The Reluctant Dom

Chapter Fourteen

Seth wanted to bend Leah over the hood of the car and fuck her right there in the club parking lot. Somehow, he managed to get her into the passenger seat before he slid behind the wheel.

He looked at her. Then he leaned in and kissed her, his hand fisting her hair, deeply tasting her.

His slave.

His.

He closed his eyes and gasped for air as he pressed his forehead to hers. “I love you so much.”

“I love you, too.”

“I don’t want to do this all the time. I’ll do it for you, and yeah, okay, it’s fun. But sometimes I’m going to need to just be…normal.”

“I know. That’s okay. I’d like that, too.”

“Will that be enough for you?”

“Yes.”

He kissed her again, softly moaning as her tongue pressed against his lips. They parted under her touch, and before long he knew if he didn’t get her home he was going to fuck her right there.

His hands shook. It took him three tries to get the key in the ignition to start the damn car.

They held hands on their silent ride home. When they pulled into the yard, Leah waited for him to walk around the car and help her out. He kissed her again and didn’t try to hide his rock-hard erection. She ground her hips against him.

“You were great tonight,” she whispered.

“I wanted to kill that bastard.”

Her sly smile made his cock throb even harder. “You felt it, didn’t you?”

“What?”

She kissed him, then whispered in his ear, “I’m Your slave. I belong to both of You, but You finally want to claim me, don’t You, Sir?”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

“I think Sir should take what’s rightfully His to have.”

He closed his eyes and forced air into his lungs. “What are some of these other fantasies Kaden was talking about?”

She stepped away from him and seductively smiled. “Why don’t you let us show you? We’ll leave the bedroom door open. Feel free to join us.”

He watched her walk into the house, her hips swaying in a mouth-watering way.

Fuck.

He wiped his mouth with his hand, certain he was drooling. After he caught his breath he carried the duffel bag inside.

Kaden sat on the couch. He looked up from his newspaper and glanced at Seth over his glasses. “Well?”

Seth rolled his eyes at his friend’s knowing smile. “Well, what?”

Kade dropped the paper and laid his glasses on the coffee table. “Come on. You nearly decked Baxter. Tony called me after you guys left the club.” He leaned back and crossed his arms. “Felt good, didn’t it?”

Seth dropped the duffel bag on the couch and nodded. “Yeah,” he softly said.

Kaden stood. “I think our girl has some plans of her own for how the night will end. You’re more than welcome to join us. And I mean that. It would make her very happy.” Kaden walked down the hall, and Seth stared after him.

Was he really ready to do this? He had been an hour or so ago.

With leaden feet he walked down the hall, hesitating at his bedroom door.

Was he ready to do this?

Would he ever be ready to do this?

kaden’sdying

Nothing short of a miracle would change the course of their future. Certainly not his reluctance.

With a deep breath, Seth forced his feet forward, stopping in their bedroom doorway.

Kaden had unbuttoned his shirt but not taken it off yet. Leah had kicked off her shoes, but was still dressed. She spotted him in the doorway, and the brilliant smile that lit her face drew him inside their room.

She rushed to him and put her arms around him. “Kiss me.”

He did.

As she ground her hips into him, he skimmed his hands down her back and cupped her ass, then pulled her tightly against him so she could feel how hard he was.

She softly moaned.

Kaden walked over. He’d shed his shirt but still had his shorts on. He pulled her hair away from her neck and brushed his lips against her nape, making her shiver in Seth’s arms.

“Are you ready to get fucked, love?” Kaden softly spoke in her ear.

She practically melted against Seth as she moaned.

Kaden wasn’t finished. His voice dropped to a low growl. “We’re going to make your fantasies come true, love. We’re going to fuck you all night long. You’re going to have two hard cocks to service from now on, and you’re going to be a very busy girl.”

Seth’s cock painfully throbbed in his jeans, but he didn’t break their kiss.

Leah mewled, squirming between them, obviously excited.

“Tell Sir what your biggest fantasy is,” Kaden growled.

Her head lolled back against Kaden’s shoulder. Her eyes looked glazed with passion. “I want Master and Sir to fuck me at the same time,” she whispered. “I want to feel both of your cocks in me.”

