by Marie, Carly
Right, show. I lay against Runt and focused on the TV and the way the rhythmic sucking helped soothe me. The cartoon was funny and inside the blanket fort was warm and cozy, and it was easy to let the adult world slip away. With Logan right next to us if we needed anything, I could just enjoy being.
"Dexter's gonna be here at two," I mumbled halfway through the second episode.
Caleb shrugged, and Aiden and Logan didn't look too concerned, so I wasn't going to worry. I'd get up before two. That was over an hour away, anyway.
Chapter Nine
Spencer
Friday came quickly, about as quickly as the predicted snowstorm was growing over the central Tennessee area. That morning had been bright and sunny, and I'd had a hard time convincing myself that we were in for a winter storm. By eleven, the skies had turned an ominous gray and the wind had picked up. It didn't even look like a winter wonderland sky—it looked like all hell was about to break loose.
As the weather updated hourly, the onset of the storm was predicted to hit earlier and earlier, and Marcy had begun making calls to my afternoon patients. I was going to have a hell of a time fitting the eight patients in over the coming weeks, but there was no way any of us wanted to be stuck on the roads when the snow started.
Between the last patients of the day and trying to fill out as many charts, notes, and referrals as possible so that I could get out of the office, Trent and Travis had been texting me.
Travis: This pile keeps growing.
The picture that accompanied the text had my eyes widening in shock.
Trent: What the hell did you buy?
Me: I hadn't thought it had been that much!
Travis: I've been a bit nosy. I'm guessing that, because you did expedited shipping, they shipped a bunch of stuff individually… Unless you placed like six orders from one website.
Me: Definitely didn't place more than one order per website!
Marcy popped her head into my office just before noon. "Hey, Doctor. The hospital just sent out an email that all nonessential staff should leave as soon as possible. Conveniently, this weekend you are nonessential staff."
I looked out my small window to find gray clouds hanging low in the sky and the barren trees blowing wildly. "I feel like I should be calling for Auntie Em right about now."
Marcy laughed softly. "I won't say you're wrong there. I think it's time that we get out of here. Files can wait until we're able to be back in the office."
"You're right. Thanks so much for letting me know. I've been so wrapped up in finishing, I haven't been paying attention to emails."
"I figured as much. Stay safe, Doctor."
"Thank you, Marcy. You as well." She disappeared from my doorway and I began the process of shutting down the computer. I sent a quick text to Gray to let him know that I would be home early but had intentionally been vague about the time, not wanting him to worry about me not making it right home.
I waited to text Travis that I was on my way until I got into my car and was ready to head out. I'd learned early on that it was never a good idea to tell anyone my plans before I was already in my car.
The roads were already becoming congested with traffic as I made my way out of the city, and I found myself thankful that I wouldn't need to take the highways back home from Travis's office. Snow around here always created a headache, but I got the impression this storm was going to be worse than normal.
By the time I pulled into the parking lot of Travis's office, the lot was empty save for the truck I knew was his and a sheriff's department SUV that I assumed was Trent's.
"You just missed the FedEx driver," Travis said from the front desk, shaking a small pile of boxes in front of me as I entered.
"Seriously? More?"
Trent walked into the lobby area holding an armload of boxes. "I'm pretty sure, judging by the weight of these things, that this was the most inefficient shipping and packaging ever."
I sighed. There was no way I'd made anywhere near this many purchases, so I couldn't help but agree with his assessment. "I swear I only bought things from four or five websites."
Travis grinned. "Oddly enough, I believe you. I think we've all been in this situation before."
"This feels like a lot," I mentioned as we loaded the last box into the back of Trent's SUV. He'd already begun placing things in the back of his vehicle before I'd arrived, so it had made sense to keep loading his car up. Besides, my commuter car was compact and lacked cargo space.
