The Reluctant Dom

Chapter Seventeen

Seth awoke Thanksgiving morning to Leah kissing him. “Here’s your coffee.” She set it on his bedside table. He’d slept alone the past couple of nights, claiming exhaustion—partly right—and because he felt guilty about all the time he was spending with Leah and Kaden in their bed.

“Thanks, babe.” He started to roll over. “What time is it?”

“Six. You said you’d help me with the turkeys.”

“Yes, I did.” Two were being traditionally roasted. A third would be deep-fried later, closer to dinnertime, since it wouldn’t take as long to cook.

“Where’s Kade?”

“I’m letting him sleep in.” A shadowy frown flitted across her face.

“Is he okay?”

“I think he’s really tired and he’s trying to hide it.”

Seth damn well knew he was trying to hide it, because he’d seen the exhaustion in his friend’s face the night before. Yet another reason he’d opted to sleep alone, hopefully allowing Kade some well-needed rest.

Leah sat on the edge of the bed and kissed him again, this time long and lingering and stirring more than a little interest on Seth’s part. “Why don’t I take a shower with you this morning after we get the birds cooking?”

Seth smiled. “Sounds like a good plan to me.”

He met her out in the kitchen a few minutes later. Within an hour, they had the birds stuffed and in one of the large double ovens. Leah checked on Kaden, found him still asleep, and then joined Seth in his bathroom.

“Let’s make this one quick, sweetie,” Seth said, hugging her to him. “I don’t want him waking up alone and ignored.” As much as his member was now throbbing, he knew it wouldn’t take much to set him off.

“Okay.”

Seth slid down her body, kneeling before her. She leaned against the shower wall as he gripped her hips and licked her slit. She moaned, tangling her fingers in his hair.

He loved doing this for her, bringing her pleasure without an ounce of pain involved. Before long she cried out and ground her hips against him. When he knew she was finished he stood, pinned her against the wall, and easily slid his cock inside her.

“How was that,” he whispered, taking a hard stroke.

“Good,” she whimpered as she wrapped her arms around him.

Leah worked her hips in time with his. It didn’t take him long. He cupped her ass and held her as he took several last strokes, then came deep inside her.

He dropped his head to her shoulder. “I love you, babe.” He kissed her. “I love you so much.”

Leah’s smile lit his heart. “I love you, too. Will you spend tonight with us?”

“Let’s see how he feels. If he’s worn out I don’t want to disturb him. He needs his rest. Maybe a little playtime if he feels up to it.”

“Okay.” She closed her eyes and relaxed in Seth’s arms under the warm spray. “Let me catch my breath, and I’ll scrub your back for you before I go check on him.”

Seth tried not to feel a guilty pang for enjoying this time alone with her. He should be past that now. He knew, ironically, if it wasn’t for the fact—

kaden’sdying

—that the future was hanging over their heads, he wouldn’t feel guilty.

As guilty, anyway.

When he was alone in the shower a few minutes later, he rested his head against the tile and let the tears flow. This was his alone time, something he desperately needed. It was the only way to release his crushing grief without his friends seeing. He didn’t care if Leah wanted him to lean on her. If he really did that she would collapse under the weight of his emotions. Hell, it was barely all he could do to keep a lid on it.

He made it out to the kitchen twenty minutes later. Leah wasn’t there. He hoped that meant she was spending private time with Kade.

And he smiled as he realized he wasn’t the least bit jealous at that thought.

Progress.

He hummed to himself as he spooned out a bowlful of stuffing left over from the batch they’d made for the turkeys, then he walked out to the couch to eat and watch the news. The first guests wouldn’t start arriving until nearly noon, so he wasn’t worried about someone catching him half-dressed except Leah and Kaden. And since they’d seen him nekkid more times than he could count, they didn’t count.

Kaden walked out a few minutes later, bleary-eyed and yawning. “Morning.”

“Morning.” He studied Kaden. “Where’s Leah?”

He smiled. “She’ll be out in a minute. Oh, here.” He tossed Seth something. Seth quickly realized it was the remote control for the butterfly.

“What’s this for?”

Kaden had made it to the kitchen. “She got a little pushy with me this morning,” he called out. “Was trying to tell me to stay in bed. So I decided she needed a little reminder who’s in charge.” He returned with his mug. “She has to wear it until one.”