Kaden’s hands cupped her breasts, squeezing her nipples through the fabric of her shirt. “Be more specific. Tell him exactly what you’ve told me.”

“I want one of you to fuck my pussy while one of you fucks my ass. I want you both to come inside me at the same time. I want you both to claim me. I want both my masters to use their slave hard tonight.”

Seth’s mouth dried up.

“Tell him another one.”

Her eyes fell closed as Kaden pinched her nipples. “I want Sir to fuck me while I suck Master’s cock.”

Kaden nipped the side of her neck. “Another.”

She was squirming between them now. Seth suspected if he slipped his fingers inside her that she’d be drenched.

“I want to take turns sucking my masters’ cocks while one of them licks my pussy. I want my masters to tie me up and use me all day long and fuck and suck me. I want to run around naked all the time, and whenever Master or Sir wants, they fuck their little slave, whether it’s inside or outside, or they make me suck them. I only want to please my masters.”

Seth took a ragged breath. “Okay,” he hoarsely whispered. If she kept talking like that, he would come in his jeans.

“Go get in bed, love,” Kaden softly ordered.

Seth released her. She frantically ripped off her clothes and threw herself onto the bed.

Seth stared. Kaden looked at him. “Well?”

“Well what?”

Kaden laughed. “Let’s go fuck our slave.”

Seth’s fingers felt numb as he unbuttoned his shirt. Kaden turned off the lamps. Soft light spilled in from the bathroom, making it more intimate and still giving them enough to see.

Kaden finished undressing and lay down next to Leah. She kissed him as he slipped a hand between her legs. She spread them wide and moaned as he pushed a finger inside her.

The sight broke through Seth’s mental paralysis. He finished stripping and lay down on her other side. She turned and kissed him as he cupped her left breast. He brushed his thumb over her nipple, and it immediately hardened in response.

He wanted to fuck her all night long.

But first he wanted to make her come.

Seth slid down the bed and pushed her legs further apart. She turned her face to Kaden and kissed him as Seth wrapped his hands around her thighs.

“Tell me what you want,” Seth hoarsely asked.

She broke her kiss with Kaden. “I want to feel your lips on my clit.”

Seth groaned with need. He could easily squirm against the bed and make himself come at this rate. He lowered his mouth to her sex and gently traced every curve and fold with his tongue.

Leah loudly moaned.

Kaden played with her nipples, alternating between them, rolling them between his fingers. “Let him hear how much you enjoy it,” he ordered.

“So good,” she gasped. “Feels so good.”

Seth took his time, flicking her clit with his tongue, then alternating long, firm strokes, laving it.

He had to fuck her. Now.

He wrapped his lips around her clit and gently bit down, setting off a thermonuclear explosion inside her body. She cried out, her body tensing on the bed. Seth firmly clamped his hands around her thighs and kept her coming, refusing to let go until she was trembling and whimpering in Kaden’s arms.

With one last swipe of his tongue along her clit, he lifted his head. “How was that?”

Her eyes were still closed but she nodded.

Seth sat up and grabbed her hips, pausing with his cock at her ready entrance. “Look at me,” he whispered.

She opened her eyes.

“Do you want me to fuck you, baby?”

She nodded.

“Ask for it.”

“Please fuck me!”

He sank his cock into her and paused, enjoying the feel of her hot, slick muscles. Seth closed his eyes and waited before slowly thrusting. He would explode if he went too fast.

Leah tried to thrust against him and he held her hips. “No, just lay there and let me feel you,” he said hoarsely.

She fell still. Kaden kissed her and played with her nipples.

She felt incredible. It was easy to lose himself in the sensation and forget about the future with his cock buried balls-deep inside her.

Kaden broke their kiss and nibbled on her ear. “He’s going to fuck you good. But we’re not going to let you come again yet. After he comes, you’re going to get him nice and hard again, and then we’ll both fuck you, love.”

She softly moaned.

“If you’re a good girl, we’ll make you come while we’re both fucking you.”

Seth stopped thrusting. He was near the point of climax as it was, and the thought of feeling her come with his dick buried inside her was almost enough to send him over the edge.

After a few deep breaths he started thrusting again, and this time he gave in to the wave. With a final stroke he came deep inside her, then collapsed on top of her. She wrapped her arms and legs around him, holding him hostage in her embrace until he recovered enough to push up off of her.