Trent chuckled. "You should have seen the stuff we bought for Aiden when we first got together. I think Logan and I both went overboard. We ended up with way more than this. What was worse, Aiden and I were buying things for Curious at the same time. The house began to look like a day care for dogs and humans after about three weeks. We finally converted one of the guest rooms to a play area for them."
Travis scoffed but was laughing as he began to speak. "First night Caleb came to my house, I went to the store and ended up with nearly two carts full of stuff for him. I wanted him to feel welcomed in the house. And we've just added more and more since then."
I felt like it would be hard to add more to our house than the stuff we'd moved into Trent's vehicle, but I wasn't going to say anything. I knew that as soon as I'd opened my mouth about something like that, I'd end up eating my words. Instead, I hummed and nodded. "Well, Gray is set on stuffed animals at least."
"You say that now," Travis said with an amused expression on his face. "My boy has transformed our master bedroom into a stuffed animal's dream palace."
A flake of snow drifted down and Trent shook his head in disgust. "Come on. If we don't get going now, we're going to get hit by this storm."
Any other weekend, I'd curse the weather, but I was going to have over two days with Grayson to figure out our new roles. He'd been hesitant to talk about his desires, but my gut kept telling me to press more because it was something he really did want and possibly even needed. But I understood how difficult it would be to talk about. Hell, I had been struggling to figure out how to talk about it as well.
"Okay, Dexter's going to be at the house to get the kids soon anyway. I'd rather get this done before he arrives so he's not asking a ton of questions."
Trent and Travis both laughed, though they were full of warmth. "I don't know if it would be more challenging to have him as Cal's best friend or my brother-in-law."
"Technically, they aren't married… yet."
"Semantics at this point. Once he finds out that Gray's a little—because you know he will at some point—there's going to be no escaping numerous playdates."
We climbed into our vehicles and headed out toward my house. I knew something was up as soon as I pulled into the driveway. There was an extra SUV, and I was certain I should know who it belonged to. I didn't have to wait long to figure it out because as I stepped out of my car, Trent was scratching his head and looking at it. "What's Logan doing here?"
"I knew I recognized that car." I pulled my phone out. There hadn't been a follow-up text from my husband since I'd sent him that message earlier. Hell, according to my phone, he hadn't even checked the message, which wasn't like him.
Trent looked at his phone then smiled. "They're all here. I don't know how I missed this text, but Logan told me he was bringing Aiden and Caleb to hang out for the afternoon."
"This just keeps getting more interesting." It was nearing two, so Dexter would be showing up soon. We were going to have a full house in a matter of minutes. "Come on in," I said, gesturing toward the door in the garage.
As we entered the house, Trent looked around suspiciously. "It's eerily quiet in here."
I couldn't help but agree. We had over three hundred pounds of dogs running around on most days. They were never this quiet. The noise from the living room was the only thing that gave away anyone was even home, and I was pretty sure it was just the TV. Then we heard light giggles begin to filter down the hallway that were definitely not from the TV.
Travis's smile told me he knew something, but I couldn't figure out what. I led the way toward the living room, and as we came through the kitchen my eyes popped open so far they began to dry out before I blinked. "What the…" My voice was barely a whisper as I struggled to process the elaborate blanket structure—it was more like a palace than a fort—that had been erected in the living room.
Trent groaned lightly and whispered to me. "Sorry. That has my pup and my boy written all over it."
Inside the fort, men were chatting quietly. "You'll be okay this weekend, right?" I had no idea who it was or what they were talking about.
"Yeah. I'll be fine. Hell, I don't know what's planned." That voice was definitely Grayson's.
There was a giggle that sounded different from the earlier ones. "I bet it's going to be all sorts of fun. Snowed in with no kids." The voice whistled low. "He looked at you like Daddy looks at me. And he let you be little last week too." Travis beamed at the words, so it was safe to assume that was Caleb.
Grayson's unmistakable groan was followed by words. "That's true." The hesitation in Grayson's voice told me I'd missed something. Was he worried about being little? Thinking about it, I felt my face scrunch up.
