A Beautiful Disaster

by Marguerite Labbe

  Minime stuck his head out and fixed Brenden with a flat stare as his entire body puffed out in indignation.

  “Blame him.” Brenden pointed toward Dakota. “I was kidnapped.”

  “Kidnapped my ass.” Dakota shot him a reproving glower. “I gave you warning. It was your idea to put them in cat jail instead of bringing them along.”

  Brenden scooped up Minime and gave him a reassuring stroke. They were getting bigger. He couldn’t hold him in his palm anymore. “Only because I didn’t know where we were going. We could’ve brought them to Cobb Island.”

  “If I’d told you where we were going, you might’ve refused to come.”

  Brenden hated to admit Dakota had a point. He’d been sure Dakota was up to something, and he’d been right. He winced as Minime wiggled free and clambered up his chest to take a perch on his shoulder. Kitten claws had not gotten any less sharp in the last few days.

  “Anything looming on our agenda tonight?” Dakota asked as Brenden fired off another answer on his phone.

  “No, I’m going to wrap this up. Aside from work, we need to figure out what we’re wearing to the wedding so I can make sure the suits are dry-cleaned this week.” He glanced up to catch Dakota’s blank expression. “You know, Morris and Theo?”

  Dakota grimaced. “They eloped. That lets us off the hook, doesn’t it?”

  “No. Nice try. We already RSVP’d, and they are our friends. So you’re going to suck it up and we’ll go together.” Brenden stared Dakota down until he rolled his eyes with a sigh.

  “Fine, but no ties. I’m serious. You can get all dolled up if you want, but I’m going to be comfortable.” Dakota glanced down at Toothless. “You don’t know how lucky you are. All the sex you could want and no weddings or dressing up.”

  Now was not the time to tell Dakota he was getting their inkblots neutered. Another text came through, and Brenden took a quick glance at it before shutting his phone off. This was their first night home as a couple, alone. He didn’t want any distractions.

  “I must be dreaming. Is Brenden Wade shutting off his phone?” Dakota asked in a disbelieving voice. “What’s going on?”

  “I thought we could have dinner together and see where the night takes us.” Brenden pocketed his phone so he wouldn’t be tempted to turn it back on. “We kicked some serious ass this weekend, and I think I can afford to shut the phone off for a few hours without making myself mental.”

  Dakota set Toothless down and walked over to Brenden. “Excuse me,” he said to Minime as he plucked the kitten off Brenden’s shoulder. “I don’t want you to take my intentions toward your human the wrong way.”

  Brenden’s heart beat faster in anticipation as Dakota’s arms slid around him. “I definitely want to take it all the way.”

  A slow smile curved Dakota’s mouth. “Patience is a virtue.”

  He peppered Brenden’s lips with kisses. Brenden tightened his arms around Dakota and caught his teasing mouth in a deeper kiss. Screw virtue. One night of sex forever ago was not enough after years of dreaming about Dakota. He didn’t see how holding off was going to prove a thing, other than how much frustration they could take.

  Dakota needed no further urging. Brenden’s breath came faster as their tongues tangled and Dakota pushed him back against the wall. Memories of that kiss in Kent Island, how Dakota had him in this same position, had him going weak-kneed. He turned them around, pinning Dakota to the wall this time, as he kissed him again. There had been a few moments when Dakota had surrendered and let him take the lead, but they hadn’t happened often.

  “Neither one of us are all that righteous,” Brenden said against Dakota’s mouth as Dakota pulled back with a groan.

  “Hold that thought.” Dakota slipped away from Brenden and put a few steps between them, dragging his hands through his hair. Brenden couldn’t help but eye the boner he had. Yep, Dakota definitely wanted him, and the feeling was mutual. Want wasn’t accurate. Brenden craved him.

  “Remember when you said that one day I’d want something I couldn’t have and it would drive me crazy?” Dakota asked with a crooked smile. “I’m there. Hell, I’ve been there since Kent Island.”

  “You aren’t alone.” Brenden raked a glance over Dakota, his libido humming.

  “Would you kill me and turn your phone back on if I said I intend to keep to my word and not take you back to my bedroom and tie you to my bed until tomorrow?” Dakota gave Brenden a rueful look. “Because that would seriously suck. I like the thought of not having to share you tonight, even if I can’t get you naked.”

