handed jab to the gut. He chuckled and grabbed her hand as she pulled it back, tugging her into a bear hug which she struggled mightily to get out of. She finally gave up the fight and just stood there, arms down at her sides, refusing to give in to his affection.

  When he loosened his hold, she shoved back from him, more than likely trying to move him, but only ended up shoving herself away when he didn’t move an inch. “Where you been, anyway? Thought you said you’d be back from your errands already.”

  He lifted his brow and asked, “Do you really want to know?”

  She scrunched up her face and let out a pfft before shoving him again, huffing when he didn’t budge from his spot. His sister was a tiny thing and he was…not. “Yes, I want to know. I asked, didn’t I?”

  He smirked when he answered, “I stopped by Ace’s Wild, to pick up a—”

  She interrupted with a shriek, closing her eyes and covering her ears as she singsonged, “La la la la la! I can’t hear you! La la la la la!”

  He chuckled at her antics. His sister knew entirely too much about his relationship dynamics, having long ago heard his boys calling him Daddy and being too nosy for her own good; she didn’t have many boundaries. That and the fact he didn’t try to hide that part of himself from those close to him because he knew it was nothing to be ashamed of. And though they were extremely close as far as siblings went, neither of them wanted to hear the specific details of the other’s sex life. But damn did he like to tease her about it.

  She gingerly cracked one eye open and made sure he was done talking. When she saw he was, she lowered her hands from her ears. That was when he opened his mouth again, sucking in a deep breath as if he was going to continue. She launched herself towards him and smacked her palm against his mouth. Of course, because he was her brother and it was required of him, he licked the palm of her hand, making her shriek again, and wipe his saliva on his shirt.

  “You’re so gross!”

  “Yeah, yeah. All right, come on. Let me feed you.”

  She finally burrowed in for a hug, sighing. “That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

  He snorted and pulled a strand of her hair, leading the way to the front after she’d shoved him away again. Ah, sibling love and affection at its finest. He stopped in the kitchen and ordered them some food, and they both grabbed a seat in a booth in the bar closest to the kitchen, which tended to be the quietest location in the place.

  Their normal drink orders were delivered without having to place them, as they chatted for a bit about the brisk business she’d been having over the last month. They both knew he kept tabs on everything and knew all the numbers and figures, but that didn’t take into consideration what was working, what wasn’t, and any changes that needed to be made.

  When a wide grin spread across Reagan’s face as she gazed over his shoulder, he knew only one person could make her smile that wide. He remained relaxed and kept his expression blank, even though he had to force back the heated gaze he wanted to give Camden as he delivered their food. The poor boy’s face was red as a beet.

  Reagan stood up and gave Camden a hug in greeting after he’d placed their plates in front of them. When Camden and Reagan had become friendly, going out for coffee and lunch occasionally, it had surprised Reed. But he’d never begrudge Reagan or Camden the easy friendship they’d made. As far as he knew, they didn’t hang out that often, but he loved the genuine smiles shared between them as a result of getting to know one another. He admitted to himself he was jealous. He couldn’t do the same thing with Camden because Camden was an employee.

  But not for much longer.

  “Hi, Cam! Reed told me you’d gotten the job you wanted at Vintage Ridge Finance and Accounting. That’s huge! They’re a great company. Congrats.”

  Camden smiled shyly, avoiding Reed’s gaze. “Thanks.”

  “I know Reed will be sad when he doesn’t get to see you every week.” Camden’s eyes popped wide and his face turned even redder at Reagan’s mention of Reed missing him. But damned if it wasn’t true. Reed realized his sister was still talking. “…miss seeing you too. We should hang out more often since we won’t be seeing each other here. Wanna meet for lunch at the Trattoria tomorrow?”

  He couldn’t keep the heat out of his ey
es when he met Camden’s gaze, whose eyes grew even wider. Camden turned his gaze to Reagan and nodded. “Uh, sure. Yeah, okay. You can, uh…” He glanced Reed’s way and then back at Reagan. “You can text me what time is good for you later.”

  Reagan beamed and nodded. “Okay. Hey, maybe you two could hang out, too, now that you won’t be working for Big D anymore.”

  Camden jolted like he’d been shocked with a hot poker and backed up a step. “Well, it was nice talking to you. I gotta get to work. Bye.”

  He gave Reagan a quick wave and cast one more nervous glance Reed’s way. Reed smiled at Camden, and though he probably shouldn’t have—no, he definitely shouldn’t have—Reed added a flirtatious little wink before saying, “We’ll chat later, Camden. Have a good shift.”

  Camden’s jaw dropped, eyes wide as he turned, speed walking away without saying another word. Reagan nudged Reed with her foot, and he finally broke his gaze away from Camden and met her smirking one. “You’re so bad. I’m surprised he didn’t trip over his own feet trying to get away from you as fast as possible. You were smoldering.”

  He pulled an incredulous face. “Pfft. I was not smoldering. I don’t smolder.”

  She snorted indelicately and nodded. “You so do.”

  He groaned and roughly scrubbed his face with his palms. “Fuck. I don’t know what came over me.” That was a lie. “I’ve never treated him like that before.” And that was the truth. He was obviously still at war with himself about it.

  Reagan rolled her eyes and nudged him with her foot again. “That’s because you’re so boring and professional with all of your employees. But I know that look. You want that boy to be your boy. So, what caused the shift? Is it just because he quit, and you can finally see where this three-and-a-half-year-long hot attraction and sexual tension between you can go?” She leaned forward, saying sotto voce, “Does he even know you’re a Daddy?”