Running through the possibilities, the most logical conclusion I could come up with was that he didn't really think I wanted to be his Daddy. Maybe I hadn't spelled that out clearly enough, and it would be something I'd rectify just as soon as we were alone.
Grayson's voice pulled me out of my thoughts. "When we were at the club, he took me to the bathroom and washed my hands when I was done. It was embarrassing, and so hot I almost came in my pants. How is that even possible?" My cheeks heated at what he was telling the guys, but Trent elbowed me in the side as he bit back a laugh.
Another giggle. "Because Daddy taking control is hotter than hell."
Grayson hummed. "Sex that night was definitely out of this world. Calling him Daddy in bed was strange, but it felt… well, it felt right."
"I can't believe you didn't tell me this stuff earlier this week," someone said, but I could hear the smile in his voice.
"Because I was really just going to come out and say, 'He watched me go pee, then washed my hands, and I nearly came in my pants.'"
A voice that was amused, and I suspected Logan's, started to laugh. "Like you just did?"
I really wanted to be embarrassed, yet I found myself smiling so wide it hurt. Sex had been amazing that night, but things had gotten weird and Grayson had pulled back in the light of day. Knowing more about how he felt helped me gain confidence about the coming weekend and all the things I'd bought. It was time to embrace our new roles, and I was just going to have to push through the awkwardness for a little while.
Grayson harumphed. "You guys got me all comfy and warm and then started asking questions. It just popped out."
"Trent likes when A calls him Daddy in bed." Yep, definitely Logan's voice.
Trent groaned quietly and his head fell back. "TMI, Logan, TMI."
Trent's whispered groan must have drawn the attention of the dogs because seconds later muffled oomphs and eeks sounded from inside the fort just before the dogs came ambling out, their tails wagging slowly. I bent to pet them to find them both warmer than normal. Given that they had been under the blankets with four men, I wasn't surprised by the heat they were putting off.
"It's almost two." I was nearly positive that was Aiden, but picking out a voice I didn't know well when I couldn't see who was talking was difficult.
Someone else hummed and the TV clicked off, then grunts filtered out, and I could imagine my husband stretching, mentally complaining that he was too old to lie on the floor.
"I don't care how palatial this blanket fort is, the floor plan is not spacious enough for Runt, Squirrel, and all of us." That was definitely my husband, and I had to fight not to laugh.
"Hedge," a muffled voice said as two of the blankets started to move apart.
"Got him," Logan said as a head of dark hair that was decidedly not my husband's appeared in the opening.
Travis smirked as Caleb crawled out, muttering about timing. "Dex is going to be here soon, and we've got a mess to clean up."
Messy brown hair popped out next, and even without the mustard yellow sweater, I knew it was Grayson. Caleb's head popped up as his body fully cleared the blankets and his eyes widened comically. A bright green pacifier that had been in his mouth fell to the floor, and he let out an excited gasp. "Daddy!"
"Hey there, sweet boy," Travis said with a grin.
Grayson's head shot up at the sound of the deep voice in our house and his big brown eyes landed on me, but I was more fascinated with the blue binkie between his lips than the surprise in his eyes. He'd been smiling until he saw me, but the smile had been quickly wiped away with the shock of seeing me there.
It might have been because I'd been smiling so bright, or something else, but the surprise had faded and a small, slightly shy smile had begun to show from behind the pacifier before Aiden scurried out. He was beaming around his own pacifier and dragging a well-loved hedgehog—Hedge, if I had to guess—behind him.
"Daddy!" Aiden nearly cheered the word as he scrambled to his feet to hug Trent, who had already opened his arms for him.
Logan's blond head popped out of the fort last, and he was already grinning up at us. He bumped Grayson's shoulder and leaned in to loudly whisper into his ear. "Hot sex, sexy Daddy. You've got it all with him."
Travis and Trent both snorted with an effort to keep their laughter in, and Logan beamed up at his boyfriend. "Hey, I wasn't expecting you here."