  It was going to be a night of overactive hormones and aching balls again. Brenden shook his head. He thought those teenage days were behind him. “You are a cruel man, Dakota, and when you cave, I’m calling the shots.”

  “In your dreams.” Dakota snickered and smacked Brenden’s ass. “When we decide to go for it, you are going to whimper for me.”

  “Half those damn whimpers were from your lips, not mine.” And Dakota had definitely whimpered sweetly later on that night when Brenden had gotten his mouth on him. He had to stop thinking about that night or he’d not be able to concentrate on anything. But Dakota deserved a little tormenting in return.

  “Hey, serious question.” Brenden waited until Dakota met his eyes. “Does me going down on you count in your no-sex quest?”

  A pained expression crossed Dakota’s face and he closed his eyes. “I’m not the cruel one. You are, evil bastard.”

  Brenden smirked. “After all the years of teasing from you, intentional and unintentional, you deserved that.”

  “I probably did.” Dakota took Brenden’s hand and led him toward the living room. “So watching some wrestling and having some Chinese and a little necking like teenagers, or is the phone deal off?”

  “I promise, I won’t turn my phone back on, but I make no similar assurances about how long I plan to keep you alive.” Brenden followed Dakota, determined to enjoy the evening despite a rock-hard dick.

  “You must love me or something to give up your phone,” Dakota said with a soft smile as he tugged Brenden onto the couch with him.

  “I do. I really do.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  DAKOTA LOVED Richmond. Not as much as Baltimore, though the city was a close second. But even his love for this city wasn’t enough to counter his irritation with Brenden. He pulled up next to the Magick Den’s van at the Raceway. The back doors were open as vendors and artists unpacked and hurried to set up before the doors opened for VIP ticket holders. “I told you we’d get here on time.”

  Brenden rolled his eyes and pulled off his seat belt with an impatient jerk. “I like to get here earlier than this.”

  “This isn’t our con,” Dakota reminded him. He got out and opened the trunk. “It takes us twenty minutes tops to set up our table. We can do the damned routine in our sleep.”

  “But I like to talk to people before the doors open. I wanted to check in with Morris and see how the honeymoon went. We haven’t had a chance to see them since they got back.” Brenden pulled out the box they used for their old banner and tablecloth. “We don’t get to really talk to people at our cons. We’re too busy running things. And once the doors open here, everyone else is busy.”

  “I have every faith in our ability to schmooze at any time.” Dakota took the box from Brenden and tossed it in the back seat. “Why the hell did you bring that?” He was sure he’d culled it before they loaded the trunk. Brenden must’ve snuck it by him.

  “You’re losing it.” Brenden stuck his hand on his hip and glared at Dakota. “So our table and spot doesn’t look naked. We are trying to advertise here.”

  Dakota should’ve burned their old stuff. He’d planned on hiding it from Brenden this morning, but he had to go out and get his run in before he died of blue balls. He wasn’t sure how much more he could take of waking up next to Brenden and keeping his hands mostly to himself. It would be easier if he made Brenden sleep in his own r
oom, but the laughable fact was he couldn’t sleep anymore unless he was next to the irritating man trying to stare him down.

  “Exactly.” Dakota reached under the throw blanket he’d put in the back and pulled out the box with one of their new banners and tablecloth. “We’re trying to advertise, so we’re using this instead.”

  “No, we’re not,” Brenden said flatly. “We’re going to unveil our new logo at the big con in Annapolis. A whole new con and whole new advertising to go with it. It’s called branding.”

  “Don’t be a twit,” Dakota retorted, shoving the box into Brenden’s hands. “We want to build more buzz. Waiting until the big con is a lost opportunity. I’m not letting you miss out.”

  For once Brenden didn’t bristle at his tone or words. If anything, the baffling man had a pleased gleam in his eyes. “You won’t let me?” he asked in a deceptively soft voice.

  Friends and acquaintances moved around them either snickering at their exchange or ignoring their familiar arguing. Dakota smirked at Brenden as he grabbed the other box with their flyers, cards, and another box of swag paraphernalia that he set on the roof of the car. “Who do you think is the boss between us?” he asked in a snickering tone he knew would get Brenden’s blood going. They hadn’t had a good argument in too long.

