Calen turned towards Brent, lowering his voice. “Is it just me, or has he been in a much better mood the last couple of days?”
Brent’s mouth quirked up and Calen could see the laughter in his eyes, “Suspiciously so.”
Calen looked over to Grant. “What has you in such a good mood? Does it have anything to do with a certain antique store owner?”
Bryce found that hilarious. By the time they got to the front door, Bryce was still trying to control himself, Grant was frowning at everyone, and Calen was simply enjoying the evening. Dinner was going to be interesting.
Before he could knock, Garrett and Wyatt were opening the door. Shaking his head at his brothers, Garrett stepped back. “Come on in. And remember, you’re supposed to be on your best behavior.”
They all mumbled polite agreements which no one believed and tried to give Garrett their best innocent smiles. He shook his head and gave them all his “I’m the big brother” expression that was supposed to keep them all in line. It never worked.
As they walked in, Wyatt glanced back and forth at them, giving them a peculiar look. Calen could almost see the wheels turning in his head. Wyatt might be bouncy and cute but he seemed to notice a lot more than Garrett did.
That wasn’t hard, though.
Garrett had to be nearly hit over the head with something before it drew his attention. The way his relationship with Wyatt started proved that. At least they seemed to have moved past their initial reservations. He’d thought Wyatt’s interest in Garrett had been obvious, but his friend hadn’t been able to see it.
Grant and Bryce must have realized something clicked for Wyatt because they both had big grins, like cats that’d just eaten the canaries. Bryce chimed in, trying to look innocent. “We wanted more of Wyatt’s food. And what better way to welcome him to the family than to invite ourselves to dinner?”
“In most families, I don’t think that’s how you welcome someone.” Garrett stood there frowning and glaring, but Wyatt smiled.
“There’s plenty for everyone. It’s fine.”
“See, he has manners.” Grant smiled at Wyatt. “Thank you for letting us come over.” Then he looked over at Garrett. “See, I have manners too.”
Calen kept waiting for one of them to say something about him and Brent, but there was nothing. Well, nothing verbal. Bryce and Grant kept giving them winks and grins as they started towards the kitchen.
Garrett seemed oblivious, but Wyatt was clearly aware that something was going on. However, he didn’t seem to know what. Calen had been prepared for questions about his relationship with Brent right off the bat, but so far no one had said anything.
Had the other guys not mentioned it to Garrett at all? Just the fact that he and Brent had arrived in the same car should have raised some eyebrows, considering they’d never carpooled anywhere before. But he had to remind himself that it was Garrett.
“So how’s the vacation time going, you two?” Garrett’s question seemed innocent, but it set off Bryce and Grant so much that they had to sit down at the table to catch their breath.
Grant got himself under control enough to respond before Calen could decide what to say. In his defense, he’d been a little distracted watching the hyenas in the kitchen. “They’ve been having lots of fun.”
Bryce snickered and Garrett looked at the two of them like they’d lost their minds. Calen fought the urge to shake his head. He was going to end up looking like Garrett if he wasn’t careful.
“It’s been good.” Brent did innocent better than anyone in the family. It was almost believable.
Wyatt was moving around the kitchen finishing things up, and it was clear to Calen that he wasn’t sure what to say. They were all a little overwhelming when they were like this. Deciding it was time to distract everyone before it got worse, Calen called out to the nervous sub. “How’s work going, Wyatt? Any new commissions?”
Wyatt looked up from doing something at the stove and smiled, clearly more at ease with the turn in the conversation. “It’s been going great. I’m finishing up the pieces for the new club and I actually got an interesting phone call which might lead to a whole new line of furniture.”
As he spoke, everyone started calming down and tried to listen. They were a curious bunch and Calen had known no one would want to miss what Wyatt had to say. Getting to know the newest member of the family was a priority for everyone.
The way Wyatt lit up and relaxed when he talked about his woodworking, it was obviously going to be the best way to learn more about him. So Calen tried to keep the conversation going. “What kind of stuff?”
