Chiseled Wood [Cedar Falls 19] (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove)

by Shea Balik

  “I think you got it all,” Jesse said.

  “Huh?” Kyler had no idea what that was supposed to mean.

  “The Baby’s Breath.” Jesse pointed to Kyler’s head. “I don’t see any still in your hair.”

  Oops. Kyler had already forgotten the lie he’d told. This was why he sucked at it. “Oh, right. Thanks.”

  Jesse’s bright pink lips curved up into a smile. It always amazed Kyler how Jesse managed to coordinate his outfits and makeup so perfectly. Today was clearly a pink day as his shirt, makeup and boots were all in a bright, nearly neon, pink, while his pants were black with a matching pink stripe that ran up the outside of his legs.

  And, as with most days, another saying graced the front of his shirt. Kyler had no idea where Jesse got them all, or how, according to some of the others, he rarely wore the same one twice. This time his shirt read, “GOOD MORNING WORLD! Your little ray of sunshine has arrived.”

  At least this time, Kyler didn’t have to ask what it meant. He was getting tired of the strange looks Jesse gave him, although that was better than getting laughed at. Still, this time he could just smile at the shirt and say, “I like the shirt.”

  Jesse grinned. “Why thank you. I thought it was perfect since today is the day I start to make plans to crush Mayor Murphy’s chances of remaining the most pathetic mayor in existence.”

  Kyler hadn’t actually met the mayor as of yet, but from the stories the others told, the man was nothing more than a bully who would do whatever it took to keep the people of Cedar Falls from telling the world about his ancestor’s misdeeds. Kyler still wasn’t sure what difference it made since it wasn’t the mayor who had committed the atrocities against the Native American population, but then again, there was a lot Kyler didn’t always understand.

  Like why he was so upset that Aaron hadn’t even bothered to try and see him. It made no sense. The man had made it perfectly obvious he wasn’t interested in Kyler. Still, Kyler wished, for once in his life, someone like Aaron would actually want to spend time with him.

  “There are ten orders I need done by lunch, and another fifteen by the end of the day.” One by one, Jesse went over them. It didn’t take long.

  Jesse had been impressed with Kyler’s work over the past few days. Each morning he spent less and less time explaining what he expected, allowing Kyler to create without interference. It was nice to know he had Jesse’s confidence.

  “I also was hoping you would start working on some designs for the April Fool’s Festival next weekend.” Jesse handed him a drawing pad. “We’ll do a couple dozen simple arrangements as they sell well, but it is the unusual ones that bring customers back. So, show me what you can do.”

  The coffee clearly kicked in as Jesse practically jumped off the stool he was sitting on and started moving around like he had ants in his pants. “If you need me for anything just give me a call, but don’t because this meeting will take most of the day.”

  Jesse skipped, yes, skipped, to the door. “We’re talking about hiring a campaign manager.” Wide dark eyes looked back at him. “Can you believe it? Me? Having a campaign manager.” Jesse’s already big smile grew even bigger. “Never thought the day would come when Ryder Monroe would actually suggest hiring someone to sing my praises when he keeps claiming I do better and louder than a stadium of Taylor Swift fans ever could.”

  Before Kyler could ask what in the world that was supposed to mean, the door opened and Jesse disappeared. Once more, Kyler found himself more confused than ever after his encounter with Jesse. He would have thought after nearly a week he’d be used to Jesse’s odd references, but he wasn’t.

  With a sigh, Kyler headed back into the back to finish his bath. It was always a risk, but Kyler hated the thought that he might stink and someone would guess he was homeless. At least this time he was relatively sure he wouldn’t be caught.

  One day he hoped to have saved enough money to afford his own place. In the meantime, he’d have to continue to sneak around so no one would know just how pathetic he was.

  As he turned on the water and wet the washcloth he’d brought from his car that morning, Kyler thought about his conversation with Jesse and shook his head. It was pointless to dwell on it, Kyler knew he wasn’t going to understand what Jesse had meant, especially since he had no clue who Taylor Swift was.

  Chapter Seven

  “Wow,” Ethan said as he entered Nice ‘N Rosy. “Don’t tell Jesse, but I think that is the most amazing floral display I’ve ever seen.”