  Brenden’s eyebrows beetled. “It sure as fuck isn’t you, Dakota Nye.”

  At that blatant challenge, Dakota leaned in closer as annoyance was replaced with raw need. This hands-off shit was fucking stupid. He was dying to make Brenden whimper again, and he half suspected Brenden was pushing buttons to get Dakota into that same state. “You once promised I could do whatever I wanted to you,” he whispered.

  Brenden glanced around to make sure no one was within earshot and whispered back, “I did. I also recall you made good on that promise more than once that night. But that was then, this is now.”

  A hot thrill went through Dakota, and he eyed Brenden’s mouth. Dammit, tonight he was going to have that mouth on him. He forced himself to look at Brenden and not remember what Brenden could do with that mouth. “So it’s a one and done promise? I can’t have my wicked way with you again, carte blanche to do whatever I want?”

  Brenden’s gaze heated. “Only if I get to do the same in return. So if you’re considering breaking out those ropes of yours, just remember you’ll be on the receiving end as well.”

  Dakota pulled back, staring at Brenden in shock. He couldn’t be serious. But the challenge in Brenden’s expression was adamant, and Dakota vividly remembered how they’d wrestled around on the bed for the upper hand. Brenden only surrendered on his own terms. He was serious.

  Hell no. Dakota didn’t let anybody tie him up, and he definitely hadn’t let anyone top in a long-assed time. Not since he was an experimental teenager. Then he remembered how Brenden devastated him with his mouth and temptation tugged. If he were to let anyone take charge, it would be Brenden. He’d never steered Dakota wrong yet.

  “Fuck you, Bren,” Dakota said pleasantly before rampant hormones had him agreeing to some crazy shit.

  Brenden gave him that cool smile of his, the one that screamed fuck you right back, and handed Dakota the banner box. “We’re using the old banner. Put this away.”

  “Brenden Aloysius Wade, if you pull that box back out, I swear I’ll set it on fire right here in the parking lot,” Dakota snapped as Brenden reached into the back seat. “Trust my fucking instincts on this. I’m your media man, remember?”

  Brenden glanced over his shoulder, and Dakota swore that the gleam of amusement was back again. Which proved his suspicion that Brenden was provoking an argument. “You think I’m here to entertain you?” Dakota demanded.

  Brenden straightened empty-handed and shrugged. “I missed our arguments. They get me fired up.” He reached for the box in Dakota’s hands with a too-smooth expression. “You’re right about the banner.”

  Dakota was too fucking horny to put up with this bullshit and Brenden too goddamned smug to let that slide. Brenden’s eyes widened as Dakota let go of the box and trapped him against the open door of the car. “Dakota.” The warning in his voice was offset by his sudden breathlessness.

  It was the breathlessness that did Dakota in. He’d been planning on a quick, firm kiss, just enough to give Brenden notice, but knowing his annoying man was in an equal state of sexual frustration crumbled Dakota’s last bit of tattered reserve. He was kissing Brenden and he didn’t give two fucks who saw.

  The box fell to the ground with a muffled thud, and Brenden’s hand came to his chest as if to push him away, but he fisted it in Dakota’s shirt instead as Dakota kissed him. It was just like when he’d kissed Brenden in the hotel room, fire meeting fire. Dakota didn’t know which he craved more, the kisses like this that threatened to burn him up from the inside out or the sweet lingering kisses they’d been sharing over the last several weeks. Dammit, he wanted more than this coy dance they’d been playing at. He wanted it all. And from the way Brenden kissed him back, Dakota wasn’t the only one who felt that way.

  “Son of a bitch.”

  Dakota pulled back with a soft curse at the sound of Felipe’s voice. He looked over his shoulder as Brenden straightened with a groan. “Do you have to always get in the last damn word?” Brenden said in a strangled whisper.

  “You know I do,” Dakota whispered back.

  Felipe passed Loki’s horned helmet between his hands as he stared at them in delighted amusement. He shook his head with a smirk. “I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure, but damned if Morris wasn’t right again about you two. You might want to lay off each other. This isn’t a damned peep show.”