“I love you,” he whispered, kissing her.

She smiled. “I love you, too.”

He was suddenly aware of Kaden lying right there. He looked at his friend.

Kaden smiled. “Still not doing you.”

Seth laughed, long and hearty, dropping his head to Leah’s chest while it rolled out of him.

When he finally recovered he looked at Kaden again. “We’re okay?”

Kaden nodded. “Yep. We’re okay.”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

Seth looked at Leah and noted her pleased smile. “You realize,” he said, “that you’ve just created a monster. You’re gonna get fucked so much you’ll be walking bow-legged.”

She smiled. “Master and Sir can fuck me anytime, anywhere They wish.”

“Holy fuck,” he whispered.

He rolled over, pulling Leah on top of him. He knew he was stiffening again. “Get down there and do what Master told you to do, love.”

It felt right calling her that.

She was his love.

She grinned and crawled down his body, not even hesitating when she sucked his cock into her mouth.

Seth closed his eyes and enjoyed the sensation. He was aware of Kaden getting up because he felt the mattress move. When he looked he saw him standing behind Leah with a bottle of lube in his hand.

Kaden patted her ass. “Hurry up. I want my cock buried in you.”

Seth had never tried anal sex before and was glad Kaden was taking the lead on this. He wouldn’t deny it was something he wanted to try…just not tonight.

Leah did something delicious with her fingers around Seth’s sac, and he felt himself fully harden in response. She released his cock from her mouth with an audible pop and then straddled him. He grabbed her hips and pulled her on top of him, impaling her.

He knew he could last longer this time, and enjoyed it as she squirmed around on his cock.

Kaden pushed her down onto Seth’s chest. “Relax, love. You’ve been wanting this for years.”

She rested her head on Seth’s shoulder and kissed him. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you so much.”

His hands still rested on her hips but she reached behind her and guided his hands to her ass and had him spread her cheeks.

Kaden drew in a sharp breath. “Fuck that’s sexy!”

She wiggled against Seth’s cock. “Please fuck me, Master!”

“Damn straight.”

Seth looked over her shoulder and watched Kaden prepare her, lubing her and him. He pressed his cockhead against her rim. “You ready for me to fuck you, love?”

“Please fuck me!”

He pressed forward and she moaned, shifting her hips against them. Seth thought his eyes might have rolled back in his head. She felt so tight and hot, and when Kaden had fully seated himself inside her, he pulled her up against his chest.

“How are we, love?”

Her eyes were closed. “Green,” she whispered.

He cupped her breasts, rolling her nipples in his fingers. “Make Your slave come, Seth.”

Seth wasn’t sure he was capable of coherent thought, much less any activity requiring fine motor skills or dexterity, but he finally brought his trembling hands under control and stroked her swollen clit with his thumb.

She moaned.

“How’s it feel, love?” Kaden asked.

“Oh…it’s sooo good!”

“Maybe we should fuck you like this every night. Would you like that?”

Seth wasn’t capable of speech at this point and happily let Kaden take the lead.

Leah shivered. “Yes!”

Kaden nipped her earlobe. “Yes, what?”

“Yes, Master! I want Master and Sir to fuck me like this every night!”

Kaden took a couple of strokes inside her ass and the feeling…

Seth realized he was wrong about lasting longer this time. It felt amazing. He would come soon if she didn’t come first.

“Maybe we should tie you up every night, get your ass nice and warmed up with a flogger, then take turns fucking you in the playroom,” Kaden said.

She shivered in his arms. “Oh…yes!”

“Or we’ll leave your ball gag out and one of us can fuck you while you suck the other off. Maybe we’ll keep you full of cock at both ends all night long.”

She shivered again, her skin flushed. “Please!”

“Please what?” Kaden gruffly demanded.

“Please keep me full of your cocks all night long!”

Seth rolled her clit between his fingers, triggering her climax. And not a moment too soon, because he was right on the edge. As her muscles milked his cock he exploded inside her. He moaned, grabbed her hips, and thrust.

Kaden pushed her down on top of Seth again and grabbed her hips, fucking her hard, adding his release to theirs. They collapsed in a panting, sweaty heap with Seth buried at the bottom.