Seth snorted in amusement. “One?”

Kaden nodded and started back toward the bedroom. “Under her clothes.”

Seth shook his head and looked at the remote before slipping it into the pocket of his shorts. “This should be interesting,” he muttered.

Leah appeared a few minutes later, fully dressed in a blouse and jeans, wearing her silver day collar and looking a tad…uncomfortable. He barely heard the faint humming of the butterfly.

“So you got a little pushy, hmm?”

She blushed. “I wasn’t trying to be. I just wanted him to rest.”

He stood and walked over to her, then handed her his empty bowl. Brushing the hair back from her neck he whispered, “He gave me the remote. When the guests arrive, I’ll turn it off. But you still have to wear it as long as he says.”

She breathed a deep sigh of relief. “Thank you!” She kissed him and went to the kitchen.

Seth wasn’t an idiot. He was well aware Kaden knew Seth wouldn’t fully torment her with vanilla people around.

Kaden, however, was more than devious enough to do it. And Kade probably realized the temptation to torture her would be too great if he held the remote.

Seth finished dressing and helped Leah and Kade in the kitchen. He loved surprising her with the vibrator, usually just as she was reaching for something. Around eleven thirty, and no guests had arrived yet as she helped him outside in the backyard. He had to pre-measure how much oil he’d need for the turkey by using water in the pot to find the level. Leah was holding the bird for him while he filled the pot.

“Okay, set it in there.”

She did. Once her hands were empty, he stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Then he slid one hand between her legs and firmly pressed the butterfly tight against her. He felt it buzzing through the denim.

He nibbled on her neck behind her ear. “You being a good girl, now?”

“Yes!” she gasped.

He pressed a little more firmly, giving her enough contact with the device to really feel it. “If you can come for me right now, I’ll turn it off and leave it off, but you still have to wear it until Master told you.”

She nodded and threw her head back against his shoulder. He gently rubbed his hand in circles between her legs and she moaned. She was so close.

He used his other hand to gently pinch her nipples, rolling them through the fabric of her shirt, alternating from one to the other.

“Come for me, babe,” he whispered. “Come hard for me.”

She ground her hips against his hand. He knew she was close. Just when he thought he might have to stop, she let out a soft cry and tensed in his arms. “That’s it, babe. Come for me.” He was there to hold her as her post-climax weakness hit, and he lowered her to the grass and sat behind her.

“How was that?”

She nodded, her head still resting against his shoulder. He reached into his pocket and shut off the vibrator. “Okay, sweetie. A deal’s a deal.”

She turned her head and kissed him. A playful smile filled her face. “You’re finally getting into the spirit of this, aren’t you?”

He shrugged. “Maybe when I hit my stride I can find some things to do for you in my own way.”

She closed her eyes and snuggled against him, her face buried in the crook of his neck. “I’m sure you will.”

“Okay, enough loafing. Master will come looking for us and might find other ways to torture you if he thinks you’re goofing off.” He stood, then helped her to her feet.

It was easy for Seth to stay distracted once the guests started arriving. He knew, at least in passing, most of the people invited. He noticed Kaden leaned in to Leah around one o’clock and whispered something. She hurried down the hall to their bedroom.

Ah. He’d finally let her loose.

Kaden looked over at him from across the room and winked. Seth smiled and winked back. He had to admit it was fun having this private game with them.

Seth knew most of the people in attendance weren’t aware of Kade’s secret. He planned on telling them today, individually, as the day progressed. Seth had tried to talk him into just doing one announcement and getting it over with, but it was Kaden’s call.

It was, after all, his party.

Seth sat outside later while the third turkey deep-fried. He’d spent much of the afternoon shooting video of the festivities but needed this alone time to emotionally recharge. Leah brought him a glass of tea and sat next to him.

“You okay?”

Seth nodded. People had drifted in and out of the house all afternoon to talk with Seth, some in obvious shock at Kaden’s news. Right now, it was just him and Leah.