  Pleased to get such high praise, Kyler felt his cheeks warm. “Thanks,” he told Ethan as he continued to add a few more stems where there were holes.

  Ethan stepped closer and inhale the rich fragrances of the various flowers, which included roses, tulips, and lilies. “Damn, but that smells nice. Who is it for?”

  Kyler froze. He sucked at lying, but Kyler refused to let Ethan know the man’s husband, Bram, had ordered the display for his and Ethan’s one-year anniversary. “It’s for the fair.” It was a terrible lie but it was all he could come up with.

  The fair wasn’t until the following weekend. Anything he made now would only wilt by then. Thankfully, Ethan either didn’t know that or he just didn’t care who it was for. “Well, with arrangements like that, Jesse will make a lot of money.” Ethan craned his neck to the left to peer down the hall that led to the back of the store. “Is Jesse here?”

  Kyler tried not to show his disappointment that yet again, no one ever came looking for him. “No. He had a meeting with Ryder and Dion to go over some of the laws Jesse is hoping to change if he becomes mayor.”

  Ryder was the town’s event planner, who arranged for the monthly festivals that brought visitors into Cedar Falls in hopes of bringing money into the once dying town. He was currently using his talents to help Jesse run for mayor. Dion was a lawyer who on many occasions helped the residents of Cedar Falls, including Jesse and Parker when Parker’s mother had “lost her marbles.” That was Jesse’s phrase, not Kyler’s. Although since the woman had tried to kill her own son, it seemed like an apt description.

  “Good,” Ethan said with a smile. “I thought I would take you to lunch with some of the guys and Jesse would have just talked about becoming mayor the entire time.”

  Kyler’s hand stilled as he added the last stem into the arrangement. His gaze flicked up to meet Ethan’s. When all he saw was sincerity, Kyler’s stomach fluttered in excitement. Before that building happiness could overwhelm him, Kyler had to be sure. “Me? Really?”

  Ethan cocked his head to the side and put his hands on his hips. “Of course. Why would I make that up?”

  Kyler didn’t know, but in his experience, things like this just didn’t happen. At least not to him. Not that he was going to tell Ethan that. Kyler didn’t want to seem more like a dork than he already was.

  “I guess I just hadn’t expected you to ask.” To cover up the awkwardness that he’d managed to create, Kyler picked up the arrangement that he’d finished and put it in the back cooler to be delivered the next morning. When he turned back around, he found Ethan looking at the arrangement with longing. Kyler couldn’t help but be pleased that his creation would bring happiness to someone.

  In his excitement at finally being asked to join the group, he hadn’t really thought about how he was going to pay for it before asking, “So where are we going?”

  “Just to the pub,” Ethan said as Kyler put the “Be back soon” sign in the window. “It’s the only place we can all comfortably sit and chat that’s nearby.”

  “Who’s all coming?” Since that night at Bliss, a few of Jesse’s friends had come to Nice ‘N Rosy to talk with Jesse, and Kyler had gotten to know them a little better, but there were still plenty he only had met that one night. As for eating, Kyler was hoping to get away with something cheap. Jesse had paid him yesterday for the week but it wasn’t going to be enough to get him a place to live, especially if he kept using it on lunches at restaurants.


  The pub was only a few stores down from Nice ‘N Rosy, so all too quickly they were there at the door with Ethan pushing it open. “Just our group,” Ethan said.

  Not sure what that meant, Kyler’s heart dropped into his stomach when he saw several tables pushed together as a large group of men greeted them. At least it wasn’t as many as that night at Bliss, but it was still at least a dozen.

  “Oh good, you made it,” Kit said and gestured to the chair next to him. “Come sit over here. I’ve been telling Danton how you make the most beautiful floral arrangements.”

  Once more, Kyler felt his cheeks heat up at the praise. “Thank you.” He made his way over to Kit and the man he guessed was Danton.

  Vaguely he remembered meeting Danton at Bliss, but the night had been such a blur, he couldn’t be sure. Thankfully, Danton said, “It’s nice to see you again. Sorry I haven’t been by to chat, but with all the anniversaries coming up, I’ve been quite busy.”