After a few minutes, Kaden sat up and carefully withdrew. “Are you okay, sweetheart?”

She didn’t open her eyes, just nodded against Seth’s shoulder. Her hair clung to her damp forehead.

Kaden walked into the bathroom, and Seth heard water running. A moment later, Kaden turned off the bathroom light and returned with a wet washcloth and carefully cleaned her up.

Seth rolled to his side, still inside her, and cradled her in his arms. Kaden curled up behind her, his arm slipping around her waist. Seth didn’t even mind the incidental contact.

Kaden kissed the back of her neck. “Ready to call it a night, sweetheart?”

She nodded and made a soft, mumbling sound.

Seth suspected she was already falling asleep. He knew he was.

“I love you,” Kaden whispered to her.

She mumbled something back that sounded like, “I love you, too.”

Seth remained silent, not wanting to interrupt them. He would have years to say it to her. He didn’t want to take a second away from Kaden if he didn’t have to.

He closed his eyes and let exhaustion carry him into darkness.

Seth awoke early the next morning, feeling disoriented. The night came back to him. He realized he was still curled around Leah, although at some point she’d rolled over to face Kaden. The light outside still looked purple, and he considered going for a morning run. As much as he hated exercise, he was determined to get and stay in shape for her.

Then she shifted, pressing against him. The cleft of her ass rubbed perfectly along his shaft. He stifled a soft moan as he stiffened in response.

When she did it again, he realized she was awake.

He reached around and tweaked one of her nipples. “Good morning,” he whispered.

Kaden was still asleep. She covered Seth’s hand with hers and squeezed, then tipped her head back.

“Good morning,” she whispered. Her gorgeous smile made up his mind for him. Fuck the run. He’d swim later.

“What do you want for breakfast?” she asked.

He rocked his hips against her ass, his cock nicely sliding along her cleft. “You.”

“Make mine double,” Kaden mumbled.

Seth laughed. “I thought you were asleep.”

Kaden stretched, then kissed Leah. “I think we’re going to be spending a lot of time in bed over the next few days.”

Leah softly moaned.

Kaden kissed her again, urged her to sit up. “Why don’t you give Sir a nice wake up while I get my morning helping?”

Leah knelt over Seth and wrapped her lips and fingers around his shaft. He closed his eyes and enjoyed it, vaguely aware of Kaden moving into position behind her. Kaden fucked her, hard, as she sucked Seth’s cock deep into her mouth. Seth tangled his fingers in her hair, and she moaned a little as he thrust his hips against her.

She loved it.

Kaden slowed his strokes. “I don’t think I’m going to let you come this morning, love. I think we’re going to make you wear the butterfly this morning, and then, if you’re very good, at lunchtime maybe we’ll think about giving you some relief.”

She moaned, loudly, around Seth’s cock.

Seth couldn’t stand it. “Butterfly?” he gasped

Kaden smiled and took long, deep strokes into her. “It’s a devious little vibrator I strap onto her. It’s also got a remote control. But it’s not a large dildo like the other one. Drives her crazy because she gets this teasing sensation but not enough to get off on.”

“Fuck!”

“After a few hours of that, she’s begging to do anything to come.”

She moaned again. Seth gave up trying to hold back. It felt too damn good. He grabbed her head and worked his hips in time with her mouth, moaning as she firmly stroked him with her tongue and lips. He closed his eyes and rode his climax until he collapsed, spent, on the bed.

She lifted her head and smiled at him. Kaden started fucking her, hard, moaning as his release hit.

When Kaden caught his breath, he patted her on the ass. “Go get cleaned up, love.”

She went into the bathroom while Kaden walked out of the bedroom. He returned a moment later carrying something.

Seth realized it was the aforementioned butterfly.

When Leah returned, Kaden had her climb up on the bed on her hands and knees, and he hooked her up to the vibrator. He turned it on and she dropped her head to the mattress and moaned.

Kaden slapped her ass. “Go show Sir how a proper slave acts in the morning. Make Me proud.”

She jumped off the bed and ran down the hallway.

Seth shook his head. “Twilight Zone. I’m expecting Rod Serling to jump out of the closet at any minute.” He looked at Kaden and laughed. “You really gonna torture her all day?”