Curious and kinky, all the brothers stopped goofing off completely and focused on what Wyatt had to say. Luckily, he’d turned back to the stove and didn’t seem to notice that he now had everyone’s full attention. Calen thought that might have made him uncomfortable as well. “I’ve done some work for a woman who owns an adult store a couple of hours from here. She called and wanted to see if I’d ever done any items related to age play.”
“She wanted to know if you’d made cribs for people in the age play lifestyle?” Bryce asked the question they were all trying to figure out the answer to.
Calen could see Wyatt smile as he stirred something. “That’s what I thought to begin with, but no. She wanted to know if I’d ever made any hybrid pieces, like the spanking bench that looks like a regular bench. She said she’d spoken with several couples lately who were looking for more discreet furniture they could keep in their homes. Things that wouldn't automatically out them to neighbors and visitors. I thought it was a great idea.”
“That’s interesting.” Brent had his head cocked and Calen could see the wheels turning. “For more traditional BDSM play, a lot of the equipment is easier to disguise or put away when it isn’t in use. But even things like the spanking bench are hard. For a lifestyle like that, it’s got to be even more difficult.”
“Yeah, I hadn’t even considered it, but she had some good thoughts on it already. I have to do some research and figure out if there’s enough demand for it but it’s got me thinking. I have some ideas already and I can’t wait to see how they turn out.” Wyatt was relaxed and smiling as he talked about his work.
“You’ll have to show us what you come up with. There are probably even a few couples at the club that would be interested.” Bryce had the same look as Brent and it was easy to see the business part of their brains going in circles.
“You might even be able to interview them to see what kinds of things they’d like to have the most.” Brent leaned back against the cabinets, a faraway look in his eyes. “They might even agree to do some product testing. See how easy the pieces would be to set up, usability, that kind of thing.”
Wyatt beamed, “That would be a good idea. I hadn't thought of that. Then I could put them on the site, and maybe even see about doing some advertising on a few of the specialty websites to reach the right crowd.”
“I’m sure the club does at least a small amount of advertising occasionally. They might be able to steer you in the right direction.” Everyone had to agree with Bryce’s suggestion. Ben and Conner would be a good place to start.
“You think they wouldn't mind me picking their brains a bit about it?” Wyatt looked hesitant but excited.
Garrett walked over and gave him a quick kiss. “They wouldn’t mind at all. They love what you’ve made for the club and are always giving your name out to people interested in pieces for their homes. Why wouldn't they want to help?”
Wyatt blushed and shrugged, looking a little uncomfortable with the praise. “I guess so. I’ll call them later this week, once I get some plans laid out.”
Garrett touched Wyatt’s face and leaned in close to whisper something in his ear. Wyatt’s blush got deeper, but he nodded and smiled, then whispered, “Yes, Sir.”
The little glances and touches the two exchanged made it clear how things were going. They were clearly very much in love. At one point, Calen might ha
ve been jealous, but not anymore. It was too early to use the word, but he wasn’t going to deny how much Brent meant to him.
Looking over at his sub, Calen saw a smile on his face as he looked at his brother. They were all expecting invitations to Garrett and Wyatt’s collaring ceremony sooner rather than later. There was no way those two weren't meant to be. And as Brent glanced over at Calen, giving him a tender, loving expression, Calen thought his friends might not be the only ones talking about long-term commitments very soon.
CHAPTER 10
Brent
“I need to head outside and put some stuff on the grill…” Wyatt’s voice trailed off as he reached into the fridge and pulled out two big dishes.
Garrett automatically grabbed one. “Here, let me take that.” Then he turned to the rest of them. “I’ve got the chairs set up outside.”
Taking the hint, they all started moving to the back of the house. Brent was the closest to the door, so he moved to open it. Wyatt smiled, “Thank you.”
As they all piled out and found seats, Brent found that he enjoyed hanging out with everyone and not having to do a single thing. No planning, no making sure everyone brought something edible, it was perfect.