  Kyler desperately tried to remember what Danton did for a living but try as he might, he just couldn’t. Praying he didn’t offend Danton, he asked, “What do you do again?”

  Flynn, who was sitting on the other side of Danton stuck his hand out to show off his perfectly manicured nails. A rich purple polish covered the nails with tiny white infinity symbols drawn on top. “He owns Get Nailed, the nail salon. You should go sometime. Nothing better than having a mani-pedi and Danton is the best.”

  Danton’s cheeks pinked a bit. “Thanks, Flynn.”

  “Just stating the truth,” Flynn told him. “So how has Jesse been treating you? Are you ready to pull your hair out yet?”

  Flynn had been in Nice ‘N Rosy every day, some days two or three times. He worked with his husband, Jax, at Painful Pleasure as a tattoo artist and had several tattoos himself. From the beginning, Kyler had found Flynn’s tattoo around his neck fascinating. According to Flynn, it was given to him by Jax to signify that he belonged to the man.

  Not having understood what that meant, Kyler had been in awe as Flynn described the essence of a BDSM relationship and some of what it entailed. Kyler had never known such a thing existed, but now that he did, it was all he could think about.

  “Why would I want to pull my hair out?” he asked without even thinking about whether or not he should.

  Everyone at the table froze as silence descended. When he felt all eyes on him, Kyler wanted to disappear. Why couldn’t he just be normal? With Jesse’s help, Kyler was beginning to understand sarcasm, but he clearly had a long way to go.

  When Flynn had found out Jesse was tutoring him in what they call the “fine art of saying one thing and meaning another,” Flynn joined his friend to help Kyler. So it was no surprise Flynn was the first to recover as he was getting used to Kyler’s inability to understand what everyone else seemed to have no trouble grasping.

  “It means that Jesse is frustrating you so much that you want to tug on your hair to relieve the stress,” Flynn explained.

  “Uh, anyone want to explain what’s going on here?” a man sitting next to Vail asked. Kyler couldn’t remember his name, but he was pretty sure he owned Below the Belt, a clothing shop Kyler had no hope of being able to afford buying from any time soon.

  “Ow,” the man cried out as he whirled to face Vail. “That hurt. Why did you pinch me?”

  Vail rolled his eyes. “Because I wanted you to stop talking, idiot.”

  The guy scowled at Vail. “I’m not an idiot and why do I have to stop talking.” He pointed to Flynn. “I just wanted to know why Flynn was explaining to Kyler like he was an idio…” The man’s brown eyes opened wide and his face fell as he glanced over at Kyler. “Oh, never mind.”

  “Good job, Macon,” a man in paint-stained clothes and a scruffy beard said. “Way to put your foot in your mouth.”

  “No one asked you, Brent,” Macon replied acidly.

  At least Kyler was getting to know their names without having to stupidly ask. Sure, he was being talked about as if he wasn’t there, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. Kyler knew that better than anyone.

  Before the argument got out of hand, Kyler interrupted. “It’s okay. You all might as well know the truth.” He took a deep breath and just spit it out, praying everyone wouldn’t laugh at him. “My brain doesn’t work like yours does. Apparently I didn’t get the gene that understands sarcasm.”

  Silence descended on the table until Bram, Ethan’s husband, and his daughter Bridgette came out carrying two large trays heaped with plates of food. “I brought out a variety. Since you eat off each other’s plates anyway, I figure I would just serve you family style,” Bram said as he set one of the trays on the stand he’d placed near the table while his daughter did the same.

  Ethan stood up and helped the two set the various dishes in the middle of the table before kissing his husband. “Thank you, Bram.”

  Apparently the chaste kiss wasn’t enough for Bram, for he pulled Ethan into his arms and gave him a kiss hot enough to curl Kyler’s toes. “Anything for you, boy.”

  A shiver worked its way down Kyler’s spine at the endearment. He knew the term wasn’t always used in a BDSM relationship, but there was something about it that spoke to something within Kyler. He couldn’t quite name what it was, but Kyler knew he wanted to hear someone call him that with as much love as Bram showed saying it to Ethan.