Kaden nodded and climbed back in bed. He grabbed the remote and turned on the TV. “At least until lunch.”

Seth and Kaden watched TV until she returned with their coffee a few minutes later. Kaden used the vibrator’s remote to switch it off.

“Good girl,” Kaden cooed as he accepted his mug. “Now go make us breakfast.”

“Yes, Master.” She leaned in and deeply kissed him. Then she walked around the bed and kissed Seth.

Seth watched her walk out of the bedroom again. Kaden laughed.

“You’re going to wish you’d done this a long time ago.”

Seth’s guilt returned. “Man, do we have to talk about this?”

“Suit yourself.” Kaden had pulled the sheet up to his waist. “I’m just saying, a man can quickly grow used to a sweet, naked love slave serving him breakfast in bed every morning.”

“Is this what you used to do—”

beforekaden’sdying

“—before I was living here?”

“Not every morning. Usually just weekends. A lot of the time I was moving too fast in the morning to spend time playing. Trying to get out the door to the office.” He looked at Seth. “I know you want to get your degree, and that’s fine. What I’m saying is, if you wanted to spend your whole life at home, you could. There’s other shit to do, you know. I’ve got the commercial properties that have to be managed. You could take over doing that, and then you wouldn’t have to pay Ed to do it. Set your own hours. Spend more time with her. Work from home.”

Seth knew Kaden owned quite a few properties, but Seth had never discussed Kaden’s business with him before. He’d never thought it was any of his business and didn’t want to be nosy.

Seth sensed Kaden’s sadness. “I want to work.”

“I know you do. You’ve always been a hard worker, not like that asshole brother-in-law of mine. If I have one regret, it’s that I spent so much time working and not more time with her. You could avoid that mistake. This house is paid for, cars are paid for. There will be life insurance and income from the properties and the trust I’ve set up, the retirement accounts, too. You could spend your life playing with her.”

Seth didn’t want to have this conversation. “Dude, I’m not cut out to be like that.”

“That’s why you’re perfect for her.”

“You’re harshing the mellow,” he tried to joke.

Kaden smiled. “Give it some serious thought. If you go to work though, keep in mind that there’s more to life than work. Don’t ever forget that.”

Seth nodded.

The smell of bacon wafted down the hallway. A few minutes later, Leah appeared, a smile on her face and two plates in her hands. Kaden hit the button on the vibrator control, and she moaned a little when it kicked on but didn’t drop the plates.

He grinned and handed the remote to Seth. “Have some fun.”

They did torture Leah most of the morning. By lunch she was rubbing herself against Seth’s leg like a hump-happy terrier anytime he stood still long enough for her to latch on to him.

Kaden laughed. “She knows I won’t let her do that to me. Too much risk of her getting off that way.”

“Ah.” Seth gently pushed Leah away despite her pouty look. “Quit being sneaky.” He slapped her on the ass. She moaned in disappointment, but her eyes twinkled.

After lunch, Kaden appeared in the living room with some rope and a knowing smile. “On the table, love. Now we can really show Seth the ropes.”

She groaned at the pun but smiled and complied.

Kaden removed the vibrator and quickly lashed her to the table. Seth took plenty of pictures and worked the video camera. He had to admit he enjoyed the view.

When she was firmly bound, Kaden stood behind her and gently stroked her ass. “This is a game I like to call ‘Torture the Slave.’” He leaned over and gently flicked her clit with his tongue. She jumped, moaned, and wiggled her ass as much as she could against the ropes.

Kaden smiled. “I think we can invent a new version of ‘Beat the Clock.’ Seth, why don’t you sit on the edge of the couch?” Kaden pushed the table across the floor so Leah’s mouth was perfectly positioned. Seth immediately caught on. He dropped his shorts before sitting in front of her.

Without any prompting, she opened her mouth, trying to reach his now stiff member.

Kaden laughed and swatted her ass again. “Not so fast, love. You need to hear the rules first. You need to put your best effort into making Sir come. If he comes before you do, I stop what I’m doing. So if you want to come, you’d damn well better do it. Then, Sir and I will switch positions. And again, you’d better not hold back. If you still don’t come before I do, you’ll have to sit here for a little while with the vibrator in and think about why you’re being such a stubborn thing. If you can come before one of us does, and you only have to come once, not for each of us, I’ll let you up.”