"Come here, pup, I think you've done enough damage for the day." Trent held his hand out and helped Logan to his feet.
My husband blinked up at me as he finally stood up. "Hey," he said, only then remembering the binkie in his mouth. He started to reach for it, but I pulled him closer, trapping his hands in the process.
It was easy to ignore the binkie as I pulled him into a hug. There was one somewhere in the boxes of stuff I'd ordered anyway, so there was no reason for him to be mortified by it. I didn't know where the one in his mouth had come from, but I was confident he'd like the dragon design I'd picked out more than the puppy.
"Good sex, huh?" I asked quietly.
My breath ghosting over his ear had Grayson shivering, but I could also feel embarrassment heating his skin. I had to give him credit when he nodded and tilted his head upward, moving the binkie to the side of his mouth so he could speak clearly. "Possibly the best."
I moved to squeeze his ass, but a knock at the door had my hand freezing in mid-air.
Caleb sighed. "Dexter."
I held my hand out. "Binkie." Then I paused for a second. "Unless you want Dexter to see it?"
Grayson opened his mouth and let it fall into my hand. "I'm good, thanks." His grin was anything but shy, and I knew that hanging out with these guys had been helpful. It didn't change that we still needed to talk, but I was glad he didn't seem as nervous as he had been. "We better answer that before he goes through the doggy door."
Caleb found the statement hysterical. "He would too!"
Grayson's face turned serious, and he nodded. "He's done it before."
The response sent Caleb into another fit of giggles that Aiden joined in on. By the time I got to the door, Logan had joined in too, and Travis and Trent were fighting their own chuckles.
Laughter really was contagious.
Dexter didn't miss a beat as he walked into the house. "I knew I recognized the cars! Wait, did someone die? Why is everyone here without me? I mean, I'm the glue that holds us together. Wait, is it about me?"
Caleb, still giggling, held up a hand. "We were hanging out with Grayson. They just got here." He gestured to Travis, Trent, and me as he spoke.
Dexter eyed us suspiciously, then caught sight of the fort and his eyes widened. "Whoa! That looks like more than just hanging out." He narrowed hi
s eyes at the four men standing next to him. "This was a playdate!" He was uncharacteristically quiet for a moment before his eyes brightened and he turned his attention to Grayson, shaking his finger at him with a mischievous grin on his face. "Dammit, I really don't ask enough questions. That's going to change, but not today. I have two little angels to pick up and a boyfriend who is getting very antsy about the snow coming down."
"Did you hit your head?" Grayson asked. "Our children are not little angels. They have horns. How have you not seen them in all this time?"
Caleb shook his head. "Dexter's got his own horns, and they are far bigger than any your kids could possibly have."
Dexter stuck his tongue out at Caleb, and I pulled Grayson into my chest. "You know, when they reached out to me the first time, I never thought our lives would end up like this."
Grayson tucked himself against my body and hummed. "Can you believe that our paths might well have crossed at some point no matter what? We ran into his best friend at the BDSM club."
In a strange way, he was right. It really was a small world.
"Let me help you get the kids' stuff to your car," I said to Dexter when the laughter had died down.
"Just these bags?" He looked around like he was expecting more.
Grayson nodded. "Just those. It's only two days."
In minutes, the house turned into chaos. Gray and I were walking the bags to Dexter's car when the school bus showed up earlier than expected. Snow was coming down harder by that point, causing us to rush the process along.
"They're never fitting in that car," Logan loudly whispered into Aiden's ear.
Aiden agreed readily. "It looks like a clown car."
Squirrel wiggled himself between Mia and Jayden in the back seat while Runt made himself comfortable in the front. It was nearly impossible to see the kids around the dogs, but Dexter just grinned, gave Caleb, Gray, and me hugs, then backed out of the driveway.
As soon as the car disappeared from view, Trent clapped his hands. "You guys can all help," he said to his boyfriends and Caleb as he opened the back of his SUV. "Lots of boxes to go in."