  He’d foolishly hoped it would be Aaron, but experience taught him that wasn’t going to happen. No one who looked as good as Aaron was going to take an interest in Kyler. Still, he could dream and he did every single night.

  “So, what do you mean when you say you don’t understand sarcasm?” Eddie, who worked for Will and Taden at Thick and Creamy, the ice cream parlor, asked.

  Eddie was a character, who Kayden had liked instantly. The man had a way of tripping over air that endeared him to Kyler. Anyone who had as much difficulty walking as Kyler did understanding what was going on around him, was someone worth having as a friend.

  “I tend to take what is said literally.” Kyler wasn’t sure how else he could explain it. How did he explain something he didn’t understand?

  Thankfully, Flynn came to his rescue once more. “Like when I asked if being around Jesse had made Kyler want to pull his hair out,” he explained. “Kyler didn’t understand that I was just asking if Jesse had frustrated Kyler yet. He thought I actually was asking if he’d started pulling out his hair and he didn’t understand why I would think he’d do that.”

  Several eyebrows rose but no one laughed at him.

  “Okay,” Will said with a half shrug as he dug into his food as if nothing about it was odd. It was the first time Kyler didn’t actually feel like a freak even though he knew he was.

  He actually found himself breathing a little easier as the group continued to chat. When Kyler didn’t understand something, one of them gladly explained as if it was perfectly normal. Maybe, just maybe, Kyler had found a place he fit in.

  Chapter Eight

  “Kyler, you made it,” Flynn called out.

  Aaron glanced to the back door where Kyler stood appearing a little uncertain if he should be there. Not that Aaron could blame him. If Parker hadn’t of been such a good friend, Aaron wouldn’t have been there celebrating the nine couples’ one-year anniversary.

  A silent plea to be saved was there in Kyler’s brown eyes as their eyes met. Aaron’s pulse sped up in answer, not that he was about to admit it had anything to do with the way he wanted to see that same plea in Kyler’s eyes as he knelt, completely naked, before Aaron.

  Giving himself a mental slap to get rid of the image from his mind, Aaron found himself wanting to rescue Kyler as several of the men surrounded him like a pack of wolves. Except they weren’t threatening Kyler. In fact, they were thanking him, so why did Aaron feel an irrational need to pull Kyler away and keep him all to himself?

  “I can’t believe you didn’t say anything,” Ethan said with tears in his eyes. “It was so beautiful. I’m still
stunned it was for me.” Ethan and a few of the others had been gushing about the floral displays their husbands had given them that morning that Kyler had created.

  When Ethan threw his arms around Kyler, Aaron found himself taking several steps in their direction before he knew what he was doing. It wasn’t until he witnessed Kyler’s lips curve up into a beaming smile at Ethan’s praise that Aaron stopped in his tracks. Not because he no longer wanted to yank Kyler out of Ethan’s arms, but because he was transfixed by the beauty of a man he’d originally thought plain.

  Shaking his head to clear it from the unbidden thoughts, Aaron did the only thing he could in that situation. He turned from Kyler, forcing himself to push thoughts of Kyler from his mind. Aaron wasn’t sure why he suddenly wanted to get closer to Kyler, who he’d already deemed too innocent to get involved with, but he wasn’t about to drag someone like Kyler into his world.

  So focused on Kyler, Aaron hadn’t been aware anyone was behind him when he’d turned. Ignoring the fact that he’d jumped like a scared kid when he saw Jesse standing there with a smirk on his face, Aaron started to move around him.

  “You know, men like Kyler don’t come along every day,” Jesse said.

  He knew that, but Aaron wasn’t willing to bring someone as naïve as Kyler into his world. Deciding it would be better to keep silent, Aaron continued moving away from Jesse. Too bad Jesse wasn’t about to let him go without a parting shot.

  “Don’t say I didn’t warn you when someone far braver than you snatches Kyler up,” Jesse said.

  But when Aaron whirled to face Jesse with a warning of his own about anyone but him touching Kyler, Jesse had already walked away. Considering he’d been about to basically claim Kyler as his, Aaron was thankful Jesse was no longer there to hear it or he was sure he’d never live it down.