Dragging one of the chairs over to the shade, Brent was surprised to see Bryce follow him. Calen looked over, tilting his head in an obvious question, but Brent shook his head. It was sweet, but whatever Bryce wanted to talk about wouldn’t drive him crazy, no matter what it was. But Brent had a feeling their conversation wasn’t going to be about him, anyway.
Bryce sat down, leaning back and doing his best to look like everything was perfect. The only thing missing from making him the star in a summer commercial was the beer. Yeah, something was definitely up. If he wanted to pretend everything was fine, Brent would let him—at least, for a few minutes.
Finally, Bryce broke the silence. “Everything going okay with you guys? I’m assuming since you arrived together you had a chance to talk?”
“We did. We’ve discussed a lot and I think we’re in a good place.” Brent looked over to Calen and had to smile. He was trying to talk shop with Garrett but he was getting shot down. Garrett was going to make him take his full vacation no matter what.
“So, it’s serious?” Bryce’s hands kept moving, like he was wishing he had something to fidget with.
“Very. He had us write a contract earlier. No specific end date either.”
“Wow. That is serious.” Bryce didn’t seem to be sure what to say.
“He’s barely restraining the urge to collar me right away. He’s trying to open up and show me that I’m important.” His Dom was so cute, but Bryce didn’t need to know that part.
“I’m glad. If anyone deserves to find ‘Mr. Right,’ it’s you.” Bryce seemed calm and relaxed, but there was something in his voice that made Brent think things weren’t going so well.
“How’s everything going for you?” Not sure where to take the conversation, Brent tried for something broad and hoped he’d be able to narrow it down. Bryce wasn’t the most open person, but he’d always been able to share what was on his mind with Brent.
“Work’s good. We’ve picked up several new customers lately. It’s going to end up being quite a few new policies. Even a couple of business ones I need to talk to you about when you get back to work.”
And there it was, the tiniest hitch in Bryce’s voice when he talked about the new clients. “You had a new person come in the other day when I was there, didn’t you?”
Bryce was quiet for a moment, then nodded. “Oliver Stanton.”
Brent couldn't tell if Bryce was going to volunteer anything else, but his reaction was enough to make Brent keep pressing. “How did your meeting go? He was from the club, right?”
Again, there was silence for a long moment before Brent responded, “Yeah, it’s going to be a good few policies. Auto, Life, the whole nine yards.”
“Are they easy to work with? I don’t think you said, have you met his partner yet?”
Bingo. There it was. The slightest flinch that he would have probably missed if he hadn’t been watching Bryce closely. Something about that couple was bothering him. If it was just an issue with the policies or even that they were annoying, Bryce wouldn't have hesitated to say something. So this had to be personal.
“I did.”
The short reply let Brent know he was on the right track. “What did you think of him?”
This time there was no hesitation. “Troy’s nice. He’s the strong silent type, but very in charge and aggressive when you get him going.”
Were they still talking about insurance?
Somehow, Brent didn’t think so. “What do you think of Oliver?”
“He’s sweet. Chatty and open but a bit more laid-back than Wyatt. He’s comfortable with himself.”
There was absolutely no way they were talking about insurance. Brent had never heard any of his brothers describe insureds as “open” or “the strong silent type.” “They sound like good people. How long have they been together?”
Bryce sighed, “About two years. They dated off and on for a year before that, though. They got serious once they found the club.”
“Oliver’s a little familiar but I can’t picture Troy.”
“He’s taller than me by a few inches and built like a train.” Bryce smiled and stretched his legs out. “He looks almost as rough as Grant but blonde, kind of like you’d picture a Viking.”
Brent was starting to get a clearer picture in his head, of Troy the Viking and what was going on. “I think I can picture him. Didn’t they do a demonstration with sounds a few months ago, maybe?”