Seth struggled, and failed, to contain his laughter. “That doesn’t sound much like punishment.”

Kaden swatted her ass again. “It’s not. She wins either way, don’t you?”

She wiggled her ass at him. “Yes, Master!”

“Wait a minute,” Seth said. “What if she holds back?”

“You haven’t seen all the toys yet,” Kaden said. He leaned over her. “If you hold back, you will get strapped down in bed, and I’ll put not only the biggest butt plug in your ass but I’ll also put the big blue vibrator in you. And you won’t be allowed up until you’ve given us at least ten. Even if you have to lie there all night.”

Seth thought back to his first trip with them to the club and the woman he’d seen strapped to the frame. He’d since learned that was called “forced orgasm” torture. Well, torture depending on how you were looking at it.

Leah moaned and shivered. He strongly suspected it wasn’t from fear.

“Again, dude, I mean, I know I don’t know as much as you do, but that doesn’t sound like torture to me.”

Kaden winked. “Just because she enjoys it doesn’t mean it’s not torture. All right, let’s begin.” He sat at the end of the table and licked her clit.

She moaned and eagerly swallowed Seth’s cock.

No, she wasn’t holding back. If she was, he didn’t care. It was damn good. Seth suspected Kaden was holding back, however, because a few times she moaned in frustration as he stopped or slowed what he was doing.

It only took her ten minutes to get Seth off. When he recovered he carefully moved out of the way and swapped places with Kaden.

Kaden kissed her, then got into position. “Make Me proud, love.”

She went down on him. For a minute, Seth almost forgot what he was supposed to be doing on his end as he watched.

He was closer to understanding now. It was the sexiest thing in the world, watching her do that.

Seth took his time, enjoying the sounds she made as he flicked his tongue across her clit. Taking his cue from Kaden, he backed off several times, not quite bringing her release.

He lifted his head to look down her back at Kaden. When their eyes met, Kaden nodded.

Seth gently sucked on her clit, and she moaned. Her hips twisted as far as they could against the ropes, and Kaden closed his eyes.

“That’s it, sweetheart,” he murmured. “You know what to do.”

When Seth sensed she’d had enough he sat back and gently caressed her hips and thighs, ran his lips up and down her flesh.

Kaden grunted as he came, and they all sat there quietly for a moment. “Very good,” Kaden whispered, stroking her hair. “That was wonderful.”

Seth helped Kaden free her, and she curled up on the couch with them, her head in Kaden’s lap, her feet in Seth’s. In a few minutes, she’d fallen asleep.

Seth smiled. “We wore her out,” he whispered.

Kaden nodded. “Yep.” He looked sad as he stroked her hair. “I was hoping to.”

“Why?”

He shrugged but didn’t look at Seth. “She needs to relax, keep her mind off things.”

Kaden didn’t need to specify what “things” he meant.

Seth eventually extricated himself and put up the “toys” they’d used for their activities. He went outside to work on the electrical system. He’d sat down with Kaden and figured out, based on his friend’s design and newly added lights and accessories, what he’d need to add to the existing circuits.

Kaden wanted a complete walk-through winter wonderland, including a setup for the backyard, where they’d hold some of their dinners and parties if the weather was good enough. Some of the areas would be run off extension cords, but some would require buried wiring and dedicated GFI outlets because of their distance from the house.

A few hours later, Seth was outside marking off sections with stakes and string when Leah walked outside, a glass of iced tea in hand. She wore a long T-shirt.

Seth gratefully accepted the tea. “Thanks, sweetie.”

He couldn’t quite interpret the look on her face. “What’s going on?” he asked.

She shook her head, then a smile broke through and she hugged him. “Thank you.”

He kissed the top of her head and left his free arm around her shoulders as he surveyed his progress. “I should be thanking you, babe.”

“No. I mean…everything.” She took a deep breath as her smile faded. “I’ll understand if at the end of a year you’ll want to—”

“Oh, no you don’t. You think you’re getting away from me that easy, think again.”

Her smile returned. “Really?”

He nodded. “Yeah. Really.”