  “Hey there, Felipe,” Dakota said with an easiness he didn’t feel. His dick could hammer nails it was so fucking hard, and Brenden was in a similar state. He crouched and retrieved the fallen box. Luckily nothing had spilled out. If they didn’t have company, he swore he’d lay a kiss right on the outline of Brenden’s cock that pressed against his jeans.

  “Behave your fucking self,” Brenden hissed, his face scarlet, and Dakota rose, handing him the box.

  “I’d carry that low to hide that monster boner.” Dakota grabbed the other boxes and walked over to his friend. “For the record, this is all your fault, Felipe.”

  Felipe rolled his expressive eyes as Brenden shouted after him, “I swear to God, Dakota Nye, I will end you.”

  “I see that giving in to your baser urges has not done one damned thing to change your relationship dynamic. You still fight.” Felipe shook his head as they entered the back of the building. A con always appeared naked at the start, when the tables were still bare of their tablecloths and banners were just beginning to go up. Naked. He’d dearly love to be naked right now with Brenden.

  “We’re like the Guardians of the Galaxy. It’s how we express our feelings for each other.” Dakota dropped the box onto their table. This wasn’t the best location. They should be along the side near the restrooms, but for some dumb-ass reason, they had cosplayer registration over there.

  He eyed Felipe, trying to judge his reaction. “For the record, I never hooked up with Brenden when you and I were on and off.”

  “Whatever. You would’ve told me if you were screwing around with someone else. But you’re lying to yourself if you think you two didn’t have a hold on each other past whatever weird familial ties you have.” Felipe’s gaze sought out Trask’s table, and he smiled softly. “I’m more than good. You and Brenden go be you and Brenden. You can’t be anything else.”

  Then Felipe turned toward him, his smirk out and proud. “Brenden played the long game, and he’s got you, my friend.” He snickered and turned away. “He’s got you good.”

  Dakota wasn’t quite sure how to take that, and before he could retort, Felipe had sashayed off. Out of the corner of his eye, he glimpsed Brenden bearing down on him with pressed lips, which meant trouble. Dakota abandoned the box and left Brenden to set up by himself. Maybe he’d cool down by the time Dakota retur
ned.

  He’d even get a little work in, so by the time he came back, he’d have an update to report. That ought to ease Brenden’s wrath. Dakota stopped by Jackie’s table, and she eyed him with an uncertain expression. “You and Brenden, huh?”

  “It didn’t take the rumors long to make the circuit.” Dakota went to her side to help her set up the giant frame she hung her prints from.

  “You molested him in full view of the open bay doors.” Jackie took out her duct tape to seal the joints as he steadied the frame.

  Not nearly as much as Dakota wanted to. It was crazy, but in a weird way, he was getting a glimpse of what Brenden had gone through all those years. Brenden taunting and teasing and flirting when Dakota was dying to lay hands on him but afraid of what opening that last door would mean for them. Brenden had to believe he was in it for the long haul.

  Dakota sighed. Long haul, not forever. Even in his thoughts, he couldn’t think of permanent commitment. So if Dakota didn’t have any real faith in himself, how could he demand that from Brenden?

  “He had it coming. He provoked an argument.” Dakota had to admit it had been a satisfying exchange. They hadn’t sniped at each other in forever. They both enjoyed sniping at each other and getting irritated and waving their arms. It wasn’t serious. It blew off steam. And they laughed over it later.

  “How is Brenden taking the public airing of your relationship?” Jackie asked as she climbed onto a chair and reached for the first print Dakota handed her. “And when the hell did this start?”

  Those were good damn questions, and Dakota wasn’t sure he had an answer for either one. “I’m giving him space to cool down, because if he starts lecturing me, I won’t escape with my skin.” He also wasn’t sure he’d be able to avoid the temptation to try to kiss him again, and Brenden would brain him if Dakota pulled him into another PDA. He warily searched the con. Brenden was most likely at their table, setting it up and muttering to himself all the words he would’ve said to Dakota if given the opportunity. It was harder to pinpoint his location as more banners were raised. “As for the two of us… you could say it’s both been going on forever and it’s just started, not sure which is the most applicable.”