Bryce nodded absently. “Yeah, Oliver loves being taken right to the edge. He’s not a pain slut but loves that feeling of being totally owned and dominated.”
The sounding demo had been hot. Looking back, Brent remembered how in-sync the couple had been. It had been very clear that they were together and not just for the occasional scene. Had Bryce gotten involved with them? “The scene was hot. I’m surprised I didn’t remember it sooner.”
“It was. They’re perfect together.”
Brent decided that it was time to prod the conversation, or they’d be slowly going nowhere all evening. “It sounds like you got to know them pretty well. Did you meet them after the demo?”
Bryce looked away, suddenly very interested in the fence that surrounded the yard. Eventually, he glanced back at Brent and nodded. “Yes.” It was a short answer, but it was drawn out and filled with frustration.
“Want to talk about it?”
“I don’t know.” Bryce started playing with one of the buttons on his shirt, refusing to meet Brent’s eyes.
It wasn’t a no, so Brent kept going. “Was it just the once?”
“Yes.”
“Did they want more than the one time?”
“Yes.”
“Did you want more than the one time?”
“Yes.”
Brent was fighting back a smile, but he wasn’t that concerned since Bryce wouldn’t look at him anyway. “Did they track you down? Is that why they’re moving their policies over?”
Bryce sighed and tugged on the button, “Yes and yes.”
“Do you know what you’re going to do about it?” He figured he already knew the answer but he had to ask. Bryce just looked around the yard and sighed again. There was only so long Brent could watch him acting like Scarlett O’Hara with the dramatic sighs before he’d have to say something. It was his duty as a brother, after all.
“No clue.”
They were moving on to more than one word, so Brent felt like they were making progress. “Have you talked to them about it, or are you ignoring it like Calen and I did?”
“Totally ignoring it.” Bryce seemed to think it was a viable option, but Brent saw how well it worked out for him and Calen so he cleared his throat and tried to point that out.
“That has to be making them nuts.”
“Yup
.” Bryce’s short one-word answer made Brent want to sigh.
Trying to get things going again he pushed Bryce further. “But they’re still interested?”
Brent nodded but ruined the calm façade by picking at the now loose string around the button. “Yes.”
“Doesn’t seem like your plan is working.”
“Not at all.” He seemed lost. Like he could see the crossroad ahead but didn’t know which way to go.
“You know what you want?”
That seemed to have Bryce stumped, and he turned back to Brent again. “I don’t know. It’s not how I saw...” Bryce’s voice trailed off.
“Things don’t always work out like we’d planned.” Bryce had dated Doms and subs but who said he had to choose. “Just because you hadn’t considered it doesn’t mean it’s wrong.”
Bryce was staring off again so Brent kept going. “Look at Calen and me. I never thought about him that way but now I wish I would have. Don’t chase something away because it’s different.”
“Maybe.” Bryce was quiet again. When he spoke, his words were filled with frustration. “We agreed to be discreet, though. There’s no way I could keep something like that under the radar, even if I wanted to.”
Brent hadn’t even looked at it from that angle, so he wasn’t sure what to say. Finally, he dove in. “We didn’t mean to push away something special. The basic idea was not to do anything stupid here that would make the news or make the local gossips go crazy. If it’s long-term and important, that’s different.”
“Would everyone else agree with that? Garrett’s always bringing it up. It was one of the reasons he ignored what was going on with Wyatt for so long.” Bryce’s voice was quiet and Brent wanted to reach over and give him a hug, but knowing that would draw more attention than Bryce wanted, he held himself back.
“Garrett’s an idiot, but even he eventually saw how stupid it was. We can talk to everyone but I know they’ll want you to be happy. People are going to gossip no matter what, but most of our customers won’t care.” Brent wasn’t one hundred percent sure about that, but he thought it was probably right. They had a variety of customers from traditional to unique, but he had to think that most of them wouldn’t care what Bryce did in the bedroom.
Brent: A M/m BDSM Romance (Bound & Controlled Book 2) Page 9