She hugged him, surprising him with her strength. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, babe.” He closed his eyes and inhaled her scent. She’d taken a shower not too long before, and her damp hair smelled freshly shampooed. “Just don’t be upset if I don’t say it a lot in front of him, okay?” he softly said. “I’m not comfortable with that.”

“Okay.”

“And don’t be upset when I don’t spend every night with you two. I’m not going anywhere, but it doesn’t feel right taking time away from him. I want you to focus on him. I’m all right with that.”

“Okay.”

He kissed her again and gently patted her behind. “All right, let me get back to work. Clark Griswold in there has really planned a doozy for this year, and I need to make sure I’ve calculated everything right so we’re not blowing breakers all the time.”

She returned to the house. Seth tried to focus and couldn’t. He’d managed to put before, after, and the mental heartbeat—

kaden’sdying

—out of his mind for a while.

And now it was all back.

He sat in the shade and looked over the yard. He knew, no matter what, he would set up the display again next year. Hopefully in honor of Kaden but most likely in memory of him. And every year after that.

How much longer did they have?

Thanksgiving was just a few weeks away. Was this the last? The last Halloween? Would the three of them celebrate Easter together and watch Fourth of July fireworks in Lemon Bay?

Seth had thought, one day, he might have kids. If he found the right woman. Thankfully he hadn’t had any with the ex-hell-bitches. He could only imagine that shit storm over this latest development.

And Kaden and Leah couldn’t have any.

He would never ask her, as Kaden hadn’t, to go through hell just to have a baby.

But now, the thought that the choice had been made for him, without a chance to try, saddened him in some ways. Or maybe it was his crushing melancholy over his other thoughts, trying to force the phrase “last Christmas” from pounding through his mind.

It felt wrong to step into Kaden’s life, to take over, almost seamlessly, and carry on. He’d spent much of his life wishing he was Kaden, had Kaden’s life and family and money…and yes, his girl. And now, at this most critical of times, he desperately wished he could take Kaden’s place.

So Kaden could live.

It wasn’t fair.

Why couldn’t he, the fuckup, be the one dying? Not the good guy with everything to live for.

The sound of tires on the shell rock driveway caught Seth’s attention. He craned his neck to look. Ed’s car. He didn’t know Ed was coming over today. That explained why Leah wasn’t running around totally nekkid outside.

Well, unless Kaden needed him for something, he’d prefer not to hang around and listen to their conversations. It sucked to be him, but he knew it really had to suck to be Ed, responsible for helping Kaden make the legal arrangements.

Seth had gone back to work when Leah returned a few minutes later. She wore a different T-shirt, tucked into her denim shorts.

“What’s up, babe?” Seth asked.

“I was sent to help you.”

Seth’s gut twisted. That meant Kaden didn’t want her overhearing, confirming his suspicions. “Sure.” He handed her a spool of string. “Follow me and you can help me mark the paths.”

An hour later Ed left, waving as he drove down the driveway. Seth and Leah returned the gesture. Kaden soon joined them outside.

He acted normal, not letting anything slip. “When’s dinner, sweetie?”

“Whenever my guys want it.”

Seth’s heart flipped at her statement. She wasn’t just his. He was hers, too.

It felt good.

“How about in an hour?”

“Okay. I’ll go get it started.”

As she walked away, Seth sat in the grass. “Well? Want to spill it now or keep me in knots all night?”

Kaden laughed and sat with him. “Naw, it’s okay. Just more paperwork.”

“I figured you were trying to get rid of her to talk to me. Like you got rid of her to talk to Ed.”

“Think she noticed?”

“Duh. She’s not stupid, dude.”

Kaden shredded a blade of grass in his long fingers. “Just more preparations. I want everything I can get handled now done before the first of December.”

Seth’s heart froze. “Why?”

Kaden noticed his look and laughed. “No, dork. No bad news I haven’t shared already. I want to kick back and totally relax. Enjoy. I want to be able to spend time with you two. Besides, you still have a lot to learn.”

“What about Denise?” Kaden’s sister had called and left Kaden a message on his voice mail the day before.

Kaden shrugged. “That was one of the things I was taking care of today. I redid my will and totally cut her out.”

Seth laughed. “That’s going to piss her off.”

“Yeah, well, I won’t be around to deal with it. I’m sure you can handle her.” He met Seth’s gaze and laughed.

“Thanks, buddy.”