Leah touched his hand and he met her eyes. “I’m okay,” she said. “I’ve been preparing for this. I’ll be okay today.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. I don’t like that we have to do it, but it’s a relief to have it out there.” Seth knew Kaden was only telling people he’d asked Seth to move in to help and care for him and Leah. Seth also knew the way Kaden was telling it left it more than open to interpretation that Kaden was fine with whatever happened…after, between Seth and Leah. Even putting out the comment that he hoped they would find happiness together.

He had to hand it to Kaden, the man was a thorough planner. One good thing about him being a control freak. He didn’t want people thinking badly of Leah any more than Seth did.

She patted him on the hand again and stood, then walked away as one of Kaden’s cousins, Tom, walked over with his wife to shoot the shit for a little while. Seth had grown up with Tom even though he was a couple of years younger than Kaden and Seth.

“This really sucks. Man, I’d never thought it. He looks so good.”

Seth nodded and tried to focus his gaze on the flame from the propane burner under the turkey pot. He did not want to have this conversation. Most people had left it as a simple, “I’m sorry, let me know if I can do anything for you guys,” generic bullshit comment.

Tom shook his head. “I can’t believe it.”

“Join the club.”

The three of them sat in silence for a moment before Tom spoke again, his voice nearly a whisper. “Is Leah going to be okay?” Seth knew Kaden had revealed a little of Leah’s past to his cousin but not about their lifestyle choices.

Seth nodded. “I think so. That’s why Kaden asked me to move in now.” Well, that was close enough to the truth to count, he supposed.

“Yeah. I think she’ll be okay eventually if you’re there for her.” He kept shaking his head. Seth wanted to pound it down between his shoulder blades to make him stop. “She always seems very relaxed around you, sort of like she is with Kaden. You’ll be good for her.”

Seth didn’t want to have this conversation. At all. He couldn’t leave the turkey while it was cooking, and he couldn’t tell Tom to get the hell away from him.

He hunkered down. “We’ll all get through it.”

When they gathered around the tables outside to eat around five o’clock, Kaden stood and proposed the toast. He had Leah sitting on his right and insisted on Seth sitting on his left even though Seth had tried to move to a different table to not call attention to himself.

By this time, Seth knew everyone had been told the news. A few of the women looked a little red-eyed and weepy, as did Kaden’s brother.

Denise had specifically not been invited.

“I want to propose a toast. To all my family and friends who have gathered to eat with us today, thank you for joining us. I want this day to be fun, and I have a surprise for you all once it gets dark enough.” Kaden had been eagerly talking up the light display all afternoon.

He paused, gathering his thoughts. “This is a great day, and it’s the kind of day our lives should be filled with. I want you all to remember that for me. I feel blessed to have my beautiful wife and my best friend beside me. I love all of you, but these two people are my strength and my closest comfort.” He raised his glass. “To family, to friends, and to life. Cheers.”

Everyone joined him. Seth fought to control his rolling stomach. He’d noticed that lately, little jagged bursts of grief threatened to spill out sometimes when he could least afford to lose control.

Once everyone was up and taking turns going through the buffet line, Seth snuck inside the house to his room for a moment. He thought he’d gone unnoticed when he heard the tap at his door a few minutes later.

“Yeah?”

Kaden stepped inside and closed the door behind him. “You okay?” he softly asked.

Seth started to nod when it hit him. He hated himself for it, but he sat on the end of his bed and cried.

Kaden sat next to him and silently put his arm around his friend’s shoulders. When Seth composed himself a few minutes later, he apologized. “I’m sorry, dude. I shouldn’t be dumping this on you. I just… I couldn’t hold it back. I don’t know how you’re dealing as well as you are, man.”

Kaden smiled but it looked sad. “Who says I am? I’ve had twenty years of practicing putting on a poker face as a Dom. Plus I’m an attorney. We’re all good liars. It’s genetic.”

His comment had the desired effect—it made Seth laugh. Then they hugged, long and hard. Kaden patted him on the back. “Having you here makes it easier, believe it or not. I can see how good she is with you, and it’s one less worry. I really mean it when I say I love you.”

“Love you too, dude. Still not doing you.”

Kaden laughed and sat back, brushed his hands across his eyes. “Not doing you either, buddy.”

The men sat and looked at each other. “Happy Thanksgiving, Kaden. I’m glad we’ve still got you here. I hope you’re here next year.”

Kaden smiled. “That makes two of us.”